Review: Forget Me Not

Ever wonder what it would be like to forget your whole life? It doesn't seem possible. But what happens if you forget AND someone is trying to kill you? To make matters worse, the person you appear to be, is already dead.

Vicki Hinze's new novel Forget Me Not begins en media res for not one woman, but two. Or does it? The opening chapters drops us in the middle of the story, observing the brutal murder of Susan Brandt. Then three years later, the horrifying kidnapping of...Susan Brandt? How can this be? The two women look uncannily alike. Everyone "Susan" meets is shocked and confused by the similarities. Not to mention put completely out of sorts when "Susan" turns out to be wearing the dead woman's necklace.

This is not your typical suspense novel. The reader is kept guessing and events pile up quickly--adding to the confusion. It is a page turner. It is a quick and entertaining read.

This is not a character driven novel. Events, dangerous events at that, keep the novel moving. And a spirit of knowing God is with us, no matter what.

If you are interested in an evening of suspense, this novel delivers.

Vicki Hinze is an award-winning author of twenty-three novels, three nonfiction books, and hundreds of articles. Selected for Who’s Who in America in 2004 as a writer and educator, Hinze is active in Romance Writers of America and serves as a Vice President on the International Thriller Writers Board of Directors. Vicki lives in Florida with her artist husband, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel. Visit www.vickihinze.com to learn more about Vicki’s books, blogs, and writing programs.

This book was provided for review by Multnomah Publishing.

Another Man's Moccassins

Wouldn't it be nice, if everything you said and did was greeted with understanding and care?

What would happen if the people you loved and cared for above all others would look beyond themselves, and listen to the heart of your words?

There are only 24 hours in any day.

A typical day in the life: On the best of days my husband and I get about 7 hours of sleep. Oh, I know, some people think that is a lot--but for our health and sanity it is what we need. We are up by five and preparing for the day. Most of the time, he is finishing the work he did not have time to do the night before, doing a short Bible study and wrangling kids.

Despite our best efforts--making lunches the day before setting out school clothes, etc.--there is something that was overlooked. Lunch most often. But this time also includes walking the dog, feeding both pets, making sure one kid gets cleaned, and everyone has breakfast. Not to mention all the extraneous stuff.

We are in the car, all of us by 6:45. On our way to work. No need to explain what that entails. Sometimes we get done as early as 4:00. But for at least three months this year, it was 5:30 or 6:00 before we got home.

Our evening is spent making supper, feeding the pets, walking the dog (often twice cause she can't do two jobs in one trip), getting kids ready for the next day, supervising homework, grading papers, and for the last four months curriculum guides. Curriculum guides which took no less than 100 hours for each of us. Somewhere in there we get some kid snuggles and storytime and kids are in bed by 7:30.

For at least an hour, sometimes two and half hours, there is more work to be done. Work work, not work for the home. After that we have to keep some type of order in the house, you know the little things like dishes and laundry. Nothing BIG like actually putting laundry AWAY or buying groceries. By ten we are out.

We do this all week, everyday, over and over and over. And we make enough money to barely get by.

The weekends? Oh, did I mention curriculum guides? Or, the school play? There are no weekends. It's been more work, laundry and dishes.

We bought sleds for Christmas for the kids. You know how many times they used them this winter? Twice. On an inch of snow, on a small slope in our backyard.

Did I mention I've been sick during EVERY single break in the school year save one? And Husband? Let's just say the world keeps spinning for him, spinning and spinning, and he can't hear it go by.

Our work is not about money. We work with incredible kids and we get to share the love of Jesus with them on a daily basis. We are serving our LORD.

But not everyone understands.

For some reason, no money = you could if you wanted.

Exhaustion and no time = lack of caring.

There are only 24 hours in our day.

For all those out there who are juggling a home, husband, kids and a full-time job--May God bless you with rest and the ability to say no to anything that tears at the fragile shreds of hearth and home!