Remember Me by Tracie Peterson Review

 

I had the opportunity as part of the launch team to read the first book in the Pictures of the Heart series by Tracie Peterson, titled Remember Me.

Imagine living a life where your own family mistreats and abuses you, then sells you to a brothel where you become the mistress of the brothel owner. It’s the early 1900’s and you feel you have been sullied for life. And on top of that, you are in love with a man who went off to college and promised to come back for you, but now you’ve run away and made a new start with your life. You feel there is no way to be with your beloved ever again because of what you have been through.

This is the life that Addie is living now in Seattle. She found a family and a job she enjoys. It’s now 1909 and the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo has come to Seattle. Which is a wonderful opportunity. Except it also brings her in contact with her beloved and her brothers again. How will it all play out? What kinds of twists will there be along the way?

I absolutely loved this story. It was my first book by Tracie Peterson and it won’t be my last.
I had never heard of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo, so this was an interesting time in history to learn about. I fell in love with the main characters and their plight. I loved the anticipation, wondering how Addie would come in contact with Isaac and her brothers again. There was a nice amount of suspense as well. Most importantly, the author shares important spiritual truths.

If you are a fan of Christian historical fiction, you’ll want to read this book.

I received this book for free from the author as a part of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own, honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - February 24, 2023

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with two different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56.

This week I have two books to share with you. 

I read an Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana (aka The Runaway) by Melanie Dobson for one of my challenges. I needed a book with the Underground Railroad. You can read my review of this book here.

       

I also started The Prophetess: Deborah's Story by Jill Eileen Smith. I'm also reading this for one of my challenges. I needed a book recommended by a friend.

              Book Beginnings on Fridays

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

Here is my book beginnings for Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana by Melanie Dobson:

"A shadow grazed the moonlit yard and ducked into the regiment of pine trees blocking the western winds."

Hmm, is there danger here or someone in need. 

And here is my book beginnings for The Prophetess: Deborah's Story by Jill Eileen Smith:

"Early morning dew tickled Deborah's sandaled feet on the path to the village well, and palm trees waved their stout leaves as if in greeting."

A nice calm beginning.

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is hosted over at Freda's Voice.

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections.

Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana by Melanie Dobson:
 

"She pulled an envelope from her pocket and then stuck it back into her pocket quickly as she dug for her coin purse. She still needed to deliver the envelope to Isaac Barnes this morning, and then she would rush back to Silver Creek to help Charlotte prepare dinner for their guests."

The Prophetess: Deborah's Story by Jill Eileen Smith:

"Lappidoth stood and faced the crowd. 'Our prophetess has not commanded that our homes be searched, but I think we would all agree that we need to search them ourselves. Bring any foreign gods to the center of town and we will destroy them."

In the Midst of the Darkest Hour by Latisha Sexton Reivew

 

I had the chance to be on the Launch Team for In the Midst of the Darkest Hour by Latisha Sexton. I'm so excited to be able to share my thoughts. 

I absolutely loved being able to read Lily and Malcolm’s story. They were introduced in In the Midst of the Storm, so if you haven't read that book, I'd really recommend reading it first. Lily is a good friend of Olivia's and Will’s sister. Malcolm (Mac) is Olivia's brother. He is an FBI agent and between what he's seen and what he's personally experienced has turned away from God. Lily has a past that had been teased but no details given in the first book. Though she remains faithful to Christ, and even helps and encourages Olivia in book one, she has a lot of baggage that we finally get to discover in book two. 

As much as I enjoyed the first book, I truly love this book more. I do love that we get a continuation of Olivia and Wills story, though it is in the background of Lily and Malcolm’s story. 

The first book deals with a stalker while this one deals with human trafficking and the effects it has even after a woman escapes the horror. 

Unlike the first book where we weren't sure who the stalker was for sure, it is evident a lot sooner (though not too soon) who the bad guy is and part of the suspense is wondering when and how he's going to impact Lily's life again. 

I really appreciated the spiritual truths. Here are some of the passages that stood out to me.
“But God was just. God was loving, even when things didn’t seem that way. And God was a God of redeeming forgiveness.” And then the question that haunted both Malcolm and Lily, “But God couldn’t want him after all he’d done. Could he?”

Then the reminder, “’You’ve been living with this burden when all you have to do is look to the cross. God, in His sovereign grace, doesn’t make us wait for heaven to be made new. As soon as we are saved, He gives us freedom from our sins. Run to the cross, Mac. God’s grace is big enough to cover it all.’”

