i love my 5 kids - Reviews: Falling to Pieces by Vannetta Chapman Book Review

i love my 5 kids - Reviews: Falling to Pieces by Vannetta Chapman Book Review

Falling to Pieces by Vannetta Chapman Book Review

Falling to Pieces (A Shipshewana Amish Mystery)

I read a lot of Amish stories.  This one is really like no other.  It is a mystery with murder, grief, anger, and different motives that could get everyone involved in trouble.

The main characters were very likable and each had their own story.  I liked the way the author combined the "English" way with the "Amish" way.  It was nice to see the way the combined worlds really work in a small town.

This is the first book in the series - I wouldn't mind reading more of the stories in the future.  It was a book that truly kept my attention and had me captivated.

I didn't like the cartoonish cover.  I felt like it took away from the story.  I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover and in this case it is true.

Also, this is not a family friendly book - it had adult issues that wouldn't be acceptable for the young at heart.

All in all - I truly liked the book and would recommend it for a rainy day!


Blessings to you!  You are loved!

Note: I was sent complimentary copy for review purposes only. This review has not been monetarily compensated. The review was my honest opinion and views and not influenced by the sponsor in any way.

The Harvest of Grace An Ada's House Novel Book Review

The Harvest of Grace: Book 3 in the Ada's House Amish Romance Series (An Ada's House Novel)


Feel free to rate this review!





My Review:

It is a fact I like the Amish way of life.  I love the simplicity and the love of a huge family.
When I see an Amish book, I'm drawn at learning a little more about their closed livelihood.

This book was not the same as most Amish books.  It had more of a soap opera tale to it.  A sister longing for her sibling's beau.  Alcohol taking over someone's life and rehab.  Anger and forgiveness.  Debt and it almost ruining the life of so many.

Not the typical Amish fiction reading material.  However, the ending was very expected.  I would have wanted a little more suspense to call this a good read.

The book was not one of my favorite fiction Amish books.  It at sometimes was hard to follow.  It was almost like the author forgot to finish the thoughts she created.

This is not a book for the younger eyes.  It deals with certain "adult only" issues.

I also would have liked the reference to the Glossary to be put in front of the book.  I had no idea it was back there until I had finished reading the book.

Having said all that - I would still like to read Cindy Woodsmall in the future!  She still can put a lifestyle into words that some would never see.

Blessings to you!  You are loved!


Note: I was sent complimentary copy for review purposes only. This review has not been monetarily compensated. The review was my honest opinion and views and not influenced by the sponsor in any way.

The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena Miller

Measure of Katie Calloway, The: A Novel


My Review:

Katie Calloway is a lady who has had hardships that most people can only imagine.  Thriving before the Civil War and desolate after.  Hated by her husband, she seeks a new life - going far up North as possible.  She finds herself a job in a lumber camp.

Working in a lumber camp in the bitter winter has many challenges.  One being the only lady and having to keep her secret, so her vile husband won't find her.

This is one of those books, that kept me intrigued.  I wanted to be there - to smell the pine trees, to feel the snow, to hear the laughter. 

Each chapter had more challenges that were grimacing.  Even to the end - I was not expecting what happened.  I feel that is the reason, I liked the book so much. The author took me to a place that was expected just not the way I anticipated it.  I love when that happens! 

I would give this book 4 1/2 stars.  That is the highest I give unless it takes my breath away.  However, this book made me question myself - what would I do in this situation?  Would I really lean on a Savior or just lie in self-pity? 

I also learned that life is more precious.  Lumbering in the past was very dangerous and people were affected in so many ways during the Civil War.  This book added so many personal touches - to different situations.

Saying that, this book would not be suitable for the young at heart.  It had more than a few adult situations. 

It was a very easy read and kept me focused.  I would say that it would be a wonderful book to read by the fire or on a road trip.

By the publisher:

The Measure of Katie Calloway (ISBN: 978-0-8007-1998-2, $14.99, October), the newest book from author Serena Miller, transports readers to an era of log jams and shanty boys in the northern woods of Michigan.

