Review: The Reckoning by Beverly Lewis

Katherine, formerly Katie Lapp, is settling into her life in the English world as mistress of her birth mother's mansion. She gets to experience the world, just like she's always longed to do, and yet she still has a longing deep inside that she can't describe. It's almost like her Plain roots are tugging her back, but she's sure that can't be it. And then Daniel Fisher comes back from the dead, and she's all mixed up. And when Dan claims to have found the truth about God... well Katherine isn't ready to jump back in where they left off five long years ago.

I'm giving this book 4.5 stars.

1: Beverly Lewis is my absolute favorite Amish-fiction author. Without. A. Doubt. She catches the spirit, while also telling an actually interesting tale, and I've never doubted the validity of what she says.

2: We gotta take a minute and just appreciate the wonderful person who is Ella Mae Zook. She lived among the Plain people for years, found the truth, and then still stayed there to help and guide the Amish with God's love.

3: Katherine's staff, from protective Fulton, to sisterly Rosie, to Theodore, the chauffer turned almost-grandfather. How perfect are they? They're sweet, funny, and always ready to help poor Katie navigate the world.

4: I love how everything, from sweet dying Willie, to Laura's tombstone, to wonderful Dan himself (They make the cutest couple!) to Lydia, to the minister at Rosie and Fulton's church, to Ella Mae, kept pointing Katie to exactly what God wanted her to see, His goodness and love!

5: As far as ending a trilogy goes, this one bout takes the cake! It's wonderful, with an ending that you just can't help getting excited over!

Series Review: Ada's House by Cindy Woodsmall

Ada's House is a trilogy that follow several Amish couples through different struggles and romantic ups and downs. I started out the series listening to the audiobook, and while the reader was good, I was soon so caught up in the story that she just couldn't read fast enough. One of the main characters is Cara, whose Amish mother died without telling Cara about her Amish roots. Cara has a lot of bitterness built up toward her father and her Amish aunts and uncles who never came for her and left her to her fate in foster care. Deborah's fiancé left the Amish life. Sylvia is running from her former fiancé, and his wife, her sister. Lena is ashamed of her birthmark and afraid that no one will ever be able to see the real her beneath the mark. All of them find rest and comfort through the Bible and through Ada, a widow in her 40s who becomes surrogate mom to Cara, and who is definitely on Lena's widower father's radar. All in all, this is a delightful series that makes you wish for more. I want so many sequels. I need more than three books, because I've fallen in love with all the characters and I want to know more about them. Anything about them. I'm giving this series 4.5 stars.

Mini Review: Something Borrowed by Kim Vogel Sawyer

The third novella in the Heirloom Bride collection surprised me by its Mennonite hero. (Who of course fell for Clara... a non-Mennonite heroine) I wasn't expecting the "borrowed neighbor" to be Mennonite. I liked it. It was a bit of a shake-up. At 100 pages flat, this is the shortest of the set. I saw that there were only 25 pages left, and I had to admit, I was bracing myself for a rushed ending. Unnecessary! I'm not sure how she did it... but do it she did! How these authors are getting such lovable, well-rounded, well-written characters into such a short story is beyond me. Rowdy was another sweet touch for this one. I enjoyed seeing Titus conquer Clara's walled-in heart, with God's help of course. Another 5 star story. I'm liking how this is going. Only one more story to go! Come back day after tomorrow for Something Blue.

Review: October Song by Beverly Lewis

From newlyweds Katie and Dan living in the shadow of the shunning, to Rachel and Philip embracing parenthood even as he acclimates to Amish life as an outsider... From the courtship of Lydia Cottrell and Levi King, her betrothed, to Sarah Cain, now a wife and mother struggling to bridge her own life with that of the People... October Song is overflowing with the simpler things of life that make a Lewis novel an in forgettable journey into the depths of the human heart.



I'm giving this book 5 stars.

1: First of all... this doesn't actually further any stories. Not really. It does give a lot of background information, and other things that have been missed. But... you don't leave October... so don't expect a lot of movement.

2: But seriously, if all authors wrote extended epilogues to their different trilogies, my life would be so exciting. I had read the Katie Lapp books, and the Postcard duo, so I was soooooo excited to read more of them. I hadn't read The Redemption of Sarah Cain, but now I want to so bad. She has earned her place in my heart. I love how all three series seem to tie in together so nicely, without being dependent on each other.

3: Honestly, I am so ready for fall, and this book was just the thing to tide me over. With fall goodies, fall scents, fall colors, fall everything.... this book was just what I needed. And it isn't that long! So yay!

