An Amish Love: Healing Hearts/What the Heart Sees/A Marriage of the Heart (Inspirational Amish Anthology by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Kelly Long

An Amish Love: Healing Hearts/What the Heart Sees/A Marriage of the Heart (Inspirational Amish Anthology

by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller Kelly Long

Goodreads Summery:

Two of today's most popular genres--Romance and Amish fiction--together in one volume.
"Healing Hearts" by Beth Wiseman: Levina Lapp and her husband Naaman are alone for the first time in 30 years. When Naaman left to visit cousins in Ohio, Levina wasn't expecting him to be gone a year. Now that he's back, will they be able to move beyond this estrangement and fall in love again?
"What the Heart Sees" by Kathleen Fuller: A tragic accident rocks a peaceful Amish community, leaving Ellie Chupp blinded and Christopher Bender's future shattered. But they find love and forgiveness in a place they least expect.
"A Marriage of the Heart" by Kelly Long: Rachel Yoder is tired of her Amish lifestyle and her domineering father's ways. When handsome Joseph Lambert comes back from the Englisch, she lies to force a marriage of convenience, providing the perfect means to escape her father's rule. But Rachel never imagined she'd fall in love with Joseph so quickly or irrevocably.  
 

The first story of the book was “A Marriage of the Heart”. Rachel lies to her father saying Joseph was inappropriate with her which leads to a rush wedding. It was a fun read and I really like the characters. It was fun to read as the two first disliked each other and then fell in love.

The second story was “What the Heart Sees”. Ellie was blinded in a car accident years ago and her best friend killed. Christopher was engaged to Ellie’s best friend and he was devastated and left the community and was shunned. He returns to find his sister engaged to the man he blames for his fiancé's death. Ellie helps him to forgive and they both find love along the way.

The third story “A Marriage of the Heart” I did not read. I read the first few pages and skimmed a few more but I was not interested in the story. What I did read of it was well written.

I really enjoyed the two stories I read. I had trouble putting the book down. I tend to not buy books where there are multiple stories because I am not sure I will like them all. But in this case I did enjoy two of the three and the third was just not one that I was interested in(older couple romance).

If you like Amish Fiction you will enjoy this book!


Book Rating

 

Steamy Rating

I received this paperback for free through BookSneeze for this review.

Rugged and Relentless by Kelly Eileen Hake

Rugged and Relentless by Kelly Eileen Hake

Goodreads Summery: Roll into Hopesfall, Colorado, where three women are seeking mates to help them establish a sawmill. Evelyn Thompson never dreamed their husbands-for-hire ad would bring so many bachelors to their tiny town. How will she ever figure out which feller to choose? Jacob Granger, a logger-turned-bounty hunter, is hot on the trail of his brother’s killer. When a clue leads him to Hopesfall, he has no choice but to pretend to court Miss Thompson while waiting for the killer to show his hand. Will Jacob’s unexpected adoration of this sweet cook prompt him to speak vows before getting vengeance?

This is the kind of book that makes a great movie! The characters where well developed and the plot was solid. The book opens with Cora Thompson grieving the death of her fiancé. Evie is her older sister who is a chef at a local café. Lacey is Cora’s fiancé’s sister and Naomi is Lacey’s close friend.  With Cora’s fiancé dead they are out a great deal of money because he was out in Colorado getting a mining company going. Lacey comes up with a new plan head to the now ghost town and get a logging company going. In order to do this they will need husbands and Lacey has the brilliant idea of hiring husbands. Jacob is after vengeance after the death of his brother and he is on the hunt for his killer.

This is the first book in the series and focuses on Evie(Evelyn). It was a wonderful book I loved it I look forward to reading about the other ladies and who they will end up with. 


This book will be released on March 1st 2011 and I highly recommend you grab it!

The steamy scale is a 1.

I received this Ebook for free through NetGalley for this review.

