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Forever Faithful #1
Waiting for Morning
“I’m afraid there’s been a car accident...”
As Hannah Ryan waits for her family to return home from a camping trip, she realizes she has everything going for her—a husband other women admire, two charming teenage daughters, and a loving Christian home. As the sunny afternoon turns into twilight, her uneasiness grows along with the shadows. Then a car pulls into Hannah’s driveway, bringing two police officers...and devastating news that shatters her life forever.
In the days that follow, Hannah struggles with unspeakable feelings of sorrow and rage—feelings that fuse into one chilling purpose for living: revenge against Brian Wesley, the drunk driver who has caused all her pain.
In her fury, Hannah shuts the Lord out of her life. She’s determined not to forgive Wesley or the God who allowed this tragedy to happen. Can two caring people help Hannah rediscover her faith...before bitterness destroys her?
As Hannah Ryan waits for her family to return home from a camping trip, she realizes she has everything going for her—a husband other women admire, two charming teenage daughters, and a loving Christian home. As the sunny afternoon turns into twilight, her uneasiness grows along with the shadows. Then a car pulls into Hannah’s driveway, bringing two police officers...and devastating news that shatters her life forever.
In the days that follow, Hannah struggles with unspeakable feelings of sorrow and rage—feelings that fuse into one chilling purpose for living: revenge against Brian Wesley, the drunk driver who has caused all her pain.
In her fury, Hannah shuts the Lord out of her life. She’s determined not to forgive Wesley or the God who allowed this tragedy to happen. Can two caring people help Hannah rediscover her faith...before bitterness destroys her?
384 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 1999
744 people are currently reading
4031 people want to read
About the author
Karen Kingsbury
208 books12k followersKaren Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, is America’s favorite inspirational storyteller, with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print. Her last dozen titles have topped bestseller lists and many of her novels are under development with Hallmark Films and as major motion pictures. Her Baxter Family books are being developed into a TV series slated for major network viewing sometime in the next year. Karen is also an adjunct professor of writing at Liberty University. In 2001 she and her husband, Don, adopted three boys from Haiti, doubling their family in a matter of months. Today the couple has joined the ranks of empty nesters, living in Tennessee near five of their adult children.
See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K...
See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 352 reviews
September 27, 2017
Caution: Spoiler Alert.
There are so many fans of Karen Kingsbury that I feel as though I may be standing in front of a firing squad as I offer my review. I will also say that this is the first and only book I have ever read by her. And after this one, I doubt I will read others.
Okay, so I didn't like Waiting for Morning. Character development of the protagonist/antagonist (the mother, Hanna) was capricious and unbelievable. Hanna came off as grating, shrill, and wholly irritating, rather than what I expect the author intended her to be: vulnerable, conflicted, desperate, yet finding the inner resources, finally moved to greater self-understanding and acceptance. Rather, , from the beginning of the book to end, I found her completely unlikable. One particular pet peeve I had with Hanna was that she called her daughter "that girl" whenever referring to her. Who, in real life, does that? It was odd.
The voice that rang the truest was that of the teenage daughter, Jenny, and I imagine I would have preferred to hear the story from her perspective... maybe alternating chapters between both points of view.
The author attempted to deal with significant issues: sudden loss of loved ones due to an accident; drunk driving, state laws and penalties; anger, sadness, and depression; denial; attempted suicide; and loss of faith when one's world is turned upside down. Unfortunately, the majority of the book only offered examples of how Hanna was angry, hateful, and lost her belief in God; and given she was someone hard to like, it was hard to get behind and root for her transformation. And then at the end of the book, (and I must say, it was without question that it was coming), the author threw in a zippity-quick, slipshod, feel-good ending that not only included a blink-of-the-eye-quick change of heart in Hanna, but also a handsome knight who swooped in and loved her, no matter what. As such, suddenly, there were the required formulaic elements of forgiveness and redemption that, I assume, the intended audience expects.
Yawn. The prose was tedious and flat. The protagonist was wholly unlikable, even contemptible, and seemingly never developed awareness or accepted responsibility for her actions. The ending... oh the ending, was... expected- contrived and unconvincing. Hanna completely switched gears, daughter Jenny became a Stepford child, and a handsome suitor swept Hanna off her feet. How neatly and magically tied up in a happy bow it all became.
But wait!
This has been replete with spoilers, but if you want to still read this book do NOT read the next part, because it shares the very last scene:
===============================================
Okay, here it is, and I am not kidding... at the end of the book, Hanna, her still-alive daughter Jenny, and replacement soon-to-be husband all stood together... and sang a hymn. Really.
Unfortunately, Karen Kingbury did not choose to have them sing Kumbaya, which may have offered at least one satisfying chuckle in an otherwise unsatisfying book.
There are so many fans of Karen Kingsbury that I feel as though I may be standing in front of a firing squad as I offer my review. I will also say that this is the first and only book I have ever read by her. And after this one, I doubt I will read others.
Okay, so I didn't like Waiting for Morning. Character development of the protagonist/antagonist (the mother, Hanna) was capricious and unbelievable. Hanna came off as grating, shrill, and wholly irritating, rather than what I expect the author intended her to be: vulnerable, conflicted, desperate, yet finding the inner resources, finally moved to greater self-understanding and acceptance. Rather, , from the beginning of the book to end, I found her completely unlikable. One particular pet peeve I had with Hanna was that she called her daughter "that girl" whenever referring to her. Who, in real life, does that? It was odd.
The voice that rang the truest was that of the teenage daughter, Jenny, and I imagine I would have preferred to hear the story from her perspective... maybe alternating chapters between both points of view.
The author attempted to deal with significant issues: sudden loss of loved ones due to an accident; drunk driving, state laws and penalties; anger, sadness, and depression; denial; attempted suicide; and loss of faith when one's world is turned upside down. Unfortunately, the majority of the book only offered examples of how Hanna was angry, hateful, and lost her belief in God; and given she was someone hard to like, it was hard to get behind and root for her transformation. And then at the end of the book, (and I must say, it was without question that it was coming), the author threw in a zippity-quick, slipshod, feel-good ending that not only included a blink-of-the-eye-quick change of heart in Hanna, but also a handsome knight who swooped in and loved her, no matter what. As such, suddenly, there were the required formulaic elements of forgiveness and redemption that, I assume, the intended audience expects.
Yawn. The prose was tedious and flat. The protagonist was wholly unlikable, even contemptible, and seemingly never developed awareness or accepted responsibility for her actions. The ending... oh the ending, was... expected- contrived and unconvincing. Hanna completely switched gears, daughter Jenny became a Stepford child, and a handsome suitor swept Hanna off her feet. How neatly and magically tied up in a happy bow it all became.
But wait!
This has been replete with spoilers, but if you want to still read this book do NOT read the next part, because it shares the very last scene:
===============================================
Okay, here it is, and I am not kidding... at the end of the book, Hanna, her still-alive daughter Jenny, and replacement soon-to-be husband all stood together... and sang a hymn. Really.
Unfortunately, Karen Kingbury did not choose to have them sing Kumbaya, which may have offered at least one satisfying chuckle in an otherwise unsatisfying book.
