Review: The Cherished Quilt

The Cherished Quilt is the third book in the Amish Heirloom series by Amy Clipston. I was so excited to read this book and find out who the youngest sister would marry since she was one of my favorite sisters because of her sweet, giving nature. I was not disappointed in her story and am eagerly awaiting the fourth and final book in the series.

Christopher Hostettler is having a hard time handling his younger brother's death especially because it was a result of his own poor decisions. Not able to bear his dad's blaming him for his son's death, he decides to visit his uncle in Pennsylvania.

Emily Fisher's first meeting with Christopher doesn't go as she pictured it. Determined to be a friend regardless of his aloofness, Emily keeps being nice. Soon Chris becomes friends with her, and Emily starts thinking of him as more than a friend. But with Chris' troubled past will they be able to be more than friends?

I typically only read Amish fiction when I'm desperate for a book since most of it seems to be either poorly written or the same typical storylines, but with this series, I'm actually looking forward to reading Amish fiction! I love the character of Emily. She is sweet, kind, and forgiving and is just what Chris needs to forgive himself and move on. I really enjoyed Emily's story!

I was given this book for free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Courtship Basket

The Courtship Basket by Amy Clipston is the second book in the Amish Heirloom series. I didn't read the first book,but it didn't matter. I immediately became engrossed in the story and this book has now become one of my favorite Amish books. It wasn't boring or slow or trite. Instead it was full and engrossing and real.

Rachel Fisher is devastated when she overhears her boyfriend and best friend talking about when they will be together. Shocked and hurt that her boyfriend of the last couple of years never really wanted to be with her, she holes up at home until she gets an offer to work as an assistant teacher in the learning disabilities school.

Mike Lantz has a lot on his plate. A sick father requiring constant care, working at his father's shop, and caring for his 6 year old brother, John. Overwhelmed and exhausted Mike doesn't have much energy left to deal with John's behavioral issues at school, but when things get worse Mike decides to send him to the special needs school.

Rachel immediately feels for John and spends as much time as she can helping him, but when her note home to his brother goes unanswered she assumes that means Mike doesn't care. Rachel decides to confront him and is dismayed when she finds out how wrong her assumptions were. Will she be able to fix things with Mike?

This book kept my attention the whole time, and I'm planning on reading the first book in the series ASAP! The characters were so well thought out and well written, and the struggles that each character faced were realistic and intriguing. I can't wait for the third book to come out but until then I'll be over here reading the first book.... ;-)

I was given this book for free from Booklook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: An Amish Christmas Gift

An Amish Christmas Gift is a good collection of stories perfect to read around Christmas or to just get you in the mood for Christmas. Each of the novellas are quick, easy to read stories for the hectic Christmas season.

Amy Clipston wrote the first story, Naomi's Gift, about Naomi who believed she would never get married since she had been too bold running after guys. Imagine her surprise when someone does become interested in her.

Ruth Reid wrote the best story out of the collection by far. An Unexpected Gift was superbly done, and I was really cheering the main character on! I loved that she wasn't quiet and reserved but instead very talkative. Since she was talkative, nobody wanted to be her beau. Or so she thought.

Kelly Irvin wrote an okay story. A Christmas Story is about a girl in love with an Englischer. When the guy comes to visit her, she is conflicted. I wasn't that into this story. It was okay but could have been much better.

I didn't really enjoy the first novella; I found it kind of boring. But the second book was great! It kept my interest the whole way through, and I loved such a unique main character. I wasn't surprised the story was such a fun, in depth read because it was written by Ruth Reid. She writes such real stories instead of just some fluff. The third novella wasn't that intriguing to me, but it was better than the first story. Usually these Amish sets are pretty good, but this time it wasn't. For that reason I'm only giving it 3 stars.

I was given this book free from Booklook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Twice Blessed

Twice Blessed by Barbara Cameron is two Amish Christmas novellas in one book. The stories were well done, interesting, and a quick, fun read. They both center around identical twins, and I enjoyed the stories very much.

