Customer Reviews

Whispers of Winter (Alaskan Quest #3)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Tracie Peterson completes her Alaskan Quest trilogy with Whispers of Winter. The story opens with Jayce Kincaid and Jacob Barringer stranded on an Artic island. Leah Kincaid, her infant twins, and Helaina Beecham are in Last Chance Creek, awaiting news of their men.

While watching for the spring thaw and hoping for search parties, Jayce and Jacob struggle with hopelessness, malnutrition, and a mutiny. Leah's and Helaina's shared faith sustains them, as well as the help received from friends and neighbors. But even after a reunion, life continues to make demands. A stroke, influenza, deaths, and moves around the territory continue to test the faith of all. Another shipping disaster threatens the peace and prosperity the two families finally achieve.

Peterson knows her characters, the setting, and the hardships common in Alaska in the early 20th century. Her reader feels the chill as the spring thaw brings floods to the village. We hear the snow crunching underfoot and the dogs whine as Helaina cares for them. We can taste the oily seal meat stew along with Leah. The excitement of settling a new land is contagious as the Kincaids and Barringers follow the railroad and other business opportunities across the frozen land.

Peterson does a good job of weaving faith into her plot. There is some preaching and teaching, but it does rise organically from the character's issues. Life and death does challenge our faith and our ideas about God and His love. The Kincaids, Barringers, and other families grapple with these subjects as they bury loved ones, battle the elements, and take risks.

Fans of the first two books in the series, Summer of the Midnight Sun, and Under the Northern Lights, will enjoy Whispers of Winter. Characters from the earlier books return and we see them respond to their own challenges. Storylines are completed, spirits are tested, and faith is triumphant.

Armchair Interviews says: Alaskan tribulations captured so you really feel their lives.

In 1917 in the Alaskan Territory, with their ship sinking into the icy waters, Jacob Barringer, Jayce Kincaid and others are in trouble as they struggle to survive the freezing weather. They pray a rescue team will find them before each of them dies.

At the same former Pinkerton Agent Helaina Beecham and Leah Kincaid pray for the safe return of their loved ones who have been away much longer than expected. Perhaps it is this common fear for their missing soul mates, but the close friendship between Helaina and Leah turns stronger as they turn to one another and to God for solace. Whereas Leah begins to doubt her Jayce will return to her, Helaina believes that Jacob will come home to Lost Chance, but not necessarily to her as he never told her he loved her; still all she prays for is the safe return of all the missing men.

The final Alaskan Quest tale (see UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS and SUMMER OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN) is a superb inspirational historical thriller that hooks the audience from the start as the women worry about the men stuck on some ice floe with little hope of rescue. Readers will appreciate the two subplots as the citizens of Lost Chance struggle with concern and with a debilitating epidemic while the men try to survive their ordeal (you will need a winter coat, gloves, a hat, and a scarf as the reader will feel the frozen temperatures). Tracie Peterson provides a terrific climax to an exciting early twentieth century inspirational saga.

Harriet Klausner

I loved the book. I love the trilogy. I knew I liked Tracie Peterson but this series sold me on her as my new favorite author.

In picking up where UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS left off, Tracie Peterson quickly immerses the reader in the gripping conclusion to her thrilling "Alaskan Quest" adventure and historical inspirational series.

While Jacob Barringer and Jayce Kincaid are struggling for survival along with fellow crew members after their ship the Regina was stuck in Arctic ice floes, Leah Kincaid and Helaina Beecham are home in Last Chance Creek praying for their safe return.

Not always friends, Leah and Helaina had a tumultuous past. As a former Pinkerton Agent, Helaina has finally come to embrace the Lord, redefined who she is, and what has become really important in her life. Most of all, she's realized her love for Jacob Barringer and hopes that `when' he returns, for she will not believe otherwise, he will still love her and want her in his life. Leah naturally wants her husband home but finds her faith in God being tested after having to overcome many trials that have been put in her path. The journey has been long and hard, but through it all faith in God's graces will prevail.

People living in the Alaskan wilderness not only had to have strength of body and fortitude, but a devout strength in a belief of a higher power and this is brought home in spades in this final book in the Alaskan Quest series. Ms. Peterson has a rare gift for storytelling and this entire series (see SUMMER OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN and UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS) is a testimony to her well written and well researched stories as she gifts readers with an unforgettable historical inspirational tale featuring tremendous and brilliant characterizations with great historical background. This story packs an enormous emotional punch as you follow these wonderfully endearing characters from Last Chance Creek to Ship Creek (aka Anchorage) as they make their way in a challenging world. The story is bound to overwhelm you as you experience the trials and tribulations these people experience in their struggle to live in the glorious yet unforgiving Alaskan territory. Like me, you'll most likely cry both tears of joy for the gifts of life, and sob for the loss of loved ones, but through it all, you will be buoyed up by faith in the Lord and welcome the gift of storytelling from this amazing author.

