Wednesday, June 22, 2016
DONNA'S DETOUR by JO HUDDLESTON
I so enjoyed the author's description of the cute diner that Donna worked at. She described the vinyl seats, the small jukebox on the tables and the counter where people could eat and talk to the waitresses. The diner made me think of the one on "Happy Days." Everyone who was anyone would hang out there.
Donna is working at the diner and saving her money so she can fulfill her dream of going to L. A. to become a secretary. One day as the door opens, Tommy appears. He was best friends with her brother when they were growing up. She has been in love with him forever. Their chemistry is so nice and refreshing. I loved the book so much with the setting from the 1950's to the sweet and innocent way that Donna still honored her upbringing with good moral values. The book is very relaxing to read and I love the author's smooth writing style. She has a way to take readers back in time with her exquisite words that flow throughout the story. When Donna and Tommy are talking about church I loved what she said to him. "Going to church pleases God, but it won't make you a Christian. That's a thing of the heart. Nobody but Jesus can judge your heart's commitment but Him. "
It is time to relax, grab an ice cold bottle of Coke and enjoy a great book that will bring a smile to your face. Join Donna and Tommy as they take a journey on Route 66.
Donna is working at the diner and saving her money so she can fulfill her dream of going to L. A. to become a secretary. One day as the door opens, Tommy appears. He was best friends with her brother when they were growing up. She has been in love with him forever. Their chemistry is so nice and refreshing. I loved the book so much with the setting from the 1950's to the sweet and innocent way that Donna still honored her upbringing with good moral values. The book is very relaxing to read and I love the author's smooth writing style. She has a way to take readers back in time with her exquisite words that flow throughout the story. When Donna and Tommy are talking about church I loved what she said to him. "Going to church pleases God, but it won't make you a Christian. That's a thing of the heart. Nobody but Jesus can judge your heart's commitment but Him. "
It is time to relax, grab an ice cold bottle of Coke and enjoy a great book that will bring a smile to your face. Join Donna and Tommy as they take a journey on Route 66.
Sunday, June 19, 2016
HEARTS IN DEFIANCE by HEATHER BLANTON
If you have not had the chance to read this author, may I suggest you rush to the neared bookstore or library and check out the first book in this series called, "A Lady in Defiance." Once you have read that book, you will continue the series with this outstanding story. The author does an amazing job of describing the mining town, with its rough characters, rowdy men and even a visit from the Indians. It has all the makings for a great western movie where the town is booming and the characters are brilliantly written.
Naomi and her two sisters have travelled to this town with two of them being widows and one pregnant. Looks like they have brought their own little baggage to the town. Will they be accepted? They open a restaurant and hope that it will bring income to help with their needs. I can picture the restaurant with people at their tables eating hot piping home cooked meals while discussing their day.
Naomi it seems has caught the attention of Charles McIntrye with her looks. He doesn't have a great reputation when it comes to women. Naomi will have her hands full with this man who is still a baby Christian. The temptations to stray from God will test their faith and lead them on a journey that is intriguing. Rebecca is the sensible one who now faces the decision of getting together with her friend Ian Brannagh. Can they find true love? Hannah who is still a teenager is quite shocked when the man who left her suddenly appears in town.
These three women have their hands full with men, a restaurant to run, a baby on the way and a town rich with the old western feel. I hope you sit back, grab some snacks and get ready to travel back to the old west where anything can happen. The overall theme of forgiveness, redemption and God's love is prevalent throughout the story. I'm sorry that I can only give this book a five star rating. It deserves a much higher rating with outstanding writing that captures the essence of a western story that keeps readers glued to the book.
I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.
Naomi and her two sisters have travelled to this town with two of them being widows and one pregnant. Looks like they have brought their own little baggage to the town. Will they be accepted? They open a restaurant and hope that it will bring income to help with their needs. I can picture the restaurant with people at their tables eating hot piping home cooked meals while discussing their day.
