Amish Generations

Kathleen Fuller writes Amish Fiction that is a lot of fun.  Her characters are friendly and likable.  Her settings are colorful and evoke wonderful word pictures.  Each of the stories in this collection takes a couple looking for love and details how they overcame the obstacles standing in their way. 

For one couple it was an auto immune disease, for another it was a ten-year separation beginning during their courtship, then there were the two widowed people finding a second chance, and finally a couple in their golden years find love for the first time. 

I kind of wish these stories used some of the same families in her other stories, then reading these would have been like meeting up with old friends.  If that's the worst I can say about the book, then this deserves at least four stars!

Zondervan and NetGalley.com provided the galley I read for this review.  The opinions are my own.

An Amish Picnic

It's almost picnic weather where I am, and it is making hungry for picnic foods, especially since I read this collection of novellas where love finds its home through picnics.   Each of these authors is known for her Amish fiction and reading these stories is like becoming reacquainted with old friends. 

All of the stories have characters from series the authors have already published, and it made the novellas feel like chatting with old friends.

One thing I'd like to see from these particular authors is that they collaborate on a series together, using the same characters throughout. With the pooled talent of these four, especially, it would make an Amish novel beyond any reader's expectations.

This is a five star collection, with two thumbs up, and a picnic basket full of fried chicken.

Zondervan Fiction and NetGalley.com provided the galley for me to read and review.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

The Farm Stand

Amy Clipston has put out her second Amish Marketplace book and it shines like her other Amish books.  In this Marketplace book, Salina is stocking her stall in the market with the produce from her garden.  Will has the restaurant across the road and has started buying his produce from Salina's stall and then started calling her on Tuesdays to place an order for delivery on Wednesdays. 

In the meantime,  Salina's parents are pushing her to marry Josiah, a friend she's known since her school days.  She has wanted to chart her own course since she was small, and grew up in the shadow of her older brother. 

There are sparks flying between Salina and Will and Salina is confused at the lack of sparks between Josiah and her. 

This is a book about the need for communication and honesty in relationships.  It's a rather angst-y book but that makes it all the more compelling.  I was tempted to read the end before I finished it, but I held off and read it through. 

Five stars, two thumbs up, and a freshly grown salad.

Zondervan Fiction through NetGalley.com provided the galley I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

A Teacher's Heart

Four novellas with four disparate plots, but one thing in common--each features a teacher.  Beginning in 1864 and going through to the early 1899, these novellas describe the changing world of teaching, especially with the rules pertaining to women teachers.  Common to all of these stories are rules about not courting or marrying during the year during the school year.

Each story is completely enjoyable and compelling.  I loved them and couldn't put them down once I started them.   From teaching a group of buffalo soldiers to read so that they can perform their duties better, to teaching effectively regardless of the methods used in teaching, this book compels the reader from the very beginning to the very end.   It is a five star book with two thumbs up and some new innovations in teaching school. 

My thanks to Barbour Books and NetGalley.com for providing the galley I read for this review.  The opinions stated here are my own.

The Fifth Avenue Story Society

I enjoy reading Rachel Hauck's novels for the depth of characters and plot lines she puts into her books. When I picked up her latest book--The Fifth Avenue Story Society, I was a bit disappointed.  Most of the time, I pick up one of her books and read straight through.  This time, every little shiny object or every squirrel distracted me, and I just wasn't as captivated by the plot as I thought I would be. 

There are five prominent characters:  Lexa, Jett, Ed, Coral, and Chuck; each with their own troubles and their own conflicts, but none of these five are the main character.  It is Gilda, the librarian who has called them all together--anonymously--to meet together and maybe find healing in the friendships they will develop in the Story Society.  She is understated, coming out into the plot when she's needed to push things along.  It's by her hand (so to speak) that the other characters find what they need.

This is a three star book, but only in my opinion.  My thanks goes to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.com for providing the galley I read for this review.

The Land Beneath Us

This is Sarah Sundin's third novel about D-Day and she covers some very dark themes in this book. 

Clay is the third Paxton brother who left home because of an incident with his other two brothers.  Since he joined the Army, he signed up to be part of the Rangers.  At his Rangers training, he was assigned to Camp Forrest in Tennessee where he meets Leah Jones who is working in the library. 

Leah grew up in an orphanage and remembers that she had twin younger sisters that she wanted to find and find out more about her background. 

When the most unfortunate thing that could happen to a young lady happens to Leah, Clay made an offer to Leah to marry her and give her his protection.  She would get his allotment check while he was deployed. 

Sarah has done extensive research on D-Day and the various arms of the military service.  She's gathered information about life in the armed services and how the members lived and fought.  I love reading her books because she shares knowledge in a dark era of our nation's life.  My father was in the Coast Guard during WWII and several of my uncles also served in various arms of the service--two in the Army, one in the Navy, and one in the Air Force.  My father would have been at D-Day except that his ship was in dry dock after taking a torpedo meant for a larger ship. 

