An Amish Home

An Amish Home is a collection of four novellas by Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Ruth Reid and Kathleen Fuller.


A Cup Half Full  by Beth Wiseman

A Cup Half Full follows the story of Sarah and Abram Lantz. After a buggy accident leaves Sarah in a wheelchair she struggles to comes to terms with her new reality. Abram was driving the buggy at the time of the accident and blames himself for his wife's condition. Hoping to make things better and easier for Sarah, he completely remodels the house making it handicap accessible. You'd think Sarah would be happy that her husband went through all this trouble to accommodate her, but all she sees is a constant reminder of her limitations and how God took everything from her.

At first I found Sarah's attitude unbearable. I mean, here's her husband working, visiting her at the hospital and working to make their home better for her and she's just bitter. I couldn't understand it but as I thought about it I realized we're all a little like Sarah, or at least I am. I tend to get angry and blame God when things don't go my way or we're experiencing something that's really hard. I tend to ask "Why did you let this happen" instead of focusing on my blessings and seeing the cup as half full.

Abram is riddled with guilt. He blames himself for the accident even though he knows there was nothing he could have done to prevent it. He also makes some bad decision's to alleviate that guilt. Mainly borrowing money, more money that he could ever pay back. But he had to make the house accessible for Sarah, right? You have to admire Abram and his desire to take care of Sarah and make her happy, even if he doesn't make the best decisions.

Home Sweet Home by Amy Clipston 

Mia O'Conner grew up in the lap of luxury. She had everything a girl could possibly want, except love. When she falls in love with Chace and ends up pregnant she realizes how cold her parents can really be. When Mia refuses to have an abortion her parents insist she marry someone of her class who can provide for her and take care of her and the child. Love is the stuff of fairy tales right?

Mia refuses her parents and marries Chace. They had everything planned out and things were going according to plan until Kaitlyn is born early and has to spend time in the hospital. Things quickly go from bad to worse until they find themselves living in the Amish community of Isaac Allgyer, Chase's new boss. Chace knows it's not the life Mia is used to but he hopes that she loves him enough to weather life's storms.

I truly enjoyed Home Sweet Home, I thought it was neat how the main couple was English and the supporting couple was Amish. Mia has had a rough life and she struggles to adapt to a life of less. She loves Chace with all her heart but when life gets tough she's tempted to run back to mom and dad, even though both her parents have essentially disowned her, due to her marrying someone of a lower class,

Chace struggles with self worth. He grew up in the foster system and not all of his foster parents were loving and encouraging. He wants to be worthy of Mia and the family they've made but he seems to think he has to do it all on his own. If he makes one mistake he's quick to beat himself down mentally, almost to the point he can't dust himself off and try again.

Both Mia and Chace are young and on a journey of self discovery. Will they find themselves and God before it's too late?

A Flicker of Hope by Ruth Reid

Thomas and Noreen King lose everything in a devastating house fire. Nothing is saved except a tin box, that Thomas kept the letters Noreen wrote him, and a few scraps of their wedding quilt. It just isn't fair, of course life isn't fair, the Kings should know that better than anyone.

Fifteen years ago they were blissfully happy like most newlyweds but now they were almost like strangers. Noreen has been praying for God to heal her marriage, to make it better somehow but what she got was a pile of ashes. How would they recover? Will their marriage survive this?

Thomas loves Noreen with all his heart, but it seems like everything he says upsets her somehow. She either cries or gets angry. A man can't win for losing. It's been like this for sometime and he's been praying for God to heal his marriage because he's tried everything and come up empty. Maybe the house burning is a blessing in disguise. Maybe he and Noreen can rebuild their marriage as they rebuild their home.

When their money is stolen by vandals Thomas dreads having to tell Noreen that they may not get their happily ever after after all. But with God all things are possible! Their community rallies around the Kings determined to love them and help them any way they can.

This story made me cry. It caught me off guard. Noreen has experienced more than her fair share of pain and yet she continually prays for God to heal her marriage. I know the Amish marry for life so there's that, but it would've been easy for her to say I've done all I can do and throw her hands up and leave. I love how even when it was hard for both Thomas and Noreen that they never truly gave up. That as the secret, they both held a flicker of hope that God could and would heal their marriage.

