Every Hill and Mountain by Deborah Heal

Book Summary (from Amazon)


Those who have read Time
and Again and Unclaimed Legacy know
that Abby Thomas is a college student on a summer service project with
11-year-old Merri. And they know that the summer is not going the way Abby had
expected--but in a good way. For one thing, she meets a very nice guy named John
Roberts. And for another, she discovers a strange computer program
called Beautiful House that lets her fast-forward and rewind life.
Not her own, of course, but those of the people who lived in Merri's old house.
And the Old Dears' old house, and...well, any old house.


And since the program worked so well for the Old Dears' family
tree project, Abby's college roommate Kate hopes it will help her find out more
about her ancestor Ned Greenfield. And Kate's fiancé Ryan thinks the program
has lucrative commercial potential. 


Abby and John reluctantly agree to help Kate, but only on
the condition that she and Ryan promise to keep the program a secret, because
if it fell into the wrong hands...well, no one wants Big Brother invading their
privacy.


The two couples take a trip to the tiny town of Equality,
set in the hills of southern Illinois and the breath-taking Shawnee National
Forest. According to Kate's research, Ned Greenfield was born there at a place
called Hickory Hill.


The mayor, police chief, and townspeople are hospitable and
helpful--until the topic of Hickory Hill comes up. They seem determined to keep
them away, telling them, "There's nothing there for you to see." 

Eventually they find Hickory Hill on their own--both the
mansion and the lonely hill it sits upon. Built in 1834, Hickory Hill stands
sentinel over Half Moon Salt Mine where the original owner John Granger
accumulated his blood-tainted fortune. 


Abby and her friends meet Miss Granger, Hickory Hill's
current eccentric owner, and they eventually get the chance to time-surf there.
Their shocking discovery on the third floor concerning Kate's ancestor Ned
Greenfield is almost too much to bear. What they learn sends them racing to the
opposite end of the state to find the missing link in Kate's family tree. And
there they are reminded that God is in the business of redemption--that one day
he'll make all things new.


My Thoughts:

What can I say? Again, I was brought into a unique look at history from the perspective of Abby, John and Merri. I found myself intrigued again with how they find themselves involved with some type of "history mystery". There is so much great information wrapped up in this wonderful adventure. I loved how the relationships continue to grow and develop in this book. I really feel connected and involved in the story. The story focusing around the underground railroad leads itself in a direction for many stories to be told. 
I love the dynamics between the original time-surfers and the idea of bringing Kate into their secret.  Ryan was the perfect "bad guy" in the book. In a way you could imagine something would happen with him at the center of the trouble, but it was exciting learning to what degree he was willing to go to.
The people in Equality were great additions. The characters were well developed and they all had a very important part in the creation of the story.
I was sad to see the book end. I think this series was written in a way that could easily add more books to it and never run out of creative time-surfing ideas. I feel God is using Deborah Heal in a mighty way to show stories of God's love and redemption in new and unique ways to reach people all over. Good News is, as you can learn more about on her BLOG, Abby, John and Merri are back for more! I know I can't wait to read them!



Disclosure: I received a print copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are completely my own and may differ from others.

Unclaimed Legacy by Deborah Heal

Book Summary: (from amazon)


"I call it time-surfing," Abby said. "It's like being there,
except no one can see or hear us."

"Whatever you call it," John said, "that was crazy--what we just did.
Beyond realistic. I mean, I was in that guy's head
and knew everything he was thinking."

Abby's weird computer program is working again. And it comes
in handy when she and her friends agree to help the Old Dears with their family
tree. 

Except Abby and John learn more about one of the ladies'
ancestors than they ever wanted to know. Convicted in 1871 of murder and arson,
Reuben Buchanan is a blight on the family's reputation. But was he really
guilty? Abby and John must get inside the mind of a murderer to find out. 

And while they're rummaging around in the Old Dears' family
history, they also find Nathan Buchanan, a heroic relative connected to the
Lewis and Clark Expedition--and a legacy waiting to be reclaimed. But the most important discovery they make is that God's
promise to bless a thousand generations is true.


My Thoughts:

Unclaimed Legacy is book 2 in the Time and Again series. We are again given the amazing opportunity to join the adventures of Abby and John, and Merri as they time surf to discover and help someone out. I love the characters in the story and how they relate to each other. I especially love seeing the way Abby and Merri have grown in trust and acceptance. Abby creates a safe place for Merri during the hard times with her Dad, and Merri knows she can trust Abby with the truth. At this point I feel myself connected to each character and invested in their relationships. I loved seeing Eulah and Beulah and their story. They are quite the characters and entertaining to watch throughout the book. Each person comes to find themselves in situations where there might be struggles, but they find encouragement in the fact that they can put their trust in God to carry them through.

Again, as with Time and Again, I had an extremely difficult time putting the book down. That to me is the sign of a perfect book,and one I want to share with others and to read myself many times. I'm getting ready to read book 3 now. I can't wait, and I'm anticipating more sleepless nights ahead!

Disclosure: I received a print copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own, and may differ from others.

Time and Again by Deborah Heal

I was excited to have the opportunity to read and review this book. Just from the basic information I had about it, I knew it would make an interesting story.

Abby is doing tutoring for her college class, and is spending the summer helping Pat by teaching her daughter Merrideth in order to get her caught up for the next year. Abby is determined this will be an easy task, but is in for a surprise when she meets Merrideth.

Merrideth is 11 years old and has retreated into herself due to her parents divorce and her mom's lack of interest and time. Pat always seems to have a work related situation which takes her away from her daughter even when she is really needed. When Abby arrives, Merrideth tries her best to make the situation as difficult as it can be. She has no desire to do studies. She prefers TV, computer and eating.

One day while looking out the window they see a boy on the train tracks and a train coming quickly. They rush out to get him, and from then on the summer takes an interesting turn. Although it isn't the end of Merrideth's stubbornness, she does begin to listen to Abby and they begin to form a friendship.

Weird things are going on at the house. When they explore the attic in search of some excitement, they find a map of the town the way it was 100 years ago. They find themselves walking and talking to someone who knows some of the history.  When Merrideth finds a beautiful homes site on her computer, they discover the house they are in. Upon further looking, it appears that somehow the screen is a way to look into the past. Abby and Merrideth call it "time-surfing".

They find themselves in Charlotte's life in the year 1854. Of course Charlotte can't see them, but they can see through her eyes and feel her joy and pain.  They follow her life, sometimes in fast forward, and learn that she lived in Merrideth's current home, and that Abraham Lincoln had stayed in the home.
They see the ups and down's of history through Charlotte's eyes. They learn about the underground railroad and circumstances that led to that point.

By watching history before their eyes and experiencing it, Abby is able to teach Merrideth some important truths. She teaches her about God's love and how God has a plan for everyone. He can make good out of any situation. Merrideth learns that God loves her and has a purpose for her life.


This was an amazing story. There are some history truth's to learn and it provides a unique way to show God's purpose and love for people. I enjoyed how the story was put together. I had a hard time pulling myself away! I read the entire story in 2 days. If I didn't have other things to do, I probably would have read it in one sitting!  I loved the relationship between Abby and Merrideth. You can really see the friendship that grows and how Merrideth finds a way to trust Abby and rely on her the way she wishes she could rely on her mom. I think this was an important aspect of the story.

I can't wait to read Deborah Heal's other books. They are on my to read list for sure!


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.