A moving and inspirational novel about the power of faith, family and above all, love, as a young Amish man must turn to his Englisch neighbor for help after a devastating tragedy.

Grace Connor, a military nurse formerly stationed in Afghanistan, hopes that moving to a farm in rural Ohio will help her recover from the ravages of war, and keep her teenage brother out of trouble.

When Levi Troyer meets Grace, he is at his most vulnerable. His stepfather has been murdered and his mother wounded by intruders. Grace saves his mother’s life and Levi is more than thankful. However, any relationship between them is forbidden by his faith.

Even before meeting Grace, Levi had begun to question some of the teachings of his ultra-conservative Amish sect. He has considered leaving, but knows he will be banned forever from having contact with his younger siblings and widowed mother—who need him to survive. Grace is struggling with trying to figure out how to live her life without the man she has grown to love. Meanwhile, a murderer must be caught. Will love and justice prevail?

My Comments: I don’t know where so many ideas come from for these Amish fiction books, but they seem to abound.  This book is great!  I learned about a new kind of Amish; i.e., Swartzentruber.  WOWEE!    For people who claim to be humble they sure take a lot of pride in following their rules.  It must be a heavy burden to never know whether or not you are going to Heaven and trying to work your way there by following the Ordnung.  I love reading about these folks, but afterwards I so appreciate my freedom and grace in Christ!

The characters are very likable in this book.  I know women like Grace.  Although I’m not sure I know anybody quite like Levi.  He is someone I would love to know and have as a friend!  His loyalty is amazing  this book had me crying and anxious – both great qualities in a read for me – a REAL escape.  I want to read more by Ms. Miller and hope this book is one of many to come!

Thank you NetGalley for my e-copy.  The book will be out early in April, 2012.

Amaryllis, Mississippi is a scrappy little town of strong backbone and southern hospitality. A brick-paved Main Street, a park, and a legendary ghost in the local cemetery are all part of its heritage. Everybody knows everybody in Amaryllis, and gossip wafts on the breeze. Its people are friendly, its families tight. On the surface Amaryllis seems much like the flower for which it’s named—bright and fragrant. But the Amaryllis flower is poison.

In the past three years five unsolved murders have occurred within the town. All the victims were women, and all were killed in similar fashion in their own homes. And just two nights ago—a sixth murder.

Clearly a killer lives among the good citizens of Amaryllis. And now three terrified women are sure they know who he is—someone they love. None is aware of the others’ suspicions. And each must make the heartrending choice to bring the killer down. But each woman suspects a different man.

My comments: I always enjoy books by Brandilyn Collins.  She has her own unique style.  This book kept me engaged.  I enjoyed the story’s setting which is a small town in the south.  I lived in small towns for a few years, and they definitely have dark sides.  Collins keeps you guessing throughout, although I suspected several culprits throughout the book.  She leads you along well.  Collins’ quirky style makes her writing unique.  I don’t exactly know how to describe what I mean, but I find it appealing.  If you like mysteries, you will like this book!  I did.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, thank you.  The publish date is March 1, 2012.

Plea bargains may grease the rails of justice, but for Jamie Brock, prosecuting criminals is not about cutting deals. In her three years as assistant DA, she’s never plea-bargained a case and vows she never will. But when a powerful defense attorney is indicted for murder and devises a way to bring the entire justice system to a screeching halt, Jamie finds herself at a crossroads. One by one, prisoners begin rejecting deals. Prosecutors are overwhelmed, and felons start walking free on technicalities. To break the logjam and convict her nemesis, Jamie must violate every principle that has guided her young career. But she has little choice. To convict the devil, sometimes you have to cut a deal with one of his demons.

My Comments: I loved this book!  Randy Singer is one of my most favorite legal thriller writers because he writes a great, exciting story as well as a clean story.  I usually don’t think a male writer can write from a woman’s perspective, but he does a pretty believable job of it.

In the shadows of a graveyard, a SHOT rings out…

Hannah Esh fled the Home Valley Amish community with a broken heart, throwing herself into her worldly dreams of a singing career instead. But as much as she tries to run from her past, something keeps pulling her back. On a whim, she brings four worldly friends to the Amish graveyard near her family’s home for a midnight party on Halloween. But when shots are fired and one of her friends is killed, Hannah is pulled back into the world of her past.

The investigation into the shooting uncovers deep-buried secrets that shock the peaceful Amish village to its core. Determined to prove her value to the community she left behind, Hannah attempts to bridge two cultures, working closely with both handsome, arrogant FBI agent Linc Armstrong and her former betrothed, Seth Lantz, now widowed with a young daughter.

Caught between Seth and Linc, between old and new, Amish and worldly, Hannah must choose her future. Unless a killer, bent on secrecy, chooses it for her.

My Comments: This book is a good mix of Amish fiction and mystery – two of my favorites.  I enjoyed this book, it kept me engaged throughout.   This book brought out that there are many secrets in this type environment.  Life is not all perfect and rosy as it might seem in the Amish community.  In that respect this book is somewhat more believable than the perfect life depicted in other books of the Amish fiction genre.  This book even portrayed the bishop than less than perfect.  There are times when I want a good excuse from real life into fantasy.  Other times I find strength from reading about real people with real problems.  This book fit the second category.

