Book Review~His Guilt

About the Book: 

A suspenseful tale of an Amish man who will risk all to protect the woman he loves.

Mark Fisher has returned home to Hart County, determined to put the past behind him. Two years ago, after being wrongly accused of assault, he left the Amish community, though never forgot his home. When the one person who had helped him through his rough times asks for help, Mark returns. But it is pretty Waneta Cain who makes him want to stay...

Neeta is one of the few people in Hart County who doesn't believe Mark is guilty of hurting anyone. However, his worldliness and tough exterior do make her uneasy. As she begins to see the real man behind all the gossip and prejudice, she wonders if he is the man for her.

Just when Mark starts to believe a new life is possible, a close friend of Neeta's is attacked. Once again, everyone in the community seems to believe he is guilty. But what hurts most is Neeta's sudden wariness around him. When another woman is hurt, a woman who is close to both Neeta and himself, Mark fears he knows the real culprit. And time is running out. Will Mark be able to find him before Neeta becomes his next victim?

About the Author: 

Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.

   

What I Thought:

His Guilt is the second book in The Amish of Hart County series by Shelley Shepard Gray. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, Her Secret. Sometimes in a series a second book doesn't live up to the first-not in this case. His Guilt was just as exciting and kept my attention from start to finish. Taking place in Kentucky, these stories aren't your typical Amish fiction setting of sprawling farms and farmhouses. Also, the books are a bit more edgy in their topics. Her Secret was about a stalker, and His Guilt is about women being attacked. As always, God and faith in Him is a central theme.

I read His Guilt quickly, because I wanted to find out how it ended!  Ms. Gray always does such a great job with making the characters easy to relate to, like you know them. She is also great at keeping you guessing until the very end. This is a great mystery, with some romance as well! My heart broke for Mark, as he had such a rough life so far. I highly recommend His Guilt! The books in this series are individual stories, so you don't have to read them in order. At the end of the book is a P.S. section with facts and questions for discussion.

Read more reviews of His Guilt at Litfuse.  Learn more about the author and this book, including purchasing information, at her website.

*Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review and Author Giveaway~ A Letter from Lancaster County

About the Book:
Two sisters get a second chance at life and love.
Angela—Her mother’s untimely death, a struggling marriage, a strained relationship with her sister, Rose, and regrets over what might have been haunt her. Despite being a wife and mother, she feels she has little to show for her life.
Rose—Still single, she longs for a husband and children. But Angela has all that and still isn’t happy. Rose wants to be closer to her older sister, but she and Angela couldn’t be more different. Both strong women, will their sibling rivalry ever end?

When a letter arrives from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Angela and Rose decide to visit Aunt Silvia, their mother’s Mennonite sister, in the heart of Amish country. This vacation could provide the opportunity both sisters need to sort out their issues. And yet instead of finding a new way of connecting with each other, Angela and Rose discover surprising family secrets that add to their strife and threaten Rose’s romance with a new beau.
Through it all, the two sisters must find the faith necessary to face their personal problems and allow God to restore hope and healing to their hearts and relationship as only He can.

About the Author: 

Kate Lloyd is a bestselling novelist whose books include "A Portrait of Marguerite" and the Legacy of Lancaster trilogy. A native of Baltimore, she enjoys spending time with friends and family in rural Pennsylvania and is a member of the Lancaster County Mennonite Historical Society. She now resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.

What I Thought: 
A Letter from Lancaster County was an enjoyable read. It was not as saturated with Amish as most Amish fiction is. The main story takes place in Amish country, but is about two sisters visiting their aunt, and the different issues they are encountering in their lives. Amish people are intertwined in the story, as the girls' mother grew up among the Amish. Their mother's recent death has left the girls curious about her life before she became their mother.

I enjoyed the way A Letter from Lancaster County was written. It was written from both sisters' points of view, both Angela and Rose. The chapters alternate between the two sisters. The girls are very different, and so it was interesting to hear each of their interpretation and feelings of the same event. The story moved along at a good pace, not losing my interest at any point. There is much emotion, from grieving and sibling rivalry to romance and jealousy. Trusting God to guide towards healing is an important theme to the story. At the back of the book are discussion questions.

Read more reviews at Litfuse. Visit the author's website to learn more about this book and others, and to purchase your own copy.

