A Plain Disappearance

The third book in the Appleseed Creek Series was just as good as the first two - I am simply loving this series and can't wait for the next one (there will be a next one won't there Ms. Flower? Please?).

NOW MY DISCLAIMER - THESE BOOKS DO BUILD ON EACH OTHER SO IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOKS ONE AND TWO I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THEM BEFORE READING THIS REVIEW.

It's Christmas time in Amish Country and Chloe Humphrey has begun settling into her life in Appleseed Creek. She's especially excited to see where her new relationship with Timothy Troyer will lead. Unfortunately it leads to murder when the couple discovers the body of Amish teenager Katie Lambright while on their first date.

Near the scene there is evidence that Timothy's friend and auto mechanic Billy Thorpe is involved with the crime. The police reveal Billy is not really who he said he was and has been living the last decade in Knox County under a stolen alias. Now Chloe and Timothy must find Billy, bring him to justice, or prove his innocence.

This series gets better with each passing book. The characters we love are back and have brought along with them some unexpected surprises.

The love story of Chloe and Timothy continues. Greta is still trying to keep Appleseed Creek safe from criminals. Becky is still cooking - and planning an all out Christmas party. And there's a special surprise guest in store for Chloe. And of course Grandfather Zook is handing out advice and learning more and more "Englisch" words.

Don't miss this one. It's a page turner.

Jody

My copy of A Plain Disappearance was complimentary in exchange for my honest review of the content.

The Secret Keeper

The Secret Keeper by Beverly Lewis is the fourth book in the Home to Hickory Hollow Series.

Jennifer Burns shocks everyone when she bids farewell to her modern life in favor of the Old Order Amish world, settling in with Samuel and Rebecca Lapp.

The people of Hickory Hollow are curious about the beautiful young seeker among them, one handsome Amishman in particular, and Jenny faces many challenges in the Proving time the brethren set for her...challenges of the heart as well as the spirit.

I found this to be a rather unique "Amish" book as so many you read Amish folk are flirting with going "fancy" but you don't often see the "fancy" wanting to go plain.

As always Ms Lewis is a wealth of information regarding the Amish way of life and what it takes to be a part of it.

As Jenny tries to join the flock, there are others contemplating leaving. We get points of view of "Englischers", Mennonites and Amish.Who will leave and who will stay?

And of course, will the secret come out? And if and when it does, who will be able to withstand the fall out and who will run?

Loved this book. A great addition to the series.

Jody

Many thanks to Bethany House for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Miner's Lady

When Chantel Panetta's younger sister claims to be in love with Orlando Calarco, Chantel knows there is no hope. The Panettas and Calarcos have been sworn enemies for decades, and young love cannot heal the deep wounds between the two mining families. Yet, unable to resist Isabelle's pleas, Chantel agrees to help her sister spend time with Orlando...only to have a run-in with Dante - Orlando's brother.

Chantel can't deny the attraction that flares when she's with Dante. But when a tragedy occurs at the mine, is there any hope that the hatred that has simmered between these two families might be resolved?

This is the third book in Tracie Peterson's Land of Shining Water series. I have read the first book and this one but not the second one and I don't believe you lose anything if you don't read them all - they really do seem to be stand alone books.

The Calarco family is headed up by a stubborn father, tempered by a compassionate mother-in-law living with two young men, one trying to honor his father and keep his younger brother in line and the younger brother who is so in love he cares nothing for the feuds of the past.

The Panetta family also perpetuates the feud, even though no one really seems to know the exact reason for the feud as it is decades old.

And then Isabelle and Orlando fall in love.

Chantel and Dante are thrown together as she attempts to support the relationship and he tries to stop it. And sparks fly. But will they too attempt to bridge the gap or will the feud be too much for all of them?

This was a really great read. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Jody

Many thanks to Bethany House Publishers for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a complimentary copy of the book

Forever Friday

Every Friday, a postcard.
Every Friday, a love poem.
Every Friday for sixty years.
Adam Colby is just doing his job, sorting through the unsold Alexander belongings after the estate sale. He is unprepared for what he finds in an old photo album, overlooked by the bargain hounds and treasure hunters—six decades of postcards and poems from Gabe Alexander to his wife, Pearl. The mystery of the Alexanders’ love entices Adam, a man unhinged by divorce and puzzled by the depth of commitment that he finds in the unabashedly romantic cards.

