New Amish romance/mystery

Rhoda Byler has left her home behind to join the King brothers, particularly Jacob and Samuel,  in helping make their apple orchard a successful combined business and then, after tragedy strikes the orchard, several of them have purchased an abandoned orchard in Maine to restore. Perhaps the move to Maine and a new Amish settlement will help Rhoda make a clean start,  leaving behind her past and moving beyond the guilt she feels over her sister's murder.  But things don't happen exactly as planned.  Rhoda still has the visions she has almost been banned from the Amish community for and hers and Jacob's relationship is threatened by his past. Samuel, on the other hand, has realized he too is beginning to have feelings for Rhoda but continues to maintain a distance out of honor for his brother.  It seems everyone has a secret or hidden past that continues to get in the way.



First of all, let me say that I have never read anything by Cindy Woodsmall  that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed but do you ever feel like you've walked in on the middle of a conversation?  I try to make it my reading "policy" never to read a series unless in order and usually until not all are published as I get impatient waiting for the next book to be released.  I probably should have adhered to my "policy".  Ms. Woodsmall, thankfully, did begin Winnowing Season with a brief summary of book 1, A  Season for Tending but I still felt like I was missing a lot of character development and plot that would have allowed me to grab onto The Winnowing Season a bit quicker than I did. However, as always, Ms. Woodsmall has again written another fabulous Amish story that deviates quite a bit from what I have come to expect from the plethora of Amish novels being written today.  So, pick it up and hurry.  Book 3, For Every Season will be on bookstore shelves this September and these first two will leave you hanging and ready for more!  In a nutshell, you can't go wrong with any of Ms. Woodsmall's books.   To find out more on the author and read first chapters from her novels, check out http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/author-spotlight.php?authorid=72213.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and was in no way obligated to leave a positive review.

The Icecutter's Daughter

Merrill Krause is responsible for her house full of brothers and her father since her mother had died ten years ago.  Between that and working for the family horse business, little time is left for Merrill or developing a feminine side, something not quite so acceptable to ignore in the late 1800's, even through she does long for someone in her life besides her brothers and father.  But her brothers have scared off any potential suitors through the years.

When Ruruk Jorgenson is called by his Uncle Carl to leave Kansas and come to Minnesota to help with the furniture making business, he leaves behind a "fiance" he's not certain is the woman for him since he loves her like a sister, not the way he hopes to love a wife.   When he meets Merrill, he is drawn to her strength and isn't bothered by her brothers or lack of trivial femininity.  But Ruruk's past isn't going to be easy to leave behind when his former fiance and brother show up, bringing questions about Rurk's integrity.  Merrill thinks she truly knows Ruruk's heart but it may prove to be a challenge to trust.

As always, Tracie Peterson authors a book hard to put down and a delight to read.  You will love the characters and, if a historical fiction fan, the time period and setting--not your typical one.  I also thoroughly enjoyed Merrill, a pretty tough, nonconforming girl in a time where sitting around visiting and drinking tea was more the norm. There was enough action and suspense to keep you turning the pages and not so many characters that leave you scratching your head wondering where that person came from.  While some might say "The Icecutter's Daugher", the first in the Land of Shining Water series,  is one of Ms. Peterson's best, that might be difficult for me to say as I haven't read anything by her I didn't thoroughly enjoy and she writes enough differing types of books that you are certain to find one that pleases. 

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was in no way obligated to write a positive review.

Letters to Katie

Katherine Yoder yearns for a marriage and family like most young women. The fact that she is surrounded by happy marriages and the anticipation of new babies only deepens that longing. She is never idle, working at Mary Yoder's restaurant, helping her parents, sewing, needlework....but that doesn't fill the hole in her life.  But perhaps God has plans that are different from hers.

For most of her teenage and adult life, Katherine has loved her best friend's twin brother, Johnny Mullet, but that love was never returned.  Currently, Johnny is busy making his own way as he buys a farm which needs an overhaul and sets up his business raising horses.  When a stranger arrives in town, Isaac, it makes Katherine wonder if perhaps she has been looking in the wrong direction for God's plan.  Suddenly, he leaves but begins the two begin to write letters to one another. When illness strikes Katherine suddenly, each of these character's eyes open to what is truly important as they begin to seek God first, a lesson each of us can learn from.