Where there’s smoke there’s fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum.

Dead bodies are showing up in shallow graves on the empty construction lot of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. No one is sure who the killer is, or why the victims have been offed, but what is clear is that Stephanie’s name is on the killer’s list. Short on time to find the murderer, Stephanie is also under pressure from family and friends to choose between her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Trenton cop Joe Morelli, and the bad boy in her life, security expert Ranger. Stephanie’s mom wants her to dump them both for a former high school football star who’s just returned to town. Stephanie’s sidekick, Lula, suggests a red-hot boudoir “bake-off.” And Joe’s old-world grandmother gives Stephanie “the eye,” which may mean that it’s time to get out of town.

With a cold-blooded killer after her, a handful of hot men, and a capture list that includes a dancing bear and a senior citizen vampire, Stephanie’s life looks like it’s about to go up in smoke.

My Comments: I thought I was finished reading these books, but when the movie came out it renewed my interest.  I am enjoying this book more than I thought I would and glad I put it on my Nook!  My New Jersey roots needs a little fix of New Jersey now and then and Stephanie and Grandma Mazur usually feel that need!  This book is funny as are all of them.  Maybe the plot is a little more predictable that some, but I still enjoy reading it.

I went to see the movie “One for the Money” this afternoon as well.  It does my heart good to hear that good old Jersey accent (even if the reviewers didn’t think it was perfect – it was close enough for me)!  I hesitated to see the movie as well because the reviews weren’t all that great.  But honestly, I liked all of the casting.  I was curious to see Morelli and Ranger and thought the casting of both of those leading men was spot on.  It may not be the best movie or even best movie made from chick lit I’ve ever seen, but nontheless, I enjoyed it!  It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

You’ll be swept away by the endearing characters created by award-winning author Anna Schmidt. On the heels of a horrific hurricane, Hester Detlef, field director for the Mennonite Disaster Service, blows into the life of self-made, shunned Amish man John Hafner. Will she find a way through his shield and into his heart? Although the hurricane has left John homeless and badly injured, the last thing he wants is some do-gooder Mennonite woman intruding in his life. Will his impatience with her intention of restoring his faith and property keep him from accepting this beguiling stranger’s kindness?

My Comments: Interesting journey of a young man trying to pay penance and a young woman who puts others first through the Mennonite Disaster Service.  This book combines Amish and Mennonite fiction.  I find the romance in this book a little more believable because it isn’t instant.  It develops throughout the book.  The characters are colorful.  I especially like Olive – one of the crabby spinsters.  I found appealing the desire of John to live a life as described in “Walden.”  Nobody would let him, however, and the weather completely ruined it for him.  The book is satisfying, the end is great and I am looking forward to more books in this series.

I received this book from NetGalley.

My Comments: This is a quick sweet read.  The premise of the book is a little hard to swallow – making a town famous for love – but my husband and I honeymooned in Vermont and it IS a romantic state overall!  Snow, skiing, cold biting weather (and we went in April!), and quaint little towns.  Four women from the town of Smitten share their love stories.  Each is different according to the personality of the author.  They share other aspects of their lives as well such as making a go of a new business, and fighting people who don’t agree with their idea of making Smitten a town for love (because of it’s name).  This book would be great to read for Valentine’s Day!  I would overall give it a 3.5 out of 5.

Thank you NetGalley!  This book is already pubished and ready to order.

As many of you, I have been very busy with the holidays.  However, I read several books and now it is time to write posts about them!  One book I really enjoyed was A Life of Joy by Amy Clipston.    Here is a little synopsis of the story:  Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you’ll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County. As each woman’s story unfolds, you will share in her heartaches, trials, joys, dreams . and secrets. You’ll discover how the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle can clash with the “English” way of life-and the decisions and consequences that follow. Most importantly, you will be encouraged by the hope and faith of these women, and the importance they place on their families. In A Life of Joy, the fourth installment in the series, eighteen-year-old Lindsay Bedford has reached a crossroads. Should she stay in the small Amish community she’s known and loved for four years or return to the English life in her hometown in Virginia where her older sister is a college student? An extended visit to Virginia might just tip the scales as Lindsay reconnects with friends, joins a new church, works on her GED, and is pressured by her sister to stay and “make something of herself.”

My comments: This was a great story, although I still wonder how many “English” would switch over to the Amish lifestyle and embrace it wholeheartedly.  If you know of any real person who has done this, please let me know.  I can see the appeal, believe me.  I cannot, however, see the work – the washing, the sewing, the cooking, etc.  I also have some problems with the legalism.  Other than that, the close family ties, the simpler (in some ways) lifestyle, and the work ethic appeals to me.  The Amish seem to have a great faith in God and His will in their lives and believing that all things that happen are His will.  I just question shunning, and their extreme separation from the rest of the world – even other believers.  Also limiting themselves to an eighth grade education doesn’t appeal to me at all.

I actually found myself pulling for Lindsey to go back to her roots – the English roots.  She had some great support systems in both the English and Amish worlds.  Maybe I was hoping for the English lifestyle because I know the English world and seems to be what her parents wanted for her.  I am anxious to see what happens in the next book.  Clipston does a great job leaving you off with a great cliff-hanger.  I enjoy her books and her writing and will continue to keep reading them!