Rosie is the shy sister who loves to be out in her garden whereas her twin, Katie, is vivacious, social, and energetic and loves to work at the Amish store in town surrounded by people and the busyness of work. Rosie is usually in the background with guys, but Katie has never had a problem having dates. Consequently, they are both surprised when a new Amish man is attracted to quiet Rosie instead of lively Katie. Will this affect their close relationship?

Mark and Ben are as different as night and day. Mark never has doubts with his faith, is happy-go-lucky, and is considered lazy by many. Ben is the more responsible, moody one with doubts and questions aplenty. While driving home one snowy night, the twins get in a bad wreck with a big truck which leaves Mark in a coma and Ben with some broken bones and bruises. Disoriented when he wakes up, Ben is confused why Ruthie calls him Mark, but too thrilled to be the one "engaged" to her he doesn't tell her the truth until it's too late.

These stories portrayed the love and connection between identical twins very well. I loved the unusual dilemma in the second story, but felt the conflict still wasn't resolved at the end. It would have benefited from another chapter to tie up everything. To me, the stories didn't really have much Christmas stuff to them. I wish they did, but regardless I enjoyed them both, and I definitely recommend this book to any Amish fiction fans.

I was given this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Love Letters

The Love Letters by Beverly Lewis is a stand alone novel filled with much more than the typical love story. It had so much depth, and I took a lot away from this book. This is by far the best book I've read from Beverly Lewis. I loved that it was more than a love story. In fact, that played a very minor roll. This book is about loss, regrets, and sacrificing your desires to help someone else.

Marlena Wenger's parents asked her to go stay with her Mennonite grandmother for the summer since her grandpa just died. Going brings up lots of memories of her older sister, Luella who left the church to marry an Englishcer and of her beloved grandfather. Not long after arriving, Marlena hears some bad news. Luella was severely injured in a car wreck, and her 5 month old daughter, Angela, is being brought to Marlena. Shocked and overwhelmed, Marlena does her best to not only take care of the baby but also her grandmother. Wishing her beau was here, Marlena struggles to take everything in.
Will Luella be alright?

I loved this story! Marlena had to figure out what she believed. Should she go against the Ordnung and her beau, or should she embrace them both but not listen to the yearning of her heart to live for Jesus?

There were a couple quotes that I loved from this book, too. Here are my two favorites:

"...it's less important to seek after miracles than it is to hunger after the miracle-giver."
"Wise folk never reject the possibility of miracles."

The first one is so true! It can be busy to focus on the miracle and forget the One who did the miracle! Not be awed by the miracle itself, but awed by Jesus who performed it. It was explained and reiterated so well throughout the whole story even though there wasn't a miracle in the book. haha It was still a good reminder, though. :-)

I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves fiction. If you aren't into Amish fiction, please try this book anyway. You won't regret it!

I was given this book free from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: A Woodland Miracle

A Woodland Miracle by Ruth Reid is the second book in The Amish Wonders Series. I loved the first story A Miracle of Hope so when I saw this book I knew I had to read it! Needless to say, I was not disappointed. :-)

Ben Eicher and his friend, Toby, are forced to leave Pinecraft, Florida and go to Badger Creek, Michigan where Toby's uncle lives. Weighted down with grief and his many sins, Toby just wants to be back at home, but he knows his father won't welcome him.

Grace Wagler is afraid she has muscular dystrophy like her mother who died a few years ago, but her father doesn't want her to go to the doctors in Ohio to find out. Grace needs to know the truth. It's better than the fear that engulfs her at the thought of dying young and in pain like her mother. Her aunt stays with them 6 months out of the year, and Grace is hoping to go home with her to Ohio for a few months to see some specialists and find out the truth about her health.

Grace has no time for fun or so she thinks until Ben Eicher comes to town. Ben is full of life and fun compared to Grace's dogged determination and serious outlook on life. Grace really does long for a home and family of her own, but would anyone ever look past her disabilities to see all she can offer?

