The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Oh how I love Stoney Ridge!  I'm so glad that just because the Stoney Ridge series is over doesn't mean that I have to say goodbye to all of my favorite characters from that series.  I was excited that Uncle Hank came beck on the scene because he was always one of my favorites.  His loudness and carefree personality was always funny to me.  He and Fern had quite a few memorable moments back in the day!

I liked Bethany's spunk.  She reminded me some of M.K. with her personality.  She didn't care at all what others thought.  Her and that scooter cracked me up every time that was a part of the scene.  The scooter depicts her personality perfectly, I think.  She blazes in and blazes out!

Jake has always scared me a little and that still rings true in this book. I'm so ready for him to be caught so he stops threatening people and scamming them.  I want Allen Turner to find him and find out the truth from Tobe.  I might also be hoping for some romance between him and Geena. 

Jimmy Fisher has been another favorite of mine. He has grown up a lot though in this book and isn't the same annoying prankster that gets under the skin of everyone.  He mature a lot.

So many questions left unanswered at the end of this book.  Good thing that I only have to wait until July to read the next book in this series.  I hope Stoney Ridge stays as the main setting for a few more series. It feels like home to me as I read because I see so many familiar characters.  It's always nice to catch up with some old friends!

You can read more reviews on this book by going to http://litfusegroup.com/author/sfisher.

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About the book: Book Two in the Inn at Eagle Hill series.

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher delivers her trademark twists, turns, and tender romance in this delightful and exciting visit to the deceptively quiet community of Stoney Ridge.

Twenty-year-old Bethany Schrock is restless. Her love life has derailed, her faith hangs by a thread, and she is spending the incredibly hot summer days wading through a lifetime's accumulation of junk at the home of five ancient Amish sisters. About the only thing that holds her interest is the spirited and dangerously handsome Jimmy Fisher---and he seems bent on irritating her to no end.

When the sly old sisters and a guest at the Inn get Bethany involved in running the local soup kitchen and starting a community garden, she suddenly finds herself wondering, Shootfire! How did that happen? Despite her newfound purposefulness, a gnawing emptiness about a childhood mystery continues to plague her. Encouraged by Jimmy Fisher, she will seek out the answers she craves---and uncover a shocking secret that will break her heart, heal it, and point her to love.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/stlG8

Read an excerpt: http://ow.ly/stlIM

Meet the author: Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Inn at Eagle Hill series, Lancaster County Secrets series, and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is also the coauthor of a new Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. 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 Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist. She is a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California. Get Amish proverbs delivered right to your mobile device! Download the Free App! http://bit.ly/10Tygyi

Learn more about Suzanne at: http://suzannewoodsfisher.com

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

What Once Was Lost by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Even though we face storms in the places where we feel like God has called us to work and serve, doesn't mean that we're outside of His will and purpose for us.  That's all I could think about while reading this book.

Christina has been in one big storm that keeps sending wave after wave on top of her.  She is fighting to continue in what she knows she is called to do, but quite honestly the situation looks hopeless.

I love Christina's fighter spirit because I could see some of myself in her.  I liked how she didn't give up on her mission, and kept hoping.  In this light, this is a message that resonates with every reader.

 I also enjoyed how Levi and Christina were forced to work together, despite their different beliefs.  The boy who is blind reveals much on the character of people.

Kim Vogel Sawyer is a rather new author to me.  I have really enjoyed all of her books since the first one I read.  She makes historical fiction fun to read and brings me back to time periods in which I don't know much about.  I'm definitely excited to read her next book in this series.

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

Carolina Gold by Dorothy Love

Dorothy Love has become an author that I seek out and am always excited when I see that a new book has come out.  Carolina Gold was an interesting book, especially after the book I just finished reading.  It picked up where the book I had just finished had left... but the books were by 2 different authors!  This book was post war and all of the changes that occurred and how much the people had to fight to rebuild.  For many, it wasn't worth it.  To Charlotte, though, it meant everything. 

Charlotte went back to her childhood home without her father, who had just died. She is determined to make an income and keep her land by planting Carolina Gold... that would be rice.  As the obstacles stack up against her, she has to decide if its worth it to keep trying or not.

I liked Nicholas from the beginning. I was glad to see him go back to his former occupation and help others with his skills. Josie wore on me, though.  I was mad at her for all she did, but I did come to forgive her a bit.  I hurt for Nick's 2 daughters as they were left wondering if their dad had left them or not.

My favorite person, though, was the boy who wanted to learn and begged Charlotte to teach him.  I really wish she had taught him.  He was wanting to soak it all in.  I was glad she sort of took care of him, though, and gave him hope.

This was another great book by Dorothy Love.  It's a fast read, but sweeps you up in the time period.  It's a relevant book and one that is easy to visualize.  I liked the dark cover on this book, because it matches the story line perfectly. Not that good doesn't happen in it, but they are struggling through recovery from war and from the fever and these are, in deed, dark times for many.

