Review: Love's Journey Home by Kelly Irvin

Kelly Irvin has given us what I would like to consider a real taste of the trials of Amish life. Loss and change come to everyone. It's not so much what happens to us, but how we react to it that makes us who we are.

Love's Journey Home shows us the loss and change in the lives of many characters, but the story revolves around Helen and Gabriel. Their first encounter involved a speeding buggy, a drunken boy, and a small child.

I enjoyed Kelly's insight into the not-so-perfect side of the Amish people. They get angry. They hurt. They mourn. And yet in the midst of that, most continue to trust God.

I thoroughly enjoyed the word-play between Helen and Gabriel, and the end...yes, well, I always enjoy happily-ever-afters. And you know it has one 'cuz I despise books without it. :)

Back cover:

It's been seven years since her husband died, but Helen Crouch is doing just fine. She's selling her jams and canned goods at the bakery and making a tidy living. But her whole world goes topsy-turvy when a new family moves to town. Gabriel Gless has brought his children to Bliss Creek to escape the worldly influences in Indiana. Helen and Gabriel have so much in common--the loss of their beloved spouses, the experience of raising their families alone, their rock-solid faith--so why can't they seem to speak without arguing?

And that's not all that's going on in Bliss Creek this summer. In the middle of a punishing drought, the community is faced with the decision to uproot their families and establish a new settlement. As families struggle to say goodbye, each one must find the faith to follow the Lord's direction.

Rating: 4 stars

Blessings,
Ginger

Review: Love Comes to Paradise by Mary Ellis

Have you ever wished you had done something, anything, differently? I have. And so does Nora King in

Mary Ellis' Love Comes to Paradise. She left Lancaster to hide from her past. She leaves Harmony to find peace. And she ends up in Paradise. She finds a new friend and the man she believes to be her future.

Love Comes to Paradise is book two in The New Beginnings series, but can be read as a stand-alone.

Mary Ellis reminds us that we all have flaws, but that love covers a multitude of sins.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and if you like Amish romance, you will too.

Back cover:

Love Comes to Paradise is the second book in bestselling author Mary Ellis's New Beginnings series. It's about fresh starts...and how faith in God and His perfect plans provide the peace and joy all long for.

Nora King believes she is a woman in love. When Elam Detweiler leaves the ultraconservative Amish district of Harmony, Maine, and moves to Paradise, Missouri, Nora follows soon after. But does she love the man or the independence and freethinking he represents? Although she finds good work in her new town, Nora can't seem to capture Elam's Englisch-leaning heart, no matter how hard she tries.

And then, unexpectedly, Lewis Miller comes from Harmony to offer Nora what every woman needs-a lifetime of unconditional love. As Lewis attempts to claim her heart, Elam's interest piques. Will Nora come to her senses before Elam's thoughtless choices ruin her reputation beyond repair?

Rating: 4 stars

Blessings,
Ginger

Review: A Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

Melanie Dickerson gives us another wonderfully retold fairy tale. This time we get to see Snow White reborn.

While I preferred The Healer's Apprentice and The Merchant's Daughter to this one, I enjoyed it. Melanie added a depth to the character's that the original did not have. And who can resist a hunky hero?

Back cover:

Sophie desperately wants to get away from her stepmother's jealousy, and believes escape is her only chance to be happy. Then a young man named Gabe arrives from Hagenheim Castle, claiming she is betrothed to his older brother, and everything twists upside down. This could be Sophie's one chance at freedom—but can she trust another person to keep her safe? 

Gabe defied his parents Rose and Wilhelm by going to find Sophie, and now he believes they had a right to worry: the girl's inner and outer beauty has enchanted him. Though romance is impossible—she is his brother's future wife, and Gabe himself is betrothed to someone else—he promises himself he will see the mission through, no matter what. 

When the pair flee to the Cottage of the Seven, they find help—but also find their feelings for each other have grown. Now both must not only protect each other from the dangers around them—they must also protect their hearts.

Rating: 4 stars

Blessings,
Ginger

3/18 - Around the farm update

Another whole week has passed since I posted. Last week my family caught a virus. It lasted from 24 to 36 hours for each person, but it felt like the longest day of my life while I was sick. And since we have a nine people here, it took all week for the virus to go through everyone...well, except my husband. He managed to avoid the bug.

