Wednesday, January 23, 2013

God's Poetry


God's Poetry
By Anne Hamilton



About the Author:
Anne Hamilton, a longtime writer and mathematician, has a number of publications to her name. Anne has a trilogy of short books about how maths integrates with God’s great creation called The Singing Silence The Winging Word an The Listening Land. She has just had published her 27 year project a young adult fantasy Many-Coloured Realm.






Short Book Description:
What’s in a name? Shakespeare said a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. But is that true? Are names simply labels to be swapped around indiscriminately? Or are they more significant? God’s Poetry is about identity and destiny as well as the ancient concept of the power of names to body forth purpose and meaning. It’s also about why most of us never come into the calling prophetically breathed into what we are called.

Genre: Non Fiction

My Thoughts
A couple of people I showed this book to thought it was a poetry book and immediately said, "No thanks, I don't read poetry." I want to make it clear that this is not a poetry book but rather, the title suggests that we, with the names we're given, are each individual works of God's poetry. If you venture into the book, get ready for some amazing, true-life examples of how peoples' names have shaped not only their characters but their life's works. Several times, I thought, "Wow, that must be more than a coincidence." It is not light reading for relaxing with, but something meaty for those times you feel like delving deeply into some interesting study. Towards the end, Anne Hamilton gives some tips on how we might begin to plumb the mysteries of our own names or those of others, but I don't dare to think I could ever do as complete and thorough a job as she does. It did make me wonder, "What have I set in motion for my kids, through the names I've chosen?" Altogether, an unusual and interesting read.

God's Poetry Available at Amazon

Thursday, January 10, 2013

A Simple Mistake




About the Author:
Andrea Grigg grew up in Auckland, New Zealand, but has lived most of her life in Australia. She lives with her husband on Queensland's Gold Coast, where they have raised their three adult children – two daughters and a son. If she isn't teaching ten-year-olds, being a domestic executive or socialising, Andrea can be found in her cave, writing stories.






Short Book Description:
When Nick and Lainey meet again after 10 years so much has changed. Nick is now a famous celebrity and Lainey is the girl he left behind. As a member of a highly successful band and with an emerging acting career Nick can have any girl he wants. Now he wants Lainey back.
They had been so close when growing up, but after Nick left to seek fame and fortune, Lainey had never heard from him again. Now she has moved on from what she felt for Nick as a teenager. Or has she?
After discovering what kept them apart for so long, they tentatively rekindle their past romance. The feelings are just as strong as before but can Lainey accept Nick's lack of faith? And can their new relationship survive Lainey's secret?

Genre: Contemporary Fiction


My Thoughts:
This is a good, chunky, contemporary read. I found it interesting that its starting point, in a way, occurs at the spot where many other fiction stories end. After years of estrangement, misunderstanding and the passage of time, the hero and heroine have found each other again. They are mutually interested in pursuing what might have been. That's not a common spot to start. The big feature of this story, though, is the fact that Nick is now a well-known celebrity in both the music industry and on the screen. Both he and Lainey have huge adaptations to make, as they know their relationship can never be quite like it was before. This was written very believably and well. There are even threads left open for a possible sequel. I'd be interested to see whether they can trace the whereabouts of another pivotal character named Liam, who wasn't introduced in this story.   
A Simple Mistake Available at Amazon