August: What else have I been reading?

Earlier this week I shared my summer reading from July, so today I'll be revealing August's version. Like the rest of the summer, I did most of my reading on my Kindle while travelling two and from work so I've only written short books of these books, but I'd still like to share my thoughts and recommend some great reads to you!

READ: AUGUST 8 - 9, 2011
RATING: 9 OUT OF 10


Katy has always enjoyed life in her small Mennonite community, but she longs to learn more than her school can offer. After getting approval from her elders, Katy starts her sophomore year at the public high school in town, where she meets new friends and encounters perspectives much different than her own. But as Katy begins to find her way in the outside world, her relationships at home become restrained. Can she find a balance between her two worlds?


Loved this! Any preteen Christian girl would adore this book. I could totally relate to Katy's embarrassment at standing out from the crowd at her new school and her friendship issues. Although she's Mennonite, I think her struggles would appeal to many girls of a similar age. Definitely one I'll be recommending to friends with preteen daughters. I'll be looking out for the rest in the series. My only complaint would be that the issues with Jewel seemed to be wrapped up a bit too conveniently; I felt it might have been more realistic if everything hadn't gone smoothly at the birthday party. 

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READ: AUGUST 15 - 16, 2011

RATING: 9 OUT OF 10

Carley Marek experiences culture shock when she visits her friend Lillian's family on their farm deep in Amish country. She'll get an article out of the visit--and maybe some of Lillian's newfound peace will somehow rub off on her. 

Just when Carley is getting used to the quiet nature of the Plain community, Lillian and Samuel's son falls ill. But the local doctor who can offer the most help has been shunned by the community and forbidden to intervene. 

As David's condition deteriorates, Dr. Noah determines to do whatever it takes to save the boy's life. Carley is caught in the middle--drawn to Noah, wanting to be helpful in the crisis--and confused by all their talk about a God she neither knows nor trusts. 

Carley must decide what in life is worth pursuing . . . and what to do when she's pursued by a love she never expected.

Beth Wiseman produces consistently good Amish romantic fiction. This is the second of her full-length novels that I've read, although I've also read a couple of her novellas, and I've yet to be disappointed. I felt that this one was a bit slow to start and I got irritated by how stubborn Samuel could be, particularly as I loved his character in the previous book and felt he'd kind of morphed into the generic Amish male stereotype. Samuel's mood eventually relaxed and the shunning disputes were somewhat alleviated throughout the book, which enabled me to enjoy this book a lot more. I actually got a bit teary-eyed in a few places (a bit embarrassing when you're having your morning cup of tea in the cafeteria at work!) and towards the end I was grinning ridiculously (while on the bus heading back from work, I tried not to make eye-contact with the woman next to me in case she thought I was raving mad). While I did have some reservations at first I ended up being really touched by this book. I particularly liked the fact that while this book features Amish characters and a romance, this isn't the typical "English woman meets Amish man and converts to marry him" plot. Carley and Noah were both Englishers who happened to have friends and relatives in the Amish community and therefore spent a lot of time with them. I also loved the introduction of Dana and Jenna to the story, and the chance to catch up with Lillian's family. I'll admit that I still feel that some issues weren't entirely dealt with - why should Lillian always follow her husband's requests even if she doesn't feel comfortable with them or doesn't agree with his views? Is it okay to bend the rules and disobey the Bishop? What should you do when you believe the Christian thing to do isn't what the Bishop is ordering? - but I hope that maybe these are covered in more depth in later books. I was planning to keep #3 in the series until later but I think I'll start it now as I'm on a definite Amish kick!

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READ: AUGUST 16 - 18, 2011

RATING: 10 OUT OF 10

Young Amish widow, Sadie Fisher, leads a simple life in the quiet countryside of Lancaster County--selling Amish goods to a steady stream of tourists. Though it is a good life, lately she's wondered if it is God's will for her to remain without a husband and a family.Winters can be brutally cold and lonely in Pennsylvania, so Sadie rejoices when a renter signs up for a three month stay in her guest cottage. But when wealthy, impulsive Englischer Kade Saunders arrives, she isn't sure she wants him around that long. Sadie feels the stress of the bishop's watchful eye, expecting her to act in accordance with the Ordnung, the understood behavior by which the Amish live. To complicate things, Kade is soon surprised with sole custody of a child he barely knows--his five-year-old autistic son, Tyler.Sadie and young Tyler form an immediate connection. As she grows to love and understand this exceptional child, her feelings for Kade grow into something that both terrifies and exhilarates her. And while Kade seems to feel the attraction to her as well, their worlds couldn't be farther apart.Sadie must stay true to her Amish roots, but denying the love she feels is impossible. Could it be that God has the improbable in store for Sadie? And will she have the faith to step into a love bigger than she's ever dreamed possible?

