Showing posts with label Cindy Woodsmall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cindy Woodsmall. Show all posts

Oct 14, 2018

The Christmas Remedy Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall



Description:

When an Old Order Amish woman takes a job at a small-town pharmacy struggling to survive in a world of "big box" stores, her motive is to help her Plain community. But the advent of the holiday season brings an unusual mystery to the surface--and possibly love.

Twenty-four-year-old Holly Zook lives a unique life for a young Amish woman. Years ago, her bishop allowed her to continue her education and become the lead technician for Greene's Pharmacy, an old-timey drugstore that looks out for the Amish community--a group largely without secure healthcare plans. She knows she can't marry and hold onto her professional job. She's Amish, and she can only have one or the other, so she spurns love and works toward addressing treatable diseases--like the one that claimed her father's life.

As long as Holly continues to avoid Joshua Smucker, the one man who draws her like a warm hearth in winter, she should be fine. When something unexpected threatens Greene's Pharmacy, Holly and Joshua must work together to unravel what's happened and find the "missing" patient before the Board of Pharmacy shuts them down. As the snows of December arrive, with Christmas in the air, will Holly succumb to the generous spirit of the season?


My thoughts on the book:

This book is what I would call a novella it is about 200 pages, but don't let that stop you from reading this fun book that has all of punch too it. I really enjoyed the twist in the story. I was not really a fan of Brandon at first he seem to have this thing about him, but by the end he just grew on me. I loved Holly and Lyle's relationship they come from two different worlds but they are equally important to the town and too each other. I loved Ivy oh my gosh she is a pistol and I hope one day the authors have plans for her story, I just loved her and her personality just jumps off the pages. This book is a good clean read and it totally puts you in the mood for the holiday season full of helping those around us but loving on those close to us. 
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion.


Where you can buy the book:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
www.christianbook.com

Where you can connect with the author:
www.cindywoodsmall.com


While at your favorite bookstore/website check out Cindy and Erin Woodsmall's other books, You will not be disappointed. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments. 

Aug 16, 2018

As the Tide Comes In Cindy and Erin Woodsmall






Description:

A New York Times best-selling author releases her first southern novel, a Steel Magnolias-meets-Sweet Home Alabama story set on St. Simons Island.

When an unthinkable loss sends Tara Abbott's life spiraling out of control, she journeys from North Carolina to Georgia's St. Simons Island. Although confused and scared, she hopes to find answers about her past - her life before the years of foster care and raising her two half-brothers as a young adult. Will she find steady ground on the island, surrounded by an eccentric-but-kindhearted group of older women called The Glynn Girls and a determined firefighter? Or will the truth splinter what's left of her identity into pieces?

My thoughts on the book:

Tara feels like she has loved and loss and this time it's hitting her harder then anyone could have ever imagined. When she takes off to the one place her brothers planned on taking her and she seeks answers she wonders if she can find someone who may hold the key to her past and her future. Gavin and The Glynn Girls are a force to be messed with they love fiercely but they won't be messed with either. Can the ladies help Tara find her way or will they be more of a hindrance than help? 

I absolutely loved this book. First a warning it will pull at your heart strings so make sure you have a box of tissues close by. I loved how no matter what Tara was faced with she this fighting spirit in her even when she had nothing left. I loved how in this book that it wasn't this love story all wrapped up in this perfect bow but something worth fighting for. I loved, loved, loved The Glynn Girls they were so much fun and I loved how the authors included there story in her as well If we could all be lucky enough to have that kind of friendship. This is a good clean read that faces some tough subject but just an amazing read, you won't regret grabbing this book. 


I received an advance copy from the publisher. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion


Where you can connect with the author:
www.cindywoodsmall.com


While at your favorite bookstore/website check out Cindy & Erin Woodsmall's other books, You will not be disappointed. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments. 

Dec 5, 2017

Top 25 Christian books of 2017 also giveaway CLOSED

 


So, I sat down and went over some of the books I have read over the last year and narrowed them down my top 25 favorite Christian books. These are in no particular. They would make the best Christmas gifts for your favorite book reader in your household. You may see a few from the same author, they had no influence in my choosing of this list. These are book I just have loved reading and want to read again and also really look forward to or have already added to my home library. 