Letters to Katie by Kathleen Fuller is the third installment in the Middlefield Family series following Treasuring Emma and Faithful to Laura but don't let that stop you from reading this delightful Amish centered story if you haven't read the other two.  I started the series with this one and found that filling in any missing gaps was fairly easy to do and didn't detract from the story.  There are quite a few characters in the book to keep up with that may have been easier to keep track of if I had read the other two books first but, again, did not keep me from enjoying the story itself.  If you enjoy Amish fiction, Kathleen Fuller currently has about 10 to choose from.  I found her style very easy and enjoyable to read and hope to have opportunity to read more of her writings.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was in no way obligated to leave a positive review.

A Clearing in the Wild

A Clearing in the Wild by Jane Kirkpatrick opens on Christmas Day, 1851, in the colony of Bethel, Missouri, an isolated community of German immigrants dedicated to their faith where all wealth was common wealth so that no one would have to be concerned about the future.  They were historically known as Harmonists who tried to achieve Christian perfection beginning their colony in Pennsylvania, then moving to New Harmony Indiana, Missouri, and then west.

This life is all seventeen year old Emma remembers but yet she longs for more and begins to question the ways of the teaching of their leader, Father Wilhelm Keil. While the new thoughts within the colony are to remain single so that one can devote their time to the Lord, Emma hopes this will be her last Christmas as a single woman and she can't seem to escape the thoughts of  independence and being able to speak her mind and make her own decisions, all characteristics considered undesirable for Bethel women.  When the grumblings of potential war between the North and the South begin to make their way into the Bethel community, a decision must be made as to whether or not the colony can remain in Bethel or must move farther west to escape being drawn into the war that seems inevitable.

Typically, Jane Kirkpatrick takes a real historical character and weaves a believable story about their lives, filling in with fictional details that history books and biographys don't tell.  She has done the same with the colony of Bethel, MO.  Ms. Kirkpatrick has proven to be an author who thoroughly researches the time period she is representing and A Clearing in the Wild is no exception.  I very much appreciate her attention to detail and accuracy even though it does sometimes bog down the story a bit.  In reading, I tend to be more of a "let's get the story moving and let my imagination fill in some of the details" kind of reader.  This isn't Ms. Kirkpatrick's style but I love historical fiction so enjoy her books as well even if they aren't ones that "grab" me. For more on the author, visit http://www.jkbooks.com/

I did receivet shi book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way obligated to leave a positive review.

Dealing with idolatry

From the very beginning in the introduction, Kyle Idleman has you hooked in his most recent book gods At War.  Whether you struggle with spending too much, greed, working too much, worrying, .....there is a false god inside each of us that is at the root of all of them in the form of idolatry.  Idleman is so bold as to say that idolatry isn't just one of many sins, it is the one great sin that all others come from.  The other struggles are just the mask for idolatry.  Idolatry is always the real issue. It's the "trunk of the tree" , and all other problems are just branches.

Proverbs 4:23 tells us "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Your heart determines it all--what you do, say, and think.  Because of that, your heart is the front line for gods at war.  In order to deal with our idol issues, we first must deal with the heart since that is the root of all our thoughts emotions, and actions.  What good would it do to simply deal with the "mask" of the idol (greed, for example) if we never deal with the source  of the problem?

It is hard to see ourselves as idol worshipers but Idleman has some keys questions that may bring out the truth:
      - What disappoints you? When you feel overwhelmed by disappointment, it is a good sign that something has become way too important to you and you have placed your hope in something other than God.
      -What do you complain about the most?  What we complain about reveals what really matters to us.
      - Where do you make financial sacrifices? Where your money goes shows what is winning your heart.
      - What worries you? Whatever keeps you awake at night has potential of becoming an idol.
      -Where is your sanctuary? A friend? Food? God is our help in time of need.  Does your life reflect that?
     - What infuriates you? Maybe your temper reveals your true idol. Yourself.
     - What are your dreams? What is your motivation for those dreams? Your glory or God's?

But God is a jealous god. There is room for only one in our lives. So what do we do about all the  idols in our lives?  We are made to worship.  It is in our make-up.  Will you worship the idols in your life or the one true God?

