The Quieting

Suzanne Woods Fisher writes some of the best Amish fiction I've read. Her books are so compelling and engrossing, they are hard to put down (and I should have been doing other things today with my time, I promise you).

Ever since David Stoltzfus has found out that Freeman Glick rigged the Bishop's lot, he's been disturbed by Bishop Glick's behavior. He spends much time in deliberation on how to deal with the situation. It's giving him an ulcer. Then his mother shows up with two of his nieces and turns his life upside down. His mother has an opinion for everything and tries to inject herself into every part of his life and his daughters' lives. One of his nieces, Abigail, is also outspoken, gruff, and knows the right way to do everything. She corrects the others without thinking how her words may injure those she cares about. It's a tough world, and it's getting tougher. On the other side of the community, David's son, Jesse, is having tools stolen while he tries to fix buggies and wagons for his neighbors. Even though David is at odds with Freeman Glick, he's falling in love with Birdy--Freeman's sister, and his mother doesn't approve. Abigail is also involved in gathering genealogical information and trades a case of bubblegum for it.

Suzanne's book reads like "A Day in the Life" type book. Lancaster County is turning itself inside out and upside down with all of the goings on. Most of the characters are familiar because they've starred in Suzanne's novels before. It feels like the reader is getting a newsy letter from a relative to keep up with all the goings on.

Five stars, two thumbs up, and a big bubble of gum!

My thanks to Revell Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

What Real Freedom Is

Connilyn Cossette is launching her first novel with fireworks and high acclaim (at least from THIS reviewer). Counted With the Stars is an incredible novel about the ten plagues of Exodus, the eviction of the Israelites from Egypt, and the true freedom found by those Egyptians who left with the Israelites.

Kiya is a young lady in a fairly wealthy family that meets an unexpected doom when her father's ships all capsize and sink. Her father sells her into slavery in order to repay his debts. He sells her to the man who was once her mother's paramour. His wife treats Kiya abominably and even though she's ont allowed to touch Kiya, she beats her within an inch of her life. Kiya continues working for the bitter woman because of her brother's physical disabilities and his artistic abilities, until the man gives her her freedom and encourages her to leave with the Israelites.

Connilyn has done her due diligence with her research. Her imagination of the effects of the plagues wove into the warp and woof of the novel seamlessly. What Connilyn has done so well it defies description is she has given a pathway to spiritual freedom through the pages of her book. She describes the pathway through obedience to God and God's acceptance of all who will follow Him wholly.

This is one of the best books I've read this year. (I know I said this before, but this one fits that bill too.) Connilyn has produced a five star books, two thumbs up, and gold gifts from the Egyptians.

My thanks to Revell Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

Simply Calligraphy

Every now and again, a person needs to read a book that is educational, productive, and enlightening. So I chose Simply Calligraphy by Judy Detrick. I like her simple directions, her easy-to-follow examples, and the beautiful font style that can come out of the hands of the person willing to practice. Each lesson helps the calligrapher get a grasp on pen angles, quality paper, ink, and pens. For a job to be done well, one must have the right tools and Judy provides great instruction for that. The next thing she covers is technique--small strokes, long strokes, connecting strokes, and punctuation. Once the reader has completed the exercises, a simple but beautiful itallic will flow of the reader's hand. It will take practice, but anything worth doing does take practice.

I rate this book five stars, two thumbs up, and a hand lettered invitation to a special occasion.

Watson-Guptill Publications provided this book in exchange for my honest opinion. No other obligations were leveed on either of us for this review.

Love Is Never Easy

The Valiant Hearts Romance Collection has nine stories that prove love is never easy. Beginning in the antibellum era and moving through to the Great Depression, these narratives describe love stories that came through the fire and survived. Sometimes the fire was war, sometimes it was more serious than that, but each time, love overcame every obstacle and triumphed.

Why do I read these stories? A friend once told me I like happy. It's true, I do. But there's something in me that NEEDS love to triumph every time. There is a love story that fights its way through wars, hardships, rebellion, and every kind of evil, and triumphs in a big way. At the end of all the struggle, a bride is dressed in eternal glory and presented to her savior husband, also dressed in eternal glory. Because love triumphed then, and triumphs still.