I enjoyed watching both Mac’s and Lily’s spiritual journey and growth.
There was just the right amount of suspense and there was nothing too graphic.

Definitely a book I recommend.

I received this book for free from the author as a part of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own, honest thoughts.

Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana (aka The Runaway) by Melanie Dobson Review

 

I wanted to share my thoughts on this awesome book I just finished, Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana (also known as The Runaway) by Melanie Dobson. This was my first book by this author.

Anna Brent and her father are station masters on a stop of the Underground Railroad in Indiana, which is a free state. However, feelings on slavery and abolition are divided in their small town, the same as it is around the country. And feelings are also divided in the Quaker community. Some feel it is wrong to help slaves escape as they are their master’s property, and it is akin to stealing. Others who are against abolition are more worried about the economy and the impact freeing slaves will mean to the country. Abolitionists however don’t understand how anyone can think it is okay to own another human being. They see all to be equal in the eyes of God. There are those who are outspoken, like Daniel Stanton, the newspaper editor. And there are those who hide their true feelings as they help actually in the transport and hiding of runaway slaves.

The story is told mainly from Anna and Daniel’s points of view, along with Marie, one of the runaway slaves who found her way to Anna’s home. We see them struggle with knowing who to trust. And then things become more precarious as the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 is passed.

There is a lot of suspense and tension in this story as the reader wonders if Anna and her father will be found out, if the runaways will be discovered, and if even free black friends may get stolen back south due to the slave hunters’ lust for money and the slave owner’s rage at having slaves run away.

And then there is a bit of a love story as Anna and Daniel, both of whom have decided they should remain single, learn more about each other.

I read this book because I needed a story that includes the underground railroad for one of my reading challenges. And now I want to read more books by Melanie Dobson (this was my first of hers) and more about the Underground Railroad.

Definitely a book I recommend. I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads.

Friday Fun - February 17, 2023

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with two different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56.

This week I have three books to share with you. 

I read an ARC of In the Midst of the Darkest Hour by Latisha Sexton as a part of the launch team. The book will be releasing in two and a half weeks. Stay tuned for my review. 

       

I also started Lethal Intentions by Jennifer Chastain. I am also on the launch team for this book.

I also started Remember Me by Tracie Peterson. Yes, I am the launch team for this book as well.

              Book Beginnings on Fridays

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

Here is my book beginnings for In the Midst of the Darkest Hour by Latisha Sexton:

"Most people wouldn't smile at the aroma of fresh-baked turkey and body odor mingling together, neither strong enough to overcome the other."

That's probably true. . 

And here is my book beginnings for Lethal Intentions by Jennifer Chastain:

"Undercover ATF agent Jack Spencer lived by one hard and fast rule. Don't get attached. No exceptions."

Seems like a good rule for an undercover agent.

And finally, here is my book beginnings for Remember Me by Tracie Peterson:

"Adeline Byrant, or rather Moerman, since she'd been forced to marry Sam Moerman last year, tried her best to sleep."

I wondered why she wasn't able to sleep and how she ended up forced to marry. 

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is hosted over at Freda's Voice.

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections.

In the Midst of the Darkest Hour by Latisha Sexton:
 

"Lily's hand flew to her cheeks, finding them wet with tears. She hadn't even realized she'd been crying. Smiling through her tears, she brought her hand up to Malcolm's face, taking her turn to trace his firm jawline."

Lethal Intentions by Jennifer Chastain:

"'Watch out!' Maggie's scream split the air and almost his eardrums. 

He jammed on the brakes, the road blocked by a lava flow. 'Just great.'

'What are we gonna do, Jack?'"

Remember Me by Tracie Peterson:

"Noticing Esther with a couple of young men, Addie joined them to see what was going on. 'How are you doing with photography, Esther?' she asked upon reaching the trio. It was easy to see that Esther was promoting only herself to these two men. 

'Another pretty girl,' one of the men declared. 'Aren't we the lucky ones today?'"

Friday Fun - February 10, 2023

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with two different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56.

This week I have three books to share with you. 

Very early this morning I finished the third book of  The Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I just couldn't put it down. So, I can share both books two and three today.  The Hawthorne Legacy is book two. 

       

And The Final Gambit is book three. 

I just started In the Midst of the Storm by Latisha Sexton. I am on the launch team for the second book in this series, so I figured I'd better get the first book read. It's been on my Kindle Unlimited for a couple of weeks. 

              Book Beginnings on Fridays

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

Here is my book beginnings for The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes:

"'Tell me again about the first time the two of you played chess in the park.' Jameson's face was candlelit, but even in the scant light, I could see the gleam in his dark green eyes."