Naomi it seems has caught the attention of Charles McIntrye with her looks. He doesn't have a great reputation when it comes to women. Naomi will have her hands full with this man who is still a baby Christian. The temptations to stray from God will test their faith and lead them on a journey that is intriguing. Rebecca is the sensible one who now faces the decision of getting together with her friend Ian Brannagh. Can they find true love? Hannah who is still a teenager is quite shocked when the man who left her suddenly appears in town.
These three women have their hands full with men, a restaurant to run, a baby on the way and a town rich with the old western feel. I hope you sit back, grab some snacks and get ready to travel back to the old west where anything can happen. The overall theme of forgiveness, redemption and God's love is prevalent throughout the story. I'm sorry that I can only give this book a five star rating. It deserves a much higher rating with outstanding writing that captures the essence of a western story that keeps readers glued to the book.
I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.
LAND OF SILENCE by TESSA AFSHAR
The book grabbed my attention from the very beginning. As Elianna and her little brother , Joseph were enjoying the outdoors, I could smell the flowers and see the beauty that surrounded them. Elianna has been entrusted by her mother to watch over her brother for the day. When something distracts her, Joseph is attacked. What attacked him? What made Elianna divert her attention from the care of her brother? The anger her father thrust at her was so well written. I applaud the author for writing such an emotional scene that made me want to tell Elianna it would be ok. I saw her standing there begging her parents to forgive her for her lack of attention to her brother. I can't inagibe what it must have felt like to feel the wrath of her father and realize you are to blame for the unfortunate accident.
I loved the author telling readers what Elianna means from the Hebrew word. "Eli" which means "my God" and "Anna" which signifies " favor." What a blessed name to have which " was a sign of God's favor and grace to my parents." I'm sure that Elianna wasn't feeling favored at this time. What a burden she must be feeling now. What punishment will she receive for this terrible accident? The Pharisee believed that she will be punished for her negligence.
The details of the blankets, and towels that Elianna's family made were brilliantly detailed to such a degree that I could see the women making them as they chatted with each other. The authors' knowledge of the trade is well defined as she goes into great detail . The more I read of this story, the more I realized how talented and gifted the author is.
The story is a fictional account of the woman we read about in the bible with the issue of blood. I remember this story so vividly because it talked about the desperation of a woman who wanted to be healed. She believed with all her heart that Jesus would heal her. Do we have that kind of faith when we are sick or struggling with something?
Elianna is the woman we read about in the bible that is afflicted with a bleeding illness. In this story she spend years and lots of money trying to find a cure for her illness. She spends a lot of time praying for healing. At a time of desperation, she travels to hear Jesus speak, thinking if she could just touch his clothing, she would be healed. She plans to touch his clothing and be healed without anyone knowing.
The author has done a lot of research to make the story true to the time in history.I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to be encouraged. The story is a reflection of healing, faith, unconditional love and the suffering that a woman endures while clinging to hope.
"Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace . "
I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.
I loved the author telling readers what Elianna means from the Hebrew word. "Eli" which means "my God" and "Anna" which signifies " favor." What a blessed name to have which " was a sign of God's favor and grace to my parents." I'm sure that Elianna wasn't feeling favored at this time. What a burden she must be feeling now. What punishment will she receive for this terrible accident? The Pharisee believed that she will be punished for her negligence.
The details of the blankets, and towels that Elianna's family made were brilliantly detailed to such a degree that I could see the women making them as they chatted with each other. The authors' knowledge of the trade is well defined as she goes into great detail . The more I read of this story, the more I realized how talented and gifted the author is.
The story is a fictional account of the woman we read about in the bible with the issue of blood. I remember this story so vividly because it talked about the desperation of a woman who wanted to be healed. She believed with all her heart that Jesus would heal her. Do we have that kind of faith when we are sick or struggling with something?
Elianna is the woman we read about in the bible that is afflicted with a bleeding illness. In this story she spend years and lots of money trying to find a cure for her illness. She spends a lot of time praying for healing. At a time of desperation, she travels to hear Jesus speak, thinking if she could just touch his clothing, she would be healed. She plans to touch his clothing and be healed without anyone knowing.
The author has done a lot of research to make the story true to the time in history.I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to be encouraged. The story is a reflection of healing, faith, unconditional love and the suffering that a woman endures while clinging to hope.
"Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace . "
I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.
Saturday, June 18, 2016
About the Book
Purchase your copy of The Amish Firefighter here
A Beautiful Young Woman Banished from Home
Abigail Stutzman thought it was bad enough being dropped at the nearest bus station and sent to live several states away with some relatives she’d never even heard of, much less met. But now, just a week after her arrival in Jamesport, Missouri, she finds herself at the scene of a barn fire. An intentional barn fire. And all fingers are pointed at her. She’s desperate to prove her innocence and protect her reputation, but nobody’s making that easy to do. And God certainly doesn’t seem willing to help.
A Brave Firefighter with an Agenda of His Own
Sam Miller is in the process of turning over a new leaf. Determined to atone for the follies of his past, he is a volunteer firefighter, an EMT, and a doctor-in-training. With suspicious barn fires escalating, and the Miller family being among the victims, no one is more determined to see the perpetrators brought to justice than Sam.
A Kindled Flame Neither One Could Have Anticipated
When their paths first cross at the site of a barn burning, the emotional intensity rivals the warmth of the flames. Soon, they must decide whether this fire is one they should feed or fight. And they’ll discover that the truth can prove more dangerous than a blazing inferno.
About the Author
Laura V. Hilton
Amish fiction lovers responded positively and immediately to Laura V. Hilton’s debut novel, Patchwork Dreams, when she burst on the scene in 2009 with her unique series, The Amish of Seymour, set in the tiny town of Seymour, in Webster County, Missouri. Fans of the genre immediately recognized Hilton’s insider knowledge, not only of the Webster County community, but Amish culture in general. Her natural speech and writing patterns, she says, are uniquely “Amish,” acquired from her Amish maternal grandparents. The Amish of Seymour, includes Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts, and Promised to Another. Her second series, The Amish of Webster County, is comprised of Healing Love, Surrendered Love, and Awakened Love. A stand-alone title, A White Christmas in Webster County, was released in September 2014. The Birdhouseconcluded Laura’s 2015 series, The Amish of Jamesport, includes The Snow Globe, The Postcard and The Birdhouse. Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer. Laura and her husband, Steve, have five children, whom Laura homeschools. The family makes their home in Arkansas.
For more about Laura, her latest book, the books she’s written and those she’s reviewed:
Laura Hilton’s Website: www.lauravhilton.blogspot.com.
Guest Post from Laura V. Hilton
Unlike some authors, I am not a planner. I have a very vague idea of the story, of the series, and as soon as the characters step forward and introduce themselves I dive in and start writing. When I first began writing this series – New Beginnings in Jamesport – I knew Sammy Miller was going to be the hero. Readers started asking for Sammy’s story as soon as they read The Postcard where Sammy was the villain. Ouch. I’d never considered writing a story about a former villain. But just as David in The Postcard was reader requested, Sammy would be.
Sammy is a very strong character and I knew he had to have a strong female lead character, one that wasn’t afraid to stand up to him and keep him under control. He is a leader, an EMT studying to be a paramedic, and a volunteer firefighter. The female lead, Abigail, is thrown into Jamesport without warning. Her step-father takes her to the bus station and sends her away and she doesn’t even know why! When she is met at the bus station by an aunt and uncle she didn’t even know existed, she is thrown into the middle of several mysteries, including barn fires set by arsonists. And she is the main suspect.
The whole New Beginnings in Jamesport series, while considered a continuation of The Amish of Jamesport series due to Sammy being the hero, is set around Amish starting over in Jamesport. The second book The Amish Wanderer is about a former resident of Jamesport hitchhiking across the country to get to his Mennonite uncle’s house in Pennsylvania. Silas is desperate to escape from his dysfunctional family for several reasons. But he cannot stay in Jamesport because someone is out to kill him. When he stumbles upon another mystery within hours of his arrival, what choice does he have but to stick around for awhile?
