"His Love Endures Forever" Review

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.

For more information about this title, please click here.

This is the third book in the “Land of Canaan” series by Beth Wiseman. You can read my review of the first two books in this series by clicking on the titles – Seek Me with All Your Heart and The Wonder of Your Love.

My Take:

As I said in my previous reviews of the“Land of Canaan” novels, I knew right away that this was not going to be your average Amish book. This is a good thing, and this novel deals with some very difficult situations – unplanned pregnancy, abandonment, and abuse – that were handled very well. I also liked how some of the characters really experienced a lot of growth over the course of the novel, especially Levi’s mother, Vera.

It was also different from most Amish novels in that there is a lot of interaction between those of the Amish faith and people from the “English” world. In some ways this was encouraging. I always like to see in Amish novels how the author portrays their Amish characters’ feelings toward the rest of the world, and in this novel, the Amish are very accepting of the “English,” for the most part.

I think, though, that as the story progressed, the interactions between the Amish and the English got a bit convoluted. It was almost as if the author wanted to make the point that you didn’t have to be Amish to be a Christian but that she wanted to do this without condemning the Amish way of life. One thing I thought was interesting in relation to this was that it was brought up several times that those who are“English” can be Christians but that if someone belongs to the Amish faith, then you know they are a Christian. Really? Can we truly know another’s heart? We can often tell by their actions (“known by their fruit”), but to me this fruit does not include just following the rules of the Amish. I thought this was an interesting point that I had not heard from other Amish novels.

However, this point was actually contradicted by one of the characters in the story! Vera was the one to say that if someone is baptized into the Amish faith, then you know for sure that they are a believer. But then she herself admitted to Danielle later on in the book that she did not experience a true relationship with God until well after her baptism and marriage. So, then is her earlier point true then? Just something that I thought about as I was reading this book.

Another thing that kind of missed the mark for me was how Danielle’s faith in God was portrayed. I did like how she didn’t just have some sort of ‘revelation’ moment where she was suddenly a different person. Hers was actually a journey, which felt more true-to-life. However, at one point she eventually “gave it all to God.” While this to me seems to be a step in the right direction, it was quite vague. There was no mention of her accepting the sacrifice for her sins that Christ paid on the cross. I just think it is dangerous territory to get into when Christ dying for our sins is only mentioned one time in the entire book and when a character ‘comes to God’rather than placing their faith in the sacrifice Christ made for us.

I also think this book tread on another dangerous territory. This was in one of the main parts of the storyline when both Danielle and Levi base their decisions on dreams that they had that were supposedly from God. How do you know if the dream is from God and not that it’s just your overactive imagination combined with the scary movie you watched last night? Again, I think this can lead to dangerous thinking. What I know for sure is that Christ is our Mediator to God, the Bible is our source of truth, and dreams can be misleading.

I hate when I seem to be in the minority when it comes to reviewing a book, and this is definitely the case with this one. This novel received tons of great reviews, including from people who I greatly respect as reviewers. But for some reason, this book just didn’t have that zing that makes it a really great read for me. I just had too many problems with some of the characters and how the spiritual aspect was portrayed.         

His Love Endures Forever was written in an easy-to-read style with an interesting storyline that made it a fast and entertaining read. It just didn’t have that something extra to it, and I had some issues with the way some things were portrayed. I realize that this is a fiction book, so maybe I am expecting too much from the spiritual side of the story. I mean, a novel doesn’t have to have a spiritual aspect for me to like it. (Kate Morton’s The Forgotten Garden is one of my favorite books). But when ¾ of the plotline revolves around God and faith and making a decision to live for God, then I will end up evaluating that side of the story a little more.

Although God and faith were discussed a lot in this fiction novel, the gospel was almost completely left out.

I will give His Love Endures Forever … 2 ½ BookWorms.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through Booksneeze. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend" Blog Tour

About the book:

Long before the successful, Lord of the Rings film trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginary world and characters enthralled and delighted millions of readers. But who was this man who dreamt up the intricate languages and perfectly crafted world of Middle-earth?