I enjoyed this story especially since there was a disability involved. The author did a good job of portraying the fears and pain involved in having any sort of health problem. Some parts of the story seemed far fetched and unrealistic, but for the most part it was pretty good. The two main characters were written well, but I found myself irritated with a lot of the secondary characters. Trusting in God was weaved into the story seamlessly, and how the main characters felt and acted was done very well. Overall, I would recommend this story to anyone who likes a good story. :-)

I was given this book for free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: An Amish Christmas Quilt

An Amish Christmas Quilt is a collection of three novellas in one book. I didn't like the first two novellas, but the last one was really good.

A Willow Ridge Christmas Pageant by Charlotte Hubbard is about widowed Mary Kauffman. She has two step children and is expecting another one. The story starts with Mary going to her aunt's house, but on the way she goes into labor. Her dog runs to a neighbor's house for help. Seth Brenneman helps Mary to the clinic so she can have her baby boy, Emmanuel. Life is better for Mary than it has been in awhile. Living with her aunt, having her little son, being away from her controlling, condemning father. Love starts growing between Mary and Seth, and she decides to make a Christmas quilt for him as a gift. Will he think it too forward of her?

A Christmas on Ice Mountain by Kelly Long is about Laurel Lapp and Matthew Beider. Their fathers have been fueding long before they were born so they have been dating more secretly than normal. Will they be able to convince their fathers to let them marry?

A Perfect Amish Christmas by Jennifer Beckstrand is about Dottie Schrock and Gid Stutzman. Dottie wants to give her mother the perfect Christmas since they couldn't celebrate last year due to the cancer. Wanting to do it all herself, she ends up hurting several people in her quest for the best Christmas. She is surprised by Gid's help and how different he is from a couple of years ago. When she gets lost on Christmas Eve, Gid is the one who finds her and helps keep her alive through the blizzard. Will she remember the true reason for Christmas?

A Willow Ridge Christmas Pageant seemed very unrealistic of the Amish. A live nativity? Not at all what I would expect from the reclusive group. I really didn't enjoy the story. They fell in love so quick, the strange pageant, and the very different group of Amish people.

A Christmas in Ice Mountain had too much sensualness making it awkward and very unenjoyable. I felt like I wasn't reading a Christian story at all! It seems like more and more you can't tell Christian from non Christian. The author did write well, and I felt like I knew and understood all the characters but didn't enjoy the story itself.

A Perfect Amish Christmas was my favorite. The story was well written with good characters and an interesting premise. It's a sweet story perfect to read around Christmas to help us all remember not to be so worried about making things perfect, but about worshipping the only perfect one, Jesus.

I was given this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Becoming Bea

Becoming Bea by Leslie Gould is the fourth book in The Courtships of Lancaster County series. All of the books in this series are based on one of Shakespeare's works, and they are some of the best Amish fiction I've ever read. :-) This particular story is mirrored after Much Ado About Nothing.

Beatrice Zook is a loner, a reader, and a lover of words. When she finds out she is supposed to be going with her sister and Mom to visit Montana, she is dismayed and angry. Determined to find a job so she can stay behind, she is surprised to find work so quickly as a helper to Cate's stepmom, Nan, who just had triplets! They already have one other helper, Hope, but they are still struggling especially since the babies are preemies with one still in the NICU. Bea hasn't been around babies much and finds it awkward at first, but before too long she becomes the one everyone relies on. Not used to actually being accepted and appreciated, Bea thrives there. The only problem is Ben Rupp.

Ben and Bea went to a couple of singings a few months ago, but for some reason Ben just stopped coming around. Really hurt by his actions, Bea's love turned into bitterness and anger. But at Nan and Bob's, Bea has no choice but to work through her anger since Ben is an employee in Bob's shop. She comes to realize she really does love him, but her critical spirit has turned people away. Will they ever be able to reconcile? Or is she destined to be an old maid?

