"The Divine Secrets Of the Whoopie Pie Sisters- Book Two-An Amish Christian Trilogy" by Sarah Price and Whoopie Pie Pam Jarrell

"The Divine Secrets Of the Whoopie Pie Sisters- Book Two-An Amish Christian Trilogy" by Sarah Price and Whoopie Pie Pam Jarrell is another five star story.

Book Two continues with the problems that the sisters face in Book one, but this time the problems are explored more and we learn more about how the Amish have the same problems and worries that we do.

In Book two we learn that Tobias is really sick and we learn a bigger secret about him and his siblings. ( This secret was such a shock to me, this was one I really didn't see coming).

Sadie has a illness as well and is afraid to add any burdens to Leah but she better tell her sisters soon because Leah and Lydia and Tobias have their ideals about what is wrong with her and they are so wrong, (if only they were right, instead of the real problem.

Susie's secret is finally out of the bag as to why her marriage is anything but happy.

Lydia is stll having a lot of illness and now her husband is making her deal with them'

In the middle of all these storms, Leah is trying to deal with two major orders that she agreed to do in Book one.

I had to read this in one setting and wasn't disappointed with it all. Well I was a little because I have to wait till 2014 to see how it all ends.

It is good to read a different type of Amish story, one that is full of real life and heartaches and even through this is fiction, this story has Real Life and even through I know the characters aren't real I find myself actually wanting to pray for these four sisters, Sarah and Pam wrote this story so well, I could actually feel the pain that this family is going through.

Even through this story is fiction I believe what makes it real, is that Sarah and Pam have a love for the Amish and some of the storyline is based on actual fact.

I am eagerly awaiting Book 3 and I want a happy ever after ending,( I know not real life at all, but the book is fiction after all).

"Living Separate Lives" by Paulette Harper

"Living Separate Lives" by Paulette Harper is a 5 star novella. This story is labelled Christian fiction and it is but it deals with an adult issues such as unfaithfulness in a marriage and a tempted suicide. It also deals with the issue of forgiveness and the author lets us feel and experience the pain and the emotions of the four friends that this novella is written about.This novella is real life. I was pulled into this story as soon as I started reading it.Yes, Christians have the same problems and issues as non-believers.

 This novella deals with four friends, Candace Walker, Kaylan Smith, Jordan Tate and Tiffany Thomas, that have went there separate ways since school. One weekend they all decided to get together  at Kaylan's home. But want was supposed to be a great time turned into something else.  Just before the weekend  one friend learns that her husband is having an affair and wants a divorce.  Three of the friends have to learn how hard it is to forgive!  One of the four friends feels there is  no  hope and tries to end her life. I can't say much more than this except the ending will want you to read the next  part of this story which Paulette Harper told me that will be released sometime next year!

I like (as most readers probably does)  happy stories and happy endings when reading fiction but it is good to read and understand that  just because we are Christians we aren't immune to the problems that others face. We just have a greater source of hope and help we can relive on. I know some of my readers are asking what does this have to do with this book review. My answer is this, this book isn't a happy tale of happy ever after but a real life story. If you want to read a novella that is real and leaves you hoping and  (praying ) that when the next part of this real life situation comes to print, the four friends are able to remain friends and that the one friend comes to a real relationship with Jesus, then Read this novella.

I was given an pdf files for an honest review!

I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins

I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins is definitely a five star novel.


This book is a stirring fiction with facts of scripture and brings to life one of history's greatest men, the Apostle Paul.

  The story starts with Augie getting a text from his friend to drop everything and rush to his aid as there has been a murder. Augie's friend is next in line to be killed.

The story goes back and forth between modern day Texas and first century Rome.

Augie is a seminary professor who is struggling with trying to make his father love him and trying to get on with his life and marry his finance Sofia.

The mystery is an artifact ( the memoir of Paul's is found in a prison wall) is stolen and the thieves are not who you think they are.

If you like mystery and Biblical fact and fiction, then this is the story for you. 

It is fast paced and I loved reading the story of Paul's life as a child up to his death. This novel has Paul's account of Stephen's stoning and Paul's conversion on the Road to Damascus. These facts are written on parchment that Luke, ( the doctor) tries to help Paul finish and protect before Paul is killed. 

Augie and Roger (the one that sent the text)  are friends and have been for years. Roger knows the Bible and is able to quote it but he is not a believer and that is the one thing that Augie wants to make sure gets resolved though out the story. I won't tell you whether or not Roger becomes a believer or not! But I know you want to know, so read this book!

Even through the book is fiction I believe it will give the reader a new insight into way Paul acted the way he did before he met the Lord and why he was so great a witness after.

The only thing I was disappointed in was the very last sentence of this book, ( because I, Paul is coming in 2014). I want to read it now but am eagerly waiting for this second book about Paul.

I was given a copy of this book for my honest review by Worthy Publishing Group.

