Book Review: A Season for Tending

A Season for Tending
By
Cindy Woodsmall

This is another good Amish fiction novel by Cindy Woodsmall and it’s the first in a brand new series she’s writing The characters are entertaining and their interactions kept me laughing at times and had me angry at other times. I really enjoyed getting the know the Byler and King families and learning their stories. The book ends in a cliffhanger of sorts, with some uncertainty regarding choices made. I cannot wait until spring to read the next installment of the Amish Vines and Orchards series.

Here’s what cindywoodsmall.com has to say about the book:

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?

Buy the Book:

This book can be found at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, as well as many other retailers.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Book Review: You Don’t Know Me

This review is part of a blog tour, to see what others are saying about this book, click here.

About the Book (from susanmaywarren.com):

Sometimes the secrets we keep to protect ourselves can be our undoing.

To all who know her, Annalise Decker is a model wife and mother. She’s a permanent member of the PTA, never misses a sporting event, and is constantly campaigning for her husband’s mayoral race.

No one knows that Annalise was once Deidre O’Reilly, a troubled young woman whose testimony put a dangerous criminal behind bars. Relocated through the Witness Security Program to the quaint harbor town of Deep Haven, Deidre received a new identity and a fresh start, which began when she fell in love with local real estate agent Nathan Decker.

Twenty years later, Annalise couldn’t be more unprepared for her past to catch up with her. When Agent Frank Harrison arrives with news that the man she testified against is out on parole and out for revenge, Annalise is forced to face the consequences of her secrets. Will she run again, or will she finally find the courage to trust those she loves most with both her past and her future?

My Thoughts:

I am a big fan of Susan May Warren’s Deep Haven series and her newest novel did not disappoint. Every time I read one of her Deep Haven b0oks, I fall in love with the community all over again. It makes me wish I could move there, at least until I remember it’s in Minnesota and this California girl doesn’t really care to experience any Minnesota winters.

I really like that these books seems usually follow a love story within a marriage. It’s one thing to fall in love with someone new and be swept off your feet, but it’s a completely different thing to fall in love with the same person over and over again. As a married woman, it’s nice to read a book that involves this sort of romantic love story. There is also a bit of mystery and suspense making the book even more interesting and entertaining. I especially loved reading the story of the Decker family in You Don’t Know Me; they were very relatable and interesting. The story showed hope for a marriage even when it looked like the world was falling apart, it also showed commitment and staying true to one’s vows no matter what….even when you question whether those vows were actually legal. (You’ll see what I mean when you read the book!)

I’d highly recommend this book to fans of Christian fiction. I can’t what to see what other stories the community of Deep Haven has to tell!

Buy the Book:

This book can be found at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, as well as many other retailers.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Book Review: Life With Lily

This review is part of a blog tour for Life with Lily, to see what others have to say click here.

Life with Lily
By
Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher

About the Book:

Book 1 in the ‘Adventures of Lily Lapp’ series.

Lily is six in this story, just starting first grade in a one-room schoolhouse in upstate New York. Her parents are busy building a farm, and soon animals join the family—Jenny the cow and Chubby the miniature horse. A baby brother arrives, too, which Lily has mixed feelings about. (She wanted a sister!) Aside from a mischievous friend like Mandy Mast, Lily is happy at school and even happier at home. Trouble is brewing at the schoolhouse and change is on the horizon for Lily and her family.

Check out a this trailer about the book:

There’s also an interactive website you can check out: http://adventuresoflilylapp.com

My Thoughts:

This is a great book for kids. It feels a bit like a collection of short stories that are all connected by an overarching story. It’s also a great way to introduce kids to the Amish culture; it addresses some of the differences without making Amish life seem too much different than English life. I think it really helps kids to see that even though there are cultural differences Amish kids are not much different than they are, they all like to play, have fun and are pretty mischievous at times. The book is well written and appeals well to its intended age group. I love that there is a book that I can feel comfortable letting my 7 year old read. She’s ready to read books that have longer and have bigger words, but finding books with these qualities that have appropriate subject matter is difficult. I can’t wait to share Life with Lily with her.

Buy the Book:

This book can be found at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, as well as many other retailers.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Book Review: His Love Endures Forever

His Love Endures Forever
By
Beth Wiseman

This is far from your typical Amish fiction story.