March 5, 2018
Wait for Morning is the first book in the Forever Faithful series by Karen Kingsbury. I would classify Karen’s writing as being the Christian version of Jodi Picoult. She can convey through her writing stories ripped from the headlines well. This book tackles the topic of drunk driving and how it impacts those around us.
Synopsis:
Hannah is waiting for her husband Tom to come back from camping trip with their two daughters Jenny and Alicia. As their arrival becomes, later and later she begins to wonder if something has happened. On the other side of town Brian has just lost his job although he has been sober, and trying to recover from Alcoholism. He can’t fight the craving to stop at a bar for a few drinks to drown his sorrows. He promised his family he would not drink anymore. Brian leaves the bar and gets behind the wheel his life and three others change forever when he crashes into a family vehicle. Once Hannah is notified and makes her way to the hospital only to find out her youngest daughter Jenny is the only one who survived, will she be able to forgive? Will Brian be able to forgive himself and others?
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this novel. It was hard for me to read in part because of the strong characterization, and the trials these charcters went through. Hannah’s journey through this trial in her life is something that I can identify with myself. I liked the fact the author purposely made Hannah’s family Christian. How does it affect someone of the faith? Or in Jenny’s situation you survive the worst accident and yet your feel you have lost both parents because of Hannah’s choice. I loved how Karen Kingsbury used the character’s of the DA and the President of the local chapter of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) to help guide Hannah.
Themes of forgiving and what does that truly mean for both parties? How much freedom will it give us to let go and let it be? How can you forgive murder? For me the answer to these questions is to one give it time. Ask for God’s help in healing. We cannot often times do this ourselves. Sometimes it takes accepting the change in order to move forward. Or also accepting to that you can’t rewind time. There are times when I wish I had that power. I am only human and therefore will have to lift it up to God.
Synopsis:
Hannah is waiting for her husband Tom to come back from camping trip with their two daughters Jenny and Alicia. As their arrival becomes, later and later she begins to wonder if something has happened. On the other side of town Brian has just lost his job although he has been sober, and trying to recover from Alcoholism. He can’t fight the craving to stop at a bar for a few drinks to drown his sorrows. He promised his family he would not drink anymore. Brian leaves the bar and gets behind the wheel his life and three others change forever when he crashes into a family vehicle. Once Hannah is notified and makes her way to the hospital only to find out her youngest daughter Jenny is the only one who survived, will she be able to forgive? Will Brian be able to forgive himself and others?
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this novel. It was hard for me to read in part because of the strong characterization, and the trials these charcters went through. Hannah’s journey through this trial in her life is something that I can identify with myself. I liked the fact the author purposely made Hannah’s family Christian. How does it affect someone of the faith? Or in Jenny’s situation you survive the worst accident and yet your feel you have lost both parents because of Hannah’s choice. I loved how Karen Kingsbury used the character’s of the DA and the President of the local chapter of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) to help guide Hannah.
Themes of forgiving and what does that truly mean for both parties? How much freedom will it give us to let go and let it be? How can you forgive murder? For me the answer to these questions is to one give it time. Ask for God’s help in healing. We cannot often times do this ourselves. Sometimes it takes accepting the change in order to move forward. Or also accepting to that you can’t rewind time. There are times when I wish I had that power. I am only human and therefore will have to lift it up to God.
March 28, 2011
This story was a hard one to read because it was very sad. I could understand the desire to be angry with God when you've lost your family to a drunk driver. The main character really asks those hard questions - why would a loving God let this happen to her family? At the same time, I felt that the main character was hard to like because of the way she selfishly neglects her one surviving daughter in her quest for vengeance, and also hard to sympathize with completely because her reasoning for being mad at God was because good things should happen to her because they always had in the past. Her whole basis for her faith was on God doing "good" (good -as in what she wanted to happen) things for her. As soon as her perfect life was disrupted, she discounted her whole faith. That begs the question: was it ever a faith at all? Of course the ending was predictable, and the main character comes back to her faith and realizes God's care for her as she steps back to see the bigger picture of our circumstances in this world. We are not made for this world; we are here for only a short time, and every good thing that we do have here is a gift from God. That's something to really think about, and this book did make me think about those things more specifically. So that was the redeeming quality of the book, for me. It essentially is a Job story with a modern twist. I recommend reading the book of Job in the Bible after reading this book because it's interesting to read what is going on "behind the scenes" between Satan and God when Job was experiencing his tragedies and trials.
October 8, 2015
"I think that's why God's so good to me," Hannah had smiled pleasantly. "He knows I'm not good at forgiving."
That was Hannah's childhood thought. Little did she know that the biggest trial of her life would occur when she was happily married with two daughters in their teens. Little did she know that the forgiveness she had briefly mentioned as a child, the anger she struggled with then, would blindside her in full force.
I finished this book with a "wow." I admire Karen Kingsbury for tackling hard issues like drunk driving, suicide, anger, and bitterness--and balancing them with the truths of God's Word. Her writing is well-researched and detailed. It is realistic--painfully realistic. I could easily envision real lives placed in the shoes of Hannah, Jenny, Carol, Matt, and Bryan.
At first, the multiple viewpoint changes were confusing, but as I got to know the characters, I looked forward to reading their different perspectives.
Hannah's story...it was amazing to read how she fought against all of the hymns and verses brought to mind. It hurt to read her bitter and angry progression--yet a good illustration of how it can overtake a person. She sought to find peace in the revenge of Mr. Wesley...yet instead found herself being shackled with bitterness. Her fight against forgiveness rang too true--but so did God's persistent reminder of Scripture and His promises. Oh my goodness! Hannah's restoration to the mercy of God was so beautiful!! There is no other word for it and the beauty is that the restoration is Biblically true.
Jenny's story...though not as detailed as Hannah's story, I loved Jenny and my heart cried out for her, a girl struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts while her mom was busy fighting what she thought was the most important battle.
Bryan's story...I'll admit, I was so happy the way Bryan's story turned out! How beautiful to see him using Scripture to combat his thirst for beer!
For those who are conscious of these things, there is a mention of drunk man seeing demons as well as mentions of unmarried couples living together. Nothing in detail though. There is a suicidal attempt with a bit of detail. Because of these things, I would personally recommend this book to readers twenty and above.
A couple of favorite quotes:
When Hannah finally prayed again: "Rather she had simply reached the end of herself, of everything she knew about coping."
"She had suffered much this past year, but it had been worse because she had exchanged the truth about God for a lie."
*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.*
That was Hannah's childhood thought. Little did she know that the biggest trial of her life would occur when she was happily married with two daughters in their teens. Little did she know that the forgiveness she had briefly mentioned as a child, the anger she struggled with then, would blindside her in full force.
I finished this book with a "wow." I admire Karen Kingsbury for tackling hard issues like drunk driving, suicide, anger, and bitterness--and balancing them with the truths of God's Word. Her writing is well-researched and detailed. It is realistic--painfully realistic. I could easily envision real lives placed in the shoes of Hannah, Jenny, Carol, Matt, and Bryan.
At first, the multiple viewpoint changes were confusing, but as I got to know the characters, I looked forward to reading their different perspectives.