While I enjoyed most of the nine novellas in this compilation, there were one or two that I skimmed through because they didn't grasp my attention. The rest are fairly riveting and sometimes surprising. Solid Four Stars.

Barbour Books supplied this olio in exchange for my honest opinion. My thanks to them.

12 Brides of Summer

So Barbour Publishing took four compilations and put them under one cover. The stories in this olio are timeless and so enjoyable. Each one is a great afternoon read or bedtime read to fill in those moments when the reader doesn't want to start some project, but wants to spend the time enjoyably.

I've already reviewed these collections, so I will just repeat the reviews I've already written in no particular order.

Blue Moon Bride by Susan Page Davis. Ava meets Joe on the train while she's on her way to see her best friend, Polly. The train ride is interrupted by some train robbers who take a packet that Joe is supposed to deliver in San Francisco. Joe's ability to sketch the robbers helps catch them. Joe is intrigued by Ava and truly enjoys talking with her, and explains to her that the month they are meeting will have a blue moon--a full moon that occurs twice a month. Joe comes by often to see Ava at Polly's house and they intrigue grows to love.

The Sunbonnet Bride by Michelle Ule. Sally works for the milliner and Malcolm is a teamster who loves Sally but has never had the guts to tell her. When a tornado strikes Sally's father's farm, Sally sees how Malcolm gets his hands dirty helping those who lost so much in the storm. On the other hand, Sally sees how Josiah, the local banker, seeks to profit from other's tragedy. Sally decides to make sunbonnets to sell for the disaster relief fund and her sister Lena embroiders a tornado on the brim of the bonnets. It is at the relief auction that Malcolm finds his gumption to tell Sally how he feels.

The Wildflower Bride by Amy Lillard. Grace is standing up for her sister, Maddie, at her wedding to Harlan. As Grace walks down the aisle, she sees Ian standing with Harlan in his full Scottish regalia, it seems as though Grace has been struck by lightning. Ian is just as elecrified by Grace's appearance, but he's called to pastor a church in New York, or is he?

Mary Connealy -- A Bride Rides Herd. Betsy is babysitting her sister's rowdy, rambunctious girls when Matt comes riding up to the ranch. Matt watches Annie and Susie playing in a rather dangerous part of the river and hears Betsy yelling for the girls. Betsy doesn't quite know what to do with Matt, even though he is her sister's brother-in-law. Kissing him is such a good/bad idea, but eventually she gives in.

Amanda Cabot -- Fourth of July Bride. Naomi is worried about her mother, especially her mother's eye sight. She needs an operation, but has no way to pay for the doctor's fees, much less the rest of the costs of the operation. Gideon finds out that his mother will soon be visiting and needs a "stand-in" bride, so he offers to pay for the operation if Naomi will pretend to be his fiancee. His offer includes all the new gowns and dresses she will need.

Maureen Lang -- The Summer Harvest Bride. Sally is not looking for love, and she's certainly not looking for Willis Pollit, but when Lukas Daughton and his brothers come to town to build a new grist mill Lukas finds Sally is a sight for his sore eyes. There is a bit of sabotage to the mill and Sally believes the blame lands at Willis' feet. Maureen has woven a bit of mystery into her offering of this grouping that makes the story more interesting and more enjoyable.

Margaret Brownley's Dog Days of Summer centers around Marilee and Jed and the ownership of one dog who claims them both.

Miralee Ferrell's The Dogwood Blossom reminded me of the old movie, "Support Your Local Sheriff." Grace Addison is seen early in this novella up a tree.

Pam Hillman's The Lumberjack's Bride takes us to a lumber camp in Mississippi.

Each story has a winsomeness that draws the reader in and doesn't let go. They are easy reads for that rainy afternoon where the reader wants to cuddle up with a book, a cup of tea, and a blanket, and dream of warmer days.

In the County Fair Bride, Prudence has come home to take care of her father, but finds that he has been replaced by someone else. She is incensed because she feels he was pushed out of his job. When she finally takes the time to talk to her dad, she finds he's happier not being mayor of the town. She joins forces with the new mayor to plan and produce a county fair and to fall in love.