Christmas Break

I know my reviews have slowed down but with Christmas right around the corner I have been busy. Once Christmas is over I will be back at it. I am looking forward to getting this blog put together once things slow down for me. Merry Christmas everyone and I hope lots of books are under your tree.

Book Blogger Hop(#3) & Follow me Friday(#3)

I am excited to do my first Blog Hop for this site! The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly, multi-day blog party that is a fabulous way to meet other book bloggers, find out about new books, make new friends, and share our obsession with books!! The Rules:

1. Link your book blog on the Linky List on the Crazy for Books site.
2. Post about the Hop on your own blog and answer this week’s question.
3. Visit other blogs in the Linky List.

"What do you consider the most important in a story: the plot or the characters?"

Man that is a hard one! Honestly I think they are both equality important.  You can have a great plot but if the characters are weak it makes the book boring. If you have great characters but a bad plot you really feel cheated.   st HI! Welcome to my blog! I am participating in Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee's View.

H

op on please leave a comment, link your blog, and follow, and I will follow you as well.

Surrender Bay (Nantucket #1) by Denise Hunter

Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter

Goodreads Summery:

When Samantha Owen's estranged stepfather dies, she inherits his cottage in Nantucket--a place she left years ago, never planning to return. As a single mom, Sam can't afford to pass up on a financial windfall like ocean-front property. So she travels home to fix up the house and sell it . . . never suspecting that Landon Reed still lives two doors down. As their long-dormant romance begins to bud again, Sam must face the fact that Landon still doesn't know why she left the island. Will the secrets she's hidden all these years tear them apart . . . or is Landon's love really as unconditional as he claims?
Denise Hunter weaves a heart-tugging tale of shattered trust and enduring love . . . all in a romantic seaside setting.

I read the first few pages of this book in the store and thought it seemed like a good read so I bought it for my Kindle when I got home. Samantha has many secrets and is living with her teenage daughter working two jobs to make ends meet. Her daughter has nothing but attitude and Samantha is worried about the friends she is running around with. She gets word that her stepdad who she hates has died and she inherits his cottage which is worth quite a bit of money. So she sets off for Nantuket to fit it up so she can sell it.

Once she arrives she finds her first and only love Reed still lives on the Island. He still loves her and sets out to prove to her she needs him. Will love win out in the end?

I have to say I was disappointed in this book. I had trouble finishing it. I was interested enough to push through though. The climax was somewhat predictable. I liked Samantha but I also felt like I never got to know her. I found myself more interested in Reed. The story line was deep and I could see how the author was connecting how God loves us with the story of Samantha and Reed and her daughter. I also felt Samantha was a bit self centered and could not see past the end of her nose. Her daughter was not much better. I did like Reed though he showed what true love is all about and he never gave up even when Samantha gave him some troubling news and did some crazy things.

 

The Steamy level is 1.

I also bought the 2nd book of this series The Convenient Groom and I am hopeful I will enjoy it more.

This Matter of Marriage by Debbie Macomber

 

This Matter of Marriage by Debbie Macomber

Goodreads Summery:

The alarm on Hallie's biological clock is buzzing. She's hitting the big three-O and there's no prospect of marriage, no man in sight. Hallie, an organized, goal-setting kind of person, gives herself a year to meet Mr. Knight...In Shining Armor. But all her dates are disasters. (There's the cheapskate and the sex fiend and...well, never mind.)

Too bad she can't just fall for her good-looking neighbor Steve Marris--who's definitely not her type. Anyway, Steve's busy trying to win back his ex-wife, Mary Lynn, who's busy getting married--but not to Steve. Life would be so much simpler if he could fall for someone else. Like...Hallie. They're friends, though--and sometimes friends become lovers. Sometimes friends become more.

This was a fun read. The main character is Hallie and she is about to turn 30 and is still single. She wants the husband and kids so she starts to seriously start to date. She goes on a few disaster dates which in turn leads her to meet her new next door neighbor Steve. He soon becomes her good friend and confidant. Everyone around them see’s they are falling in love but them. It really was a good read. There is a small side story of Hallie’s best friend Donnalee finding love as well.