Building Faith by Kathleen Fuller

This story was a little bit different for me but very interesting. Faith, a woman, loves woodworking. The Amish clearly frown upon this because they have chores set aside for women and men respectively. As long as Faith kept it a hobby her family was kind of okay with it, but her parents wouldn't hear of her selling anything she made.

Silas is Faith's ex-fiancee. They were supposed to be married until she ripped his heart out by telling him she just couldn't count on him. Okay, so he was a little flighty and forgetful,  but it wasn't like he was doing in on purpose. She never gave him a chance to explain. Now, since his mom has been sick, he's left with the responsibility of running the family carpentry business, doing his best to be all the things he wasn't with him and Faith were together.

When both Silas and Faith are hired for the same carpentry job neither one is thrilled. Both hanging on to their own hurts of the past they at first refuse to even consider working together. But can they? If they combined forces they could build some beautiful cabinets and if they'd both let the old hurts go they could build more.

I truly enjoyed each of the four novellas in An Amish Home. The characters are so well developed I have to remind myself they aren't real! Each one now holds a special place in my heart and I can't wait for you to meet them. I hope you love them as much as I do!

*I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

The Amish Wanderer

About the Book

Book: Amish Wanderer

Author: Laura V. Hilton

Genre: Amish Romance

Release Date: February 14

Bethany Weiss is ready to leave town. Tongues haven’t stopped clacking in Jamesport, MO, since her daed, the bishop, was admitted to a mental hospital after hurting their small Amish community. But her sharpest wounds Bethany hides from prying eyes, quietly biding her time until she can take a chance at a new life—away from Jamesport and away from God.

 Silas Beiler was kicked out of his own home. Dogged by a rough childhood and a family who blames him for each new disaster, he begins hitchhiking across the country, sleeping in barns where he can, working for food when possible—headed for Pennsylvania in the hope of some stability.

 When Bethany spies a man asleep in the hayloft, she first fears the return of an unwelcome suitor. But when it is Silas who turns and speaks, the memories flood back: a happy summer six years ago full of lemonade, long walks, and budding courtship. Now, however, those months of bliss seem naïve and idyllic. Was their old love strong enough to overcome new pain? Or will hurt and rejection continue to haunt their path?

My Thoughts: Laura Hilton has done it again! She has a unique way of weaving stories that tug your heart strings but also have wisdom tucked inside. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Even if Amish fiction isn't your usual genre. I truly believe you will like it. The author makes characters that you will fall in love with and root for their success but she isn't preachy. I have to admit I was shocked at Hen's treatment of Bethany. I didn't see him taking it as far as he did. Bethany was a hoot! Poor thing just couldn't get her runaway tongue under control. I appreciated the fact she wasn't rude or disrespectful, she just shared a little too much of her heart at times. I really liked her. I felt like her's and Silas's struggles were ones everyone could relate to on some level. Maybe not the abuse they suffered but their struggling to comes to term with God's will. I believe we have all been there, maybe you're there now. I know in my life I've struggled to understand the "why" and the "what" instead of trusting "who"...God is who He says He is and praise Him He never changes!

* I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

About the Author

Laura V. Hilton

Amish fiction lovers responded positively and immediately to Laura V. Hilton’s debut Patchwork Dreams, when she burst on the scene in 2009 with her unique series, The Amish of Seymour, set in the tiny town of Seymour, in Webster County, Missouri. Fans of the genre immediately recognized Hilton’s insider knowledge, not only of the Webster County community, but Amish culture in general. Her natural speech and writing patterns, she says, are uniquely “Amish,” acquired from her Amish maternal grandparents. The Amish of Seymour, includes Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts, and Promised to Another. Her second series, The Amish of Webster County, is comprised of Healing Love, Surrendered Love, and Awakened Love. A stand-alone title, A White Christmas in Webster County, was released in September 2014. The Amish of Jamesport includes The Snow Globe, The Postcard and The Birdhouse. In spring 2016 she released The Amish Firefighter with the setting in Jamesport, MO, the same as for The Amish Wanderer.

novel,

Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer. Laura and her husband, Steve, have five children, whom Laura homeschools. The family makes their home in Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas.

Guest Post from Laura Hilton

I didn’t intentionally set out to write an Amish story loosely based on a true story. If fact, when people asked me if I would write my maternal grandparents’ story, I told them no.

