Lizziefaye's Comfy Corner discussion

This will be our discussion thread for the first book in the Home To Heather Creek series Before the Dawn by Carolyn Aarsen.

My cover is a little different it has a chicken on the front with the farm. So far I am enjoying this book.

Actually my copy has the chicken too.
For some reason the other edition cover popped up when I searched it originally.

I'll have the cover with the children, but I have not received it yet. It's a long time coming from the USA to France. ;-)

I may start reading this today. I've already read my pages for this week for the Redeeming Love read-along and I'm really in the mood to start this.
My sister said that this first book is a bit depressing, but that it gets better after that. She has read 5 books in the series so far.

I'm happy if things get better after. I didn't like very much the sad stories. Thank you for telling me about it. :-)

Hi Elizabeth !

I finally received the book! But I am surprised because there are no children on the cover. Only the farm. No matter... It's beautiful, anyway. And the most important is the content. ;-)
I already read the first chapter. Did you read a lot ?

I have not started it yet. I was at Book Net Fest over the weekend and now I'm hurrying to read my book for mystery book club on Thursday. I will start it as soon as I finish Her Royal Spyness.

I'm so glad that you got your copy and I'm sorry that it isn't the cover that you wanted.

I read three chapters and I like very much. Yes, I read very slowly but I can't yet read faster. I think I'll read faster and faster, but currently, my reading pace is one chapter a day. But the most important thing is that I enjoy it. :-)

A chapter per day is a good pace! Once I get started, I will try for that too. My daughter is going in to the hospital for some tests and I'll have to sit with her for 3 days. So I hope I can get a lot of reading done then.
I'm glad that you are enjoying it.

Hi Elizabeth ! Excuse me for not answering earlier.
I hope you are well and I hope that the tests went well and that your daughter was able to bear them, too.
I am progressing slowly in my reading, and I still like it so much.
And you ? Did you start reading it ? I imagine that, unlike me, you will read it very quickly. ;-)

I have read 7 chapters so far and I am really enjoying it.

Hi Elizabeth !

I guess you have already finish this book and started the following in this series.
Me, I almost finish it. I only have the last chapter and the epilogue to read.
It was really a good book, very touching.
I really liked Charlotte's character. And his friends Melody and Hannah, too.
Christopher is so cute ! I love him !
I likes Pete, too.
The characters I liked the least are Bob and Emily, but I guess they will be more sympathetic in the next volume.

I did finish on Sept 30th, but I haven't started the next book. I'm on my way to work, but will come back with more of my thoughts later.

I just finished it ! ;-)

I just finished Before the Dawn last week. It is a story that goes a bit further into real life and demonstrates that things do get sad/dark before the dawn; how things seem to take forever to right themselves after a life upheaval. So, it was successful in living up to its title premise. However, I think that the people surrounding Charlotte were a bit late in stepping up to lighten her burden in the story line. Except, for Melody (my favorite character), who went further than prayer and added action and understanding that was sorely needed by Charlotte. Every scene with Melody uplifted Charlotte and helped her to see her way a bit more through the challenges with her grandchildren.

My book cover also just had the chicken on it. From looking at the Bookreads editions, I see that the ebook had that cover, so the ones most of us found must have been taken from the ebook at some time for one of the print editions. Just a guess.

Thanks so much for your thoughts Donna. You reminded me that I never came back and chatted about this book. My sister told me that she thought it was kind of depressing, but I didn't find that to be true. I thought that things went along about like I expected that they would, with the older kids having a bit more difficulty adjusting to their new life. I think that we will see them gradually coming to terms with things, but of course will always miss their mother and their old life. Time will heal some of the wounds.
I thought it was sad that so many of the community people seemed to be judgemental and opinionated about everything and weren't more supportive. I was glad to see that her one friend did a better job of being supportive.
I have mixed feelings about Peter, the son. I hope to see a lot of personal growth with his character too.

Hi, Elizabeth! Yes, it does seem that younger children are often depicted in books and movies as being more adaptable and resilient than older children. Peter does seem to be closed down and isolating himself by working hard with the men on the farm. I am glad that he is at least doing the latter, and look forward to seeing all of them grow in future books. Another great series you have selected for us. The best. D