Sarah's research is impeccable and her prose (and poetry in this book) is spot on.  Her characters have a realness that make them likable, the pacing of the plot make the book hard to put down, and the settings make the book come alive.  This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and books donated to your local library.

My thanks go to Revell Publishing and NetGalley.com for providing this book for me to read and review.

The Brightest of Dreams

In this last book of the Canadian Crossings Series, Susan Anne Mason has tied up the series with a bow.  Quinten Aspinall is hired by his employer to go find his niece while he hunts for his siblings in Canada.  The hunt is not as easy as it seems and he has to resort to a bit of underhandedness to find the information he wants. 

The first person he finds is Julia, his employer's niece.  He finds her in a less-than-safe situation and takes steps to get her into more suitable housing.

Quinten's siblings had been put into an orphanage while his mother went to the workhouse, hoping to earn enough money to get them out.  The problem is that she will never earn enough money to get them out and they are shuffled to Canada before she knows what has happened to them. 

Quint finds his younger brother and sees the conditions he's living in.  His room is in the stable and his bed is straw.  When Quint finds the youngest brother, the boy has been badly beaten and in poor health himself.  Quint forcibly takes him away from the farmer and puts him up in the same boarding house as Julia. 

The years of this book are post WWI, the problems are that the placing agencies never go back to check on the children they have placed to be sure they are safe, well-fed, and treated equitably.  Susan has done her due diligence in researching the situations and conditions of the era.  The orphanages mentioned actually existed, and the harsh treatment of the children was somewhat based in fact. 

This is a five-star book with two thumbs up and a found relative.

My thanks go to NetGalley.com and Bethany House Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

A Beautiful Arrangement

Lydia and Samuel Bontrager have a beautiful daughter they love with all their hearts, but so far, that is all the love there is in their family.  They are in a shot-gun marriage, because they both gave in to a brief moment of lust.  Now their shame and frustration stand between them, and neither fully know how to overcome it. 

Enter Joseph--Samuel's coworker, and Beverly--a brief acquaintance of Lydia, and sparks start to fly.  Joseph asks Samuel to get Lydia to set him up with Beverly.  They plan a dinner for the two couples together at the Bontrager home. 

Later on, the two couples go on a picnic and see an old blue pickup.  It's driven by Margaret Keim, an elderly, former Amish woman who is in really poor condition.  With a little sleuthing, Lydia and Beverly find out that she is mentally ill. 

Beth Wiseman writes compelling Amish fiction that is full of intrigue and gentle romance. A Beautiful Arrangement is just such a book and worth the time it takes to read (which isn't much time). It is definitely a five star book, with two thumbs up, and a beautiful arrangement of wild flowers.

NetGalley.com and Zondervan Fiction provided the galley I read for this review. 

The Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan

Liesl Clark and Rebecca Rockefeller both found themselves in a situation that could only be solved by someone else's generosity, but at the same time, they both had things that could solve someone's problem.  Thus the Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan.  Not only is this a book that helps the reader find "things" they need, but also this is a book that helps to create community among the people who participate in the groups. 

This movement started in Washington State in the San Juan Islands and has grown nationwide.  I think that building community is the more important concept of the book.  Because with community, people gain more than the things they are looking for, they also gain new friends. 

We live in such a consumable society that it's easy to go out and buy whatever we need. Then when we have used the item and no longer need it, it goes to the landfill.  There is an awakening of people to the thought of donating items to thrift stores and letting them live another life, but the Buy Nothing plan let's them live another life for someone who has a great need for them. 

This is a great book to help people understand just how much life is in the "things" we own.  I give it four strong stars. 

My thanks goes to NetGalley.com and Atria Books for providing the galley and allowing me to read and review this book.

The Englisch Daughter

Cindy Woodsmall and her daughter-in-law Erin have joined their mighty pens to create an Amish novel that speaks to many marital problems that are common in most Englisch marriages--secret families, money disappearing without the other spouse's knowledge, and an innocent child.

Jemima and her husband, Roy, have a horse farm that provides their livelihood, but Jemima has always dreamed of having a food truck to serve traditional Amish foods to Amish and tourists alike.  When it comes time to buy the food truck, there is no money to buy it, and Roy's secrets come tumbling down around his ears.

Jemima has seen her marriage growing colder without understanding why, and she wants to bring it back.  Cindy and Erin work through the plot to show how healing takes place, with a touch of grace and a whole lot of forgiveness.  They have also included a second plot that melds excellently with the primary plot.  Their combined talents have created the best Amish novel that I have read in a while. There were times of laughter, times of tears, times of anger, times of sadness all included in this book. Five stars, two thumbs up, and an Amish food truck up the road.

Waterbrook/Multnomah and NetGalley provided the book I read for this review.  I was only asked to share my honest opinion.