But when time came to write Bethany’s story, all I knew was a short paragraph blurb about it. Bethany and her once-upon-a-time boyfriend Silas who left that particular Amish district and her before their relationship became serious. I didn’t know their backstories, really, and had no idea how the story would proceed. And since I don’t plot, I spend a lot of time praying about the story, because really, I want to write what He says to write. He knows who He wants it to reach.

So I sat down to pray about it. And God gave me a verse. Which is unusual at the beginning of the story. Usually, for me, it’s at the middle when God reveals His theme for the book. But this time, it was at the beginning. The verse is:

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (KJV)

And the verses caused more prayer. What am I supposed to do with it?

I was driving to Melbourne (Arkansas, not Australia) to pay property taxes and get my vehicle tags renewed, listening to the radio as we (my three daughters and I) drove down Larkin Road (that’s not the real name, just what everyone calls it—we have a lot of those around here: Day Road, Moko Road, etc—because there are ghost towns on these roads so they are called by the name of the ghost town). A song came on the radio and I don’t remember the name of it, or even who the singer was, but when I arrived in Melbourne, I had the opening line to my story.

The sky is falling and I’m searching for somewhere to hide.

I’m sure the people at the county clerk’s office might have been a little concerned about the state of my mental health when they saw the words scribbled at the top of my bill. I did get a strange look. I didn’t offer an explanation. And they didn’t ask.

When I got home, I started writing and paying close attention to Bethany’s mental clues (and Silas’s) to figure out what their stories were. And how they tied into the verse God had given me.

And then, without even realizing it until it hit, I knew who’s story I was writing.

My grandmother’s. My grandfather’s.

Except they are different. My grandmother wasn’t date raped. It was a member of her own family. And she wasn’t in love with my grandfather. She just discovered he was leaving the Amish and she wanted—needed—to escape.

Neither were Christians at the time. My grandfather was saved on his death bed. My grandmother’s youngest child was a teenager when she was saved. My mother, her sister, and all their girlfriends went to a tent meeting for a United Brethren Church and my grandmother attended one of the meetings with her daughters and was saved as a result. And their testimonies ultimately led to the salvation of my uncle and my grandfather.

Both of my grandparents had a lot of issues to work through as to why God allowed the bad things in their lives to happen. That they eventually came to Christ is a miracle but I’m glad they did, as I was raised in a Christian home.

Why does God allow bad things to happen to people? The short, pat answer is: because sin entered the world. Yes, God could stop them. But what if He uses the bad thing to refine a person’s faith, to draw them closer to Him as a result?

How a person reacts to the bad things directly ties in to how they affect them. In my story, Silas chose to trust God even though he feared for his life. No, he didn’t like what had happened, but even though he didn’t see how, he trusted God was working behind the scenes to bring Silas to where he needed to be, spiritually and physically. On the other hand, Bethany believed God had rejected her. Pushed her away and didn’t care about her. If He didn’t care for her, why should she care about Him? So she went into a stand-off with God.

The lessons ultimately learned, for both my grandparents and my characters, brought them to their knees before the living and holy God who was, and is, and is to come. And I trust God will use this story to help a reader out there who might be questioning something terrible that happened in their life.

You might not see how now and may not know why until eternity, but God has this. Keep praying. Keep trusting. Keep believing.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (KJV)

Blog Stops

February 14: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

February 14: Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses

February 14: inklings and notions

February 15: A Rup Life

February 15: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS

February 15: Lane Hill House

February 16: Daysong Reflections

February 16: A Simple Life, really?!

February 16: Blogging With Carol

February 17: Reading Is My SuperPower

February 17: Bigreadersite

February 17: Rockin’ My Mom Jeans

February 18: Rhonda’s Doings

February 18: Jeanette’s Thoughts

February 19: A Greater Yes

February 19: A Holland Reads

February 20: Connie’s History Classroom

February 20: Blossoms and Blessings

February 21: Eat, Read, Teach, Blog

February 21: Mom Is Forever

February 22: A Baker’s Perspective

February 22: Splashes of Joy

February 23: Moments Dipped in Ink

February 23: Carpe Diem

February 24: Pause for Tales

February 24: Quiet Quilter

February 25: For The Love of Books

February 25: Donna’s BookShelf

February 26: Christian Bookaholic

February 26: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner

February 27: Giveaway Lady

February 27: Autism Mom

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Laura is giving away  Amish Wanderer, Patchwork Dreams (Amish of Seymour #1), Snow Globe (Amish of Jamesport #1),
a 10 x 17” canvas banner: “Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly” (Micah 6:8), and
Abba Scripture Candle (3” natural, clean-burning wax, scented) – “With God All Things Are Possible”! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/b0d8

The Seekers

The Seekers is the first book in Wanda Brunstetter's Amish cooking class series. I've had the privilege of reading many of Mrs. Brunstetter's novels and must say that I was excited to have the opportunity to review this one.

