Book Review: The Rainwater Secret by Monica Shaw

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THE RAINWATER SECRET
by
Monica Shaw
Genre: Historical Fiction / Medical Missionaries Publisher: Self-Published Date of Publication: March 31, 2017
Number of Pages: 354

Scroll down for the giveaway!


The Rainwater Secret is a deeply moving, historical fiction novel about a woman who travels
to Africa to teach the leper children who were banished from their villages. Single and feeling there is nothing left for her in small-town England, Anna embarks on an adventure as a volunteer teacher with the Medical Missionaries of Mary. Life as Anna has known it is forever changed as she learns the culture that would banish its sick, disfigured, and crippled to the bush. Babies are left to die on roadsides, children are chased away to live by whatever means they can find. The aged are abandoned. Anna’s daily life is an adventure as she travels from one village to another across a hostile land with few passable roads, rickety bridges threatening to fall apart and casting occupants on the jagged rocks far below, and weather that turns a calm river into a roiling death trap. In spite of the trials, Anna also manages to find love and family in this godforsaken land.
Follow this adventure through disease, weather, strife, death, and determination to turn a few acres of land into a loving home for the outcast lepers of Nigeria.

>>CLICK TO ORDER YOUR COPY<<


Wonderful. This book was simply wonderful all around. From the moment you pick it up and read, until the time you are on the last page, you simply will not want to put this interesting and attention grabbing book down. The author uses her words, descriptions and all-around narrative to elevate this already fascinating tale of her great aunt's life and takes it to the next level.

Even though this book is historical fiction, the characters felt real to me. There is a part where the Priest goes though a little something and I had so many feelings for him. And the main character, Anna, makes me want to be a better person. She makes question if I would be able to endure a life full of wonder, death and the abscence of toilets so that I could help make a difference in children's lives. 

Along with the characters, the whole book makes you feel a rollercoaster of emotions. There are funny moments, like with Anna getting in trouble with one of the nuns. There are heart warming moments, like when Anna is teaching is her leper children, joyous moments like when the Pirest becomes a Bishop and sad moments, with all the unexpected deaths and even some scary times thrown in their. So many emotions, yet it still flows very well and th characters really process these emotions in a timely manner.

I also want to point out a small aspect that made me happy. As you come to know Anna, you know her desire to want a family, but she chooses to stay in her colony and ends up making the leper kids her family and that is just beautiful.

I think this is a spot on book, but if I could ask the author anything, it would be if any of these characters were real and if any of the events actually took place. It really intrigues me too see what  was real and if some of the crazy stories were created from one of her aunts letters. 

Overall, I give this book a 5 out of 5. I highly recommend it and you can try to win your own copy for free by clickin on the giveaway below! 


Monica Shaw is a native of Dallas, Texas where she has been a successful entrepreneur. She attended St. Thomas Aquinas, graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School, and earned her Geology / Petroleum Engineering degree from UT Austin. Her debut novel, The Rainwater Secret, started off as a personal research project looking into the life of her great aunt who became a missionary teacher. Monica is married with 3 children.
 
║Website ║ Facebook ║ LinkedIn ║ Twitter ║  ║ Instagram ║ Goodreads ║ Amazon Author Page ║ 
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GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!
THREE WINNERS! Choice of Signed Print or eBook Copy!
APRIL 23-May 3, 2019

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Comments

  1. KristineApril 28, 2019 at 8:05 AM

    Great review -- and don't you love when fiction feels so real? Thanks for the post.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AshleyjayneApril 29, 2019 at 4:59 AM

    Great review, i love it when a book feels real

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gemma's Book NookApril 29, 2019 at 5:25 AM

    Great review. I'm glad you enjoyed this one so much.
    Gemma @ Gemma's Book Nook

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jo LinsdellApril 29, 2019 at 7:20 AM

    Great review, Sounds like a good read. Glad you enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Saturday Nite ReaderApril 29, 2019 at 8:03 AM

    This books sounds awesome. I am going to look into snagging a copy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. hugbandit7April 29, 2019 at 9:04 AM

    I would have liked to have read this book for the tour but scheduling didn't permit. Hoping I can win a copy to add to my towering TBR

    ReplyDelete
  7. DJ SakataApril 29, 2019 at 9:17 AM

    Yay - glad you loved it

    ReplyDelete
  8. Caffeinated FaeApril 29, 2019 at 1:14 PM

    Sounds really interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jade @ BindrosBookshelfApril 29, 2019 at 1:36 PM

    Great review. Glad you enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Whispering StoriesApril 30, 2019 at 1:55 AM

    I'm hit and miss with historical fiction but this looks great. Fantastic review.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Amanda McGillApril 30, 2019 at 6:52 AM

    Great review!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nadene @Ttly Addicted 2 ReadingApril 30, 2019 at 7:06 PM

    I love it when fictional stories feel real. Glad you enjoyed this one.

    ReplyDelete

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