Tolkien had a difficult life. Orphaned and poor, his guardian forbade him from communicating with the woman he loved. He also went through the horrors of the First World War. An intensely private and brilliant scholar, he spent over fifty years working on the languages, history, peoples, and geography of Middle-earth, aided by his vast knowledge of mythology and early northern European history and culture.

This delightful and accessible biography brings this legendary man to life and explores the deep Christian commitment that inspired and informed his work. A close friend of C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams, Tolkien was one of the famous Inklings, a group of literary figures in Oxford in the 1930s who met to discuss their work, which included C.S. Lewis's Narnia books.



About the author:

Colin Duriez was for many years a commissioning editor at Inter-Varsity Press UK. He has subsequently appeared as a commentator on DVDs of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, and BBC television's "The Worlds of Fantasy". He is also the author of The Inklings Handbook (with the late David Porter), J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis: The Story of Their Friendship, and Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings, and has contributed to definitive reference works relating to Tolkien such as The Tolkien Encyclopedia (Routledge).


My Take:

Since my husband is the bigger Lord of the Rings fan, I am going to give mostly his review here.

My favorite books are The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.  I have read them many times in my life.  I have watched the movies (the extended director’s cut, even) and am eagerly awaiting the rest of The Hobbit movies.  So, I was interested to learn more about the man behind one of my favorite worlds.

This book gives insight in the past of Tolkein in an effort to let you know why he wrote his famous books.  It starts from his birth and tells stories of his life through adulthood.  It is your typical biography told about the man behind one of the greatest series of books ever written.  And, if you are into biographies or REALLY into the LOTR, then this book is right up your alley.  Unfortunately, I guess I am just not that into biographies.  It was interesting to learn about Tolkien and where he came from, but I kept wanting to stop reading and go pick up The Hobbit.  But, that is just me.  

This book is well written and does provide good insight into the life of one of the most famous writers in the world.

I give this book 3 ½ BookWorms.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book free from Lion Books through a Kregel Publishing blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"The Lesson" Blog Tour

The Lesson

By Suzanne Woods Fisher

Centered on one of Suzanne Woods Fisher's most loved characters, this is the story fans have eagerly anticipated. The precocious Mary Kate Lapp is all grown up (well, almost) and ready to take on the world – with surprising results.

In her wildest dreams, spunky and impulsive nineteen-year-old M.K. never imagined herself behind a schoolteacher's desk. A run-in with the schoolteacher compels her to act as a substitute teacher, just as her restless desire to see the world compels her to apply for a passport . . . just in case. The only thing of interest to M.K. in the sleepy Amish community of Stoney Ridge is the unexplained death of a sheep farmer that coincided with the arrival of a mysterious young man into the community. Frustrated that no one takes the crime seriously, she takes matters into her own hands. Unfortunately, as tends to be the case for M.K., she jumps headlong into trouble.

Fisher's trademark plot twists and turns are as unexpected and satisfying as ever in this third book in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series.

***Available January 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group***

About the Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, The Search, The Keeper and The Haven, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Christy Award finalist and a Carol Award finalist. She is the host of internet radio show Amish Wisdom and a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California.
For more information, please visit www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher.


My Take:

Since I was already familiar with the characters in this series, it was nice to be able to jump right into the story and reconnect with the folks in Stoney Ridge. And since I felt the previous book, The Haven, had a cliff-hanger ending, I was looking forward to seeing how Sadie's story would be resolved. But when we jump into this novel, everything with Sadie has been resolved without finding out how any of it happened!

So, that was a bit frustrating, but I really like it when each book in a series tells a different person's story, and I was looking forward to see what Mary Kate would be up to in this one.

