Day: December 6, 2021

Posted in Bookish and Bingeable

The Girl On Legare Street

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

by Karen White

Melanie Middleton, top real estate agent in Charleston, SC has another mystery to solve. Ghosts have been residing for quite a while at her grandmother’s home on Legare Street and this time, it will take Melanie pairing up with someone she’d rather never see again – her mother – in order to help bring peace to the old, historic home. Jack Trenholm, her partner-in-crime from the last book joins her in this adventure and stands at the go-between between Melanie and her mother as ghosts wreak havoc once again in Melanie’s otherwise organized life. 

I have to say, I was pretty excited to read this one. There was a bit of a build up in the previous book, The House on Tradd Street, alluding to the fact that Melanie and her family had unfinished business at her grandmother’s house. Melanie’s mother comes back into her life bringing not only reinforcements on the psychic front but also some answers for Melanie as to why she left in the first place. 

What I loved about this book was, of course, the ghost story! Once again, there is a masterfully written history behind the ghost stories and there’s a couple of them to follow in this book. Karen White starts us off with strings that seem disconnected one from another and yet somehow, manages to pull them all into a beautiful macrame of a conclusion where everyone finds peace. I totally fell in love with Wilhelm and how much his character protected all the Prioleau women – literally for decades! His heartbreaking story of losing his love, Catherine, and how he came to haunt and protect the Legare house had tears running down my face. 

A new character and family member, Rebecca, was introduced as a cousin who also shared a gift of sorts, although her gift comes in dreams. I had a hard time deciding if I liked her or not. I couldn’t tell if she was working for or against Melanie. In the end, I concluded that she’s that one family member that every family has and wishes they hadn’t. 

I was disappointed in the non-growth of the main character, Melanie. By the end of book two, she is still a whiny, self-absorbed, over-reactive Melanie who hates a house she’s been given. While you can see a little more healing between her and her father, she seems to completely discount her mother’s explanation as to why she had to leave her – which was to save Melanie’s life. There’s not even a little give there and that bothered me. For someone approaching 40 years old, I would expect a little more maturity and reasoning and sense and honestly, I didn’t get any of that by the end of the book. 

And her treatment of Jack, who’s done nothing but try to help her and be there for her baffles me. 

Yet still, the ghost story was wonderfully done. The imagery was fabulous. The characters, outside of Melanie, are rich and beautiful and leap off the page. Karen White makes me want to go to Charleston, South Carolina, get a couple of donuts and a coffee at Ruby’s and have a good ol’ gab with these folks.

My rating – :star: :star: :star: :star:

 

Posted in Bookish and Bingeable

The House on Tradd Street

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

by Karen White

Melanie Middleton, Real Estate extraordinaire to Charleston, South Carolina, has her life turned upside down when she inherits an old, historical home from one of her clients. She also inherits a family of ghosts, a dog and housekeeper and, in a way, a writer by the name of Jack Trenholm. As Melanie reluctantly works to restore the old home to its former glory, the ghost work to tear her life apart resulting in a total upheaval of everything Melanie holds dear and forcing her to confront a few ghosts of her own. 

This book was recommended to me three times before I finally picked it up. I had been looking for a good ghost story with a good history behind why the ghosts haunted. I definitely got that and more in this book. My first Karen White story ever, I was surprised not to have crossed paths with this story earlier on in my hunt for good paranormal literature. This book felt more like three books in one as Ms. White intricately weaves a trifecta of romance, paranormal and mystery all into one story that doesn’t get boring. 

First, the ghost story truly is magnificent. I thought I had most of it figured out however, Ms. White managed to surprise me at the end. The history behind it was well-thought out and really well written. There’s even a bit of a treasure hunt. I felt the cold in the air whenever the ghosts were around and a chill went down my spine also every time Melanie’s phone rang. The ghost’s voices were chilling and creepy and on more than one occasion, I wanted to cry out, “TURN THE LIGHT ON!” Melanie’s ability to communicate with them was really cool although I felt her hesitation and her desire to wish them away slightly annoying. I mean, it’s not like she was new to hearing them. The paranormal part of this book was super fun for me to read and yes, I slept with the lights on as I was reading it. 

Themes of abandonment and addiction plague the heroine of the story. Melanie is a sugar-obsessed work-a-holic who dives into donuts and overly sweet lattes like her father dives into whiskey. I found it odd that she so easily shrugs off her own addiction as being part of her DNA while her father pays the price of her continual disappointment in him, despite his efforts to sober up. Honestly, by the end of the story, Melanie was so whiny, hyper-sensitive and so selfish that I found myself more interested in whether or not her dad was getting better than I was in Melanie’s forgiveness of him. I failed to see strength in her which I thought odd for all she endured. Honestly, Jack and the ghost of Louisa were really the ones who seemed to save the day.