Heidi Troyer has a life most people dream of. She's been married eight years to the love of her life, Lyle, has a farm, friends, pretty much anything a girl could want except one very important thing, a baby. She longs to be a mother and sometimes it's all she can think about, especially after the chores are done and her husband is off at work. She decides to teach cooking classes to help fill her days and to bring in a little extra money. She's not sure what to expect but with her huband's blessing she is looking forward to her new endevor.

Charlene Higgins is on cloud nine! Her boyfriend, Len, has just proposed and she can't wait to be married. She only has one nagging doubt she's worried Len's mother doesn't  like her very much. Maybe it has something to do with the mishaps Charlene had helping Annette a few times in the kitchen. She's also worried about being a new bride with zero cooking skills. When her friend, Kathy, mentions an ad in the paper about a cooking class, Charlene decides to take the class and suprise Len and his parents. Maybe if she proved herself capeable in the kitchen Len's mother would then approve of her marrying her son.

Kendra Perkins can't seem to catch a break. Not only did she fall for Max's deceptive charms, she ends up pregnant. Her dad is furious and kicks her out of the house. He's on the church board and can't believe she would embarass him that way. Kendra feels abandoned and without hope. She's crashing at Dorie's, her friend, but it's not a permanent situation. She needs a job, a place and a plan, but right now she has to conquer morning sickness. Dorie sees an ad for cooking classes and offers to pay for Kendra to go. She's hoping it will give Kendra something to look forward to and lift her spirits a little.

Loretta Donnelly has always been facinated with the Amish way of life. Maybe it has something to do with her grandparents being Amish, and her parents being English. Who's to say? Since Rick died she's busy raising Conner and Abbey on her own. She spends her days looking after the children and the house. As she's sitting at the table reading The Budget, an Amish newspaper, she sees an ad offering cooking classes. She debates on spending the money, but decides it would be fun to take a cooking class and learn how to prepare authentic Amish meals. She's excited to learn and do a little something for herself.

Ron Hensley is a Vietnam Vet and a drifter. After the divorce he had no desire to stay in one place very long so the RV worked out. What started out as an adventure though has quickly become a burden. The RV takes so much gas to go from place to place, he finds himself relying on the kindness of strangers to allow him to park his RV at their place. When he comes to the Troyer's place he decides it looks nice enough to stay, for a little while at least. When he gets roped into taking Heidi's cooking class he gets way more than he bargained for.

Eli Miller has been friends with the Troyer's for years. Since his wife Mavis died; he's been surviving on toast and boiled eggs. He never learned to cook and never really had a need to as long as he was married. Seems like everything has changed. While visiting with Lyle, he mentions that Heidi is offering a cooking class and suggests Eli might want to join. At first he thinks he's joking but after giving the idea serious thought he has to agree it has some merit.

I'm not sure what Heidi was expecting when she offered this class but I can promise you she got more than she bargained for! Each of the students has some sort of struggle in their personal life. She longs to help them but is often unsure of what to say. However, she makes sure she puts a scripture on the recipe cards she gives them in class. Maybe it will help each of them with their struggles.

I fell in love with the story as well as the characters. I loved how each of their stories intertwined. Although, I did have a couple of favorites, Kendra and Heidi. I felt for Heidi, here she is wanting nothing more to be a mom and in walks Kendra into her cooking class.  A teenage mother who has no clue what she's going to do. I kept hoping Heidi and Lyle would adopt Kendra's baby, but with Lyle so against adoption I didn't see how that could happen.

Poor Kendra wants nothing more than to be forgiven for her mistakes, but that seems absolutely impossible with her father unwilling to budge. She even reached out to her mom and sisters, but he found out and threatened to kick her sisters out if she ever contacted them again. She's so angry at him, and God, that she can't seem to do anything but cry and feel sorry for herself.