Hannah's story...it was amazing to read how she fought against all of the hymns and verses brought to mind. It hurt to read her bitter and angry progression--yet a good illustration of how it can overtake a person. She sought to find peace in the revenge of Mr. Wesley...yet instead found herself being shackled with bitterness. Her fight against forgiveness rang too true--but so did God's persistent reminder of Scripture and His promises. Oh my goodness! Hannah's restoration to the mercy of God was so beautiful!! There is no other word for it and the beauty is that the restoration is Biblically true.
Jenny's story...though not as detailed as Hannah's story, I loved Jenny and my heart cried out for her, a girl struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts while her mom was busy fighting what she thought was the most important battle.
Bryan's story...I'll admit, I was so happy the way Bryan's story turned out! How beautiful to see him using Scripture to combat his thirst for beer!
For those who are conscious of these things, there is a mention of drunk man seeing demons as well as mentions of unmarried couples living together. Nothing in detail though. There is a suicidal attempt with a bit of detail. Because of these things, I would personally recommend this book to readers twenty and above.
A couple of favorite quotes:
When Hannah finally prayed again: "Rather she had simply reached the end of herself, of everything she knew about coping."
"She had suffered much this past year, but it had been worse because she had exchanged the truth about God for a lie."
*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.*
October 10, 2012
A mother waits for her family’s return from a trip. A young man loses his job and his hope for the future. Then cars and lives are turned upside-down, tangled and destroyed in Karen Kingsbury’s Waiting for Morning. Survivor’s guilt looms large. Unforgivable sins meets a strong woman’s fury. And the kindly-meant prayers of strangers and friends really don’t seem to change the world. Not at the point where anger meets God’s betrayal.
We often ask why God allows bad things to happen to good people. Like this novel’s protagonist, we might know God is faithful when we go to church. Then we fool ourselves he’ll answer every prayer the way we choose. But what if he doesn’t? What happens when the trouble we face is more than our hearts can hold? How will we act when the lawcourt is the only place offering answers?
Relationships are beautifully, heart-breakingly portrayed in this novel. Memories fly unanchored from everyday clutter, from photographs, from the space of an empty bed. Mothers against drunk drivers offers an answer, but losing herself in search of purpose is only a temporary gift; it doesn’t help Hannah’s surviving child, and ultimately it isn't helping Hannah. Depression looms but she’s too busy to see it and too angry to listen to advice.
Breathing the truth that God doesn’t desert us, even when we desert him, this novel is filled with honest emotion and seeded with faith that grows through life’s broken cracks. Not a simple Christian tale, not an angry MADD novel either, Waiting for Morning presents an evocative picture of real people facing real trials and coming through to real hope. Unbelievers might call the answers to prayer coincidence. Believers, even reluctant believers like Hannah, might come to know more. And in the end, God’s faithfulness gives the only true verdict.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from the publishers in exchange for my honest review.
We often ask why God allows bad things to happen to good people. Like this novel’s protagonist, we might know God is faithful when we go to church. Then we fool ourselves he’ll answer every prayer the way we choose. But what if he doesn’t? What happens when the trouble we face is more than our hearts can hold? How will we act when the lawcourt is the only place offering answers?
Relationships are beautifully, heart-breakingly portrayed in this novel. Memories fly unanchored from everyday clutter, from photographs, from the space of an empty bed. Mothers against drunk drivers offers an answer, but losing herself in search of purpose is only a temporary gift; it doesn’t help Hannah’s surviving child, and ultimately it isn't helping Hannah. Depression looms but she’s too busy to see it and too angry to listen to advice.
Breathing the truth that God doesn’t desert us, even when we desert him, this novel is filled with honest emotion and seeded with faith that grows through life’s broken cracks. Not a simple Christian tale, not an angry MADD novel either, Waiting for Morning presents an evocative picture of real people facing real trials and coming through to real hope. Unbelievers might call the answers to prayer coincidence. Believers, even reluctant believers like Hannah, might come to know more. And in the end, God’s faithfulness gives the only true verdict.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from the publishers in exchange for my honest review.
February 17, 2016
I literally just finished Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury. It is one of the best books I have ever read and life changing. It is also my favorite Karen Kingsbury books I have read.
December 21, 2012
This book was hard for me to read. It's harder for me to handle the idea of suicide and getting a look at someone's mental state who is considering it. Aside from that, this book officially made me respect Kingsbury as an author. The idea that Christians don't always respond to tragedy in a Christ-like way and sometimes forego God altogether is not one that's typically talked about. I give her credit for approaching the subject; she not only approached it, she created a fantastic story out of it. I can't imagine going through what Hannah went through. It was hard though, to watch her ignore her daughter in favor of her misguided pursuit of justice. I love the story arc of Brian Wilson; I'm glad he wasn't just a drunk driver but had a story and an ending as well. I really enjoyed the supporting characters of Matt and Carol. This book was difficult because of how real it was. I could see this situation playing out in real life and it has. This book has cemented my respect for Karen Kingsbury. The story is real, the emotions are real, and it accurately shows how to trust in God through tragedy.
March 28, 2012
Kingsbury is a Christian gifted fiction writer that appeals to anyone - christian or not. her style is contemporary and she addresses tough issues. in this one, she interweaves the story of a family torn apart from the effects of a drunk driving accident with a verse in each chapter from the book of Lamentations..you walk with the widowed wife and mother as she travels the road from denial to a lengthy period of anger and bitterness to finally come to the only source of peace - a reconciliation with God and forgiveness for the killer she fought so hard to get a first degree murder charge. You anguish beside the daughter who suffers survivor's guilt and the loss of her mother's attention leading up to a suicide attempt. This book is about God's everlasting love and mercy to all. It will truly touch your heart and help you realize there is hope in every situation.
August 30, 2020
A emotional, heartbreaking, and beautiful story.
June 9, 2019
În așteptarea dimineții este o poveste despre credință. Un șofer beat, omoară o fetiță si pe tatăl acesteia, intr-un accident de mașină... iar ce se intampla dupa aceea este usor de prevăzut. Sotia si mama rămasă în viata devine aproape imediat dintr-o credincioasă declarată, o atee fără bariere.
Mânată de ura, ea neagă toata credinta pe care o avea în Dumnezeu, invinuindu-L pt tot ceea ce a pățit familia ei.
Lecturarea acestei cărți a fost dificilă, pt ca in urma cu ceva ani, am trait ceva similar. Un bun prieten a fost ucis intr un accident de mașină... si la fel ca si personajul principal am învinuit divinitatea, apoi soferul, apoi pe toata lumea. Poate daca n-as fi experimentat aceste trăiri, cartea nu m-ar fi atins asa mult, însă dat fiind contextul... a facut-o. Am lacrimat de câteva ori, dar nu neapărat pt povestea în sine, ci la modul cum m-am regăsit in ea.
Am mai citit cărți cu tentă religioasă, în care se pune accent pe credința si Dumnezeu, dar niciuna in care acestea sa fie subiectul principal. Toate acțiunile personajelor sunt raportate la credinta lor si la modul în care sunt sau nu aproape de biserica si Iisus. A fost putin obositor la un moment dat. Am inteles însă, la final, atunci cand autoarea are câteva cuvinte pt cititori, ca scopul acestei povești a fost acela de a îndruma persoanele care au pierdut pe cineva drag in vreun accident de masina, facut de un șofer beat, SA IERTE. Sa ierte ca să-și poată gasi liniștea. Sa ierte pentru a putea merge mai departe. Sa-L lase pe Dumnezeu sa ii arate calea. Sa se increada in alegerile Lui. Sa nu pună la îndoială alegerile Lui. Sa creada!
