Title: No Tomorrows
Author: Deb Gorman
Major Themes: Trauma, Faith
Synopsis: When she came to the conclusion that God was telling her she would die tomorrow, Annie was forced to face her decades-old fears.
I have several criteria that I use to decide whether I want to request a review copy of a book. If the book appears to be centered around romance, I generally turn it down. If it is strictly theology, I generally pass it up. No Tomorrows attracted my attention because I could tell it was neither of those genres, and when I read the preview on Amazon, I was hooked. I wanted to read this book!
Publisher’s description:
By the time Thursday is over, Annie Lee is convinced God is telling her it’s her last day on earth.
Annie and her husband live in a small rural town in central Washington state—a place where almost nothing scary happens…until today. Hang on to her coattails as she navigates her tragic past, her frightening present, and her unknown future all in the space of twenty-four hours.
And ask yourself the same question posed to Annie: “What would I do today if I knew I’d die tomorrow?” Will your answer be the same one Annie discovers?
My thoughts:
No Tomorrows is a unique book. I sure didn’t know what I was in for when I picked it up, but what a ride. I really struggled to put this one down, more than with most books. Several times, I found myself picking it up when I had one or two minutes—and realizing soon that ten minutes were gone! I was a little annoyed at Annie for allowing herself to be so controlled by fear, but at the same time, I could relate to her to a certain extent. Several years ago, our oldest son died suddenly, I learned that I was pregnant but that the baby had already died, and we experienced a massive earthquake—all within less than six weeks’ time. For a while during that time, I constantly had to battle fear. So, as I learned to know Annie, her character, and the tragic events that shaped her young life, I could understand her fear and her drive to control everyone and everything around her. Of course, I also know that is impossible, so I had to keep turning pages to find out how she worked through her fears.
I’m not sure about the theology of some parts of this book. Several times, Annie found herself transported to earlier parts of her life, where she experienced again times that had shaped her. She also met a person who seemed to know everything about her and gave her something that mysteriously appeared, disappeared, and reappeared. I don’t believe God does these kinds of things in real life, but they were a very effective way of telling the story that needed to be told here.
I have come away from No Tomorrows with a renewed vision to spend time with my children, to love them, and to have fun with them. The theme of this book, as can be gathered from the title alone, is that we never know when our last day will be. If tomorrow was my last day, how should I spend it? That is the question Annie had to come to grips with—and all the rest of us do, too.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the authors, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: Gee or geez is used several times. A rape is described, and so is the brutal death of a young child.
Age levels:
Reading Independently—Adults
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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