1.  You're Gonna Love Me- Robin Lee Hatcher

Who knew fate could twist a tragedy into a second chance at love?
Samantha Winters lives her life the way a good accountant should—measured, deliberate, and safe. After watching her father die in a tragic skiing accident, she decided never to allow risk into her life again. But she didn’t count on falling for Nick Chastain, who embodies everything she doesn’t want in her safely constructed world.
Against Samantha’s warnings, Nick plans a dangerous kayaking trip over spring break. Furious that he’s so careless with his life, she ends their fledgling relationship with harsh words.
Two years later, Samantha is desperately in need of a change. When she learns her grandmother has had an accident and is in need of a caretaker, Samantha quickly packs her bags and heads to Thunder Creek, Idaho. But nothing could prepare her for the surprise awaiting her in her grandmother’s hospital room . . . Nick.
With the charming backdrop of small-town friends, beloved cousins, and a whole church congregation rooting for them, can they set aside the disastrous ending of their first try at love? Has Nick changed enough to meet Samantha in the middle—and can she realize that a risk in love might 

be worth taking?

Where you can buy: www.amazon.com, www.christianbook.com, www.barnesandnoble.com




2. Time to Come Home- Dorthy Shackleford


The fireplace is lit, the snow is falling, and sleigh bells echo in the distance—it’s Christmas, and it’s time to come home.  Thirty-five-year-old Heath Sawyer has finally made it to the big-time as a country music star. After a year full of the kind of success he could only dream of, it’s December 23, and he’s headlining a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden. It’s only as the lights on the stage go down and the Christmas lights outside come on that Heath realizes there’s just one place he wants to be for the holidays: back home in Okmulgee, Oklahoma.

But journeying anywhere on Christmas Eve is never easy, and with flight delays, inclement weather, and the unexpected company of a feisty young woman who’s about to become his traveling companion, Heath will need a Christmas miracle to make his way home in time to open presents.

Filled with touching anecdotes inspired by the real holiday memories of Blake Shelton and Dorothy Shackelford, Time for Me to Come Home is a sweet and funny story that celebrates the spirit of Christmas and the true meaning of finding your way back home.

Sometimes the best gift on Christmas is sharing it with the ones you love.




Where you can buy: www.amazon.com, www.christianbook.com, www.barnesandnoble.com




3.The View from Rainshadow Bay- Colleen Coble

After her husband, Jack, dies in a climbing incident, Shauna has only her five-year-old son and her helicopter charter business to live for. Every day is a struggle to make ends meet and she lives in constant fear of losing even more than she already has.
When her business partner is murdered, his final words convince Shauna that she’s in danger too. But where can she turn? Zach Bannister was her husband’s best friend and is the person she blames for his death. She’s barely spoken to him since. But right now he seems her only hope for protecting her son. Zach is only too happy to assuage his guilt over Jack’s death by helping Shauna any way he can. But there are secrets involved dating back to Shauna’s childhood that more than one person would prefer to stay hidden.  In The View from Rainshadow Bay, suspense, danger, and a longing to love again ignite amid the gorgeous lavender fields of Washington State.






4. Belle- Sarah Price
In author Sarah Price’s fresh and inspirational retelling of a beloved classic, a dutiful young Amish woman agrees to marry a notorious recluse for her family’s sake—but the consequences are more than either bargained for . . .
To most townsfolk, he’s known simply as The Beast. Annabelle Beiler has little interest in gossip, but she’s heard about Adam Herschberger’s scars and his gruff, solitary ways. Though he sounds like a character from one of Belle’s treasured books, the man is real and, it turns out, just as unreasonable as the rumors claim. When a buggy accident wipes out the last of her daed’s money, forcing him to sell their farm, Adam buys it. Then he offers Belle a deal—marry him, and her family can keep their home.
Everyone is shocked by Belle’s decision, but she’s determined to be a good fraa, cleaning Adam’s rundown house and tending the overgrown garden. Breaking through her new husband’s icy reserve will be another matter. Belle’s courage and strength are abundant, but it will take true faith to guide Adam back to the heart of his Amish community—and to the loving marriage 
they both deserve.






