About the Book
Book: The Amish Menorah
Author: The Men of Amish Fiction
Genre: Amish Fiction
Release Date: May 13, 2020
Come sit and enjoy!
Six short stories by the men of Amish fiction to entertain and educate you. You’ll journey with an Amish man and the Jewish woman whose life he saves, agonize with an Amish girl in love with an Englische man, fret with two sisters both in love with the same man, pray with the family whose child is injured in a fall, work with the Amish sheriff in a western town, and laugh at the girl forced to be Amish for the summer.
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MY REVIEW
Each story in the book is unique and gives us a look at Amish life during different time periods. I love that the authors are men and I hope they do more anthologies together. It was a great book filled with Gods love and forgiveness while giving us insight into Amish and their beliefs.
The Amish Menorah by Patrick E. Craig
This story was very captivating and I loved learning more about the Amish during a time when Hitler reigned. It was easy to connect to Gert because he had compassion for everyone. It was hard for him to understand why the Jewish people were hated. The author paints a good picture of what it was like for Emily as she feared for her life.
I liked the message in the story about grace and how there is only one God. Gert stood his ground and protected Emily knowing that God was there. He was a testament about forgiveness as he forgave someone who betrayed him. The story is very intriguing and I learned a lot about the Jewish culture.
A Cloudy Day by Willard Carpenter
I really enjoyed this story because it takes a look at what the Amish believe in. I have often wondered what would happen if one of the children were to disagree with the Amish beliefs. In this story we follow two young people in love. There is trouble right from the start because one is Amish and the other is English. Hannah is a sweet young woman who loves James and wants to be with him. There is a lot of friction between Hannah and her father.
I found it interesting that Hannah’s father how problems with some of the Amish rules, yet didn’t give grace to his daughter. I liked that the author let us glimpse the consequences when someone decides to go against the community. The thought of shunning any of my children makes me cry. God does not want us to shun or judge others. He calls us to love each other as we love ourselves. I really hope the author does a follow up on this story. I want to see what happens to Hannah and James. I have to mention how much I liked James’ parents. Their unconditional love for others is an example of what the Bible tells us to do.
When Hearts Break by Jerry Eicher
This story was but a few pages so I was left a little disappointed. The author shares just enough for readers to want to grab the book so they can find out what happens to the characters. It deals with abuse and I’m thinking it will be a difficult book to read.
The Silo by Thomas Nye
This story is a look at child abuse. I can understand why the new neighbor thought that Harvey and his siblings were being abused. From her perspective the children were being forced to work all day in the heat while not wearing shoes. She observed them working their horses almost to exhaustion. I like how the author shows how people can misjudge a situation and jump to conclusions.
I did like Ms. Mims and how much she cared about her neighbor’s children. If you suspect abuse, report it. Maybe Ms. Mims didn’t know all the facts but she did do the right thing . Her heart was in the right place and I like how forgiving Harvey’s parents were to her. There is also a little lesson about pride that shows how competitive children can be which sometimes makes them prideful.
Lone Star by Murray Pura
Oh how I loved this story of Amish meets cowboys. Saul is an imposing person with his height . Being Amish makes some people curious of him in town. I really enjoyed when he took the job as Marshall . His faith does not allow violence or guns so it was interesting to see how he would keep peace in town.
I loved being transported to a western town and witness Saul as he provided safety for the townspeople. His uneasiness that something soon would happen was a warning from God. Saul was a man of his word and in the face of danger he refused to use a gun. The author portrays Saul in a way that represents what Jesus did for us. Jesus didn’t like violence and spoke words of grace and forgiveness. Saul is a good character and I liked how he stood firm on his faith. The story is good and reminds me of an old western show you would watch on tv.
Amish For The Summer by Amos Wyse
DeeDee is not the most pleasant young woman to be around. She is spoiled, rude and uncaring. The story takes us on a journey of DeeDee’s redemption. After getting into trouble with the law, she finds herself living and working on the Amish farm where she hurt animals. I really wanted her to go to jail, but her punishment was more fitting.