Nu stiu daca pot sa spun ca mi-a plăcut această carte. Nu mi-a displăcut, dar nefiind vreo cucernica, n-am prea empatizat cu frământările personajelor. In plus au fost unele lucruri de-a dreptul deranjante.
Primul a fost faptul că de la detectiv până la procuror, toti tratau familia victimelor ca fiind speciali, punandu-se accent pe faptul că sunt creștini credincioși ce frecventează biserica. Am simtit-o ca ceva de genul "bai, ai grija cum le vorbesti ca sunt credincioși"... credincioși sau nu, tot oameni suntem, tot creați de același Tata Ceresc, așa că nu am priceput de ce se pune mare accent pe treaba asta.
Al doilea a fost faptul ca povestea merge constant pe o pantă a redescoperirii lui Dumnezeu, a încrederii oarbe in vointa Lui, si asta fara sa iti lase loc de îndoială. Adică la un moment dat se intampla ceva de genul " vezi deaia ai pățit asta, pt ca nu mai crezi in Dumnezeu, te-ai îndepărtat de el si asta este rasplata". Mi s-a părut totusi un pic cam mult.
Cred în Dumnezeu, ma rog la Dumnezeu, dar nu pot sa fiu de acord cu iertarea asta indiferent cum. Nu pot.
Celor ce au pierdut pe cineva drag, în situații similare, cartea asta vine ca o mângâiere... si cred ca as recomanda-o, sperând că va aduce un pic de alinare. Celorlalți, care sunt si putin atei... nu... pt ca va veti revolta si va veti simti neputinciosi in fata acestei comunități de personaje credincioase.
Mânată de ura, ea neagă toata credinta pe care o avea în Dumnezeu, invinuindu-L pt tot ceea ce a pățit familia ei.
Lecturarea acestei cărți a fost dificilă, pt ca in urma cu ceva ani, am trait ceva similar. Un bun prieten a fost ucis intr un accident de mașină... si la fel ca si personajul principal am învinuit divinitatea, apoi soferul, apoi pe toata lumea. Poate daca n-as fi experimentat aceste trăiri, cartea nu m-ar fi atins asa mult, însă dat fiind contextul... a facut-o. Am lacrimat de câteva ori, dar nu neapărat pt povestea în sine, ci la modul cum m-am regăsit in ea.
Am mai citit cărți cu tentă religioasă, în care se pune accent pe credința si Dumnezeu, dar niciuna in care acestea sa fie subiectul principal. Toate acțiunile personajelor sunt raportate la credinta lor si la modul în care sunt sau nu aproape de biserica si Iisus. A fost putin obositor la un moment dat. Am inteles însă, la final, atunci cand autoarea are câteva cuvinte pt cititori, ca scopul acestei povești a fost acela de a îndruma persoanele care au pierdut pe cineva drag in vreun accident de masina, facut de un șofer beat, SA IERTE. Sa ierte ca să-și poată gasi liniștea. Sa ierte pentru a putea merge mai departe. Sa-L lase pe Dumnezeu sa ii arate calea. Sa se increada in alegerile Lui. Sa nu pună la îndoială alegerile Lui. Sa creada!
Nu stiu daca pot sa spun ca mi-a plăcut această carte. Nu mi-a displăcut, dar nefiind vreo cucernica, n-am prea empatizat cu frământările personajelor. In plus au fost unele lucruri de-a dreptul deranjante.
Primul a fost faptul că de la detectiv până la procuror, toti tratau familia victimelor ca fiind speciali, punandu-se accent pe faptul că sunt creștini credincioși ce frecventează biserica. Am simtit-o ca ceva de genul "bai, ai grija cum le vorbesti ca sunt credincioși"... credincioși sau nu, tot oameni suntem, tot creați de același Tata Ceresc, așa că nu am priceput de ce se pune mare accent pe treaba asta.
Al doilea a fost faptul ca povestea merge constant pe o pantă a redescoperirii lui Dumnezeu, a încrederii oarbe in vointa Lui, si asta fara sa iti lase loc de îndoială. Adică la un moment dat se intampla ceva de genul " vezi deaia ai pățit asta, pt ca nu mai crezi in Dumnezeu, te-ai îndepărtat de el si asta este rasplata". Mi s-a părut totusi un pic cam mult.
Cred în Dumnezeu, ma rog la Dumnezeu, dar nu pot sa fiu de acord cu iertarea asta indiferent cum. Nu pot.
Celor ce au pierdut pe cineva drag, în situații similare, cartea asta vine ca o mângâiere... si cred ca as recomanda-o, sperând că va aduce un pic de alinare. Celorlalți, care sunt si putin atei... nu... pt ca va veti revolta si va veti simti neputinciosi in fata acestei comunități de personaje credincioase.
August 14, 2021
This book really pulls at the heartstrings. I enjoyed reading it and it brought back some memories of my father's car accident (although it was not a drunk driver that killed him- it was truly and accident). I was not crazy about the court room drama or the legal side of things, it is not my favorite thing to read or watch on tv. Not into that at all, but it was well written and i got through that part. Hannah the main character loses her husband and firstborn daughter in a car accident to a drunk driver. The daughter that survives lives through a nightmare no one ever wants to go through, Her mother full of hatred and resentment, neglects her and she turns to other means to cope with life, The bitterness and hatred Hannah held in her heart were hard to read about, but yes understandable. As Christians we too go through the emotions of wanting revenge, hatred and unforgiveness. But we must always remember that God has made the ultimate sacrifice, He gave His Son so we can go to Him in the fiery trials that we face. He is there to give us the strength we need to go through the trials of life. This story was heart wrenching and i shed quite a few tears, but the ones i shed the most were when Hannah comes the realization of her emotions and forgives. Great is thy Faithfullness oh Lord. Your mercy are new every morning..
October 30, 2025
This review is hard to write. I really wanted to give it higher. I appreciated the realness of emotions and struggles. However, Hanna's return to God and forgiving fell short for me. After doing an exceptional job of showcasing the effect of grief and anger for 3/4 of the book when God finally breaks through to Hanna magically everything is fine - no more hard feelings or after effects of trauma. This is not realistic.
I struggled with Hanna's character especially her treatment of Jenny but she was real. She was self centered and shallow but real. Sadly her reaction to loss is relatively common.
Jenny and Matt were my two favorite characters and I wish there was more of their thoughts and perspectives shared.
Another thing I had a hard time with is near the beginning of the book Hanna has a shallow not Biblically accurate faith and view of God. She mis-uses a Bible verse which is very commonly mis-quoted as she did. No where in the book are these reversed or addressed.
Last big thing I found troubling was the underlying tone that Christians can't have mental health problems and definately don't need to seek professional help of a counselor or anyone else. This somewhat is lessened by Hanna telling Jenny near the end that they will both get help but then it is never mentioned again.
