Book Review~A Miracle of Hope

A Miracle of Hope is an Amish Wonders novel by author Ruth Reid.  Lindie Wyse is Amish, unmarried, and pregnant.  She accepts an offer to marry fellow Amish widower Josiah Plank in Michigan.  This is to be an arrangement 'in name only', and Lindie would be expected to care for Josiah's eight-year-old daughter Hannah, who is deaf. 

After arriving, Lindie, who is suffering terrible nausea, realizes she has taken on more than she imagined.  Being a 'wife' to a man still suffering the loss of his beloved wife, and trying to communicate with a deaf child with special needs is almost too much for her.  Together, Josiah and Lindie have to learn to communicate and care for their new family.  Their hearts begin to soften, and soon they are hit with terrible news.

I have read books by Ruth Reid in the past, and enjoyed them.  But I must say, hands down A Miracle of Hope is my favorite.  The storyline  about an arranged, loveless marriage was fascinating. Lindie's pregnancy and how she became pregnant were a big part of the story that focused on forgiveness.  I loved the characters of Lindie and Josiah, both such sweet, kind people. I truly could not put this book down, and loved every word!

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

Book Review~One Light Still Shines

The nation was shocked seven years ago when a man entered an Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania and shot ten girls.  I remember wondering how something like this could happen, especially to such peaceful, non-violent people?  The nation grieved with the Amish community, and was amazed to find out that the Amish involved actually reached out to the wife of the shooter, concerned for her and her family.  I remember being very touched by that gesture, and it made me start thinking differently when I hear of a horrible event such as a shooting.  Ever since the Amish Schoolhouse shooting, I remind myself of the grief the family of the shooter/person responsible also must be going through and remember to pray for them as well. 

Marie Monville is the wife of the Amish Schoolhouse shooter.  She wrote the book One Light Still Shines-My Life Beyond the Shadow of the Amish Schoolhouse Shooting along with Cindy Lambert, telling her account of that horrible day and the aftermath.  Now remarried, the author goes deep into her thoughts and feelings as her world fell apart.  She shares how God was there for her when she didn't think she could keep going, and how she and her children rebuilt their lives. 

I was deeply touched by One Light Still Shines.  Marie Monville is a very brave woman, and she opens up to share the most heart wrenching time of her life with her readers.  I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and feel I have a better understanding of the events now.  The only thing I had a hard time with was how the book jumped back and forth in time, which did get confusing.  I do realize, however, that writing it in this format may have been the best way to tell the story.  I definitely recommend this book, full of sadness but also deliverance, redemption, and forgiveness.

*Disclosure: I received this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Book Review~A Hopeful Heart

Hannah is a widowed Amish mother.  Her brother-n-law Joshua helps her run the horse farm her husband started, and he also secretly loves Hannah.   Hannah would love to be married again, yet hasn't found the right Amish man.  She works at the Lancaster Grand Hotel, and meets an English man, Trey.  Trey is a widower, and the two have an instant connection.  As their friendship builds, Hannah finds herself at the scrutiny of her family and community, yet she longs to follow her heart. 


Amy Clipston is one of my favorite Amish authors.  Her latest book is A Hopeful Heart, book one in the Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series. Once again, Amy Clipston has written a wonderful story that pulled me in and kept me on the edge of my seat.  She has such a talent at keeping readers engaged in the story, and I love her characters.  I definitely recommend this book, and can't wait for the next book in the series! 

For more information, visit the author's website: www.amyclipston.com.  You can purchase A Hopeful Heart at retailers nationwide.  Click here to purchase on Amazon.







*Disclosure: I received this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Book Review~Letters to Katie

Letters to Katie is part of the Middlefield Family Novel series by author Kathleen Fuller.  Katie is a young Amish woman who is not yet married, while most of her friends are married and having babies.  She has always loved Johnny, since their childhood, but he acts like they are just friends.  He really does love her, but wants to get his business up and running successfully before he courts Katie.  Soon Katie becomes ill , which makes Johnny realize he cannot wait any longer to profess his love.  But a stranger arrives who claims he and Katie have been writing to each other.  Katie is having trouble remembering due to her illness. 

I enjoyed Letters to Katie.  I've enjoyed other books I've read by Kathleen Fuller.  They aren't 'edge of your seat' type books for me, but just nice Amish love stories.  I recommend reading Letters to Katie-it is nice for a relaxing weekend read. 

*Disclosure: I received this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Review~Threads of Grace

Threads of Grace by Kelly Long is a new book in the Patch of Heaven series.  The main character is Grace Beiler, a newly widowed young Amish mother.  She recently relocated to Pine Creek, Pennsylvania, having fled a haunting past.  There she meets Seth Wyse, who has strong feelings for her.  Her late husband's will reveals troubling restrictions regarding her son's future, and Seth steps in to help her, despite her hardened and hurt heart.

