A Surprise for Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher

These are some of my favorite books to read to my children.  I liken these to The Little House on the Prairie books, except obviously set in the Amish setting and not the prairie.

 

My daughter, who is 3, likes to take these books off my shelf and look at them.  In fact, I had to keep hunting down this book because she liked to carry it around.  The cover of this book kept drawing her to it! 

 

This is book 4 in the Adventures of Lily Lapp series.  I think that it's a good sign if adults like this book despite it being written for the ages of 8-12.  That's what I have come to like in Suzanne Woods Fisher.  I feel like no matter the book or the age the book is written for, her writing is consistent and good at drawing in readers of all ages.  Just because this book is meant for the younger crowd, it still has a great storyline and well....as the book states, surprises.

 

I like the curiosity of Lily and the predicaments she finds herself in.  She truly does mean well and has good intentions, but since she is a child, she thinks and acts like a child.  This fact alone has made reading these books out loud to my children great discussion starters.  We've been able to talk about the choices Lily made and the consequences.  That alone makes these books a must.

 

I'm impressed with how both writers are able to go back to a child mindset and write these books from a child's perspective.  It makes these books so much more interesting because you very rarely get a child's perspective throughout a book.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again and again...these books are a must for all little girls and boys!  One of my personal favorites in this book (and in all of them) are the question and answers about the Amish.  I love learning those little tidbits of information!

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The Promise by Dan Walsh and Gary Smalley

Two of my favorite authors in one book....yes, please!  I've always compared Dan Walsh to Nicholas Sparks and Gary Smalley has a fondness in my heart because of the Karen Kingsbury Redemption series.

 

I was hooked on this new series, The Restoration Series, from the very first book.  The Dance didn't dance around tough issues.  I like that about this series.  In The Promise, job loss and marriage reconciliation are some of the tough issues discussed.  I like how you learn more about relationships in general just by reading these books.  Sometimes its easier to read about relationships and their problems when it happens to someone else.  It's also a lot easier to take when its found in a fiction book, too.  I think that's why these books are such great reads.

 

Tom has lost his job, but has such a huge cloud of shame over his life.  He's carrying a burden alone that he feels he can't even share with his wife or his father.  How can he possibly explain that he lost it and that he was betrayed?  Would anyone really believe that it wasn't his fault?  Can his father repair his relationship with his son and with his wife? 

 

Tom has to tell the truth to his wife at some point.  The lies are starting to pile up and it's taking its toll on him.  However, you can imagine how well his wife took this news after over 7 months of his lying and thinking that he was still at his job.  Not only that, but his child is involved, which makes this ordeal even harder.

 

I can't wait to read the next book in this series.  I love that real hard topics are discussed.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Trapped by Irene Hannon

IIrene Hannon has remained my favorite and only suspense author that I read.  I don't tend to like suspense books because I can't stand the suspense (corny, I know!) but for some reason Hannon is able to capture me with the first page.  I think that because there is a romance going on helps me because I can focus on the romance side and not just the full-blown suspense.

This is the second book in the Guardians of Justice series.  I like how the part of the story is told in the view of the villain.  That always intrigues me for some reason.  I think it's because I like knowing what's going on inside their heads because I can't even fathom thinking like them.  However, he was very nice and friendly but it goes to show that a person may not be all that they
appear to be.

Time is something they don't have as the search for Darcy heats up.  Bad winter weather is coming in fast so they have to find Darcy before the trails are erased.  The problem is, there aren't many leads.

I am looking forward to the next installment in this series to come out.  I'm interested to see if some of the characters resolve the way I think they should!

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge by Jeff and Lora Helton

My husband and I have had a lot of fun reading this book.  We have been married for almost 8 years and we still learned new things about each other by using this book as a springboard for our discussions.  My husband is rather quiet (I tell him he has a word quota that he allows himself each day), so it's been a good way for us to open up and really talk.  Add in the busyness of 2 small kids, we needed some intentional, relationship-building conversation going on. 

 

Since I was reading this book for review, I did these questions everyday for 2 weeks.  Some days, I would flip through and ask other questions along with the original one we had discussed.  It's actually made so that you talk about one question every Friday...hence the 50 Fridays question.