Danielle is an 18 year old Englischer who finds herself in love with Matthew Lapp, a young Amish man with plans to leave the faith as well as Colorado. When Danielle finds herself pregnant, Matthew doesn’t want anything to do with her or the baby.  He says he never really loved her and this wasn’t in his plans, he packs his bags and leaves the community he grew up in hoping to find something better in the Englisch world.

When Danielle begins to think her world is falling apart her best friend Levi, another Amish young man, steps up and takes on the responsibilities Matthew Lapp left behind. Though none of these events were in anyone’s plans, God works in mysterious ways through the situations and a beautiful love story develops.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought I was getting myself into another Amish fiction novel, but this was so much more than that. While it is set in an Amish community and there are some obvious connections to the faith, the story shows how the Amish and Englisch worlds interact and what would happen if the two intertwined. The love story was beautiful, it showed how one sometimes has to make huge sacrifices for those they love. I hope I get to catch up with these characters again in other books from this series.

Buy the Book:

This book can be found at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, as well as many other retailers.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Book Review: The MoneySmart Family System

The MoneySmart Family System
By
Steven & Annette Economides

Steven and Annette Economides have made a name for themselves as America’s Cheapest Family. As with any family, they’ve tried to pass on their financial strategies onto their children. In The MoneySmart Family System the Economides’ share their methods for helping children of any age develop financial independence. The book promises to teach the reader how to deal with many situations including teaching children to be grateful and generous, prepare kids for their first paying job, and helping them develop strategies to get through college debt-free. They provide tips and techniques for all different stages of life from children under 5 to adult children.

First of all, am I the only one who finds it ironic that a couple with the last name Economides has written multiple books related to finances? Economy….Economides….haha!  Ok, now that I’ve got that out of my system, I’ll get on with the review.

This book is chock-full of information, not all of it was relevant to me at this stage of life but I read through them anyway to get tips for the future. While there are some really good ideas, there are some concepts that I just can’t see my family adopting. For example, I don’t think a 9 year old needs to be budgeting to buy their own clothes. As a parent, I feel that it’s my job to buy my kids’ clothes. I also think that it’s a sad testament to today’s society that they needed to include sections on how to deal with adult children that should be out their parent’s house and on their own. That’s not fault to the authors, I’m sure some parents are in desperate need of such information.

Overall this book was okay. It is well-written and easy to understand, but some of their techniques seemed a little harsh to me. I am trying to instill good financial sense in my children, but I’m not sure that requires adopting a time card method in our home or forcing them to put 40% of their earnings into a clothing fund. It’s worth a read to pick up some useful techniques and tips, but I would be willing to bet that following this system 100% wouldn’t really work with most families. Just like any of the other books I’ve read on finances, there are certain things that I apply to my own situation and other things I don’t.  I’d encourage anyone to do the same.

Buy the Book:

This book can be found at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, as well as many other retailers.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Need You Now Giveaway Winner

The winner of the contest was #31 – Judy Burgi.  Congratulations Judy!!! I’ll be getting in touch with you shortly!

Thanks to all of you who entered. I appreciate you stopping by my blog.

Free Money!!!! (Ebates)

Catchy title, huh?  :)

I just wanted to take a minute to let you all know about ebates.com. If you already know about it and put to to good use, you can skip this…if not, keep reading!  I know this is going to sound like a cheesy, junk mail-ish sort of post, but I promise it works!

Ebates is super simple:

- Sign up for an ebates account

- Anytime you’re shopping online, make your first stop ebates.com.

- Get back a percentage of what you spend. A quick glance on the website tells me that the percentage is anywhere from 1% to 50% at over 1,500 online stores.

I’m not sure how it all works, but it does. My last check was $50.  The site also provides coupon codes for many stores. Follow the hyperlinks above or the link below to check it out for yourself.

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=r8rOOXIkEUggbYUY%2FHakfQ%3D%3D

Information Overload

Over the past few months my husband and I have been learning more about the food supply in the US and more about the chemicals found in many of these foods. I often begin to feel like I’m staring at the sign in the picture above. There is so much information out there and my Type-A personality struggles with taking it all in and figuring out what to do with it.

