The Waiting - A Book Review

The Waiting

The true story of a lost child, a lifetime of longing, and a miracle for a mother who never gave up.

                 By Cathy Lagrow

                       with Cindy Coloma

Minka, a young girl of sixteen has lived a sheltered life.  Although she lives on a farm she is unaware of where babies come from.  She has always believed that "the stork" brings babies to married women.  On the day of Minka's sewing class picnic her world is flipped upside down.  Cornered in the woods and assaulted by a stranger, Minka is left feeling scared and alone.  She decides to never tell anyone what has happened...then three months later she discovers she is pregnant.  Her mother and stepfather along with the families pastor decide that the best course of action will be to send Minka away to a distant relative until her confinement time at which time she will then go to the House of Mercy, a place that helps young girls in "delicate" conditions.  The plan is for her to have the baby and give it up for adoption.

At the House of Mercy a young girl has her baby and then cares for the baby for 6 weeks before giving it up for adoption or leaving with the baby and having a fresh start.  When Minka has her baby she calls her Betty Jane and instantly loves her.  She cherishes every moment of the next few weeks and does not want to give her up.  She struggles with knowing that both her and her daughter will be "marked" as bad and that her daughter will live a rough life.  After much consideration she makes the sacrifice to give her daughter a chance for a better life and gives her up for adoption.  When her mom and step father come to pick up Minka they take a picture of Minka and Betty Jane.  Minka will cherish this picture for the rest of her life.

Minka never stops loving her daughter.  She continues to write letters to the House of Mercy inquiring about the baby.  It is against policy for them to give any information, but Minka writes anyway.  It is her only link to her baby.  She prays for her daughter every year and never forgets Betty Jane.  Now an elderly woman in her 90's she finds herself praying a new prayer...that God will let her see her daughter before she dies.  Little does she know that two thousand miles away Ruth Lee (Betty Jane) just got word that the court has authorized release of her adoption records.

This book is so good.  I couldn't put it down and read it from cover to cover in 24 hours.  It is a story of love, a mother's love that runs so deep that no adoption, miles or even years gone by could stop it.  I felt like I was sitting down with this family and hearing them recount the story to me first hand.  The fact that Minka did not let the circumstances of her life turn her into a bitter woman was inspirational.  She continued to love and she made and donated clothes and turkeys to the the home where she stayed.  What a remarkable woman!  The miracle of them being reunited is a story of faith and God's love as well.  In the middle of the book there are pictures of the family and included is the picture of Minka and Betty Jane, the very same picture that Minka treasured all those years.   I love that these pictures were included and found myself pausing from reading and flipping the pages to look at the pictures again and again.  It helped me to connect even more to the characters.  I would normally say that I would love to sit down with Minka and have a cup of coffee and hear her story, but that is exactly what I felt like I did.  Very well written!

***This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for my review.

Seasons of Tomorrow - A Book Review

Season of Tomorrow by Cindy Woodsmall is book 4 of the Amish Vines and Orchards Series and definitely my favorite in the series.  I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this book and it was well worth the wait.  I have read each book in the series and have become quite "attached" to the characters.  The author did an amazing job of wrapping up the stories and tying up all the loose ends.  There are so many different characters in this series and several story lines going on, but it's never confusing and there is never a dull moment.  I do recommend reading the series in order.  I know there are a lot of series that you can read out of order and it not matter, but I would strongly suggest reading this one in order.  There are so many details that you won't want to miss out on anything!  Another thing I love is that the author includes a section in the front of the book of "our story so far" so if it has been a while since you have read the other books you can quickly refresh your memory without having to go back and read all the books again.

In book four Rhoda is feeling more content in her heart than ever before.  The Orchard and canning business is running smoothly, her relationship with Samuel is progressing, she is coming to terms and finding peace with her "premonitions" and life is going well, but Rhoda's world gets turned upside down when tragedy strike their settlement.  There are many hurts and struggles that many of the characters have to overcome and they must learn to trust in God for their future.

I am a huge fan of Cindy Woodsmall and always enjoy her books and have to say I am a little sad to see the stories with Rhoda come to an end.  I would love to read more of this family that I have come to love. :)

***This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for my review.

A Shining Light - A Book Review

A Shining Light by Judith Miller begins when Andrea Wilson finds out that her husband has been lost at sea.  It is hard for her to grieve over him since he was abusive to her and their son Lukas.  Andrea makes the decision to return to her father's farm, but when she arrives she only finds more heartache.  The family farm has burnt to the ground and her father has died.   On top of that her father had sold the farm to the Amanan's before he died.  Andrea has no money and no place to go.

