Book Review–For Every Season (Book 3 of the Amish Vines and Orchards series)

 

For Every Season

by Cindy Woodsmall

Book Description: Working hard to develop a new Amish community outside of Unity, Maine, Rhoda Byler is fully committed to rehabilitating an orchard with business partner Samuel King. But an impulsive decision has created an unexpected strain in her relationship with her beau, Samuel’s brother, Jacob, threatening plans for the orchard. Amidst mounting tension in matters of the heart and business, Rhoda finds that this fledging settlement feels like the home she has always longed for, and she begins to embrace the God-given, heightened intuition that has always felt like a burden to her. She longs for Jacob to fully be free of his past, so they can work towards the future together.

But as Rhoda uses her gift to unpack an old secret with her Englisch neighbors, it is not her beau but an unlikely ally that cheers her on. With the orchard on shaky ground and Jacob’s plans in question, Rhoda is determined to see things through to harvest. But can she trust her insight to direct her path in matters of the heart?

- See more at: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/books/amish-vines-and-orchards-series/for-every-season/#sthash.KmePWQO4.dpuf

My Thoughts: Since this is book three in the series I’m already familiar with the characters and their struggles. I have followed along with all the characters up to this point and can feel the struggles they have faced – Moving, question of faith, fear, shame, confusion and most of all love. I loved finally seeing Rhodes embrace her gift instead of trying to hide and ignore it. I wont give away the ending but I will say the love triangle between Rhoda, Jacob and Samuel finds its end. I loved the first two books in this series and the third book didn’t disappoint either. I highly recommend this series.

 

What you missed in book one, A Season for Tending:

In a community where conformity flourishes, seeds of Rhoda’s odd behavior were planted long ago. Can she cultivate her relationships with the same care and tenderness that she gives her beloved garden?

Old Order Amish Rhoda Byler’s unusual gift and her remarkable abilities to grow herbs and berries have caused many to think her odd. As rumors mount that Rhoda’s “gift” is a detriment to the community, she chooses isolation, spending her time in her fruit garden and on her thriving canning business.

Miles away in Harvest Mills, Samuel King struggles to keep his family’s apple orchard profitable. As the eldest son, Samuel farms with his brothers, the irrepressible Jacob and brash Eli, while his longtime girlfriend Catherine remains hopeful that Samuel will marry her when he feels financially stable,

Meanwhile, Samuel’s younger sister Leah is testing all the boundaries during her rumschpringe, and finds herself far from home in Rhoda’s garden after a night of partying gone badly. But Leah’s poor choices serve as a bridge between Rhoda and the King family when a tragic mistake in the orchard leaves Samuel searching for solutions.

Rhoda’s expertise in canning could be the answer, but she struggles with guilt over the tragic death of her sister and doesn’t trust herself outside her garden walls. As the lines between business, love, and family begin to blur, can Rhoda finally open up to a new life? And what effect will this odd, amazing woman have on the entire King family?

My Review of book one: http://kryssiruss.blogspot.com/2012/09/book-review-season-for-tending.html

What you Missed in Book two, The Winnowing Season:

The tornado that devastated Kings’ Orchard pushed Rhoda, Samuel, and Jacob to make a new start in Maine. Are they strong enough to withstand the challenges of establishing an Amish community—and brave enough to face the secrets that move with them?

On the eve of their departure to begin a new Old Order Amish community outside of Unity, Maine, Rhoda Byler is shocked to discover that choices made by her business partner and friend, Samuel King, have placed her and her unusual gifts directly into the path of her district’s bishop and preachers. She is furious with Samuel and is fearful that the Kings will be influenced by the way her leaders see her, and not what they know to be true—that Rhoda’s intuition is a gift from God.
Jacob King won’t be swayed by community speculation. He loves Rhoda, believes in her, and wants to build a future with her in Maine. But when the ghosts of his past come calling and require him to fulfill a great debt, can he shake their hold before it destroys what he has with Rhoda? Samuel has a secret of his own—one he’ll go to great lengths to keep hidden, even if it means alienating those closest to him. Throwing himself into rehabilitating the once-abandoned orchard, Samuel turns to a surprising new ally.
Book 2 of the Amish Vines and Orchards series asks: can the three faithfully follow God’s leading and build a new home and orchard in Maine? Or will this new beginning lead to more ruin and heartbreak?

My Review of book two: http://kryssiruss.blogspot.com/2013/05/book-review-winnowing-season-book-2-of.html

Book Review: The Winnowing Season (Book 2 of the Amish Vines and Orchards series)

 

THE WINNOWING SEASON by Cindy Woodsmall

Book Description: The tornado that devastated Kings’ Orchard pushed Rhoda, Samuel, and Jacob to make a new start in Maine. Are they strong enough to withstand the challenges of establishing an Amish community—and brave enough to face the secrets that move with them?

On the eve of their departure to begin a new Old Order Amish community outside of Unity, Maine, Rhoda Byler is shocked to discover that choices made by her business partner and friend, Samuel King, have placed her and her unusual gifts directly into the path of her district’s bishop and preachers. She is furious with Samuel and is fearful that the Kings will be influenced by the way her leaders see her, and not what they know to be true—that Rhoda’s intuition is a gift from God.

Jacob King won’t be swayed by community speculation. He loves Rhoda, believes in her, and wants to build a future with her in Maine. But when the ghosts of his past come calling and require him to fulfill a great debt, can he shake their hold before it destroys what he has with Rhoda? Samuel has a secret of his own—one he’ll go to great lengths to keep hidden, even if it means alienating those closest to him. Throwing himself into rehabilitating the once-abandoned orchard, Samuel turns to a surprising new ally.

Book 2 of the Amish Vines and Orchards series asks: can the three faithfully follow God’s leading and build a new home and orchard in Maine? Or will this new beginning lead to more ruin and heartbreak?

My Thoughts: I love anything By Cindy Woodsmall so I’m a bit biased, but how can I not love her writing! She draws you in and has you hooked from page one! I really enjoyed book one of this series and anxiously awaited book two and it didn't disappoint me. It was great to read more about Jacob’s past and how it affects his relationship with Rhoda, as well as his family. I felt the confusion and heartbreak of the main characters as they dealt with the obstacles God placed in their way. I cant wait for book 3! What is in store for the King’s and Rhonda? What will Leah eventually chose? I want to know more.

Below are a few things that might interest you about the book above, the Amish Vines and Orchards series, as well as the Author herself -



Read an excerpt: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/books/amish-vines-and-orchards-series/the-winnowing-season/excerpt/

What you missed in book one, A Season for Tending:

In a community where conformity flourishes, seeds of Rhoda’s odd behavior were planted long ago. Can she cultivate her relationships with the same care and tenderness that she gives her beloved garden? 

Old Order Amish Rhoda Byler’s unusual gift and her remarkable abilities to grow herbs and berries have caused many to think her odd. As rumors mount that Rhoda’s “gift” is a detriment to the community, she chooses isolation, spending her time in her fruit garden and on her thriving canning business. 

Miles away in Harvest Mills, Samuel King struggles to keep his family’s apple orchard profitable. As the eldest son, Samuel farms with his brothers, the irrepressible Jacob and brash Eli, while his longtime girlfriend Catherine remains hopeful that Samuel will marry her when he feels financially stable, 

Meanwhile, Samuel’s younger sister Leah is testing all the boundaries during her rumschpringe, and finds herself far from home in Rhoda’s garden after a night of partying gone badly. But Leah’s poor choices serve as a bridge between Rhoda and the King family when a tragic mistake in the orchard leaves Samuel searching for solutions. 

Rhoda’s expertise in canning could be the answer, but she struggles with guilt over the tragic death of her sister and doesn’t trust herself outside her garden walls. As the lines between business, love, and family begin to blur, can Rhoda finally open up to a new life? And what effect will this odd, amazing woman have on the entire King family?

My Review of book one: http://kryssiruss.blogspot.com/2012/09/book-review-season-for-tending.html

Book three, For Every Season Releasing September 17, 2013.
Find Cindy Woodsmall:

• on Facebook: Cindy Woodsmall
• Website: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/

Disclosure: "I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review."

Book Review: His Love Endures Forever

His Love Endures Forever; By Beth Wiseman
Book Description: An unplanned pregnancy. An absent father. Can love really endure all things?
Danielle Kent is anything but Amish. But as destiny would have it, she has fallen in love with an Amish man.
Now she’s 18, pregnant, and hopeful that the child’s Amish father—Matthew Lapp—will do the right thing and marry her. She knows Matthew plans to leave his Colorado settlement for a life in the English world. But that plan never included a baby.
When Matthew walks away from her and their unborn child, she has nowhere to turn. Her unlikely friendship with Levi offers some comfort—yet they have so little in common. This wasn’t the plan she had for her life, and she has never felt so alone. She doesn’t want to be pregnant. Doesn’t want to be Amish. Doesn’t want to trust God.
And yet.
God has plans beyond what her mind can imagine . . . loving plans to show a lost young woman that His love never fails but endures forever.
About the Author: Beth Wiseman's previous releases have held spots on the CBA and the ECPA bestseller lists. In 2010, she received the INSPY Award for Amish Fiction. In 2011, she received the American Christian Fiction Writer's Carol Award and was the Inspirational Readers Choice winner for her book Plain Paradise. Her novel Seek Me with All Your Heart was the 2011 Women of Faith Book of the Year. In addition, Wiseman has been a Retailers Choice Finalist, a Booksellers Best Finalist and a National Readers Choice Finalist. Today, she and her husband are empty nest parents of two grown sons, enjoying the country lifestyle and living happily with and assorted menagerie of domestic and farm animals including dogs, cats, pot-bellied pigs, chickens, goats, and a miniature donkey in a small community in South Central Texas. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
My Thoughts: I’m a sucker for Amish Fiction (as you can tell from my other reviews), but this is far from your normal Amish love story.  Beth Wiseman gives us a glimpse in to how the Amish and English worlds interact with each other and what can happen when the two intertwine. I found this book to be a  wonderful love story with a powerful message. Sometimes one has to make huge sacrifices for those they love. I cant wait for the next installment in this series and I hope to read more of Beth’s books in the future!
Disclosure: I was provided with a review sample/copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation.

Book Review: Christmas at Apple Ridge

Christmas in Apple Ridge: Three-in-One Collection: The Sound of Sleigh Bells, The Christmas Singing, and The Dawn of Christmas

By Cindy Woodsmall

Book Description: Experience the holidays with the Plain folk of Apple Ridge, Pennsylvania, in these touching novellas centered around love, romance, heartache, and restoration from best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall. Christmas in Apple Ridge is a three-in-one collection that includes The Sound of Sleigh Bells, The Christmas Singing, and an all-new story, The Dawn of Christmas.

The Sound of Sleigh Bells: Beth Hertzler is unable to let go of a past tragedy, but when she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, something deep inside Beth’s soul responds. Determined that her niece meet the gifted artist, her aunt tracks him down, but it’s not that simple – will Jonah be able to offer Beth the sleigh ride she’s always dreamed of and a second chance at real love?

The Christmas Singing: Mattie thought her childhood sweetheart adored her until he abruptly ended their engagement on Christmas Eve. Brokenhearted, Mattie moves away and pursues her longtime dream of becoming a cake decorator, and even finds a new beau. But when Mattie is forced to return home three years later, will learning the truth behind Gideon’s rejection restore her Christmas joy – or open the door to even deeper heartbreak?

The Dawn of Christmas: Sadie enjoys her freedom away from home and her mission trips to Peru, but after four years, her Old Order Amish family insists it’s time to come home and settle down. Levi, a bachelor who distrusts women after a family heartbreak, also has no desire for romance. To keep their families from meddling in their lives, Sadie and Levi devise a plan—but soon discover that the walls around their hearts are breaking down. Can they let go of their prejudices, learn to trust each other, and embrace a future together?

My Thoughts: Again I have nothing but praise for Cindy Woodsmall. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors and I anxiously await her new releases. I read the first two individually when they first came out and fell in love with both stories. As always Cindy delivers heartwarming stories and this book has not one but three novella’s to curl up with and enjoy this holiday season! Even if you have read the first two stories the third one is worth picking this book up for! So sit back and explore an Amish Christmas with Beth, Mattie and Sadie!

Disclosure: I was provided with a review sample/copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation.

Book Review: Bible Stories for Preschoolers

 

Book Description: Bible Stories for Preschoolers, written by a team of preschool church education experts, makes the Bible come alive for young children. The dynamic, high-energy, vibrant illustrations featured on every spread will capture children’s imaginations while giving them a lifelong love for God’s Word. In addition to the retellings, each story includes fun, easy activities that parents and kids can do together. The activities help kids remember and relate to the stories!

My Thoughts:  I love that it was written in a way that engages kids. In every story it has an element that asks the children questions within the story or to interact with the pages (like point to the star, or donkey). I also enjoyed the fact that at the end of every story there are a few questions that you can ask your child in order to help them understand the scripture better. The Best part - The Bible memorization verse uses language that children understand. That’s a big one for us!! (even though we don’t use this bible anymore, I still use these verses with my children!)
Things I didn’t like, the craft element at the end of each story, its good for some but we do our bible reading at night before bed. So the crafts were not so important, also I personally think that some children would focus more on the craft and not so much the learning of scripture. My biggest issues with the bible is that some of the stories have details that are not accurate with Scripture details. I’d rather have my children learn the scriptures right the first time than have to relearn it later. My kids could give or take this bible and we have reverted back to our favorite bible for bed time stories/scriptures.

Disclosure: I was provided with a review sample/copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation.

Book Review: Trusting GOD, A Girlfriends in God Faith Adventure

By Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, and Mary Southerland

Book Description:

You don’t have to understand God to trust him.

“Just trust me.” Those are the words we often hear in movies just before something bad happens. And yet, we are told to trust God. In a culture where we tend to take control of our own lives, trusting God has become a religious platitude rather than a life-changing attitude. We say it, but do we really mean it? And what does trusting God really look like?

Sharon, Mary, and Gwen—the Girlfriends in God ministry team—have been there. They’ve traveled the tough roads of life to discover the peace and power that comes from grabbing the hand of God and trusting his plan. The life stories they share bring laughter and sometimes tears, but always spiritual growth.

Each of the 12-week sections concludes with a Bible study guide and journal page, inviting you to lock arms with Sharon, Mary, and Gwen and share with other women in a small group setting or to use individually in your own quiet time.

A few these book-related resources:

• VIDEO: Trusting God - A Girlfriends in God Devotional
• Author Podcast - Trusting God
• More Info
• Read Chapter One
• Author Bio

My Thoughts: This is an excellent devotional. It is designed to be a twelve week program and I read it in just under a day but I know that I will use it (as intended, in 12 weeks) many times in the future! I loved that the authors used moments from their own lives to get their point across. What I loved about this book is the way it is presented, a down to earth and loving read, and told in a way your best friend would talk to you. I enjoyed having a space for to journal and reflect as well as how it lends itself to be either a solo read or a group bible study. This is one of the best devotionals I have ever found, I highly recommend it!
Disclosure: "I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review."

Book Review: Brush of Angel's Wings By Ruth Reid

Book Description: Rachel and Jordan's feelings for each other are hostile at first, but angelic intervention helps the two discover peace . . . and perhaps love.

The youngest and last unmarried of four sisters, Rachel Hartlzer spends most of her time helping with barn chores. Her role abruptly changes when her father hires Jordan Engles, the son he always wanted.

As Jordan takes on brotherly roles around the house, like escorting Rachel to the youth singing, the enmity between the two grows. Besides, Jordan has one foot in the Englisch world and is determined not to get involved with an Amish girl.

Neither realizes that God has sent an angel, Nathaniel, to help mend their hearts. The angel’s intervention helps them find peace and healing in accepting God's will for their lives.

My Thoughts: Last year I had the pleasure of reading The Promise Of An Angel by Ruth Reid. I loved the book and couldn’t wait to read more by this fantastic author, so I was thrilled when I picked up Brush of Angel's Wings. While I love Amish romances, I would have enjoyed this book regardless.

Ruth Reid again does an excellent job of weaving the story together. By bringing in bits of her previous book and expanding on the story line. Although you do not have to read the previous story to enjoy this one.  This book is a sweet, simple story of two young people who find each other while trying to find themselves and their futures. Rachel and Jordan bring out the best in each other and show us how to do this in our own lives. Your heart follows these two characters and by the end you are celebrating with them as they find their way.

This is an amazing Story written about the Amish and with a twist about Angels. I have honestly never read books that is written like Ruth Reid's books and I have read plenty of Amish fiction. (AS you can tell by my previous review) I highly recommend this book and I intend to read all of "A Heaven on Earth" series.

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

Book Review: The Voice New Testament: Revised & Updated

The Voice™  Bible translation is a faithful dynamic translation of the Scriptures done as a collage of compelling narratives, poetry, song, truth, and wisdom. The Voice calls the reader to step into the whole story of Scripture and experience the joy and wonder of God's revelation. Created for and by a church in great transition, The Voice uniquely represents collaboration among scholars, pastors, writers, musicians, poets, and other artists, giving great attention to the beauty of the narrative. The heart of The Voice is retelling the story of the Bible in a form as fluid as modern literary works yet remaining painstakingly true to the original manuscripts. This translation promotes the public reading of longer sections of Scripture-followed by thoughtful engagement with the biblical narrative in its richness and fullness and dramatic flow.

This is an updated and revised version of the New Testament edition, now at an even more affordable price.

Features include:

• Italicized information added to help contemporary readers understand what the original readers would have known intuitively
• In-text commentary notes include cultural, historical, theological, or devotional thoughts
• Screenplay format, ideal for public readings and group studies
• Book introductions

READ a chapter for yourself - http://g.christianbook.com/netstorage/pdf/sample/550769.pdf

My Thoughts: I’m always looking for new ways to read the Bible. Every Christian knows you need to read the Bible but I, like most I’m sure, find it difficult to read. I’ve tired and own many different versions, ‘The Message’, NIV, contemporary English version, ESV, NRSV, to name a few. I liked many of them but I still found it hard to just sit down and read through a whole book. With The Voice, it almost reads like a novel and I can read one of those in under a day. Its amazing how the mind works, you find it difficult read something that if worded differently could be so simple to read. And that’s what the authors of The Voice did. They took the Bible and made it flow more like normal conversation. Some times it reads like a script and other times like a poetry book. Personally I think what makes is such a good book/Bible is the general flow of the passages.

And most of all I love how it made me pick up my NIV and compare as I read along. I never would have thought I ‘d be reading the Bible all the way through, and enjoying it! Sure its been on my new years resolution list for as long as I can remember but I never really made it past the first month of trying. This was just the new testament and I cant wait to buy The Voice Bible: Step Into the Story of Scripture and read the whole Bible along with it!

*I received this book for free from Booksneeze.com in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall

A few months back I had the pleasure of reviewing a copy of Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall. I liked her book so much that I bought ‘The Christmas Singing’ as soon as it was released though Amazon.com, and it didn’t let me down. Again Cindy captures the pureness of the Amish life and faith while drawing us in.

Want to know more about the book? Check out this video:

Still want to know more read the first chapter here.

If you have an avid reader in your life, especially if she loves Amish fiction. Don’t miss out on this book! It’s a great Christmas gift. Plus, The lovely people at WaterBrookMultnomah.com are giving you  30% off and free shipping on The Christmas Singing (or any other title) when you use promo code CHRISTMAS11 at checkout. Act fast the coupon code expires on December 20th, 2011.

Why Do Readers Enjoy Snuggling Up with a Good Book.....about....Snuggling Up? - NY Times

Its been one of those day. The kind where all you want to do is grab a good book, your favorite blanket & pillow, then lounge all day long. After letting my husband take over the chores and kiddo duty I did just that today. It felt great just to sit back and relax.

I ran across this article tonight that I thought was fitting. So I wanted to share.......

So in another interesting NYTimes article, reporter Motoko Rich discusses a humorous study that proves why we enjoy snuggling up with a good book......that may coincidentally be about snuggling up with someone. As a result of our depressing economic times, studies have shown that readers are more apt to choose a book that allows them to escape into a dream world where romance is perfect and everyone is happy. Harlequin Enterprises reported that sales of romance novels were up 32% from this time last year. This increase in romance sales is interesting because of the sluggish market that currently exists otherwise. Rich quotes one lawyer who is an avid reader herself and notes that her philosophy on the situation is that readers enjoy escaping to a world where there is a happy ending because it brings a sigh of relief to their life, unlike their daily involvement with the current depression. Two great attributes of romance novels are: 1) their inexpensive price because romance novels ( avg. $7.99) are typically half the price of an average trade paperback (avg $15.99). and 2) their attractive marketing ploy to consumers. This ultimately means that because romance novels are usually written in sets and sequels, a consumer will usually go on to make further purchases on the rest of the series especially if they enjoy the author and trust their work. Barnes & Nobles also noted that other escapist books such as sci-fi and fantasy are currently popular.
Rich compares the popularity of romance novels to that of the obsessive "Gone with the Wind" days of Margaret Mitchell from history.

Bottom line is why do we want to read books about crime and depression when are living in those times at the present. Everyone wants to have a happy ending. So I ask that the time you are traveling on the train, take a look around at the covers of the books being read around you. Most likely they are positive outcome novels and if not, the reader is probably reading something they "have to" for a certain class or business meeting.

Funny enough my favorite books to devour are romance novels and I've just finished my third one today. I say devour because I read through them so fast and so often. Before moving around a lot I used to have over 500 of them. The hubby got sick of packing and moving them every year so that number has started to dwindle, for now....