4: This book has so many different people views. English living with Amish, Amish-turned-English-turned Mennonite, Old Order Amish, English seeker-turned-New Order Amish. It really shows all the different.... well, everything!

Honestly.... I wasn't sure what to put as a 5th point.... it's difficult tonight, so I'm going to break the rules and only do 4 points. I did make them fairly long points. (Well, some of them at least.) Happy October!

CelebrateLit Tour: Review: The Return by Suzanne Woods Fisher

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.



I'm giving this book 4 stars.

1: It took me a little while to get into the book, but I really did enjoy it. The story was interesting, horrifying (at parts), funny, sad, and lovable by turns. I feel like this book hit a broad range of emotions.

2: I feel like all the characters were really good. There weren't really many characters that I didn't have a strong opinion on. Even characters who weren't in it that much still felt like a real part of the story.

3: The part about the Conestoga wagon and its creation was crazy cool, but the best part was the bit about the horse, how the Conestoga breed came about. (P.S. Don't assume based on the picture of the Conestoga wagon on the front that this is a "western expansion" book. It's not. Try 1763. I somehow made that mistake.)

4: If I had to pick a favorite character, I'd pick Felix or Anna, but my favorite POV was definitely Betsy.

5: I honestly, and I know this is going to sound really ignorant, but it's not like I look this stuff up or anything, but I honestly never thought about there being Amish people in America in 1763. It never occurred to me, and while I'd read stories about that time period before, it was really unique to see things from the Plain POV.

I received this book through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my very own!

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including Anna’s Crossing and The Newcomer in the Amish Beginnings series, The Bishop’s Family series, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher.

Guest Post from Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Three Sisters’ Garden: Corn, Squash & Beans!
Corn was a new food to the immigrants to the New World, introduced to them by Native Americans. Soon, it became an essential part of their daily diet, in one form or another. Growing it brought yet another new discovery: companion planting in the form of the Three Sisters’ Garden.
According to Iroquois legend, corn, squash and beans were three inseparable sisters who only grew and thrived together. 18^th century Native Americans wouldn’t have understood the science behind why companion planting worked, but they knew it did. Beans, like all legumes, have bacteria living on their roots that help them absorb nitrogen from the air and convert it to a form that plants can use. Corn, which requires a lot of nitrogen to grow, benefits from the legumes and provides a pole support for the beans to climb. Low growing squash leaves shade the soil and prevent weed growth. Their sharp and prickly leaves deter pests. This tradition, of planting corn, beans and squash in the same mounds, became a sustainable system to provide long-term soil fertility among Native American tribes that farmed.
The wisdom of planting Three Sisters’ Garden was adopted by the immigrants, including our own Betsy Zook from The Return. Betsy learned of the technique while a captive among a tribe of Indians and later, after she had been returned to the Amish, shared her knowledge with Anna and Bairn.
Have you ever considered growing a Three Sisters’ garden? All you need is the right kind of seeds, a mound of dirt in a sunny spot, and to not forget to water. Mother Nature will do the rest.
Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling, award-winning author of novels about the Old Order Amish. Her interest in the Plain People began with her grandfather, who was raised as a Dunkard (German Baptist) on a farm in Pennsylvania. Suzanne loves to connect with readers! You can find her on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

Click here to purchase your copy.

This is an incredible giveaway!

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is doing an amazing giveaway from August 1 through 14! Check it out:

Four winners will receive one of the prizes below:

An Amish Gift Basket and a copy of The Return

Amish popcorn sampler and a copy of The Return

The Amish Beginning 3 book set series

One grand prize winner will receive:

An iPad Mini

You can enter at Suzanne’s website (http://suzannewoodsfisher.com/contests/) or on her Facebook page (http://gvwy.io/q1kb9u4)

Find more great reviews of this book at these blogs!

Blog Stops

August 1: Quiet Quilter

August 1: A Baker’s Perspective

August 1: Remembrancy

August 2: Bigreadersite

August 2: lighthouse academy

August 2: Zerina Blossom’s Books

August 3: Genesis 5020

August 3: Book by Book

August 3: Blogging With Carol

August 4: Seasons of Opportunities

August 4: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner

August 4: Carpe Diem

August 5: Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses

August 5: DEE’S QUILTS & BOOKS

August 5: Jeanette’s Thoughts

August 6: Red Headed Book Lady

August 6: Just the Write Escape

August 6: Locks, Hooks and Books

August 7: A Reader’s Brain

August 7: Pause for Tales

August 7: Splashes of Joy

August 8: Bibliophile Reviews

August 8: Christian Bookaholic

(You are here) August 8: Live.Love.Read.