Read more reviews on this book by going to http://litfusegroup.com/author/dlove.

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Book Info

About the book: The war is over, but her struggle is just beginning. Charlotte Fraser returns to her late father's once-flourishing rice plantation on the Waccamaw River, determined to continue growing the special kind of rice known as Carolina Gold. But Fairhaven Plantation is in ruins, the bondsmen are free, and money is scarce. To make ends meet, Charlotte reluctantly accepts a position as tutor to the young daughters of Nicholas Betancourt, heir to the neighboring Willowood Plantation. Then Nick's quest to prove his ownership of Willowood sends Charlotte on a dangerous journey that reveals an old family mystery---and threatens all that she holds dear. Inspired by the life of a 19th century woman rice planter, Carolina Gold continues Dorothy Love's winning tradition of weaving together mystery, romance, and rich historical detail, bringing to life the story of one young woman's struggle to restore her ruined world. Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/s2Q5l About the author: A former journalist, free-lance writer and college professor, Dorothy Love explores the intersection of history and human relationships to create novels that speak to the hearts of women everywhere. She is the author of the acclaimed Hickory Ridge novels set in her native state of Tennessee. After earning a masters degree and Ph.D, she authored dozens of magazine articles before breaking into book publishing with a number of award-winning novels for preteens and young adults. The Hickory Ridge series marked her adult fiction debut. Currently she is working on several stand-alone historical novels set in the South. When she isn't busy writing or researching her next book, Love enjoys hiking, traveling, and hanging out with her husband Ron and their rambunctious golden retriever. The Loves make their home in the Texas hill country. To keep up with Dorothy Love, visit www.dorothylovebooks.com, become a fan on Facebook (Dorothy Love Books) or follow her on Twitter (@writerDorothy).

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

Everyday Confetti by Karen Ehman & Glynnis Whitwer

I love this book from cover to cover, including everything in between!  I really like to celebrate days and make certain days more special than others.  However, I'm not good at it and am horrible at planning for them and who has the time to really research those ideas?  Pinterest helps some, but in all honesty, those ideas I pin stay on the wall.  I don't anticipate this ideas given in the book will stay in this book.  I'm already plotting out my first holiday, which will be Valentine's Day.  I can't wait to use this book through the years. I hope it's one of those books I'll want to pass down to my children when they ask, "Mom, where did you get all those ideas to make the holidays so memorable for us?"

I can't think of a singe holiday that this book doesn't cover.  It has it all, including Backwards Day, Left-Handers Day, and Book Lover's Day (on which this book would be the perfect gift for someone).

I like how it covers everyday celebrations, such as spiritual birthdays, reaching out to others, birthdays, and everyday moments.  It also has all of the holidays, from the well-known days to the lesser-known days.

There are lots of recipes to try during these celebrations and I can't wait to try them.  They all look so good and rather easy.  My favorite part though are the ideas of how to make these days special, from notes to presents to ideas to parties.  They are simple and not horribly involved and are things that I think I can easily manage.

2014 just got a little sweeter and I'm looking forward to making some fun memories with my little ones this year that will leave them in anticipation of what comes next!

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

Songs of the Shenandoah by Michael K. Reynolds

I'll be completely honest....when I first opened this book out of the envelope, I grimaced at how long this book was.  I was afraid I wouldn't be able to read it all in time because there were over 400 pages.  Not knowing if I'd like it anyway, I braced myself when I started the first page.  What I didn't expect was to be sucked in and reading over 100 pages a night!  I didn't want this story to end.  No wonder it's so long!  There was a lot of story to tell.  In fact, I liked this book so much that when it went on sale for the kindle, I bought this one and the first two books so I could see what I had missed.  With that said, I never once felt like I was missing something by not having read the first 2 books.

I normally have a hard time getting into these books, but I really want to like them.  That said, I always like to give them a chance to be read.  I am so glad I did with this one.  I've never read anything by Michael K. Reynolds, but he is an excellent storyteller.  He brought the Civil War alive for me.  Brothers fighting brothers, the horror of the slaves, and so much more.  I didn't really know that the Irish immigrants had been involved in any way and was shocked at how they were treated and how they treated others.  (I'm Irish myself, so I really found that interesting.)

The love between Seamus and Davin towards the end blew me away.  Davin's selfless act was beautiful.  I was shocked by Murial and never saw through her secret and never ever expected for it to be what it really was.  My heart broke for Cassie towards the end as hatred is taken out on her.  I loved seeing the church come together for the cause of the newspaper and watching miracle after miracle take place through the book.  It's really hard to sum this book up in a few sentences because it's one of those that just leaves you feeling complete.  Bad things happened, but you see God's hand through it all.  Relationships are formed, people die, and wars occur.  But God is still there and is still answering prayers and still working.

