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A Simple Christmas (Simple Gifts #3) by Charlotte Hubbard

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simple

Pages: 368

Publisher: Kensington

Published: September 25, 2018

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

It’s Christmas in Willow Ridge! Rosalyn is the only daughter left to take care of her father, Cornelius, and that is a job unto itself. To get away a few hours several days a week she has started working in Nora’s shop and selling her homemade wreaths. It also allows her to buy groceries and items for the house when needed since her dad has been receiving bills marked past due. While working one day, Amish bad boy, Marcus walks in and turns Rosalyn’s life upside down. She knows he is trouble but her heart thinks differently. Will Marcus be able to heal Rosalyn’s heart with his love when the unthinkable happens to her father and family?

A Simple Christmas is book 3 in the Simple Gifts series. For fans of Amish fiction, this is a must read series. It is a little edgy with some of their beliefs but it is a good edgy in my opinion. I think it shows there are Amish sects out there that are relaxing some beliefs to let them be sustainable in an ever-changing world that is becoming more and more dependent on technology. This community still believes in living in a simple world but understands it needs the English and the ability to communicate with them. Cells phones and computers can be a wonderful addition to a business but it does come with evils that can lead you far away. Your faith must be strong to not go down those dangerous paths. Just ask Cornelius.

Cornelius has always ruled with an iron fist but more so since his wife died and he moved his family to Willow Ridge. As the years go by he finds himself living a double life. A life that will eventually lead to his ruin. He thinks he can strong arm Rosalyn into staying and taking care of him but he does see that he is pushing her further and further away.

Rosalyn believes deep in her heart that she will always be a “maidel” the rest of her life and she is fine with that. What she is not fine with is taking care of her ungrateful father. She finds he is making her life more and more unbearable. If not for her job in Nora’s store, I have no idea how Rosalyn would have survived.

Each book in this series can be read as a stand-alone. You will find yourself loving the characters as much as I do. I dare you!

I received a complimentary copy from Kensington through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

 

Forever Fudge (Candy-Coated Mystery #6) by Nancy CoCo

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fudge

Pages: 352

Publisher: Kensington

Publisher: September 25, 2018

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Allie is getting ready for the official end of the tourist season with her Labor Day weekend guests. Her two employees are on their honeymoon so things are little busier for Allie. The last thing she needs is a TV crew and a egotistic actor invading her space. As Allie and Mal go for one of their daily walks around town, Mal does what she does best, finds a dead body. What is different and most frightening this time is a note to Allie is left with the body. Can Allie figure out what the notes are saying before someone close to her is killed?

The Candy-Coated series is a fun series that keeps you entertained from the beginning to the end. Allie’s grit and determination to keep her grandfather’s hotel and fudge shop going is commendable. Her love for the island and the people of the island is very heartwarming and something we don’t see very often. Nany CoCo’s writing is so believable that I expect to be able to walk right into Allie and the fudge shop if I visited Mackinac Island.

This is book six of the series and it is still going strong. I have not read all the books in the series but the writing is so good you can pick up any book and understand what is happening. As soon as the new year gets here I am going to catch up on this series.

Yummy fudge recipes are included in each book and some are only two or three ingredients and are very easy to fix. The perfect series to read around the holidays when fudge is a popular gift.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

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spark.png

Pages: 352

Publisher: Random House Publishing – Ballantine

Published: October 2, 2018

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I will start my review saying I will NOT discuss the political sides of abortion or whether I think it is right or wrong.

George Goddard, an upset father, takes it upon himself to teach the women and doctor at the state’s only abortion clinic a lesson, by taking them hostage. He blames everyone there, patients and staff, for what has happened to his daughter.

After the first shot was fired, Hugh McElroy, a hostage negotiator, was one of the first one scene. What he doesn’t realize is that his fifteen year old daughter is inside with her aunt, his sister. Hugh has depend on his training and the others inside to keep his daughter safe.

Through the eyes of a nurse who is a patient, the doctor who performs the abortions, a retired professor facing a death she cannot control, the distraught father, an anti abortion protestor, a young woman who felt abortion was her only way out and a scared teenager we learn of the many different reasons humans make the decisions they do.

You can guarantee that when you pick up a Jodi Picoult book you will be made to dig deep inside yourself and think. You may not agree with the issue being discussed but you will be forced to see the issue from every side.

I was not sure if I would like the narrative structure The Spark of Life was written in but by the end I was glad it was written backward, meaning we start with the most recent hour of the hostage standoff and work our way back to how it all began. It forced me to question why and take more of the facts given into consideration.

