Clipston does not disappoint!

A Place of Peace..... Book 3 in the Kauffman Amish Bakery Series.... A Great Read!

Book Description:  Miriam Lapp returns to the Amish community she once belonged to when she hears of her mother's death. Amidst her grief and some painful lies from her past, she is forced to face the people who rejected her. Losing her once fiancé and being shunned by her father becomes an excruciating test of her faith. A Place of Peace is one story you won't soon forget.

My thoughts:  Wow!  I read Books 1 and 2 in this series and I have to say Clipston just gets better with each book.  Read my previous reviews Here and Here  I predicted that she is an author to watch as she developed her style and she has become one of my favs. 

In A Place of Peace, Clipston again gives you enough background that you are not lost if you did not read book 1 & 2.  Her main characters of Timothy and Miriam are believable and you do find yourself tearing up on occasion as you become engrossed in their lives.  Clipston does an excellent job of weaving two main plotlines of Timothy and Miriam's stories with the story of Miriam's niece.  The story keeps you enthralled from page 1 and it is an easy, fast read.  I don't want to spoil the story lines here but I do want to encourage you to read it .  There is a reason this book won all the awards below!

A Place of Peace was a CBA Bestseller, a Christian Book Distributors Bestseller, and received Romantic Times Four Star review!

I give it 4 stars!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.  As always, all opinions are my own!

Not such a treasure.....

Book Review:  Treasuring Emma by Kathleen Fuller

Emma has put everyone else first in her life. Now at nearly 25, has she missed her chance at marriage?

Emma was Adam's first love but circumstances made them both choose different paths in life. Emma's heart breaks all over again when Adam returns to the Amish community of Middlefield, Ohio, years later.

For the past ten years, Emma has been a care-giver. First for her mother who unsuccessfully battled breast cancer, and now for her grandmother who gets more frail with each passing year. Emma has always put the needs of others above her own. With more time on her hands, she determines to focus on herself and her dream of opening a rescue shelter for stray animals in the community.

With Adam's return come feelings Emma's long buried. They're older and life hasn't turned out the way they thought it would. Adam's feelings for Emma are stronger than ever, but will he be able to convince her to put the past aside and give their love a chance?

I have read several other books by Fuller so I was excited to read Treasuring Emma.  However, I wasn't too far into the book before I realized that this novel was not going to be anything like Fuller's other books. I had to make myself endure to the end.  Major disappointment.

There are several things about Treasuring Emma that are lacking.  First, the intro into the characters and storyline lead you to believe that Emma is going to start a business with animals.  This never happens.  Emma is also described as "frumpy" and "old maid-ish" but really?  she is only in her early 20s?  Fuller could have come up with something better than the typical "frumpy old maidel" Amish character.  That girl gets played more in the Amish genre than anything else.  But what about Adam?  Emma's main love focus.  This should be fully developed and woven in the story but it seems that Fuller spends too much time introducing secondary characters without getting all the main characters in place.

Emma's sister and family are some of those secondary characters.  While her sister is a tad annoying I didn't really mind her in the story.  The dilemma is why is she the kind of character she is because it doesn't add to what is happening.  It seems to just bring chaos vs. climatic tension.

Overall, this book seems like Fuller took a bunch of different characters and plot lines from various stories and tried to weave them all together in one book.  It didn't work.  It is by far the worse book I have read by her.  Very disappointing.
2 stars

I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Booksneeze in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Book Review: A Promise of Hope (Book 2) by Amy Clipston

This is book 2 in a series by a new author.  (Review of Book 1, A Gift of Grace, can be read here.)

While this is book two, Clipston does a good job of providing the reader with enough information that you are not lost if you did not read book one.  She does a great job of character development in both books that it is easy to pick up and join in the story, understanding who everyone is and how they relate.

We find Clipston again magically able to weave numerous conflicts and characters in a way that makes you keep reading and reading.  The story begins with Sarah Troyer mourning the loss of her husband Peter.  She is left to grieve his tragic death while simultaneously discovering several surprises and uncovering a few secrets of her husband's former life.  Her own brother, Timothy, has secrets as well.  What will Sarah do and who can she trust?



The difference in this book than book one is that Clipston does a much better job with the climax and ending!  Hallelujah!  In the first book in this series, Clipston builds and builds and then quickly resolves the conflict in what felt like 1-2 pages and the book was over.  This time, the resolution and ending seems more natural, allowing you as the reader to find closure with the characters.

I definitely will read book 3.  I think Clipston is a writer to watch!

4 stars

I was provided a free review copy of this book by Zondervan in exchange for my honest review.  

