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22 March 2012

A Whisper of Peace by Kim Vogel Sawyer


Whisper of Peace
by Kim Vogel Sawyer
(Bethany House, 2011)
(Please note the hot links are in dark red for this post!)

Reviewed by Diana L. Flowers
5 stars~ *****
Adventure In Alaska!


In A Whisper of Peace, we are swept away to beautiful 1800s Alaska, "The Land of the Midnight Sun", a primitive land with it's lovely snow-capped mountains, lush forests, and salmon filled rivers; yet fraught with danger, uncivilized Indians, prejudice, and unforgiveness.


Our beautiful heroine, Lizzie, has been ostracized by her tribe, the Athabascans, because of her white father, and it is her dying mother's request for her to make peace with her Indian grandparents. Lizzie, also known as White Feather, has but one desire...to fulfill her mother's request, and leave her lonely little cabin in the wilderness and be reunited with her white father in California. She has no one for company except her dogs, until one day she meets Clay Selby and his sister, Vivian.


Clay is driven to build a mission and bring salvation to the natives in the very village Lizzie has been ostracized by; following in his father's footsteps. Vivian desires to accompany him in his ministry, hoping that by doing something good for others, it will erase the deep burden of guilt she still carries from her past. In exchange for Lizzie's help in culinary skills, Vivian seeks to help Lizzie learn how to become like the white woman, in order that she will be accepted in her father's world.


Clay is met by much opposition in the village, but is allowed to stay on the condition that he and Vivian separate company with Lizzie. Will they be able to do so, and will the stubborn Athabascans ever accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, or will Clay's endeavors be fruitless? Will Vivian ever find the peace she so deeply craves and be able to forgive herself? And will Lizzie ever be accepted by her grandparents, and finally find a place to belong with them and her father? And what of her growing attraction to Clay?


Kim Vogel Sawyer's versatility as an author truly shines in this heartwarming novel! There is just not anything she seemingly can't write about, and her research into the history of Alaska, and its customs and people is remarkable; and truly captures the reader's interest as not many novels are set in that beautiful land. Her characters were realistic, and though strong, they lacked confidence as well because of their upbringings. Her secondary characters were endearing, and there was a very strong spiritual thread throughout. A true story of love and forgiveness not to be missed!


Kim Vogel Sawyer books are available through Amazon, CBD, Barnes and Noble, and other bookstores.


GIVEAWAY:  Leave a comment and your email to be entered in this week’s contest.  Drawing will be late Saturday.  Your choice of Kim’s books, choice of format.

56 comments:

  1. Oooh Diana! You make me want to read this!!
    I guess that's the purpose of reviewing, right?
    Well, you succeeded! :))

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  2. Thank you, Marian! I did my job then. ;-) Everyone should have such a "job", should they not? Kim has alot of wonderful covers on her books, but this one HAS to be my favorite, with the turquoise and the snow covered mountains in the background...love it!

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  3. I just finished reading this one a couple weeks ago. Of course, being a book written by Kim, it was great!!!
    Amy
    Campbellamyd@gmail.com

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  4. Oh wow! I would love to read this book! Looks great!

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  5. Well Done Diana! What a lovely cover, hope I can read this one soon. I do enjoy Kim's books.

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  6. Oops...forgot to leave my email: catherine.dacosta09@gmail.com

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  7. This sounds like a great read and in Alaska, I've never been their but my brother has and he loved it up there.

    wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
    wrensthoughts.blogspot.com

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  8. Hi, AMY! Thank you for coming by and letting us know how much you liked this book. It was such a tender story; the kind that makes the tears well up story...

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  9. CATHERINE, isn't that cover awesome?! Thank you for returning! We want to be able to find you should you win. ;)

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  10. I WOULD TO WIN.

    ANGELAC@MCHSI.COM

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  11. Thank you, TERESA! This one is so different to me than any of Kim's other books, which shows her great versatility as an author.

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  12. WENDY, I loved the Alaskan setting, and Kim did such a wonderful job describing it in this book. Makes me wonder if she has been there...

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  13. ANGELA, welcome to OTT. We would love for you to win as well, so throwing your name in the hat! :)

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  14. Sounds great, please sign me up for the give-a-way,

    Librarybooks at religious dot com

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  15. RELUVBE, we just love having you here, and you are officially entered!

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  16. I'd love to win a book by Kim. Thanks for the opportunity.

    Andrea Cox
    andrearenee2004 at yahoo dot com

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  17. ANDREA, great to see you! Thank you for your comment and we have you entered!

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  18. Yes, this review captivates one's juices for a great novel! Enter me, please! Thank you!

    desertrose5173 at gmail dot com

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  19. What a great review. I want this book. Love Kim's books and would love to win this one. Thank you for the opportunity.

    Karen Gervais
    kmgervais@nycap.rr.com

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  20. I love that, LINDA! "captivates one's juices" LOL! I may use that in one of my reviews someday with your permission, of course! :)

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  21. KAREN, I love your take charge attitude..."I want that book." I hope you get that book! ;)

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  22. DIANA, this is a step away from my "usual" story, but I enjoyed the opportunity to explore a different setting. Hubs and I took my parents to Alaska in 2008 for their 50th anniversary, and I fell in love with the area. It is gorgeous there! I recommend it as a vacation spot. In fact, Hubs and I returning this August!

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  23. This book looks fantastic! It doesn't hurt that the cover is gorgeous too. I would love to win this book.

    ecriggs1990(at)aol(dot)com

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  24. Lucky you, KIM! I would love to go there. And you so beautifully described it in A Whisper of Peace!