5. Framed for Murder Mary Alford  
FALSELY ACCUSED Framed for helping her partner smuggle guns—and then murdering him—CIA agent Liz Ramirez must find the evidence that will prove her innocence…before she's caught or killed. So when her squad's leader attempts to bring her in for questioning, she knows her future depends on convincing Aaron Foster to go rogue and help her. On the run from the rest of her team and the gun dealers who are convinced she knows the location of their missing weapons, Liz risks losing the proof that would clear her name. But will eluding her pursuers—and trying not to fall for the handsome commander—prove to be fatal?






6.Taken Hostage- Jordyn Redwood
A DEADLY RANSOM When neurosurgeon Regan Lockhart’s daughter is kidnapped, the abductors want to make a deal for the little girl’s life. If she wishes to ever see her child again, Regan must hand over the virus she uses in a radical cancer treatment. But bounty hunter Colby Waterson can’t let her trade the cure, which is his sister’s last hope. He’s already lost a wife and baby, and he won’t lose anyone else. But when a mistake leads both him and Regan into the hands of the bad guys, the kidnappers up their demands. Now Regan must create a biological weapon or her daughter dies. For Colby, no case has ever been this personal. He’ll need every skill he’s got, because only he can save both his sister and the woman he’s growing to care for.






7. Deadly Proof- Rachel Dylan
Riveting New Series Offers Legal Suspense with a Romantic Twist
In the biggest case of her career, attorney Kate Sullivan is tapped as lead counsel to take on Mason Pharmaceutical because of a corporate cover-up related to its newest drug. After a whistleblower dies, Kate knows the stakes are much higher than her other lawsuits.
Former Army Ranger turned private investigator Landon James is still haunted by mistakes made while serving overseas. Trying to forget the past, he is hired by Kate to look into the whistleblower's allegation and soon suspects that the company may be engaging in a dangerous game for profit. He also soon finds himself falling for this passionate and earnest young lawyer. 
Determined not to make the same mistakes, he's intent on keeping Kate safe, but as the case deepens, it appears someone is willing to risk everything--even murder--to keep the case from going to trial.

If you have never read anything by Rachel Dylan grab this book you will not be disappointed.





8. Heavenly Blues- Sarah Price 

In this powerful narrative, bestselling author Sarah Price takes us on the dark road to addiction.

Laura Reese is losing control. Compassionate and conscientious, she excels as a post-op nurse, but her new supervisor doesn’t care how much she needs time off. Although she’s a selfless wife and mother, news of her husband’s promotion only fills her with anxiety. The country-club lifestyle he craves triggers memories of the dysfunctional family she came from, and of her own mother’s single-minded ambition to climb the social ladder.

Laura has reached a breaking point. For her, there’s only one way to pull it all together, to balance the demands of her family and job, and to keep pleasing everyone she loves. But her little blue pills are pushing her closer to the edge…









9.Beneath Cooper Falls- Colleen Coble

Dana has already learned that love isn’t safe . . . but could it be different in Rock Harbor? 

As a 911 dispatcher, Dana Newell takes pride in being calm in tough circumstances. In addition to her emotionally-charged career, she’s faced enough emergencies in her own life. She recently escaped her abusive fiancé to move to tranquil Rock Harbor where she hopes life will be more peaceful.
But the idyllic town hides more danger and secrets than it first appeared. Dana is continually drawn to her new friend Boone, who has scars inside and out. Then she answers a call at her job only to hear a friend’s desperate screams on the other end. Soon the pain in her past collides with the mysteries of her new home—and threatens to keep her from the future she’s always wanted.






10. A Matter of Trust- Susan May Warren
Champion backcountry snowboarder Gage Watson has left the limelight behind after the death of one of his fans. After being sued for negligence and stripped of his sponsorships, he's remade his life as a ski patrol in Montana's rugged mountains, as well as serving on the PEAK Rescue team. But he can't seem to find his footing--or forget the woman he loved, who betrayed him. 
Senator and former attorney Ella Blair spends much of her time in the limelight as the second-youngest senator in the country. But she has a secret--one that cost Gage his career. More than anything, she wants to atone for her betrayal of him in the courtroom and find a way to help him put his career back on track. 
When Ella's brother goes missing on one of Glacier National Park's most dangerous peaks, Gage and his team are called in for the rescue. But Gage isn't so sure he wants to help the woman who destroyed his life. More, when she insists on joining the search, he'll have to keep her safe while finding her reckless brother, a recipe for disaster when a snowstorm hits the mountain. 
But old sparks relight as they search for the missing snowboarder--and suddenly, they are faced with emotions neither can deny. But when Ella's secret is revealed, can they learn to trust each other--even when disaster happens again?



