Friday, March 20, 2015

Take Me Back To Texas by Amy Lillard

Elizabeth McGee is surprised to hear she has inherited her grandmother's house in Loveless, Texas. Now working in L.A., Elizabeth heads to Texas to settle the estate of her grandmother and is again surprised to see the house renovations being done by JD her former sweetheart from years past.  JD had found another and broken her heart.  Elizabeth finds he is now widowed with a teenage daughter.
Will the pulls of the past keep Elizabeth, AKA Bethie Grace, in Texas or will she follow her plan to return back to L.A.?

This is a very nice romance.  It was a fairly quick read but the characters were very engaging, although sometimes you felt as though you could share a little advice with them.  Although there is no changing the past, the book lets you know that the future can be better and that sometimes we need to get beyond the old mistakes and move ahead.

Good book.  I recommend it.  Good job Amy Lillard!
I was given an ebook from the author for my honest review which I have given.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Teen Mom by Tricia Goyer (previously titled Life Interrupted)

Tricia Goyer is an outstanding author and I have read quite a few of her books, Amish, as well as non-fiction.  Teen Mom is one of her non-fiction works that bases from her personal life experiences and the learnings that came along with them.

In a non-denominational way Tricia addresses the fact that in order to bring one's life in order, one must seek Jesus to find the answers that are needed to help the teen mom or teen mom to be, face the challenges that are in her life regardless of the type of situation she may find herself in.

She discusses many feelings, realities and things that young moms will face and gives suggestions pm how to cope and deal with them, as well as personal experiences and thoughts of both herself and others that have faced and continue to face these challenges.

Because she has overcome many if not most of these challenges in her own life, she has much insight and experience that will serve to help others who also face the many of the same issues.

I highly recommend this book and feel it will stand to serve many young women.  In her book she includes scriptural references, one which I will quote again here, from Phil. 4:13, I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.


You can connect with Tricia Goyer here.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review which I have given.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

An Amish Cradle And a Giveaway!

If you love Amish fiction you will love this compilation from four fabulous authors, Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller and Vannetta Chapman!
This book was so enjoyable to read and each story, although unique in its own way, came together as one very wonderful read.

In His Father's Arms, a story about a child with Down Syndrome, a difficult time for parents in understanding the Lord's plan for them.  Ruth and Levi must learn what this different path has in store for them.  Author: Beth Wiseman.








A Son For Always shares the story of Carolyn and Joshua as they prepare for their first child together, and how Carolyn's son Benjamin will fit into their family.  Although Joshua has adopted Ben as his own son, Carolyn feels the responsibility for his financial welfare.  Will she be able to trust and have faith that they are all now one family, rather than a family separated from past mistakes in life. Author: Amy Clipston.






A Heart Full of Love is a sweet story of a mother who wants to take care of her new twin granddaughters. She feels that her daughter Ellie, who is blind due to an accident, needs lots of help and would not be able to handle things on her own.  Ellie feels heartbroken as she is unable to begin the bonding she had hoped to have with her new twins.  When will her mother allow her to be the mother she had always hoped to be?  And why won't she let her? Author: Kathleen Fuller.











An Unexpected Blessing a tale of an older couple learning that they are expecting a child.  The story tells of an older estranged son, David, who has chosen his own path.  As a mother again, Etta prays that her children will find their way despite experiencing many changes and that God will look after her family.










Vannetta Chapman has kindly offered a giveaway.  One reader may choose to receive a paper or e-book copy of An Amish Cradle.  Contest open to US residents only.  Please be sure to leave your email address in a safe way so that I can contact you!  Contest ends April 3rd. 9:00 am MDT.

A Heart Full of Love by Kathleen Fuller

A Heart Full of Love was a really sweet story.  Ellie and Christopher are happily expecting twins.  Ellie's mother is not quite so happy as she is concerned about the situation because of Ellie's accident which caused her to lose her sight.

As the two beautiful girls are born, Ellie's mother goes into action taking on the full responsibility of caring for the twins. Ellie seems to get very little if any bonding time with the babies she has brought into the world as her mother controls most of their daily life and schedule.  The situation becomes very difficult for Ellie to handle and both Ellie and Christopher realize something needs to change.

It is even more difficult for Ellie to understand why her mother will not allow Ellie to be the mother she has always hoped to become.

