Book Tour, Review & Giveaway: 10 Little Disciples by Sierra Wilson

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Ten little disciples walking in a line.

One stops to lend a hand...

now there are nine!

Follow along as ten little disciples practice serving others and loving like Jesus in this rhyming, counting tale of true discipleship.

My Review

This is a sweet book appropriate for young children that illustrates how they can be a disciple of Jesus. I liked the examples it gave and the scripture references with thought provoking questions at the end of the book. I can see the discussion about following Jesus it would prompt when being read together with an adult. The counting and rhyming make it appealing and fun. The illustrations are pretty basic, but also cute and colorful. It's an important topic for Christians of all ages!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

About the Author

 

Sierra Wilson is the author of several books for children including I Can Be Like Jesus, The Atonement of Jesus Christ is for Me, and Standout Saints: Church History Heroes from Around the World. She lives in Alberta, Canada with her wonderful husband, four kids, two cats, two fish, and a bearded dragon. She loves hiking, skiing, working with children, and trying every day to be a better little disciple.

 

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Blog Tour Schedule

August 10th - Singing Librarian Books
August 11th - Life is What it's Called
August 12th - My Book a Day
August 14th - Heidi Reads...
August 16th - Bookworm Lisa
August 17th - Geo Librarian
August 18th - Rachelle Christensen
August 19th - Books are Sanity

 

Giveaway

 

 

 

Review: The Hope by Patricia Davids

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

He thought he’d never settle down…until he found home.

Amish widow Ruth Mast wants nothing to do with the handsome man from her past who just returned to Cedar Grove. Ruth learned the hard way that Owen Mast’s restlessness always causes trouble. But when a little Amish girl appears on Owen’s porch, lost and afraid, Ruth has no choice but to help the man who only ever causes heartbreak…

All Owen wanted was to make amends with Ruth and her family. He never imagined that little girl Grace—or the strange mystery surrounding her—would bring him closer to Ruth. Or that a tender and unexpected attraction would quickly take hold of them both. But even a wandering heart can grow roots…when there is hope for love.

My Review

This pair have been on quite a journey and are just at the midpoint of their lives. The heartbreak and grief they have experienced in the past prevent them from easily allowing a deeper relationship to form. Ruth especially is antagonistic towards Owen in the beginning of the book, but over time and through the shared responsibility of the farm and Grace, she learns to let go of past hurts and see Owen for his good attributes. Owen's choice to spend his life pursuing his missing sister is a noble one, but also leaves him without family and not much time with friends. It was gratifying to see his devotion to Grace and his determination to prove to Ruth that he can be depended on. There is some mystery and suspense as the answers to the question of who Grace is and where she came from slowly come to light. I enjoyed the detailed information about life on the farm, raising and shearing sheep, and Amish customs.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Don't miss the other books in The Amish of Cedar Grove series . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review: Return to Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand

 

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

When it comes to matchmaking, Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin’s unstoppable octogenarians Anna and Felty Helmuth never seem to run out of opportunities—or grandchildren...

Reuben Helmuth is plenty bitter. John King, his best friend—or so he thought—is engaged to the girl Reuben loved. Humiliated, Reuben flees from Ohio to his grandparents’ home on Huckleberry Hill, where he knows he’ll find comfort. He’s enjoying wallowing in his misery—until John’s sister, Fern, shows up. She won’t stop pestering Reuben about forgiveness—or trying to help him find love again. Yet Fern's efforts only reawaken Reuben’s long-buried feelings—for her…

With her brother too ashamed to face Reuben, it’s fallen to Fern to help mend fences. But as she and the Helmuths do all they can—even organizing a knitting club event filled with eligible girls—it may take one more challenge to inspire Reuben to forget his heartache, recognize his own blunders, and embrace the true love that’s right in front of him…

My Review

I just love the determination and creativity of Anna in matching up her grandkids! I loved Fern, but Reuben was a bit difficult to have compassion for. He really took feeling sorry for yourself to a whole other level. Just leave it to Anna to shake up his life for a much-needed wake-up call! The poor knitting club... As always, I was chuckling at the antics while enjoying the character growth as Reuben and Fern shift from pesky friends and unrequited love to deeper feelings that lead to true romance. This series is a must-read for fans of Amish romance!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Don't miss any of the books in The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series . . .

Review: An Amish Christmas Kitchen: Three Novellas Celebrating the Warmth of the Season by Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, Kate Lloyd

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

As the weather grows cold and the nights grow long, the cheer and warmth of the Christmas season is one thing all readers can find comfort in. This collection from bestselling Amish fiction novelists Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, and Kate Lloyd finds the beating heart at the center of the holiday and offers three novellas that celebrate family, faith, and especially the sights and smells of a bustling holiday kitchen.