From the beginning, the storylines were interesting, and Mary Kate was a fun character to read about, but I could not relate to her at all. That is fine, since I’m sure that other readers will be able to connect with her, but my personality is just so completely opposite from hers that she sometimes just got on my nerves. This annoying aspect was more towards the beginning of the book, though, since M.K. grew a lot throughout this novel, which is something that I really like.

This book does a lot of head-hopping and has short scenes, which makes for a fun but sometimes a bit of a head-spinning read. I will say that I liked having the views and thoughts and feeling of all of the different characters right there in front of me. The plot in this novel moved along very well, and the twist was excellent! I didn’t see it coming, and that is unusual for me. But this twist and how everything came around full circle really made this book for me and ultimately upped the rating for this book.

The overall theme of forgiveness in this series, and especially in this novel, was also excellent. The kind of forgiveness that is portrayed can only be found through the power of Christ, and this was portrayed very well.

I really enjoyed this novel, but I really would have liked for the ending to have been fleshed out a bit more. The major storylines were completed, but there were things here and there that would have been nice to know in an epilogue or something. (Like did Julia end up having a girl?!) Since this is the end of the series, I guess I will just have to make up my own ‘down-the-road’ happenings in Julia, Sadie, and Mary Kate’s lives!

I will give The Lesson … 4 BookWorms.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Publishers through their blog tour program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska" Giveaway!

The authors of Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska

-- Tricia Goyer & Ocieanna Fleiss -- 

 

have graciously offered a copy of the novel to be given away to one of my readers!

Just complete the form below to enter to win.

The contest starts today and runs through Thursday, January 10th. I will announce the winner here on my blog on Friday, January 11th.

Good Luck!!!



*****UPDATE*****

Congratulations to the winner of the Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska book giveaway -

 

Michelle M.! 

 

Michelle, you will be receiving an email from me announcing you are the winner and so that you can send your mailing address to me. You will be receiving your free book from the authors once I submit your address to them.

 

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest! This was so much fun!

"Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska" Review and a new Launch Team Experience and a Giveaway!

About the book: Singer Ginny Marshall is one signature away from the recording contract of her dreams—a deal that would guarantee success for the former foster child, who still struggles to bury the memories of her painful childhood. But Ginny needs advice from the one person who will look out for her best interests—her former fiancé, Brett Miller. She travels to the remote town of Glacier Bay, Alaska, where the town’s colorful characters and stunning scenery provide respite from LA’s pressures.

In Glacier Bay, Ginny discovers a box of old letters and is swept up in the love story between Clay, an early missionary to Alaska Territory, and Ellie, the woman who traveled there to be his children’s governess. When Ginny is reunited with Brett in Glacier Bay, will she discover—as Ellie did—that healing and love are sometimes found in the most unexpected places?

For more information and to order this title, please click here.

 
About the Authors:

Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of four and wife to John. When she finds a break from cleaning up mountains of toys, she is busy writing fictional tales to delight her readers and non-fiction titles to offer encouragement and hope. A bestselling author, Tricia has thirty-three books to date as well as 500+ magazine articles. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Christy award and ECPA Award Nominee. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 20 Moms To Follow on Twitter by www.SheKnows.com. Tricia is on the blogging team at www.MomLifeToday.com and www.TheBetterMom.com. In addition to her roles as mom, wife and bestselling author extraordinaire, Tricia finds the time to volunteer and give back to her community. She is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, and she currently heads up a Teen Mops Group in Little Rock, Arkansas. Tricia is the creator of www.NotQuiteAmishLiving.com and hosts a weekly radio podcast Living Inspired. Find out more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com/
 
Ocieanna Fleiss has cowritten two historical novels with Tricia Goyer: Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana and Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washing­ton. She has written for several publications, including CBA Marketplace and Guideposts, and contributes a bi-monthly column to the Northwest Christian Author. Ocieanna has edited many of Tricia Goyer’s novels and nonfiction titles. An avid historian, she teaches home-schooled junior high students intense history classes involving considerable research and creative methods of bringing history to life. She lives in the Seattle area with her hus­band and their four children.


