I'm so glad I read this book. I heard many good things about it and I loved reading it as well. This was a new to me author but I loved her style and loved reading about her life from her perspective, even though it was difficult to read at times. One i will be recommending to my friends.

I learned about this book about a year ago, but didn’t pick it up until a couple of weeks ago. Whew. What a powerful story! Written with courage, heart, and a great deal of honesty, Tori’s story is one destined to be unlikely to forget. I haven’t read many stories written by former foster care children, nor, for that matter, that many adoption stories (although adoption is close to my heart). Tori experienced and saw things I can hardly comprehend, even though I’m guessing she’s only a few years older than me. What I could relate, to, though, was the hope she shared as her relationship with the Lord blossomed and grew. I cheered as she was able to do things most people would never expect from someone with the kind of upbringing she had. This was a hard, hard story, but also an ultimately beautiful one. I came away blessed, encouraged, and challenged to keep reaching out to people with the Lord’s love—no matter how “lost” or “off the rails” they might appear to be. If you enjoy true stories of hope coming out of some of the most difficult circumstances in life, or want to know how to support those in the foster care system better, this would be a great choice for you.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

Fostered was a book I could not put down. I could not stop reading it. Unlike a lot of memoirs this book was written to be an encouragement to the reader rather than just a story to be told. She shared her unique experiences and journey and then shared how to support those that are going through similar experiences and journeys. As a former foster youth, she gave insight and personality to other foster youth, what they might be feeling or thinking and how we can best support and love foster youth. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to get involved in foster care in any capacity.

Thank you @netgalley and B+H Books for a free arc of this book, which is out now at your favorite bookstore and on audible 💫

Tori Hope Peterson’s memoir Fostered: One Woman’s Powerful Story of Finding Faith and Family Through Foster Care is an important personal account of a system that many gloss over or romanticize. As a member of the broader Christian community, I was relieved to read a memoir of foster care that wasn’t invested in “putting the best spin” its inherently traumatic nature with cheap, brainlessly applied Christian-ese. Rightfully, this was not a book for the egos of those of us interested in fostering; instead it is a heart-heavy glimpse into how this system and many foster parents can overlook, abandon, exploit, or even accidentally further traumatize the vulnerable kids who are just trying to survive, thrive, and be loved. Fostered is also partly an account of Tori’s faith formation, and I think her honesty about faith giving us a survival lifeline / identity framework—rather than being a cheap promise that once you believe things would immediately change for the better, as many of us were indoctrinated—is an incredible balm to those who have suffered spiritual abuse and also a picture of what healthy spirituality looks like: mistakes assessed with grace rather than condemnation. Tori shared her hardships, heartache, self formation and more in this powerful memoir that I encourage you to read!

This was an incredibly insightful, thought provoking and convicting book. As Tori shared her story, I just wanted to sit with her. I’m grateful for her bravery and her unique calling to live out what God has called her to. It was a little hard to follow at points, but overall a necessary read!

Wonderful story from an adoptee perspective. I feel like it was honestly and thoughtfully written. Props to Tori for a great first memoir.

This moving memoir is about Tori's life.

Tori is a gifted storyteller and shows through a collection of vignettes the relationship of a youth facing trauma in the foster care system. She speaks about triggers, mental illness, violence, trafficking, abortion, and the power of guidance and encouragement. She also speaks about avoiding apathy and advocating. Tori shares her faith in God and in His restoration and renewal.

I received the ARC of this book from the publisher.

Fostered reads as a collection of vignettes or a series of blog posts that make somewhat of a memoir when pieces together. Her perspective as a foster youth AND foster parent is a unique one. I look forward to Tori’s future works are she continues to grow in her faith and life experience,

This was a fascinating look at both sides of fostering - of fostering and being fostered. Petersen shares her story of both resilience and redemption, and it's a beautiful look at how much hope and faith can change a life.

Fostered by Tori Hope Peterson is an incredible glimpse into the world of foster care. It’s a picture of the reality of living in a grey world, but all through the filter of the hope of a true Father and His good ways.

Fostered is Tori’s story (good, bad, and in between) of life in the foster care system and the broken, painful, and yet at times beautiful parts of family woven into it all.

Her writing style is captivating and draws you in with her authenticity and grace. Her story is at times hard to read, but I think it is essential reading for Christians. When we talk about foster care, children in foster care, and how does following Christ fit into it all…we must hear and believe the stories of former and present children in foster care. To fix a broken system takes more than just “I’m praying for you.” We must come around the entire family with love, care, and resources to help our children thrive and succeed. Trauma is real and how it plays out into the lives of children today is very present and must be discussed in families, school, and churches. Children living with trauma are in every school, church, city, and state in our country and as Christ followers we must learn trauma and be agents of His grace and healing to hurting children, parents, and families.