I loved this book! The uniqueness of the characters, the problems with relationships, learning to be more Christlike - it was very much a story of growing up. Plus, I enjoyed reading about a bookish Amish girl since I'm bookish myself. ;-) The interactions between Ben and Bea were pretty funny when they were mad at each other which was quite often, and the whole thing about their spelling bees from school was the perfect touch. It got you right into the mood of the story. :-)

If you've never read Amish fiction please try this series out. It is so good!! You won't regret it. :-)

I was given this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Seasons of Tomorrow

Seasons of Tomorrow is the fourth book in the Amish Vines and Orchards series by Cindy Woodsmall. Each book needs to be read in order since it's one continuous story told in a four book format. I really liked the conclusion of the story, and actually, it's my favorite of the series. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book since I didn't like the other three books. :-D

Rhoda Byler and Samuel King are still reeling over Jacob King's move from the orchard. Trying to run everything without his help has been taking a toll on all of them, but trouble keeps visiting the Kings. First, Samuel's dad shows up all upset with the rumors he's been hearing of Leah and Landon. The visit ends with Landon quitting and walking off without anyway to contact him leaving Leah confused and angry.

Without Jacob or Landon, Rhoda isn't sure how they will be able to keep Orchard Bend Farms in working order. As they struggle to make their new venture in Maine work, another tragedy strikes. Steven's wife, Phoebe, is ill and rushed to the hospital. Will Phoebe be ok? What will happen to Landon and Leah? And when will Rhoda and Samuel be able to marry without worrying about Jacob?

Like I said, this was a satisfying conclusion to the series. It tied up all the loose ends, made you happy and content with everyone's relationships, and made you wish for just a little bit more of the happy ending. :-) The only thing I wish it had was a longer epilogue! It felt kind of rushed to me, but it could have been because I wasn't ready to let go of  the characters. I think the best part of the book to me was Jacob finally growing up! It was nice to finally see who he could be with the right person in his life.

I was given this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for an honest review.

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Seasons of Tomorrow: Book Four in the Amish Vines and Orchards Series

Review: Murder Simply Brewed

Murder Simply Brewed by Vannetta Chapman is the first book in an Amish Village Mystery. This story explores the lives of an older Englisch woman and a young Amish woman. As they try to solve the mystery surrounding the village shops, they become friends. I enjoyed reading this story, and I especially loved how you could read about the three main characters at different times during the story. It was well done and helped keep me glued to the book.

Amber Wright, the general manager of the Amish Artisan Village, is extremely happy and content with her life. Living in the little Dawdy Haus for the past twenty two years, she has everything she could ever want. Things changed one morning when she woke up to the news of a tragedy in the village. Ethan Gray, the coffee shop manager, was found dead in his store. The police ruled his death a heart attack brought on by the gunshots to his shop window. But when other small disturbances keep happening, Amber is convinced something more sinister is going on. As she teams up with young Amish employee, Hannah Troyer, she hopes that together they can find the answers before someone dies again.

Hannah Troyer loves her job at the quilt shop, but ever since Ethan's death she has had to take over at his coffee shop. Almost immediately, she starts hearing troubling news regarding Mr. Gray and begins to doubt his death was from natural causes. As Amber and her work to discover the murderer, things begin to go wrong all over the once peaceful village.

This was a simple, easy to solve mystery with great characters who learn and grow throughout the story. More than anything the writing captured my interest and had me wanting more from this author. My favorite part was the love story between Amber and Tate. It was so well written. I was surprised that the story was more about Amber than the Amish character, Hannah, because it's marketed like it is an Amish book. It was more like a regular mystery with a little Amish thrown in. It was a nice surprise, and I actually liked it more because of that. On the Christian front, it's pretty mild, but it was an enjoyable read without being too scary or dark like some suspense.

I was given this book free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

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Murder Simply Brewed (An Amish Village Mystery)

Review: An Amish Garden

An Amish Garden is a collection of four novellas by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Tricia Goyer, and Vannetta Chapman.  I enjoyed all of the stories, but I think my favorite one was Flowers for Rachael. It was a fun, sweet read, but the other three novellas were a close second! It's unusual to enjoy all the stories so much, but I did. Each story pulled me in from the beginning and reluctantly let me go at the end.

Rooted in Love by Beth Wiseman is about Rosemary Lantz who has the responsibility of her three younger brothers and her dad's household ever since her mother died four years ago. She is just barely making it all work and wishes she didn't have to break up with the only man she ever loved, Saul Petersheim. When Saul starts helping her put her garden in, she begins to question her resolve to give him up.

