Book Review~His Risk

About the Book:

Calvin Fisher left the Amish community at fourteen and never looked back. Only his brother’s illness can bring him back to Hart County. Now, as Calvin works to make amends, he meets Alice, a local nursery school teacher, and falls hard for her. But he has a secret that could threaten the happiness he’s finally found.

Alice shouldn’t like—or want—Calvin. He’s English, has a questionable past, and an even more questionable job. Still, she can’t help being intrigued. Though Calvin assures Alice that he’s worthy of her, she’s torn between surrendering to her growing feelings and steering clear of him.

When a sudden surge of criminal activity alarms the community and even targets Alice, Calvin fears that his double life has put everyone he loves at risk. As for Alice, she can’t help but wonder if the brave and honorable man she’s lost her heart to is far more dangerous than she could ever imagine.

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 Risk is the third book in author Shelley Shepard Gray's series The Amish of Hart County. I read the first three books in the series and enjoyed them. The Kentucky location is different from your typical rolling farmlands of the Amish in Pennsylvania or Ohio. In this series, each book has had some sort of criminal activity that a member or members of the Amish community is affected by. 

Shelley Shepard Gray is one of my favorite Amish fiction authors. She is such a talented storyteller, and I always feel like I really get to know the characters in the book. His Risk was another great story with excitement, suspense, and a little romance. 

Something I really like in most of Shelley Shepard Gray's books are the P.S. section at the back. It contains About the Author, A Letter from the Author, Discussion Questions, and a Sneak Peak at the next book in the series. I can learn a lot of background into how the story came about and the research that went into it. 

Although His Risk is part of a series, I think it can be read by itself with no problem. For maximum enjoyment, though, I suggest reading all of The Amish of Hart County series. I highly recommend His Risk and I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

You can read more reviews of His Risk at Litfuse. 

To learn more about the book, the author, and where to purchase your own copy, visit Shelley Shepard Gray's website.



Enter to win a copy of His Risk. Five winners will be chosen! Click the image below to enter to win. The winners will be announced March 28 on the Litfuse blog!

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

Book Review and Author Giveaway~Keturah

About the Book: 

Keturah (The Sugar Baron’s Daughters) (Bethany House, February 2018)

In 1772 England, Lady Keturah Banning Tomlinson and her sisters find themselves the heiresses of their father’s estates and know they have one option: Go to the West Indies to save what is left of their heritage.

Although it flies against all the conventions, they’re determined to make their own way in the world. But once they arrive in the Caribbean, conventions are the least of their concerns. On the infamous island of Nevis, the sisters discover the legacy of the legendary sugar barons has vastly declined–and that’s just the start of what their eyes are opened to in this harsh and unfamiliar world.

Keturah never intends to put herself at the mercy of a man again, but every man on the island seems to be trying to win her hand and, with it, the ownership of her plantation. She could desperately use an ally, but even an unexpected reunion with a childhood friend leaves her questioning his motives.

To keep her family together and save the plantation that is her last chance at providing for them, can Keturah ever surrender her stubbornness and guarded heart to God and find the healing and love awaiting her?

About the Author: 

Lisa T. Bergren has published more than 40 books with more than 3 million books sold combined. She's the author of the Christy Award-winning "Waterfall," RITA®-finalist "Firestorm," bestselling "God Gave Us You," and popular historical series like Homeward, Grand Tour, and more. She's also a recipient of the RT Lifetime Achievement Award. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and three teen-and-older children. Visit her website http://lisatawnbergren.com

What I Thought: 

Keturah is the first book in author Lisa T. Bergren's new series, The Sugar Baron's Daughters. I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down. I enjoy reading historical fiction, especially when the main character is a strong woman who is willing to do whatever she needs to do, even if it doesn't fit society's view of women for the time period. 

The settings of the story were exciting-first the long, grueling trip on the ship, and then the lush, tropical islands. I could not imagine being a woman wearing all the long skirts and petticoats in that tropical humidity! I was both fascinated and saddened by the treatment of the slaves, and how women were disregarded and disrespected. 