Steamy scale is a 2. There is no sex but its implied a few times.  

Book Blogger Hop(#2) & Follow me Friday(#2)

I am excited to do my first Blog Hop for this site! The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly, multi-day blog party that is a fabulous way to meet other book bloggers, find out about new books, make new friends, and share our obsession with books!! The Rules:

1. Link your book blog on the Linky List on the Crazy for Books site.
2. Post about the Hop on your own blog and answer this week’s question.
3. Visit other blogs in the Linky List.

"What is the thing you like most about reading book blogs?  Is it the reviews, author guest posts, articles, giveaways, or something else entirely?"

I like reading the reviews and looking for new books I might like. The giveaways are always fun to.   st HI! Welcome to my blog! I am participating in Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee's View.

Hop on please leave comment, link your blog, and follow, and I will follow you as well.

This week's question is:

"Do you have an under-noticed author that you think we should all know about?”

  Well I am still pretty new to book blogging but the first book I reviews was by a new author. Vannetta Chapman is an Amish Fiction writer and I really enjoyed her first book. A Simple Amish Christmas

The Waiting (Lancaster County Secrets #2) by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Waiting by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Goodreads Summery:

Jorie King's life is on hold. She has been waiting for Ben Zook to return to Lancaster County. Waiting for him to settle down and join the church. Waiting to marry him.
But when news arrives that Ben has been killed, Jorie is devastated. She finds unlikely comfort in the friendship of his brother Caleb. Friendship ripens into love, and two broken hearts plan for a life filled with the promise of a fresh beginning--until their worlds are turned upside down.
With her realistic characters whose weaknesses develop into strengths, Suzanne Woods Fisher offers a reading experience that rises above the others. You will love growing in spirit with these complex people living the simple life as The Waiting transports you into a world where things aren't as simple as they seem.

Jorie is next door neighbors to the Zook’s and is living with her grandparents and helping to run the horse farm. Ben Zook went off to the Vietnam War and Jorie is waiting on him to come home. Caleb is the oldest of the Zooks and has been running the farm since his parents died. Matthew is another brother and he ends up being called to work (Military service)at a hospital a few hours away. The youngest brother is Ephraim and he is finishing his 8th grade year. Caleb also has a daughter named Maggie. In the beginning of the book you also get to know Caleb’s first wife Mary Ann. Yeah there are a LOT of characters in this book!

I struggled to get into this book at first. I found it hard to get to know all the characters. I also disliked getting to know Caleb’s first wife and then being with her as she deals with a life changing illness. Once I got into it though I really enjoyed it. I did enjoy reading the story from so many different characters. Though I sometimes felt there could have easily been another book written just about Matthew himself!

As is in Suzanne’s style there where quite a few surprises which makes her books quite fun. I would highly recommend the 2nd book in this series.
I give it 4 stars.

I am looking forward to the 3rd book The Search due out January 1st 2011!

Murder in Plain Sight by Marta Perry

Goodreads Summery:

Did a sweet-faced Amish teenager brutally murder a young woman? To save her career, big-city lawyer Jessica Langdon is determined to defend him—against the community's bitter and even violent outrage. Yet without an understanding of Amish culture, Jessica must rely on arrogant businessman Trey Morgan, who has ties to the Amish community… and believes in the boy's guilt.
Jessica has threats coming from all sides: a local fanatic, stirred up by the biased publicity of the case; the dead girl's boyfriend; even from the person she's learned to trust the most, Trey Morgan. But just when Jessica fears she's placed her trust in the wrong man, Trey saves her life. And now they must both reach into a dangerous past to protect everyone's future—including their own.

I was very excited to read this book! I first read books from Marta Perry many years ago from the Love Inspired Line. I have only recently learned she has written other books not associated with that line and I was very excited to read them so I jumped at the chance to review her new book.
One of the many things I love about Marta Perry is her writing style. She is phenomenal at her descriptions. When I am reading her books I feel like I am right there in the book as I read.