I am definitely looking forward to going back to read the first two books and can't wait for him to come out with another series.  I'll expect it to be a big book this time, though!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael K. Reynolds is a writer with more than two decades of experience in crafting fiction, non-fiction, journalism, copywriting and documentary production. He is the author of a series of Irish historical novels published by B&H Publishing Group. These highly acclaimed books are available in bookstores and libraries across the nation and beyond.

Michael is the writer and producer of an Emmy and Telly award-winning series of documentaries titled, Crystal Darkness. These thirty minute anti-meth films have been heavily promoted and broadcast in cities and states throughout the United States and Mexico. They have been viewed collectedly by more than 10 million people and the message has reached more than 30 million to date.

He also has wide experience as a speaker and on-air personality and has been interviewed on a variety of newspapers, radio stations and televisions networks throughout the nation. Michael earned his B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of California, San Diego and lives in Reno with his wife and three children. He is active in marketplace, marriage, small group and men’s ministries as a leader and speaker.

ABOUT THE BOOK

At the onset of the Civil War, Seamus heeds his wife’s wishes to return to her beloved family farm in the South, where he takes a post as chaplain for General Stonewall Jackson’s brigade. As Seamus ministers to the troops, his sister Clare ministers in a different way—by being a powerful voice in the Northern cause toward freeing the slaves. All this while their youngest brother Davin, who became wealthy during the Gold Rush, struggles to find love and identity in a fallen world. It’s a clash of loyalties and beliefs that threaten the entire family, each of them trying to hear God’s encouragement in the midst of the tragedy of war. The dramatic conclusion to the acclaimed Heirs of Ireland Series.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Songs of the Shenandoah, go HERE.

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I received this book free from CFBA and B & H Publishing Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Tempest's Course by Lynette Sowell

I really like how all of the quilts in these series tells a story.  They are all so different and unique, just like the quilts.  Tempest's Course has an air of mystery surrounding the quilt, though.  The quilt doesn't really belong to Kelly, but she has won the bid to restore the quilt.  Not only is she wanting to find the story behind the quilt, she is also writing her own story.

She has known her fair share of disappointments and is, in fact, just coming off from a downhill slide in her own personal life.  Looking to rebuild and make her life have meaning again, she pours herself into this quilt.  She has to move in to the house where the quilt is held because the owner doesn't want it to leave the house. 

Tom is fighting his own fight against his demons.  He's seen a lot in his life and has problems with his father.  He never seems to be enough for his dad or do enough for him. 

As they both find companionship and friendship in each other, they are left exploring a story of a quilt that just might bring the healing that both of them are searching for.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lynette Sowell is an award-winning novelist. Her most recent novel, Tempest’s Course, is part of the Quilts of Love line from Abingdon Press. When Lynette’s not writing, she divides her time between editing medical reports and chasing down news stories for the Copperas Cove Leader-Press. Lynette was born and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland but makes her home in Coppress Cove, Texas, with her husband and a herd of cats who have them well-trained.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Kelly Frost, a textiles conservator, is invited to the Massachusetts coastal city of New Bedford to restore a 150-year-old Mariner's Compass quilt. But there is one stipulation: she must live and work in Gray House, a former whaling captain's home, where the quilt is stored. There she meets Army veteran Tom Pereira, the caretaker of Gray House, whose heart seems as hard as the rocky Massachusetts coastline. Over the long-lit months as Kelly works to restore the quilt, she and Tom grow closer. And as she reads stories in a daily journal penned by Mary Gray, she learns the secrets of the quilt and Mary's own sad tale of regret. Then Tom learns secrets of his own family's past, and both Tom and Kelly learn they are tied to Gray House in ways they never imagined.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Tempest's Course, go HERE.

 

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I received this book free from CFBA and Abingdon Press in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The Outcast by Jolina Petersheim

For starters, I had this book on my to-read list ever since I saw the cover.  I knew just from that cover that this book would probably be one that I would enjoy. I'm so glad that I was right!  This is definitely one of my top books I've read lately.

The characters are very easy to relate to in this book. I think that's what makes that is what makes this book so good and hard to put down. Even though we all may have different problems than the ones in this book, we all can relate to the need for forgiveness and the guilt and pride that we face way too often in our own lives.  The story isn't new, but it's completely different in the light of being put in the Mennonite community.  Rachel refuses to give up the name of her son's father.  She wants forgiveness, but her pride gets in the way. 

Jolina Petersheim writes in such a way that is refreshing because it isn't seen very often.  She switches between the perspectives of Rachel and a recently deceased bishop.  I thought I wouldn't like the perspective of the bishop because it sounded a little weird, but I did.  It actually added a lot to the book and I can't imagine he book without his perspective.  I saw that she has a sequel coming out soon, and it'll be one I will be anxiously waiting until I can get my hands on a copy!
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I received this book free from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.