There is a valuable lesson in this story where DeeDee realizes how selfish she has been. The Amish women surround her with love and make her feel part of the family. I loved how she slowly changed and found that reading the Bible made her heart soften. I loved how she began to see how she needed to be a better person and treat others with respect.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
About the Authors
I found it interesting that Hannah’s father how problems with some of the Amish rules, yet didn’t give grace to his daughter. I liked that the author let us glimpse the consequences when someone decides to go against the community. The thought of shunning any of my children makes me cry. God does not want us to shun or judge others. He calls us to love each other as we love ourselves. I really hope the author does a follow up on this story. I want to see what happens to Hannah and James. I have to mention how much I liked James’ parents. Their unconditional love for others is an example of what the Bible tells us to do.
When Hearts Break by Jerry Eicher
This story was but a few pages so I was left a little disappointed. The author shares just enough for readers to want to grab the book so they can find out what happens to the characters. It deals with abuse and I’m thinking it will be a difficult book to read.
The Silo by Thomas Nye
This story is a look at child abuse. I can understand why the new neighbor thought that Harvey and his siblings were being abused. From her perspective the children were being forced to work all day in the heat while not wearing shoes. She observed them working their horses almost to exhaustion. I like how the author shows how people can misjudge a situation and jump to conclusions.
I did like Ms. Mims and how much she cared about her neighbor’s children. If you suspect abuse, report it. Maybe Ms. Mims didn’t know all the facts but she did do the right thing . Her heart was in the right place and I like how forgiving Harvey’s parents were to her. There is also a little lesson about pride that shows how competitive children can be which sometimes makes them prideful.
Lone Star by Murray Pura
Oh how I loved this story of Amish meets cowboys. Saul is an imposing person with his height . Being Amish makes some people curious of him in town. I really enjoyed when he took the job as Marshall . His faith does not allow violence or guns so it was interesting to see how he would keep peace in town.
I loved being transported to a western town and witness Saul as he provided safety for the townspeople. His uneasiness that something soon would happen was a warning from God. Saul was a man of his word and in the face of danger he refused to use a gun. The author portrays Saul in a way that represents what Jesus did for us. Jesus didn’t like violence and spoke words of grace and forgiveness. Saul is a good character and I liked how he stood firm on his faith. The story is good and reminds me of an old western show you would watch on tv.
Amish For The Summer by Amos Wyse
DeeDee is not the most pleasant young woman to be around. She is spoiled, rude and uncaring. The story takes us on a journey of DeeDee’s redemption. After getting into trouble with the law, she finds herself living and working on the Amish farm where she hurt animals. I really wanted her to go to jail, but her punishment was more fitting.
There is a valuable lesson in this story where DeeDee realizes how selfish she has been. The Amish women surround her with love and make her feel part of the family. I loved how she slowly changed and found that reading the Bible made her heart soften. I loved how she began to see how she needed to be a better person and treat others with respect.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
About the Authors
To know Wil, one would probably not think of him as an author. He is a husband, a father, a Christian, a veteran, a business owner, and a servant. He has led a life of bold and diverse experiences that immediately capture one’s attention. Wil has an unexpected artistic and creative side—something that might be considered uncommon, given his life’s works. Wil’s greatest inner strength is his expression and creativity. His life’s works give a credit to his writing that few other fiction authors possess. This generates a vivid degree of realism above and beyond other works of fiction.
Amazon bestselling author Patrick E. Craig is a lifelong writer and musician who left a successful music career to become a pastor in 1986. In 2007 he retired to concentrate on writing and publishing fiction books. In 2013, Harvest House Publishers published his first Amish series, Apple Creek Dreams. Patrick and his wife, Judy, live in Idaho. They have two daughters and Five grandchildren. Patrick is represented by the Steve Laube Agency
Jerry Eicher was born to Amish parents, and raised in an Amish settlement in Honduras, Central America. The family returned stateside in the late seventies, when Jerry was sixteen. He spent his youth with a beloved Amish youth group in Belle Center, Ohio, and was married in 1983 to Tina Schmucker, whose parents had moved to the community from Nappanee, Indiana. Jerry and Tina left the Amish to join the Mennonites after the birth of their second son. He wrote his first work in the early twenties, a fictionalized version of his childhood in Central America. His second title was an Amish love story— Sarah. Since then Jerry has published over thirty fiction titles and sold nearly a million books.
