book review

 

I received a free copy of Be Still My Soul from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review.

An Amish Love is actually three novellas in on book – and since all take place in one town with overlapping characters, it’s easy to transition from one to the next.  Each story is about someone who has left and how they find their way home again.  Each story includes faith, love, and forgiveness as themes.  Naaman Lapp left his wife at home while he went to visit relatives, only to return nearly one year later, facing distrust and confusion from his family.  Abby Kauffman wants a way out of her father’s silent household so badly that she tricks a newcomer into marriage – realizing too late what she’s done.  Ellie Chupp was jilted after an accident left her blind – can she forgive those involved and learn to love again?

The writing styles of each author make the stories flow smoothly.  Set within the same Amish community, with the same peripheral characters and locations mentioned, this set feels more like one work.

I enjoyed the writing style of these authors and the questions that each story raised in my mind.  If blinded, could I easily forgive?  If my husband left, could I welcome him home with open arms?  Am I careful and thoughtful in my dealings with others?

I definitely enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for an impartial review.

It’s 1971, and Betsie Troyer’s peaceful and predictable life is about to become anything but.

When their parents flee the Amish, nineteen-year-old Betsie and her seventeen-year-old sister Sadie are distraught. Under the dubious guidance of a doting aunt, the girls struggle to keep the secret, praying their parents will return before anyone learns the truth-a truth that may end all hopes of Betsie’s marriage to Charley Yoder.

This is, hands-down, the most unique Amish book I have ever met.  I’ve heard of historical-fiction Amish books, but this one certainly takes the cake.  Author Stephanie Reed paints the 70s era with a vivid brush while portraying the uncertainty and confusion of Betsie Troyer clearly.  

Each Amish sect is different, but Reed describes Betsie’s family as ultra-conservative – even more so than the White Top Amish I grew up near.  This makes the contrast between the radical English during this rebellious time stand out even more.  The drama creates lots of tension between Betsie and her Amish friends and family, but even more within herself.  There’s not a single dull moment in this story!

At times this story felt almost outlandish, but having not grown up during the 70s, I thought maybe I was exaggerating a bit.  Once I even thought that it was so crazy that it could be true – so I wasn’t a bit surprised when I turned the final page to learn that it is based on the experiences of a real woman!  They say that life is crazier than fiction and all of that …..

I thoroughly enjoyed The Bargain.  I’m more certain than ever that this is not a time period in which I’d belong, but it makes a fascinating setting.
Read other reviews on this bloggy hop here or purchase a copy here.

Just home from fighting the Nazis, Adam meets Elizabeth Baxter, the town beauty, and is instantly drawn to her.  Unfortunately, Elizabeth is going steady with Nathan Roberts, Adam’s high school rival, and the man who holds the mortgage on his family farm.  Adam expected the war’s end and his homecoming to signal a return to peace, but will anything work out the way he hopes – or will he lose the girl and the farm?

Sweet.  That’s the most fitting word I can think of for this story.  Nelson’s layering of love story over national turmoil draws you back to a time when farm boys and young marriages weren’t just possible, but common.  To a time when you didn’t need stuff or guarantees, just love and determination.  The sweet sacrifice and determination of Adam’s love makes for a fairy tale kind of romance – almost.

Just as fairy tales aren’t real, Adam’s romance with Elizabeth isn’t problem-free, and this adds a veneer of truthfulness to the story.  While the ending of Nelson’s book may be predictable, there are many twists and turns that add drama, interest, and reality to the story.  Rarely does our first idea of anything ever turn out as we hope, and neither does Adam’s dream of Elizabeth.

In fact, I really liked this ‘troublesome’ element to the story.  At first, as Adam and Elizabeth were sharing glances, it felt as if their hearts were becoming more involved than should be after only a few chance meetings.  How believable is that, really?  I couldn’t help but wonder, and yet as these opportunities layered and then issues were thrown in, what began as a sweet love story had leapt off the page and danced with a beautiful reality right in front of me.

A book like this one can either leave you longing for that kind of fairy tale romance or make you determined to live it out.  Many people in our culture today are choosing the former and walking away from reality in search of it.  For many of us, The Anniversary Waltz reminds us that we’ve already got our fairy tale within reach – we just have to grab hold and dance it out.

I received a free copy of The Anniversary Waltz by Darrel Nelson in exchange for an honest review.

Susan Marlowe is beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel after the tragic death of her firefighter husband David nearly two years before.  The fire that took his life took several others, as well, leaving few people in town unscathed.  Busy getting a homeless shelter up and running, Susan sees romantic possibilities and new friendship in Fire Chief Peter Brenneman.  Peter has also caught the eye of Fire Inspector Andrea Morley, who desperately wants to find home, hearth, and children.  With Susan’s adult son back at home still dealing with the loss of his father, new information about her husband’s activities, and clashes with the community, can Susan find a way to move forward?
Susan doesn’t seem like the cheerleader type.  She didn’t have the perfect marriage, she struggled as a parent, and she gets too focused on her work.  Yet despite her tendency to see only the rosy side of people, her situation draws you in like few others could – because she seems real.  As a reader, you can identify with her issues and want to know how she resolves them; you just might have the same things happening in your own home.  With the added stress of the firefighters’ jobs and the mystery man who keeps turning up, you’ll be turning pages as fast as you can to race Susan to the end.

