The Return by Suzanne Woods Fisher - blog tour and book review

This is the third book in the An Amish Beginnings Series.  The series focuses on the early Amish and the hardships they faced in their new and wild country in what we now call Pennsylvania.  This particular book begins in 1762.  Many of the characters are carried over from the other two books.  The author includes a list of characters and their relationships at the front of the book that was very helpful. 

The story begins with a love triangle. Tessa and Betsy both love Hans, but Hans only has eyes for Betsy.  Unfortunately, Betsy and her brother are taken captive by a tribe of Indians after her parents were brutally killed.  As the story unfolds we learn more of the details. The author does a good job of conveying the horrible brutality without being overly gruesome.

While the Amish community live a pacifist life, the neighboring Mennonite community does not.  One man stirs the emotions of many and encourages revenge.  So, while Betsy and her brother are battling with coming to terms with their situation, their friends and families are battling amongst themselves.  

This is from the publisher's website:

"In a wild country, the true cost of love may be more than they can bear

Beautiful and winsome, Betsy Zook never questioned her family's rigid expectations, nor those of devoted Hans--but then she never had to. Not until the night she's taken captive in a surprise Indian raid. Facing brutality and hardship, Betsy finds herself torn between her pious upbringing and the feelings she's developing for a native man who encourages her to see God in all circumstances.

Greatly anguished by Betsy's captivity, Hans turns to Tessa Bauer for comfort. She responds eagerly, overlooking troubling signs of Hans's hunger for revenge. But if Betsy is ever restored to the Amish, will things between Hans and Tessa have gone too far?

Inspired by true events, this deeply layered novel gives a glimpse into the tumultuous days of prerevolutionary Pennsylvania through the eyes of two young, determined, and faith-filled women."

This is a story filled with emotion, suspense, danger, sorrow, love and hope.  Through it all, the faith of the characters holds them and carries them through some seemingly impossible situations.

The author does a great job acquainting us with the customs and lifestyles of the early Amish, Mennonites and Native Americans.

I wish the author had included a map, showing the communities, towns and Indian settlements and camps.  That would have been helpful.

You can learn more about the author, Suzanne Woods Fisher, and her award winning novels GO HERE

You can read and excerpt of The Return HERE

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books and Baker Publishing Group through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above 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.”

Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall - a book review

This is the first offering in Cindy Woodsmall’s series, The Amish of Summer Grove.  I usually really enjoy her books but this one took me a while to get interested in,  It started out slow and didn’t pick up until about half way through.  The refreshing thing about this book is, unlike some Amish novels, the characters are portrayed as real people, flawed and imperfect. 

As I said, I had read almost half of it before it captured my interest. After that point the plot became more solidified.  The story line incorporates secrets and mysteries, lost loves and new interests.  By the end of the book I was hooked and invested in the lives of the characters.  However, the ending was really a let down for me.  There was no resolution to any of the questions raised.  It was obvious that you would need to read the whole series in order to have all the questions answered and mysteries solved.  I would not call this a stand alone book.  On the other hand, it does make me want to read the next one of the series when it comes out.

This is from the back cover:

“Ariana’s comfortable Old Order Amish world is about to unravel. Will holding tightly to the cords of family keep them together—or simply tear them apart?

Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a café in historic Summer Grove to help support her family’s ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach.

Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish. 

Despite how things look, Quill’s goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of. His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the café—because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever.”

As I’ve said before in many of my previous reviews, this is only my opinion based on my likes and dislikes.  Your opinion might be very different.  You should go to the publisher’s website,   and read an excerpt, then judge for yourself.

You can read more about the author and her books here.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from WaterBrook Press  through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above 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.”

Adoring Addie by Leslie Gould - a book review

This is the second book in the Lancaster County series.  I had a hard time writing this review because I like to write as positive a review as I honestly can.  I read this book a while ago.  It seemed like it lacked something.  I decided that maybe I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind so I put it away for a while.  I have since tried to re-read it 3 times and I just can’t get interested in it.  I’m not going to go into details because I think that would be unkind.  You should judge for yourself.  After all, we don’t all like the same cup of tea!

Here’s what the publisher says about it:

 “Not Since Romeo and Juliet Has a Couple Faced Odds This Long

The Cramers and Mosiers have been angry with each other for as long as anyone can remember. Things had cooled to a simmer...until Addie Cramer and Jonathan Mosier fell head over heels for each other. Now old tensions are renewed, and Addie's parents insist she marry stolid and uninspiring Phillip Eicher.

Distraught at a future apart, the two decide their best hope is to reconcile the two families...but that means digging into the past to see what tore them apart. Will their love be enough to keep them together or will long-held secrets ruin their chance at happiness?”

 

You can read an excerpt here:  http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/adoring-addie/340230

 

I encourage you to make your own judgement. 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from BethanyHouse  through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above 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.”