I struggled with Hanna's character especially her treatment of Jenny but she was real. She was self centered and shallow but real. Sadly her reaction to loss is relatively common.
Jenny and Matt were my two favorite characters and I wish there was more of their thoughts and perspectives shared.
Another thing I had a hard time with is near the beginning of the book Hanna has a shallow not Biblically accurate faith and view of God. She mis-uses a Bible verse which is very commonly mis-quoted as she did. No where in the book are these reversed or addressed.
Last big thing I found troubling was the underlying tone that Christians can't have mental health problems and definately don't need to seek professional help of a counselor or anyone else. This somewhat is lessened by Hanna telling Jenny near the end that they will both get help but then it is never mentioned again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2025
I wish there was a 3.5 to give this book. I love the premise of the story: unspeakable pain and supernatural forgiveness. It is a tale today’s world needs to see from a Heavenly view. The plot is awesome. The character development is passable, but in many places the characters are too forced. For example, Hannah, the protagonist, and her relationship with her daughter after the tragedy is not as believable as Kindsbury likely hoped. In fact, Hannah is probably the least believable character in the book. Brian, the antagonist, is likely the most believable.
The book is good. The idea is needed. Traveling through Lamentations was clever, but the characters just did not seem real enough to make me want to read the other two stories in the series.
The book is good. The idea is needed. Traveling through Lamentations was clever, but the characters just did not seem real enough to make me want to read the other two stories in the series.
June 4, 2024
I love Karen Kingsbury books...and this one did not disappoint! Very touching story of loss, grief and redemption. A great reminder for a child of God that strays away...He's always there waiting on you to come back to Him.
May 29, 2021
A great story of heeling and learning to forgive through faith. I love this authors books because they are full of faith and hope. Looking forward to the other books in this series
January 18, 2022
Un exemplu de iertare. Cartea merită să fie citită
March 25, 2025
November 2013
June 7, 2012
Waiting for Morning review
by author, Karen Kingsbury
I've done it myself.....when someone I love has been late arriving home, I've gone over and over it in my head. I have imagined them being killed, in a car accident, kidnapped, injured, and yet, never ever really thinking it will happen. Hannah experiences it when Tom takes the two girls for their annual camping trip before they must head back to school. They are late arriving home and Hannah begins to worry.
In the meantime, a man Hannah has never met has been sober three weeks when his boss comes in and fires him. Brian Wesley tries desperately to make it home to his wife, Carla, and little Brian, Jr. without making a stop by a local bar. He fights it with all that he has within him and then, he just can't take it anymore. He makes a big mistake and goes into the bar and starts ordering and drinking. Two hours and probably fourteen beers and whiskeys later, he hits the road....right about the same time that Dr. Tom Ryan, Alicia, and Jenny leave the campground to head home to Hannah.
No, no, no, Jenny, looks up, and doesn't even have time to scream when she sees Brian's car heading straight for them. Alicia is killed on impact! Tom is alive and barely hanging on when help arrives. Jenny is injured and lying on the ground, crying out for her daddy and sister. No one wants to tell her the truth.
The police drive to the door to tell Hannah Ryan in person and to take her to the hospital. She insists they are wrong...lying...mistaken..and that she is perfectly capable of driving herself. The nightmare is only beginning. Hannah and her family have lived a strong-faith-based existence, and now Hannah is doubting all of it. She gets involved with MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and becomes all consumed with putting the creep who killed her beloved husband and oldest teenage daughter in prison for life. She shuts out poor young Jenny, who begins to wonder if she even belongs on the earth.
This book is ultimately one of hope, but I will admit that the first few chapters were difficult for me to read because they were so painful. They hurt. I could truly feel Hannah and Jenny's pain, and even Brian's. My own family has many who have struggled with alcoholism so it hit home. I am glad that I continued reading as it truly is a beautiful book. Karen Kingsbury finishes with discussion questions for book groups. Read this book yourself and feel the power forgiveness can have over us.
5 Stars!!
About the Author
USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury is America’s #1 inspirational novelist. There are more than 20 million copies of her award-winning books in print, including several million copies sold in the past year. Karen has written more than 50 novels, ten of which have hit #1 on national lists.
Karen has a true love for her readers, and she has nearly 250,000 friends on Facebook along with 20,000 followers on Twitter. The popular social networking sites have allowed Karen daily interaction with her reader friends.
Karen's latest novel, Longing, released on November 22, 2011 and landed in the # 2 spot on the New York Times Bestsellers List during its first week of release. Karen's previous novel,Leaving released on March 22, 2011. Leaving landed #2 on the New York Time's Bestseller List the first week it released. Her novel, Unlocked released October 12, 2010 and landed #3 on the New York Times Bestsellers List! Above the Line, Take Four released June 23, 2010. This was the final installment in the Above the Line Series. Take Four rose to the # 5 spot on the New York Times Bestseller's List just one week after it was released.
You can find more information about her at her own website:
http://www.karenkingsbury.com
I received a free copy of this book from Waterbrook Press, bloggingforbooks.org, in exchange for my honest review. Waiting for Morning
by author, Karen Kingsbury
I've done it myself.....when someone I love has been late arriving home, I've gone over and over it in my head. I have imagined them being killed, in a car accident, kidnapped, injured, and yet, never ever really thinking it will happen. Hannah experiences it when Tom takes the two girls for their annual camping trip before they must head back to school. They are late arriving home and Hannah begins to worry.
In the meantime, a man Hannah has never met has been sober three weeks when his boss comes in and fires him. Brian Wesley tries desperately to make it home to his wife, Carla, and little Brian, Jr. without making a stop by a local bar. He fights it with all that he has within him and then, he just can't take it anymore. He makes a big mistake and goes into the bar and starts ordering and drinking. Two hours and probably fourteen beers and whiskeys later, he hits the road....right about the same time that Dr. Tom Ryan, Alicia, and Jenny leave the campground to head home to Hannah.
No, no, no, Jenny, looks up, and doesn't even have time to scream when she sees Brian's car heading straight for them. Alicia is killed on impact! Tom is alive and barely hanging on when help arrives. Jenny is injured and lying on the ground, crying out for her daddy and sister. No one wants to tell her the truth.
The police drive to the door to tell Hannah Ryan in person and to take her to the hospital. She insists they are wrong...lying...mistaken..and that she is perfectly capable of driving herself. The nightmare is only beginning. Hannah and her family have lived a strong-faith-based existence, and now Hannah is doubting all of it. She gets involved with MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and becomes all consumed with putting the creep who killed her beloved husband and oldest teenage daughter in prison for life. She shuts out poor young Jenny, who begins to wonder if she even belongs on the earth.
This book is ultimately one of hope, but I will admit that the first few chapters were difficult for me to read because they were so painful. They hurt. I could truly feel Hannah and Jenny's pain, and even Brian's. My own family has many who have struggled with alcoholism so it hit home. I am glad that I continued reading as it truly is a beautiful book. Karen Kingsbury finishes with discussion questions for book groups. Read this book yourself and feel the power forgiveness can have over us.
5 Stars!!
About the Author
USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury is America’s #1 inspirational novelist. There are more than 20 million copies of her award-winning books in print, including several million copies sold in the past year. Karen has written more than 50 novels, ten of which have hit #1 on national lists.