Double Feature- Another Book Review: The Promise of an Angel

What a surprising read!  I cannot wait to read book two in this series as Ruth Reid is an excellent author who is able to capture your attention from page one and keep you reading until you reach the final word on the last page.

Judith Fischer is a young Amish girl, ready to marry, settle down and start her family.  However, Judith witnesses a "strange man" visiting her brother Samuel on the day of his tragic accident.  It turns out that this "man' is an angel named Tobias.  The visit of an angel to the Amish community is not a welcomed event and many in the community do not want to believe Judith.  The conflict this brings not only to Judith but to her family is only part of the story line.  Reid develops the other part of the story to show us how Judith struggles with her faith and belief in truth at all costs.  Judith must choose to do what is right even if it costs her relationships.  Is this not the struggle we all have?

I was unsure if I would like this book due to the "angel" roles and not sure how Reid would develop that character in the book.  However, Tobias is not "hokie" nor is he "mystic".  He is in a supporting role to encourage Judith to stand firm in her faith.  Reid also takes a noticeable twist from other Amish fiction writers in that she openly shows the relationship between Judith's "beau" and her sister, Martha when other writers would have probably kept that more secretive like the Amish ways.  However, this is a good thing because it helps the reader appreciate what Judith is struggling with and helps understand her.

For a debut novel, this was excellent!

5 stars

Thomas Nelson Publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book through their BookSneeze program in exchange for my fair and honest review.  As always, all opinions are my own.  

Book Review: A Gift of Grace (Book 1) by Amy Clipston

Amy Clipston is a first-time author and I am always looking for a new author to appreciate.  A Gift of Grace looked like a possible pleasant surprise in the Amish fiction genre.

Unable to conceive, yet always desiring to be a mother, Rebecca's longings are fulfilled in a very different way than she ever imagined.  When her older sister, Grace, dies in a car accident, Rebecca becomes the guardian of Grace's two teenage girls.  The struggle is that Grace had left the Amish community and the Amish ways and the two teenage girls have been reared in the modern world!  What will Rebecca do?  How will she, and they, assimilate to living together?  Can they make this work?

I really liked this book because Clipston develops her characters in a way that allows you to peer into their thoughts and feelings in the midst of the conflicts.  One of the main conflicts in the story, obviously, is the conflict between the girls' modern ways and the Amish ways of the community they now are living in.  While Rebecca is more patient in helping them adjust, Daniel, her husband, struggles with their progress (or lack thereof). Daniel's struggle produces the second major conflict in the story being between he and Rebecca.

Rebecca, as an Amish wife, is portrayed as an independent woman, yet submissive to her husband at the same time.  This ability is a very tender balance and Clipston pulls it off well.   She also develops the oldest teen, Jessica, with balance...again not leaning too far where the character is a "typical teenager" nor is she unrealistic in her role.  Clipston manages to make you feel as if you are living in the house with the Kaufman's as they are trying to make this scenario work out.

The sadness for me was as this plot was building and I couldn't put the book down it seemed as if all of a sudden everything stopped, the author threw in these two major emotional events,  and then resolution was obtained.  Almost like an hurried end which made the two major events unrealistic and the resolutions anti-climatic.

Would I read another book by this author?  Yes, at least one more to see if this is her writing style or if what occurred in this book was a one-time experience.

3 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan in exchange for my fair and honest review. 

Goodbye Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Sampson

You are going to need a map to follow this plot!

This is the fourth book in a series by Lisa Sampson and it clearly does not stand alone. It is about the querky advertures of Scotty Fitzgerald who desires to live a"Jesusy extraordinary" life. In the midst of trying to find this life, Scotty's journey includes trials of friendship, forgiveness, and faith.

But the struggle I had in reading the book was twofold. First, I had not read the previous books in the series and this author clearly does not give you enough information to surmise what has occurred in the first three books. Many times a character would pop up and I would think "wait, who is this?" Or there would be a reference to someone or an event that you were expected to know for the story to come together. Second, the book is written in a journal format. This format alone is difficult but couple it with my first point and you have a very hard book to read.

This book is written for teens. While I could see some younger teens enjoying Scotty's adventure, I felt like the themes of unwed pregnancy or the friend who needed to keep himself pure were too mature for that younger teen group.

Overall, I would give this book 3 stars.

I would only recommend it IF you were going to read all four books in the series.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.  As always, my opinions are my own. 

"Too Rich......for a Bride" by Mona Hodgson

In Book 2 of the Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek, Ida Sinclair joins her sisters in Colorado.  However, unlike her two sisters, Kat and Nell, she is not on a mission of love but on a mission of business.  Ms. Ida Sinclair has her eyes and heart set on being a successful business woman.  Nothing is inherently wrong with this goal except....well.... it is 1896!