My Take:

The thing that I really liked about the previous Love Finds You book that I read was how the setting almost became a character in the story.

This was definitely true in Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska.

I have always wanted to visit Alaska, and the setting, people, and small-town atmosphere in this novel came alive and made it just that much more enjoyable.

Along with the setting, what I thought was great about this book was the historical story that was told in tandem with the modern-day one through the letters that Ginny read. My favorite genre is historical, so of course I would be sucked in by that story a little more than the contemporary one. Both plotlines were good, and I liked how they both sort of followed the same path, but the historical story of Ellie and Clay was my favorite part.

There were so many areas of emotion that were explored in this novel that it is hard to hit them all. Both Ginny and Ellie grow tremendously throughout their stories. They learn that who they are in Christ is more important than anything else. This novel also explores forgiveness and grace and how important it is to extend those to others. There are many heartbreaking things that are experienced by Ginny and Ellie in this novel, but they are never without hope.

If I had to name something that was not quite to my liking in this book it would be that Brett seemed a bit too perfect. Everyone loved him, he seemed to do everything right – it was a bit over-the-top. Also, while I really liked the setting and how everyone in the small town worked together and looked out for each other, I had to smile and chuckle a little every time Ginny noted how much she liked the small town atmosphere. Maybe it would be comforting for someone who grew up without a true home and had been living in LA for the past several years. But coming from someone (me) who grew up in a small town and now enjoys living in a much larger town where everyone doesn’t always know your business – well, I just thought it was funny. To each her own. J

Overall, this novel is a heartwarming story (actually two stories in one!) that will sweep you away to Glacier Bay.

I will give Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska … 4 BookWorms.

 

 

 

 

About the Launch Team:

 

For 2013, I have been invited to be on the Launch Team for Tricia Goyer's books!

 

This means that I will be reading and reviewing each of her books that are released this year, and I will be involved in getting the word out for each of these releases.

 

I am honored and excited to be a part of this Launch Team. So, make sure to keep up with my blog so that you don’t miss any of the exciting giveaways and more that will be happening this year with the 2013 Tricia Goyer Launch Team! J

 

 

About the Giveaway:

The giveaway this time is for a copy of Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska. The form will be up in a separate post on January 8th, so check back then to enter to win!





Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Summerside Press through the 2013 Tricia Goyer Launch Team. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"You, Your Family, and the Internet" Blog Tour

From the Publisher: How may Christians better understand the dangers and opportunities offered by the Internet? Written by an expert in the field, You, Your Family, and the Internet explains and illustrates what the technologies are and guides readers to draw on biblical principles such as self-control and accountability and apply them to the possible dangers at hand. It also encourages believers to make the best use of opportunities that arise from judicious use of the World Wide Web.



For more information about this book or to purchase, please click here.


About the Author: David Clark was born and brought up in a missionary family working in France. A Bible believing Christian since the age of 15, he is active in his local Evangelical and Reformed church in England, where he lives after spending a number of years in the USA. He has worked with computer technology for over 30 years, has a degree in Computer Science and Electronics, and carried out Postgraduate research into the uses of Artificial Intelligence in the design of silicon chips. He owns and runs a consultancy company that carries out technology related work for the UK and US governments. He has published a number of technical papers at various conferences, ranging from the use of Artificial Intelligence, to Risk Analysis. He has also served on the boards of Evangelical Times and Evangelical Press, as well as working in publishing in the Russian and Chinese languages.


My Take:

For this review, I am going to let my husband, the IT guy, give his take on the book.
 

As an IT professional, I know how dangerous and how useful the Internet can be.  As a father of a three-year-old, I tend to focus on the dangers and wonder how to protect her while still allowing her to use one of the most powerful tools in the history of mankind.  David Clark gives some excellent advice on how to find a good balance between caution and usefulness.

