Welcome to the Blog Tour for the Emeline series by Kathy J. Perry, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book:
Title: A Journey
Series: Emeline #1
Author: Kathy J Perry
Publisher: Chickadee Words, LLC
Release Date: November 1, 2023
Genre: Christian Young Adult 19th Century American Historical Fiction
A promise made to her dying father; a struggle that tests her faith; a journey that pushes her resilience and resourcefulness to their limits
Emeline, a thirteen-year-old Missouri orphan, must set off on a quest across frontier America to fulfil her father’s last to find her grandfather in Boston.
Crossing this dangerous and unforgiving land alone, she must face challenges without losing her faith, rising to every test ahead if she’s to survive and find a home at the end of her adventure.
Will Emeline’s journey bring her the family she longs for?
Readers of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Louisa May Alcott will delight in this fast-paced adventure.
My Thoughts:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. I rarely read Young Adult books. Almost all that I have seen have to do with romance, include too much sensual matter, or are fantasy, time travel, or some weird futuristic story. I tend to greatly prefer realism, and I don’t think Young Adults need romance. When I read the description of Emeline—A Journey, I was attracted to it because it sounded different. I was not disappointed by the content!
I really liked the content of this book. It describes life in a simpler time, and shows a girl who has been left alone in the world making the best of what she had, learning to make her own decisions. On the other hand, the writing style could definitely be improved; it felt a bit amateurish. Also, it did not feel realistic that she hardly showed any grief when her father died. She was sad, but quickly got up and going again, never crying much at all. I did appreciate that this book doesn’t portray a girl who can do everything; she knows she needs help from adults, and readily accepts help and advice. I also really liked that there is no romance, other than a few hints that Emeline liked the apprentice at the Witherspoons. I can highly recommend this book for those in the 12-16-year-old group, although when I read it to my children recently, though they enjoyed listening to it they weren’t as engrossed in it as they are in some.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Kathy J Perry | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub
About the Book:
Title: Finding Strength: During the Panic of 1893
Series: Emeline #2
Author: Kathy J Perry
Publisher: Chickadee Words, LLC
Release Date: March 1, 2024
Genre: Christian Young Adult Historical Fiction
When the world around you is falling apart, you must find strength within yourself.
Three years after her father’s death, Emeline has settled into life in Indianapolis.
Then an urgent visit to her childhood farm in Missouri changes everything. Her manager dies, the economy is in recession, and the caretakers are moving back to Wisconsin. Emeline is suddenly responsible for the farm… and she’s out of her depth.
With the help of her closest allies, Emeline sets out to turn the farm around until disaster strikes and she must start again. Emeline faces her biggest challenge finding the courage to have confidence in herself.
Can Emeline’s faith and resourcefulness bring her the joy and security she’s worked so hard to find?
This coming-of-age tale is a must-read for lovers of historical fiction.
My Thoughts:
I was not as impressed by Finding Strength as I was with A Journey. Emeline seemed very naive; she was 17 in this book, but still seemed to think and act much like she did when she was 13 in the first book. Also, it seemed like there were intense scenes added in just to try to add some excitement, such as a train robbery. There were two other robberies later that didn’t feel realistic—rather like, “Oh, our cows got stolen, let’s go buy a new herd”—without even searching for them or trying to find where they were taken off the property. Another anachronism I noticed was that Emeline and a young man went alone on several two-day business trips together—but as soon as he started courting her he informed her that they would always need to be chaperoned now. Also, the description of making maple syrup was not accurate. On the other hand, I liked how clean this book was. There was nothing off-color in it, nothing that would make me hesitate to hand it to children or young adults. I also liked the way the author made The Panic of 1893 come alive. I had not thought much before about the impact that ordinary people would have felt.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Kathy J Perry | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub
About the Author:
Of the many jobs she’s held in the past, including thirty-five years of designing and constructing stained glass windows part-time, teaching was one of the most enjoyable for Kathy J. Perry because investing in kids is so important. To this end, she continues to encourage good character with clean, moral stories kids and teens love to read. Good books make such an impact. Writing is hard work, but there’s nothing like a good story to run off with your imagination. When things are flowing, it’s like a vacation. Sometimes the best ideas come in the middle of the night. When not writing, you’ll find her painting with watercolor, doing school visits, writing a blog, interviewing other writers, designing websites, working as an administrative assistant part-time, and renovating houses. Is this retirement? Apparently so! She loves every minute of it with her husband of 43 years.Connect with Kathy by visiting kathyjperry.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
I received a complimentary copy of these books from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about them.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive signed print copies of A Journey and Finding Strength, companion journal, bookmarks, and a $25 Amazon gift card plus a code for free audiobooks for both titles!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 1, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 8, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
sidlaw0425 says
This looks like a very enjoyable read. Thanks for sharing.
Rita Wray says
Sounds like a good series.
Jcp says
Thank you for the review
Shelly Peterson says
Great covers.
@justreadtours says
thanks for sharing your thoughts!