"The Christmas Visitor" by Linda Byler

"The Christmas Visitor" by Linda Byler gets five stars from me. I really liked the story and the plot but I had questions while reading, this book was a book I read for an online bookclub that I am a member of. Other members had no problem with this book and others had questions like me! I will tell you some of the things that bothered me and it could be that they are normal for an Amish family (yes this is an Amish story), I will be the first to admit that I am not really familiar with the Amish, only what I have read in books and they have all been fiction, which this book is also, so it might be that this book is more "real" than the others have been because the author is Amish. The first problem is there  is a lot of name brand products used in the story and the Christmas shopping and Ruth (one of the main characters buying a doll, I thought the Amish had faceless dolls). I asked a friend who isn't Amish or a member of the bookclub and doesn't use Facebook about my questions, I thought she was qualified to answer some of my questions, even through she has none of these things to qualify to know the answers but she is friends with the Amish in Arthur Illinois and spends many hours with them and she is the friend that got me reading Amish genre and she answered my questions with "yes that is what some of my friends do". So you are probably asking  "ok why are you telling this if  the book is really like it is in some Amish homes." I am telling you this so you can be prepared and not let your preconceived ideals of the Amish put a damper on enjoying the book, which it did for me at first, till we had the discussion and I talked to my friend. And after doing all this typing I just want to say I love the story.

Now let's get to the story! Ruth"s husband fall off a roof and was killed. Ruth has a family to raise and is struggling to make ends meet and surprise "bananas boxes are left on her porch and a letter arrives with money in it. But who is doing this? There is a new comer to town, is it him or someone else.

Ruth's best friend is not like anyone else in the Amish community and Ruth is constantly reminding herself of this but she is also thankful and appreciates her friendship with Mamie.

This book is a book about heartaches and struggles and yes love and romance. If you like Amish stories and Christmas stories, then you will love this story.

Interview Questions by Carrie Turansky the author of "The Governess Of Highland Hall"

Carrie Turansky Interview Questions: Governess of Highland Hall Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’ve loved reading since I first visited the library as a young child and checked out a stack of picture books. My love for writing began when I handwrote my first novel at age twelve. But I put writing aside for many years to focus on art and raising my family. I homeschooled my five children, and I found that gave me a great education and was good preparation for writing novels. My husband, Scott, and I have been married for over 35 years. He is a pastor, counselor, and the author of many parenting books. We love our church, Calvary Chapel Living Hope, and we often travel together for ministry and to visit our five adult children and 3 three grandchildren. When I’m not writing I enjoy working in my flower gardens, walking around the lake near our house, and cooking healthy meals for family and friends.

What is your favorite Bible verse?

“I will go before you and will level the mountains. I will break down gates of bronze and cut though bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” Isaiah 45:23

I love this verse because it highlights the power of God to do the impossible and His promise to bless us and show us who He is through it all.

What intrigued you about writing in this time period?

When I watched the British TV series Downton Abbey I became interested in life in England during the Edwardian period, especially life on a country estate where there were not only aristocratic family members, but also many loyal and hardworking servants. I have a good friend and fellow author, Cathy Gohlke, who wrote a beautiful book set in England during this same time period, Promise Me This, and that also piqued my interest in the period.

How did you come up with the concept?

When I attended the American Library Association Convention in Philadelphia in 2012, I had a discussion with an editor about the success of Downton Abbey, and she encouraged me to create a story with a heroine who was a governess and set it in England on an estate like Downton. That got my mental wheels turning. I was hesitant to follow up on the idea at first because I knew it would take a lot of research to create a story that rang true for that period. But Cathy encouraged me and loaded me up with research books. 

What is the one thing about you that most people don’t know?

Many may not know our family spent a year in Kenya, Africa, where my husband taught at a Bible college and all the kids attended Rift Valley Academy, a mission boarding school, although we all lived on the station. This was a wonderful, life-changing experience for all of us, and I feel like I left part of my heart in Africa.

Is any part of Governess of Highland Hall true?

I try very hard to get the historical details correct, and that’s especially a challenge for an American who is writing a book set in England in 1911 - 1912. I’m very thankful for two British “first readers” who helped me catch some historical and cultural items that needed to be tweaked to sound less American.  I hope the story will ring true for the time and place, but the plot itself is fictional.

How long did Governess of Highland Hall take you to complete? 

From the first idea to turning it in took 13 months, and then a few more weeks for revisions. 

How much research did Governess of Highland Hall take?

I had to do a lot of initial research to learn the customs of the time period and to find the story. I have a whole shelf of books now, and I often pull one out to reread and find new information since this is a series, and I’m working on the next book. The best part of research was our trip to England in the summer of 2012. We had a delightful time driving through the farms and villages in the Cotswold, and touring the Peek District and the area around Oxford. One of the highlights for me was visiting Highclere Castle where Downton Abbey is filmed. So beautiful and inspiring! I loved the gardens!

What were the most interesting things that you learned while writing and researching Governess of Highland Hall?

I enjoyed learning about Amy Carmichael, missionary to India, who was the inspiration for my heroine and her family’s mission work there. I also enjoyed learning about the London Social Season. Young women had to prepare for months and sometimes years with the hope of meeting the right man and receiving a marriage proposal. 