Keturah was determined to provide for her sisters and not lose what their father had worked for, but she also struggled with letting down her walls to let God lead her path. This is a lesson many of us can learn from. Having suffered an abusive marriage, she also must learn to open her heart to love again. 

At the back of the book are Historical Notes, which I found very interesting. When reading a Historical Fiction story, I'm always amazed at the amount of research that the author must do to write the book. I strongly recommend reading Keturah, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

You can learn more and purchase your own copy of Keturah at the author's website.  More reviews of this book are available at Litfuse.

Author Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of Keturah. Five winners will be chosen! Click the image below to enter to win. The winners will be announced March 13 on the Litfuse blog! .

* I received a copy of this book free from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review~Seeds of Hope

About the Book: 

Miriam Troyer has had a secret crush on Mark Byler since she was a teenager, but she knows they can never have a relationship: Mark is a big-city attorney and an Englischer. Her Amish community is too far removed from all he knows–and she loves her quiet way of life.

Mark has always loved his visits to his grandfather’s farm, but he’s convinced the Amish life isn’t for him. There’s so much of the world to see and experience, and the excitement of his successful law practice can’t be matched by the slow pace of life found back home in the country.

But when things go wrong and his firm distances itself from him to try to save themselves, Mark finds himself back at his grandfather’s farm. Could life in this simple world be worth living after all? Especially when the teenager he remembers has grown into a woman that could be his future. Suddenly, these two people whose lives seem so far apart may get a chance to really see each other for the first time.

About the Author: 

Barbara Cameron has a heart for writing about the spiritual values and simple joys of the Amish. She is the best-selling author of more than 40 fiction and nonfiction books, three nationally televised movies, and the winner of the first Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Her books have been nominated for Carol Awards and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award from RWA’s Faith, Hope, and Love chapter. Barbara resides in Jacksonville, Florida.  Visit her website at http://barbaracameron.com

What I Thought: 

Seeds of Hope is the first book in author Barbara Cameron's new series, Harvest of Hope. I've read a few other books of hers and have enjoyed them, but Seeds of Hope is definitely my favorite book that this author has written. Miriam is such a sweet young Amish woman, dedicated to her family and community. She will do anything for anyone, always putting others first. She takes wonderful care of an older Amish neighbor, John, who has no family nearby. 

Miriam has always had a crush on Mark, John's grandson who would visit every summer when they were children. Now an attorney in the city, Mark doesn't have much time for visiting his grandfather. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Mark returns to the farm for an extended visit, and Miriam's crush turns into much more. 

I really enjoyed Seeds of Hope, and read it quite quickly because I had to find out what happened! When two people from different worlds fall in love and being together seems impossible, of course everyone is rooting for them to end up together. Miriam and Mark had to learn to trust God to pave the way for them to have a future together. 

Seeds of Hope was a beautiful story of love, faith, family and community. At the back of the book are a glossary, discussion questions, and a recipe. I look forward to reading more from Barbara Cameron in this new series. 

Learn more about Seeds of Hope and purchase your own copy at the author's website.  Read more reviews at Litfuse.

*I received a copy of this book free from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Book Review & Author Kindle Giveaway~All Things Now Living

About the Book:

Her whole life Amy has been taught the people of New Lithisle deserve to die, but when she falls for Daniel, she determines to save him.

Sixteen-year-old Amy doesn’t like anything to die, she won’t even eat the goats or chickens her mama has butchered every fall, but she can’t let herself pity the inhabitants of New Lithisle. In a few short months the dome they built to isolate themselves from the deadly pandemic is predicted to collapse, but her whole life Amy has been taught it’s God’s will they die. They traded their souls for immunity to the swine flu virus, brought God’s curse upon themselves by adding pig genes to their own.
Then, while on a scavenging trip with her father, Amy is accidentally trapped in New Lithisle. At first her only goal is to escape, but when she meets Daniel, a New Lithisle boy, she begins to question how less-than-human the people of New Lithisle are.

Amy’s feelings grow even more conflicted when she learns she didn’t end up in New Lithisle by mistake. Her father is secretly a sympathizer, and was trying to prevent the coming destruction.