Many books that I have read about Internet safety tend to have two main problems.  The first is to focus almost (if not exclusively) on the dangers of the Internet.  And, to be fair, the Internet can be a very dangerous place.  But, this book also explains how powerful and useful the Internet is.  It was very refreshing to read a book about using technology that wasn’t all doom and gloom.

The second problem that most books about the Internet tend to have is that they offers solutions of extremes.  A common example is with online pornography.  Other books will extol the dangers and evils of online pornography and suggest that the solution to an addiction is to stop using the Internet.  Today, that just isn’t a practical solution.  And, if you doubt it, I challenge you to try to go an entire day without accessing the Internet.  I imagine some of you might be able to do it for a day, but can you do it for a week?  No web pages, no email, no Facebook, no Google, no Smartphones – no Internet just isn’t a practical solution in this day and age.  David Clark is aware enough to know that.  He explains the dangers found online and calmly suggests reasonable solutions of how to avoid them.

As a father and an IT professional who works on computers all day, I highly recommend this book.  It is a great read for people of all levels of computer knowledge and an eye opener for all. 

I will give You, Your Family, and the Internet … 4 BookWorms.

 

 

Thanks, honey! I agree with everything you said! J








Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through Cross Focused Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"Twice a Bride" Review

When Willow Peterson settles in the town of Cripple Creek, Colorado, in 1898, she does so in hopes of moving on with her life. Widowed at a young age, Willow now decides to set out on her own to follow her dream of being a painter.

Trenton Van Der Veer is also a newcomer to Cripple Creek. He, too, is moving on with his life, and he hopes opening a photography shop will be the first step in this new direction. When he is encouraged to hire a portrait painter to supplement his line of photography services, he finds a young woman, Willow Peterson, who is perfect for the job.

As Trenton and Willow get to know each other as employer/employee and as friends, they each wonder if their friendship might lead to something more. There are always surprises in the ever-growing town of Cripple Creek, and unexpected visitors might just lead to romance for some and the end of a newly-formed friendship for others.

The final book in the Sisters of Cripple Creek series, Twice a Bride thoroughly explores life’s unexpected turns and how a loving God will lead all the way.

 

When I finished the previous book in the Cripple Creek series, The Bride Wore Blue, I was so excited to find that there would be another book to finish out the series.

In Twice a Bride, the reader mostly follows Willow Peterson, who is Tucker Raines’s sister and who is therefore a sister-in-law to one of the Sinclair sisters, Ida. If you are totally confused by all of these people because you have not read the previous three books, then you definitely need to start at the beginning of the series! If you start reading this one without reading the others, you will be hopelessly lost and will not enjoy the book as much. There are a lot of characters in this book and in the series, and it even took me a while to be able to keep everyone straight again.

 
Speaking of the characters, I really liked the ones in this series. Even though there are a lot of them, I have enjoyed them and been able to relate to them. They are not perfect, but they strive to live their lives according to God’s Word and with His leading. There are some very tough situations and circumstances encountered in these books, especially in Twice a Bride, but through it all, they always have hope and faith in God.

I especially liked Willow and Trenton in this novel. Their relationship formed in an interesting way, and even though their romance was somewhat of a whirlwind, it was still convincing. I also liked the love interest for Miss Hattie. It was neat to see her side of the story a little bit more.

All of the sisters from the series are included in this novel, which made for a lot of scene changes and “head-hopping.” While I enjoyed getting so many points of view, it did get confusing at times. I also thought that some of the dialogue in this novel was a bit odd. I’m not sure if I remember this from the previous novels, but there would be times when someone would say something to someone or ask a question, and the other person didn’t really seem to give an appropriate answer or would seem to ignore them. It was almost as if I was sometimes waiting for the next sentence, and then I would turn the page to a scene change.