A heartwarming story that you won't want to miss.  It is a perfect companion to the remaining novellas in this book.  You will not be disappointed!

Author Kathleen Fuller

A Son For Always by Amy Clipston

A Son For Always was the second novella in the four part book by Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller and Vannetta Chapman.  And just as the other two parts that I had previously read and reviewed, it was super good.

The story enfolds as Carolyn and Joshua are pregnant and expecting their first child together. Carolyn, however, had a son, Benjamin.now 16 years old when she was an unmarried teenager.

Although forgiven by her family and church community, Carolyn has a hard time to find her own forgiveness.  Her husband, Joshua has adopted Benjamin and completely considers him as his own son and has taken responsibility for him as a father in every way.  Despite this, Carolyn still feels that he is her responsibility and she must work to provide him with those things he will be needing throughout his life.

It is a great story and probably revolves around something which affects many people in their own personal lives, that of self-forgiveness.  I highly recommend this read along with the three other stories in this compilation.

Author Amy Clipston

Sunday, March 15, 2015

In His Father's Arms by Beth Wiseman

I have read many of Beth Wiseman's books and so far have liked them all.  This novella was no exception.  She is just an excellent author.

Ruth Anne and her best friend Bethany are both young wive's who have found they were expecting their first babies at just about the same time.  Exciting news for both of them and as Bethany's little perfect girl is born, Ruth Anne looks forward to her blessed event.
Her husband Levi holds an apprehension about the birth in his heart and the apprehension holds true.  As this young teenage couple trys to cope with the fact that their child is born with Down syndrome, Levi seems to drift farther and farther away.  The difficult time of this causes Ruth Anne to seek help away from the Amish community amongst Englischers who welcome her with open arms.

The story is sad as it starts.  Prayer, faith and love come together to form a beautiful story which follows the plan that God had prepared for them.

I purchased this as part of a 4 part book by four wonderful authors, Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller and Vannetta Chapman.  It is a blessed read.  I really recommend this read.

Showstoppers by Helen Smith

I have just finished Showstoppers and had previously read Three Sisters.  This is a cozy mystery and begins as Emily Castles' neighbor tells of her threatening letters.  These letters continue throughout the story of a drama school performance scheduled and some pretty interesting scenes that this causes.

Neighbor Victoria enlists Emily to  help her to figure out what has happened to her video that both she and her then boyfriend created in drama school. Not the type of video you might be thinking.  But one that seems to bring misfortune to anyone that sees it.

It's a light-hearted mystery novella which doesn't take too long to read.  I think that I may have liked the Three Sisters mystery a bit better.  But this was good and the characters were interesting and different.

I received an e-book copy from the author for my honest review which I have given.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

An Amish Man of Ice Mountain by Kelly Long

I am really struggling with this post.  First of all, I truly love Amish books.  Second of all, I picked up reading after many years of not.reading simply because I didn't like the content in most books.  I am a bit "prudish" in that respect.  So when I discovered Amish and Christian novels, I felt safe in my reading world.

I have already read a couple of Kelly Long's Amish books, and they were a bit edgy for me.  So as I received this book, I was prepared for that and decided that I would skip those parts when they appeared in the book.  And that is what I had to do.  So those parts are there and I am not a fan of "open bedroom door" books, so I will let you know what I did. The rest of the book, I read and will review.  With the above exception.

As this book opens Joseph King is working on the oil rigs along with his brother.  He appears to be the stronger Amish brother of the two and tries to remind his brother Edward to stay on the straight and narrow while working away from their Amish upbringing.  He doesn't always succeed here as his brother continues to do what he wants, following the influences that surround him in his work.

Joseph meets a young Englisch woman, Priscilla Allen and her little daughter and the two of them seem to be homeless and living in their car.  As the two become better friends they both discover that there is something that lurks in the past that is causing them both to not be able to easily go on to a better future.  Things that need to be healed.  As they go to Joseph's home in Ice Mountain, will the healing begin or will past wounds be opened?

The characters in this book were well developed and it was easy to become connected with them.  I enjoyed the book but skipped the above mentioned sections.  I enjoyed how the characters from the previous book in this series appear and blended into this book.  I very much liked the parts that were not sensual in nature and feel that I didn't miss anything in the story line itself by skipping over these parts. These are my own feelings but I am sure that there there are many other Amish reader fans that share my thoughts and so have mentioned it as a result.