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  25. LIZ, this is one book I'm glad I didn't read on Kindle. I loved looking at that gorgeous cover sitting on my end table! Such a peaceful cover, and a relaxing book, too.

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  26. DIANA, Thanks for yet another awesome review! And KIM, you make me want to go there and visit!

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  27. You're welcome, CARRIE. Me, too! Especially after reading this book.

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  28. Diana - Great review. This is definitely a book to put on my list to read.
    Kim - I love everything you write! Will look forward to reading your Alaska story.
    Sharon
    smoore at tcq dot net

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  29. SHARON, thank you so much. Maybe you will win it here! Thank you for stopping by today and encouraging Kim!

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  30. SHARON, thanks so much for the kind words. You gave me a smile. :o) Bless you!

    CARRIE and DIANA, if at all possible, visit Alaska. It is breathtakingly beautiful.

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  31. Got your bags packed, CARRIE? Let's go!! We would have a blast if I could ever get to feeling better. :( God's going to heal me just like He did Kim...I just know it, b/c He is no respecter of persons. :)

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  32. Oh how I'd love to win and read this! I love Kim Vogel Sawyer's books...and I am sure this one wouldn't be an exception to that!

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  33. Love the cover! Historicals are my favorite books to read, I look forward to reading this at some point even if I don't win a copy.
    Patty
    pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  34. IGM, we would love for you to win this as well, but pleeease do come back and leave an email! Without a name or an email we can't find you if you should win, and that makes us feel badly. :(

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  35. DIANA,We talked about doing an Alaska cruise. I think that was before one of the ladies in my church group took a cruise with her husband and died on it - no kidding, and she wasn't that old but she had health issues. All the trouble because of her being in international waters when it happened, yikes, her poor husband. Well, I guess if you're gonna go early it might as well be somewhere beautiful!

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  36. Kim has written so many books that I haven't had time to read them all! But the ones I have read are so good!

    marissamehresman(at)aol(dot)com

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  37. Great Review Diana! I loved this books as well, and I agree with you that the cover is one of her bests! I have been fascinated with Alaska ever since going last May! Such a beautiful state that really shows God's creation!

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  38. Love the review!! I would love to win and read this book. I have never been to Alaska but would love to visit!! Thank you for the chance to win!!! frederickmolly@yahoo.com

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  39. Great review...I love Kim's books.Thanks...jackie_tessnair@yahoo.com

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  40. Ahem, CARRIE, maybe a change of plans here! LOL!

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  41. Thanks for stopping by, JACKIE. I do, too!

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  42. MARISSA, I know where you are coming from. I used to be able to keep up with my favorite authors, but now it seems they write them faster than I can read them.

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  43. Thank you, Jen, for your kind words, and I'll try not to be envious about your Alaska trip! lol

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  45. Thank you, MOLLY. I would love to visit there, too someday, but for right now I guess I will have to enjoy just reading about it.

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  46. Thank you for the review. I would love to visit Alaska
    ldwrncpn@comcast.net

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  47. LORI, you will love your visit to Alaska in A Whisper of Peace! Lots of luck to you, dear!

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  48. Hi Carrie & Diana ~
    I have some friends that live in Alaska (and they're from Indiana originally). The couple lived in the midwest when the man was a pilot for UPS and, after all of his travels, he fell in love with the wilds of Alaska enough to move there. Alaska is so fascinating, isn't it? I would love to visit some day. : ) And what do I love most about this interview - is has to be the title of the book! Whisper of Peace... Isn't that just beautiful? Thanks for sharing this post with all of us.

    K

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  49. KRISTY, it's so nice to see you again! That title has a VERY special meaning in the book, and I won't say anymore than that. No spoilers. lol! My brother in law and his wife went to Alaska a couple of years ago and told us some intriguing stories about it. They loved it, too. Thank you for sharing, Kristy!

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  50. When they were building the pipeline up there I had so many friends from the upper peninsula who moved there to work. So in a way I forever associate it with people "having" to go there for gainful employment. But those cruise pictures, wow! I'd love to do a cruise up there as long as I didn't die while I was on it. DIANA - go ahead and kick me off your blog post, lol!

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  51. LOL, CARRIE! When I get well we are going! hehe Hubs will absolutely not go on a ship, so we will have to go together. Just don't watch the Titanic before we leave. There was all this talk about fiction books having the Titantic theme, and then the movie coming out in 3D right before my son, DIL, and grandson went on their cruise recently. I admit to praying alot and breathing a sigh of relief when they made it home. My whole life (almost) was on that ship!

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  52. Another great story by Kim, would love to win this one, thanks for sharing.
    I like to read stories done in alaska.
    Paula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)

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  53. I do too, PAULA, but there are so few out there with an Alaskan setting. Lots of luck in the giveaway!

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  54. This certainly shows that some people in this world never change in attitude...only some. What a classic this story will become. Written with sensitivity, compassion and wisdom. I look forward to reading this book. Thank you for this great giveaway and the chance to win a beautiful read.

    Friend in Christ,
    Barb Shelton
    barbjan10 at tx dot rr dot com

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  55. Thank you, Barb, for that beautifully written and thoughtful comment. What a classy lady you are. I hope you get a chance to read this lovely story.

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  56. Congrats to Mary Duff, our winner of her book of choice by Kim Vogel Sawyer. Thank you everyone for being with us this week, and a special thanks to Kim, for being such a lovely and charming guest!

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