While this third and final inspirational adventure could and does easily stand alone, I suggest it would be even more gratifying to start at the beginning and experience the thrill of this most impressive and absolutely superb inspirational series.


Marilyn Rondeau

In the third book of the Alaskan quest series, Jayce and Jacob are shipwrecked on an Arctic island with a bleak outlook of leaving. Meanwhile their wives Leah and Helena are back at home in Alaska waiting for their husbands to get back home. Leah is still struggling with the fact that her children may not be really be Jayce's children and the aftermaths of what Chase had done to her. Helena is worried that Jacob still doesn't really love her. The two women bond together as they battle the harsh Alaskan setting, dealing with influenza, changes from their friends, and the outbreak of WWI.

I've mentioned before I love really good book covers. This whole series has had some beautiful covers and this one is my favorite (the whole hair blowing in the wind thing). I want to say that it's Leah on the cover. I enjoyed reading the book as it tied up many story lines and described more historical detail about the time period and area. I felt however that the back cover summary only focused on the first half of the book. While the situation with Jayce and Jacob being shipwrecked is a big factor of the story, it is only part of the book. I did like the side storyline about the "Russian" guy. Winter usually brings about death and there were many deaths in the book, including a major beloved character that was unexpected. While reading this book, once again I felt really cold especially when the men were stuck on the island. Totally realistic reading when you think you need to put on a coat. I hope that maybe there will be another spin off of this series, perhaps focusing on Karen's children?

I read the first two books of the series and was disappointed in this third. Too many rabbit trails and extraneous detail about WWI for me. I'm a Tracie Peterson fan, but this book . . . seems like she was just finishing up loose ends, pumping out a book. Plot, character development, and passion were just not up to her usual standards.
I have come to expect more from one of my favorite writers.

"Poorly paced; forced plot; tragedy after apparent tragedy; lots of 'huh?'s; shallow. Finally over!" That's what I wrote in my personal book journal. Somehow I made it through the whole series--skimming at times because I was so bored--but it never succeeded in reeling me in. Characters and relationships had the potential to be memorable and endearing but were insufficiently developed. I felt cheated as I would love to have gotten to know some of these people! The pace of the story was uneven--lurching into unbelievable places then dragging as characters dealt with what had happened. Disappointing from such a popular novelist. Two stars instead of one because, despite the story, I was at least given a glimpse of what life was like in early 1900's Alaska.

A switch-up today as I move on to Christian Historical Fiction.

Today's review is of

Whispers of Winter by Tracie Peterson

Whispers of Winter was provided to me graciously by Bethany House Publishers. I am under no obligation to write a positive review, just an honest one.

Whispers of Winter is the third and final book in the Alaskan Quest series by Tracie Peterson.

You can read my review of the first book, Summer of the Midnight Sun, by clicking here, and the second book, Under the Northern Lights by clicking here.

Whispers of Winter concludes the tale of Jayce Kincaid, Jacob Barringer, Leah Kincaid and Helaina.

Jayce and Jacob have been shipwrecked and really have no way to get back to Last Chance. Leah and Helaina only know of the shipwreck but have no idea if Jayce and Jacob are alive. Leah has her children to care for but cannot help but wonder if they will ever know their father... and Helaina is waiting to tell Jacob of her deep love for him that she has never been able to confess before.

Months pass as the ladies await the return of their men, hoping against hope that they do, in fact, return, and that they did not parish during or after the shipwreck.

It's a good conclusion to the series, and will answer quite a few questions left hanging.

Will Helaina get to tell Jacob of her love? And if she does, will he accept it? Will Leah be forced to raise her children on her own, still not knowing who the father of the children is?

Read Whispers of Winter to find out!

While this book was a good conclusion, the first two books were better. This one was a bit slow at points, but was worth reading to understand the conclusion of the series.

If you loved the first two books, don't miss the third!

3 out of 5 stars.

Camille

This was the third book in the Alaskan Quest series. Like the other two books it was a great read. It makes you love Alaska and the Alaskan people.
I loved this Christian historical romance novel. I will be reading more of Tracie Peterson's books.

Please read my other 2 reviews on this story ... if you like Intrigue, mixed with history, romance and Christian reading this this series is something you are bound to like. I have to admit as I have stated over and over that I love this that Tracie does ... I have learned about railroads (that frankly I didn't think I had any interest in other than getting me from Portland, Or to Seattle, WA via Amtrak ...LOL .... but I found those 2 series so very interesting ... and I have read a few in Alaska... including some with the Gold Rush ... what great reading ... love the intrigue, although as I said I had it figured out very early in the book, but that did not lessen my interest in the books .. or my thrill in reading them. Very worthwhile reading in my opinion.