I received this book from the publisher for my honest review which I have given.

Author Kelly Long

Instacandi Care Package Give Away. Go to the link below.

http://chatwithvera.blogspot.com/2015/03/instacandi-new-way-to-send-care-package.html .

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Anna's Crossing by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Several times I have written to author's when they had story line requests and mentioned that I think it would be so interesting to do an Amish historical fiction, thinking of an Amish going back to search for roots, or visiting the homeland.  I had never thought about the crossing, although I have done a Powerpoint presentation about immigration and the circumstances of that crossing.  Of course, I had to do a lot of research to make the presentation, and I can honestly say that Suzanne Woods Fisher did her homework well.

In this story Anna König finds herself preparing for a trip to the new land.  The year is 1737 and the ship is the Charming Nancy.  This is not a trip that Anna is looking forward to and she knows upon leaving she will never see her grandparents again.  Anna is a young woman with faith, courage and determination.  She meets Bairn, the ship's carpenter and although the initial meeting is not what she would have preferred, she eventually finds him to be very supportive to her and the other "Peculiars" as they are called.

 Among the immigrants is a young boy, Felix Bauer, who wants to experience everything and anything and that includes watching what happens on deck, although this was never to occur.  But Felix definitely finds a "work-around" for that rule.

The descriptions of the sailing conditions, the trip, the waiting, the storms, the many interesting events that occur are certainly brought to life as the author describes them all so well, you can almost feel and smell the air they breathe.

The supporting "cast of characters" are very well developed and very essential to the book.  Each page is filled with history and the daily dealings of those on this ship.

I greatly enjoyed this book, maybe because I am a genealogist and delve daily into old records and historical events.  I give it 5 Stars!  I highly recommend this wonderful book.




Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Rosabelle's Story by JEB SpredemanN Novelette 2 An Amish Fairly Tale

This was a fun read.  Rosabelle is so excited about her date to the Prom.  She is going with the best looking guy in school.  She is friends with an Amish young man, Amos Miller and they work together at her father's hardware store. Rosabelle's family is Englisch, but earlier at one time was Amish and broke away from the church.

Amos has already been baptized into the Amish Church and must marry a girl with the same beliefs. He has been courting Sabrina and it seems that a marriage is not far off.  But is this where his heart lies?

After a tragic event, the story finds Amos in a critical condition.  You will want to read this story to see what happens.

This story tells about true friendship, love and sincere feelings that are from the inside and not from the outside.  It is a twist on Beauty and the Beast that touches your soul.

I was given a copy of this novelette from the author for my honest review, which I have given.

This book can be purchased at Amazon.

Monday, March 2, 2015

Huckleberry Harvest by Jennifer Beckstrand

Anna and Felty Helmuth are grandparents who love their grandchildren.  They would do anything to make sure that their grandchildren are all happily married to the perfect person.  This book is part  5 of the Huckleberry Hill series which takes place in Bonduel, WI.  This is an Amish village that I have visited myself which makes the book special for me.  This book will be available in May 2015.

Mandy comes to visit Anna and Felty as well as her best friend, Kristina from her home in Charm, Ohio.  No sooner does she arrive than well-meaning Anna sets out to find Mandy a beau.  And this beau must meet all the requirements, good teeth etal!

Mandy also meets Noah, who doesn't make a good impression on her in the least.  She does find out that Kristina considers him her property and involves Mandy in her plans to get Noah!

But Noah has secrets that are not easily shared and that are difficult for him to deal with.  Mandy tries to help only to find her help is not wanted.  Anna continues to find good suitable matches for Mandy while Felty has hired Noah to do some work on the house.  The story unfolds in a most captivating way.  I couldn't put it down.

The story brings out the feelings of family and community trust, and help.  None of us can do it all alone.  We need each other. And others in our lives want to help when and how they can.

The characters were very enjoyable and the book will hold your attention.  And the storyline was so good.  You will hate when this ends.  I wanted it to keep on going!  Can I give 10 stars?  Yes! 5 just will not do!

Now to wait for the next book, Huckleberry Hearts which will be out in Dec. 2015.

Author Jennifer Beckstrand's website can be found here.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review, which I have given