In the Honey Bride, Kate is deathly afraid of the bees her father ordered for the hives he got. He thought that she'd be able to make a bit of money selling the honey and beeswax that the bees produced. When her neighbor's cowhand comes to help, she is not sure if she can trust him or not, especially when a drunken man shows up on her front porch claiming that her father promised him a job.

In the Columbine Bride, Lucy is widowed with two children and fighting to hold body and soul together. Buck finds himself intrigued by the young widow and starts showing up to help out--even with her cattle round up. She hates being beholdin', but what else can she do?

These authors know how to develop a character, set them in a plot, and keep the plot moving along to engage the reader till the very end. This is a five star book, two thumbs up, and twelve afternoons to enjoy the stylings of these talented authors.

My thanks to Barbour Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

Finding the Rests

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a song written just for you.

Song of Silence by Cynthia Ruchti is the BEST book I've read this year. Seriously, the very best book I've read so far!

Lucy Tuttle has received a "Reduction in Force" letter telling her that her position in the school has been eliminated. Lucy was the music teacher for grades K-8 and introduced these children to music and the many ways it helps out in life. She shared her passion with all of them and even worked with some special needs children where music was therapeutic to their conditions.

Lucy goes through many stages of grief--denial, anger, and acceptance is a hard time coming. Her passion for music cools and she just can't find her way back. She begins counseling with Dr Hanley who understands so much of what Lucy is going through, and what she doesn't understand about Lucy's life, she knows others who do. So Dr Hanley sends Lucy to the HHATT Book Club (He's Home All The Time) where other ladies are dealing with retired husbands and trying to make everything work.

When her son, Sam comes home and tells them he is getting married, Lucy and her husband, Charlie, are beyond excited. When Sam tells them his bride is deaf, there is a bit of concern. When Sam tells them that his bride has a four-year-old autistic son, it's almost more than they can handle.

At some point, Lucy has to find her music again and Dr Hanley knows it. She gives Lucy an article to read and an assignment to listen to music ten minutes a day--music outside her normal favorite genres.

I really can't tell anymore without giving away the climax of the book. Cynthia tells a great tale with compelling characters, surprising events, and a denouement that is like smooth chocolate--so satisfying.

My thanks to Abingdon Press for allowing me to read and review this book.

No Other Will Do

I love Karen Witemeyer's writings--I love her characters and settings. Her books usually center around the male protagonist and his reluctance to fall in love. But this time, she has centered this book on the female protagonist--Emma Chandler, and the colony of women who have come together to live peaceable lives. Instead of running a women's shelter, she has created a whole town just for the women to find refuge from the abuse that comes their way, and for the women to find value in supporting themselves.

When someone comes to Harper's Station wanting the women to leave, Emma calls on Malachi Shaw and asks him to come help. So far, the outlaw has left notes around town, then he shot into the church, set the church on fire, and shot into the bank. Malachi believes that the outlaw has a cohort in town and feels that finding out who the traitor is is the first order of business.

I love the fact that the Karen has taken a biblical principle and written a novel around it. Although the reason the women show up in Harper's Station is not the reason God set up cities of refuge, the guiding principle is the same.

This is definitely a five star book, two thumbs up, and a city of refuge.

My thanks to Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book.

From This Moment

Stella Westergaard wants to find out who killed her sister, Gwendolyn, because she knows Gwendolyn did not commit suicide. So Stella is working in City Hall as a stenographer. She's compiling a list of people who fit the initials from several of her sister's letters to see if she can find an ally in determining who killed her sister, and where the graft is in City Hall.

Romulus White owns a scientific magazine and he wants Stella as an artist for the magazine. In an effort to lure Stella away from City Hall, he sends her letters inviting her to come and illustrate for him.

Elizabeth Camden has such a distinctive writing style, her subject matter is well researched, her settings are impeccable, and her characters are not to be missed. Stella has such wit and sass, Romulus is her complement--correcting her manners, guiding her through the upper echelons of Boston city government and helping her solve her mystery. While romance isn't the cornerstone of the plot, it does play a part. The true cornerstone is Gwendolyn's death and the cover-up--the corruption in City Hall.