Karen has a true love for her readers, and she has nearly 250,000 friends on Facebook along with 20,000 followers on Twitter. The popular social networking sites have allowed Karen daily interaction with her reader friends.
Karen's latest novel, Longing, released on November 22, 2011 and landed in the # 2 spot on the New York Times Bestsellers List during its first week of release. Karen's previous novel,Leaving released on March 22, 2011. Leaving landed #2 on the New York Time's Bestseller List the first week it released. Her novel, Unlocked released October 12, 2010 and landed #3 on the New York Times Bestsellers List! Above the Line, Take Four released June 23, 2010. This was the final installment in the Above the Line Series. Take Four rose to the # 5 spot on the New York Times Bestseller's List just one week after it was released.
You can find more information about her at her own website:
http://www.karenkingsbury.com
I received a free copy of this book from Waterbrook Press, bloggingforbooks.org, in exchange for my honest review. Waiting for Morning
June 10, 2024
Christian literature focusing on a storyline centered around Lamentations. Subjects include suicide, and drunk driving and the role of forgiveness.
October 21, 2015
This book made me experience so many emotions but none of them were positive. It started with sadness, and then the frustration took over, mixed with a good dose of anger. The story is about Hannah, who’s life is completely changed in a day. Hannah, understandably, is devastated, and goes through all of the stages of grief. My issue with this book was with Hannah, as she was blind to some of the serious issues in front of her because of her obsession with getting justice and what seemed like revenge. The story seemed to be a realistic portrayal of someone who’s life has fallen apart but I still found it very frustrating. The ending, which seemed a bit rushed, was extremely predictable and didn’t bring me the satisfaction that I expected. I was still left with feelings of frustration and sadness.
As a disclaimer, I would like to state that I tend to avoid “sad” books because I read for pleasure, and they aren’t something I enjoy. This book, based on what was presented, was very well done and the writing was great. It just isn’t a book that I would normally gravitate to.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
As a disclaimer, I would like to state that I tend to avoid “sad” books because I read for pleasure, and they aren’t something I enjoy. This book, based on what was presented, was very well done and the writing was great. It just isn’t a book that I would normally gravitate to.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
June 9, 2013
I am not religious all that much, but I like some of Karen Kingsbury's novels and reading them makes me feel good. This novel, Waiting for morning, was no different. The whole story was emotional and it give you insight about how religious Christian can really lose you faith when a tragedy takes place. I realized that it takes a long time for a trail and preparing a trail, especially one that is close to your heart, takes time and really preoccupied the clients, victims and everyone involved, I must admit when it came to Jenny I was quite angry with Hannah because I didn't think she gave her the proper care she needed after the accident. After all she was in the car accident too and she was her daughter. A daughter who need her mother in one of the most rough patch of her life. Hannah was unfair to her and her daughter's faith. The ending was not surprising and I was happy for Hannah and Jenny that they are the road to rebuilding their relationship.
February 5, 2017
I must admit I liked reading this book, although it was extremely predictable. Considering the hard topic of the book I do think Kingsbury did a good job on covering all the emotions such an accident causes. She did such a good job on this, that halfway through the book I almost wanted to stop reading, as I was so annoyed with Hannah's attitude.
In conclusion: I'd like to say that the book was confronting for anyone who has ever been in a event like this. It makes you reflect on how you handled the crisis and how it influenced your relationship with God.
In conclusion: I'd like to say that the book was confronting for anyone who has ever been in a event like this. It makes you reflect on how you handled the crisis and how it influenced your relationship with God.
Want to read
August 9, 2011If you know me you know that I believe in God and that I dont have to attend church (where from my personal experience people tend to just stare and watch you and wonder should you actually be there) just to be close to him. After reading this book and seeing how God does work in mysterious ways I feel like I understand why He chooses to do what He does. And I personally feel much closer to Him. I hope you all see and understand and learn the things I personally learned.
September 24, 2011
Great book. I cried alot and needed a bunch of tissues. this book really pulls at the heartstrings. The book is about a women who loses her faith in God after her husband and daugher are killed in a car accident.
March 24, 2016
I've read this book a while ago and forgot to rate it! Karen Kingsbury is one of the best Christian authors out there! She really knows how to write good stories especially when all hope seems lost. Excited to read more of her novels!
September 4, 2024
Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury
Forever Faithful #1
12h 35m narrated by Barbara Caruso, 384 pages
Genre: Christian Fiction, Legal Drama
Featuring: Blurb, Prayers, Epigraphs, Mother's Intuition, Teen Daughters, Los Angeles, California; Santa Barbara, California; Camping Trip, Alcoholism, Tragedy Trope, Forgiveness Trope, Anger, Neglect, Revenge Trope, MAD, Loss of Faith Trope, Legal Drama, Depression, Suicidal Thoughts, Rehabilitation, Seeking Peace
Rating as a movie: PG-13
Songs for the soundtrack: David Jeremiah, "Redemption (Theme From Rocky II)" by Bill Conti, Heart In Motion by Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Jars of Clay, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" by Thomas Chisholm, "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle
Books and Authors mentioned: The Book of Lamentations, Christy Miller
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✝️🍸🏕🕊
My thoughts: 📱14% 1:42:11 Chapter 6 - I knew something bad was going to happen within the first minute. 😭 I'm going to add Tragedy to my disliked trope lists, I'm starting to think it may be Kingsbury's thing.
📱43% 5:24:47 Chapter 16 - I'm officially hooked. I don't like the MC/Mom, but maybe that will change. I'm going to finish my Bradbury book, start a happy book then knock this one out. It's good movie material.
📱70% 8:49:16 Chapter 25 - This mother isn't the worst but she's close to the club.
This was very good I was no longer mad at the mom, but I feel like they rushed over the transition with Jenna.
Recommend to others?: Yes. I'm starting book 2 right away. This was very good.
Forever Faithful
1. Waiting for Morning (1999)
2. A Moment of Weakness (2000)
3. Halfway to Forever (2002)
Forever Faithful #1
12h 35m narrated by Barbara Caruso, 384 pages
Genre: Christian Fiction, Legal Drama
Featuring: Blurb, Prayers, Epigraphs, Mother's Intuition, Teen Daughters, Los Angeles, California; Santa Barbara, California; Camping Trip, Alcoholism, Tragedy Trope, Forgiveness Trope, Anger, Neglect, Revenge Trope, MAD, Loss of Faith Trope, Legal Drama, Depression, Suicidal Thoughts, Rehabilitation, Seeking Peace
Rating as a movie: PG-13
Songs for the soundtrack: David Jeremiah, "Redemption (Theme From Rocky II)" by Bill Conti, Heart In Motion by Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Jars of Clay, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" by Thomas Chisholm, "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle
Books and Authors mentioned: The Book of Lamentations, Christy Miller
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✝️🍸🏕🕊
My thoughts: 📱14% 1:42:11 Chapter 6 - I knew something bad was going to happen within the first minute. 😭 I'm going to add Tragedy to my disliked trope lists, I'm starting to think it may be Kingsbury's thing.