Murder in Plain Sight opens with the death of an English girl and the blame is been put on a young Amish man. Jessica is sent from the big city to help the boy. At first it seems the boy is guilty but slowly things begin to happen that start to show things are not as they appear. Jessica is hired by a local family to help the boy. Trey is the son of the family and he does not want Jessica there. He is still dealing with the tragic suicide of his father and only wants to protect his mother even though his mother hired Jessica. Over time romance begins to bloom and more questions then answers begins to surface about this case.

I will say the climax was a little predictable. I kind of saw it coming. The ending leaves a lot of questions unanswered and will leave the reader excited for the next book in the series Vanish in Plain Sight due out Spring 2011!

I rate this book 4.5 stars

The climax of the story not being as surprising as I had expected is the only thing that keeps this just under 5. A great read! A must add to your reading list.


I received this Ebook for free through NetGalley for this review.

Perfect Reading Night!

Its cold its snowing and the kids are in bed! Perfect night to be reading. I am about to grab my Kindle and dig in. I am reading Murder in Plain Sight by Marta Perry.




What are you reading? 

2011 E-Book Reading Challenge

This challenge is now being hosted by La Coccinelle at The Ladybug Reads. (was previously hosted by Alaine at Queen of Happy Endings).

Challenge Guidelines:

     1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.
     2. There are four levels:
          ►Curious – Read 3 eBooks.
          ►Fascinated – Read 6 eBooks.
          ►Addicted – Read 12 eBooks.
          ►Obsessed – Read 20 eBooks.
     3. Any genre counts.
     4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a
wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as
the mood takes you.
     5. Challenge begins January 1, 2011 and lasts until
          December 31, 2011.
     6. Go to The Ladybug Reads’ blog to sign up.

I’m going for the Obsessed level. All I read pretty much is on my Kindle so this will not be hard at all!

Here is my list:

1.

2011 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
hosted by The Book Vixen

Details:

• Runs January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011(books read prior to 1/1/11 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. You can sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
• The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2011 than you did in 2010. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine.
• You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them. It is not required that you review the books you read for this challenge but feel free to do so.
• Post this reading challenge on your blog so you can keep a list of the books you’ve read for this challenge. Please include a link back to this post so readers can join the challenge too.
• You do not have to be a book blogger to participate. You can keep tabs on books you’ve read for this challenge on Goodreads or LibraryThing if you’d like (maybe make a shelf for “Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge”). If you are not on either of those sites then you can list the books you read for this challenge in the comments on my wrap-up post, which will be up at the end of 2011.

Levels:

     Getting my heart rate up – Read 1–5 more books
     Out of breath – Read 6–10 more books
     Breaking a sweat – Read 11–15 more books
     I’m on fire! – Read 16+ more books

I am going for the I’m on fire! level. I just got back into reading this year and in the last few months I have read close to 50 book. My goal for 2011 is to read 100 books. Here will be my list of books for this challenge:

1.

The Choice (Lancaster County Secrets, Book 1) by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Goodreads Summery:
With a vibrant, fresh style Suzanne Woods Fisher brings readers into the world of a young Amish woman torn between following the man she loves--or joining the community of faith that sustains her, even as she questions some of the decisions of her elders. Her choice begins a torrent of change for her and her family, including a marriage of convenience to silent Daniel Miller. Both bring broken hearts into their arrangement--and secrets that have been held too long. Filled with gentle romance, The Choice opens the world of the Amish--their strong communities, their simple life, and their willingness to put each other first. Combined with Fisher's exceptional gift for character development, this novel, the first in a series, is a welcome reminder that it is never too late to find your way back to God.