Thomas Nye writes novels about Amish life, with a touch of romance, and a foundation of faith in Christ. He and his wife, Shari, live on her family farm where they raised five children. They have seven grandchildren and a team of draft horses. Thomas walks a mail route for the US Postal Service. It keeps him close to nature and a affords many quiet hours in which to dream up novels. “Over three decades of friendships with Amish neighbors has revealed a simple wisdom that inspires my writing.” To find out more about Thomas Nye and his books, visit: amishhorses.blogspot.com
Murray Pura has over twenty-four novels to his credit and, in addition, has published dozens of short stories, novellas,,and poems along with numerous books of non-fiction. He has worked with Baker, Barbour, Zondervan, Harvest House, MillerWords, HarperCollins, Harlequin, Harper One and Elk Lake Publishing. His fiction has won or been short listed for a number of literary prizes. Pura has lived in the UK, the Middle East, the USA and Canada. He now makes his home in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta.
Amos Wyse was born in the Midwest. Spending a great deal of his youth around good, hard-working farmers, those who lived near them and worked with them. When writing, he keeps those people and the life lessons they taught close by.More from The Men of Amish
The Amish Menorah and Other Stories was born out of a happy meeting between Patrick E. Craig and Thomas Nye at an Amish writers and readers event put on by Connie Spradling Lynch in Shipshewana, Indiana in 2019. Most of these readers did not know that there were several men who wrote Amish fiction. So Patrick and Tom decided to do something about that. After the conference, invitations went out to Murray Pura, Willard Carpenter, Jerry Eicher and Amos Wyse. Deb Haggerty at Elk Lake Publishers signed on and The Amish Menorah came to be.
Patrick E. Craig
As always, the six of us male authors of Amish fiction, have the goal of writing interesting and inspiring stories about Amish life. Collectively, our purpose in putting together The Amish Menorah, was to offer a sampling of Amish novellas written by men. There are only a few of us guys and dozens of women writing Amish novels. This book is an opportunity for readers of Amish fiction to sample six of our writing styles in one setting.
The Biblical description of a Menorah is a seven-flame lampstand. We like to think of our six stories in the Amish Menorah as six flames, each shining a unique light on Amish life. Our prayer is that you, our readers, will become that seventh flame as you join us by reading The Amish Menorah.
Thomas Nye
Blog Stops
Texas Book-aholic, October 5
CarpeDiem, October 5
Inklings and notions, October 6
Batya’s Bits, October 6
Connie’s History Classroom, October 7
Lighthouse Academy Blog, October 7 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)
She Lives To Read, October 8
Maureen’s Musings, October 8
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 9
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 9
Older & Smarter?, October 10
Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 10
Artistic Nobody, October 11 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)
Mary Hake, October 11
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 12
SusanLovesBooks, October 12
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 13
Captive Dreams Window, October 13
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 14
Simple Harvest Reads, October 14 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
For Him and My Family, October 15
lakesidelivingsite, October 15
deb’s Book Review, October 16
Bigreadersite, October 16
Locks, Hooks and Books, October 17
Blossoms and Blessings, October 17
Sara Jane Jacobs, October 18
Vicky Sluiter, October 18
Giveaway
To celebrate their tour, The Men of Amish Fiction are giving away the grand prize package of copy of The Amish Menorah and Other Stories, a copy of Samson and Amish Delilah (by Thomas Nye), and an Amish coloring book designed for Amish children and sold in Amish stores!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Oh, this is fascinating, and Amish anthology by male authors. This sounds like a must read for me! Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteWell written reviews! Thank you
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