*I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

AUTHOR GIVEAWAY!!
.
Will their sibling rivalry get in the way of these two sisters' chances at life and love? Find out in Kate Lloyd's new book, A Letter from Lancaster County. When a letter arrives from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Angela and Rose decide to visit their mother's Mennonite sister in the heart of Amish country. Angela and Rose discover surprising family secrets that add to their strife and threaten Rose's romance with a new beau. Through it all, the two sisters must find the faith necessary to face their personal problems and allow God to restore hope and healing to their hearts and relationship as only He can.

Celebrate the release of Kate's new book by entering to win her Two Sisters, Two Winners Giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Letter from Lancaster County
• A Kindle Fire

Another grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Letter from Lancaster County
• A queen-size Amish quilt

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on July 27. The winner will be announced July 28 on the Litfuse blog.

Product Review~Stockpile

I have always been intrigued by the stock market, but have never purchased stocks. The process and all the choices have always seemed overwhelming. I didn't know where to start! I recently had the opportunity to try out Stockpile and my thinking has changed! 

I received a gift card to purchase stock at www.stockpile.com and the process was easy and educational! On the website there are lots of tutorials to help you, including a quick start guide. I learned so much!  Here is the link to learn all about the process: https://learn.stockpile.com/

First I checked out all the different kinds of stocks available. Stockpile has them broken down into categories so you can invest in something that interests you. I picked one of their newer stocks, and was able to get a little over one share. You can buy partial shares, which is nice especially for the more expensive stocks. My stock went down a little at first, but is now climbing again. It is very easy to sign on and check how your investment is doing, including a graph that shows increases and decreases over time. You can also transfer your balance to a different stock or stocks any time. 

I have been very impressed with Stockpile. They made the stock buying process very simple. I'm excited to continue on with my stock and adding to it! I think a gift of stock would be great for so many people, especially young adults and kids. If you are interested in trying out Stockpile, I have a great offer for you! If you use my link to sign up by July 30, you will get $5 of free stock! Here is the link: http://bit.ly/2qWNOCc

Helpful links: 

• www.stockpile.com
• www.twitter.com/stockpile
• Learn.stockpile.com

“In exchange for my honest and unbiased review, I received a $25 gift card to try out Stockpile. This post contains a referral link. I am not a market professional and not responsible for gains or losses that you may experience. I am not affiliated with or own an investment in any company or brand mentioned, and have no plans to do so. Securities products are not FDIC insured. Not bank guaranteed. May lose value.”

Product Review~Ozeri BP01K CardioTech Pro Series Digital Blood Pressure Monitor

I have to take my blood pressure regularly due to a medical condition where it can swing both high and low. I've always had an upper arm monitor, which is big and bulky. So I was excited at the opportunity to review the Ozeri BP01K CardioTech Pro Series Digital Blood Pressure Monitor, as it is taken on the wrist. The way this monitor is configured, it is less bulky and quicker to take the blood pressure. This is what you receive when you order the Ozeri BP01K Monitor:

Included in the box is the monitor, instruction booklet, storage case, and batteries to get you started. The instruction booklet is very informative, with detailed instructions and illustrations. This Ozeri blood pressure monitor is advanced in that it has measure while inflate technology. This means that it automatically inflates to the appropriate level, instead of a set level as other monitors do. This reduces measurement time, especially for people like me who have fluctuations in their blood pressure. The CardioTech monitor stores 180 blood pressure readings with date and time memory for one user, or 90 readings for two different users. This is especially handy when your doctor would like to know what your readings have been since your last visit. It also gives you an average of your most recent three readings, and alerts you to Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).

In the picture above, you will see a line broken up into red, yellow, and green. Each reading is classified according to the World Health Organization hypertension guidelines. I like being able to look right over at that line and see if I'm within a normal range. The picture below is of me holding my CardioTech monitor in its case-it is surprisingly compact! I can easily stick it in my purse to use if needed.

I have been completely satisfied with my Ozeri BP01K CardioTech Pro Series Digital Blood Pressure Monitor. With only 3 buttons to push, it is very easy to use yet does so much. My favorite features are the memory storage and how compact it is. Prior to receiving this blood pressure monitor, I did not realize it was possible to take blood pressure readings on your wrist. I find it much more comfortable.  You can purchase your own Ozeri BP01K blood pressure monitor at Amazon. Another great feature is that it comes with a 5 year warranty, so you have nothing to lose.

*Disclosure: I received this product in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.