11. Love Story- Karen Kingsbury 

From the day they met, John and Elizabeth were destined to fall in love. Their whirlwind romance started when they were young college students and lasted nearly thirty years—until Elizabeth died of cancer. So when John Baxter is asked to relive his long-ago love story with Elizabeth for his grandson Cole’s heritage project, he’s not sure he can do it. The sadness might simply be too great. But he agrees and allows his heart and soul to go places they haven’t gone in decades. Back to the breathless first moments, but also to the secret heartbreak that brought John and Elizabeth together.
At the same time, Baxter family friend Cody Coleman is working through the breakup of his complicated relationship with Andi Ellison. He is determined to move on when a chance sighting changes his plans—and heart. Can Cody convince Andi to give their love another try, or is it time for them to say goodbye for good? As school comes to an end, Cole presents his report on the love story between his grandparents John and Elizabeth Baxter. It is a tale that touches the hearts of the entire family, and one that causes Cole to better understand his own beginning. Whether you’re meeting the Baxter family for the first time or finding them all over again, Love Story will stir your heart and remind you of the generational impact of love and the eternal bond of family.




12. On a ring and a Prayer- Sandra D. Bricker 

Twelve years of marriage, 4,000 square feet of dream house, and a handsome husband. Jessie Stanton has it all . . . until one fateful afternoon when she notices her BMW bouncing by the window behind a tow truck. Her husband has gone, and he's taken it all. The whirling tornado that cuts down the life she's built drops Jessie onto the sandy beach of Malibu with a thud, penniless and alone. When all she's left with are the designer labels in her closet and the dreamy Neil Lane rock on her finger, Jessie tries to make ends meet by pawning her prized ring to fund a new business venture: a small shop where her designer duds and shimmering accessories are temporarily leased out to Southern California women with champagne tastes but root beer realities. As Jessie tries to rebuild, she realizes she can't move on, not without answers. Reluctantly, Jessie turns to beach bum/private investigator Danny Callahan for help. But is she staking her future success and happiness . . . on a ring and a prayer?







13.The Faded Photo- Sarah Price
Some things should be kept private. Frances Snyder can never quite get her mother’s voice out of her head—how to be the perfect wife, the perfect mother. Frances’s home life is demanding, and while she’s busy seeing to everyone else’s needs, Frances doesn’t have the luxury of spare time.
So when she is diagnosed with breast cancer, she thinks that she can handle it on her own. Dealing with endless tests, brutal chemotherapy, and the looming specter of surgery, Frances chooses to face cancer on her own terms: alone. That is, until she finally understands that unexpected friendship—and unconditional love—can offer hope in the darkest hours.
With tenderness, grace, and flashes of humor, bestselling author Sarah Price draws upon her own experience as a breast cancer survivor to create a story about one woman’s determined and solitary journey into the unknown—in hopes that she’ll find her way back home.






14. Rescue Me- Susan May Warren 

When Deputy Sam Brooks commits to something, nothing can sway him--not just on the job as liaison between the Mercy Falls sheriff's department and PEAK Rescue, but in his private life. He's the one who stuck around to take care of his mother after his father's accidental death. And he's the one--perhaps the only one--who believes Sierra Rose is the perfect girl for him. Safe, practical, and organized, she's nothing like her hippie, impulsive, bleeding heart sister, Willow.
Willow, however, has been in love with Sam Brooks for as long as she can remember. But she wants her sister to have a happy ending. Besides, Willow has other things to focus on--namely, nabbing the job as youth pastor for her small-town church. Best thing for her to do is to purge Sam from her heart. Neither can predict the events that will bring them together in a fight for their lives in the forbidding wilderness of Glacier National Park. Stranded, injured, and with the winter weather closing in, Sam and Willow will have to work together to save a crew of terrified teenagers. As they fight to survive, they might just discover a new hope for love.




 15. Raging Storm- Vannetta Chapman
In the Darkness, Anarchy Awakens

When a massive solar flare wiped out all modern technology across the globe, the small town of Abney, Texas, was thrown into chaos. Shelby Sparks and her teenage son, Carter, have found refuge, but Shelby knows she can't simply remain hidden. Carter is a type 1 diabetic in need of insulin—and Shelby will risk her life traveling to Austin to make sure he gets it.