📱43% 5:24:47 Chapter 16 - I'm officially hooked. I don't like the MC/Mom, but maybe that will change. I'm going to finish my Bradbury book, start a happy book then knock this one out. It's good movie material.
📱70% 8:49:16 Chapter 25 - This mother isn't the worst but she's close to the club.
This was very good I was no longer mad at the mom, but I feel like they rushed over the transition with Jenna.
Recommend to others?: Yes. I'm starting book 2 right away. This was very good.
Forever Faithful
1. Waiting for Morning (1999)
2. A Moment of Weakness (2000)
3. Halfway to Forever (2002)
March 4, 2020
A tough book to read about the consequences of drunk driving: Hannah Ryan loses her husband and one of her daughters in an accident caused by a repeat DUI offender. The prosecuting attorney, Matt Bronzon, plans to make an example of Brian, the drunk driver, and go for a conviction of first degree murder - and for the next year, that's all Hannah Ryan can think about - making sure the man who destroyed her family get his just due. But in the pursuit of justice, she neglects her surviving 13 year old daughter, and she turns her back on God, who allowed this horror to happen - and eventually finds comfort in simply not believing God exists anymore, because it's just too complicated trying to believe in a God that allows such things to happen to people who loved and trusted him. Very believable, though I found it very unrealistic how she neglects her surviving daughter.
What I appreciated about this book was the views we get from each of the characters - the hopeless alcoholic, Brian, even his defending attorney. While neither are enjoyable characters, I did appreciate that quite a bit of their backstories are shared. Why does Harold Finch defend drunk drivers? He actually has a good reason relating to his backstory. Brian has no good excuse for what he did, and is haunted by it. The book details his attempts to change such as Alcoholics Anonymous, and then his slide into hopelessness and growing torment - nightmares and hallucinations.
The ending culminates with Brian's trial, and this part is high tension and really well done! And the conclusion really came together, too. The Word of God has a powerful effect on the all the outcomes, as it should.
What I appreciated about this book was the views we get from each of the characters - the hopeless alcoholic, Brian, even his defending attorney. While neither are enjoyable characters, I did appreciate that quite a bit of their backstories are shared. Why does Harold Finch defend drunk drivers? He actually has a good reason relating to his backstory. Brian has no good excuse for what he did, and is haunted by it. The book details his attempts to change such as Alcoholics Anonymous, and then his slide into hopelessness and growing torment - nightmares and hallucinations.
The ending culminates with Brian's trial, and this part is high tension and really well done! And the conclusion really came together, too. The Word of God has a powerful effect on the all the outcomes, as it should.
October 30, 2024
This book was a little over the top, but also one that I struggled to put down, so... This book is about a woman named Hannah who tragically loses her husband and daughter in a car crash when they were hit by a drunk driver. (That happens in the opening chapters, not a spoiler.) She has one surviving daughter, but her main focus is getting revenge for the death of her family members. We also get the perspective of Brian, the drunk driver. He has struggled with alcoholism for a long time and he loses his job, slams some drinks, and then kills the characters in the accident. The first few chapters of this book were painful. I read this in my 4th daughter's first week of life and I almost set it down because it was so emotionally heavy. Once you get past the initial loss and sadness, the rest of the book is the court case. Hannah wants him to be charged with 1st degree murder. She's blinded by anger and a need for revenge. She loses all of her faith in God and is just angry at everyone. She completely ignores her surviving daughter. We also get the perspective of the prosecutor and his experience with drunk drivers. This book has a lot of triggers including suicide, attachement issues/neglect, death of loved ones, conflicts of faith, etc. The faith elements felt a little exaggerated, but I liked the conversation nonetheless.
Read
July 10, 2013I had to write a review for school so I thought I might share. I however loved this book! I love Karen Kingsbury as a writer though...
In 'Waiting For Morning' a novel written by Karen Kingsbury empathy is one of the biggest themes for a reader. We see how a mother and daughter journey through the process of grief and how their circumstance causes a reader to have empathy for the characters. This book also makes a reader think about how many families are affected by drunk drivers and as a result loose a loved one.
'Waiting For Morning' is about a mother whose life is perfect, she has two beautiful, loving daughters and a wonderful husband, a doctor. Till one dreadful night when her family is ripped apart by a drunk driver the 'villain'. We have empathy for this mother from the start because of what happens to her family, and with time Hannah finds a way to forgive the drunk driver as she learns that the only way to move forward with her life and fill the emptiness is to forgive. Throughout 'Waiting for Morning' we have empathy for all the characters, the villain Brian Wesley who is the drunk driver has had many accidents and yet still drives after drinking, when he hits into the Ryan families vehicle he is immediately sorry however still continues to drink after, hoping to somehow forget what happened, on the day of the accident Brian lost his job as a mechanic which causes the reader to have empathy for Brian because he has a wife and small baby at home who need his support, however instead of going home and supporting them, he instead goes to the pub to drown his sorrows and then instead of calling a taxi he drives which I take as his decision to have the chance of killing someone on the way home even though as said in court he did not intend to kill anyone and as the reader this frustrated me "Mrs Wesley did you ever hear your husband say he intended to kill those people?. No Brian had a drinking problem, but he never wanted to kill anyone."(Page 558 Pdf book). Throughout the book I found myself having empathy for Brian even though he is the villain in the book, you still think about how you would feel if you were in his situation, I know that I would wish everyday that I was the one who died instead of the two innocent people who did die. Drinking and driving is a big problem in our society especially with teenagers, many accidents in New Zealand which result in death was the result of drunk driving, I therefore feel that even though this is an American book it reaches out to communities of other countries creating awareness as this is obviously a problem worldwide.
In the book we see that Jenny Hannah's daughter that survived the accident goes into depression, her mother however doesn't seem to notice this, she thinks that Jenny is just angry at the world and pays no attention to it, as we go through the book we see Hannah and Jenny slowly drifting apart from each other more and more instead of supporting each other, I had empathy for Hannah and Jenny because of what they were going through because I know I would probably either do the same as Hannah and do everything in my power to make the drunk drivers life hell or I would want to give up on life and wish it was me instead of the person who did die just like Jenny did, however while having empathy for Hannah I felt anger towards her because of how she treats Jenny, I felt she should be treasuring Jenny because she is alive, spending time with her and being thankful for still having one daughter but yet she acts as if because one daughter died so did the other and pays no attention to how Jenny is feeling and while having anger towards Hannah you have empathy because you know that this may just be her way of grieving. When reading 'Waiting For Morning' I got quiet frustrated at Jenny when she kept on wanting to commit suicide because she doesn't know how to go on without her sister and father and instead of doing this she could rather be living life to the fullest, almost live life for her sister by doing the things her sister wanted to do and doing things that would make her sister and father feel proud of her. I still felt empathy for Jenny even though she frustrated me because I can't imagine losing my father and sister and of being in the car with them and yet I was the only one that lived, I think that even though what Jenny did frustrated me I would probably do the same as I would want to know why they died but I lived, when I would rather be dead, Jenny also struggled with thinking that her mother loved Alicia more or doesn't love her at all.
