Another Dawn by Kathryn Cushman

Reviewed by Deena Peterson

"Kathryn always takes us to the painful places of life, but she does so with grace, humility, honesty and faith. Her novels aren't easy to read in terms of topic, but flow like creative waters."

We all have favorite authors. Some move us to think, some wring every emotion we have out of us, and others cause us to appreciate all we have. Then there's that one author who's capable of all three...and for me, it's Kathryn Cushman.

Her new novel took me somewhere I did not want to go...to the land of 'what if', and the consequences were costly. In "Another Dawn" we meet single mom Grace Graham and her son Dylan.

Grace is doing the best that she can with all she has to work with. She's made the best decisions with the best information she was able to glean, and her life, while not easy, is...well, her life.

But when events unfold that call Grace back home, she learns that we are not islands in the decisions that we make. What we choose one day can impact others for a lifetime.

Grace's sister, Jana, has never understood her, but she's always been Grace's tether to home. Her relationship with her father is strained at best, and being called upon to care for him while he recovers from surgery just adds more tension.

When Dylan becomes mysteriously ill, Grace finds her stay at her childhood home extended indefinitely. But when the cause of Dylan's illness is uncovered, it's all she can do to not run away, as she seems prone to do.

Will Grace be able to stand strong and face the outcome resulting from her choices? And what would we do in the same circumstances? Can relationships ever be healed after such tragic events?

This novel made me really pause and think. Some of Grace's decisions reflected my own, just not for the same reasons. I had to ask what I would have done in her shoes. And I had to wonder at the wisdom of my own choices.

Kathryn always takes us to the painful places of life, but she does so with grace, humility, honesty and faith. Her novels aren't easy to read in terms of topic, but flow like creative waters.

That's why "Another Dawn" receives five out of five bookmarks from me, with a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer as a charm.

Deena Peterson is the mom of 8, with an active two-year-old grandson! She's also a pastor's wife, worship leader, Bible study leader, and homeschool mom. She stays so busy she meets herself coming and going! Visit her at her blog A Peek At My Bookshelf.