The thing I liked the most in this novel and in this series is how the author focused on the characters’ faith in Christ and how they used His Word to guide their lives. This was done so well in this novel. If you have read any of my previous reviews lately, you know that this is something that I think is missing from many Christian fiction books. I applaud Mona Hodgson for not shying away from using the name of Jesus in her novels.

Even though I think my favorite in this series was The Bride Wore Blue, I still enjoyed Twice a Bride. It had a lot of what I love about Christian historical fiction. It also had a very satisfying ending – for this book and for the entire series.

I will give Twice a Bride … 4 Bookworms.

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"Every Perfect Gift" Review

When Sophie Robillard returns to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, in 1886, she does not know what kind of reception to expect. She spent the last 15 years with Wyatt and Ada Caldwell on their ranch in Texas as well as learning the ropes of the newspaper business in Dallas. Sophie’s reason for returning to Hickory Ridge is to reopen the small town newspaper. While she realizes the task at hand will be difficult, she is even more concerned about the rejection she might face upon her return to the town that, because of her unknown background, shunned her as a child.

Ethan Heyward recently arrived in Hickory Ridge to oversee the building of a luxury resort, which is being financed by his long-time employer, millionaire Horace Blakely. When the local newspaper reporter interviews him about the resort, Ethan is immediately drawn to her. But Ethan holds secrets from his own past, and they may catch up with him sooner than he thinks.

Both Ethan and Sophie have spent years guarding their hearts and their secrets. Will they have the courage to overcome their pasts and recognize the gift God has given them for their futures?

After finishing the previous book in the Hickory Ridge series, Beauty for Ashes, I was looking forward to reading this next offering. There were a few things left hanging in the previous book that left me wanting to continue with the story of this small Tennessee town.

As I have said in my previous reviews of the books in this series, I grew up in a small town in Tennessee that would be in the same area as what is described in this book. The setting and the scenery and the people came alive for me and were endearing.

Even though I loved the small town setting and people of this book, there are a lot of minor characters to keep straight. You definitely need to read these books in order. Even though I did, I found myself being confused by who was who and what their stories were several times throughout this book. It has been a year and a half since I read the first book which introduced Sophie and her story, so I sometimes struggled to remember previous events that were brought up again in this novel. I think I mentioned this in a previous review, but it would have been nice to have a character list in the front of this one in order to keep everyone straight. (I am assuming the finished publication did not have this – I had an advance copy, so I don’t know what the final product will look like).

Once I got reacquainted with Sophie, I enjoyed her story in this novel. The issues she faced as a child were heartbreaking, and her continued dealings with these prejudices as an adult were equally tragic. While I was not able to completely relate to her sufferings, I still felt for her and was encouraged by her continued growth and reliance on God throughout the novel.

I also liked the character of Ethan, but I didn’t feel as if I got to know him as well. Part of this was probably due to the fact that Sophie’s character had been in the other books. However, I think the other reason was that the reader was not clued into Ethan’s past early on in this book. Bits and pieces were revealed here and there, but since I didn’t understand where he was coming from until it was explained towards the end, then I didn’t feel as much of a connection to him. I did like Sophie and Ethan together, though, and Ethan’s story was interesting once it got going.

I enjoyed the relationship between Sophie and Ethan, but in some ways I enjoyed one of the side stories even more. There is a secondary character, Sabrina Gilman, a nurse, who spends her time lobbying for a small clinic to be started in the town so that she and the town’s doctor will have more opportunities to treat patients. Since I have a science background, this story intrigued me almost more than Sophie’s newspaper story. It is not that the newspaper story or the relationship between Sophie and Ethan was not interesting; I just liked the medical side of Sabrina’s story a bit better.

Although I liked this book (as well as the others in the series), and I liked the ending, to me it still seemed as if there were a couple of things that needed to be wrapped up. I don’t always like epilogues in novels, but I thought this book would have benefitted from one. I don’t want to say too much here, but it would have been nice to know what might have happened in some of the characters’ lives in the future.