Flowers for Rachael by Kathleen Fuller centers around Rachael Bontrager. Rachael has been helping her grandfather for the past year and ever since she met her next door neighbor, Gideon, she has been attracted to him. But for some reason, he is always aloof with her. Why does he help her when he won't even talk to her?

Seeds of Love by Tricia Goyer is set in a Montana Amish community. Eli Plank has been traveling around the country visiting different Amish communities and writing about it all for the Budget, an Amish newspaper. When he meets Sadie, he helps her plant her special heirloom tomatoes in the harsher, colder climate. Those tomatoes are all Sadie has left that was her mother's, and she is determined to make them grow. Then disaster strikes, and Sadie immediately runs to Eli for help. Will he be able to help the tomatoes rebound?

Where Healing Blooms by Vannetta Chapman centers around widowed Emma Hochstetter and her mother-in-law, Mary Ann. Emma's children are all grown with homes and children of their own leaving her in a big house with a big garden and lots of memories of what used to be. But when she discovers a runaway in her barn, things begin to change for the better.

I loved that these stories revolved around gardening, and I read it at the perfect time, too - when I was starting my garden! Can't get better than that. :-) Everything is beginning to bloom around here making it the perfect time to read this collection. Go grab a copy and rejoice that spring is finally here!

I was given this book free form BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

An Amish Garden

Review: A Road Unknown

A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron is the first book in the Amish Roads series. This story doesn't compare to the other Amish fiction I have read recently. It was poorly written and no characters really stood out to me. I had a really hard time liking the main character, Elizabeth, even though I did feel really bad for her circumstances. It was one of those books that I had to force myself to read because the depth of the characters just wasn't there.

Elizabeth Bontrager is taking advantage of her rumschpringe to escape her home in Goshen, Indiana where she has been overworked taking care of her eight younger siblings.  At the age of twenty, she has never been to a singing or been courted so she is very nervous about leaving all she has ever known to start fresh in Paradise, Pennsylvania. Once there she rooms with her Englisch pen pal and starts to hang out with an Englisch man. Will Paradise hold the answers to all her questions?

Saul Miller has been attracted to Elizabeth since he met her on the bus so when his dad hires her on for their store he finds it the perfect opportunity to get to know her better. But she is so reticent about herself that he doesn't know if she will ever open up to him. Then he sees her going out with an Englisch guy and becomes concerned for her. Will he be able to get her to court him or is she too intrigued with Bruce?

I did like how the author ended the book. It really portrayed how Elizabeth had grown and matured throughout the novel. But the story itself was pretty bland and the characters weren't fleshed out enough. I felt like I knew Paula, the roommate, better than Elizabeth sometimes! Maybe because Elizabeth irritated me with her actions but her parents were at fault, too for expecting so much more out of her than they should. But more than anything what I didn't like was how poorly written it was. It was just so-so to me.

I was given this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Minding Molly

Minding Molly by Leslie Gould is the third book in the The Courtships of Lancaster County and is based on Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream.  All the books in this series can be read as stand alone novels. One of my favorite things about this series is the author's different personality types for the main characters. I find it very refreshing and unique. On the other hand, one of the things I don't like in this series is how the characters never get to fully explain things to their sisters/family members. It irks me! They never address the misconceptions or try to fix it, and they still misunderstand each other at the end. It makes me feel like the book isn't complete, and I keep waiting and hoping for some real closure between everyone.

Molly Zook has been struggling to adjust to her father's death two months ago, and now she is faced with the possibility of losing their flower farm. Plus, her mother hasn't been well, and the only way Molly can handle everything going wrong is to be even more controlling than ever before which in turn makes her sister and friends turn away from her. To add to all her problems, her mother wants her to marry Mervin Mosier so they can join their two farms and save their farm in the process. Desperate to keep her home, Molly thinks about accepting Mervin, but then she meets Leon which throws a kink in her mother's plans.

Leon Fisher came from Montana to get more experience training horses. When he meets Molly, he wants nothing more than to become better acquainted with her, but with her controlling ways will they ever get a chance?