"Too Rich for a Bride" entertains through the twists and turns that life takes Ms. Sinclair as she embarks on her journey to become a career woman.  As fate would have it, she is gainfully employed by the only woman in town, Mollie O'Bryan, and becomes determined to learn everything she can from Cripple Creek's most infamous successful businesswoman.  However, it isn't too long after arriving that a few of the men in town notice Ms. Sinclair.  Not too easily swayed, she stays the course until circumstances beyond her control force her to assess her priorities.  What will win her affections?  her career?  a dashing city attorney?  the traveling preacher?

Here is the first Chapter.....

Too Rich for a Bride by Mona Hodgson (Chapter 1 Excerpt)

This is a quick, easy read and  I would have loved to have had it poolside or at the beach! Mona Hodgson tells the story in such a way that you did not have to have read Book 1 to understand this book.  However, I would like to read Book I now.  Additionally,  I would recommend this read to anyone who is looking for an enjoyable historical fiction book.

4 stars

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.  As always, my opinions are my own. 

The Fire in Ember

DiAnn Mills has become one of my favorite historical fiction writers. And she doesn't disappoint in this recent novel either!  Full of unforgettable characters and a great plot, Mills has you enthralled from the first page.

Watch this trailer.....



My thoughts about the book....as I said earlier, Mills captures your interest from the first page.  Bert, the main character, is a spunky boy/young lady and you want to believe in her even when there is a shred of doubt.  Timmons is another good, all-around guy but there are times you don't know if he will pull through and do what is right.  Of course, Mills has wonderful supporting characters who will find their way into your heart.  Timmons' mother and brothers balance the story as well as some of the townsfolk.  Mr. Oberlander...well, you just need to read the book to form your own opinion about him!

I found myself reading "just one more chapter" to see what would happen next.  It really is that kind of story.  Mills knows how to weave the plot between numerous characters in such a way that you are not quite sure what will occur.  Bert finds herself in the midst of chaos and deception.  The greatest deception is her own belief that she is unworthy of love and redemption. Bert must struggle through these issues while she is battling for truth to clear her of any wrongdoing.  Will she prevail?  Will she be redeemed?
Grab a copy of this book and find out....you will be glad you did!

5 stars

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.  As always, my opinions are my own.

Blog Tour: People of the Book by Kathi Macias

Interview with Kathi Macias

People of the Book is the fourth and final book in your Extreme Devotion series. Each book is set in a different country, with the theme of first devotion and commitment to Christ above all else running through all four. How is People of the Book different, and who/what inspired you to write this book?

People of the Book was the most difficult of the four Extreme Devotion series books to write, but it is also the strongest when it comes to a call to personal commitment to Christ and to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. With each of the books, I began drafting the manuscripts through Internet research, since I had never lived in any of the four countries and had only visited one of them. After the original draft, I worked with someone who either currently lived in the country or who had recently spent many years there. People of the Book was the toughest because the Saudi women I connected with via the Internet were understandably apprehensive about associating with me. Most, in fact, were terrified to do so. I was therefore quite pleased to meet a young woman named Dolly Dahdal here in the States who, until just a few years ago, had spent the majority of her life in Saudi Arabia and understood perfectly why I had chosen to write this book. We shared a passion to help expose the fallacy of “honor killings,” a horrific crime perpetrated primarily against women and girls who in some way bring “dishonor” on their Muslim families, and Dolly was a major contributor to the authenticity of this book.

Can you give us a brief synopsis of this story?

Eighteen-year-old Farah, who lives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with her family, wants nothing more than to develop a deeper, more meaningful devotion to her Muslim faith. She sees the month of Ramadan as her chance to draw nearer to Allah, and she pursues that goal throughout the holiday. All goes well until the prophet Isa—Jesus—appears to her in a dream and calls her to Himself. At the same time, her only brother, Kareem, who has never liked Farah, actively seeks an opportunity to expose her for the sham he believes she is.

Meanwhile, Farah’s seventeen-year-old cousin, Nura, has begun to frequent an online chat room where former Muslims gather to discuss their new faith, based on their belief that Isa is much more than a Muslim prophet—He is actually the Son of God. While there, Nura becomes acquainted with an American girl of Muslim ancestry—now a devout Christian named Sara—and a friendship quickly develops. However, Sara has problems of her own due to her fifteen-year-old brother Emir’s involvement with a gang.

The lives of Farah, Nura, and Sara ultimately dovetail until each finds herself at a place where her faith is put to the test. Will they remain faithful to the end? Will God protect and keep them safe in the midst of persecution and treachery? Or will they be required to pay the ultimate price for their faith?