Overall, I really enjoyed this Hickory Ridge series. Although I think the second novel in the series was my favorite, Every Perfect Gift was a nice read with a great message of embracing the wonderful gifts God gives to everyone who trusts in Him.

I will give Every Perfect Gift … 3 ½ BookWorms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"The Hidden Life" Review

Emma Stolzfus has never been courted or kissed, and now that she’s 30, it has become her place as the unmarried daughter to look after her elderly mother. But in the dark hours when her mother is asleep, Emma writes letters and essays to Amish periodicals, short stories, and even a novel she’s been working on for the last five years.

When a New York literary agent, Tyler West, takes an interest in her work, Emma secretly goes to meet him. When she returns, something about her is different – and the men of her Amish community take notice. But how can she settle for second best when her heart made its choice years ago-to a man she can never have?

Only her friends, Amelia and Carrie, know the truth in her heart as they work together on their quilt … and only they understand when an old tragedy comes to light that will either hurt or heal … and reveal Emma’s hidden life.

The Hidden Life, Adina Senft [link]
Published by FaithWords: June 26, 2012

This is the second novel in the Amish Quilt series. The first is The Wounded Heart.

This novel also contains Part Two of the quilt instructions for the Crosses and Losses quilt that was begun in the first book in the series.

 

About the Author:

Adina Senft grew up in a plain house church and was often asked if she was Amish. (The answer was no.) She holds an MFA in writing popular fiction from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania, where she is part of the adjunct faculty. Between books, Adina enjoys playing the piano and Celtic harp, making historical costumes, and spoiling her flock of rescued chickens.

 

My Take:

The first book in the ‘Amish Quilt’ series focused on Amelia, but this second offering follows Emma and her bumpy path to find true love. I liked Amelia in the first book, but I think I actually liked Emma even more. She kind of walks along the edge of what is considered acceptable for a good Amish women with her writing and her ability to sometimes say too much or to say it bluntly. I liked the fact that Emma realized that God had given her the gift of writing and that she needed to use it, even if those in authority might frown upon it.

I also liked Grant Weaver in this book, but since the story is only told from Emma’s point of view, I didn’t really get to know him as well as I might have liked. Since this is an Amish community, there are, of course, a lot of secondary characters to keep up with. Emma’s sister Karen was maddening, I thought, but it was really neat to see how well Emma handled herself in response to her prickly sister. It made me think about how I would sometimes do better to hold my tongue around certain people.

As is said in my review of the first book in the series, The Wounded Heart, when I read Amish novels, I tend to get too focused on the doctrine of the Amish church (which I obviously do not completely agree with, since I am not Amish) instead of just enjoying the story. This was especially true in this novel when it came to the references that one can lose his/her salvation. This was said in the context of leaving the Amish community – that when you go away from the ‘people of God’ you risk your eternal hope. It just makes me wonder what other people think when they read Amish novels that say this. I mean, I’m not Amish, but I do have an eternal hope. Christ is my Savior, my only hope of salvation, and nothing can separate me from that. But I am not a part of the Amish community, so how does that coincide?

I also was bothered by the tremendous amount of gossip and judgmental attitudes that existed in this fictional Amish community. I have heard jokes about the “Amish grapevine” being the best way to spread news in a community, but the gossip in this novel was just too much. It’s one thing to share news with your friends (i.e., Mary had her baby, or we think there will be lots of weddings this fall, or John fell when working on his roof last week), but to whisper and speculate to others in a cruel and judgmental attitude is not Christ-like. There was a quote in this book that I did like that said, “Little birds would do better to pay attention to their own nests and not chatter about other people. Gossip is a sin.” I totally agree with this, but apart from the three friends in this story (Emma, Carrie, and Amelia), there was no one else in the book who seemed to follow this. Emma was chastised by so many people for just having ice cream with a man, but no one is called out in this community for their sin of gossiping about it. This was just something that was hard for me to read in this novel. I like to read historical and Amish novels not just to be entertained but to learn something, and this book left me with a bad view of the Amish when it comes to not gossiping but extending grace to others.