The weekend was BEAUTIFUL here. I spent time digging up some ornamental grass - hateful stuff, that. Looks like real grass, acts like real grass...blah, why not just plant grass in the flower bed and make it easier. Richard spent time scooping fertilizer (horse manure LOL) and spreading it in the garden. Then he got on his trusty orange toy (the tractor) and tilled it in. He also planted corn and more spinach. Now if we could just keep the chickens from flying the coop, literally, and eating the seeds.

Today it's storming, and the power has flickered a time or two. It's not supposed to be tornadic though. The rain is good for the plants.

In the next few days, I expect a new batch of chicks. The last batch was less than promising with only six living chicks out of the forty-two eggs I incubated. And usually half of the living ones turn out to be roosters. Three new hens won't cut it when it's time to kill off the old ones, which will number close to twenty.

On another note, my youngest daughter turned 13 this past week. I was sick in bed on her birthday. I felt so bad to not be able to enjoy it with her--the smell of her chosen dinner sent me running back to bed, if you know what I mean. She understood, at least. I also graduated to having another driver in the house. Arrgghh! My newly turned 16 yo son got his driver's license last week as well.

This week should be a normal stay at home week. Hallelujah!

How about your week, either last or this. What's going on with you? I'd love to pray for you, just comment on this post, or send me an e-mail using the icon on the left just below my picture.

Blessings,
Ginger

Come visit with me at...

Writing Prompts & Thoughts & Ideas...Oh My!

I'm blogging there today. It's my first contribution to their website and I'm a little nervous and would love it if you would come by and make a comment.

Thanks,
Ginger

Review: Unconditional by Tanya Eavenson

When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. The process to healing is painful at times, and yet, in the end, every minute of every hour is worth it to be whole again. So went Tanya Eavenson's debut novel Unconditional. Every minute I read was worth it as the story revealed a man and woman struggling with their identities in Christ, surrendering their desires for a greater good, and repenting and asking forgiveness from those they hurt.

This is not a sweet, carefree romance, but so worth the read.

About the book:

He will fight for her at any cost... 

Elizabeth Roberts can't remember her past, and the present is too painful. She turns to nightclubs and drinking to forget her infant daughter's death, her husband's affair.

When his wife's coma wiped out the memory of their marriage, Chris Roberts found comfort elsewhere. He can't erase his betrayal, but with God's help he’s determined to fight for Elizabeth at any cost. 

She wants to forget. He wants to save his marriage. Can they trust God with their future and find a love that’s unconditional?

Rating: 5 stars

Blessings,
Ginger

March 7, 2013--This week on the farm

Wow, it's been a week since I posted. It has flown by.

My chicks hatched last week, but unfortunately out of the 42 eggs I incubated, I only wound up with 6 chicks. So I began a new batch. Either my roosters are lazy or the hens made themselves scarce. :)

Richard and Caleb returned home from their ski trip in Utah, tired, but in one piece. They said it snowed almost every day they were there. I don't want to go skiing, but I could enjoy this view out my window everyday. :)

Caleb turned 16 last week. He should be getting his license next week. It would have been this week, but he had all four of his wisdom teeth removed on Monday and we weren't sure how that would affect him. He is doing fine.

I started week 3 of my diet yesterday. As of this morning I've lost 6 pounds. Yippee!! I thought it would be hard, but it really isn't. I'm eating frequently. My schedule goes something like this:

• 7:00 - breakfast
• 8:30 - snack 
• 10:00 - meal 2
• 11:30 - snack 2
• 2:00 - meal 3
• 5:30 - meal 4
• 7:00 pm - snack 3

This week is comprised of mostly protein drinks or smoothies with a few additions of fruits and vegetables. The snacks are usually in the 100 calorie range. I'm still not all that hungry. :)

We will be cleaning the tack room this weekend. It's also where we store our chicken and horse feed. The mice found it this winter and made a mess. Richard will be going next week to replenish our supplies, so we have to make room for the new feed.

Richard also planted tomato and pepper seeds inside. We won't transplant them until May, so they should be healthy by then.

The weather here has been wetter than normal for winter, but it's not like the west or northeast, thankfully. We've had snow flurries, but no accumulation.

What the weather like where you live? What are you doing to prepare for spring?

Blessings,