August 9: Blossoms and Blessings

August 9: Mary Hake

August 9: Simple Harvest Reads (Spotlight)

August 10: For the Love of Books

August 10: The Fizzy Pop Collection

August 10: A Simply Enchanted Life

August 11: The Power of Words

August 11: Karen Sue Hadley

August 11: Neverending Stories

August 12: Cafinated Reads

August 12: TinaTruelove

August 12: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

August 13: God’s Little Bookworm

August 13: Southern Gal Loves to Read

August 13: Connie’s History Classroom

August 14: Vicky Sluiter

August 14: By The Book

I'd be happy to hear from you! Sound off in the comments!

Review: Gathering the Threads by Cindy Woodsmall

I'm going to use the real blurb, cause there isn't any way for me to do this without spoiling everything. (Well, technically there is, but it takes to much thought for the state of mind I'm in right now.)

After three months of draus in da Welt, Ariana has returned to Summer Grove, the Old Order Amish community where she was raised for twenty years, and life with her Brenneman family.
Skylar Nash, the Englisch-raised young woman is working in Ariana’s café while getting to know her birth family and their Plain way of life.
Skylar’s time in Summer Grove has changed her outlook, just as Ariana has grown to see her personal faith in God in a different light than the manner she was taught while growing up.
Both women will have to make decisions about their paths— and Ariana must decide what role her childhood friend, ex-Amish Quill Schlabach, will play in her life.
 
Gathering the Threads is the third and final novel in The Amish of Summer Grove series.


I'm giving this book 5 stars.

1: I feel like each book in this series gets better than the last, and this one was the best. (And the cleanest, not that there was bad stuff in the others, it's just the use of certain terms that I wouldn't. Mostly coming from Skylar, to be fair.)

2: Honestly, I enjoy Amish stories, but the Amish confuse me. They have a lot of things right, but so many things wrong. I think this book did a really great job of showing that, while still showing everything that was good about the Amish.

3: I really wished there was more of Brandi and Cameron in this book than there was. I mean, I know the series is called "The Amish of Summer Grove" but still.... But I was super excited that Cameron seemed to get along with the Amish side of Ari's family. And Nicholas seemed to be getting to be a better man, which was great. I love how Ari started calling Brandi and Nicholas Mom and Dad, and by the end (I'm not sure if this is a SPOILER or not but whatever....) Skylar was comfortable with Isaac and Lovina and called them Daed and Mamm... well technically I don't think she actually did call her Mamm, but I like to think she did.

4: Quinn and Berta and Ari had such a chemistry among them, in different ways between the characters, but I loved how they could work together to get problems solved.

5: Can we talk about the epilogue? I mean, I know we can't cause that would be super spoiler, but I was pretty taken aback. The good thing is that she touched on everyone, so that I wasn't wondering what was going on with half the characters. But I was so sad to see it end. I wasn't ready.


(Wow, number three really got a little long winded.....)

I received this book as part of participation in Cindy's launch team.

This book is on sale August 15, which is 2 weeks away. Hopefully this review is just in time to get you excited.

Review: Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall

A month or so ago I got an email asking if I wanted to be a part of Cindy Woodsmall's launch team for her new book Gathering the Threads. You can just bet I jumped on that one! I'd read book two in the series but not the first one so they sent it to me.

Arianna likes her life. She's happy with her siblings. She's close to getting her cafe. Things are going great until her former best friend Quill comes back. And he's all but admitted he's here to lead one of her family members away from the Amish faith. What she doesn't know is that her parents have him investigating a situation that had the potential to turn her world on its side and give it a good shaking.

I'm giving this book 4 stars. (Also, I'm gonna paragraph this one, instead of the usual way.)

I liked book 2 better, although if I'd read them in order I might feel differently. I loved the characters, but I really just wanted to get to the part where they knew. There were a few times when I had to stop reading though because it got really intense. Not intense, more like, "Oh my word.... when she finds out about that it's gonna be BAD!" Don't get me wrong, it was an incredibly good book, and you should absolutely totally 100% read it. (But only if you like Amish stories, duh. Although, it isn't all Amish. There is a DEFINITE mix!) Bottom line... you'll love it, but read them in order for goodness sake!

I received this book for free from the publisher.

Waiting-On-Wedesday: The Ebb Tide by Beverly Lewis

I've recently remembered how very much I love Amish stories, and I'm sure that this one will be amazing like most everything by Beverly Lewis. Here is the description from the website. This book is do to come out in May of this year!