Sounds like we are starting off right where book one left off. 

And here is my book beginnings for The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes:

'We need to talk about your eighteenth birthday.' Alisa's words echoes through the largest of Hawthorne House's five libraries."

I was confused at first because I thought the big date was when Avery had been in the house for a year, but I realized there was some legal stuff that probably needed to be dealt with as she was now going to legally be an adult. 

And finally, here is my book beginnings for In the Midst of the Storm by Latisha Sexton:

Drawing in a shaky breath, Olivia James reached for the driver's license with trembling hands.

'Katie Smith,' she murmured, staring at the image of the stranger."

So, why was she trembling and who was the stranger?

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is hosted over at Freda's Voice.

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections.

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes:
 

"From the time he was twelve or thirteen, Toby Hawthorne had started writing in an odd fashion-a very distinctive mix of print and cursive. I'd seen that handwriting before."

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes:

'Skye.' Jameson and Grayson said their mother's name at once. Trying to kill me hadn't worked out too well for her. But given that Sheffield Grayson had framed her for a murder attempt she hadn't committed, not trying to kill me hadn't worked out too well for Skye Hawthorne, either."

In the Midst of the Storm by Latisha Sexton:

"She longed to have a confidante and considered briefly telling the entire truth, but she couldn't put anyone else at risk. No matter how good it would feel to have someone she could be completely transparent with."

Review of A Divine Romance by Ifueko Ogbomo

 

I had the privilege of being on the launch team for the debut novel by Ifueko Ogbomo, A Divine Romance, a story that was inspired by the life of Joseph from Genesis in the Old Testament of the Bible. Here are my thoughts. 

A Divine Romance is a beautifully told version of the biblical love story. A familiar story, the story of Joseph who had been sold into slavery by his own brothers. In hindsight of course we know God took what was meant for evil and turned it for the good of his people. But so much of the story is unknown. I myself had forgotten the name of Joseph's wife, though I knew he had one as he had sons. So, to read the story mainly from the perspective of Asenath was intriguing. To wonder what the life of the daughter of a priest would have been like, to have a glimpse into ancient Egypt, to see how a pagan might have become the loving wife of a Hebrew who had risen from slave to second in command in Egypt. It was just a lovely story, filled with beautiful descriptions and lovely poetry. Not just at the beginning of each chapter, but throughout the story.

It's a story of God's love and mercy, a story of putting God first above all others, a story of the power of the one true God over the false gods of Egypt. But yes, it is a love story as well. A story that brought me to tears more than once.

I also loved how each chapter not only began with a poem, but with a word that set the mood of what was taking place.

I'd like to share a few of the passages that stuck with me:

"And when I looked at it, I saw a profound truth: your God saw me and he cared enough to let me know so. If this was the God you wanted me to worship wholeheartedly, then your request was not so much a burdensome condition, but a delightful invitation."

"Are you so quick to forget that even when you did not yet know him, he loved you enough to hear your cry, and give you the sign you asked for? Why would he now withhold any good thing from you? He never forsakes us, Asenath, yet he is the only God who gives his own the free will to forsake him." (This was such a powerful personal reminder.)

"The knowledge of God's sovereignty, coupled with the understanding of his limitless compassion, was salve upon Joseph's wounded heart. It still bled, but now it was spilling drops of mercy."

I also love that the author included a reader's guide that included a map of Ancient Egypt, a table of the Ancient Egyptian deities included in the story, fashions of Ancient Egypt, and a list of character names.

Definitely a book I recommend, especially if you are a fan of biblical fiction.
I received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a favorable review.

Friday Fun - February 3, 2023

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with two different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56.

This week I have one book to share with you. 

I just finished The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes for the third time. I like to reread series when a new book is available. I am finally going to get a chance to read the third book in the series, The Final Gambit. Next week I'll be sharing from book two, The Hawthorne Legacy, and possibly book three. 

       

              Book Beginnings on Fridays

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

Here is my book beginnings for The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes:

"When I was a kid, my mom constantly invented games. The Quiet Game. The Who Can Make Their Cookie Last Longer? Game. A perennial favorite, The Marshmallow Game involved eating marshmallows while wearing puffy Goodwill jackets indoors, to avoid turning on the heat."

Sounds like a loving mom even though they were probably poor. 

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is hosted over at Freda's Voice.

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes:
 

"'I thought you said your firm had this locked down.' Oren gave Alisa a look. She scowled back at him, made three phone calls in quick succession-two of them in Spanish-and then turned back to my head of security. 'The leak didn't come from us.' Her eyes darted toward Libby. 'It came from your boyfriend.'"