A great book for book clubs as many discussions can arise while reading. Expect tears and heartache as you read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House-Ballantine through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

On the Internet: Our First Talk About Internet Safety by Dr. Jillian Roberts

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,internet

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers

Published: February 19, 2019

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

How do we approach our young children in regards to Internet Safety? Using a conversational approach with real-world examples this book is a great tool for parents.

As a teacher, I appreciated the real-world examples and the format it was written in. The language is simple enough for even the youngest to understand and the examples with pictures will help everyone understand what is being discussed.

I plan on buying this for several friends who have young kids that will be getting on the internet more and more for school. I will feel like a better friend for helping make sure they are as safe as we can make them on the internet.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Orca Book Publishers through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

The First Love by Beverly Lewis

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first love

Pages: 304

Publisher: Bethany House

Published: September 4, 2018

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

1951: It’s a summer of change and acceptance. Maggie is learning to deal with her chronic illness and help her younger siblings accept their new stepmom. A Mennonite tent revival has set up in town and Maggie attends at the urging of her Mennonite cousins. Will the meetings bring her closer to accepting her illness and accepting her stepmom or will the meetings take her away from her Amish faith?

I knew very little about Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis until reading Maggie’s story. JRA sounds absolutely terrible not to know day to day when you wake up on how you are going to feel and if you are going to be able to move or not.

I applaud Lewis for her positive stepmom portrayal. So many times we read stories of a terrible stepmom who hates her step kids. Being a stepmom myself it made my heart sing to see the stepmom as loving and trying to keep their mom’s memory alive. Yes, there are hard times but with love and patience hard times can be overcome.

My favorite story line was Maggie’s spiritual awakening. The thirst for understanding and believing was beautiful. There were a lot of biblical stories mentioned that I was not completely familiar with and has made me interested to read more of my Bible.

Lewis has written another story that reminds you of the beauty in the world.

I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas (A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery #2) by Jacqueline Frost

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twas

Pages: 309 (eBook)

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Published: November 13, 2018

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Holly White has barely recovered from her almost death last Christmas while investigating a murder when another murder finds her this Christmas. The town lothario winds up stabbed to death and left in the town square’s gigantic peppermint candy bowl. Unfortunately Holly’s best friend and town cupcake maker, Caroline, is the main suspect. Can Holly solve this murder before becoming a repeat customer of the “almost dead” club?

This series is my guilty Christmas pleasure. Holly and her family are what you think of when you think of Christmas. First, they live in Mistletoe, Maine where the twelve days of Christmas is celebrated with the Reindeer Games. You have blindfold gingerbread house building and snowman building contests. The town plays Christmas music and every store is decorated. A little murder is thrown in to make things even more interesting.

You will laugh, scream and cry with Holly at every turn. Her love life is interesting. She is kind of dating the local sheriff but they have yet to get on the same page at the same time.

In book two, Holly’s family is building an inn at the Christmas Tree Farm and I am interested to see how the dynamics change in future books with this addition.

If you love Christmas and murder together you need to get this series ASAP.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

When Mercy Sings by Kim Vogel Sawyer

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mercy

Pages: 352 (eBook)

Publisher: WaterBrook Multnomah

Published: October 7, 2014

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Suzanne was made to leave her Mennonite home when she did the unthinkable and became pregnant with her boyfriend. Her mother sent her to Indiana to have the baby, give it for adoption to her married cousin and then return. Suzanne decided to stay in Indiana. At the urging of her brothers and sisters, Suzanne returns with her nineteen year old daughter in tow to care for her mother who is now handicap. What Suzanne did not expect was the love of her life from her childhood to be working at her mother’s house. Paul has no clue that she was pregnant when she went away all those years ago. But things are not as they seem. Will Suzanne keep her secret or will everything come out in the open when she least expects it?

I read the third book in this trilogy a couple of years ago and was excited to read the first to see how it all began. Book One was just as wonderful as the third one. I did not want to put it down. It felt very realistic as I was reading.

The angst between Suzanne and her mom is so true of many mothers and daughters that faced the situation they found themselves experiencing. My heart was hurting for them. I especially felt for Suzanne’s mom dealing with becoming handicap late in life as my mom has had to face something very similar. Her loss of freedom to do what she wants when she wants has been a very hard adjustment.