I absolutely adore this series, and I think this is my favourite book so far. I got so involved in the lives of Sadie and Kade, it was almost as if I was experiencing events alongside them. Sometimes stories about Englishers who convert to the Amish faith feel a bit fake and forced, but Beth handled Kade and his conflicts very well, making it seem natural for him to settle into the Amish community and want to remain there. I got so annoyed at Sadie for not following her heart and trying to do what she thought the "right" thing was, even if it didn't make her happy! But I do love a book that connects with me emotionally and makes me get upset or angry with the characters and their actions. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, but unfortunately I borrowed the first three from a friend who bought the rest of her series on her Kindle. As the UK doesn't have Kindle-lending yet, I'll have to get hold of the books myself. I don't normally read books in a series one after another, but I just couldn't resist jumping on to the next book. Beth Wiseman is definitely becoming one of my favourite Amish authors. 

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READ: AUGUST 27 - 28, 2011

RATING: 8 OUT OF 10

Kate's family life is never straightforward. Her parents have engaged a new French au pair, Belle, who is lovely but lazy and soon has all the local boys at her command. Kate's mum, struggling with young twins, appears withdrawn and depressed. Kate's boyfriend, Chas, has new problems of his own. In her new novel Meg Harper again displays her gift for pacy comic writing with a serious touch. We follow Kate's emotional roller-coaster ride through the latest batch of family troubles from which she emerges ultimately unscathed and a little wiser.

I loved these books when I was a preteen, so I had to buy this when I saw it in a charity shop. I didn't realise this series had four books in it, and while the fourth and final book wasn't quite as good as the first two in the series (or maybe I just prefer those because they have a nostalgic factor to them?) but it was still an excellent book. It was a nice change to read a British preteen book, with characters named Kate and Greg. Definitely one I'll be keeping for when I have preteen girls! This is a book that I think can be enjoyed by both Christians and non-Christians as the spiritual aspect is very light. Kate's mum is an unconventional vicar, and Kate herself is struggling to come to terms with her own beliefs, and whether what she believes is the same as what her mother teaches on Sundays. My local library used to stock the first two books in the series so they were able to be enjoyed even by people who don't have a personal relationship with God. Overall, a fun coming of age series.

What else have I been reading?

Due to the vast amount of novels I've received to review over the last few months, I've become a bit lazy about writing full reviews of the books I choose to read for pleasure. So, without further ado, I present some condensed reviews of my summer reading, most of which was consumed on the wonderful 90 minute commute I had to and from my summer job every morning and afternoon! Plenty of time for reading, but sadly not enough to write full reviews. Enjoy!

READ: JULY 5 - 6, 2011
RATING: 9 OUT OF 10


Amish widow Hannah Yoder prays her daughters will each find a husband someday. Still, sensible Ruth believes it's God's will that she stay home and help care for her younger sisters. But when a handsome young man comes to Kent County, Ruth starts to rethink her plans. Not yet part of the church, Eli Lapp is allowed to run wild. Yet something in Ruth's sweet smile and gentle manner makes him yearn to settle down—with her at his side. Can Eli convince her that their lives should be entwined together on God's path?


I ended up completely adoring this book, all of the characters were unique and realistic and I'm fairly certain I was grinning my head off when I finished reading it today on the bus. A simple plot for the people who live the simple life, but not entirely predictable. Ruth seemed a bit young for her age in places and some problems could have been resolved with a conversation, but I did love the setting, the family and all of the secondary characters. Definitely going to be reading the other books in the series. 

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READ: JULY 8 - 9, 2011
RATING: 7 OUT OF 10


This Christmas, Emily Merkle (call her Mrs. Miracle!) is working in the toy department at Finley's, the last family-owned department store in New York City. And her boss is none other than…Jake Finley, the owner's son.
For Jake, holiday memories of brightly wrapped gifts, decorated trees and family were destroyed in a Christmas Eve tragedy years before. Now Christmas means just one thing to him—and to his father. Profit. Because they need a Christmas miracle to keep the business afloat.
Holly Larson needs a miracle, too. She wants to give her eight-year-old nephew, Gabe, the holiday he deserves. Holly's widowed brother is in the army and won't be home for Christmas, but at least she can get Gabe that toy robot from Finley's, the one gift he desperately wants. If she can figure out how to afford it…
Fortunately, it's Mrs. Miracle to the rescue. Next to making children happy, she likes nothing better than helping others—and that includes doing a bit of matchmaking!
This Christmas will be different. For all of them.


I didn't enjoy this quite as much as Mrs Miracle but it was a lot better than A Cedar Cove Christmas. For a novella, this book included a significant amount of character development, enough to make me really care about the characters and their struggles. And as with Mrs Miracle, I really liked the quotes at the start of each chapter. Obviously, this is a fairly predictable, romantic Christmas tale but it didn't verge on being cheesy at any point, and had interesting secondary characters to keep the story original. My one complaint would have to be the fact that the main character agreed to buying her nephew a £250 Christmas present! The only time I've had a present that cost that much was when my parents bought me a laptop when I went to university, never as a child. Whatever happened to dolls and bricks and footballs? Although the rest of the message was good, this present seemed to matter far too much to the main characters and it didn't seem like a reasonable thing to be spending money on, especially when Holly was struggling financially. While I did really enjoy this story, the obsession with the expensive robots did irk me.