About

Oh, to see the ocean, Sallie thought. And to spend the summer as a nanny. She shook her head in amazement. This seemed too good to be true, but she really must talk it over with Dat and Mamm, especially since she'd be gone so long.
And after I promised Mamm I'd take baptism classes this summer . . .
The Ebb Tide

Sallie Riehl has dreamed of traveling at least once before settling down to join church, so she is thrilled at an unexpected summer opportunity to nanny in Cape May for a well-to-do family. However, saying even a temporary good-bye to Paradise Township means forgoing baptism another year, as well as leaving behind a would-be beau. Yet the weeks in Cape May soon prove unforgettable as Sallie meets a Mennonite young man whose friendship she quickly begins to cherish. Has she been too hasty with her promises, or will she only find what her heart is longing for back home?

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted at Breaking the Spine.

The Giveaway is OVER!

And the winner is.... Stacie Legacy! Thanks to everyone who entered or read the post! Stacie, send me an email to claim your prize!

Review: Lydia's Charm by Wanda E Brunstetter

I'm just going to use the plot synopsis that came with the book, as I'm not sure I can do it justice.

Lydia King has a secret admirer!
Suddenly a widow, Lydia King moves her son and herself to Charm to be close to her mother and help with her grandfather. But is her hear ready for romance when gifts begin appearing on her porch from a mysterious source?

Menno Troyer, a furniture store owner, is also recently widowed and the father of four energetic boys. He has come to realize that, though he isn't ready to love again his sons need a mother.

Levi Stutzman, another newcomer to the area. is the only one in his family not handicapped by dwarfism. and he has dedicated his life to caring for them. Though determined never to marry, he is always willing to be of help to others.

As fall colors the countryside, will the anonymous gifts let for Lydia bring her hope foe a new life? And when tragedy befalls her yet again, will the gift giver be there to support her?

Well, that was longer than I had thought it was initially. How about I go ahead and out the picture, since you're probably tired of words.

I'm giving this wonderful Amish romance 5 stars!

1: Wanda Brunstetter (along with Beverly Lewis) is one of the queens of Amish lit! This is one of my favorites by her. Her research and passion are easy to see on every page.

2: The pages are riddled with phrases and words in the Pennsylvania-Dutch language, even more-so than is usual for an Amish book. It adds color and life to the story!

3: The characters were so sweet and many faceted. They all had feelings and none of the main characters fell flat. In fact, this book had me going through the whole scope of emotions. Also, in case you couldn't tell from the blurb thingy, there is a very interesting love triangle.

4: The chapters are short and easy to read, making this book a swell choice for casual reading! (did I just say swell?)

5: This book dealt with sensitive matters in a way that was very close to perfection. Death and dwarfism are both addressed and the fear, feelings, and prejudices that come with them are laid out in a very impressive way.

What are your feelings on Amish lit? Let me know in the comments! This is a new favorite of mine in that genre.

MAYBE SPOILER... idk
PS I forgot yesterday to mention that the epilogue was everything I needed, almost. I kinda wanted them to say something about Josh, but that's ok.

Review: Child of Mine by Beverly and David Lewis

In this stand alone book Jack is raising his adopted niece as his own with the help of Nattie's Amish nanny. But everyone seems to want to play matchmaker for him, including Nattie and his sister San. Several failed dates later, he takes Kelly out for coffee...and likes it. Unfortunately, the new date seems to put a wedge between Laura and Jack. Laura leaves his employ. And Kelly, well she has been busy over the last 8 years, getting DNA swabs from girls she believes may be her lost baby Emily, who was kidnapped and sold when she was only 4 months old. Kelly thinks she may have found the jackpot with Nattie...but can she break up the happy little family...

I LOVED his book. 5 stars.

1: I loved the mystery in it. I kept the pages turning, believe me! I just had to know what happened next. I kept trying to play Sherlock and predict the ending, predict who was really Nattie's mom. Nothing prepared me for that shock!

2: I loved how Jack let Nattie call him dad even though he was really just Uncle Jack. It was so sweet, their whole relationship, what with the stuffed animals and all...

3: Laura... I loved her character. She had me guessing the whole book through and had the perfect ending I thought!

4: I loved Chet, Eloise, and Ernie and the way they looked out for Kelly and also Melody was a great friend.

5: Kelly. I am tempted to just say that but really, she was such an emotional character. I almost cried... a lot.. I just really loved every aspect of this book. All the characters

were really strong and moving. Definitely worth the read!

Review: Sanctuary by Beverly and David Lewis

In this mystery/ Amish book, Melissa must leave her home, her husband, her whole life, behind when and FBI agent tells her it is time to go. A man from her past, not a friend, is closing in on her and Mellie runs, leaving only a short note for her husband Ryan. Finding an open room in Amish country was easier than she had imagined it would be, and Lela, her hostess, seems to really care about her mysterious border. and I can't say much more because it would be a real plot spoiler ;)

This book is a 5.

