The Saddest Part...

I just finished another book by my new favorite auther, Gloria Whelan. The saddest part? I was overcome with an urge to share the journey with someone while in the middle of the book! But, I didn't want to give too much away to Alex, because I want her to read it soon. It was a wonderful book!

The book, Listening for Lions, is about 13-year-old Rachel Sheridan. She is living in British East Africa in 1919 when a worldwide influenza epidemic breaks into her life. Her parents die and she is left as an orphan just as her mom and dad were orphans. From the stories she's heard of their childhood, she is fearful of the orphanage. In the midst of her grief, a couple change her life even more drastically and send her off, under a cloud of lies, to live in England.

The story reminds me of The Secret Garden and is a wonderful tale of charity, love, greed, lies and more. Rachel is a remarkable young lady who is torn apart by what she is doing while she tries to do the right thing. But, the right decisions are not always black and white.