Kathi, how did you get into writing? Has it always been your passion, or is it something you came to later in life?

I’ve always wanted to write, for as long as I can remember. I was an avid reader even before I started kindergarten. I wrote a short story in third grade that the teacher liked so much she showed it to the principal, and they decided to turn it into a play for the entire PTA. I was hooked! One day when I was about 13, I was walking home from school with my then boyfriend (now husband), Al, and I told him I’d be a writer some day. He often reminds me how blessed I am to have been able to do what I dreamed of all my life.

I understand you’re running a special contest that has to do with this book. Can you tell us about it?

Not only are there several opportunities to win a copy of the book on various blog sites included in this tour, but I’m giving away the entire four-book series at the end of the tour to someone who leaves a comment on one of the blogs, so be sure to check them all out and leave comments on each one!

In addition to writing, you are a popular speaker at women’s event, writers’ conferences, and various venues around the country. How can people find out more about you, your writing and speaking, sign up for your weekly devotional newsletter (in English or Spanish), and/or just view your many book videos, etc.?

They can find me at one of my websites (http://www.kathimacias.com;http://www.theTitus2Women.com) or on my Easy Writer blog athttp://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com. There is a “contact” button on my Kathi Macias website if they’d like to send me a message. I always respond to all my emails!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview on my blog. This blog tour is managed by Christian Speaker Services (www.ChristianSpeakerServices.com).

Faithful by Kim Cash Tate

This is a great book!  I thoroughly enjoyed Faithful by Kim Cash Tate.  Three women, all friends, yet each with their own struggles in life centered around faithfulness - their own and God's.

This is the first book I have read by Kim Cash Tate and I have to say I will read a second one. Her style is easy to read and I found myself wrapped into the storyline quickly.  The story moves along and there is never a slow moment.  The characters are highly likeable and will even make you find a tissue or two as Kim Cash Tate does not shy away from dealing with real life issues in this book.  It is a title in the Women of Faith Fiction Series so it is written to encourage women in their walk with God.  Tate does an excellent job of making her characters real without oversimplifying their lives.  Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it as a good read for any woman that wants to be reminded of God's faithfulness.

Quick introduction to the book:  Cydney thought she knew God's plan for her life.  It included marriage and a family.  However, at 40 she finds herself still single until God brings a man into her life.  But she struggles with knowing if he is "Mr. Right" because he does all the wrong things.  Why, he doesn't even have a Bible!  Then Cydney's best friend, Dana, who has had the perfect marriage, uncovers her husband's affair.  What now?  They used to mentor marriages...teach couples how to have the "perfect marriage".  How can she return to the church?  The third part of this trio is Phyllis, who is tired and weary because she is married to an unbelieving man.  Hayes doesn't seem to even like God, muchless want to go to church.  How can Phyllis raise their children with a man that hates God?  Then she goes to a reunion for her college soriority and reconnects with an "old friend".  Uh-oh...this man is everything Phyllis has dreamed of in a husband and he is a recent widower.  Will Phyllis remain faithful to Hayes?  All three lives are intertwined as they journey these paths.

About Kim Cash Tate:  She is a Women of Faith speaker and the author of Heavenly Places and the memoir More Christian than African American.  A former practicing attorney, she is also the founder of Colored in Christ Ministries.  She and her husband have two children.

5 Stars

I received a free copy of this book from B&B Media Group in exchange for my honest and fair review.  

Book Review: Softly and Tenderly

Softly and Tenderly

by Sara Evans with Rachel Hauck

Jade, the young wife of an attorney of a prominent family law firm and a successful business owner, finds herself barren and longing for answers to many of life’s issues.  This book opens with Jade’s struggle with infertility and soon you discover that she is wrestling with her mother’s illness of leukemia, her in-laws issues of infidelity, family secrets from decades past, her husband’s secret of an  illegitimate child, and her own personal struggles within.  Jade is a woman of strength, one who is known for “having to put her roots down and down deep”.  However, she begins to question who she is and what she believes.  How will she resolve all of these issues?  Can she forgive?  Can relationships be healed and reconciliation occur?  How does God work in these issues?  Can He?  All these questions and more are dealt with as the story of Jade and her relationships are told in the pages of this book.  

This is the second book in the Songbird series.  I had not read the first book and did not feel lost at all.  It was an easy read and I found myself not wanting to put it down.  Get ready, though...a few tissues might need to be handy as you find yourself feeling some of the emotions that Jade, or possibly some of the other characters in the book, are experiencing.  Evans and Hauck do a great job of making the characters come alive and be real as they are dealing with real life issues.  

Overall, this is a powerful story of love lost and restored in many places and how God works in the lives of us all.

5 stars

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.