The people of the nearby Amana village invite Andrea and Lukas to stay with them until she makes other plans.   The people are so kind and it doesn't take long for Andrea and her son to find their place among the people.  Lukas befriends Dirk Knefler, the village tinsmith and sparks soon fly between Dirk and Andrea.  It seems as if Andrea and Lukas have finally found their place and are content with the life they are now living, but right when everything seems to be falling into place in Andrea's life the unexpected happens and Andrea has to learn to trust in God for her future.

    I am not really fond of books written from first person narrative.  It is just a personal preference of mine.  This book is written from that perspective and because of that I struggled with it a little bit.  The author writes from each character's point of view and has it laid out in a way that is easy to keep up with the changes in perspective.  It took me a little while to really get into the book and I do think it has to do with my preference of the first person narrative, but once I got into the book I could hardly put it down.  It was a great story line although somewhat predictable.   I really enjoyed reading about the Amana people and would like to check out some of the author's other books.  This book was actually the third book in the Home to Amana series, so I guess I'm going to go backwards. : )

If you would like to check out Judith Miller's website you can do so by clicking HERE.

***This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for my review.

Murder Simply Brewed - A Book Review

Amber Wright is an Englischer who runs the shops in an Amish Artisan Village.  Hannah is a young Amish girl that works at the quilt shop located next to the coffee shop.  When Hannah finds Ethan, the manager in charge of the coffee shop dead it is quickly determined that the cause of death was a heart attack.  Amber asks Hannah to take Ethan's place in the coffee shop and it doesn't take long before "evidence" of foul play start showing up.  When Amber goes to the police with her suspicions they do not take her seriously.  Amber and Hannah join forces and begin to investigate on their own.   Will they be able to fit the puzzle pieces together before anyone else gets hurt?

I don't usually read murder mysteries, but something about an Amish murder intrigued me, plus, I had recently read a short story by Vannetta Chapman and really enjoyed it and was anxious to read one of her books.  Murder Simply Brewed was a really great novel.  If you are like me and don't want to read something that is dark and sinister, but still like a good mystery then this book is perfect.  I couldn't wait to discover "who-done-it" and it held my attention from cover to cover!  I loved the fact that an Amish lady and an Englischer worked together to solve the "crime" and there was a perfect balance of mystery, suspense and romance that kept me wanting more.   This book was a refreshing change for me and I can't wait to read more of this author's writings!

***This book was provided to me by the publisher through the booklook blogger review program in exchange for my review.

Bluebonnet Bride - A Book Review

Bluebonnet Bride by Colleen Coble is about Elli, a woman from Finland who leaves her home to come to American as a mail order bride.  When Elli's father died suspiciously she felt the need to escape to keep from her neighbor from stealing her inheritance.

Once in America Elli marries Nathan who has made it clear that he only wants a wife to help him raise his dead sister's little girl.  On the first night in American someone sneaks in Elli's window and tries to strangle her.  Nathan becomes determined to protect his new wife and in the meantime feelings that he did not expect begin to spark between them.

This is a
short story that is action packed, attention grabbing and a fast read.  I finished it in a short mount of time in one evening.  I love a well written short story and this one was right on.  As a short ebook the price is exceptional and I think it would be a great addition to your e-reader library!

***This book was provided to me by the publisher through the booklook blogger review program in exchange for my review.

The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn - A Book Review

The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benton is an intriguing story that takes place in 1787 in the lost state of Franklin, now known as Tennessee.  Before reading this book I had no idea that there was even a lost state of Franklin and reading about it during this time period was particularly interesting to me.  This book has so many twist and turns in it that you never know what to expect next.  It's the kind of book that leaves you wanting more and keeps you up at night because you just can't stop reading.

Tamsen Littlejohn is to be married.  A marriage arranged for her by her stepfather.  She is certain that no good will come of the marriage and she fears that she will end up like her mother.  She decides she must escape before it's too late.  Her first attempt of escaping fails and when tragedy strikes she knows that she must leave immediately before it is to late.  Jesse Bird, a man she barely knows quickly comes to her aid and helps her escape.  Tamsen's stepfather declares that she has been kidnapped and enlists the help of her would-be fiance and the pursuit begins!