I liked this story. I thought Molly was interesting and oftentimes completely misunderstood. So many things just kept going wrong for her. Plus, her best friend, Hannah, was so irritating and immature. And Molly's sister, too. I did like that I wasn't sure who would get Molly there for awhile, and I was so glad that the person I was hoping for worked out. :-) I'm looking forward to more from this author.

I was given this book free from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

Review: A Miracle of Hope

A Miracle of Hope is the first book in The Amish Wonders series by Ruth Reid. The two main characters were complex, realistic, and extremely likable. Even though I haven't been through what they have, the author portrayed their emotions so well I could feel their angst as they tried to keep looking to God amidst their pain.

Feeling unloved and unwanted, Lindie Wyse, agrees to her brother's proposal to marry a widower in far away Michigan. What will her betrothed think when he finds out she is three months pregnant?

The only reason Josiah Plank agreed to Eli Wyse's arrangement was for the sake of his deaf, eight year old daughter, Hannah. Determined to make Lindie understand that she will be forever trapped in a loveless marriage, Josiah makes it clear that their marriage will be in name only. When Lindie still agrees to marry him, they get married that day.

Lindie begins to feel overwhelmed with all the challenges of being newly wed. Learning sign language, dealing with a disgruntled child, morning sickness, running the house, and becoming adjusted to a new community are only some of the myriad problems she has to face. Meanwhile, Josiah has his own issues to deal with one of which is a persistent cough. As they navigate their many problems, they come to rely on each other more than they ever thought they could. How can Josiah possibly love Lindie when even her fiance couldn't?

I could not put this book down and read it in a couple of days. It was just sooo good! I was pulled in right from the get go so be prepared for a reading frenzy. haha I think Lindie was the best part of the book. She seemed so normal with how she was dealing with her pregnancy and marriage, and I loved the focus of this book on trusting in God no matter the circumstances. What a great story of how God can redeem anything!

I was given this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Amish Groom

The Amish Groom by Mindy Starns Clark and Susan Meissner is the first book in The Men of Lancaster County series. I loved this story!! There were so many dynamics, and I liked the plot idea. Actually, it's the best Amish fiction book I've read in a long time. Needless to say, I can't wait for the others in the series! If you've grown tired of Amish fiction, then this is the book for you. :-) I enjoyed reading from a guy's perspective. A nice change of pace.

Tyler Anderson lived Englisch for six years, but when his Amish born and raised Mother died his dad left him with his Amish grandparents. Since his dad was in the military, he left him there for five years before coming back for him. Married. With a toddler. Feeling like they didn't really want or need him, he said he would rather stay with his grandparents. But now twelve years later he is filled with confusion and doubt about who he really is. When his dad needs his help, it's the perfect opportunity for Tyler to figure out if he is Englisch or Amish so he flies to California for a month to watch his fourteen year old brother while his parents are out of the country.

Leaving his love behind is one of the hardest things for Tyler. Rachel is already a baptized member of the church so if he finds out he is Englisch he will lose her forever. But what about his half-brother and dad? How can he make it all work out? Praying and trusting God, Tyler becomes sure of his path.

I couldn't put this book down!! Sooo good. I liked the resolution of the story. Somehow the authors wrapped it all up perfectly. Plus, they made it a satisfying ending even when I was kind of wanting a different ending. haha I highly recommend this story! If you've never read Amish fiction, this is a great one to start off with, and if you are already a fan of Amish books then you will love this story.

I was given this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: An Amish Miracle

An Amish Miracle is a collection of three Amish novellas by Beth Wiseman, Ruth Reid, and Mary Ellis. I really enjoyed these stories, and I loved the length of them all. I liked how all the stories connected so you could still hear about the other characters.

Always in My Heart by Mary Ellis follows the story of Hope Bowman. When she has her fourth daughter, she becomes convinced that God is punishing her for giving up her son at sixteen. Hope doesn't know if she can handle the pain of it all anymore. She decides to finally tell her husband the truth, and when she does amazing things begin to happen. I really enjoyed this story of forgiveness and hope. It was filled with so much raw emotion for everyone involved. But the ending was too abrupt for me. I really thought there would be another chapter!

