Chock Full of Tons of Useful Tips -- makes a great gift!

 Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Amish Friends Life Hacks is a great gift choice in so many situations – for the newly married; for the new homeowner; for the grown child moving out on their own; and for those who simply love to absorb all kinds of useful facts!  I fall into that last category, and love the fact that I can open the book to any section (and there are several: cooking, housecleaning, gardening, and health, to name a few) and immediately read quick tips that I find myself referring back to and sharing with family, friends, and co-workers. Interspersed between all this useful knowledge are beautiful photographs containing inspirational sayings and biblical words of wisdom – perfectly placed words of encouragement just when you seem to need them the most!  If you’re looking for a compilation of useful everyday tips to make your life easier, this is the book for you!  If you’re looking for a glimpse into the everyday life of Plain people (who were the contributors of these tips), this book provides a glimpse of easy tips from plain-living people.  This is a book you will find yourself going back to time and time again.  I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Letters of Wisdom, Book 3 of The Friendship Letters Series

The third and final installment in The Friendship Letters series by Wanda E. Brunstetter is “Letters of Wisdom.”  It follows the story of Irma Miller as she deals with previously suppressed childhood memories of abuse at the hands of her stepfather, Homer.  While these memories have lain mostly dormant, upon Homer’s death and Irma’s trip back home for his funeral, they are awakened.  Irma finds herself suffering from tormenting flashbacks as she finds herself struggling  to control her own  escalating anger towards her children. She turns to her friend Doretta for advice.   Doretta writes to Irma, encouraging her to seek help.  It is only by working with a Christian counselor that Irma finally breaks the cycle of abuse.  While this may be a triggering book for individuals who have suffered similar abuse, as you read through Irma’s story, you may also experience healing as she did, by following the steps she did. Kudos to Ms. Brunstetter for tackling the tough issues. I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Farmers' Market Mishap by Wanda and Jean Brunstetter -- a sweet sequel!

The Farmers'  Market Mishap easily picks right back up where The Lopsided Christmas Cake left off, which will be a delight for all Wanda and Jean Brunstetter fans!  Twins Elma and Thelma now live across the street from each other, since Thelma's wedding to Joseph.  As Thelma and Joseph begin their lives together and start to build a family, Elma lives alone in the farmhouse they once shared, and at times, feels understandably lonely.  She deals with the very real human emotion of envy -- wondering if she will ever be married and raising a family.  But we also see that Elma has grown a bit more mellow --  to the point of letting a few pets share her home.  Her pets quickly become dear companions to her, another bit of proof that Elma's demeanor is softening.  As Elma goes about the daily tasks of running the general store, could she be rekindling an old relationship -- or is there someone new in her life who will win her heart?  As readers, we are left guessing right up until the very end!  Another treat for the reader are the recipes that follow the story, at the end of the book.  Another wonderfully heartwarming read by the writing team of Wanda and Jean Brunstetter!

 I received an advanced copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

The Seekers (Amish Cooking Class , Book 1) by Wanda Brunstetter

The Seekers by Wanda Brunstetter is the story of a group of strangers brought together with a common goal of learning how to cook authentic Amish meals, in the home of Heidi Troyer.  It is reminiscent of Ms. Brunstetter’s earlier series,   The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club, and, in fact, it is the niece of Anna Miller, the main character of that series, who offers cooking classes in The Seekers.  Characters in The Seekers seem to have an extra layer of depth added to them – they each have some issue facing them in their lives, and these issues seem a bit edgier in this book – a widow and widower navigating life without a partner; a young, expectant mother, estranged from her family; an engaged woman facing interpersonal conflict; and a Vietnam War veteran who suffers from the effects of flashbacks and bad decisions. The depth these characters possess is apparent, as Ms. Brunstetter skillfully takes the reader deep into the lives, inner thoughts, and struggles each character faces.  Each character is realistically portrayed, which leads to a more complete and satisfying experience for the reader – you cannot help but relate to the plights of each one, because you’ve either been there yourself, or know someone who has.  Under Ms. Brunstetter’s careful craftsmanship, characters and readers alike are taken from the highest of highs to the depths of despair, as each storyline unfolds.  Through it all though, Ms. Brunstetter delicately weaves threads of hope – hope for fresh starts, new beginnings, and redemption, as well as the offer of the eternal love of a forgiving God. Ms. Brunstetter’s books remain the gold standard of authenticity for the Amish fiction genre.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Review: The Lopsided Christmas Cake by Wanda Brunstetter and Jean Brustetter

The Lopsided Christmas Cake, by Wanda Brunstetter and Jean Brunstetter

Published: September 1, 2015

Meet Elma and Thelma Hochstetler, two 30-something Amish women who just happen to be unmarried twin sisters, to boot.  When their grandparents tragically die, the Hochstetler twins are left an old farmhouse in need of dire repair, and a general store in barely better shape.  To make matters worse, the house and store are 4 hours away from the only home they've ever known.  Their father is all for the move, thinking it will be good for the girls....their mom? Not so much.


As you might expect, the twins are total opposites in terms of personality and temperament. Kind hearted animal-lover Thelma is the perfect foil for her abrasive, no-nonsense sister, Elma. As the story unfolds, we see one sister's newly emerging romance threatened by a childhood promise, while the other sister finds that she is strong enough to to stand on her own two feet. 

This is a slightly new twist on the standard Amish romance, as the reader sees two young Amish women step out of their more traditional roles to embrace new adventures and new challenges while they remain true to their beliefs and themselves.

At the end of the book, the recipe for the cake that plays a central role in the story is provided.  A nice touch!

Review: The Struggle by Wanda Brunstetter

The Struggle is the third installment in the Kentucky Brothers series by Wanda Brunstetter, and follows the story of Timothy Fisher and his wife, Hannah, as they pack up and leave their home in Paradise, Pennyslvania, and move to Christian County, Kentucky.

From the start, Hannah is against the move and fights Timothy all the way – verbally, as well as emotionally.   As we witnessed in Book 2 of this series, Hannah is very close to her mother, to the point of spending all her time at her home, instead of in her own home, leaving Timothy to feel that he has no choice to save his struggling marriage, but to pick up and move away, separating his wife and mother in law.

There are several “mini” struggles occurring in the storyline, but by far, the major struggles in this book revolve around Hannah, first as she tries to adjust to her new home; later as she struggles to find forgiveness in the face of tragedy – forgiveness for her husband, and ultimately, for herself.  

All in all, a very engaging read.

*This book was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.  I was not required to provide a positive review.

Review: A Season of Love by Amy Clipson

Review: A Season Of Love by Amy Clipson
Release Date: June 19, 2012

In A Season of Love, the final installment in the Kaufman Amish Bakery series by Amy Clipson, best friends, Lizzie Ann, Katie and Lindsay are reunited, after Lindsay returns from Virginia Beach, where she’s spent the summer taking care of family friend/pseudo Aunt Trish, who was recovering from a broken leg.

Back in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, everything is going well with the trio of friends, until Lizzie Ann becomes engaged to Katie’s brother, Samuel, and Lindsay begins a courtship with Matthew Glick. These events leave Katie feeling left out, until she begins to see Jake Miller, a Mennonite carpenter who works in the family furniture making business, in a new light.
Over time, Katie and Jake grow closer, but a series of mishaps and misconceptions lead to trouble for them – and especially for Katie – trouble that could lead to serious consequences, unless hearts and attitudes change, and the truth comes out.
All of the different storylines flowed nicely together, were easy to follow, as well as believe. Ms. Clipson really did a nice job weaving them all together at the end of the book.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in return for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I was not compensated in any other way, and was not required to give a positive review.