Now time is running short and Amy has to decide if she will bring the computer program her father wrote to his contact or save herself. Installing the program could prevent the dome’s collapse, but if Amy doesn’t find her father’s contact in time, she’ll die, along with everyone else.

About the Author: 

Rondi Bauer Olson is a reader and writer from Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where she lives on a hobby farm with her husband, Kurt. She has four grown children, works as a nurse, and also owns a gift shop within view of beautiful Lake Superior.

Author's website: http://rondibauerolson.weebly.com/

What I Thought: 
Although for the most part I read historical fiction, Amish fiction, and mystery/suspense, occasionally I enjoy a YA Dystopian story. All Things Now Living was a perfect story to fulfill that dystopian craving. At 253 pages, it was a quick read. This is the first book in the Seventh Daughter series, and I will definitely be continuing to read the series as the books come out.

Amy is a likeable character, a sweet girl who learns much about herself as the story goes on. Having lived quite sheltered, ending up in New Lithisle is quite eye-opening to her. She meets Daniel, who is genetically altered, something she is very much against and believes that those altered do not have souls. Through lots of action and suspense, with a little romance, the story continues with Amy trying to save the people in the dome with a computer program her father wrote.

All Things Now Living was a fun read-exciting and suspenseful, with very interesting characters. It is a story of self-discovery, and things not always being what they seem or what you've always believed. I look forward to more books in the series.

Learn more about All Things Now Living, and purchase your own copy at the author's website.  Go to Litfuse to read more reviews. 

At the book's website, there is a Teachers Guide available for the classroom, a Common Core State Standards Aligned Discussion and Project Guide for grades 7-12. 


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

Giveaway!!
While on a scavenging trip with her father, Amy is accidentally trapped in New Lithisle in Rondi Bauer Olson's All Things Now Living. At first her only goal is to escape, but when she meets Daniel, a New Lithisle boy, she begins to question how less-than-human the people of New Lithisle are. Amy's feelings grow even more conflicted when she learns she didn't end up in New Lithisle by mistake. Her father is secretly a sympathizer. Time is running short and Amy has to decide if she will bring the computer program her father wrote to his contact or save herself. Installing the program could prevent the dome's collapse, but if Amy doesn't find her father's contact in time, she'll die, along with everyone else.

Stay up all night reading this thrilling new book from Rondi and enter to win a Kindle Fire!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of All Things Now Living
• A Kindle Fire

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on December 14. The winner will be announced December 15 on the Litfuse blog.

Book Review~The Gift

About the Book:
A special Christmas story about love and blessings in the next book in the Amish of Hart County series. The Schwartz family is happy to be spending Christmas on their new farm in Hart County. But when Susanna Schwartz hears gunshots that causes her buggy to overturn, and then her little sister falls through a wooden bridge into the icy creek, it becomes clear from these dangerous “accidents” that someone wants them gone.
Neil Vance has been heartbroken ever since his parents lost their family farm. He knows it’s not the Schwartz family’s fault, but he can’t help but be resentful. Until he meets Susanna. She is kind-hearted and bold, and Neil can’t stop thinking about her pretty green eyes.
Neil thinks the accidents are just that, but Susanna’s father is convinced the Vance family is responsible. Susanna refuses to believe Neil would do anything to harm her. She’s fallen in love with him and knows he is a good man. But her family is ready to pack up and move, and time is running out to uncover the truth before someone gets hurt . . . or worse.

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:
The Gift is the third book in author Shelley Shepard Gray's series The Amish of Hart County. The three books all take place in the same county, but do not continue a story, so they can be read on their own or out of order. I did read the first two books, Her Secret and His Guilt. The other books in the series were excellent, so I had high expectations for The Gift-and once again, the author did not disappoint. Shelley Shepard Gray has been one of my favorite authors since I began reading Amish fiction. She is a talented writer, and I always read her books quickly because I cannot put them down.

There is a great amount of suspense in The Gift. The Schwartz family is being targeted by someone in the community, and Susanna is determined to figure out who before life is lost. An unlikely romance between her and Neil Vance emerges during this time, and Neil has some hard facts to face about his own family. The Gift was a great balance of romance and suspense!