I can't wait for the second novel in the series so we can see how the students are doing and find out whether Kendra is having a boy or a girl!

If you're looking for a great new read I highly recommend The Seekers. I believe you will fall in love with as much as I have.

*I was provided a free copy of this book, All opinions expressed above are my own.

You can grab a copy here:The Seekers

When We Last Spoke

When We Last Spoke is a Fireside Texas novel by Marcia Henna. This is the first book I've had of Marci Henna's and I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the story!

I wasn't a huge fan of the cover, I like bright eye catching colors, but after reading the story I understood how the cover relates to it and I have to say it fits perfectly!

Henna has a way of writing that will pull on your heart strings. There were several times throughout the book that I needed to reach for the tissues. The characters are real and relateable. I bet you can see yourself or someone you know in at least one of the characters. They were not perfect, but faced real life problems and to me that makes them all the more endearing.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed When We Last Spoke. If you're looking for a new read I highly recommend it.

*I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Two Suitors for Anna

About the Book

Book: Two Suitors for Anna

Author: Molly Jebber

Genre: Amish Historical Romance

Release Date: January 31, 2017

In 1903 Ohio, a young Amish woman must choose between the life she has long planned for and a new, very different future…

Since Anna Plank moved to Berlin, Ohio, with her widowed mamm and two schweschders, she’s found a real sense of belonging. As soon as her beloved Noah Schwartz proposes, they’ll begin a new chapter here together. But Noah has a surprise for Anna: once they’re married, he wants them to travel and live in other communities. Anna, who loves her home and her job at the quilt shop, is distraught when he takes her hesitation as rejection—and leaves.

Daniel Bontrager’s arrival adds to Anna’s confusion. Since taking over his late brother’s farm, the handsome roofer has offered friendship and gentle attentions. Yet the pull of first love is strong and deep, especially when Noah returns. Through each revelation, Anna must search her faith for guidance, knowing she is choosing not just a husband, but a life to nurture and to share…

Praise for Molly Jebber’s Change of Heart

“Endearing characters and a delightful story make this a keeper for fans of Amish romance.” –Emma Miller
 
“This is a wonderfully written historical romance with Amish and Englisch characters who are loveable and considerate of others. The storyline is believable and heartwarming. Jebber is a talented author.” –RT Book Reviews

My Thoughts: I absolutely LOVE Molly Jebber's books and this one is no different!  She has a way of weaving stories that touch your heart and characters that become friends. Even if historical romance isn't your normal read I hope you will give Two Suitors for Anna a chance. 

About the Author

Molly Jebber’s books have been featured in Publisher’s Weekly, USA Today’s HEA, and Romantic Times has given them a near excellent rating. She’s on RWA’s Honor Roll. She’s a speaker for Women’s Christian Connection, and she offers presentations on writing, publishing, Amish lifestyle and traditions. She has received widespread media coverage, including live interviews, across the United States for her books and speaking engagements.

She’s just signed a new contract for four more Amish books! She loves interacting with her readers. She loves God, her husband, family and friends. She has a hard time saying no to cupcakes, swimming, nine holes of golf, and walks on the beach. Coconut, oatmeal, and onions, on the other hand, are not hard to say no to!

Guest Post from Molly Jebber

What prompted Two Suitors for Anna?

Have you had to choose between two men you love? Or maybe a friend?  I gave Anna this dilemma and added to her turmoil by throwing in a bundle of twists and turns to the story.

Noah proposes to Anna, and he takes her rejection as hesitation and leaves town. Daniel moves to Berlin and offers her friendship which is blossoming into something more, when Noah returns and asks her forgiveness and another chance. I hope you enjoy it!

Blog Stops

January 31: cherylbbookblog

January 31: Giveaway Lady

January 31: Bibliophile Reviews

February 1: A Greater Yes

February 1: Blossoms and Blessings

February 2: Lane Hill House

February 2: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS

February 3: Just Commonly

February 3: Moments Dipped in Ink

February 4: Jeanette’s Thoughts

February 4: Bigreadersite

February 5: Quiet Quilter

February 6: Ashley’s Bookshelf

February 7: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses

February 7: Pause for Tales

February 8: Splashes of Joy

February 8: Connie’s History Classroom

February 8: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

February 9: Christian Bookaholic

February 9: Eat, Read, Teach Blog

February 10: Singing Librarian Books

February 10: inklings and notions

February 11: Carpe Diem

February 11: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner

February 12: Donna’s BookShelf

February 12: A Simple Life, really?!