Within the pages of the book you will find action and controversy, loyalty, love and faith.  There's Indian attacks, prejudices, slavery, conflict between states and a divided community. Each time I thought I knew what was going to happen next (because admit it, most books are predictable) there was a twist that kept me on the edge of my seat.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction.  It's a great love story rich in history that I am sure you will enjoy!!

***This book was provided to me by the publisher through the blogging for books book review program in exchange for my review.

An Amish Garden - A Book Review

An Amish Garden is a compilation of four Amish novellas.  Included is Rooted in Love by Beth Wiseman, Flowers for Rachel by Kathleen Fuller, Seeds of Love by Tricia Goyer and Where Healing Blooms by Vannetta Chapman.

Each novella revolves in some way around gardening.  When I first seen this book I thought for sure I would love it.  I like reading short stories, I love Amish fiction. I love gardening and I had read previous books from all the authors except for Vannetta Chapman and have really liked them.  To be honest though, I was not impressed with An Amish Garden.  The stories seemed very rushed, predictable and the story lines were just boring.

Out of the four stories I enjoyed Where the Healing Blooms by Vannetta Chapman the most.  I found the story line to be more intriguing than the others and it made me want to read more of her writings.  Instead of your normal "young girl finds boy and they fall in love story" this was about Emma, an older widow who's normal, quiet life gets interrupted when she finds a young teenage boy living in her barn.  After finding out about the boy's past she decides to let him stay on with the Bishop's approval.  The Bishop surprises her by asking if she will also open her home to a local woman and her two children that are in need.  When Mary Ann, Emma's mother-in-law reveals a secret a hidden secret in the garden Emma know's for sure that God is calling her to do a great work in helping those in need.  

***This book was provided to me through the booklook bloggers program in exchange for my honest review.

All Things Hidden - A Book Review

All Things Hidden by Tracie Peterson and Kimberly Woodhouse is a well written historical fiction book that takes place in Alaska.  In 1935 during the great depression 200 families chosen by the government are sent to Alaska as pioneers to start a new colony.  The conditions are rough and many of the colonists face sicknesses and trials that they never expected.  Even though the Indian people that are native to the area offer their help, there are a few people that do not trust them and try to stir up trouble.

Gwyn Hillerman and her doctor father have lived and loved the Alaskan territory for years.  Gwyn's mom and sister abandoned them years earlier for Chicago and high society.  Gwyn also works along side her father as a nurse and she loves to serve others.  Even though Gwyn has a strong bond with her father she is constantly worrying and has a fear of being abandoned again.  She does not accept change well and the thought of her beloved Alaska becoming civilized brings on a whole new set of fears and worries.

Jeremiah is a young dedicated doctor living in Chicago.  When he loses a patient and his medical license is stripped from him, he finds his life turned upside down.  The beautiful Sophia whom he is engaged to quickly calls off their engagement when she learns of the loss of his medical license because she does not want it to reflect badly on her.  On top of that Jeremiah's parents turn their back on him as well.  When he hears that Dr. Hillerman is in need of a doctor to help him in Alaska Jeremiah decides to go.  He also decides to keep the fact that his license was suspended a secret.  On top of that he decides not to mention that his former fiance was Gwyn's sister.

Then there is the terrible bank robber that also heads to Alaska to hide out and soon sets his sites on Gwyn.  There is lots of suspense including murders, natural disasters, prejudices and so much more.  The story is a mixture of romance, action
and historical facts that all together make for an excellent book.  I loved that the authors included true historical facts at the end of the book and I found it quite interesting to learn about a piece of history that I had no prior knowledge of before reading this book.

I'd love to read more about Gwyn and Jeremiah and hope this book will be the beginning of a series.

***This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for my review.

Echoes of Mercy - A Book Review

Kim Vogel Sawyer has officially become my favorite author.  I have never read a book of hers that I didn't like and lately I have absolutely loved every one.  She never disappoints me and she has a style of writing the speaks straight to my heart.    I love the way she combines history, romance, action and faith.

Echoes of Mercy is my favorite book of hers yet.  At least for now anyway.  I'm sure that I'll say the same thing about her next book because each one seems to get better and better.