At the back of the book is a PS section, including About the Author, About the Book, Questions for Discussion, two Christmas recipes for giving, and a sneak peak into the next book in the series, to be released in March 2018.

Visit the author's website for more information and to purchase your own copy of The Gift. Visit Litfuse to read more reviews of this book.

Author Giveaway!!

Click here to be taken to the entry form.

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book free from Litfuse in exchange for my review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

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.

Book Review~Her Secret

About the Book 

After a stalker went too far, Hannah Hilty and her family had no choice but to leave the bustling Amish community where she grew up. Now she’s getting a fresh start in Hart County, Kentucky…if only she wasn’t too scared to take it. Hannah has become afraid to trust anyone—even Isaac, the friendly Amish man who lives next door. She wonders if she’ll ever return to the trusting, easy-going woman she once was.
For Isaac Troyer, the beautiful girl he teasingly called “The Recluse” confuses him like no other. When he learns of her past, he knows he’s misjudged her. However, he also understands the importance of being grateful for God’s gifts, and wonders if they will ever have anything in common. But as Hannah and Isaac slowly grow closer, they realize that there’s always more to someone than meets the eye.
Just as Hannah is finally settling into her new life, and perhaps finding a new love, more secrets are revealed and tragedy strikes. Now Hannah must decide if she should run again or dare to fight for the future she has found in Hart County.

About the Author: 
 Shelley Shepard Gray is the “New York Times” and “USA Today” bestselling author of the Seasons of Sugarcreek series, the Sisters of the Heart series, and the Families of Honor series. She lives with her family in southern Ohio, where she writes full time. Before her work in the inspirational market, Gray wrote several novels as Shelley Galloway. During this time her books appeared on the Waldenbooks bestseller list, and she won “RT Book Reviews'” prestigious Reviewers’ Choice Award.
Connect with Shelley: 
Website:  http://www.shelleyshepardgray.com. 
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ShelleyShepardGray
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ShelleySGray
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shelleysgray/ 

 What I Thought: 
Shelley Shepard Gray is in the top five of my favorite Amish fiction authors. Her Secret is the first book in her new series, The Amish of Hart County. I was excited to learn that there will be six books in the series. They will be stand-alone novels, connected by their location in Hart County, Kentucky.

The author is a master storyteller, and Her Secret kept me glued to the book until I was done. It is very suspenseful, and at only 247 pages is a quick read. Two new things that I enjoyed in this book were the location-I have not read about Amish in Kentucky before, and the main storyline of an Amish girl being stalked by an Englischer.  

At the back of the book is the P.S. Section, which includes About the Author, About the Book, Q & A With the Amish, Questions for Discussion, and Facts About Hart County. I think it is great to have these extra resources, and I look forward to the next book in The Amish of Hart County. 

Read more reviews at Litfuse.  You can learn more about Her Secret and where to purchase a copy at the author's webpage. 

  

Click here for the chance to win a copy of Her Secret!

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book free from Litfuse.

Book Review~Home to Paradise & Author Chat Party

About the Book: 
Rose Anna Zook has watched her two older sisters marry two Stoltzfus men and has always thought she and John, the third Stoltzfus brother, would marry, make a home together, and have children. But John has other ideas. He’s enjoying his Rumschpringe in the Englisch world a little too much and isn’t interested in returning to the Amish community—especially to marry.
Rose Anna is determined to bring her man back into the Amish fold. John is equally determined to live his life free and unencumbered. Who will win this battle of wills? Will love prevail?

About the Author: 
Barbara Cameron has a heart for writing about the spiritual values and simple joys of the Amish. She is the best-selling author of more than 40 fiction and nonfiction books, three nationally televised movies, and the winner of the first Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Her books have been nominated for Carol Awards and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award from RWA’s Faith, Hope, and Love chapter. Barbara resides in Jacksonville, Florida. You can learn more about her on Facebook.