 

The Winnowing Season by Cindy Woodsmall - a book review

I’ve always loved Cindy Woodsmall’s books.  She has a unique understanding of the Amish that comes from her personal relationship with them.  Go to her website and check out her other books.

 This book is the second in the series, Amish Vines and Orchards.  Woodsmall includes a “the story so far” section at the beginning if the book in case you hadn’t read the first one. This was very helpful because without it you are kind of thrown into the story midstream.  The main characters are portrayed very realistically, flaws and all. 

From the publisher:

“The tornado that devastated Kings’ Orchard pushed Rhoda, Samuel, and Jacob to make a new start in Maine. Are they strong enough to withstand the challenges of establishing an Amish community—and brave enough to face the secrets that move with them?

 On the eve of their departure to begin a new Old Order Amish community outside of Unity, Maine, Rhoda Byler is shocked to discover that choices made by her business partner and friend, Samuel King, have placed her and her unusual gifts directly into the path of her district’s bishop and preachers. She is furious with Samuel and is fearful that the Kings will be influenced by the way her leaders see her, and not what they know to be true—that Rhoda’s intuition is a gift from God.

 Jacob King won’t be swayed by community speculation. He loves Rhoda, believes in her, and wants to build a future with her in Maine. But when the ghosts of his past come calling and require him to fulfill a great debt, can he shake their hold before it destroys what he has with Rhoda? Samuel has a secret of his own—one he’ll go to great lengths to keep hidden, even if it means alienating those closest to him. Throwing himself into rehabilitating the once-abandoned orchard, Samuel turns to a surprising new ally.

 Book 2 of the Amish Vines and Orchards series asks: can the three faithfully follow God’s leading and build a new home and orchard in Maine? Or will this new beginning lead to more ruin and heartbreak?”

This book is clearly written to be read in succession with the first and third books.  As much as I love her books, I was disappointed in how Woodsmall ended this one, or rather, how it didn’t end.  The reader is left hanging, with nothing much being resolved.  We still don’t know who Rhoda really loves, what all of her ‘visions’ mean, if the new community will survive, or what will happen with Jacob and his troubles from his past.  It does, however, leave you wanting to read the next one. Which, when you think about it, is probably the plan.  To be continued......when I read book three.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from WaterBrook Press  through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above 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.

Letters to Katie by Kathleen Fuller - a book review

Kathleen Fuller has done it again!  Letters to Katie is a heart touching tale of secrets, unrequited love, family struggles and relationships.  This book is part of the Middlefield Family series. We are reacquainted with characters from the previous two books.  It was nice to see them again.  Here’s what the publisher says about it:

“Everything changed between them the first time he called her Katie.

Katherine Yoder has loved Johnny Mullet since they were children, but he never actively returned her affections. Like so many things in their world, he assumes Katherine will always be there. Once his horse farm is a success, then he will court her in earnest.

For several weeks, Katherine has been plagued by severe headaches and dizziness. While resting at home, Johnny unexpectedly visits, but when dizziness strikes, she loses consciousness. She awakens hours later in a hospital bed, unable to remember how she got there.

Seeing Katherine injured and vulnerable stirs something in Johnny, and his guilt compels him to spend time with her while she heals. Soon his heart begins to stir with questions: Does she even remember why he'd come to her house that day?

As Katherine struggles to recall recent memories of Johnny, a surprise visitor arrives in her already unsteady world—a man named Isaac who claims they had been writing letters to each other, even considering marriage, before her illness.

With two men vying for her attention and her memory still elusive, Katherine has never felt so divided. The answer may lie behind a door she never considered opening.”

 Of course, as with most romance novels, we always have a happy ending, so this one was no surprise.  But the journey to get there was very engaging.  Actually, there could have been a couple of endings that would have still qualified as happy,  so we aren’t really sure which is going to come about.  I liked the dialog between Katherine and Johnny.  The tension between Sawyer and his englisher grandmother was portrayed in a very respectful manner.  Will they learn to accept each other? 

Fuller also gives a glimpse of how some unscrupulous people try to take advantage of the Amish, who they perceive as uneducated and easily fooled. 

You’ll have to read it to find out how the letters fit in to the story. But I will tell you it is very sweet.
Go HERE to read an excerpt.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for anyone who likes reading Amish romance.
Go to the Amazon search box in the right column to find it if you'd like to purchase it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookSneeze and Thomas Nelson through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above 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.”