Overall I thought this story was interesting, especially when it revolved around Emma and her writing. There were a few things that kept me from enjoying it fully, but I still look forward to finishing this series next year.

I will give The Hidden Life … 3 BookWorms.

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from FaithWords/Hachette Book Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"Lovelier than Daylight" Review

Susanna Hanby arrives at her sister Rachel’s home expecting to spend some time with her before heading back to Otterbein College in the fall. But what she finds at her sister’s home is far from expected. Rachel and her children have disappeared, and her alcoholic husband, George, is not talking. Desperate to learn the truth, Susanna departs for Westerville, Ohio, earlier than expected and elicits the help of her aunt and uncle, Ann & Will Hanby.

The son of a successful German brewer, Johann Giere is expected to take over the family business. But what he really wants is to be in journalism. When he encounters the beautiful and feisty Susanna Hanby while delivering a supply of lager to a new saloon in Westerville, Johann is intrigued, both with Susanna and with the story of the temperance movement in Westerville.

Susanna and Johann form an incongruous friendship while the temperance battle wages all around them – and they seem to be on opposing sides. When Susanna finds herself in need of Johann’s help in rescuing her nieces and nephews, she must decide whether she should follow her head or her heart.

Lovelier than Daylight is a fictional story based on the Westerville Whiskey War of 1875, and is the third and final book in the Saddler’s Legacy series by Rosslyn Elliott.

When I read the first book in the Saddler’s Legacy series, Fairer than Morning, I was completely captivated. It was the best Christian Historical Fiction book I had read in a long time. I equally enjoyed the next in the series, Sweeter than Birdsong, which is why I was really looking forward to this final book in the series.

I really don’t think that Lovelier than Daylight quite captivated me as much as the first two, but it was still excellent.

This book got my attention right off the bat when Susanna arrives at Rachel’s home and discovers (according to her drunk husband George) that Rachel left town and place the children in an orphanage. After Susanna travels to Westerville, however, the story slowed way down for me. I liked Johann right away, and I appreciated the set up that was given to the situation that was going on in Westerville. But for some reason it still seemed to drag. Once I got about a third to half of the way through the book, though, I couldn’t put it down.

There is a lot going on in this novel, even during the times that it seemed slow. This is especially true when it comes to some very thought-provoking issues such as drinking alcohol (the difference between enjoying an alcoholic beverage and getting drunk) and the temperance movement (protesting peacefully versus using acts of violence). I thought that the author did a great job of showing both sides of the issues without being too heavy-handed towards one or the other. Ultimately, however, the mercy, grace, and love of Christ and the wisdom of the Scriptures shone through as the best way to handle tough issues in our lives.

The characters in this novel were well thought out and likeable. I enjoyed the return of Will and Ann Hanby, and I really liked Johann, even though he came across as squeaky clean, in my opinion. He did have a few flaws that came out here and there, but it was ultimately Susanna who experienced the most growth. I really related to her thoughts and feelings, especially as it related to her demand for righteousness. She realizes that the things of the world have not been broken by a lack of righteousness, necessarily, but because of a lack of love. In other words, instead of always expecting legalistic morality from others, she should be extending mercy and grace and showing love to others just as Christ did.

Once the action got going in this novel, there was no slowing down. So many things happened to these poor people (on both sides of the issue) that I kept thinking that surely some part of the story has to have a good ending. It was so heartbreaking to read about Susanna’s nieces and nephews and their plight living in the orphanages and about the families who were so dramatically affected by alcoholism. Fortunately, when I did get to the end, I was very satisfied with how the book and the entire series wrapped up.

As I said before, I was not as engrossed in this novel as much as I was the first two in the series, but it was still a wonderful book. I look forward to the next series/novel from Rosslyn Elliott with great anticipation.

I will give Lovelier than Daylight … 4 BookWorms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."