What I Thought: 
Home to Paradise is the final book in author Barbara Cameron's The Coming Home series. I did not read the other books in the series, but had no problem at all following the storyline and characters. It was a good standalone book. The author did a wonderful job making me feel like I truly knew the characters and the heartache Rose Anna and John were going through. The young adult Amish often struggle with the pull of the outside world, and Barbara Cameron does well in capturing this. John and Rose Anna just seem like they have to be together, as her two older sisters and his two older brothers are married. Now that I have read Home to Paradise and enjoyed it so much, I will definitely be going back to read the first two books in the series. 

You can read more reviews on this book at the Litfuse Landing Page. Visit the author's website for more information and to purchase your own copy. 


Home to Paradise, the final book in author Barbara Cameron's The Coming Home series, is not to be missed! Rose Anna Zook always thought she and John, one of Stoltzfus brothers, would marry, make a home together, and have children. But John, enjoying his Rumschpringe in the Englisch world, has other ideas. Rose Anna is determined to bring her man back into the Amish fold. John is equally determined to live his life free and unencumbered. Who will win this battle of wills? Will love prevail?

Join Barbara on Thursday, March 9, for a live author chat party on her Facebook page with fun prizes to be won! Click the graphic below for more details and to RSVP. Hope to see you there—bring a friend or two who loves Amish fiction!

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

Book Review and Author Giveaway~The Mark of the King

About the Book: After being imprisoned and branded for the death of her client, twenty-five-year-old midwife Julianne Chevalier trades her life sentence for exile to the fledgling 1720s French colony of Louisiana, where she hopes to be reunited with her brother, serving there as a soldier. To make the journey, though, women must be married, and Julianne is forced to wed a fellow convict.
When they arrive in New Orleans, there is no news of Benjamin, Julianne’s brother, and searching for answers proves dangerous. What is behind the mystery, and does military officer Marc-Paul Girard know more than he is letting on?
With her dreams of a new life shattered, Julianne must find her way in this dangerous, rugged land, despite never being able to escape the king’s mark on her shoulder that brands her a criminal beyond redemption.

Read more reviews of this book at Litfuse.

Visit the author's website to learn more and purchase a copy

About the Author: Jocelyn Green inspires faith and courage as the award-winning author of ten books to date, including Wedded to War, a Christy Award finalist in 2013; Widow of Gettysburg; Yankee in Atlanta; and The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, which she coauthored with bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman. A former military wife herself, her passion for military families informs all of her writing as well as her numerous speaking opportunities. Jocelyn graduated from Taylor University with a BA in English and now lives with her husband and two children in Iowa.

Connect with Jocelyn Green: 

 Website

 Facebook 

 Twitter

 

  What I Thought: The Mark of the King was outside of my regular genres that I read and review. Historical fiction from the 1700s is not what I usually read. I tend to get comfortable, but I am so glad I went outside of my comfort zone and read this book! Although on the long side at 395 pages, I read The Mark of the King quickly because I could not wait to find out what happened next. Julianne's life is one of tragedy after tragedy, yet she remains strong throughout a life of hardships. Her career as a midwife was fascinating. I was appalled at the living conditions of the settlers in the Louisiana Colony, and the way she was treated for the brand on her body, a brand she never should have received. Through everything, Julianne longs for a loving husband and children. I thoroughly enjoyed The Mark of the King and will be checking out other books by Jocelyn Green. 

Click here to enter to win a 5-book giveaway from Jocelyn Green. 

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review & Author Kindle Fire Giveaway~Eden The Animals' Parable

Book Description:
"Ask the animals,  and they will teach you." Job 12:7
In this beautifully inspired retelling of the Gospels, we see Jesus and his disciples in the Holy Land through the eyes of the animals-especially his intrepid and loyal dog, Eden. With a wise, old donkey, innocent lambs, and legions of curious field mice-the animals follow their master's journey across Galilee and onto Jerusalem, rapt with awe and wonder and bearing great tidings-even if they don't fully comprehend the divine events they witness. Simple, clear, and spiritually profound, Eden is for readers of all ages, this artful retelling is captivating, moving, and alive with the joy you felt the first time you opened the Bible. 