His Love Endures Forever by Beth Wiseman - a book review

Beth Wisemen's 'His Love Endures Forever' is a story about two young people, one Amish, one an englisher , and how their lives and cultures collide.  Most stories about interaction between the two cultures involve an Amish girl falling for an englisher boy.  Leave it to Beth Wisemen to turn that around.  She brings us a story of a young girl who falls in love with a young Amish man.  The girl, Danielle, has suffered abuse at the hand of her mother and is taken in by an older couple, Martha and Arnold.  I loved these two characters!  Martha is a quirky, odd but loveable woman and Arnold is her tender and sensitive husband.
Danielle discovers that she is pregnant, but her Amish beau, Matthew, wants nothing to do with fatherhood.  In fact, he plans to leave the Amish and doesn't want to be tied down.  Danielle is prepared to raise her baby on her own but her best friend, another Amish young man named Levi, has his own suggestion. 
This story is about forgiveness, mercy, grace, faith, decisions, consequences and love.  As with most of Wisemen's books, once I started it I didn't want to put it down.  I love the way she draws you into the emotions of the characters.

From the publisher's website:
"An unplanned pregnancy. An absent father. Can love really endure all things?
Danielle Kent is anything but Amish. But as destiny would have it, she has fallen in love with an Amish man.
Now she’s 18, pregnant, and hopeful that the child’s Amish father—Matthew Lapp—will do the right thing and marry her. She knows Matthew plans to leave his Colorado settlement for a life in the Englisch world. But that plan never included a baby.
When Matthew walks away from her and their unborn child, she has nowhere to turn. Her unlikely friendship with Levi offers some comfort—yet they have so little in common. This wasn’t the plan she had for her life, and she has never felt so alone. She doesn’t want to be pregnant. Doesn’t want to be Amish. Doesn’t want to trust God.
And yet.
God has plans beyond what her mind can imagine . . . loving plans to show a lost young woman that His love never fails but endures forever."

This is the third book of the Land of Canaan series and I was glad to become reaquainted with some of the characters for the first and second books.

To learn more about BethWiseman and her books, go to her website.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookSneeze and Thomas Nelson through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above 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.”

Why book reviews?

Since this blog is soon to be dedicated to only book reviews, I thought I'd tell you a little about the how's and why's I rate and review books .

For the most part, I receive complimentary copies and advanced reader copies from a variety of publishers.  If I don't like a book, I can say so. But really, why would I request a book that I know ahead of time I'm not going to like?   Most of the time, I can say that I have liked the books I have reviewed.  There have only been a couple that disappointed me.  (My next review is one of those, sadly).  Many of them I have REALLY liked (I've got one of those coming up too!).

I'm not one of those readers who reads for reading's sake.  I have to be interested in what I'm reading, so  I try to request books that I anticipate enjoying.  I'm not a literary genius and I don't want to feel like I'm preparing for an English test.  If I have to have a dictionary next to me just to get through a chapter, it's not for me.  I also don't want to have to figure out what deep, philosophical meaning the author is trying to convey. I want to be interested in the characters and be involved in their lives, loves, struggles, etc.  I want to be able to picture the landscape and surroundings.  If you haven't guessed by now, I tend to read mostly fiction, preferably Christian historical romance or Amish romance.  Non-fiction reminds me too much of a textbook....been there, done that, not doing it again.  That's not to say I haven't learned anything from all this fiction reading.  I've learned that not all Amish orders are the same, that women really did get on a stage and travel for weeks to marry a man they had never met and that Western New York state was once 'the frontier'.   I've also learned to be thankful that I don't live in the bygone years.  I like buying my soap at the grocery store and throwing my clothes in the washing machine instead of hauling them to the river. I like plugging my vacuum cleaner in to clean my carpets instead of dragging them outside and beating them with a stick.  We can complain all we want about how hard our lives are, but we don't have it anywhere near as hard as our 'founding mothers'.  

So, there it is....why I read and write reviews.  Oh, and did I mention I really like getting free books? Well, I do, alot.  I have quite a library now, and my daughters will tell you that I am very protective of my books.  If they want to borrow one, it gets signed out to them. Not kidding! 

The Harvest of Grace Book Review

The Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall, is the third book of the Ada’s House series.  I had read the first two quite a while ago but had forgotten the characters and plots.  Fortunately, Woodsmall introduces this book with a ‘the story so far’ prelude which refreshed my memory.  While the characters from the first two books are involved in this one, the story line revolves around a lesser character from a previous book, Aaron, and a new character, Sylvia.

Sylvia, the oldest of 8 daughters, loves farming. Her father has let her work the farm but when it comes to decisions, he leaves her out of the process. She falls in love with a young Amish man but when he asks to marry her, she hesitates because she has overheard her father discussing his plans to turn the farm over to him after he and Sylvia marry. Because of her indecision, he ends up marring someone else, her sister. A few years later she has an incident with him that shames her, so she asks to leave the family farm. While her father knows nothing of the shameful incident that occurred, he agrees to allow her to work for an older couple, the Blanks, whose daughter has died a year ago and whose son is off at rehab for drinking. She becomes like a daughter to them and is slowly making their farm profitable.  However, when the son, Aaron comes home, all that changes. He has come home to try to convince his father to sell the farm. Sylvia and Aaron end up having to work together and they soon find themselves attracted to each other. They each have different goals for the farm. She hopes to make it profitable so the Blanks can continue to live there. Aaron, on the other hand, wants to make it just profitable enough to pay off the debts and sell it.  While Aaron continues to fight his addiction and the contentious relationship with his father, he and Sylvia find forgiveness, acceptance and love.