This is a solid four star book. I liked the book quite well, but I just didn't love it.

My thanks to Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book.

Just Plain Sadie

So Amy Lillard has written this series taking place in Wells Landing, Oklahoma. The last bride in the series is Sadie Kauffman, who considers herself to be a rather non-descript, plain-looking woman. But, she's been friends with Chris Flaud almost all her life and will probably marry him, until he tells her he wants to go to Europe.

When Sadie's mamm gives her younger sister, Cora Ann, permission to add some bison meat to the family restaurant menu, Sadie meets Ezra Hein, the owner of an exotic meats ranch. The only problem with Ezra is that he's Mennonite and this creates a few dilemmas for Sadie. She begins sneaking around to see him, she convinces him that going out of town is the best way to date, and she lies to her mamm and her other sisters. At the same time, Sadie becomes the object of gossip for her own friends, and the object of scorn for Ezra's friends. It's a tough spot to be in.

Amy has proven that even nice girls go off the track once in a while, and they can give in to temptations in spite of their desires to do the right thing. Just Plain Sadie is a great book to read when you don't have a lot of time to read, it is a fast read. There are conflicts that are not easily solved, relationships taken for granted, and disasters not easily recovered from. It's a picture of Amish life when life isn't as sweet as it could be.

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a bison-stuffed pepper for dinner.

My thanks to Zebra Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

Last Promise

It's not often I will read a book that I just can't recommend. But I just can't recommend this one. Scarlett Dunn has used the romance formula to build her plot and it is almost predictable.

Mary Ann is about to be married off to someone who turns her stomach simply because her father needs the money. She leaves home in England to go to Wyoming and her uncle George. There she meets Luke McBride who is known for his womanizing, but he falls in love with her. Her father shows up and convinces her to come back home so that she can save the estate.

Last Promise is the last of a series of books about the McBride Brothers. If the ending of the book hadn't been so explicit it might have rated three stars, but I really can't rate it that high.

Zebra Publishing supplied the galley that I read in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

Some Pretty Nice Chick Lit

Last night I finished a truly nice book by Kathryn Cushman called Fading Starlight. While this is not a romance, it is chick-lit but the story it tells is so compelling in showing how to live a Christian life with the talents God has gifted.

Lauren has completed fashion design school and was the only one in the studio where she work that would do the tedious work and the work with the hard-to-get-along-with divas. When one of the divas stages a "wardrobe malfunction" by tearing a seam and exposing herself and her bikini panties and bra, Lauren is fired. One of her teachers suggested that she take a job costuming a high school play. The job also provided a rent-free cottage undergoing repairs. With nothing to hold her back, she took the job and from there the story just rockets off the page. One of her neighbors is Charlotte Montgomery, once a child star and now a recluse. Lauren works very hard to befriend Charlotte only to be rebuffed at every turn. The fly in Lauren's ointment is Kendall Joiner, a reporter for a rag newspaper, and she promises to expose the young lady who "exposed" herself in Lauren's gown IF Lauren will dish about Charlotte. At first, it seems like a good idea, but some ideas on second thought, are not as wonderful as they seem.

The story takes place in Santa Barbara with a few forays into Los Angeles, there are some pretty catty characters but they only add to the realism of the tale, and the very infancy of a romance is included just for the fun of it. The story is more about Lauren building a relationship with Charlotte and Lauren living out her faith in spite of tough times. I was so interested in this because of the sewing and designing Lauren does, of her fascination with historical fashions, and of her willingness to overlook Charlotte's crabbiness.

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a Vintage formal for your next evening out.

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers who provided the galley I read in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Hidden Inheritance

In doing some research into her family history, Heidi Neumark found a few surprises, a legacy, and a heritage that is life changing. She has written a memoir of this journey she took to find out how the past makes her who she is today.

I didn't care so much for this memoir, I got confused as to who was whom, what was where, and how it all fit together. This could be all my own fault, or my own taste, or whatever. I just couldn't get into it. I am not going to give the book a bad review, rather I would give me, the reader, the bad review.

It is no less than a four-star book.

Abingdon Press provided the book for me to read and review. My thanks and appreciation to them.

