An Amish Family Christmas: A Charmed Amish Life Christmas Novel by Shelley Shepard Gray

An Amish Family Christmas: A Charmed Amish Life Christmas Novel
By: Shelley Shepard Gray 

Published: October. 2016
Published By: Avon Inspire
Format Read: ARC, eBook
Genre: Amish Fiction, Christian Fiction
Date Read: August 4, 2016
Rating: 3.5/5

 I was sent a copy of An Amish Family Christmas: A Charmed Amish Life Christmas Novel by Shelley Shepard Gray, from the publisher via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

After the death of his father, Levi Kinsinger is absolutely lost. Unable to face his siblings he rents a small shack of a home in his hometown of Charm. He attempts to distract himself with work at his family’s lumber mill until he meets his beautiful new neighbour and her sweet little girl.

Single mother Julia moves to town to create a better life for her daughter Penny. Memories from her past keep her guarded, but an unlikely friendship with Levi begins to blossom. Then a secret she had been keeping for years comes to light and puts her and Penny’s safety in jeopardy. Can the bond she, Levi and Penny have created stand the test of these revelations?

Meanwhile Levi’s best friend Simon is helping his sister open a refuge for abused women and children. An Amish Family Christmas is the fourth book in Shelley Shepard Gray’s series The Charmed Amish Life.

An Amish Family Christmas is the first Amish fiction book I’ve read that wasn’t set on a farm in one way or another. This was a welcome change and gave me a different glimpse into their culture. It did seem as if the characters were slightly more immersed in the “English” way of life, but they still valued their faith and Amish traditions.

The characters were interesting with backstories that helped to justify their personalities and the decisions they made. I think that author could have easily extended the length of this novel on those stories alone.

Unfortunately because it was so short, I found as a reader that I missed out on some important relationship development. Especially when it came to Levi and Julia’s friendship. The secondary story line of Tess and her refuge for abused women and children seemed to be lost amidst the main story. Although hopefully the author will expand on this in future installments of this series.

An Amish Family Christmas was a light and cozy read that would be best read on a cold day, curled up by a roaring fire. It was a sweet story with strong a strong family dynamic. Because this is the first book I have read in this series, I am now curious to go back and read the first three books.

I would recommend this book to fans of Amish fiction, especially those have already read the previous books in this series.  

A Beauty Refined (Sapphire Brides, #2) by Tracie Peterson

A Beauty Refined (Sapphire Brides, #2)
By: Tracie Peterson

Published: July, 2016
Published By: Bethany House Publishers
Format Read: ARC, eBook
Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
Date Read: August 8, 2016, 

Rating: 4/5

I was sent a copy of A Beauty Refined (Sapphire Brides, #2) by Tracie Peterson, from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Phoebe Von Bergen has led a sheltered life growing up as the only daughter of a German nobleman. Her father’s severity made her believe that all men were of the same nature. However despite his temper Phoebe loves him dearly and is more than happy to accompany him on a trip to America. Graf Von Bergen’s interest in purchasing sapphires takes him to Helena, Montana. It is there that Phoebe would meet a local lapidary Ian Harper and a charming young boy named Kenny. This stay in the American west will also reveal her father’s true colours and long kept secrets that lead to danger.

I was initially interested in a Beauty Refined due in part to the author Tracie Peterson, who I have read from in the past. The historical fiction genre was also of interest to me.

The early 20^th century time period drew me in as well as the detailed descriptions of the lavish Von Bergen lifestyle. The characters were interesting with background stories that supported their reasoning’s. This was especially true for Phoebe’s naïve and obedient nature. Although I found she adapted to a less glamorous life in Montana a bit too fast for someone of her social standing.

I was able to predict the outcome of several situations, but the way it all played out had more excitement than I expected. This was a pleasant surprise that earned it a 4 star rating from this reviewer.

A Beauty Refined was an enjoyable read and even though it is the second book in the Sapphire Brides series, it can be read as a stand-alone novel. I look forward to reading more by Tracie Peterson in the future and would recommend this book to Christian historical fiction fans. 

Taming the To-Do List by Glynnis Whitwer

Title: Taming the To-Do List
Author: Glynnis Whitwer
Published: August 2015
Published By: Revell
Format Read: Kobo, eBook, ARC
Genre: Self-help, Christian
Date Read: September 13 2015
 

Rating: 3.5/5

 

 

I received an ARC copy of Taming the To-Do List by Glynnis Whitwer from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

About the Book:

When author Glynnis Whitwer, a working mother of five realized that she was burning out from a hectic schedule she decided to do some soul searching. Turning to God and her Bible, for guidance she came to the realization that her go-go-go lifestyle was having a negative impact on many different aspects of her life. Even though she was always busy (too busy in fact), she still identified herself as a procrastinator. She found that she would keep pressing the most undesirable of her tasks to the back of her list and in turn let certain duties fall to the wayside. Part confessional, part self-help book, Taming the To-Do List explores the different reasons why people procrastinate and offers tips for creating better habits. Included are activities that encourage the reader to examine their own reasons for procrastination and work towards overcoming it. 

 

My Thoughts:  

As I read the introduction I thought to myself, this is me! I’ve always known I was a procrastinator but I am only now beginning to see how it is affecting my life. This book spoke to me before I even got to the first chapter. I found myself reading paragraphs and sentences and saying to myself “Yes!” Yes, this is how I feel when I look at the big picture. As Whitwer says it gnaws at my conscience. 

 The Pro's:

The way Whitwer described her own struggles keeping up with her to-do list was a great way for her to connect and relate to her readers. This also showed how the research she did into procrastination wasn’t just for the sake of writing this book, but for her own personal well being as well. Knowing that this was a Christian based book, I was pleasantly surprised so see the inclusion of some scientific facts relating to the topics at hand. The written activities for the readers at the end of the chapters, offered me a great way to reflect on my own problems and gave me a better view of the whole picture of my life.

The Con's:

I knew going into this book that there would be references to the Bible and Christian beliefs, after all Revel is a Christian based publisher. To be honest I usually don't request to review their non-fiction books because the content tends to be a bit heavy for this non-religious reviewer. However when I read the synopsis of Taming the To-Do List, I decided to go for it, in hopes that it wouldn't be too heavy and that I would be able to learn some great tips. While I did take some tips away with me, I did find myself pulling away during parts that mentioned God's Will and sin. This lead for me to settle on a 3.5 star rating and not a higher number.

Recommendations:  

I would recommend Taming the To-Do List by Glynnis Whitwer to its intended audience: Christian woman who are looking to get a hold of their own hectic schedules. 

Notable Quotes:

“It hasn’t controlled all areas of my life, but its impacted me enough that I finally said no. No to the lies that tomorrow would be easier. No to the fear that I’d look like a fool. No to the threat that my best wasn’t good enough.”

“And I also finally said yes. Yes to addressing the underlying issues of my procrastination. Yes to being brave enough to face some weak areas. Yes to hard choices that bring my responsibilities under control.”