About the Author:

Keith Korman is a literary agent and novelist. Over the years he has represented many nationally-known writers of fiction and non-fiction at his family's literary agency, Raines &Raines. The idea for Eden first came to him as a child when he saw the little calf jump across the stable in the prelude to William Wyler's Ben Hur. And he's been thinking about it ever since.

Links: 

You can learn more about Eden and purchase your own copy here: https://www.edentheanimalsparable.com/book/

There is also a Facebook page for Eden: The Animals' Parable.   

More reviews are available at Litfuse.

My Thoughts: 

Eden: The Animals Parable was a delightful book to read. I really wasn't sure what to expect when I received it. It was a bit slow to start, but once the character Eden the dog was introduced, it all came together for me. I loved reading the gospel through the animals perspectives-although I know it was fiction, it gave me a fresh look at a story I already knew. The illustrations by Lisa Paris were beautiful. I think Eden would be a great book for an older child to read, as well as adults.

 Author Kindle Fire Giveaway!!

Return to the story of Jesus and read it from a new perspective in Keith Korman's Eden: The Animals' Parable. In this beautifully inspired retelling of the Gospels, we see Jesus and his disciples in the Holy Land through the eyes of the animals-especially his intrepid and loyal dog, Eden. Simple, clear, and spiritually profound, Eden is for readers of all ages, this artful retelling is captivating, moving, and alive with the joy you felt the first time you opened the Bible.

Settle in for some winter reading and enter to win a copy of Keith's book and a Kindle Fire!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Eden
• A Kindle Fire

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on January 24. The winner will be announced January 25 on Keith's blog.

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

Book Review~Christian's Hope

About the Book: When Christian Hochstetler returns to the Amish after seven years in captivity, he finds that many things have shifted.
Captured as a child during the French and Indian War, Christian has spent much of his life among Native Americans, who cared for him and taught him their ways. Now that Christian is home, his father wants him to settle back into their predictable Amish life of farming, and Christian's budding friendship with Orpha Rupp beckons him to stay as well.

Yet Christian feels restless, and he misses his adoptive Native American family---who raised him as their own son. When faced with a life-altering decision, will Christian choose the Amish identity that his father desires for him? Or will he depart from his family and faith community yet again?

Christian's Hope tells the story of the younger brother of Joseph and son of Jacob, whom readers have come to love in the first two books in the Return to Northkill series. Based on actual events and written by a descendant of the Hochstetler family, Christian's Hope brings the sweeping epic of the Return to Northkill series to a soul-stirring end.

Read more reviews at Litfuse. You can  purchase your own copy of Christian's Hope at MennoMedia Publishing.  

About the Author: 

Ervin R. Stutzman is author of Jacob's Choice, Joseph's Dilemma, Tobias of the Amish, and Emma, A Widow Among the Amish. Born into an Amish home in Kalona, Iowa, Stutzman based the Return to Northkill series on the life of his ancestor, Jacob Hochstetler. He has been featured on TLC's Who Do You Think You Are?

What I Thought: Christian's Hope is the third book in author Ervin R. Stutzman's series Return to Northkill. This book and series is different from any other Amish fiction I have read, and believe me, I've read a lot of Amish fiction!! It is historical, based on a true story, and the author is a descendant of the characters! The other way this book is different is that it is set in the 1700s during the French and Indian war. It was fascinating to read, knowing the basic story really happened. 

I did not read the first two books in the series, however I do think Christian's Hope can be a standalone book. The story lagged for me in a few areas, but I wonder if it would not have had I read the first two. I would like to go back and read them. My heart went out to Christian-here he had been raised by his Indian family most of his life, with faint memories of his early years as Amish. Suddenly thrust back with his Amish family, he misses his Indian family and is set in the Indian ways. His Amish father wants him to be content with a future as an Amish father, but he does not know that is for him. Christian is torn between two very different worlds and families, and does not know who he should be loyal to. 

I am very impressed with the amount of research this book must have taken for the author. Although I'm sure it was fascinating for him as it was his ancestors. At the back of Christian's Hope is more about the author, acknowledgements, and historical notes. If you like reading historical fiction and about the Amish, you will love this series.