Always His Providence by Ruth Reid is about Ruth Hostetler, a widower for the last two years, who is facing the loss of her farm. Determined to keep her home, Ruth does everything she can to raise the money without telling anyone, but when all her efforts start crumbling around her Ruth is left with only one option. Moving. I think this novella is my favorite out of the three. Ruth is such a believable character! Sometimes it can be so easy to rely on ourselves more than God, and this story was a great reminder to always trust in the One who never fails.

Always Beautiful by Beth Wiseman tells the story of Becky Byler. Becky has always struggled with her weight, but all that changed one day when she asked God for a miracle. Once she started losing weight, Becky began to change but not for the better. Is being thin really that important? Or should she worry more about who she is on the inside? I enjoyed the suspense of which guy Becky would choose, but this story was my least favorite.

If you are a fan of Amish fiction, you will like this book. :-)

I was given this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Plain Peace

Plain Peace is the sixth book in the Daughters of the Promise series. I loved this story. The characters were interesting and had some real depth to them.

Anna Byler is the granddaughter of a very strict Old Order Amish bishop. Even though she knows he can be unreasonable she has seen his love and compassion and aches when others view him wrongly. When she meets and falls in love with Jacob Hostetler, everything seems perfect. But then out of a misunderstanding, her grandfather forbids her to see Jacob again. Anna is faced with going behind his back or obeying his wishes and possibly losing Jacob. She doesn't want to end up like her grandmother who is always keeping secrets, but she feels like she has no choice.

Jacob's family has moved  to Paradise to escape from the constant sadness and memories of their home in Ohio. As they all struggle to come to terms with their oldest daughter/sister dying, they begin to find some hope amidst the grief except for Jacob's father who is so fraught with grief that he barely acknowledges anyone. Then Jacob meets Anna who is everything he has ever dreamed of. How can he convince the Bishop to let him court her?

This was a very good read. The best part of the story to me was the push toward forgiveness and how important and valuable it it to everyone involved. It's so much easier to forgive someone else that it is to forgive yourself, and the author portrayed the angst of the person very realistically.

I was given this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

Review: A Christmas Gift for Rose

A Christmas Gift for Rose by Tricia Goyer is an Amish novella packaged in a cute little hardback book that's perfect for gifts. I love little books like this! I love to use them as decorations during the holidays. :-)

Rose Yoder has been through a lot ever since her intended, Jonathan Fisher, voluntarily joined the army and served as a medic overseas during WWII. While he was away, she had to deal with visits from the Bishop and whispers and stares from everyone in her community. Now the war is over and Jonathan has returned, but Rose is just as confused as ever. How can she trust her life to someone who went to the world?

As Rose struggles to know what to do, she finds out a devastating truth. She is really Englisch! Will the community and most importantly, Jonathan, accept her Englisch heritage and let her stay on as Amish? Or will she have to leave and forge a new life?

How Rose came to live with her Amish family is actually based on a true story! Isn't that fascinating?! It was an interesting and enjoyable read. :-)

I was given this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Secret Keeper

The Secret Keeper by Beverly Lewis is the fourth in the Home to Hickory Hollow series. Each book in this series can stand alone. :-) I loved the premise of this story! I loved the premise of this story, but because of the main character it rates a 3.5 to me. :-)

Jennifer Burns has never felt like she fit in with her family. She has been intrigued with the Amish way of life for years and decides to leave her modern life behind and become Amish. During her Proving time, Jenny stays with Samuel and Rebecca Lapp where she works hard to become a submissive, humble woman like all the other women in the Hollow.

Rebecca Lapp has been visiting her shunned daughter, Katie. When Jenny finds out, Rebecca begs her to keep the secret for her. Jenny is uncertain what to do. She doesn't want to betray Rebecca, but she will fail her Proving if she keeps the secret from the Bishop. Will she ever become Amish?

I loved revisiting the Lapp family and getting to see glimpses of Katie and her children. Plus, I loved the ending. There was finally some closure for them all! :-) I also liked the lessons that Jenny learned along the way. In fact, the ending was what made me like Jenny! I struggled with her at first. It wasn't till about halfway through the book that I slowly started to like her. haha Overall, it was a good read. :-)

I was given this book free from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.