1: I was NOT expecting this to be a mystery. In fact, I thought when I checked it out from the library that it was part of another series I had been reading. Actually it is a stand alone. But it sooo good that I really didn't mind it not being what I first thought it was.

2: I loved the storyline with Mellie and Lela. I loved how they interacted. I liked how Lela was sort of acting like a big sister to Melissa, and how Mellie told Lela everything...she hadn't even told Ryan everything...and especially the part of Lela leading Mellie to the Lord!

3: I was super shocked when I found out who Ryan was working for...I mean really! I just thought he was some stock broker person. I was not expecting that twist...at all.

4: Mellie's backstory and Mrs. Browning, it was all so sad and sweet and I just can't say how I felt!

5: Denny! Hooray! I loved Denny and I was so glad when he brought Mere Christianity for Ryan. And then he was so cute with Evelyn. And I loved that Melissa trusted him, even when she was scared to talk to Ryan. He was just such a good friend, and then that painting that Melissa did for him was so..I don't know, Perfect I guess!

Review: Fraying at the Edge by Cindy Woodsmall

In this book, Ariana, an Amish girl of 20, and Skylar, a non-Amish girl, with the same birthday as Ariana must face the reality of being switched at birth. Skylar is thrown into a world where she is no longer allowed to have her phone, her computer, or even a light switch. She goes from being a child with only stepsiblings to having four sisters and several brothers, one of whom is her twin. She also has four nieces and nephews, all living under the same roof. Her bio parents are old order Amish and life is much stricter for the struggling addict. Ariana experiences even more of a culture shock as her bio dad presents her with a bucket list that she must complete before being allowed to return to her Amish family. He forces her to get a haircut, leave off her prayer cap, and where Englischer clothes. To top it off, her stepsister, Cameron, is a snarky teenager. To learn more about the book or the author click on these links!

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/books/242925/fraying-at-the-edge-by-cindy-woodsmall/

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/authors/72213/cindy-woodsmall/


I give this book a 4.5.

1: This book was the hardest thing to put down. From the time I opened the package to the time I finished the book, it was barely out of my hands. The story was engaging and every chapter left me wanting to read more. I can't wait for the next book in the series because the ending was a real cliffhanger.

2: I loved how Skylar really cared even though she was to scared to admit it. Rescuing her nephew, helping out at the café, little things. And I also loved the scene where Susie confronted her. It was amazing!

3: I loved the development of the relationship between Ariana and Cameron. It was so sweet. The start was a bit rocky but the ending was soooo sweet.

4: Quill. That is all I need to say. No, really though. I loved the storyline of him and his brothers sneaking in to see Berta. And possibly the sweetest saddest thing of the entire book was Kylie sending Mammi Bertie a hug through Ari! And then the picture album! I loved it all.

5: The only reason this lost half a star was because in one scene, just the one, when Jackson was ranting he used a crass term that I found unnecessary! Other than that, it was superb. I loved it all!!

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Confession by Beverly Lewis

This is the sequel to The Shunning, in which book Katie Lapp finds out that she is adopted, that she is not Amish, and that her real name is Katherine Mayfield. Also her mother, Laura Mayfield is terminally ill with malignant MS. In this book Katie has left the Amish community because of the shunning. She finds her birth mom only to discover an imposter is posing as Katie Lapp because of the large inheritance Katie is set to receive. She tries to straighten things out but gets stopped whichever way she turns! Also, there are alternate story lines describing the way the Amish community is reacting to Katie's shunning.

This book is 100% a 5!

1: I love any book that give me an emotional roller coaster ride and this book answers that description to a tee! I was on the verge of tears almost the entire book!

2: The storyline about Rebecca Lapp, Katie's Amish mama, is so sweet and sad. It makes me want to cry, she just wants Katie back so badly! And you can also tell that Katie's Amish father and her sister in law also want Katie back so badly but are afraid to show it, because then they also might get shunned. Its just a mess, the whole deal is messed UP!

3: Okay, so I think Mary is possibly the best friend ever, because she cared so much that she was willing to risk being shunned herself to reach out to Katie and to help her in any way she could.

4: The Mayfield servants are incredible! I mean it. I would love to know them all in real life if I could! I mean Rosie and Fulton, what cute little suspicious lovebirds! And then Theodore, I was in love with him for real!

5: SPOILER ALERT if you haven't read the first book or watched the movies.....Daniel....WHAT EVEN.... you died..but you didn't... life is confusing!