Caroline is an undercover agent who works to stop child labor in factories.  After a previous agent turns up dead while on assignment Caroline takes his place at the Dinsmore Chocolate Factory.  Her job is to investigate the death to see if there was foul play and finish the job that he started.  She quickly finds out the the factory manager is a rotten scoundrel who likes to bully the workers, especially the women.

Ollie Moore is also a new worker at the factory.  Even though he is just a janitor he is very friendly and seems well educated.  He becomes a quick ally to Caroline (who goes by Carri while undercover).  He joins forces with her and helps her investigate the death of the "previous worker".  There are sparks igniting between the two of them, but it seems as if they both of them have secret identities.  When they find out the truth about each other will they be able to pursue their relationship or will their differences be to much to overcome?

There is so much more to this story line than what I can write about in a short review.  Believe me when I say this is an excellent book that is so well written.

Even though it is a historical fiction story it is rooted in true events from history.  I love it when an author takes true events and writes a well written story that could easily of fit into that time period.

***This book was provided to me by the publisher through the Blogging for Books book review program in exchange for my review.

An Amish Miracle - A Book Review

An Amish Miracle is a book compiled of three Amish Novellas by three different Authors.  Included is Always In My Heart by Mary Ellis, Always His Providence by Ruth Reid and Always Beautiful by Beth Wisemen.  It was not until I began the second story that I realized that all three Novellas take place in the same Amish community and all the character's intertwine.  I absolutely loved that the authors worked together to do this and it added to the enjoyment of the stories.  Once I started reading these beautifully written stories it was hard to stop.  I love fiction books that portray a faith in God that is encouraging to read and deals with things that I can relate with and each one of these stories did exactly that.

Another thing that each short story has in common is that each main character needs and is praying for a miracle of some sort.  God provides for each of them in ways that was beyond (and better) than their thinking.

In the first story Always In My Heart, Hope Bowman believes that she is being punished by God for giving up her son for adoption when she was 16 years old.  She has kept a terrible secret from everyone including her husband.  She finally realizes she must make peace with herself, God and her family.  She tells her husband the truth of her past.  Her husband has desperately wanted a son, even though God has blessed them with 4 daughters.  He has a hard time dealing with it at first, but soon realizes that Hope was not to blame and was following her own fathers orders.  Hope has always prayed for the son she gave up, but she is also praying that God would bless her and her husband with a boy of their own.  Much to her surprise God answers her prayer when a 15 year old boy shows up on their doorstep...the son she gave up for adoption.  This is a story of faith, of forgiveness and of healing.  I enjoyed reading this novella so much and thought it was beautifully written.  The only complaint I have is that it was too short.  I felt that the end of the story was a little rushed and would of loved to have more details at the end.

Always His Providence is about Rosa Hostetler who is a widow.  Her husband died while saving his best friend Adam from a burning barn.  Before he died he asked Adam to take care of Rosa.  Rosa's late husband also left her in bad financial shape and she has one month to pay her delinquent taxes or she will lose her farm.  She is very proud and refuses to ask for help from the community or from Adam.  She depends on her income from selling eggs, but when an Englisher neighbor's dog begins to kill her chickens everything is put to the test.  The miracle that God provides for Rosa is so completely unexpected.  Such a great story about healing, learning to trust in God and not yourself or others and excepting love again.

Always Beautiful is about Becky Byler who is eighteen and overweight.  Her insecurities and low self esteem has brought her to the side of a fast flowing creek.  Becky is unable to swim and is considering taking her own life.  She prays and asks God for a miracle...to make her thin.  In just a few short months Becky loses the weight and the temptation that food had over her.  She no longer compares herself to the other girls and feels she is as good as they are, she is even dating Matt, the most handsome boy in the community.  Even though she is finally pleased with the way she looks she begins to realize that she does not like the person she has become.  Through it all she has even lost her best friend Elam, who has always been the one person who always stood by her side and truly loved her for who she was.  Is it too late for Becky to make things right?  This a great story about self-image, pride and the realization that sometimes we have to learn lessons the hard way, but God's way is always the best and if we stay true to Him he works everything out for our good.

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would.  I truly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading Amish fiction!

***This ebook was provided to me by the publisher through the booksneeze blogging for books program.