Room for Hope

Every house should have this room--the Room for Hope. Kim Vogel Sawyer has taken a rather uncommon (at least in my world) occurrence and created a compelling story that rivals anything she has written to date.

The Era: Mid-1930's Depression, when folks don't have a lot of extra money to be spending on things, when hoboes abound because there is no work to be had.

Here's the premise: Neva's husband Warren owns a mercantile in Buffalo Creek, Kansas, and then he goes out and sells goods around the area, picking up more stock in Beloit, Kansas, and coming home every other month to help out in the "brick and mortar" store. While he is away, Warren and Neva's twins, Bud and Belle, help out--Bud in the store, and Belle in the apartment. When the day comes he is supposed to come home, he doesn't show up, but a deputy from another town comes with a wagon load of furniture, three small children, and a note from her husband expecting her to take the children in. The deputy also brings news of Warren's demise.

Twist #1: The children belong to Warren, by his "wife" in the other town. It takes Neva a good, long while to bring herself to accept these children and take them into her heart.

Twist #2: Arthur Randall wants the space Neva's mercantile takes up to expand his furniture emporium. He comes off a bit abrasive and Neva's hackles go up and she gets abrasive right back in his face. (Go, Neva!)

Twist #3: The deputy. Jesse Caudel, who brings the children and furniture to Neva is now the sheriff of Buffalo Creek. Jesse takes an interest in the children, in Neva, and in her black licorice whips.

It seems there is a lot going on in this novel, but it is all necessary movement for the plot. There is no stone left unturned for the story and there are plenty of surprises in store for the reader of this book.

Neva is one woman who lived out her Christian life in a way she hopes will please God. She put out a kettle of all the left-over food after dinner for any of the hoboes who came through town and the hoboes marked her shed with a sign for other hoboes to see. She stood up and told the truth, even when it hurt her, her family, and her husband's other children. She served Thanksgiving dinner to a hobo who stole from her as an act of mercy before he was carted off to jail.

Kim has surpassed her other writings (at least the ones I've read) and written a five star book that should be nominated for some kind of award. I am not sure who is in charge of things like that, but I hope they read my blog and take note.

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a hobo sign for a kind lady on your fence post.

WaterBrook Multnomah has provided the galley that I read and required nothing more than my honest opinion. In exchange, I received nothing more than the galley to read. My thanks to WaterBrook for the fine publishing they do.

Mrs Lee and Mrs Gray

Dorothy Love has written several books during the Civil War Era and does her research so well that the readers believe they are reading a narrative of actual history. Such is the case of her newest offering--Mrs Lee and Mrs Gray is the compelling story of Mary Anna Custis Lee, wife of Robert E Lee, and Selina Norris Gray, a woman Mary Lee once owned, but befriended as closely as a very best friend.

Dorothy uses a first person perspective, going back and forth between Mary Anna and Selina, telling the story from both of their viewpoints. She giving details of their lives that make this narrative so compelling this book is hard to put down.

Both Mary Anna and Selina have such timeless and real-world issues that it is easy to relate to both ladies. Obstinate children, children dying before their times, the struggles and difficulties of living through a war that tore a country apart--those are all issues we can face or have faced, and so we can feel the feelings of these characters.

Many of the interactions between Mary Anna and Selina are letters they wrote to each other and it is easy to see how important each was to the other. The fact that Selina could read and write was due to the fact that Mary Anna taught her how, along with many of the other slaves at Arlington.

It was very late last night when I put this book down, and I could hardly wait to pick it back up again today. Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a letter from your very best friend.

My Thanks to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read and review this book.

The Beautiful Pretender

Melanie Dickerson takes old fashioned fairy tales and gives them a new twist. She doesn't make them contemporary, rather she leaves them in their own era, but fleshes out the story and adds faith to the tale to show how truly dependent we are on God. She does a dang good job of it too. The Beautiful Pretender is one such example.

Avelina is Lady Dorothea's lady's maid and when Lady Dorothea decides to elope with Sir Dietric, her father forces Avelina to masquerade as Lady Dorothea at the Margrave's castle for two weeks. The Margrave has to pick a wife, and has sent letters to ten Ladies of his realm to choose from. Every day, the Margrave sets a test for each of the ladies, beginning with introductions and interviews, to taking them into town to see how they react with those less fortunate than they are, to a couple of balls where the men are in short supply to see who is willing to sit out a dance and who is not, and at the end of two weeks he will have to announce his choice for a bride.