Shelby's best friend and high school sweetheart, Max Berkman, won't even consider letting her make the perilous journey alone. Together, they manage to reach the capital—only to discover that while things are desperate in Abney, Austin has turned into an urban nightmare on the brink of anarchy. 

Shelby and Max's search for medical supplies will lead them into terrifying territory, where the only thing more uncertain than finding what they need is the hope of making it out of the city alive.





16. Return to Silver Bay- Lara Van Hulzen
Maggie Mitchell returns to her hometown of Silver Bay expecting to bury her father, her past, and move on. But when Josh Harden, her high school sweetheart, shows up, her world gets turned around.  Drawn to Josh, but afraid of their history, Maggie’s head tells her she can handle things alone, but her heart says otherwise. Recognizing a second chance when he sees one, Josh is determined to win Maggie’s heart once more and show her that she can trust love and begin again.




17.Restoring Love- Jennifer Slattery
Mitch, a contractor and house-flipper, is restoring a beautiful old house in an idyllic Midwestern neighborhood. Angela, a woman filled with regrets and recently transplanted to his area, is anything but idyllic. She's almost his worst nightmare, and she’s also working on restoring something—herself. As he struggles to keep his business afloat and she works to overcome mistakes of her past, these two unlikely friends soon discover they have something unexpected in common—a young mom who is fighting to give her children a better life after her husband's incarceration. While both Mitch and Angela are drawn to help this young mother survive, they also find themselves drawn to each other. Will a lifetime of regrets hold them back or unite them and bring redemption along with true love?
Restoring Love, part of New Hope Publishers’ line of contemporary missional fiction, demonstrates how God can turn our greatest tragedies and failures into beautiful acts of love and grace that can impact the lives of others. Readers will connect with the realistic characters and find they can relate to the complex situations that makes Jennifer Slattery's book so appealing. Readers will be inspired to see how God wants to use us to restore people's perception of love in action.






18. Fatal Mistake- Susan Sleeman 
An FBI agent must protect the woman who can identify a terrorist bomber in bestselling author Susan Sleeman's riveting romantic suspense novel.  Each day could be her last...but not if he can help it.
Tara Parrish is the only person ever to survive an attack by the Lone Wolf bomber. Scared and emotionally scarred by her near death, she goes into hiding with only one plan--to stay alive for another day. She knows he's coming after her, and if he finds her, he will finish what he started.
Agent Cal Riggins has had only one goal for the past six months--to save lives by ending the Lone Wolf's bombing spree. To succeed, he needs the help of Tara Parrish, the one person who can lead them to the bomber. Cal puts his all into finding Tara, but once he locates her, he realizes if he can find her, the Lone Wolf can, too. He must protect Tara at all costs, and they'll both need to resist the mutual attraction growing between them to focus on hunting down the bomber, because one wrong move could be fatal.




19. Moving Target- Lynette Eason
When Maddy McKay and Quinn Holcombe don't show up for Quinn's surprise birthday party, his friends know that something is very wrong. Their search turns up little beyond evidence that Quinn and Maddy just decided to take off for a long overdue vacation. But it soon becomes apparent that they did not leave of their own accord.  Maddy awakens in a cement room with no idea where she is. But it's not long before she realizes she's in the clutches of a madman exacting revenge by hunting. His prey of choice? Humans. Now Maddy and Quinn must run for their lives, hoping to find their killer before the next game begins. Because if they don't win this game, they die.
Fast, furious, and flirty, Lynette Eason's relentless suspense barely gives her readers time to catch their breath in this third thrilling installment of the Elite Guardians series.




20. Final Verdict- Jessica R. Patch
FATAL JUSTICE When Aurora Daniels becomes the target of someone seeking their own twisted justice, Sheriff Beckett Marsh is the only one who can rescue her. As a public defender, Aurora has angered plenty of people in town—and in her past. And while Beckett constantly clashes with the feisty lawyer professionally, it's his duty to protect and serve. Guarding her 24/7 is now his sole assignment. He may not have been able to save his fiancée from a dangerous felon, but he'll do whatever it takes to keep Aurora alive. Even if working with her to catch and convict this ruthless killer puts his heart in the crosshairs.


Now, who doesn't love a good set of books? 

