Intense but enjoyable

I really enjoyed this story, especially all of the characters. Parts of the story were a bit intense - descriptions of the storm devastation. I didn’t emotionally prepare myself for that. I was going to give it a lower rating due to my own personal preference on that. However, it is a really memorable book that held my attention and kept me reading. That deserves a higher rating. ( )

The idea of this story was great from the beginning. It is the story of a tornado that ripped a town apart. But, it is much more than that. The storm could also be seen to represent the storms or trials in our lives. Through the making of a quilt made from scraps of fabric found by the local hairdresser after the storm. We see how each piece of fabric helps make sense of the tragedy and the part the person played in the lives of those in the town. Creating the quilt, putting it together piece by piece is the way we have to put our lives back together after we weather our own life storms. The center patch belonged to a man who made Jesus a part of his daily life. It is the interconnectedness of those he touched along with the interconnectedness of the quilt pieces that make this such a wonderful book. The book doesn’t come off as preachy. It is a demonstration of a life lived the way Christ would want us to live life. Just another reminder that in life’s storms we need to turn to and rely on God. He is truly the only one who has control. This is the first book in this series and was by an author I was not familiar with. I am looking forward to reading the others in the series. ( )

I wasn't expecting to get so attached to the characters in this book. It's a wonderful story about a small community that is hit by a huge tornado. The story takes place before, during, and after the big storm, and we watch the characters struggle with putting themselves and their town back together after losing so much. The scenes during the storm were vivid and gripping. I felt like I was right there in the middle of it all. There were several scenes that really pulled at my heartstrings and it was all I could do not to cry several times. I enjoyed all of the characters and their relationships with one another. There is a lot of hope and love and lifting one another up in this "rebuilding after disaster" story.

This is the first in a long series of standalone stories. The series is called "Quilts of Love."

Audiobook Notes: Audible recommended this book to me, so I listened to it as part of their new Plus program. It was great and I think I'll work my way through this entire series since all of the books are available in the Plus catalog. Stephanie Willis narrated the story and she did a great job!

Title: Beyond The Storm by Carolyn Zane
Series: Quilts of Love #1
Narrator: Stephanie Willis
Length: 7 hours 33 minutes, Unabridged
Publisher: Audible Studios ( )

A story where one might question God's plan in the midst of life's storms. But after you come through the storm you see His hand was in your life all along, bringing good out of something horrible. I was amazed at how well this author took you to a town where you met the people who lived there and then experienced the fear and total devastation as they experienced a tornado that ripped through their town. Some will survive and some will not, and the fear and devastation was very real in this story.

Abigail Durham is a young successful business owner (she owns her own heart salon) at the beginning of this story, but she needs God's direction in her life. She will meet Justin one night while she is out with the girls and that chance meeting will have a huge impact upon both their lives as the next 48 hours takes place, and they live through a horrible tornado. Abigail's Aunt Selma is a dear lady who will open up her home to some of the survivors of the tornado and she is a jewel of a lady. You will meet many of the folks in that town before and after the storm and will weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. And the way the making of a quilt was tied into this story was very precious. Loved how the men jumped in and helped with the quilt making; it brought a smile to my face.

I enjoyed how the story line was set up. It kept you up to date by giving you the time of day, hour by hour, so you could feel the storm coming and how it took many unawares; not because they weren't warned, but because they didn't take the warning seriously enough. Two of my favorite quotes from the story were: one by Aunt Selma after the storm caused devastation and Abigail questioned God's love and trust in Him, "I think it was Corrie ten Boom who once said, 'When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.' And so now," Selma said, 'when everything seems a mess, I can rest. He's on the job." Then there was Selma comforting someone over the death of a loved one during the storm, "Clyde finally helped me understand that a season is just that. A period of time. And how long that time lasts is not up to us. But up to the one who put us here in the first place. . . . . . He, like the apostle Paul of the New Testament, fought the good fight. And, at the end of the race, I am convinced that he stood before the Lord and heard, 'Well done, my good and faithful servants,'"

Will remember this story as it felt very real. Living in an area that can experience tornadoes, it was a little scary as we were having some storms come through when I was reading this, no tornadoes, but it did help set the mood as I was reading. Well done Carolyn Zane! ( )

While this was a well written book and I loved the quilt tie in, the story got a little too 'preachy' for me by the end of the story. ( )