We’ve adopted a lifestyle of healthier eating, more organic foods less junk, more whole wheat flour vs. white flour, etc. Then I read articles on topics such as sugar potentially being a toxin and grains not being the great for you or something of that nature. It’s overwhelming when try to take it all in and apply it to our family. I’ve tried as much as possible to make most of our food from healthy ingredients, even go so far as to make homemade cheezits and ice cream this weekend, but sometimes I even feel like that is inadequate. I read blogs about “real food” and feel bad that sometimes I like to eat junk. I want to make the best food for my family, feeding them real food without chemical additives, but sometimes miss the days when swinging by Taco Bell to pick up a quick dinner was an option. (Honestly, Taco Bell doesn’t even sound good anymore. It’s the idea of a quick, convenient food that I miss.) On top of all this I live on Maui where sometimes ingredients are hard to find, my kids after school activities keep me busy most afternoons and we’re preparing for a big move in a few months. Sometimes it all just gets overwhelming and I want to cave….until I remember all the chemicals and other crap that I’ll be subjecting my family to if I do.

I’m hoping to take the 10-Day Real Food Pledge after life settles down this summer, but until then I just keep trying to do the best I can. For right now this means reading labels and buying food free of ingredients I can’t pronounce, artificial colors and flavorings, and random crap that I just don’t feel comfortable feeding my family. On the flip side it also means that sometimes dinner comes from a local restaurant, not fast food chains, but not necessarily fresh, organic, chemical-free ingredients. I have to keep reminding myself that the way we eat now is vastly different from how we were eating a year ago and about a million times better than my husband and I used to eat before kids. For now I need to tell myself that doing the best I can is ok, I can’t stress out about every little thing or I’ll go crazy….and nobody wants a crazy mama running around this house!

What about you?  What are some ways that incorporate healthier food into your diet without going crazy? I’d love to hear your stories, tips and suggestions.   I’d also love it if you’s share your recipes.  I’m hoping to get better at this blog thing and share some of the recipes our family enjoys.

Book Review: The Shadow of Your Smile

The Shadow of Your Smile
By
Susan May Warren

I was chosen to review this book as part of a blog tour.  If you’d like to check out other stops on the blog tour follow this link: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13448479

About the Book:

A beautiful blanket of snow may cover the quaint town of Deep Haven each winter, but it can’t quite hide the wreckage of Noelle and Eli Hueston’s marriage.

After twenty-five years, they’re contemplating divorce . . . just as soon as their youngest son graduates from high school. But then an accident erases part of Noelle’s memory. Though her other injuries are minor, she doesn’t remember Eli, their children, or the tragedy that has ripped their family apart. What’s more, Noelle is shocked that her life has turned out nothing like she dreamed it would. As she tries to regain her memory and slowly steps into her role as a wife and mother, Eli helps her readjust to daily life with sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-heartwarming results. But can she fall in love again with a man she can’t remember?

Will their secrets destroy them . . . or has erasing the past given them a chance for a future? Read the story behind the story here: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/books/the-shadow-of-your-smile.

My Thoughts:

This book had me hooked from the first page; right from the beginning there is an air of mystery and suspense. Just the premise of the story was enough to get me interested but Warren’s writing put it over the top, she has a great style of writing that really captures the reader and puts them right into the setting of the story. As I read the book, I fell in love with the community of Deep Haven, Minnesota; I’m sure that’s due, in part, to my romanticized notion of living a small town life.  I found myself wishing I could move there and become a part of that community, although the snow and below freezing winter weather might change my mind!

About Susan May Warren:

Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan’s larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder ofwww.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at:www.susanmaywarren.com.

Buy the Book:

If you’re interested in checking out this book you can find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, as well as many other retailers.

Disclaimer:

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

Susan May Warren Giveaway

Sometimes love requires a little forgetting … Come back to Deep Haven and find out what’s been happening in your favorite quaint hamlet. If you’re new to the Deep Haven series – this is the perfect book to start with – each book in the series is a stand alone story.

Susan is celebrating the release of The Shadow of Your Smile by giving away a prize pack worth over $200 from 1/9-1/28.

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Gift Card (Use that to rekindle a little romance, treat yourself to a spa day, snap up those shoes you’ve been eyeing, or purchase a few great books!)

• The entire set of Deep Haven Books 

The winner will be announced on 1/30/12 on Susan’s blog, Scribbles! Just click one of the icons below to enter and tell your friends about Susan’s giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.