In gods at War, Idleman addresses many of the things that tend to become idols on our lives and helps the reader deal with the root of the issue.  I can't say enough about the book as it will be one I read a number of time rather than passing it on or gathering dust on a shelf.  It helped open my eyes to my own idols, even ones I didn't know existed or could be idols.  A must read for every Christian.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and was in no way obligated to leave a positive review.

A Matter of Trust

When Mia Quinn's husband, Scott, died in a car accident, she had no choice but to return to work at the King County District Attorney's office as a lawyer.  Talking on the phone one evening to her co-worker and friend, Colleen, Mia is considered a "witness" to Colleen's murder when a gunshot cuts that conversation short. Feeling she has no option but to remain on the phone line, she hands the phone over to her teen son to listen to Colleen's labored breaths, hoping Colleen will reveal what has happened, while she hurries to Colleen's aid.  But Mia was too late.

Having lost both a husband and friend in such a short time, Mia is devastated.  But since Scott's death, there have been many surprises and secrets revealed, none of them good. So when Mia is asked to find and prosecute her friend's murderer, she feels she has no choice but to accept the job.  But balancing work and being a single parent proves to be quite the challenge, especially with a teen son who is desperately trying to fit in at school and a preschool daughter who has recently been having what appears to be terrible nightmares and waking up screaming.

Christian murder mysteries aren't all the numerous and I must say I was pleasantly surprised with Lisa Wiehl's new series introducing Mia Quinn and police detective Charlie Carlson who works with Mia to find the killer. Ms. Wiehl will keep you guessing until the end as to who the real killer is, leaving nuggets of evidence along the way leading the reader to that revelation.  I loved both the main characters, Mia and Charlie, even if the teen son Gabe did bug me a bit.  I just wanted him to show his mother the respect she deserved as his parent.  I look forward to reading additional books in this series.

A Matter of Trust also contains a series of questions perfect for reading group discussions.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and was in no way obligated to leave a positive review.  Released today, March 19, 2013 from Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Upside-down prayers for parents

As a Christian parent, I pray for my children every day, many times several times through the day as I think about them.  However, what I have prayed over my children for over twenty years may not be exactly what I should have been asking God for.  I pray for their safety, to make wise choices, to be a light for Him....all good things.  But Lisa Bergren in Upside-Down Prayers for Parents challenges me to pray in a way that may go against the norm.  For example, day 1 challenges me to pray that my child will get caught doing wrong and that they will find the right path.  How convicting!  As a parent, I would typically pray that my child would make the wise and right choices but we're all sinners and make poor choices.  How much more valuable it would be to my child if he/she were to get caught doing wrong, rather than thinking they got by with something, and then turn to God for direction on the path they should have taken.  How about day 16:  I pray you will lose a job and know that your Provider has not forgotten you.  Seem a bit harsh?  What comfort and security to know that all is in God's hands and that job you think is there forever is only for the moment.  God, as Provider, is the only way we can feel secure in knowing all our needs will be met and that His ways of providing may differ from what we think we need. Or day 24:  I pray your beliefs will be challenged and the roots of your faith will be strengthened.  What growth is experienced when we must defend what we believe!

Upside-Down Prayers for Parents was written as a 31 day devotional for parents.  Each "chapter" begins with a short scripture followed by a few pages of text,  to make the prayer Ms. Bergren is encouraging you to pray seem a bit more understandable as she conveys her thoughts and personal experiences and stories.  Each day also leaves the reader to ponder a fairly thought provoking question and then suggests questions that promote discussion between you and your child whether young, teens, or young adults.  Each entry is simple to read but it may just change the way you think about your prayer life for your child.

Some of these things are just hard to pray for. I think, for me, rather than praying my child will lose a job, suffer loss, face financial hardships, and take crazy risks, I will focus more on praying for what could be gained from those circumstances and let God take care of how that happens.  I have spent most of my adult life trying to protect my children from such things and perhaps that isn't what I should do but God is going to have to work on me a bit to pray hardships on my children. 

Good book and quite thought provoking but get ready for some reading that may challenge how you have prayed for your children!

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was in no way obligated to leave a positive review.