Jack Trenholm comes onto the scene with an agenda of his own and again, I’m not too sure why Melanie has so much animosity towards him. I get that she has trust issues but they seem to be inconsistent, especially considering Jack’s laid-back character. Yet, he adds a bit of fun and puts Melanie in her place on more than one occasion. Melanie’s friend Sophie is the same way. What a sunshiny-type girl! I love this character! Sophie is smart, witty and comfortable in her own skin – a pole opposite of Melanie in every way. She also adds a layer of fun and intelligence to the story.

My only disappointment was that it took me a few times to get past the serious amount of detail in this book. If you don’t know anything about victorian style decor, some of the language will be lost on you. I found myself wanting to “kick the horse” as it were to get to the good stuff. Of course, as the main character was renovating an old house, I could see the reason for all the detail. Truly, some serious research went into this book. But it did make it a slow-starter for me. 

Recommendation – If you like romance, ghost stories and mystery all in one package, I would recommend this book to you. Just remember to be patient at the beginning. :) 

My rating – :star: :star: :star: :star:

Posted in Bookish and Bingeable

The Cottage By The Sea

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

by Debbie Macomber

Annie Marlow wakes up to a whole new world finding her old one swept away (literally) overnight by an unexpected tragedy. Her grief leads her to return to Oceanside, where she and her family used to vacation when she was younger. The pacific northwest town gives her more than just healing; it’s filled with colorful characters needing her as much as she needs them. In the end, she faces a decision to remain locked in memories of the past or to go and find the strength to create a new future. 

This is my first introduction to anything by Debbie Macomber. After reading this book, I researched her and discovered more than just books but Hallmark movies based upon her books. I had no idea. I picked up this book to read after marathon-reading Wendy Webb’s ghost stories and needing something a little lighter and less frightening. This book didn’t disappoint. 

Not only does the book open with unexpected tragedy, it closes with a resurrection of sorts. As someone who lost her mom three years ago to tragedy, I easily related to all Annie was going through in the aftermath of her own situation. The grief was very real but the torment of what could have and should have been said and done but wasn’t was acute. Like Annie, I also faced people in my life who needed me to just “move on”. Not nearly as easy as it seems and Ms. Macomber highlights this theme beautifully. I felt every hurt, every regret, every ache. 

Having recently moved away from my mom’s hometown of many years, I also experienced the coming alive again that a new home and a new town brings. That was really special to read especially since many authors gloss over the aftermath of a loss a little too quickly. 

The theme of grief is very real in this book yet, I didn’t find it to be heavy. Each character had something to grieve and leave behind them and while Annie wasn’t necessarily their savior, she seemed to be a catalyst for all of them moving forward in their lives. 

I had a hard time with Annie’s friends from her hometown. The constant badgering and telling her to get back to her life was super annoying. No one needs unsupportive friends like that. 

I would recommend this book. It’s an easy read. I really loved Keaton. I loved the emergence of Mellie. It was beautifully and heartbreakingly written. I almost liked her more than I liked Annie. 

Read this book. You’ll find yourself wanting your own seaside cottage.

My Rating – :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

Posted in Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Privacy Policy

Last updated: December 07, 2021

This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use and disclosure of Your information when You use the Service and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You.

We use Your Personal data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy has been created with the help of the Privacy Policy Generator.

Interpretation and Definitions

Interpretation

The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions. The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

  • Account means a unique account created for You to access our Service or parts of our Service.
  • Company (referred to as either “the Company”, “We”, “Us” or “Our” in this Agreement) refers to Faith Love N Joy.
  • Cookies are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device or any other device by a website, containing the details of Your browsing history on that website among its many uses.
  • Country refers to: Illinois, United States
  • Device means any device that can access the Service such as a computer, a cellphone or a digital tablet.
  • Personal Data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.
  • Service refers to the Website.
  • Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service or to assist the Company in analyzing how the Service is used.
  • Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).
  • Website refers to Faith Love N Joy, accessible from www.faithlovenjoy.com
  • You means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable.

Collecting and Using Your Personal Data

Types of Data Collected

Personal Data

While using Our Service, We may ask You to provide Us with certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify You. Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to:

  • Email address
  • First name and last name
  • Usage Data

Usage Data

Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service.

Usage Data may include information such as Your Device’s Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that You visit, the time and date of Your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

When You access the Service by or through a mobile device, We may collect certain information automatically, including, but not limited to, the type of mobile device You use, Your mobile device unique ID, the IP address of Your mobile device, Your mobile operating system, the type of mobile Internet browser You use, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

We may also collect information that Your browser sends whenever You visit our Service or when You access the Service by or through a mobile device.

