4.5 Stars Out Of 5
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4.6 out Of 5
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4.6 out Of 5
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Displaying items 1-5 of 67
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  1. Carrie Turansky
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Historical Romance with Heart
    August 11, 2013
    Carrie Turansky
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    This review was written for What Once Was Lost.
    Kim Vogel Sawyer brings us another heartwarming historical romance! In What One Was Lost, Christina Willems is a caretaker of a "Poor Farm" in Kansas in 1890. Following in her father's footsteps, she believes she is called to care for those who are in need. She does her job well and is loved by those in her care. But when fire destroys her home she must spread out her "family" to stay with others. Christina feels lost and discouraged and longs to bring everyone back together. She is especially concerned about the young blind boy who must stay with the owner of the saw mill, because the man has a reputation for keeping to himself and a lack of faith. But he surprises Christina in many ways. Christina's faith is challenged and strengthened through her trials, and readers will be encouraged by all she learns. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
  2. Laura
    Lee's Summit, MO
    Age: 45-54
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    August 10, 2013
    Laura
    Lee's Summit, MO
    Age: 45-54
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    This review was written for What Once Was Lost.
    Christina Willems is a caretaker for a group of individuals in a poor home in the middle of Kansas (1890), and she finds great joy in what she does. She feels called to the ministry of caring for those who are in need, and the people she works with love her, as well. But when fire breaks out in the home and everyone must be placed in various other homes, Christina feels lost herself. She has a difficult time trusting God, and she finds herself desperate to bring everyone back together again. This book deals with what happens in one's heart when all that you loved seems lost. Woven throughout its pages are gentle reminders that God can indeed be trusted, and that He is always working in every situation to bring His best plans to pass for our good and for His glory. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys encouraging historical fiction!
  3. Amy C
    VA
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Highly Recommended!
    September 17, 2013
    Amy C
    VA
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    This review was written for What Once Was Lost.
    What Once Was Lost is set in Brambleton, Kansas in 1890. Christina runs a poor farm until a fire breaks out and damages the home. All of the residents has to find temporary homes while the house is being repaired. One of the residents that I loved is Tommy, a young blond boy. Christina found a temporary home for him with the local mill owner, Levi. Tommy and Levi quickly develop a bond with one another. After many obstacles, Christina wonders if she will be able to reopen the poor house. Will she return to her home reunite with her poor farm family?

    I really liked this story. Kim Vogel Sawyer doesn't disappoint again. I loved the storylines and the characters. I felt a connection with the characters and often found myself imagining myself living among them. I wished the story didn't have to end.

    I would highly recommend!! 5 of 5 stars.
  4. Wordmachine
    Grayson, GA
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Loved the Themes!
    August 22, 2013
    Wordmachine
    Grayson, GA
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    This review was written for What Once Was Lost.
    Tommy Kilgore, a boy who is blind informs Christina Willems that they need to get everybody out of the Brambleville Asylum for the Poor building, which she is the operator of. He informs her that there is a fire in the building. Christina thinks he is wrong at first and that he smells something from the kitchen from the night before, until she notices the fire herself. She is not sure if they will be able to rescue the people in the room near the kitchen. When the fire is over and they are picking up the pieces of their lives and trying to figure out where all the residents will live she asks a man named Levi to take care of Tommy. He refuses and then reluctantly agrees with the promise that Christina will take him off his hands as soon as she finds another place for Tommy to live. It is up to the readers to discover whether or not living with Levi is hurtful to Tommy or whether living with him is a blessing to his life. It is also up to the readers to discover whether Christina and Levi are going to be able to get along as circumstances happen throughout the story.

    There seemed to be more than one example of a hurting person that changes around their attitude when they are reached out to in this story. Sometimes people think they are not capable of helping but when someone asks them and they are given a chance it makes the world of difference to some of those people, even if they are not aware they could be helpful. When the residents of the Brambleville Asylum for the Poor lose their home some of them are forced to live in a place where they don't always feel they have freedom, which is what a lot of homeless people also face in our world today when they are locked away in shelters for the night, which is for their safety to follow a set of rules but might make some people feel like they have lost some of their freedom for the time while they are staying at the shelters. There are definitely some very good themes in this story and I encourage readers to discover them all for themselves.

    I received an Advanced Reading Copy of this book free from Waterbrook Multomah for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
  5. Heart2Heart
    Victorville, CA
    Age: 45-54
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Does God have new plans in spite of the tragedy?
    August 17, 2013
    Heart2Heart
    Victorville, CA
    Age: 45-54
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    This review was written for What Once Was Lost.
    Just looking at the title makes me want to think of the lyrics from Amazing Grace and the missing part is what you'll find in the latest novel from Kim Vogel Sawyer, What Once Was Lost. My husband even commented when I got this novel that I sure do have quite a few from Kim Vogel Sawyer and he's definitely right about that. She truly gets to the reader's heart once you enter the world of her historical novels. This one is definitely geared for fans that love a western flair and takes you back to the late 1890's in Brambleville, Kansas.

    Christina Willems has taken over the care of Brambleville Asylum for the Poor, a home for those who need a place to live and a safe haven from the world around them that sees them as the outcasts of society. She inherited the position after the death of her parents, most recently her father and was raised in helping out those less fortunate than herself. She offers comfort to a group of poor and displaced individuals until something better comes along. Tommy Kilgore is the only blind boy and it seems he receives the worst kind of treatment by the people of Brambleville, who see him as the burden to society since he was in a boiler explosion and lost not only his eyesight but also disfigured part of his body. His parents abandoned him long ago with Christina and she's been trying to find a way to reach the part of his soul that lies buried deep inside. If only she could find a way to help.

    When tragedy strikes the home through a fire that destroys the kitchen, Christina is forced to find temporary housing among the town's residents until the mission sends her the required funds to repair the home. She has found housing for everyone except Tommy and the last person on her list is the most unlikely of people to ask, mill owner Levi Johnson who prefers to be left all alone. Thankfully she manages to convince Levi it will only be temporary until she can find something else and it's during this time alone with Mr. Johnson, that Tommy is able to finally feel something more than simply a burden on anyone. Just what is it that Mr. Johnson does that draws Tommy out of his shell and will he be able to keep him there long enough for him to turn his life around? Just what caused the fire in the first place? Is it possible the reason Tommy fears returning back to the poor farm is that he has a secret he doesn't want revealed?

    To find out, you'll have to pick up this heartwarming and emotionally moving story of renewal and restoration by Kim Vogel Sawyer. I received What Once Was Lost by Kim Vogel Sawyer compliments of Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable one. I whole heartily give this one a well deserved 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion because the story is such a compelling one to immerse yourself in. You have to understand the timing in history in the late 1890's where a woman's place was not in running a business so the town isn't exactly thrilled that a poor farm in located in their small town and much worse that it is being run by a woman. Yet Christina is a fighter and a firm believer that God will give her whatever she needs to keep the poor house running and the family together despite whatever odds are against her, but can she fight the mission board as well? Is this God's true purpose in her life after all or one merely that Christina wants? You'll love exploring the answers in this wonderful novel
Displaying items 1-5 of 67
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