Forever Friday invites you to travel back in time to the early twentieth century Texas Coastal Bend where a young couple—Gabe and Pearl Alexander—are swept up in a miraculous love. As the heartwarming, pulse-quickening story of their relationship develops through Gabe’s poems, the Alexanders reveal a new way to consider what it means to be truly devoted to each other. Could the secrets of their love affair, laid to rest twenty years ago, hold the key to one man’s future?

I looked at this book quite a few times before I decided to jump in and review it. I'm not sure why I hesitated but I'm so glad I finally picked it.

With each page I turned I fell more in love with Gabe. And with each page I turned I wanted to be more like Huck (Pearl's nickname). What an absolutely fun and engaging couple they are.

They live in a changing world. Women are stepping out from the role of wife and mother and experiencing new things - including *gasp* less structured dresses and even pants! shorter hair and bathing suits that expose skin! Alcohol is a forbidden pleasure and Huck in an unusual woman who wants to experience all life has to offer. And Gabe wants to share it all with her.

To be honest, I really was not pulled in to the present day story of Adam. I understand he pulled the story together because of his role but I just didn't feel the connection to him as I did to Gabe and Huck.

A marriage that lasts 60 years is a rare thing and this love story shows how it wasn't always easy but how much Gabe and Huck both wanted to it to be - and how they worked at it. Lots of lessons to be learned from this couple.

Highly recommended.

Jody

This book was graciously provided to me by Waterbrook Multinomah through their Blogging For Books program for my honest review.

Every Friday, a postcard.
Every Friday, a love poem.
Every Friday for sixty years.
Adam Colby is just doing his job, sorting through the unsold Alexander belongings after the estate sale. He is unprepared for what he finds in an old photo album, overlooked by the bargain hounds and treasure hunters—six decades of postcards and poems from Gabe Alexander to his wife, Pearl. The mystery of the Alexanders’ love entices Adam, a man unhinged by divorce and puzzled by the depth of commitment that he finds in the unabashedly romantic cards.

Forever Friday invites you to travel back in time to the early twentieth century Texas Coastal Bend where a young couple—Gabe and Pearl Alexander—are swept up in a miraculous love. As the heartwarming, pulse-quickening story of their relationship develops through Gabe’s poems, the Alexanders reveal a new way to consider what it means to be truly devoted to each other. Could the secrets of their love affair, laid to rest twenty years ago, hold the key to one man’s future? - See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=227694#sthash.bVkp7k0i.dpuf

Every Friday, a postcard.
Every Friday, a love poem.
Every Friday for sixty years.
Adam Colby is just doing his job, sorting through the unsold Alexander belongings after the estate sale. He is unprepared for what he finds in an old photo album, overlooked by the bargain hounds and treasure hunters—six decades of postcards and poems from Gabe Alexander to his wife, Pearl. The mystery of the Alexanders’ love entices Adam, a man unhinged by divorce and puzzled by the depth of commitment that he finds in the unabashedly romantic cards.

Forever Friday invites you to travel back in time to the early twentieth century Texas Coastal Bend where a young couple—Gabe and Pearl Alexander—are swept up in a miraculous love. As the heartwarming, pulse-quickening story of their relationship develops through Gabe’s poems, the Alexanders reveal a new way to consider what it means to be truly devoted to each other. Could the secrets of their love affair, laid to rest twenty years ago, hold the key to one man’s future? - See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=227694#sthash.bVkp7k0i.dpuf

A Plain Scandal

****THIS IS BOOK TWO IN A SERIES - IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOK ONE AND INTEND TO READ THE SERIES FROM THE BEGINNING (AND I RECOMMEND YOU DO) PLEASE SKIP OVER THIS REVIEW AND MOVE DOWN THE PAGE TO THE REVIEW OF THE FIRST BOOK******

The people of Appleseed Creek in the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country are under attack. Soon after the dust has settled on a buggy accident that turned out to be murder, an unknown assailant begins cutting off the long hair of Amish women and the beards of Amish men.

New to the area, computer specialist Chloe Humphrey may not share their customs, but she is certainly alarmed over these crimes against the Amish and worries how such events will impact her growing number of friends who are more connected to that way of life.

In this small community, when Chloe discovers the body of an Amish businessman who was stabbed in the back and whose beard was cut off, she knows that finding the murderer and restoring peace to Appleseed Creek is as much her responsibility as anyone else’s.

 

In Amanda Flower's second book of this charming series, we are reunited with old friends Chloe, Timothy, Becky and Greta as well as the Troyer family and familiar college faculty faces - and even a few faces we might rather have left in the last book. And we are introduced to a few new characters - by the end of the book will we hope they stick around or move off the pages? Hm.