The Civil War in America is over and former northerner, Katie Calloway, must flee for her life from Georgia, where her husband, an abusive Confederate officer, is waging war in their own home. Not only does he taunt her about her father and brother dying for the Union army, but she discovers that he is planning to kill her in order to be free to marry a local widow whose still-intact plantation he covets. Katie and her little brother find refuge in a lumber camp where she allows the camp owner to believe she is a widow.

The camp owner, Robert Foster, wonders if the lovely woman he's hired has the grit to survive the never-ending work and harsh conditions of a remote pine forest in winter. Katie, worried that Robert will fire her if he discovers she is not the grieving widow she pretends to be, fights to keep her past a secret from this good man she is growing to love.

As Katie and Robert slowly realize their deep love for one another, Katie wonders, can she truly outrun her tumultuous past and learn to trust someone new?

Miller tells the story of an unforgettable journey of love, sacrifice, and self-discovery set against the backdrop of a world that was unforgiving at best.

Blessings to you!  You are loved!


“Available October 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”


Note: I was sent complimentary copy for review purposes only. This review has not been monetarily compensated. The review was my honest opinion and views and not influenced by the sponsor in any way.

Deeply Devoted by Maggie Brendan Book Review

Deeply Devoted: A Novel (The Blue Willow Brides)

From the publisher:

Acclaimed romance writer Maggie Brendan’s latest offering from the “Blue Willow Bride” series, Deeply Devoted (ISBN: 978-0-8007-3462-6, $14.99, 336 pages, September), introduces readers to Catharine Olsen, a mail-order bride arriving in America from Holland. She carries not only the anticipation of her marriage to Peter Andersen but also the residual pain of a tragic past, her mother’s Blue Willow china, and has her two younger sisters in tow. The fact is, in Wyoming, the single men outnumber the women five to one, so Catharine’s surpassing beauty and willing spirit are priceless gifts for Peter.

In spite of initial culture shock and necessary adjustments, Catharine finds a love with Peter that enraptures both her heart and mind. She is greatly troubled by Peter’s mother’s endeavors to sabotage their precious marriage. Catharine becomes terrified that her haunting past will be discovered, as the story unfolds with tremendous detail and extraordinary characterization.

My Review:

I read a lot of Christian love stories.  Sometimes they just all sound the same.  This one was refreshing and had some new spins.

I'm actually looking forward to the rest in this series, the Blue Willow Brides.  

 The characters were very easy to like and had me thinking twice about certain issues in history.  One was the use of pesticides - I had no idea when people starting using them.  (That is the teacher - coming out in me.)

I could not recommend this book for the young at heart.  It had adult only issues!  Overall, it was a delightful book that was a very easy read.

Blessings to you!  You are loved!

Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Note: I was sent complimentary copy for review purposes only. This review has not been monetarily compensated. The review was my honest opinion and views and not influenced by the sponsor in any way. 

One Call Away by Brenda Warner and Jennifer Schuchmann Book Review

One Call Away: Answering Life's Challenges with Unshakable Faith

From the publisher:

Brenda’s life has taken twists and turns that are stranger than fiction. It always seemed as if she was just one phone call away from the next explosive change. Each time her plans fell apart, she had a choice: would she give up, or would she press forward and learn from the unexpected? One Call Away is the inspiring story of a woman who has prevailed through many of the circumstances that discourage women: tragedy, poverty, betrayal, and humiliation. But unlike most women, her life has been on display in the media.

Brenda’s faith and God’s strength enable her to face challenge after challenge: an accident that leaves her son blind and brain damaged, a crumbling marriage, a tornado that kills her parents, a new relationship with promising football player Kurt Warner, and the pressures his sudden success brings to their growing family.

Through food stamps and funerals, Super Bowls and serving others, Brenda’s strength is unwavering. Her determination to dream new dreams, willingness to learn from her mistakes, and commitment to giving back to her community make her a role model for women of all backgrounds.
Her dreams haven’t materialized as she had imagined, but Brenda has found that God has a much bigger plan for her. Conversational and candid, One Call Away invites readers facing their own difficulties to trust God and discover hope in the future.

My Review:

I almost didn't review this book.  I don't normally have an interest in sport stars or their home lives. 

But, something about the cover and the mother of 7 children caught my attention.