I highly encourage you to read this book and reflect ways you are able to support the foster care system in your city. We all have a part to play and to say, “Oh, I’d get too attached.” Or, “I just don’t know how you do it” washes your hands of something that we are all called to support and use our God given talents, resources, and time to bring about change for the glory of God.

As a CASA who needs to obtain continuing education, books and documentaries/movies are one of the easier ways to get that with my schedule. When I first spotted this book, I knew it was one I was going to want to read, regardless of CE credit. This was such a poignant tale of hope amidst trauma. It was enlightening to hear the thoughts and feelings of one who was in foster care, who went through so many placements. Ms. Peterson had some good foster homes and some bad ones. She made some good decisions and some bad ones. But through it all, God brought her through. Ultimately, she tells her story of healing from her traumas. In order to get to that point, you have to read of the traumatic events that put her in the system and kept her there. Her story was heart-breaking..... but God......

This book is a memoir. It does not track on a linear timeline, but rather each chapter has a theme, and the author's experiences related to that theme all go together in that chapter. That said, I do believe I would have been able to keep up on her story a bit better on a linear timeline, but she does give a warning in the prologue on how the book was set up, so I was mentally prepared for the format. It does start at birth and ends at current and there is a lot of growth in between. Her vantage point is unique as she is a former foster child who is currently a foster parent, providing love in the way she so desired it as a child. She is also an advocate for those in foster care and has done a great deal to see changes in the system. I appreciated her views on the system and ways that would be ideal for it to change. This is a book I wish I'd read before I took on my first case in order to better prepare myself for how the kids I'd be working with would be experiencing the world. All in all, this was a very good read. I would definitely recommend to any who want to know more about foster care, who work or volunteer in the industry (case workers, foster parents, CASAs, etc.), and those who enjoy inspirational stories of people who overcome adversity with the help of God.

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

A beautifully written memoir about the author's life and her adolescence in foster care. A heartbreaking tale of resiliency and beating the odds as Tori Hope Peterson endured countless abuse, neglect, and foster homes. In my current job, I encounter kids in the foster care system on a regular basis and watch as many of them wait months for a placement. While the author doesn't necessarily give a step by step guide to fix the foster care system, through her story, she points out what worked and the preconceived notions people automatically have about foster kids. A very eye=opening book that people need to read in order to help promote change in our current foster care system.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was an eye opening book about a young girl and her experiences with the foster care system and the issues that had her placed within the system. The story is told through a Christian perspective and there is a lot of wisdom and insight from this young woman who has been through so much in her life. It definitely challenged me in my walk through being a part of the foster system as foster parents.

Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

One of my dreams is to foster children/teenagers.
Many people foster because they want or can’t have kids, if I foster it will be because I want to show others what true love looks like- holy, sweet, patient and kind.

I come from a family that has dealt with the foster/adoption system. I’ve seen what love and lack of it can do to the life of a child as he grows older.

But even so, I have not personally experienced what it is like, I haven’t been in the shoes of those struggling in the foster care system.

This book is so beautiful and raw. It is a collection of stories that highlight aspects of Tori’s foster care life but also shine truth with reflections of the past under the light of Jesus’ love.

My heart has been challenged- not only to just be an eventual foster parent that gives it’s all, but a loving neighbor, sister, friend, mentor, and daughter…
To be that person who makes you feel loved and heard when no one else does, to be hospitable and sacrifice my own comfort for those of others- to expect miracles in a world where they’ve been forgotten.

Tori, thank you for your beautiful words. You can be sure that God indeed used “what was intended for evil” for good. So much good.

In Fostered, Tori Hope Petersen shares her experiences living with an abusive mother and also what it was like for her in the foster care system. She writes well and offers many insights and opinions about the system.

I found the book quite engrossing at times and, as she warns her readers in the introduction, very hard to read at other times, Her faith made all the difference in the world and you can’t help but be glad for her. Apparently, most foster kids do not often end up that way.

4 stars.

I really enjoyed this memoir by Tori Petersen! She shares openly the challenges she faced being moved around to several different foster homes over and over throughout her childhood and teenage years and the impact all of these placements had on her development into an adult and active advocate for foster families and foster children. Through Tori's story it becomes apparent that she is a very resilient person who took the challenges of her past as opportunities to learn and grow in the future. She is clearly a success story, where many young people who had similar childhoods may find themselves down a very different path such as prison, unwanted pregnancies, poverty or addiction. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in memoirs, especially those related to childhood trauma and overcoming obstacles in life, as well as anyone who is particularly interested in the foster care system in the United States.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!