In this book, there are romance, developing friendships, developing jealousies, underhanded acts, trusted counselors, deceitful neighbors, mysteries, and royal interventions. It is the kind of book that nearly has to be read in one sitting, simply because it is too hard to put down.

Lady Fronicka wants to marry the Margrave, and she's willing to do whatever underhanded, sneaky, and devious thing she has to do toward that end. She seeks revenge anytime her plans are thwarted--such as horse manure in the bedsheets, tipping someone over a railing, and I am not sure if she had been given enough time, she would have poisoned someone.

Lady Magdalen has become Avelina's friend and helps her foil Lady Fronicka's deceitful ways. She is Avelina's only ally in the castle, and proves her faithfulness again and again. She is the friend every girl needs.

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a friend in the castle.

Thomas Nelson provided this book in exchange for my honest, opinionated review.

The Heart Answers

Normally I like what Colleen Coble writes. Normally. I guess this time wasn't normal, not that much of my life is normal. I had a hard time believing the characters Colleen has populated The Heart Answers. Jessica is a pampered, puffed up flibbertigibbet, who is unreliable for anything. Clay is a judgmental preacher and both are going to Fort Bridger for new lives. Jessica plays games, Clay lets first impressions rule his heart. Jessica wants to go to Boston, and Clay would like for her to be there as well. And I didn't like either one of them.

It is hard to like the book's plot when you don't like the main protagonists. I think this could be a matter of taste, that these characters weren't my thing. I won't stop reading Colleen Coble's books, I like too much of her other books to throw the baby out with the bath-water. Three stars.

Thomas Nelson provided my copy for me to read and review. I was under no obligation to say pretty things about the book, I only had to give my honest opinion.

Faith

Faith is the culmination of the Quaker Brides series by Lyn Cote. I looked back at what I said about the other two books in this series and I found this statement:

Lyn Cote writes books that describe strong women with strong faith. They are independently minded, and yet, want the same love and nurture of their friends. They need the strength of the men in their lives to lean on at times. Her books are compelling and engaging, if not inspiring. Her main characters have strength of faith and strength of convictions. Honor is no different. She can't stand to see someone in pain if she can alleviate it, she takes in a deaf child because she has learned the sign language her husband communicates with, she helps him with his business of glass-blowing, and then she deals with the runaways and the slave catchers. I loved Honor and her strength.

This is true of the book Faith as well, the women are strong in faith and convictions, persevering in the midst of the hardest circumstances. The time has moved forward to the Civil War, which was anything BUT civil. Faith is a nurse who has studied with a prominent doctor and has also studied the healing power of herbal remedies. Honoree is the sister of Faith's friend, Shiloh, who was kidnapped and sold as a slave. They have both joined with the Army to go with the hospital to nurse the wounded and to find Shiloh. In the midst of their work, they find Col. Devlin Knight who has made it his duty to see to Faith's and Honoree's safety. After the battles are fought, Faith and Honoree tend the wounded and search for clues to Shiloh's whereabouts. As they get leads, the generals in charge order Dev to accompany the ladies to find Shiloh, to no avail.

One thing that Lyn has done excellently is her research on medical procedures and the new medical knowledge coming during that time. Nearly every wound gets infected, but Faith is certain that germs enter the wounds from the dirty hands of the doctors and their instruments. There is only one doctor at the hospital who believes Faith's ideas have merit; the other doctor is curmudgeonly Dr Dyson who hates Faith and her newfangled ideas.

There is a bit of romance in the book, but it's not overwhelmingly saccharine-sweet. In fact, the romance is quite understated and is only secondary to the plot. A more significant focus of the plot is the issue of abolition and slavery. Dev owns a slave that he never wanted, but he's afraid to release him because he will enlist in the Army and possibly get hurt. It makes for dramatic reading. This is a Five Star, Two Thumbs Up, and a cup of herbal tea.

My thanks to Tyndale House Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.