MY REVIEW:
I really had no idea what a book entitled “How to Make Victoria Sponge” might be about – maybe a woman who bakes? Not exactly. Written in the form of a journal, this story is about an ordinary mother of four and what happens when she wakes each morning and responds “Yes” to whatever the Lord has planned for her day. Actually Victoria is pretty extraordinary in the way she relates each and every thing that happens throughout her day to God.
In many ways, I had difficulty with this book. First of all, the style is not my usual cup of tea. I am one who enjoys a good dialogue between characters. There were times that I just couldn’t relate to the character because her thought process was so different than my own. But…”How to Make Victoria Sponge” did make me think…especially about my own shortcomings and how just maybe I need to be more open to the Lord’s leading myself. And sometimes, maybe the Lord has me read a book that is out of my comfort zone because He has something to teach me through it.
Victoria was a unique character and so inclined to one disaster after another. Written in a different style, some of her exploits would have been pure slapstick. But at the end of the day, no matter what had happened, Victoria knew she had done her best in the sight of her Lord. And that is exactly what we all should aspire to.
A copy of this book was provided for review by Celebrate Lit.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Click to purchase
Victoria Sponge – a well-known cake? Maybe, but also a wife and mother of four children. Disorganized and chaotic, with obligations galore, sweet Victoria clings to God, her best friend who shares His amazing love with her. From tripping over a hoover left in the hallway to discovering her son’s desire to die because he is different, she journeys through her own Lent. Giving up is not an option, but saying ‘yes’ to God each day is. Tragedy and comical events follow Vicki through her week. Does Victoria Sponge rise through all the messiness that life offers or does she sink?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born in England, Margaret Kazmierczak loves storytelling, but dyslexia made writing difficult. After marrying and birthing three children, she finally got around to it. She and husband Peter live in Dorset, United Kingdom with two daughters.
Guest Post from Margaret Kazmierczak
For those that know me cooking is not a talent that I am famous for. I follow the recipes, but for some unknown reason my cakes remain flat, albeit cleverly disguised with chocolate. My friends were, quite understandably, shocked that I appeared to have written a cookery book.
My friends let me introduce the Baker who inspired me to write, ‘How to Make Victoria Sponge’. His name is God the Father. This cook needs all the help she can get.
In 2010 God literally took me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to become vulnerable. He took away my health and job. An active middle aged woman reduced to a shell. For two years I struggled to come to terms with my condition. Then one night I prayed and asked what I was supposed to do now? The message was simple, “write a book”. Well I could think up a million and one reasons why not to write a book. I declared them one by one but God the Father was having none of it. He reminded me of WHO was commissioning me.
To say that my reading and writing skills were on a par with my cooking skills was an understatement. So I stopped questioning and listened to His answer. “I shall give you the ingredients and you provide the humour and story outline with your life experiences.” So Victoria Sponge was born. Not a cookery book per se but a recipe for a closer relationship with God the Father through story and petition.
This journey took two years, a long time to wait for a cake to rise! The proof, however, was in the tasting which for some time was bitter due to rejection. Then a sequence of events happened one after the other and ‘How to Make Victoria Sponge’ was cooked, oops, birthed. I have been blown away with the face to face reviews in England of the book. A Methodist minister used it to empower her congregation, to show them how even the simplest things in life can lead to a prayerful response.
Victoria known as Vicki, married to Bob, is a normal woman with four children. The book looks at a week in her life and compares it to Jesus’ Lent week. Many issues are explored through the pages. Vicki Sponge could be you or me and the response to each situation, a solution to your own challenges.
Without the Baker this book would end up like my cakes! The writing of it helped me to begin a new life and I hope it helps you to do so too if you read and journey through its pages.
Blog Stops:
September 29: A Reader’s Brain
September 30: The Power of Words (spotlight)
October 1: History, Mystery & Faith
October 2: Bukwurmzzz
October 3: Artistic Nobody
October 4: Quiet Quilter
October 5: Daysong Reflections
October 6: Mary Hake
October 7: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
October 8: Simple Harvest Reads
October 9: Bibliophile Reviews
October 10: Petra’s Hope
October 11: His Grace is Sufficient
October 12: Onceuponatime
Giveaway:
To celebrate her tour, Margaret is giving away a themed gift bag containing an apron, whisk, Bible, and a limited 1st edition paperback copy of How to Make Victoria Sponge!
Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/a416
Loved your thoughts! I felt the same . Not my kind of book but then again, it was, it made me think!!,
Thank you for spending time to read and review my book. I am blessed by your honest comments. The very fact that the book made you uncomfortable, was not your usual cup of tea, and made you think, is one of the reasons it was written. Almost all of the incidents have happened in real life to mothers and related to me through conversations. Of course not in one week. We all face Christ’s Passion in our lives and I hope this book will continue to make you think. Many blessings – Margaret