Tracking Technologies and Cookies

We use Cookies and similar tracking technologies to track the activity on Our Service and store certain information. Tracking technologies used are beacons, tags, and scripts to collect and track information and to improve and analyze Our Service. The technologies We use may include:

  • Cookies or Browser Cookies. A cookie is a small file placed on Your Device. You can instruct Your browser to refuse all Cookies or to indicate when a Cookie is being sent. However, if You do not accept Cookies, You may not be able to use some parts of our Service. Unless you have adjusted Your browser setting so that it will refuse Cookies, our Service may use Cookies.
  • Flash Cookies. Certain features of our Service may use local stored objects (or Flash Cookies) to collect and store information about Your preferences or Your activity on our Service. Flash Cookies are not managed by the same browser settings as those used for Browser Cookies. For more information on how You can delete Flash Cookies, please read “Where can I change the settings for disabling, or deleting local shared objects?” available at https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/disable-local-shared-objects-flash.html#main_Where_can_I_change_the_settings_for_disabling__or_deleting_local_shared_objects_
  • Web Beacons. Certain sections of our Service and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit the Company, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of a certain section and verifying system and server integrity).

Cookies can be “Persistent” or “Session” Cookies. Persistent Cookies remain on Your personal computer or mobile device when You go offline, while Session Cookies are deleted as soon as You close Your web browser. Learn more about cookies: Use of Cookies by Free Privacy Policy.

We use both Session and Persistent Cookies for the purposes set out below:

  • Necessary / Essential Cookies

    Type: Session Cookies

    Administered by: Us

    Purpose: These Cookies are essential to provide You with services available through the Website and to enable You to use some of its features. They help to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts. Without these Cookies, the services that You have asked for cannot be provided, and We only use these Cookies to provide You with those services.

  • Cookies Policy / Notice Acceptance Cookies

    Type: Persistent Cookies

    Administered by: Us

    Purpose: These Cookies identify if users have accepted the use of cookies on the Website.

  • Functionality Cookies

    Type: Persistent Cookies

    Administered by: Us

    Purpose: These Cookies allow us to remember choices You make when You use the Website, such as remembering your login details or language preference. The purpose of these Cookies is to provide You with a more personal experience and to avoid You having to re-enter your preferences every time You use the Website.

For more information about the cookies we use and your choices regarding cookies, please visit our Cookies Policy or the Cookies section of our Privacy Policy.

Use of Your Personal Data

The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

  • To provide and maintain our Service, including to monitor the usage of our Service.
  • To manage Your Account: to manage Your registration as a user of the Service. The Personal Data You provide can give You access to different functionalities of the Service that are available to You as a registered user.
  • For the performance of a contract: the development, compliance and undertaking of the purchase contract for the products, items or services You have purchased or of any other contract with Us through the Service.
  • To contact You: To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication, such as a mobile application’s push notifications regarding updates or informative communications related to the functionalities, products or contracted services, including the security updates, when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.
  • To provide You with news, special offers and general information about other goods, services and events which we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about unless You have opted not to receive such information.
  • To manage Your requests: To attend and manage Your requests to Us.
  • For business transfers: We may use Your information to evaluate or conduct a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of Our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which Personal Data held by Us about our Service users is among the assets transferred.
  • For other purposes: We may use Your information for other purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns and to evaluate and improve our Service, products, services, marketing and your experience.

We may share Your personal information in the following situations:

  • With Service Providers: We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service, to contact You.
  • For business transfers: We may share or transfer Your personal information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of Company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of Our business to another company.
  • With Affiliates: We may share Your information with Our affiliates, in which case we will require those affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include Our parent company and any other subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other companies that We control or that are under common control with Us.
  • With business partners: We may share Your information with Our business partners to offer You certain products, services or promotions.
  • With other users: when You share personal information or otherwise interact in the public areas with other users, such information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed outside.
  • With Your consent: We may disclose Your personal information for any other purpose with Your consent.

Retention of Your Personal Data

The Company will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.

Transfer of Your Personal Data

Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company’s operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of Your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from Your jurisdiction.

Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by Your submission of such information represents Your agreement to that transfer.

The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.

Disclosure of Your Personal Data

Business Transactions

If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, Your Personal Data may be transferred. We will provide notice before Your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

Law enforcement

Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).

Other legal requirements

The Company may disclose Your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

  • Comply with a legal obligation
  • Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company
  • Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service
  • Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public
  • Protect against legal liability

Security of Your Personal Data

The security of Your Personal Data is important to Us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While We strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect Your Personal Data, We cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Children’s Privacy

Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13. If You are a parent or guardian and You are aware that Your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers.

If We need to rely on consent as a legal basis for processing Your information and Your country requires consent from a parent, We may require Your parent’s consent before We collect and use that information.

Links to Other Websites

Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by Us. If You click on a third party link, You will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise You to review the Privacy Policy of every site You visit.

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update Our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify You of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

We will let You know via email and/or a prominent notice on Our Service, prior to the change becoming effective and update the “Last updated” date at the top of this Privacy Policy.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, You can contact us: