Faithful to Laura

Laura’s Amish faith requires her to forgive, but she can only think of revenge.

Laura Stutzman leaves her Kentucky community for Middlefield, Ohio, with one purpose: to find Mark King, the man who pledged his love to her, then left. She can’t move on with her life until he explains why.

Sawyer Thompson is a Yankee who spent his teen years in an Amish home. Now an adult, he has to make a decision—go back to the life he knew as a child or join the church. Having suffered loss at a young age, he understands Laura’s anger, but is determined to follow God’s will and forgive. As their friendship grows, Laura begins to let her guard down.

New information about Sawyer’s past threatens the couple’s budding relationship. Both Laura and Sawyer will need to release the anger they’re storing in their hearts and forgive the people who’ve harmed them. As Laura struggles to trust God, will Sawyer do whatever it takes to remain faithful to Laura?

My thoughts...

Laura left the Tennessee Amish community to follow Mark, the man she once loved. The problem is, he doesn't love her and she wants to know what changed . She is also wanting him to pay for the scars he left on her face when he tried to kill her. Not to mention trying to steal her family's money. She knows she's supposed to forgive, that has been taught in the church all her life but what about revenge?

Sawyer was born to an english family, was orphaned and abused in foster care until he was adopted by an Amish family where he found love and a sense of belonging. He is at the age where he must decide to join the church or go to the outside world to get an education. Then an awful thing happens, his grandmother shows up and isn't nice to say the least!

A nicely written novel about forgiveness and grace, well paced with good characters, it will keep you turning pages. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received an ecopy of this book free from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

The Bride Wore Blue

The youngest Sinclair, the family “baby”, is moving from Maine to Cripple Creek, Colorado and joining Kat, Nell, and Ida. But Vivian is a young woman with a will of her own, and made some decisions back in Portland that have begun to haunt her. Will she be able to live up to the expectations of her three perfect and now happily-settled sisters?

My thoughts...

Vivian Sinclair has just arrived in Cripple Creek where her three sisters reside. One of the first people she meets is the sheriff of Cripple Creek, the train that brought her here was robbed and she must give a description of the bandits. They have their disagreements but she falls for him anyway, however, she discourages his advances because she feels so unworthy of him due to her past.

Her goal is to become a fashion designer but there isn't much use for one in Cripple Creek. Unable to find a job of any kind she has no choice but to take the only thing available, one that definitely isn't for a lady of her stature. She becomes a hostess at a bordello. Danger strikes when the bandits arrive in town.

This is a delightful story, well paced and eventful, the characters are fun and friendly.I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Angels, Miracles, and Heavenly Encounters: Real-Life Stories of Supernatural Events

There's more going on in the world than meets the eye.
There is an unseen spiritual realm, and occasionally God allows us glimpses of it. Angels, Miracles, and Heavenly Encounters offers a fascinating look at the supernatural world. It includes more than forty true stories of miraculous provision, encounters with angels and demons, near-death experiences, and incredible rescues.

You'll marvel at how God and His angels are working behind the scenes to protect and guide us. And you'll be comforted by glimpses of the peace that awaits us in heaven. The God who pulled back the curtain for a moment in the lives of these writers is the same God who works all things together for our good.

Whether you're simply curious about the supernatural world or longing for a fresh experience of God's presence, these amazing stories will touch your heart and strengthen your faith in the God of miracles.

My thoughts...

If you are interested in getting a peek into the supernatural this book is a good place to start. Miracles, angels, and demons fill the pages, definitely something to think about. I enjoyed reading these stories and especially liked the opening one. A young boy is with his dying grandfather in the hospital. The boys mother tries to prepare him by getting him to say goodbye to grandpa because he could go at any minute. The boy tells her it isn't time, that he will get to say goodbye. Sure enough, he does get to say goodbye while staring at the ceiling as he watches his grandfather being lifted up by glowing hands.

There are many more uplifting stories in this mostly inspiring collection. Each chapter is an encounter with God (or demons) experienced by various people and is only 3-4 pages in length. Near death experiences and miraculous rescues are only a few of the topics in this heartwarming book. There are also demonic encounters such as seeing horrific creatures.

Definitely an interesting read! I received a copy of this book free from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

Reunion by Lauraine Snelling

Keira Johnson, a 50-year-old mother of two grown sons, believes she lives a good Christian life without secrets-- until she discovers a life-jarring fact her late mother kept hidden all her life. Kiera was born out of wedlock, and the man she had always known as her father had adopted her as an infant.

Meanwhile, Keira's beloved 17-year-old niece, Kirsten, has just discovered an unwanted pregnancy. Her boyfriend, Jose, is bound for college and Kirsten does not know what to do. As the family comes together for a reunion, Keira and Kirsten struggle with their fractured pasts and jumbled present. Will truth and honesty be the catalysts that allow the entire family to find peace?

Inspired by events in Lauraine Snelling's own life, REUNION is the author's finest novel to date.

My thoughts...

Snelling is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, her books have such depth. As tough as an unwanted teen pregnancy is I thought she handled it wonderfully. Emotions ran high but family members gave Kirsten the love and support she needed. I loved that about this family and the fact that they kept telling her how much God loved her.

What I didn't like was the way Kirsten treated the baby's father, she acted like he had no say in the matter. She was rude and her behavior was immature.

Kirsten's father pastored a church and upon finding out about his daughter's pregnancy he renders his resignation. In the end things work out well. I definitely enjoyed the book and give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Almost Amish ~ A CFBA Tour

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Almost Amish Bethany House Publishers (July 1, 2012) by Kathryn Cushman
ABOUT THE BOOK

Proving the Simple Life Isn't So Simple After All

Overcommitted and overwhelmed, Julie Charlton is at the breaking point. She knows she should feel blessed as a mother and wife--but she just feels exhausted. And then, the miraculous happens. Her sister-in-law Susan, a Martha Stewart-in-training, lands the chance to participate in a reality TV series about trying to live like the Amish and needs another family to join her. It's just the break Julie needs.

But the summer adventure in simple living soon proves anything but simple. With the camera watching every move, Susan's drive for perfection feels a lot like what they left behind, while Julie suddenly finds herself needing to stand up for slowing down. Whether it's cooking, cleaning, or dressing differently, each new Amish challenge raises new complications...and soon each woman learns unexpected lessons about herself and her family.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Almost Amish, go HERE.

My thoughts...
Susan's career depends on the success of the reality tv show, "Almost Amish". She is the perfect homemaker...cook...baker...you name it! She talks her sister in law, Julie, into being a part of the series, after all, it will only be for the summer. Julie agrees though her two children aren't happy about it. They leave California and arrive in Tennessee, their destination a small run down farmhouse. Their assignment... live like the Amish do...with a few exceptions.

Their personalities are as different as night and day. Susan is a perfectionist, always on schedule. Julie is anything but perfect. With two families in the same house there are plenty of conflicts.

An enjoyable read, the characters are fun. Though not Amish fiction, it's a well-written novel that encourages readers to slow down, enjoy your life, and spend time with family. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher through CFBA in exchange for my honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kathryn Cushman is a graduate of Samford University with a degree in pharmacy, but all her life she knew that she wanted to write a novel “some day”. For her, “some day” came in 2003, when she started writing and never looked back.

Her first two manuscripts remain firmly ensconced in the back of her closet (the dust bunnies tell her they really are terrific!). Her third attempt became her first published novel.

A Promise to Remember and Leaving Yesterday were both finalists for the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award, and Waiting for Daybreak was a finalist in Women’s Fiction for the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award.

On the homefront, she has been married to the wonderful and handsome Lee for nearly twenty-five years now, and their two daughters are currently braving the worlds of high school and college.

They’ve lived in Santa Barbara for over twenty years. It’s a beautiful place and Kathryn feel blessed to be there (although a seventy degree Christmas still leaves her dreaming of a white one—or at least a colder one!)

When she's not writing or reading or braving seventy degree holidays, you’ll find her trying her best to keep up with her daughters in their various theater, softball, dance, and filled-with-activity lives.

On The Island: An AToMR Tour with Giveaway!

Two people stranded on an island struggle to survive—and slowly fall in love—in the runaway New York Times bestseller, now available with a reading group guide and a letter from the author

Anna Emerson is a thirty-year-old English teacher desperately in need of adventure. Worn down by the cold Chicago winters and a relationship that’s going nowhere, she jumps at the chance to spend the summer on a tropical island tutoring sixteen-year-old T.J.

T.J. Callahan has no desire to go anywhere. His cancer is in remission and he wants to get back to his normal life. But his parents are insisting he spend the summer in the Maldives catching up on all the school he missed last year.

Anna and T.J. board a private plane headed to the Callahan’s summer home, and as they fly over the Maldives’ twelve hundred islands, the unthinkable happens. Their plane crashes in shark-infested waters. They make it to shore, but soon discover that they’re stranded on an uninhabited island.

At first, their only thought is survival. But as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.’s cancer could return.

My thoughts...

Heading to an island with the high school boy she will be tutoring for the summer, Anna says goodbye to John leaving him wondering if she will marry him even though he doesn't want children. It's her greatest desire. The trip was a disaster from the beginning--a late flight, their reservation lost, then a charter flight pilot who dies of a heart attack over the ocean. The plane crashes and the rest of the story is predictable.

A quick read, it's simple and reads like a debut novel, no depth, and did I say predictable? I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I received an ecopy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for participating in the ON THE ISLAND Event! This week in addition to reviews and posts, select blogs are hosting a word from the author's favorite quotes in the book as a Scavenger Hunt! There is one quote from Anna and one from T.J. Visit each stop this week to find the hidden words (they will be numbered for order) and after July 22nd, submit your answer to the quotes here! Random winners for books and swag will be chosen and notified by July 29th.

Also, next week July 23-27, there will be even more events and chances to win the book and swag!


Monday, July 23 at 8:00 pm CST - Chat with the author Tracey Garvis Graves! We will be chatting with the author on Savor Chat Come join us! (You can sign in with twitter or facebook)

Each day look at #ontheisland on twitter for random shout outs to win books and swag! @Tale_of_Reviews
ON THE ISLAND releases in bookstores Tuesday, July 17th! If you see the book in stores or 'in the wild' take a picture. Please tweet it and use hashtag #ontheisland. Or you can post it to facebook! Please submit twitter and facebook links of your post/tweet here!

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WINNER!! Summer Reads Giveaway Hop

Congratulations to #89 Dee Dee, winner of the $10 Amazon egift card! Enter to win in the Summer Lovin' Giveaway Hop.