Reading Challenges 2023: January Update

Here is what I read for my challenges in January:

I read the third, and final book of the Shadows Over England series by Roseanna M. White, An Hour Unspent. This is my favorite book in the series. I was sad to say goodbye to this family, but then I learned I can see them again in the Codebreakers series, so I put the first book on hold. 

I read a couple of books that fit the challenge: A Book with Spies. I read Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill. Plus I realized another book I read, Impending Strike by Sami A. Abrams/Lynette Eason, would count for this challenge. 

I read several books in January by authors I had never read before. Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill, Impending Strike by Sami A. Abrams/Lynette Eason, Innocent Lives by Julie Bonn Blank, Taken in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard, Unplugged by Donna Freitas, and The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson. Plus I read Heidi by Johanna Spyri to the children as our read aloud.

I read The Timepiece by Beverly Lewis for this challenge. It was listed on the cover that she is a "New" York Times Bestselling Author. 

I read Taken in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard. 

In January I read books that are set in the following states:

California: Taken in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard

Ohio: Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill

Oregon: Innocent Lives and Innocent Voices by Julie Bonn Blank

Pennsylvania: The Timepiece by Beverly Lewis 

South Carolina: Impending Strike by Sami A. Abrams/Lynette Eason

Washington: The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson

In January I read books that are set in the following European Countries:

England: An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White

Switzerland: Heidi by Johanna Spyri

I also decided I was going to read one Christmas book each month. 

In January I read The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson. 

Finally, someone in my Avid Readers of Christian Fiction group came up with a 55 book challenge:

In January I read 10 books for this challenge

Read a book...

1-With a pink spine

2- By an author whose name starts with an A

3- 450 pages or longer

4- Published in 2023

5- That has won a Christy award

6- With multiple people on the cover

7- With a car or truck on the cover

8- That is the third book in a series: An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White (my thoughts)

9- That has a map inside

10- A debut novel

11- By an author you’ve never read before

12- That has food on the cover

13- Featuring a woman from the Bible

14- With flowers on the cover

15- Featuring a child or teen as the main character: Innocent Voices by Julie Bonn Blank (my thoughts)

16- That you got for free: 

17- Featuring an athlete

18- That you pick because of the cover

19- Recommended by someone you know

20- Set in a cool climate

21- Set during the Great Depression

22- Featuring friends to lovers: Impending Strike by Sami A. Abrams/Lynnette Eason (my thoughts)

23- Published the month you were born

24- With a blue cover: Unplugged by Donna Freitas (my thoughts)

25- With a main character with blonde hair: Innocent Lives by Julie Bonn Blank (my thoughts)

26- Set on an island

27- Set in a different country than you: Heidi by Johanna Spyri (my thoughts)

28- That takes place more than 200 years ago

29- That features a member of the military

30- Set in South or Central America

31- By a male author

32- Written in first person POV

33- Featuring a single parent

34- With a title that starts with B

35- That is a love inspired book: Taken in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard (my thoughts)

36- That involves a wedding

37- With an L in the title

38- By an author from a different country than you

39- With a black cover

40- With a title that has 5 or more words

41- With an illustrated cover

42- From a genre outside your comfort zone

43- Written by multiple authors

44- Set on a farm: The Timepiece by Beverly Lewis (my thoughts)

45- By an author that has also written nonfiction

46- By an indie author

47- Published in 2012

48- With a sunset on the cover

49- That has cowboys

50- Without any people on the cover

51- By an author who uses a three part name (C.C. Warrens, Ann H. Gabhart)

52- That features a hobby or skill you’d like to learn

53- With a nanny, babysitter, or governess

54- An author with the same two initials: Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill (my thoughts)

55- With a pet that isn’t a dog: The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson (my thoughts)

My Goodreads goal is to read 100 books this year. Last year I had set it at 75 and I ended up reading 115. I think I will be able to meet my 100 book goal. 

I know this seems like a lot, but like last year, I hope to be able to combine challenges where possible. And when I pick books for the monthly challenges, I will try to choose books that take place in different states or countries.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri Review

 

I thought I had read Heidi as a child, but as I was reading, I realized I must not have. I must have just remembered the story from the movie. I read this aloud to my kids and we really enjoyed it. They must have been focusing on it really well as they remembered enough detail to realize how different it was from the movie we watched. I hadn't realized how much this story would reference God and biblical truths, and I loved that. The story was very enjoyable.