Leslie Gould tells the story of how, in the wake of a heartbreaking loss, a young Amish woman finds unexpected comfort and hope in a yearly baking tradition surrounding the local Lancaster Christmas market. Jan Drexler offers a sweet tale of a shy Amish woman who decides to use her gift for sweets to woo a local Amish boy with her beloved Christmas cookies. And Kate Lloyd offers a heartwarming tale of a woman's unexpected discovery about the truth of her past, and the warm and welcoming Amish family table she finds herself invited to on Christmas.

My Review

I've been binge reading Amish novella collections, and loving it! This is a lovely one with a baking theme and unique stories of vulnerable young women. I enjoyed the first story the most, with Noelle going out of her comfort zone to sell her baked items at the busy Christmas market, and the unlikely friendship she develops with the Latina girl at the booth across from hers. Also a frustrating story of second chance love... let's just say I wasn't a fan of the older sister and the gossip she spreads.

I felt sorry for Ada and how she idolizes a young man at her father's shop who does not deserve her. Matthias can see his true colors, but it drives a wedge in the sweet friendship he has developed with Ada as she makes cookies for them. It's always difficult when someone falls off the pedestal we put them on. I liked the interactions Matthias had with Ada's father and the encouragement he receives with his work.

The last story was definitely one I haven't read anything similar to, but I wasn't a fan of the first person perspective. Maria's recent discovery that she was adopted leads her to the Amish family via a DNA test and database. It was neat to see her immersed in the family with their holiday traditions during a snowstorm, and the potential for romance with the Mennonite neighbor.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Review: The Kissing Bridge by Tricia Goyer

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Rebecca is an Amish woman whose pained past compels her to leave everything to become a nurse---abandoning her family and community. Caleb is an Amish man who is counting down the days until hunting season. At a crossroads in his own life, the excitement of hunting game is all he looks forward to. All the while he wonders what to do with the rest of his life. Even though he likes the Amish lifestyle, what good is an Amish man without faith in God?

An unexpected meeting pushes them together, and they embark with friends on a two-week-long wilderness wagon journey. Hardship tears down the flimsy walls of protection they've placed around their hearts, and as their friendship grows they open up to each other and eventually reveal their deepest secrets. While on the outside they appear to be traditional Amish people, inside they both know they are anything but that. Will their secrets pull them together or draw them apart? And will their faith in God grow? There is a bridge to cross at the end of the journey. Will true love take them across?

My Review

I always find it interesting when leaving the Amish community or going their own way in life is portrayed in a positive manner in an Amish romance. I thought the author did a good job of balancing the fine line of respecting the culture and faith while also showing how there are benefits to following individual inspiration. Rebecca is struggling with conflicted feelings through the transition, but her determination to fulfill her calling of becoming a nurse helps her stay on course. Caleb is a distraction, but they help each other in ways they don't even realize. It was nice to see Caleb's wildness and restlessness calm as he gathers the courage to face what is really bothering him. I enjoyed the depth and themes as I read, even if I didn't connect with the characters as much as I would have liked.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Check out the other books in the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series . . .

 

 

 

 

Review: Letters to Katie by Kathleen Fuller

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Everything changed between them the first time he called her Katie.

Katherine Yoder has loved Johnny Mullet since the two were children, but he’s never returned her affections.

Now Johnny is trying to forge a new life for himself by purchasing a farm and building a business of his own. But times are tough, and he soon learns that he can’t take anything for granted—especially Katherine.

Before Johnny has the opportunity to tell Katherine his true feelings, she’s struck by a serious illness. While Katherine struggles to recall recent memories of Johnny, a surprise visitor comes back into her life, claiming that his letters speak of a history and a future for the two of them.

With the two men vying for her attention and her memory still elusive, Katherine has never felt so torn. But will the solutions to both Johnny’s and Katherine’s problems lie in places neither one has ever considered?

My Review

It seems like there was a lot of history between these two that we don't read about in the book. The narrative referred to a few instances, but there were awfully strong feelings for not much interaction. Johnny and Katherine both had a lot of growing up to do, and I was about to give up on them when they finally made some progress. I didn't expect some of the twists, and by the end of the book I was glad for the journey they went on and the important lessons they learned along the way. I didn't read the first two books in the series and a large part was taken up by a continuing story from the previous book, so I didn't feel as much of a connection to those characters. There are also points of view from several characters, which I didn't care for- I think my limit is three or four, and this one had at least six. I recommend reading the series in order for sure!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Check out the previous books in the Middlefield Family series . . .