Her Secret by Shelley Shepard Gray

Her Secret (Avon Inspire, March 2017)

A suspenseful tale of a young Amish woman who is forced to move to a new town to escape a threatening stalker

After a stalker went too far, Hannah Hilty and her family had no choice but to leave the bustling Amish community where she grew up. Now she’s getting a fresh start in Hart County, Kentucky…if only she wasn’t too scared to take it. Hannah has become afraid to trust anyone—even Isaac, the friendly Amish man who lives next door. She wonders if she’ll ever return to the trusting, easy-going woman she once was.

For Isaac Troyer, the beautiful girl he teasingly called “The Recluse” confuses him like no other. When he learns of her past, he knows he’s misjudged her. However, he also understands the importance of being grateful for God’s gifts, and wonders if they will ever have anything in common. But as Hannah and Isaac slowly grow closer, they realize that there’s always more to someone than meets the eye.

Just as Hannah is finally settling into her new life, and perhaps finding a new love, more secrets are revealed and tragedy strikes. Now Hannah must decide if she should run again or dare to fight for the future she has found in Hart County.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY}

Shelley Shepard Gray is the “New York Times” and “USA Today” bestselling author of the Seasons of Sugarcreek series, the Sisters of the Heart series, and the Families of Honor series. She lives with her family in southern Ohio, where she writes full time. Before her work in the inspirational market, Gray wrote several novels as Shelley Galloway. During this time her books appeared on the Waldenbooks bestseller list, and she won “RT Book Reviews'” prestigious Reviewers’ Choice Award.

Find out more about Shelley at http://www.shelleyshepardgray.com.

My Take:  I found this book to be a very edge of your set type of book that you don't always find in amish Fiction.  This book showed that the adversion that the Amish have to asking for help not only from the English but from other Amish isn't always the best as sometimes the problem just gets bigger and bigger.  The problem in this book was not solved by not asking for help but made worse and the victim just felt worse and was made to feel like it was their fault.  Later in the book it was shown how other people in the victims family felt like they were being a bother when they asked for help.  This definately is not your run of the mill Amish book.  

I received a review copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.  

5 book giveaway

The next book to keep you up way past your bedtime? Shelley Shepard Gray’s Her Secret, a suspenseful tale of a young Amish woman who is forced to move to a new town to escape a threatening stalker. Just as Hannah is finally settling into her new life, and perhaps finding a new love with Isaac (the friendly Amish man who lives next door), more secrets are revealed and tragedy strikes. Hannah must decide if she should run again or dare to fight for the future she has found in Hart County.

Enter to win a copy of Her Secret. Five winners will be chosen! Click the image below to enter to win. The winners will be announced April 3rd on the Litfuse blog!

Sealed Up by Steve Dunn Hanson

from Goodreads.com : The Da Vinci Code unsettles. SEALED UP shakes to the core!

UCLA anthropologist Nathan Hill, in a funk since his young wife’s death, learns of staggering millennia-old chronicles sealed up somewhere in a Mesoamerica cliff. This bombshell rocks him out of his gloom, and he leads a clandestine expedition to uncover them. What are they? Who put them there? No one knows. But, self-absorbed televangelist Brother Luke, who funds the expedition, thinks he does. If he’s right, his power-hunger will have off-the-charts gratification.

Striking Audra Chang joins Nathan in his pursuit and brings her own shocking secret. As they struggle through an incredible jungle of puzzles and dead ends, she finds herself falling in love with Nathan. Her secret, though, may make that a non-starter.

When a shaman with a thirst for human sacrifice, and a murderous Mexican drug lord with a mysterious connection to Brother Luke emerge, the expedition appears doomed. Yet Nathan is convinced that fate—or something—demands these inscrutable chronicles be unearthed.

And if they are . . . what shattering disruption will they unleash?

Intricately layered and remarkably researched, this enthralling suspense thriller begs a startling question: Could it happen?

My Take:  I found this book to be an ok book.  There were a lot of  Spanish words that were not translated so if you didn't speak Spanish you might be a little lost in places like I was.  I thought that the archeology theme was interesting as I have always been interested that you find out how people lived by what they left behind and what is in the ground in the rocks and soil.  I found the theme of founding of the Mormon church interesting.  I did feel like there was a climax toward the middle of the book and that the end of the book was a bit anticlimatic.  I see that this is a book one so maybe that was the reason.  I will be interested to read the next book and see what happens next.  I do hope that these characters come back.  

I received a review copy of this book from Pump up your Book in exchange for my honest review.  

Prayers for a Simpler Life by Faith Sommers

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Prayers for a Simpler Life by Faith Sommers

From Goodreads.com   Do your quiet times with God feel disconnected from the rest of your overflowing days? Shouldn't our devotions affect how we live our lives? In this 90-day devotional for women, plain Mennonite mother and wife Faith Sommers helps connect your moments with the Lord to the rest of your life. Steeped in the faith of Amish and Mennonites, who maintain that how we live is as important as what we say, Sommers' words hold gentle warmth and wise nudging for readers tired of disjointed living. Offering daily devotions, prayers, journal prompts, and ideas for how to simplify your life and strengthen your faith, Prayers for a Simpler Life guides readers toward a deeper commitment to the way of Jesus.

My Take :  I was suppose to post this review last week but I didn't get the book until the day I was suppose to post so then I was suppose to post the review either on Monday or Tuesday of this week and for one reason or another I didn't find time to do that so I am posting today.  I am a bit happy that I didn't post till today because that gave me alittle more time to savor this book a bit more slowly which is kind of what this book is about.  Taking your time to spend meaningful time with the Lord.  Not just a read a short scripture and a little devotional about it then pray and your done short of thing.  Don't get me wrong these devotions aren't long and the Bible passages aren't either but they give you the opportunity to reflect on what you are reading and to really think about it.  Each devotion has a passage to look up and small article to read , a prayer and a reflection thought.  There are 12 whole weeks to really dig into.  each week is a different topic.  I look forward to using this devotional every year.  It would be perfect for the beginning of the year.  Highly recommend. 

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion from MennoMedia.org.

Home to Paradise by Barbara Cameron

Home to Paradise (Abingdon, February 2017)

Highly anticipated final book in The Coming Home Series from best-selling Amish author Barbara Cameron.

Rose Anna Zook has watched her two older sisters marry two Stoltzfus men and has always thought she and John, the third Stoltzfus brother, would marry, make a home together, and have children. But John has other ideas. He’s enjoying his Rumschpringe in the Englisch world a little too much and isn’t interested in returning to the Amish community—especially to marry.

Rose Anna is determined to bring her man back into the Amish fold. John is equally determined to live his life free and unencumbered. Who will win this battle of wills? Will love prevail?

Learn more and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT BARBARA CAMERON}

Barbara Cameron has a heart for writing about the spiritual values and simple joys of the Amish. She is the best-selling author of more than 40 fiction and nonfiction books, three nationally televised movies, and the winner of the first Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Her books have been nominated for Carol Awards and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award from RWA’s Faith, Hope, and Love chapter. Barbara resides in Jacksonville, Florida.

Find out more about Barbara at http://barbaracameron.com.

My Take;  Even though this is the third book in this triology I was able to read it with no problem and I hadn't read either of the first two books.  I liked reading this book as it seemed to shed a little light on the practice of the Amish young folks taking some time to run around before they join the Amish Church.   It also showed the Amish doing volunteer work in the community which you don't read about very much.  I will probably go back and read the other two books in this series because I found this book to be very good.  

I received a review copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.