I really liked the way that Raney didn’t spill the plot all in the first chapter.  Really great books have a hook, some information that the author withholds to keep you reading until the end; but Raney kept back more than the usual whodunit.  Without even knowing exactly what the mystery was, she drew you into Susan’s world, which at times looked incredibly bleak, but always gave you a shred of hope and a glimmer of what could be.  

After All is inspiring and encouraging with a sense of reality that is hard to find.  I’ll definitely be reading more Raney in the future.

I received a free copy of After All from Glass Road Publications in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah is a quiet, shy Amish girl who has spent years caring for the family’s garden when she’s suddenly given a new responsibility: managing and manning the family’s roadside produce stand. Thrust into contact with the unfamiliar English world, Sarah meets her new neighbor, Grant Williams, a handsome veterinarian who wants to pursue a romantic relationship. Will Sarah venture further into the English world with Grant or will she remain alone in her familiar Amish one?

Long has created wonderful characters. Lifelike and honest, they are not perfect but reflect the situations in which they find themselves. Her writing is compelling and made it impossible for me to put this book down. I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next, and that the characters did not always do the predictable thing made it even better.

With that said, though, for as interesting as the story is, I felt that it was not especially realistic. I grew up in an Amish community, and the biggest decision made by the main characters was one which I’ve never heard of happening, and despite Long’s great writing, there were several gaps not filled in by the end of the book. Yet the strengths of this book far outweighed the weaknesses, and I can’t wait to read the next in the series.

Thomas Nelson provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Left all alone in the world after her mother’s death, Fannie Rousseau  decides to travel west to find her mysterious aunt.  She finds herself in Montana Territory, in a rough and tumble man’s world with few friends – and no money.  Samuel Beck is searching for his missing sister when he saves Miss Rousseau from a roughneck on a riverboat.  Opposites may attract, but is there any way for this soon-to-be preacher and the faithless orphan to find true love?

Whitson has a smooth and easy writing style that draws the reader into her stories.  In this case Miss Rousseau seemed rather shallow at first, but over the course of her journey she faced her fears and deepened her character, making her much more likeable.  Both characters had mentors of strong morals and faith guiding them along the way, which definitely added to the story.

The mystery of Rousseau’s aunt’s past prevented this story from falling strictly into the romance category and added an interesting angle to it.  I would be quite interested to read her aunt’s story!  The same is true of Samuel’s sister’s story – there was much missing from their stories that would make fascinating novels, especially considering their rocky relationships with men and the times in which they lived.

Whitson’s latest novel is a fun read but did not have the depth that I hoped for.  As a light-hearted beach read, this would be great!

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

Annie Beiler had what appeared to be the perfect life.  With wonderful parents, a secure place in her Amish community, and the hope of a lifelong love just down the lane, her future seemed wrapped in promise – until the day that she learned of her adoption.  Suddenly life seemed topsy-turvy, and Annie feels that she must find her birth mother.  Leaving the community for this type of information isn’t well received, however, and Annie begins to question every aspect of her life up to this point.  When trouble rocks the boat, will Annie remain in the Englisch world, or will she return to her Amish roots?

Annie’s Truth is full of drama.  The questions she asks upon finding out that she’s adopted feel normal to me, although I can’t truly know, and it makes sense to wonder about them, at least; however, her Amish elders feel differently and do not allow it.  This causes big problems for Annie, and so much of the drama was difficult for me to relate to.  I did find the entire issue quite interesting, and it was so well written that I flew through these issues, wanting to read and understand more.

Because the church elders do not allow questions of this type, this is a great book for those of us who want to know more about Amish ways.  Most Englischers have a more self-centered world view than do the Amish, who seek to suppress all thoughts of self in the interest of better serving their community, and this book makes this belief quite evident.

With smooth-flowing chapters and dramatic scenes throughout, this is both an informative and fascinating read.  If you enjoy reading Amish fiction, you won’t want to miss Annie’s Truth.

I received a free copy of Annie’s Truth from Charisma House in exchange for an honest review.

 Gwyn Hillerman loves being a nurse at her father’s clinic on the beautiful Alaskan frontier. But family life has been rough ever since her mother left them, disdaining the uncivilized country and taking Gwyn’s younger sister with her.

Gwyn and Jeremiah soon recognize a growing attraction to each other. But when rumors of Jeremiah’s past begin to surface, they’ll need more than love to face the threat of an uncertain future.

All Things Hidden is a most unusual Depression-era story with a very unique twist:  the settlement of Alaska.  I didn’t know that the poor national economy spawned a huge government movement to shift people to the territory of Alaska, so the very premise was exciting.  Since the reality of Alaska as our final national frontier is of a rustic, dangerous place, the setting screamed ‘new’ and ‘different.’ 

I really liked as a leading lady.  She was both humble and hardworking but human, too.  She wanted to fall in love and have a family, all the while struggling with the one that she was born into.  She’s pulled in too many directions, like far too many of us, and she could be the girl next door.

The action sped up throughout the story.  In the beginning you learn primarily about what will happen, at least according to government agents, but as time progresses the plan’s problems begin to arise.  With Gwyn and her father being the primary troubleshooters in the new Alaskan settlement, they’re on the front lines of action – and that continues as stalkers, murder, and general mayhem ensue.  This makes for a dramatic and page-turning read, and after a chapter or two, I couldn’t put it down.

I’ve never read a Peterson novel that I didn’t like, and All Things Hidden didn’t disappoint.  If you’re a Peterson fan, this is a must-read.

I received a free copy of All Things Hidden from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.