Series:


 21. Cold Shot- Dani Pettrey

In college, Griffin McCray and his three best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world--and friendships--crumbled.

Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet--until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern--a young social justice lawyer missing since spring--and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper. When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he'll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he--and those he cares about--are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.



22. Still Life- Dani Pettrey 
Blacklisted in the photography business over a controversial shot, Avery Tate answered an ad for a crime scene photographer. She expected to be laughed at, but crime scene analyst Parker Mitchell hired her outright--and changed her life. But six months ago, when her feelings for Parker became too strong, she left his employ to sort out her heart. 
Now, for the first time, Avery is facing the world that rejected her to attend the gallery opening of a photography exhibit and support her best friend, who modeled for the show. But the only image of her friend is a chilling photo of her posing as if dead--and the photographer insists he didn't take the shot. Worse, her friend can't be found. She immediately calls Parker for help. As Avery, Parker, and his friends in law enforcement dig into the mystery, they find themselves face-to-face with a relentless and deadly threat.


These next three I would have to say need to be read all together and they are so worth it!!!!


23. Ties That Bind- Cindy Woodsmall 

Ariana’s comfortable Old Order Amish world is about to unravel. Will holding tightly to the cords of family keep them together—or simply tear them apart?
Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a café in historic Summer Grove to help support her family’s ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach. 
Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish. 

*Despite how things look, Quill’s goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of. His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the café—because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever. 
 Where to buy: www.amazon.com, www.christianbook.com, www.barnesandnoble.com





24.Fraying the Edge- Cindy Woodsmall
Family, community, faith, and love. These “quilt blocks” sewn together made Ariana’s beautiful life.
When they are pulled to pieces,will anything familiar remain?
The Old Order Amish life Ariana Brenneman loved vanished virtually overnight with the discovery that she was switched at birth twenty years ago. Now she’s immersed in the Englischer world, getting to know her mother and under the authority of her biological father, an atheist intellectual with resolute plans to expand Ariana’s worldview. Only Quill Schlabach, a childhood friend living Englisch, can steady the tilting ground between Ariana’s two worlds, but can she trust him after so many betrayals? At the same time, Skylar Nash is forced to choose rehab or spend several months with her true relatives, the large Brenneman family and their seemingly backward life—no electricity, no technology, no fun. What the young woman can’t leave behind is her addiction to illegal prescription drugs and a deep emptiness from the belief that she doesn’t belong in either family.
 New ties are binding Ariana and Skylar to the lives they were meant to have. Can they find the wisdom and strength they’ll need to follow God’s threads into unexpected futures?





25.Gathering the Threads- Cindy Woodsmall

Finally back in the Old Order Amish world she loves, Will Ariana’s new perspectives draw her family closer together— or completely rip them apart?

After months away in the Englisch world, Ariana Brenneman is overjoyed to be in the Old Order Amish home where she was raised. Yet her excitement is mixed with an unexpected apprehension as she reconciles all she’s learned from her biological parents with the uncompromising teachings of her Plain community. Although her childhood friend, ex-Amish Quill Schlabach, hopes to help her navigate her new role amongst her people, Ariana’s Daed doesn’t understand why his sweet daughter is suddenly questioning his authority. What will happen if she sows seeds of unrest and rebellion in the entire family? 

Meanwhile, Skylar Nash has finally found her place among the large Brenneman family, but Ariana’s arrival threatens to unravel Skylar’s new identity—and her sobriety. Both Ariana and Skylar must discover the true cords that bind a family and community together and grasp tight the One who holds their authentic identities close to His heart.













Also leave a comment telling me your favorite book that you read this year either off this list or not and be entered into a giveaway of one kindle e-book of this list. (not to exceed $9.99.) 
Giveaway is in no way associated with any of the author's off this list. Giveaway is open till midnight central standard time through 12/22 Winners will be announced on my Twitter on the afternoon of 12/23 so go follow me on Twitter 




*none of the links are affiliates, all books were chosen by myself with no influence from the author or publication company. 

Jul 28, 2017

Gathering the Threads Cindy Woodsmall- The Amish Summer Grove #3





Description:


Finally back in the Old Order Amish world she loves,
Will Ariana’s new perspectives draw her family closer together—
or completely rip them apart?