February 13: autism mom

February 14: A Holland Reads

February 14: Through the Open Window

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Molly is giving away a Kindle Fire HD. Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/af95

The Silent Songbird

I have to admit, I wasn't sure that I would like The Silent Songbird by Melanie Dickerson. I was hooked withing the first few pages and I couldn't put it down. This is the first book I've read by Melanie, but I can promise, it will not be the last. Set in England in the late 1300's ,Melanie Dickerson takes the readers on a journey they won't soon forget!

Evangeline is the illegitimate daughter of the late Duke of Clarence and therefore a ward of the king.
She and Richard grew up together and were close childhood friends, but when she hears that Richard, the king, has decreed she marry Lord Shiveley, she questions their friendship. Shiveley gives her the creeps and she hopes that she can appeal to King Richard and get him to agree she doesn't have to marry the man. When her talk with the king doesn't go as planned Evangeline decides she must run away to be free.

Running away when you're the ward of the king isn't easy. Everybody knows who you are and would be all to happy to return you to his castle to receive his favor. When Muriel, Evangeline's friend and closest confident sees Evangeline preparing to run away she makes the fateful choice to follow her. She figures she can take care of Evangeline should she get into any trouble, besides she figures after a day or two of hard work Evangeline will come running back.

Westley le Wyse is on his way home after selling his grain and wares at the castle when he runs into a beautiful red haired maiden and her friend. Could she be the woman he heard singing from the window of the king's castle? Unfortunately, she's mute but he's willing to escort her and her friend on their journey and make sure no harm comes to her. Little does he know, the maiden he's escorting is Evangeline and her friend Muriel.

The Silent Songbird is a tale of love and loss and following one's heart no matter what society tells you to do. It would have been easy for Evangeline to marry Lord Shiveley, even though he gave her the creeps, just to make the king happy and secure her future. She knew deep down however, that she couldn't do it. She wanted to marry for love. Even if she had to take on the life of a peasant and work chores that are way beneath her station. She is willing to fight for what she believes in.

I was skeptical of Muriel at first, she complained, a lot! I figured she would take the first opportunity to rat Evangeline out and send her back to the castle. Muriel is also a ward of the king and she thinks Evangeline is crazy for wanting to work as a servant and refusing to marry Lord Shiveley. It seems she underestimated her friend and her determination. Muriel seems flat out unhappy, she never smiles, she gripes, complains and tries to convince Evangeline to go back to the castle. I wondered why on earth she demanded to accompany Evangeline in the first place. It doesn't take long to figure out that Muriel was only looking out for Evangeline and has her best interest at heart. The reason Muriel is so miserable, besides doing harder work that she has ever done in her life, she left the love of her live back at the king's castle and she figured they would have long returned by now.

Westley was my favorite, he is an all-around good guy. He and his father try to treat their servants as fair as the other villagers. They don't lord their money over people. They aren't fake, they genuinely care for others. Despite Evangeline not being able to speak, well pretending to be mute, she and Westley find themselves enjoying each others company and building a relationship. Will he still feel the same when he finds out she has lied?

I absolutely LOVED The Silent Songbird. The old saying is true, "Never judge a book by its cover". Although the cover is beautiful I still had my reservations about the book. I'm so glad Melanie Dickerson proved me wrong! I fell in love with the story and the characters and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

*I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

You can grab a copy here:The Silent Songbird

The Garden

Here at the Book Nerd Corner it's a rare treat to review something other than books but when the opportunity came to be able to review Kari Jobe's new CD The Garden I jumped at the chance.

 The cover is absolutely beautiful! It makes me think of Spring. The album is named from the first song on the album also titled The Garden. In her intro, Kari opens up about how this album was written from her and her family working through some hard times. How they're learning to praise and trust God even when they don't know what tomorrow holds. You have to keep moving even when all you want to do is curl up in a ball and cry.

This album is packed full of awesome truth that will move and inspire you to seek God with all your heart and will also uplift your spirits when you feel down.

I truly believe you and your family will be blessed by Kari Jobe's The Garden CD. I hope you will grab yourself one and let the music refresh you and your soul.

You can grab a copy here: iTunes
You can stream it here: Spotify