"unclaimed legacy" by deborah heal + giveaway!

About the book (from Amazon): Abby’s weird computer program is working again. And it comes in handy when they agree to help the Old Dears next door with their family tree. Except Abby and John learn more about one of the ladies’ ancestors than they ever wanted to know. Convicted in 1871 of murder and arson, Reuben Buchanan is a blight on the family’s reputation. But was he really guilty? Abby and John get inside the mind of a murderer to find out. But while they’re rummaging around in the Old Dears’ family history, they discover the truth of God’s promise to bless a thousand generations … … and a legacy waiting to be reclaimed.

My take: Wow! I enjoyed Time and Again (see my review here), but Unclaimed Legacy is in a class of its own! There's no sophomore slump for author Deborah Heal—Unclaimed Legacy is an absolutely fantastic book.

Unclaimed Legacy picks up right where Time and Again leaves off, with the special computer program on Merri's computer that allows the user to see into the past not working. John's tech-savvy friend transfers the program to John's laptop, and the action picks up there and doesn't quit until the end of the book. I loved digging into the past with Merri, John, and Abby, and I'm anxious to finish the story with book three! (Also, I'd now love to visit a Lewis & Clark museum!)

Unclaimed Legacy does deal with some weighty issues, like spousal abuse, infidelity, and drug use, so I wouldn't recommend it for kids younger than 13 or 14. But for older teens and adults (especially those who are interested in history or who live in Illinois), I highly recommend Unclaimed Legacy. 5 stars.

Read an excerpt: Merri leaned forward and studied the monitor and then, laughing, said, “It’s them.”

Frowning, John looked closely at the monitor. “That’s crazy. This is just a computer program. It can’t be them.”

“See the resemblance? Just project forward fifty to sixty years,” Abby said. “That’s definitely Beulah and Eulah.”

“Boo and Yoo,” Merri said. “Get it?”

“That’s insane! No one could make a program that could—”

“We don’t know what this is or where it came from. All I know is that it’s awesome,” Abby said. “And we really are seeing Beulah and Eulah back in the forties—you got the bit about food rationing, didn’t you? And if you think that’s wild, just wait until you see what happens when we lock onto one of them and go virtual mode.”

“Virtual mode? Show me.”

Abby smiled smugly and turned back to the controls. “Okay, John. Hold onto to your hat.”

First, there was a confusing blur of color and whirring sounds and then…

About the author: Deborah Heal is the author of the young adult novels Time and Again and Unclaimed Legacy. She lives in Waterloo, Illinois, where she enjoys reading, gardening, and learning about southern Illinois history. She is married and has three grown children, three grandchildren, and a canine buddy named Scout (a.k.a. Dr. Bob). Currently, she is working on book three in the Time and Again trilogy. You may learn more about the author by visiting her website: www.deborahheal.com, her Facebook Fan Page, and Goodreads. Her books may be purchased on Amazon.com.

About the giveaway: Win a copy of Time and Again, the first book in the trilogy! ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­To enter, simply leave a comment telling me where you'd virtually time travel to if you had a computer program like Abby and Merri. One commenter will be chosen at random to win a copy of the book on Wednesday, October 24. For additional chances to win, see Deborah Heal’s official website and LIKE her Facebook Fan Page.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a digital copy of this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."