After months away in the Englisch world, Ariana Brenneman is overjoyed to be in the Old Order Amish home where she was raised. Yet her excitement is mixed with an unexpected apprehension as she reconciles all she’s learned from her biological parents with the uncompromising teachings of her Plain community. Although her childhood friend, ex-Amish Quill Schlabach, hopes to help her navigate her new role amongst her people, Ariana’s Daed doesn’t understand why his sweet daughter is suddenly questioning his authority. What will happen if she sows seeds of unrest and rebellion in the entire family?

Meanwhile, Skylar Nash has finally found her place among the large Brenneman family, but Ariana’s arrival threatens to unravel Skylar’s new identity—and her sobriety. Both Ariana and Skylar must discover the true cords that bind a family and community together and grasp tight the One who holds their authentic identities close to His heart.

Gathering the Threads is the third and final novel in The Amish of Summer Grove series.

My thoughts on the book:

Ariana is back home and things just aren't as they were when she left. She seem to upset the "cattle cart" and now it seems everyone wants to silencer her. Can she convince her amish parents she's still the girl they raised but now has a different way of thinking?

I have truly fell in loved with this series and this book sure did not disappoint. I am sad to see that this is the third and final book but am so going to grab more from this author. In this series each character is faced with a secret that disrupts there lives and question everything they know. In this book they are faced with hope, forgiveness, love, grace and healing and facing the anger and hurt of the past and present. I loved how in this book the author continued to throw twist into the story and keep you interested in what was going to happen next. I loved the mystery element in this book that didn't happen in the other books. I loved how this story ended and how the author ended the book with an amazing follow up on what took place with all the characters. I really had a hard time putting this book and you will not be disappointed at all. 

This is the third an final book and should read the other books in order.  


Where you can connect with the author:
www.cindywoodsmall.com



While at amazon check out Cindy Woodsmall's other books, You will not be disappointed. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments. 

Jul 25, 2017

Fraying the Edge Cindy Woodsmall - The Amish of Summer Grove #2



Description:
Family, community, faith, and love.
These “quilt blocks” sewn together made Ariana’s beautiful life.
When they are pulled to pieces,
will anything familiar remain?


The Old Order Amish life Ariana Brenneman loved vanished virtually overnight with the discovery that she was switched at birth twenty years ago. Now she’s immersed in the Englischer world, getting to know her mother and under the authority of her biological father, an atheist intellectual with resolute plans to expand Ariana’s worldview. Only Quill Schlabach, a childhood friend living Englisch, can steady the tilting ground between Ariana’s two worlds, but can she trust him after so many betrayals?

At the same time, Skylar Nash is forced to choose rehab or spend several months with her true relatives, the large Brenneman family and their seemingly backward life—no electricity, no technology, no fun. What the young woman can’t leave behind is her addiction to illegal prescription drugs and a deep emptiness from the belief that she doesn’t belong in either family.

New ties are binding Ariana and Skylar to the lives they were meant to have. Can they find the wisdom and strength they’ll need to follow God’s threads into unexpected futures?

Fraying at the Edge is the second novel in The Amish of Summer Grove series.


My thoughts on the book:

Ariana is given an ultimatum to spend a year with her bio parents or her dad will sue her amish parents. She is now doing everything they want but the pressure seems to much and she wonders how much more they can expect from her before she can go back to the simple way of living. Sky is given a choice live a year with her bio parents or rehab. She feel like her parents are just trying to dump her and her problems on someone else cause now the have the "perfect" daughter. They are both faced with a new life a new future and new way at looking at things and most of all they need to work through the pain that finding they were switched and now faced with everything. Can the work beyond it and learn to accept there new families or will it all be just to much?

This amish series is completely different then some of the other amish books I have read. This book does not try to even make it seem like the amish live this certain "perfect' life, this book as well as the first one they seemed to be portrayed more as a cult. That being said it made for a very good and interesting read. This book was just as good if not better then the first one. You are all over the place with emotions, you find your self laughing, crying and getting mad. The author did an amazing job with each one of these characters, my heart broke for both girls and what they are faced with. I keep hoping that Quill and Ariana fall in love but I am sure there is so much more fun to come in the next book. Family is super important with amish and it really showed in this series. Hands down this book is worth the read. 

This book is part of a series and should be read as such.

Where you can connect with the author:
www.cindywoodsmall.com




While at amazon check out Cindy Woodsmall's other books, You will not be disappointed. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments. 

