Search This Blog

2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


32 / 30 books. 107% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (9)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (2)
- Georgia (2)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (9)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (2)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)

International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (2)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (2)
- England (21)
- France (1)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (1)
- Russia (1)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)

My Progress:


51 / 51 states. 100% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


49 / 50 books. 98% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


36 / 50 books. 72% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


50 / 52 books. 96% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


36 / 40 books. 90% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


18 / 40 books. 45% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


26 / 25 cozies. 104% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress


22 / 26.2 miles (3rd lap). 84% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


41 / 100 books. 41% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


97 / 109 books. 89% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

My Progress


130 / 165 books. 79% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:


83 / 100 names. 83% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

My Progress:


10 / 80 skills. 13% done!
Thursday, February 08, 2018

Dual Timeline Mystery/Romance Clean and Uplifting

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Boston, 2015—Two years ago, Anaya "Annie" David's life changed in an instant when a bomb exploded at the 2015 Boston Marathon.  Although her injuries were relatively minor, she's plagued with guilt over the fact that her niece, Grace—whom Annie convinced to enter the race—lost a leg because of the bombing.  Haunted by the traumatizing event, Annie has distanced herself from Grace and her livid mother.  When she decides to try to repair the damage to these relationships, she makes a startling discovery in her sister's house that sets her on the road to finding the man who rescued her on the day of the bombing.  She's been meaning to return the heirloom ring he loaned her, an antique-looking piece that has given her strength every day since she received it.  When she meets handsome Brad Kilroy, the two begin researching the ring, which has a rich, surprising history.

Boston, 1770—Alone in a dangerous town, 17-year-old Liberty Caldwell has to find a way to survive.  When she's offered a position as housemaid in a home where Redcoat officers live, she doesn't have much choice but to accept.  She may be branded a traitor, but she has to look after herself until her brother arrives.  Although she knows she shouldn't, Liberty becomes close to Alexander Smythe, a kind officer who protects her from his housemate, an older man with more sinister designs on Liberty.  When the inevitable happens, she has to flee.  She takes Alexander's family ring to remember him by—and to sell, if needed.  In a city erupting with violence, she knows she must be strong.  The ring lends her strength as she does what she must to survive.

Separated by centuries and united by an heirloom piece of jewelry, two Boston women wounded in traumatic circumstances must find the strength and resilience to survive their separate challenges and trials.  Compelled to find out what happened to Liberty, Annie will look to the past for answers that will teach her about the redeeming power of hope, resilience, and love.

Freedom's Ring, a debut novel by Heidi Chiavaroli, tells an uplifting, faith-promoting story narrated by two strong women.  I dig dual-timeline plots, although I often find the past stories interest me more than the present ones.  This is the case with Freedom's Ring.  Although I enjoyed the genealogical mystery-solving in Annie's day, I found her to be a bit dull.  With not enough personality or tension in her relationship with Brad, her tale got a little too humdrum for me.  Liberty's sections are much more exciting.  While I liked, but didn't love, Freedom's Ring, I found it to be a clean, engaging story that is inspiring without being preachy.  Chiavaroli's sophomore novel comes out in May and I'll definitely be giving it a go.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of dual-timeline books by Susan Meissner)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:


for violence

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find





  

1 comment:

  1. Interesting. I’m reading a kind of dual storyline book right now and am preferring the present story line over the flash backs. I don’t know if it really could be considered a dual story line now that I think about it but now I’m thinking about my preference. Past or present?

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.

P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!

Blog Widget by LinkWithin


Reading

<i>Reading</i>
Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie

Listening

<i>Listening</i>
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth



Followin' with Bloglovin'

Follow

Followin' with Feedly

follow us in feedly



Grab my Button!


Blog Design by:


Blog Archive



2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
Susan has read 0 books toward her goal of 200 books.
hide

2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction

2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction