Her Mothers Hope

Book Trailer


My BFF loaned me this big GIANT book to help keep me busy while I have been home sick with Valley Fever.  483 pages.  Only to find out its part 1 of 2!  I could not put the book down and read it in a matter of days.


The book begins with the story of Marta, a plain little Swiss girl with an abusive Father.  He pulled her out of school at 12 and demanded she start working and contributing to the house.  Unlike her older brother who would be sent to University or her beautiful, but mentally fragile younger sister who would be married off to a fine suitor.  


Marta had a fiery passion to learn and soaked in everything from the world she could.  Determined to learn to speak English and French, she traveled all over to work.  She eventually landed in Canada and purchased her very own boardinghouse.  Here, she met her husband Niclas.  


This is where I will stop describing the story line to tell you what happened before this point, made you jump and root for Marta to succeed and to thrive!  From this point of the book going  forward, it delves deep into the relationships between mother and daughter.  I love how the book seems to capture an independent view of how Marta and her daughter Helderama feel about each other.  Marta, pushing Helderama more than all of the other children, working her harder, expecting more from her.  Helderama feeling so unloved, so undeserving.  All the while, we the reader know why Marta is doing it.  It makes you want to scream out loud at Marta to explain the story of her fragile sister, Elise, so Helderama will understand why her mother always treated her differently.  


The other thing I love about this book is Niclas and his never ending faith in God and His promises.  The relationship between Niclas and Marta is....unexpected and beautiful.  


The book is filled with tragedy and triumphs.  Plenty of tears will be shed in the reading of this book.  Will Marta mend her relationship with Helderama before it's too late?  Her Daughters Dream is set to be released in September 2010.

The Shack

I have been DYING to tell you about this book, this awesome book that was given, er um, loaned to me by my wonderful friend Tina.  I am in desperate need of some powerful adjectives to describe this book.  Profound.  Creative.  Delightful.  Heartbreaking.  Hopeful.  

WARNING:  If you are a fire and brimstone Christian, this book is not for you.  This will go against everything you were raised to believe and you may think it the work of the devil.  If you believe our Lord is a loving God full of Grace, you MUST read this book NOW.  

It has been several weeks since I read the book but I don't think I can recall one single bible passage in there.  Yet, this little book has impacted me more than anything I have ever read.  Me the dork, the retard, the ONLY person in the world who thought God had a sense of humor.  The book left me with the DEEPEST understanding of how his love is for us.  His children.  I've heard and read we are his children but never understood the depth and meaning, until now.  

Ok, so I have yet to tell you about the book.  And I'm not going to.  Except to say this.  A Christian man loses a child.  Then receives a note requesting a meeting at the Shack where his child was abducted signed by "Papa", a secret family name for God.  

I will tell you there is a part in there about "judgement" that was soul shattering and heart wrenching.

I would love to go on and on and tell you lots of stuff and what I loved about this and that, but if I did, it would totally ruin it!  Trust me.  Read it.  I promise you will see God in a new light.