Walking back to Happiness by Lucy Dillon

           Juliet's hiding from her feelings about the recent loss of Ben, the love of her life. If Juliet didn’t have to walk Ben's loyal dog, Minton, she'd never leave their half-finished house. Then her mother asks Juliet to take the elderly lab, Coco, along for the walk. One dog leads to another, and soon Juliet's the unofficial town pet-sitter. When she takes on a lonely spaniel, and gets to know its attractive owner, she realizes that her emotions aren't as easy to handle as her canine charges.

            Walking Back to Happiness is a story of love, life, loss, family, friendship and new beginnings. Walking Back to Happiness is a true testament of how life is a roller coaster and we cannot always have total bliss. We need to have a few bad times in order to grow and live. I liked the way the author has Juliet work through her grief and loss with her family, and her new friends gently urging her along, even though she did not see it at first. The dogs Minton, Coco and the rest truly capture your heart as well.

            The emotional component of this novel was very realistic and heartfelt. It was not a simple, "watch her get over loss of her husband and move on to someone new" kind of book. It was very honest and often heart wrenching but ultimately hopeful and life affirming. Anyone who has had their life flipped upside down can relate and be inspired by this wonderful story of hope and survival amidst life's worst situations.

            I recommend this story and I love that she uses dogs as characters which always find a way to lead people together & making their lives brighter.

 

 

Deadline by Randy Alcorn

            

This book attacks the concept of political correctness and the hypocritical quicksand of "moral relativism" by weaving a tale of suspense and intrigue into the everyday life of a liberal newspaper reporter. The book hooks you from the beginning, with a story about three friends on a typical Sunday afternoon watching football and tossing a coin to see who will drive to get the pizza at halftime. The coin lands and stays on its side! All three pile into the car to go get the pizza. On their way back, there is a terrible accident.

             Deadline is a gripping page turner about three best friends from boyhood through their days in the war are caught in a car accident on a rainy day in Oregon as they drive home from a pizza shop. The story picks up with one of the three, Jake, the reporter, awaking in the hospital and finding out that it was no accident.  Thus begins a journey during which his popular beliefs about life, meaning and morality are challenged in a very personal way.

            Randy Alcorn navigates through several modern issues with interesting characters, a  well-written story, and provides enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested  a look at life through Jake's eyes and his changing perspective. Whether you believe in Heaven and live with an eternal perspective or not, this book is a great read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a mystery and wants to know something about absolute truth. The story was in the details. I was completely taken by surprise.