This relates to society because many times the people who are in the accident and live would rather have died in place of the people who did die, this made me gain empathy for the people in our society who have lost loved one in car accidents that were the result of drunk driving. In May there were 4 young guys who died after the police chased them because they were driving too fast, the driver had been drinking and then lost control of the car smashing into a stationary vehicle, reading 'Waiting For Morning' made me think of how the families of these 4 guys felt because they most likely felt the same as Jenny and Hannah did even though their family members weren't taken because of another drunk driver but yet they still would have had the heartache like Jenny and Hannah and many other parents and families of society. Losing a family member whether a parent or sibling is everyone's most dreaded and tragic event that can happen in life, no one wants to feel what Jenny and Hannah were feeling in 'Waiting For Morning'.
To conclude with we see how over time they come to terms with death of their loved ones and learn to forgive Brian. We have empathy throughout this book because of the circumstances of all the characters. Seeing how the death of the loved ones affected Hannah and Jenny and how quickly life can changed makes the reader appreciate that they are still here and their loved ones, if the reader has lost loved ones they will have an understanding of that grieving is a process and that forgiving is part of the process, the book also shows them that it's okay to get upset and want justice for the person who hurt your loved one.
In 'Waiting For Morning' a novel written by Karen Kingsbury empathy is one of the biggest themes for a reader. We see how a mother and daughter journey through the process of grief and how their circumstance causes a reader to have empathy for the characters. This book also makes a reader think about how many families are affected by drunk drivers and as a result loose a loved one.
'Waiting For Morning' is about a mother whose life is perfect, she has two beautiful, loving daughters and a wonderful husband, a doctor. Till one dreadful night when her family is ripped apart by a drunk driver the 'villain'. We have empathy for this mother from the start because of what happens to her family, and with time Hannah finds a way to forgive the drunk driver as she learns that the only way to move forward with her life and fill the emptiness is to forgive. Throughout 'Waiting for Morning' we have empathy for all the characters, the villain Brian Wesley who is the drunk driver has had many accidents and yet still drives after drinking, when he hits into the Ryan families vehicle he is immediately sorry however still continues to drink after, hoping to somehow forget what happened, on the day of the accident Brian lost his job as a mechanic which causes the reader to have empathy for Brian because he has a wife and small baby at home who need his support, however instead of going home and supporting them, he instead goes to the pub to drown his sorrows and then instead of calling a taxi he drives which I take as his decision to have the chance of killing someone on the way home even though as said in court he did not intend to kill anyone and as the reader this frustrated me "Mrs Wesley did you ever hear your husband say he intended to kill those people?. No Brian had a drinking problem, but he never wanted to kill anyone."(Page 558 Pdf book). Throughout the book I found myself having empathy for Brian even though he is the villain in the book, you still think about how you would feel if you were in his situation, I know that I would wish everyday that I was the one who died instead of the two innocent people who did die. Drinking and driving is a big problem in our society especially with teenagers, many accidents in New Zealand which result in death was the result of drunk driving, I therefore feel that even though this is an American book it reaches out to communities of other countries creating awareness as this is obviously a problem worldwide.
In the book we see that Jenny Hannah's daughter that survived the accident goes into depression, her mother however doesn't seem to notice this, she thinks that Jenny is just angry at the world and pays no attention to it, as we go through the book we see Hannah and Jenny slowly drifting apart from each other more and more instead of supporting each other, I had empathy for Hannah and Jenny because of what they were going through because I know I would probably either do the same as Hannah and do everything in my power to make the drunk drivers life hell or I would want to give up on life and wish it was me instead of the person who did die just like Jenny did, however while having empathy for Hannah I felt anger towards her because of how she treats Jenny, I felt she should be treasuring Jenny because she is alive, spending time with her and being thankful for still having one daughter but yet she acts as if because one daughter died so did the other and pays no attention to how Jenny is feeling and while having anger towards Hannah you have empathy because you know that this may just be her way of grieving. When reading 'Waiting For Morning' I got quiet frustrated at Jenny when she kept on wanting to commit suicide because she doesn't know how to go on without her sister and father and instead of doing this she could rather be living life to the fullest, almost live life for her sister by doing the things her sister wanted to do and doing things that would make her sister and father feel proud of her. I still felt empathy for Jenny even though she frustrated me because I can't imagine losing my father and sister and of being in the car with them and yet I was the only one that lived, I think that even though what Jenny did frustrated me I would probably do the same as I would want to know why they died but I lived, when I would rather be dead, Jenny also struggled with thinking that her mother loved Alicia more or doesn't love her at all.
This relates to society because many times the people who are in the accident and live would rather have died in place of the people who did die, this made me gain empathy for the people in our society who have lost loved one in car accidents that were the result of drunk driving. In May there were 4 young guys who died after the police chased them because they were driving too fast, the driver had been drinking and then lost control of the car smashing into a stationary vehicle, reading 'Waiting For Morning' made me think of how the families of these 4 guys felt because they most likely felt the same as Jenny and Hannah did even though their family members weren't taken because of another drunk driver but yet they still would have had the heartache like Jenny and Hannah and many other parents and families of society. Losing a family member whether a parent or sibling is everyone's most dreaded and tragic event that can happen in life, no one wants to feel what Jenny and Hannah were feeling in 'Waiting For Morning'.
To conclude with we see how over time they come to terms with death of their loved ones and learn to forgive Brian. We have empathy throughout this book because of the circumstances of all the characters. Seeing how the death of the loved ones affected Hannah and Jenny and how quickly life can changed makes the reader appreciate that they are still here and their loved ones, if the reader has lost loved ones they will have an understanding of that grieving is a process and that forgiving is part of the process, the book also shows them that it's okay to get upset and want justice for the person who hurt your loved one.
February 16, 2021
Waiting for Morning is a heart-wrenching tale of a loss so fierce and painful that it is absolutely unable to be understood unless you’ve experienced it yourself. Kingsbury does a great job in putting you into the main character’s shoes, allowing you to feel the raw emotions that she goes through as she experiences the loss of half of her family in one unexpected, tragic blow, and the anger and pain of dealing with the aftermath.
The second part of this tale is how the main character deals with her faith in God throughout the ordeal. From being devout, to denying God entirely, to finally rediscovering her faith, it is a crazy…painful…emotional ride. It is a tale of forgiveness.
Where this story falls short for me is the forced nature of believers being around every corner, and all of them having unshakeable faith. To me, it is not entirely realistic and took just a bit of the believability away from the story. Some of the actions of the minor characters, such as in the final scene where everyone joins in a song, is also somewhat unbelievable. In reality, in a public setting, this would not have gone over well.
But, it is a good tale, realistic or not. The story is one of hope and forgiveness and moving on after terrible, indescribable loss.
The second part of this tale is how the main character deals with her faith in God throughout the ordeal. From being devout, to denying God entirely, to finally rediscovering her faith, it is a crazy…painful…emotional ride. It is a tale of forgiveness.
Where this story falls short for me is the forced nature of believers being around every corner, and all of them having unshakeable faith. To me, it is not entirely realistic and took just a bit of the believability away from the story. Some of the actions of the minor characters, such as in the final scene where everyone joins in a song, is also somewhat unbelievable. In reality, in a public setting, this would not have gone over well.
But, it is a good tale, realistic or not. The story is one of hope and forgiveness and moving on after terrible, indescribable loss.
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