I enjoyed Threads of Grace.  The storyline was interesting with Grace being older than Seth and widowed.  Her son being Autistic was a different element to the story as well.  Threads of Grace was a story with good lessons in grace, love, and trust.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Book Review~An Amish Kitchen

An Amish Kitchen is compiled of three Amish novellas: A Taste of Faith by Kelly Long,  A Spoonful of Love by Amy Clipston, and A Recipe for Hope by Beth Wiseman.  I have previously read and enjoyed books by all three authors, so I knew I was in for some good reading time!

If you've ever read Amish fiction or information about the Amish, then you know the kitchen is the heart of the Amish home. These three stories intertwine their characters and location, centering around the tight-knit community of Paradise, Pennsylvania.

In A Taste of Faith, Fern Zook is blessed with a green thumb, learning how to heal with plants and herbs from her beloved grandmother.  Her neighbor Abram Fisher is frequently needing her help while he cares for his younger siblings, and a spark of romance is blossoming between them.

In A Spoonful of Love, Hannah King is busy running her parent's bed and breakfast, Paradise Inn.  As she dreams of finding love, a handsome young Amish man from out of town arrives to stay at the Inn.  Is he the man of her dreams?

In A Recipe for Hope, Eve Bender struggles with her relationship with her mother.  After a storm forces Eve's family to temporarily move in with her parents, tensions increase between them.  Will Eve and her mother be able to heal old wounds and mend their relationship?

An Amish Kitchen contains a glossary of Amish words, Reading Group Guides, and 45 Old Order Amish recipes!  There are even herbal medicinal recipes from A Taste of Faith.  An Amish Kitchen is an enjoyable, heartwarming collection of stories!

*Disclosure: I received this book free of charge from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review~A Marriage of the Heart by Kelly Long

A Marriage of the Heart is a collection of three previously released novellas by author Kelly Long.  I enjoy reading novellas-they are long enough to get deep enough into a story, but not as long as a regular novel-perfect for a relaxing Sunday afternoon!  I have enjoyed books written by Kelly Long in the past, and A Marriage of the Heart was another enjoyable read. 

The first novella in the book, A Perfect Secret, is about Rose Bender and Luke Lantz.  They have been lifelong friends, so it seemed only natural that they would marry, and plan to do so.  Suddenly Rose discovers a secret about Luke that makes her think she never really knew him.  Should she marry him?  The second novella is titled Christmas Cradles, and is the story of Anna Stolis and Asa Lapp.  As Asa assists Anna with multiple births on Christmas night, the two learn to trust in God's plan for their futures.  The final novella is A Marriage of the Heart, which follows the sudden marriage of Abigail Kauffman and Joseph Lambert.  They didn't marry for love, and wonder if they will ever have feelings for each other.

Along with the three novellas, A Marriage of the Heart includes reading group guides and some yummy recipes!

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

Book Review~His Love Endures Forever

Book Description: An unplanned pregnancy. An absent father. Can love really endure all things?


Danielle Kent is anything but Amish. But as destiny would have it, she has fallen in love with an Amish man.

Now she’s 18, pregnant, and hopeful that the child’s Amish father—Matthew Lapp—will do the right thing and marry her. She knows Matthew plans to leave his Colorado settlement for a life in the Englisch world. But that plan never included a baby.

When Matthew walks away from her and their unborn child, she has nowhere to turn. Her unlikely friendship with Levi offers some comfort—yet they have so little in common. This wasn’t the plan she had for her life, and she has never felt so alone. She doesn’t want to be pregnant. Doesn’t want to be Amish. Doesn’t want to trust God.

And yet.

God has plans beyond what her mind can imagine . . . loving plans to show a lost young woman that His love never fails but endures forever.

My Thoughts: His Love Endures Forever is the third book in the Land of Canaan series by Beth Wiseman.  I'm a big fan of this author, she is an amazing storyteller.  I devoured the first two books in the series, Seek Me With All Your Heart and The Wonder of Your Love, and couldn't wait for this book to be published!  Usually, it takes me a while to get 'into' a story, but every book by Beth Wiseman that I have read, including this one, engages me immediately and I read it in record time.  The Colorado setting is different from most Amish fiction, and the characters are well developed.  The theme of God's unending love for us, no matter what we do, is woven throughout the story. I believe you could read this book by itself without having read the first two, but I highly suggest reading the first two as well!  His Love Endures Forever is a wonderful, heart-warming book. 

Disclosure: I received this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review~The Reason

Looking for a book you won't be able to put down?  If you are looking for a real page turner, I suggest reading The Reason by William Sirls.  In a small Michigan town, lightning hits the church's wooden cross and splits it in two.  This event is the beginning of a riveting story about everyday people dealing with life's problems.  The church's minister hears the words, 'only believe.'   The Reason is about learning to 'only believe', and find God amidst their troubles.  The story and characters were so deep-it will make you feel so many emotions!  

This is Mr. Sirls' debut novel, which I was very surprised to learn. There are author's notes, a reading group guide, and an interview with the author in the back of the book.  I think The Reason would make an excellent book club choice.  I highly recommend this book!

