The Weight of Shadows

Ever have one of those days that you just keep waiting for someone to wake you up from because it just has to be a bad dream? This morning when Jesse was getting Mia ready for school, I prayed about their day, covering them both with prayer. I wish I had done the same for Doogie. He was in a car accident this afternoon; don't worry, he's okay. Mia and Jake were also in the car. She's fine, but he has a broken clavicle. Doogie's car is totaled as is the guy who hit him. Doogie's going to be struggling for a long time trying to manage it financially, plus buy a new car. I keep telling myself that it could be so much worse, and I am grateful to God for keeping them safe from serious injury, but this just feels like a terrible nightmare. Mia will be sleeping with me tonight (Jesse is gone overnight) so both of us feel secure. She was pretty shaken up. Please send some prayers up for us, and especially Doogie in the days to come. This is not a great way to start the summer.

The Weight of Shadows by Alison Strobel is a moving novel about the power of secrets. Kim has been running from a terrible night seven years ago while trying to build a life for herself after a childhood in foster care. Rick seems to be everything she's ever wanted, but their relationship moves so fast, they've moved in together after only three months. Their neighbor Joshua is starting over with his four-year-old daughter Maddie after the death of his wife from breast cancer. After the loss of his job, he's forced to sell their home and move into the apartment next to Rick & Kim because of the mountainous medical bills. What he hears through the thin walls between their apartments will threaten his life with Maddie. Debbie hasn't been able to have a healthy relationship with a man since the death of her sister Gina. Instead she's thrown all of her energy into working at a women's shelter, trying to rescue them after failing Gina. Strobel, the author of Violette Between, has a unique voice in Christian fiction. She takes three very disparate voices who each have a tragic past and brings them together in a way that will offer true healing. She accurately depicts a woman trapped in an abusive relationship with compassion and respect. As the violence escalates, so does the tension until it's nearly impossible to put the book down. (I stayed up until 2 am to finish it!) Beautifully written with a message of hope, Strobel is a writer to watch.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review.