Jul 22, 2017

Ties that Bind Cindy Woodsmall- The Amish Summer Grove series #1




Description:
Ariana’s comfortable Old Order Amish world is about to unravel. Will holding tightly to the cords of family keep them together—or simply tear them apart?

Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a café in historic Summer Grove to help support her family’s ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach.

Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish.
*
Despite how things look, Quill’s goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of. His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the café—because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever.

Ties That Bind is the first novel in the Amish of Summer Grove series.


My thoughts on the book:
Ariana is faced with some news she would rather have not received and now she just has to find away to keep her family together. She also comes face to face with Quill and face she thought she would never see again. Can she see her dreams come true and help her family or will it all come to head with secrets that are being kept? Quill is back home to check on his mom when he runs into the one girl who has always held his heart and the one person he has never wanted to hurt. But when she finds out he has a bunch a secrets can he convince her he's only trying to help her not hurt her?

This book is really not about a love story I would say I would say this book is about finding out who you are and finding yourself and finding hope when it seems like there is none. I really loved how with this book while there was a little romance stirring the book, the book was more about the importance of family and how important it was to valve and to belong. I really enjoyed that the author did not try and sugarcoat anything, she didn't try and make anyone perfect, but she made each one you interacted with in the story have some sort of struggle. While Ariana and Quill seem to be the main characters in the story there are a few other characters but it was easy to follow who was who and what was going on. I think there was one small tiny part that I loved how over all the story flowed and I found the book completely hard to put down. I can't wait to find out what happens next. 


Where you can connect with the author:
www.cindywoodsmall.com



While at amazon check out Cindy Woodsmall's other books, You will not be disappointed. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments. 

Dec 20, 2016

The Angel of Forest Hill Cindy Woodsmall



Description:

A time of anticipation. A season of miracles.
Because of Joel’s impossible situation, twenty-one-year-old Rose must sacrifice everything. As days pass into years in the midst of the beautiful hills, the laughter of children, and God’s providence—is it too much for Rose to hope for love in return?

An amazing journey toward love and belonging, filled with the wonder of the season of Christ’s birth.

 
When Old Order Amish Rose Kurtz is asked to leave her family, travel deep into West Vir­ginia, and help Joel Dienner with his children in the wake of tragedy, the quiet young woman recognizes a home where she might find kindness instead of criticism and hope replacing harsh words. She agrees to stay in Forest Hill and become Joel’s wife for the sake of his family needs, but their marriage is to be a partnership, one built from need, not love and affection.
 
As the years pass, Rose continues to beckon Joel to join life again, to take joy in his growing children, and to awaken his heart to the possibility of new love. Joel hopes that Rose can move beyond deep-rooted hurts to see the beautiful Christmas ahead, their season. But will the arrival of a beautiful widow and a series of misunderstandings reverse how far Rose and Joel have come?


My thoughts on the book:

Rose is 21 and the decision is not hers to make she is being sent off to help a family in need, in a community of 8 families. When she arrives theres to be more going on the what was explain to her and she thrown into taking care of a new born, and two other children. Things seem to go away when it appears that Joel needs her to stay on as a partner but nothing more. Joel is heart broken of the loss of his one an only beloved. He has three kids to tend to and his father tells him he either needs to marry Rose or move on with life and figure out how to handle three kids on his own. He see no other choose but to marry her only in name alone. When four years later things go array and there marriage is not thrown into question and Rose and Joel are left wondering whats next. Will they be able to find what they are looking for or will this be the end for them?
Oh my goodness did I love this book, I started in at around midnight and could not put it down I needed to know what was going to happen. I loved Rose and her gentle spirit, she is broken on the inside and searching for healing and she loves deeply. I love how in this story while in some place it may have seemed rush the relationship between Joel and Rose and the kids seemed genuine and you felt you were getting a letter from a friend. I really had not problem with anything in this book. Its the sweetest love story and perfect for any time of year but perfect right now at Christmas with us being reminded what Christmas is all about. You seriously can not go wrong with this wonderful book.


Where you can buy the book:
Amazon.com
Cbd.com
Barnesandnoble.com

Where you can connect with the author:
www.cindywoodsmall.com


While at amazon check out Cindy Woodsmall's other books, You will not be disappointed. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.