Who would want to cut the hair and beards off Amish folks? Is this a religious hate crime, or worse yet, is it someone Amish doing it?

On the "home" front, Chloe and Becky get a new landlord - and a surprise regarding his plans for their house. 

Another page turner. Can't wait to read book three - and it's on the pile so be looking for the review coming soon.

Highly recommended!

Jody

 

 

A Plain Death

Welcome to Appleseed Creek, the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country, where life is not as serene as it seems.

While her Cleveland friends relocated to Southern California and Italy, 24-year-old computer whiz Chloe Humphrey moves with some uncertainty to Appleseed Creek to direct technology services at a nearby college. Her first acquaintance is Becky, an ex-Amish teenager looking for a new home.

While driving Chloe’s car, Becky collides with a buggy, killing an Amish elder. But what looks like an accident is soon labeled murder when police discover the car’s cut brake line.

Now, Chloe must take on the role of amateur sleuth to discover who the real intended victim was before the murderer makes a second attempt. Becky’s handsome Amish-turned-Mennonite brother, Timothy, a local carpenter, comes in handy along the way. With God’s help, they’ll solve the mystery that’s rocking this small community.

What a great first book in the series by Amanda Flower. This is my first book by this author but it surely won't be my last!

Ms. Flower shows that all Amish are not alike. She addresses the differences in the rules different communities follow as well as exploring the relationships between Amish, Mennonite and English characters. 

By the end of the book I felt I had made some friends, and hated to say good bye to them. And thankfully I won't have to say good bye for long as there are two more books in the series.

With twists and turns she keeps you guessing until the final moments who has committed this terrible crime all the while making you care about the characters.

Definitely highly recommended.

Jody

Agatha Raisin and The Wizard of Evesham

The local ladies all deem Mr John a wizard, so when Agatha finds a few grey hairs on her head - and the rinse she tries at home turns her hair purple - she makes a beeline for the handsome Evesham hairdresser. And as well as sorting out her hair it soon becomes clear the charming man also has designs on her heart - but their future together is cut short when Mr John is fatally poisoned in his salon.

Once again Agatha finds herself embroiled in a murder case. Was it one of Mr John's many customers, all of whom divulged to him their darkest secrets?


Book eight in the Agatha Raisin series by MC Beaton is a delight.


With James Lacey away, and Mr. John being such a handsome, charming man, what choice does Agatha have but to cozy up to him - especially when mystery surrounds him? Is he just a nice man who genuinely cares for his customers, a womanizer or a blackmailer? Agatha sets a trap to find out for sure - only to have Mr. John murdered right before her eyes. 


Agatha sets out to solve the murder with the help of Sir Charles Fraith and Roy Silver by her side. But can she find the killer before the killer finds her?


A great story.

Jody

Agatha Raisin and The Wellspring of Death

When Agatha finds the council chairman murdered at the basin of Ancombe village spring, tongues start wagging. 

Agatha Raisin's neighbouring village of Ancombe is usually the epitome of quiet rural charm, but the arrival of a new mineral-water company - which intends to tap into the village spring - sends tempers flaring and divides the parish council into two stubborn camps.

When Agatha, who just happens to be handling the PR for the water company, finds the council chairman murdered at the basin of the spring, tongues start wagging. Could one of the council members have polished off the chairman before he could cast the deciding vote? Poor Agatha, still nursing a bruised heart from one of her unsuccessful romantic encounters, must get cracking, investigate the councillors and solve the crime.

The seventh book in the Agatha Raisin series by MC Beaton does not disappoint. Agatha still longs for James Lacey to return her affection as she tries to solve another murder. Roy Silver makes an appearance as he draws Agatha into the water company PR. And Mrs. Bloxby, as always, adds a bit of reason to the mix. 

Wonderful addition to the series. 

Jody

Texas Wildflowers

Texas Wildflowers by Anita Higman is a collection of four short stories that are all connected by the main characters being sisters.

The four McBride sisters risk their hearts for love in the islands, canyons, mountains and bayous of Texas.

Deserted at the altar, a devastated Rosy McBride heads back to Galveston Island and begins working at her mother’s scrapbooking business. Will spending time with Larson Brookfield help mend her broken heart, or will she merely wind up pasting away?

Christian counselor Lily McBride relies on her quirky common sense and God’s wisdom to help her clients. Will she be successful at her new career or break the most solemn of counselor/patient vows by falling for the handsome, eccentric, and impossibly irresistible Rubin McCall while hiking the Palo Dura Canyon?