What aspects of being a writer do you enjoy the most?

I think one of the best perks of being a writer is hearing from readers who have been touched by one of my stories. Those letters and emails are a precious confirmation that God is working in and through me to share his love and truth with a reader.  That always amazes and encourages me and makes me want to keep writing.

What do you find to be the most challenging part of being a writer?

I am a consistent writer, but I am not a fast writer. So I need to set word count goals and stick to them. It’s hard to be creative when the pressure is on and a deadline is approaching. But God is faithful, and with his help I have been able to turn each book in on time. 

Do your characters take on a life of their own as you write?

Yes, my characters do take on a life of their own and sometimes they say and do things I hadn’t expected!  But that is one of the fun parts of writing a story, and one thing that keeps it fresh and interesting to me.

What is your greatest achievement?

I’d say my greatest achievement is building a strong and healthy marriage and raising our five children with my husband Scott. We feel very blessed to see our kids move into adulthood and still maintain a close relationship with us. 

What is your goal or mission as a writer?

My goal and mission as a writer is to share God’s love and truth through the power of story, to take readers on a powerful emotional journey, and help them grow closer to God in the process. 

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I feel very blessed to be able to share my books with reading friends! I love to connect through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and my website. I hope readers will stop by, see what’s new, and leave me a message.

Blessings and Happy Reading,

Carrie

www.carrieturansky.com

if you haven't read my review for this book and want to here is the link http://debbieloseanything.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-governess-of-highland-hall-by.html

My Hope Is Found" by Joanne Bischof

" My Hope Is Found"  by Joanne Bischof  is definitely a  5 star novel. The  entire  "The Cadence Of Grace series is just wonderful.  After reading these books you are left with a feeling of " God's grace does cover all of our mistakes.  This series would make a great Christian movie. 

My Hope Is Found"is the third in"The Cadence Of Grace series.
  Lonnie has suffered lost and heartache all her lost and in this book she has decided to move on with her life and marry the new preacher in town Toby Mckee.   Toby knows that Lonnie is in love with Gideon, ( her one true love and the father of her son.Jacob).  But wants to prove to her that he loves her and Jacob and is willing to give her time to love him.  But once again her plans are put to the test! Why you may ask, because Gideon shows back up and claims that Cassie has finally set him free but there are problems he is trying to work out ( like having the papers signed saying he is no longer married( if you haven't read " Be Still My Heart" and " Through My Heart Is Torn" you are definitely missing some GOOD READING!  Gideon finally gets the paper signed but is it too late for him and Lonnie( I know the answer but not going to tell!  Remember Lonnie has become engaged to  Toby.  If you like a good fistfight bewteen 2 grown men fighting over a woman, well you are going to be happy to know that Toby and Gideon  has one! And I really like the outcome of that fight, ( but I'm not going to tell you that outcome either, I will tell you neither win Lonnie at the time.This series theme is the Biblical verse (James 1:2-3) and I will tell you that Gideon and Lonnie and even Toby has reason to practice  this verse( because they have plenty of trials .So are you team Gideon or team Toby! I know which I'm . But cannot tell you ! I hope whichever one you are when you get to the end I hope you aren't disappointed, I will tell you I wasn't! 

Well, why are you still reading my review and not the book! lol.

I was given an ARC copy of this book for my honest review by the author!

This book is available at http://www.deepershopping.com/item/bischof-joanne/my-hope-is-found-cadence-of-grace-v3-oct/5455852.html

I have written reviews for the other two stories if you want to read them, they are

http://debbieloseanything.blogspot.com/2013/06/be-still-my-soul-by-joanne-bischof.html

and http://debbieloseanything.blogspot.com/2013/07/though-my-heart-is-torn-by-joanne.html

          

Glass" by Suzanne Williams

I give " Glass" by Suzanne Williams 5 stars. This is a story of romance (clean just kissing with mentions of more but since Andre Garner is a Christian he refuses the temptation.) There is also mention of rape ( Cerise is telling of her mother's past.) This is also a mystery.

Andre Garner is a glass maker and is hired by Mrs.Delacroix to contribute to her famous collection of glass. Her house was only reachable by fairy. The day he arrived there was foggy and storming, so he was forced to spend the night.

Andre and Cerise are attracted to each other instantly. But Cerise has secrets that she doesn't want to share but Andre makes a deal ( to get her in the swimming pool). 

What are the secrets? It seems Andre and Cerise's past are connected. How can this be? I think if you take the time to read this story you will like it and the ending is just fantastic.

This book has a warning that "scenes in this story may contain graphic and/or sexual situations not suitable for younger readers"  I have several of her stories and that has been on all of them but I found nothing in either that I wouldn't want my grandchildren to read unless it would be the   subject of rape (in this story, it doesn't goes into detail just mentions that it happened).

I really liked how Andre and Cerise could put the past in the past and begin to live in the future and that by Andre's example, Cerise became A Christian.

But I guess I need to quit talking and let you get the book to read it yourself because if you like a little mystery and a little romance and the story of Salvation, then this book is for you!

I received a PDF file of this story by the author for a honest review.