God gave me the verses for all three books in the Amish of Jamesport series The Amish Firefighter, The Amish Wanderer and the yet untitled third book (My books all stand alone) before I started writing them, which is unusual. He usually reveals these things slowly to me, as I need to know. The verse for The Amish Firefighter is Isaiah 43:2-4 and the verse for The Amish Wanderer is Romans 8:38-39. The third book’s verse is 2 Corinthians 4:8. It is tentatively titled The Amish Accountant, but most people think accountants are boring, and his real profession is a clockmaker. But The Amish Clockmaker has already been taken by another author. So we shall see what the wonderful Whitaker House team will come up with. It is about another young Amish woman, Lydia, who needs a “safe haven.” So her parents send her to live with her Mennonite aunt and uncle in Jamesport. It doesn’t exactly work out as planned, as the aunt and uncle leave for a foreign mission trip immediately, leaving Lydia acting manager of a gift shop and living in an all electric apartment. Before her aunt leaves, she tells Lydia’s secrets to her best friend. But did she tell all of them or some of them? And the best friend’s son, Caleb (the clockmaker) is acting as accountant for the gift shop. And what about Caleb’s carefully kept secret? When Lydia’s past catches up with her, will it destroy all she’d begun to imagine as she dreamed of starting over in Jamesport?
Next after that is The Christmas Challenge which is also set in Jamesport.
I don’t have official release dates for The Amish Wanderer or the other books yet. But as soon as I know, I’ll share.
Coming next? Who knows? I have two ideas warring for attention—but which one gets told first, I don’t know! I lean toward one, then the other. They both want to be told.
And now, I must get back to work. Thank you for visiting today and thank you so much for supporting my books. I do hope you’ll enjoy The Amish Firefighter!
Happy Reading!
Because of Him,
~ Laura ~
This is another outstanding book from a very gifted author. I loved this book so much, I read it in one day. Yes it is that good. It is not the typical feel good Amish story where everyone is happy and helps out. What it is though is a very intriguing book filled with shunning, accusations, mystery and an unforgettable story . Ms. Hilton delivers a very captivating story of characters that came to life.
Abigail has for some reason been sent to her aunt and uncles place to live. What would it feel like to one day wake up and be told you are no longer welcomed at your home? She is very confused by this, but of course obeys her family . She somehow gets mixed up with a group from the new town that seem to have trouble follow them wherever they go. Unfortunately one night while out with her friends, Abigail is somehow accused of a barn fire. There have been a rash of these devastating fires in the town and well you know the saying, Being at the wrong place at the wrong time. " How will Abigail convince a town that she just moved to that she is innocent of the fire?
Perhaps Sam can be of some assistance to her. He is a firefighter who seems to be positive that Abigail had something to do with it. I loved how the author wrote such strong independent characters who compliment each other well. As they get to know each other, you can feel the attraction come to life with gentle words of affection and a concern for each other's well being . Are there secrets in the town that could explain why Abigail was sent there? Does Sam have a past that he doesn't want anyone to know about? Well as the saying goes, " Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive ."
The book was outstanding and I love the Amish words and their meaning at the beginning of the book. The book captures the true meaning of forgiveness, intrigue and a bit of romance that keeps readers glued to the story.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit for an honest review.
Blog Stops
June 9: Quiet Quilter
June 10: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
June 10: Jeanette’s Thoughts
June 11: Blogging With Carol
June 12: Cassandra M’s Place
June 12: Splashes of Joy
June 13: Babs Book Bistro
June 13: bigreadersite
June 14: Daysong Reflections
June 14: Rockin’ My Mom Jeans
June 15: Singing Librarian Books
June 15: Blossoms and Blessings
June 16: Reading Is My SuperPower
June 16: The Power of Words
June 17: Two Girls and a Book
June 17: A Greater Yes
June 18: Texas Book -aholic
June 18: Through The Open Window
June 19: For the Love of Books
June 19: Petra’s Hope
June 20: Running Through The Storms
June 20: Simple Harvest Reads
June 21: A Holland Reads
June 21: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner
June 22: Pause for Tales
June 22: KarensKrayons
June 23: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Laura is giving away a basket that includes a Kindle Fire and a complete set of her books! Enter here: https://promosimple.com/ps/9bed
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