In the mountain town of Alpine, Violet McBride owns Romantic Images, a business that teaches people how to live romantically. Will Morgan Jones, a geek she meets online, show her the real meaning of romance and the art of love?

Heather McBride’s picture-perfect life has unraveled in the bayou. Will the free-spirited Evan Finch not only reawaken her artistic passion but also give her the courage to fall in love—without her day-planner?

Will God help give these women the pluck to love the least likely of soul mates?

An Interview with Anita:

Tell us a bit about Texas Wildflowers.
Texas Wildflowers is a 4-in-1 novella collection through Barbour Publishing. Each novella is set in an exotic location in Texas. They are lighthearted romances, and they’re all tied together with the four McBride sisters.

Which of the four novellas was the most fun to write?
They were each fun to write in their own way, but my favorite character was Lily, the counselor, in Forget Me Not Lily. She was quirky and fun, relatable and loveable. At least that’s what I hope readers will feel.

All these novellas are set in Texas. Are the towns and parks real?
Yes, in fact one of the novellas is set in Big Bend National Park, where my husband and I went on vacation. So, when you read about the characters on certain trails, they’re real, and we hiked them!

Did you have a favorite book when you were a child? I loved fairytales. Cinderella was my favorite.

Do you have a vacation spot you’d love to visit?
I’m dreaming of Ireland. My husband and I plan to travel there next summer. Can’t wait! Then I’m going to use the emerald isle as a setting in one of my novels.

What are 5 things that your readers might not know about you?
1. While I was in college I tried working in a pillow factory. I was terrible at it. I got so weary with the repetition I started yakking with the woman next to me. We got reprimanded over and over until I quit. I discovered one thing from that college job—talking is something I excel at.
2. I once won a hog-calling contest at a banquet. I was not embarrassed, but I should have been.
3. I have a bird phobia, and yet I love birds! (That is, from a distance.) My house is filled with the fake kind—prints on the walls, statues, and general bird doodads. Go figure.
4. I keep some interesting treasures near me when I write—a wooden jewelry box my son made me when he was in school, a candle from the 1960s, a hat once owned by a famous mystery writer, the inner parts of a music box, a birthday card that plays The Twilight Zone theme song, and an old family toy helicopter that says, “Going up.”
5. Thirty-four years ago I rappelled off a cliff alongside the man I was dating. We kissed in mid-air while dangling off that cliff. I ended up marrying that man, and we've celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary!
What awards have you won?
I’ve won two book awards. One of my co-authored books entitled, A Tribute to Early Texas, won a San Antonio Conservation Society Citation as well as a Westerners International Book Award. Also, I was given three honors by readers: I was a Favorite
New Author in the 15th Annual Heartsong Presents Awards, and my co-authored novel, Castles in the Air, was a Favorite Contemporary Romance in the 16th Annual Heartsong Presents Awards. My most recent award is a 2011 RWA Readers Choice Award (first place) for my novella, Once Upon a Christmas Eve.

When readers finish the last page of Texas Wildflowers, what do you want them to come away with?
I would love for them to be inspired, challenged, and entertained. If I accomplished even one of those things I would feel my writing time wasn’t wasted.

These four short stories are a great little diversion from a busy day. Short enough that they can be read quickly but long enough to get to know the characters and root for the love connections to work out.

Jody

My copy was provided by Cathy Carlton Willis Communications for my honest review.

Christmas Stories

Christmas Stories by Max Lucado is a heartwarming collection of short stories based on how God demonstrated His love for us over the Christmas season.

These stories—like your favorite Christmas ornaments—come in all shapes and sizes. They unfold in a variety of settings, from ancient Bethlehem to rural England. From a small Texas town to the heavenly realms. Some are short. Others many chapters long. Some offer reflections. Others imagine Christmas through the eyes of a burnt-out candle maker, a lonely business man, or heavenly angels.
Yet all are vintage Lucado, and all resonate with the wonder of the season.
"In the mystery of Christmas," Max writes, "we find its majesty. The mystery of how God became flesh, why he chose to come, and how much he must love his people. Such mysteries can never be solved, just as love can never be diagrammed. Christmas is best pondered, not with logic, but imagination."
That's what each of these unique Christmas stories help us do. In the midst of the bustle and hurry that often distracts us this time of year, these stories free us to explore the ways in which Christ's coming has forever changed history—and us.

Enjoy Max's unique view on Christianity and God's love - it will warm your season.

Jody

My Kindle copy of this title was provided by Book Sneeze for my honest evaluation.