Kim Vogel Sawyer writes with grit and beauty in When Mercy Sings. You will find yourself looking deep into yourself as you read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

An Amish Homecoming by Amy Clipston, Beth Wiseman, Shelley Shepard Gray and Kathleen Fuller

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homecoming

Pages: 416 (eBook)

Publisher: Zondervan Fiction

Published: October 16, 2018

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Four wonderful stories on forgiveness and love.

No Place Like Home by Amy Clipston
Can Eva forgive her parents for their actions and feelings years ago for the benefit of her four year old son?
A perfect story on forgiveness: forgiving yourself and others that have wronged you.

When Love Returns by Beth Wiseman
Sarah and her daughter must return to home she fled six years ago and face those she left behind. Upon her returned, Abram has realized he never stopped loving her. Will Hurricane Harvey mend the destruction of Sarah and Abram’s lives?
This story had me in tears from almost the beginning to the end. The raw emotions and heartache of the characters came through beautifully.

The Courage to Love by Shelley Shepard Gray
Can Irene overcome her past and let people into her heart?
A story to remind us to get to know others before judging them.

What Love Built by Kathleen Fuller
Upon retuning to Birch Creek after being away 18 years, Carolyn is determined to realize her dream of opening an Amish Bakery. Will Carolyn relinquish control and let Atlee and others help her with her dream?
I found this story as a great reminder to forgive others who have hurt me in the past and to also let others help me when I need it. You are not showing weakness in needing help, you are letting others follow Jesus’ example.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Zondervan Fiction through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed are in the above review are entirely my own.

 

Christmas Cake Murder (Hannah Swenson #23) by Joanne Fluke

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cake

Pages: 270 (eBook & Hardback)

Publisher: Kensington

Published: September 25, 2018

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Hannah has come home from college after the death of her father and has no intentions to go back after a disastrous ending to her love affair with a professor. As Hannah tries to keep the house running for her youngest sister, she sees her mother declining more and more into depression. No projects the daughters think of can pull their mom back into the land of the living that is until two church ladies tell Hannah and her family about Essie. Essie is the elderly owner of the Albion Hotel who lives above it with no water or electricity. Essie is to proud to accept help even though all the townsfolk love Essie. Unfortunately Essie has fallen and broken her hip. Essie wants to revisit the Christmas Ball with its Christmas Cake parade one more time before dying. Hannah and her family are determined to make that happen for Essie. While gathering info for the Christmas Ball, Hannah and her mom run across several notebooks that Essie said are the beginnings of a novel she has written. Can Hannah make Essie’s dreams come true of the Christmas Ball or will a story of fiction become all to real?

This book can be read out of sync from the rest of the series since it takes place before Hannah opened The Cookie Jar. I found this book delightful. Yes, it does read differently from the other books in to series as Hannah is not solving a murder mystery but she does have a mystery to solve. I liked seeing Hannah’s mother on a more real, down to earth basis than her usual snooty self at times.

If you are looking for a quick Christmas themed read during a cold, dreary day then this is the book for you. I read it in one day. My only complaint is I didn’t leave any for today. If I could I would be a regular customer at The Cookie Jar. Lots of yummy recipes included.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber

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alaskan

Pages: 224 (eBook)

Publisher: Random House

Published: October 2, 2018

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Josie has spent the past six months in Ponder, Alaska cooking at the town’s lodge while waiting for her dream job to begin in Seattle with Chef Anton. A position others in her culinary school class would have loved to had. What Josie did not expect was to fall in love with the town and a particular young bachelor, Palmer, the local swordsmith. The night before she is to leave, Palmer tries to propose. Even if Palmer had been more romantic with his proposal Josie was still not going to stay. She has worked too hard to get her dream position. After missing the last ferry leaving Ponder for the season, Josie blames Palmer for her situation. In order to save what is left of their relationship Palmer finds a sea-tac plane leaving in a couple of weeks. When Josie gets to Seattle she realizes she left her heart in Ponder. Can Josie and Palmer find a way to both be happy and be together?

I can’t start celebrating Christmas reading until I have read a Debbie Macomber Christmas story. Macomber has a knack for making one believe in love and happily ever afters especially around Christmas. I appreciate she can show love at its finest in a clean way. She doesn’t feel the need to have sex scenes sully the beauty of true love.

This is the perfect book to grab on a cold, blustery Sunday afternoon while sitting in front of the Christmas tree sipping peppermint cocoa. It is the perfect length to read in one sitting.

I received a complimentary copy from Random House Publishing through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.