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READ: JULY 11 - 14, 2011

RATING: 6 OUT OF 10

Grace Metallious, the author of PEYTON PLACE, a revolutionary novel about sex and secrets in small town America, inspired Annie Barnes to leave Middle River, the tight knit community that believes itself to have been Grace's model, and pursue a career as an author. Now, Annie's success has allowed her to distance herself from the world she left behind -- and from her family, who are still smarting from their decades-old associations with Grace's PEYTON PLACE. But after her mother dies under circumstances Annie can't help questioning, Annie returns to her home in New Hampshire to search for answers. When she discovers evidence of dangerous pollutants emanating from the local paper mill -- poisons she suspects contributed to her mother's fatal illness -- Annie finds herself butting heads with many of the town's inhabitants -- including her sisters, who are strangely apathetic about the incriminating evidence Annie discovers. All the while, Annie must war with the memory of Grace Metalious -- and the realization that not much has changed in small-town life since Grace wrote her groundbreaking book.

I'm afraid I didn't enjoy this as much as other Barbara Delinsky novels. It was mainly written in first-person POV from one of the most arrogant, self-assured main characters I've ever known, yet I still never felt like I got to know her properly. Barbara Delinsky has written some wonderful novels in third-person POV and I just don't think she can pull off first-person, it isn't in keeping with her style. And while the mystery was pretty interesting - although perhaps a bit too similar to the movie of Erin Brockovitch's life - the story didn't have the same saga and scandals of Delinsky's best novels. I think she tried to do something new with this book and strayed too far from her niche. I expect that those who are interested in Peyton Place and its history would enjoy this book more than I did, but I found the references a bit forced in places and the idea of Annie "conversing" with Grace was just too weird for me. I did want to keep reading to find out whether there was mercury poisoning, but I just didn't connect with the characters in this book. 

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READ: JULY 22, 2011

RATING: 8 OUT OF 10

Miriam Lapp, who left the Amish community in Pennsylvania three years ago, is heartbroken when her sister calls to reveal that her mother has died suddenly. Traveling home to Pennsylvania, she is forced to face the heartache from her past, including her rift from her family and the break up of her engagement with Timothy Kauffman.Her past emotional wounds are reopened when her family rejects her once again and she finds out that Timothy is in a relationship with someone else. Miriam discovers that the rumors that broke them up three years ago were all lies. However, when Timothy proposes to his girlfriend and Miriam's father disowns her, Miriam returns to Indiana with her heart in shambles.When Miriam's father has a stroke, Miriam returns to Pennsylvania, and her world begins to fall apart, leaving her to question her place in the Amish community and her faith in God.

Amy Clipston is one of my favourite Amish authors and the third book in her Kauffman Amish Bakery series was a excellent addition, but I felt like something was missing. The spark that had made me rave about A Gift of Grace and A Promise of Hope just wasn't there. It took me a while to figure out what it was about this book that had irked me, and ultimately I think it was the lack of communication between Miriam and Timothy. There were so many times when I wanted to grab them, sit them down in a locked room and make them talk everything out! While I realise that this book probably wouldn't have existed if they'd ever bothered to confront each other to begin with, the number of misunderstandings and missed opportunities did eventually get quite annoying. I just didn't connect with Miriam the same way I did with the heroines from the first two books in the series, and perhaps the lack of communication between her and Timothy contributed to this since it made her seem a bit immature in comparison. However, I did really enjoy reading this book (other that a few frustrating moments!) and it was quite impossible to put it down at times. Despite the issues I've mentioned, this was a good addition to the series and I'm looking forward to #4 and finding out what's happening to Rebecca's nieces. This is a lovely family and community to read about, and even if I didn't enjoy this book as much as the previous novels I'd still rate it 8 out of 10 for the compelling storyline and great characters.

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READ: JULY 31 - AUGUST 2, 2011

RATING: 9 OUT OF 10

A dusty carved box containing two locks of hair and a century-old letter regarding property in Switzerland, and a burning desire to learn about her biological family lead nurse-midwife Lexie Jaeger from her home in Oregon to the heart of Pennsylvania Amish country. There she meets Marta Bayer, a mysterious lay-midwife who desperately needs help after an Amish client and her baby die.

Lexie steps in to assume Marta's patient load even as she continues the search for her birth family, and from her patients she learns the true meaning of the Pennsylvania Dutch word demut, which means 'to let be' as she changes from a woman who wants to control everything to a woman who depends on God.

I loved this book! The start of a fantastic series. I've only read one book from Mindy previously (Secrets of Harmony Grove) and I'd found the mystery to be quite complex and a little too dark for my liking, so naturally I was intrigued to see what her joint series with Leslie Gould would entail. While the complex storyline and mystery aspect remained, I felt far more connected to the characters in this book. It was fascinating to learn a bit about the Anabaptist history of the Amish (which is dealt with in more depth in #2) and trying to figure out the family tree was a lot of fun. A wonderful book about family relations and figuring out who you are and how your family defines you. I'd definitely recommend this book to Amish fans, particularly those who're looking for something different from the usual romantic storyline. Romance didn't really feature in this book, focusing more on the relationships between the women in the family and uncovering Lexie's past. So if you'd like to try an Amish novel but aren't a massive fan of romantic fiction, this is definitely the one to start with.