There a several sub-plots based on characters from the previous two books in the series which add another layer of intrigue and emotion.  This third book brings all the characters and stories from all three books to a pleasing and satisfying concusion.  It is a wonderful, uplifting book, a loving portrayal of Old Order Amish life.

The author provides an added bonus with a list of characters and a glossary.
To read the first chapter click on the link below:
The Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall (ch. 1 excerpt)

I received a complimentary advance reading copy of this book from Blogging for Books and WaterBrook Press  through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above 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.”

Healing Hearts by Beth Wiseman: A book review

This is a collection of three previously published novellas. 

The first of the three, ‘A Choice to Forgive’ is centered around Lydia, a widow with three children. Her husband, Elam, dies after fifteen years of marriage.  His brother, Daniel, who had been shunned and living with the English, returns two years after his death.  Lydia was engaged to Daniel, but he left her with very little explanation.  His brother, Elam becomes her good friend and she eventually falls in love with him and marries him.  When Daniel, returns, he brings with him questions and secrets.  Lydia struggles with long lost feelings and we see her try to forgive Daniel. 

The second novella is ‘A Change of Heart’. This story is about Leah, a young woman who wants to be a writer.  However, young Amish girls are not encouraged in such endeavors. Leah’s father wants her to learn to be a good frau, but Leah has no interest at all in cooking, cleaning or sewing.  Aaron, a young Amish man, becomes interested in Leah and a romance develops.  There is conflict, love, mystery, humor and forgiveness in this story.  I found this to be my favorite of the three.  There is also a delightful character named Ruth, Aaron’s aunt, who left the community before she was baptized. She returns for a visit and adds some very humorous, touching and enjoyable moments.

The third story is ‘Healing Hearts’.  I have read this before in another collection. “Healing Hearts” is unusual in that the main characters are not a young couple discovering love. Rather, its about a married couple married for more than 30 years suffering from the empty nest syndrome and working to rediscover the love that they had when they were young. The husband, Naaman, has come home after leaving his family for a year.  His older children are not as forgiving as his younger children and his wife struggles with trying to be the wife she feels God wants her to be and her own feelings of doubt and resentment.  This is a story of forgivness and rediscovered love.

All three stories were enjoyable and uplifting.  They are easy, fun and clean reading and will keep you captivated until the end. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookSneeze and Thomas Nelson through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above 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.”

From the Thomas Nelson web site:

Healing Hearts

A Collection of Amish Romances

Trade Paper

By Beth Wiseman

Three hope-filled stories about second chances, trusting your heart, and the power of forgiveness.

Healing Hearts—Empty-nesters Levina Lapp and her husband Naaman have no children under their roof for the first time in 30 years. When Naaman leaves to visit cousins in Ohio, Levina never expected him to be gone a year. Now that he's back, will they be able to move beyond this estrangement and rekindle the fire of the love they once shared?

A Change of Heart—Leah is a writer in a community that does not encourage such fruitless endeavors. She lacks the skills necessary to be a good Amish fraa—cooking, cleaning, quilting, and gardening. Aaron is aware of Leah's short-comings, but his heart is captured by this spirited young woman. Will Leah's role as an Amish wife and mother force her to set aside her creative life—or will Aaron make an offer she never dreamed was possible?

A Choice to Forgive—Lydia has loved two men in her life. Daniel, who disappeared one Christmas Eve long ago, leaving only a note saying he wanted to live in the Englisch world. And Elam, Daniel's brother, to whom she had been happily married for 15 years. When Elam dies, Lydia gives up on ever loving again. But she is shocked when Daniel wants to return to the Order and her life. Is there enough forgiveness in her heart to overlook the past and move into a future that could fulfill her dreams?

Great book giveaway!!!

This is a great giveaway for 4, count 'em,  4  Beth Wiseman books. I've read several Beth Wiseman books and have loved every one of them.  If you're not a fan of Amish fiction, I challange you to give it a try.  There is a bunch of difference between authors....some are very sweet and what some may call 'white washed' but always soul and spirit soothing.....and there are some who are more realistic and down to earth.  After you've read a few, you'll zero in on a few favorties.  Beth Wiseman is one of mine.  To get back to the giveaway.....you just go to this blog and follow the directions, make sure to leave your email in each entry.   I hope you win.....well, sort of....I really hope I win, 'cause I entered too, but I 'sort-of' hope you win!  haha.