*Disclaimer: I received this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review~Brush of Angel's Wings

Brush of Angel's Wings by Ruth Reid is the second novel from the 'A Heaven on Earth' series.  I previously read the first in this series, The Promise of an Angel, and very much enjoyed Ruth Reid's talent as a writer.  Brush of Angel's Wings was just as enjoyable!

Rachel Hartzler is young Amish woman who has no prospects of marriage, and she is past the prime time when young women marry in her old-order Amish community.  She is dedicated to her parents, who suffered the loss of their only son in an accident.  The youngest daughter, Rachel has stepped in to help her father with the farm chores her brother used to do.  She is not good at, and has no interest in, womanly chores of cooking, cleaning and sewing. 

Jordan Engles, whose mother had been Amish, arrived in town after his mother's death.  Having never been raised Amish, he had promised his mother he would give his Amish roots a chance.  He has no intention of becoming Amish, but finds work at the Hartzler farm, taking over Rachel's farm chores.  The two dislike each other immediately, and the story follows them as they try to discover God's will for their lives. 

Throughout Brush of Angel's Wings, an angel is watching over Rachel and Jordan and interceding where necessary. The story is full of emotion and twists and turns-a book I had a hard time putting down!

*Disclaimer: I received this book from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review~An Amish Wedding

An Amish Wedding is comprised of three novellas written by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, and Kelly Long about the busy Amish wedding season.  I've read two other collections like this one written by these talented  authors, so I knew I was in for some good reading!!  You might think that with three separate stories the characters couldn't be very developed, but that's what is great about this book-each of the individual stories are intertwined. 

In The Perfect Secret by Kelly Long, Rose is preparing for her upcoming wedding to Luke, her best friend since childhood.  She has some doubts and longs for mystery and excitement.  Mystery finds her, and it threatens her engagement. 

In The Perfect Match by Kathleen Fuller, Naomi is an independent single Amish woman helping her sister Priscilla prepare for her wedding.  Having had her heart broken a few years back, she is not looking for love herself.  She has to learn to accept God's will in her life and open her heart to love again. 

In A Perfect Plan by Beth Wiseman, Priscilla (Naomi's sister and Rose's close friend) is in the final weeks before her wedding.  Things are going wrong every time she turns around, and she and her fiance Chester question if they should be getting married. 

I love Amish fiction, and An Amish Wedding lived up to my expectations.  It is an easy read, hard to put down, and interesting to see how each of the authors intertwines the characters. There is a glossary at the front of the book to help you with some of the Amish dialect, and the back of the book has a Reading Group Guide and some yummy-sounding Amish recipes that were mentioned in the stories.

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange from Booksneeze for my honest review.

Book Review-The Wonder of Your Love by Beth Wiseman

Katie Ann Stoltzfus is a 40-year-old Amish widow with a new baby to raise alone. She lives in Canaan, Colorado, which has a small Amish community. She has several close friends and family there, but wonders how she will raise Jonas as a single parent.  At her nephew's wedding, she meets Eli Detweiler, an Amish widower who is in town for the wedding. He has already raised six children as a single parent, and now as an empty-nester, is looking forward to this new, slower-paced time in his life.  There is an instant, strong connection between Katie Ann and Eli, yet neither of them can imagine that a relationship would ever work out.  They both question whether their own plans are the same as God's plans for them.

The Wonder of Your Love is the second book in The Land of Canaan series by Beth Wiseman.  I read the first book, Seek Me With All Your Heart, earlier in the year and just loved it.  So I was quite excited to receive The Wonder of Your Love to read and review.  Beth Wiseman is one of my favorite Amish authors, and she did an outstanding job once again with this novel!  I enjoyed reading about the Amish in a different setting than they normally are in back east.  The characters in The Land of Canaan are genuine and well developed, and the story line kept me from wanting to put the book down!  The Wonder of Your Love is an excellent book, and I hope Ms. Wiseman will be coming out with a third book in The Land of Canaan series soon!  Disclaimer:  I received this book from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review~'Treasuring Emma' by Kathleen Fuller

Emma is a single young Amish woman who has been through much heartache.  Both of her parents have passed away, and Adam, the boy she loves, has left her and the Amish church to live in the modern English world.  Being plain-looking and heavyset, Emma doesn't hold out much hope for finding love. She is buried in medical bills from her mother's cancer, and is worried how she and her aging grandmother, who she lives with, will survive. Her relationship with her sister is strained, and her sister is trying to push Emma into a new business together.  Emma's grandmother continually encourages her to stay strong in her faith and trust God's will for her life.When Adam returns and a mysterious new man comes to town and shows interest in Emma, she is more confused than ever. 

'Treasuring Emma' was fun to read-it was very suspenseful and had lots of twists and turns in the story.  I'm looking forward to reading more from the Middlefield Family series by Kathleen Fuller.  I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.