Seriously, I felt like I was actually sitting on the sofa with Brenda Warner and her telling me her testimony of how God has used her life to honor Him.  I laughed, cried and even got mad more than once.

I suggest not starting the book at 10:00 at night unless you want to miss some sleep.  She truly has a roller coaster of a ride kind of life.  All while learning who she was in Christ.

This book does address some non-family friendly issues and should be kept for the mature at heart.  However, I have NO reservation of recommending this book for every wife who needs encouragement.

I hope one day to meet Brenda Warner.  (Although, her husband might be a little disappointed to know - I really had no idea who he was before reading this book.)  I feel after reading the book - we are already friends.

Blessings to you!  You are loved!

Note: I was sent complimentary copy for review purposes only. This review has not been monetarily compensated. The review was my honest opinion and views and not influenced by the sponsor in any way.

 

A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman Book Review

Heart Revealed, A: A Novel (Winds of Change)



From the publisher:

Julie Lessman’s new novel A Heart Revealed (ISBN: 978-0-8007-3416-9, $14.99, 512 pages, September), the second offering in the “Winds of Change” series, opens in Boston in 1931, where thirty-one-year-old Emma Malloy has fled from an abusive marriage in Ireland.

Although her former husband has left her haunted and deeply scarred. Emma cannot help but develop strong feelings for her friend Charity’s brother, Sean O’Connor.

Described by his sister as very stubborn, Sean maintains that he is not the marrying kind. But as he and Emma draw closer and closer, will her strong, tender heart ensnare him and change his mind?

Transporting readers back to a time when the Empire State Building was brand new and the local speakeasy was a common destination, Lessman outlines the fascinating era and its citizens with deft precision.

My Review:

This is one of those books that took me a long time to get into before I was hooked.  I did not read the previous book so I felt I was a little lost at times with all the characters. 

It still can be read as a stand alone novel but it would have probably meant more if I had read the previous book in the series.

This book is NOT meant for the immature at heart.  It has adult only issues.  I was a little caught off guard by some of them. 

The characters, all though, there were many of them - were actually likeable and it was easy to follow their story.  I liked how the author made each character so different and each had their own personal war.

This book was not a book you could read overnight.  Being a fast reader, this one took me a little longer than usual.  It would have been great for a road trip!

“Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

 

Blessings to you!  You are loved!


Note: I was sent complimentary copy for review purposes only. This review has not been monetarily compensated. The review was my honest opinion and views and not influenced by the sponsor in any way.

Lancaster County Christmas Book Review

Lancaster County Christmas, A






From the publisher:

Jaime Fitzpatrick has a plan. She quit her job and is preparing to launch her photography career in New York City—with or without her husband, C.J.  Mattie Riehl has problems of her own. A recent miscarriage has plunged her into feelings of despair that baffle her husband, Sol.

In Suzanne Woods Fisher’s new A Lancaster County Christmas (ISBN: 978-0-8007-1995-1, $15.99, 208 pages, September), the path of these two couples collide as a winter storm blows Jaime and C.J. off-course and into the Riehl’s home on Christmas Eve, including Tucker, C.J.’s Search and Rescue dog,

Awkward and uncomfortable at first, an unlikely alliance develops as Mattie and Sol’s only child wanders off and disappears in the storm. As C.J., Sol and Tucker search for the child, Jaime and Mattie confront fears they had been avoiding. And both women discover the true meaning of Christmas.

With her trademark plot twists and attention to detail, Fisher offers readers a beautiful story of love, forgiveness, and the miracle of Christmas.

My Review:

This book is one I will keep on shelves to keep.  It was delightful and dealt with some issues that were rather deep.  

I would not recommend this for a read aloud for the family but it is a great book to have by the fire and a cup of hot cocoa - for the more mature at heart.

The cover of the book also was beautiful.  I would love to have a painting of this.  I keep looking at it imagining the cold white snow.  Living in Texas, this is only a fantasy. 

I hope the author will continue this story - it seems like the book could blossom into a series easily.  The story was very easy to follow and you felt like a guest in the Amish home, learning more of their culture.

Blessings to you!  You are loved!

Note: I was sent complimentary copy for review purposes only. This review has not been monetarily compensated. The review was my honest opinion and views and not influenced by the sponsor in any way.

“Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”