My first response to this book after I finished was WOW! This book had more twists and turns then I ever expected! The book starts out with Carrie in love with Solomon. He is Amish but loves baseball and has been playing behind the back of his community. He gets drafted to play as a pitcher and wants Carrie to come with him. She wants to but days before they are set to leave a tragic even changes everything and she remains behind heartbroken. She ends up marring Daniel to get her and her brother out of the house because her stepmom treats them so badly. At this point you think the book is going to be about these two falling in love. Guess again .What happened next left me shocked. This book was truly a wonderful read. I was a little sad how many people died so early in this book. I kept fearing more where going to be killed! The characters in this book are so alive you really feel like your getting to know them.  I would highly recommend this book!
I give it 4.5 stars

The only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars was a little disappointment in the change of love interests but it was a wonderful book. The next book in the series is The Waiting which I have read and will soon review as well.
The Steamy rating(1-5) is a 1.

Book Blogger Hop(01) & Follow me Friday(01)

I am excited to do my first Blog Hop for this site!
The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly, multi-day blog party that is a fabulous way to meet other book bloggers, find out about new books, make new friends, and share our obsession with books!!
The Rules:

1. Link your book blog on the Linky List on the Crazy for Books site.
   
2. Post about the Hop on your own blog and answer this week’s question.
   
3. Visit other blogs in the Linky List.

What very popular and hyped book in the blogosphere did you NOT enjoy and how did you feel about posting your review?

I am new to the reviewing world so I don’t have one yet. I know I will be honest if there is a book I am asked to review and don’t like it but will work hard to be considerate and constructive in my review.




stHI! Welcome to my blog! I am participating in Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee's View.

                             Hop on please leave comment, link your blog, and follow, and I will follow you as well.

This week's question is:

"What do you do besides reading/ reviewing as a hobby?"

I love to cook and also have a blog for that but I have not been updating it as much. I also enjoy gardening in the summer.

The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber

The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Goodread’s Synopsis:
What would make your Christmas perfect? For Cassie Beaumont, it's meeting her perfect match. Cassie, at thirty-three, wants a husband and kids, and so far, nothing's worked. Not blind dates, not the Internet and certainly not leaving love to chance.
What's left? A professional matchmaker. He's Simon Dodson, and he's very choosy about the clients he takes on. Cassie finds Simon a difficult, acerbic know-it-all, and she's astonished when he accepts her as a client.
Claiming he has her perfect mate in mind, Simon assigns her three tasks to complete before she meets him. Three tasks that are all about Christmas: being a charity bell ringer, dressing up as Santa's elf at a children's party and preparing a traditional turkey dinner for her neighbors (whom she happens to dislike). Despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie does it all and she's finally ready to meet her match. But just like the perfect Christmas gift, he turns out to be a wonderful surprise!
 
This is the first book I have read by Debbie Macomber. The first thing I will say was it was a short book almost a short story. Also this book was only told through the eyes of the female love interest Cassie. I kept getting frustrated because I wanted to know what Simon was thinking. Because the book was so short I never felt like I got to know the characters very well. I did enjoy the plot though. It was fun to read as the climax of the book took place and I enjoyed the side romance of Cassie’s brother and Cassie’s friend but again it was just so short.  If your looking for a quick read this is a great choice. I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
I give this book a rating of 3.5 stars   

I just felt it was over to quick and the book could have been so much more.
On the steamy scale(1-5) I give it a 1. There was kissing and that was it.

Neat Website!

I just came across this website. Fantastic Fiction It shows pretty much every book an author has written. A great tool when searching for books. Check it out!