 

Each Friday starts with a Challenge question.  Some of the questions are harder to answer than others and require some thought.  I love how it tackles the good things, the bad things (like disagreements, things that each of you could change in certain areas), and the comfortable/uncomfortable things.

 

There's a short chapter (like 1 page if it was condensed) that you can read together or separately.  We read it together.  It was a nice way for us to end our work week together, since the week tends to be incredibly stressful and hit or miss sometimes because of work obligations, etc. 

 

I'm planning to revisit this book and I think I just might be getting this for anniversaries of close friends or even for wedding presents.  I mean, who doesn't want a great marriage that reflects Christ?!  I want my children to see Christ when they look at our marriage and that takes effort and conversation....even when we're exhausted.  Thanks for the very helpful marriage resource!

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I received this book free from Howard Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

 

 

The Secret Keeper by Beverly Lewis

Beverly Lewis holds a special place on my shelf because she was the first author I ever read Amish fiction by.  She was also someone that I remember my mom reading as I was growing up.  That said, I am always first in line to read a new book by her.  I've never read a book by her that I haven't liked.  This series, the Home to Hickory Hollow series, has been one of my favorites.  I think I say that about each of her series, though.

I feel at home in Hickory Hollow.  I love everything about, from the place to the characters.  I like the flip in this book with the storyline.  Usually much of the Amish fiction have to do with someone in the Amish community leaving and turning to the world.  However, I liked the flip of an English woman wanting to become Amish.  I could see myself in this a little because of my longing to live simply.  After watching Jenny though, I'm not certain I'd ever make it!  I forget all of the ways that modern technology is actually helpful.

The part that I like the most in this series is that there's a secret.  I feel like that's where the big suspenseful moments come from, which carries the book through to the end.  In this book, Jenny is told a secret and she has to keep it.  As if learning the Amish ways isn't enough to deal with at this time in her life!

As always, I'm anxiously awaiting another book by Beverly Lewis.  Hopefully I won't have to wait too long!
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I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

A Hopeful Heart by Amy Clipston

Amy Clipston is in one of my top selection for Amish fiction authors.  She has yet to write a book that I don't like or am not excited about.  I really liked this book and am excited to read book 2 in this brand new series, Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series.

I liked the storyline, even if it was a little unbelievable in some cases.  However, I don't mind unbelievable because I think that's the fun of fiction.  I read it to get away from the believable sometimes!  The underlying theme is easy to relate to.  Hannah has a lot of decisions to make for herself and her family.  I know that some could see her as selfish, but I saw her as someone who was trying to make the best decision and follow her heart.  But as many of us know, when you choose to follow your heart, it's not always the easiest way.  Hannah has to deal with the consequences of her choices and it touches her family, too.

I do think that this book moved along a little too fast at some points.  I know she had a lot of story to get into the pages of the book, but I felt like some scenes were rushed (i.e. the courtship and several of the decisions Hannah made).  They may have just felt rushed to me because I didn't have a chance to move my emotions about certain characters as fast as the book moved along.  I needed some time to adjust to my new opinions of the characters.

I am definitely excited to read the next book in this series, though!

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I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers and their Booksneeze program in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Winter in Full Bloom by Anita Higman

I love this book!  Okay...I know that doesn't give you a complete summary of this book, but I think this is one of my new favorite books.  Anita Higman had me hooked from the first sentence in this book.  I don't know what it was about Lily that made her seems so easy to relate to.  Whatever it was, I felt attached to her from the beginning.  My heart went out to her because her relationship with her mother.  I wanted to give her mother a good tongue-lashing, not like it would really have helped.  She didn't seem to want to listen to much in the beginning and was so rude.

 

Lily was told some shocking news by her mother when she went to try to make amends with her mother.  That news sends her all the way to Australia on a search.  She so desperately wants her daughter, Julie, to have some kind of relationship with her grandma, but Lily's mom wants nothing to do with her.  She has her reasons, but they don't necessarily make a lot of sense. 

 

Going to Australia by herself has Lily conquering several fears...one is flying and the other is going to the big country alone.  Her journey to Australia grows her and introduces her to so many new things and new people.  When she returns, she is not the same Lily that left.  That's a good thing, in my opinion!  If you'd like the opinions of others on this book, go to http://litfusegroup.com/author/ahigman.

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I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my  honest opinion of this book.