Demon Slayer Series by Angie Fox

   
Demon Slayer Series by Angie Fox
Goodreads Overview:
Book 1:
It's never a good day when an ancient demon shows up on your toilet bowl. For Lizzie Brown, that's just the beginning. Soon her hyperactive terrier starts talking, and her long-lost biker witch Grandma is hurling Smuckers jars filled with magic. Just when she thinks she's seen it all, Lizzie learns she's a demon slayer-and all hell is after her.
Of course, that's not the only thing after her. Dimitri Kallinikos, a devastatingly handsome shape-shifting griffin needs Lizzie to slay a demon of his own. But how do you talk a girl you've never met into going straight to the underworld? Lie. And if that doesn't work, how dangerous could a little seduction be...?
Book 2:
Demon slaying powers should come with an instruction book...
Seriously. Why does a new hair dryer have a twelve-page how-to manual, but when it comes to ancient demon-fighting hocus-pocus, my biker witch granny gives me just half a dozen switch stars and a rah-rah speech? Oh, and a talking terrier, but that's another story. It's not like my job as a preschool teacher prepared me for this kind of thing.
So, I've decided to write my own manual, The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers, because no one tells me anything. Dimitri, my "protector," may be one stud of a shape-shifting griffin, but he always thinks he can handle everything by himself. Only he's no match for the soul-stealing succubi taking over Las Vegas. If I can't figure out how to save him - and Sin City - there'll be hell to pay.
Book 3:
Last month, I was a single preschool teacher whose greatest thrill consisted of color-coding my lesson plans. That was before I learned I was a slayer. Now, it s up to me to face curse-hurling imps, vengeful demons, and any other supernatural uglies that crop up. And, to top it off, a hunk of a shape-shifting griffin has invited me to Greece to meet his family.
But it s not all sun, sand, and ouzo. Someone has created a dark-magic version of me with my powers and my knowledge and it wants to kill me and everyone I know. Of course, this evil twin doesn t have Grandma s gang of biker witches, a talking Jack Russell terrier, or an eccentric necromancer on its side. In the ultimate showdown for survival, may the best demon slayer win.
Book 4:
Lizzie Brown would like to have one normal date. Instead, she gets a towering inferno with a message: her long-lost dad is a fallen angel in danger of becoming a demon. Not good. Especially since she’s a demon slayer.
Her grandma advises her to stay out of it. Her sexy-as-sin shape-shifter boyfriend would much rather she devote her attention to more carnal pursuits. And her dog’s one demand is for more bacon. After all, he can’t train his pet dragon on an empty stomach.
But Lizzie knows there’s no other choice but to hop on her Harley and help her dad—even if the search for the truth brings a bad-boy slayer back into her life and leads her into the middle of a war to end all wars.
In the first book Lizzie is getting ready for her 30th birthday party when her biker Grandma shows up and lockers her in her bathroom just in time for a demon to come out of her toilet. Lizzie defeats the demon and comes out of her bathroom to her  now talking Jack Russell terrier and her biker grandma telling her she is a demon slayer. Lizzie founds out more then then she expected about her birth family. She is saved by Dimitri who becomes her love interest in the books. In each of the next 3 books Lizzie becomes more comfortable with her demon slayer powers and learns more about herself and her special powers.
If your not into supernatural books you may not like this series. I was a little skeptical but since I got the first book as a freebie on my Kindle I gave it a try and I was hooked. I read the firs 3 books in a little over a week and finished the 4th last month. I loved the characters in these books! Lizzie is always trying to keep her life from spinning out of control while her biker witch grandma and her fellow witches keep you laughing. Your not sure if Dimitri is a good or bad guy in the first book but you learn there is more then meets the eye with him.  Even after 4 books I have questions and wonder if there will be more in the series! I sure hope so.

This is NOT a clean romance. I have not created a steamy scale for my ratings (will soon) yet. Scale of 1-5 I will give it a 3. There are sex scenes but they are few and relatively mild. The author did not go on and on for pages it was not the focus of the book at all.

Over all I love these books. I found the idea of a demon slayer thrown into her powers fascinating and felt like I was on the edge of my seat with most of the books. I felt book 3 was probably the slowest read for me of the 4. I don’t go back and reread books a lot but I could see myself doing that with this series.
I give the series over all 4 stars

I only gave it 4 starts because book 3 was a little slower and honestly I could do with out the sex. Angie Fox is a great author and I plan to check out some of her other books soon.