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!

College librarian and struggling artist India Hayes isn’t sure how her older sister Carmen talked her into managing a face-painting booth at the Stripling, Ohio, Founders’ Day Festival or how Carmen convinced her to wear the pink gingham pioneer dress, including mobcap and granny boots, but that’s where she finds herself in a chilly October just before Halloween. India’s annoyance turns to suspicion as she discovers the body of Zen-like basket weaver, Tess Ross, on the festival grounds. Tess leaves behind an angry blacksmith husband, a confused adopted son, greedy siblings, a dysfunctional artists’ co-op, and a chocolate-colored labradoodle with a two-million-dollar trust in his name. Much to India’s dismay, she learns Tess is the sister of her stuffy college provost, Samuel Lepcheck, and the mother of a library student worker, Derek, who has an irrepressible crush on India that she’s doing her best to ignore. Derek begs India to investigate his mother’s murder. Despite the urgings of handsome Police Detective Rick Mains to stay out of the investigation, India agrees to Derek’s request and finds herself playing sleuth as well as foster-owner to Zacchaeus, the two-million-dollar labradoodle. With her own eccentric family commenting from the sidelines and her Irish-centric landlady, Ina Carroll, as volunteer sidekick, India must discover the truth before she has a permanent canine houseguest or she ends up the next victim in the basket weaver’s murder.

My Comments: India Hayes ranks right up there as one of my favorite new detectives in a cozy mystery.  Her family makes me smile!  I love it that her mom is a pastor and her dad is in a wheelchair – real people!  Her parents, middle aged hippies, get involved in all the local “causes.”  The women in this family are strong – including India’s sister Carmen.  There is a book that comes before this and I’m anxious to read it as well.  The book ends with a great cliff-hanger making me want more, more, more.  If you like books by Leslie Meier and Joanne Fluke, you will love this book!

Gracious living can be murder. First in an all-new mystery series— includes delicious recipes and great tips on entertaining!

Few can compete with Natasha Smith when it comes to entertaining, but her childhood rival, Sophie Winston, certainly tries. Natasha may have stolen the spotlight—and Sophie’s husband—but Sophie is determined to rob her of the prize for the Stupendous Stuffing Shakedown. She just needs the right ingredient.

But Sophie’s search for the perfect turkey takes a basting when she stumbles across a corpse. And when the police find her name and photo inside the victim’s car, Sophie will have to set her trussing aside to solve the murder—or she’ll be serving up prison grub.

But Sophie’s search for the perfect turkey takes a basting when she stumbles across a corpse. And when the police find her name and photo inside the victim’s car, Sophie will have to set her trussing aside to solve the murder—or she’ll be serving up prison grub.

My Comments: I’m enjoying this series by Krista Davis.  This particular book I downloaded on my Nook and read fairly quickly.  I love the main character Sophie and it interests me to wonder if the author is trying to get her back with her husband who she divorced a couple of years ago.  It seems that her mother and mother-in-law want them back together.  I also love a woman who has to solve a mystery.  This book makes me laugh and definitely engages my interest.  Natasha seems to want everything Sophie has and vice versa – a real rivalry exists between them

English and Amish worlds collide for a few days to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas!

Eden’s hope is rekindled when Clay delivers astounding news: their daughter has been found.

Five years ago Eden and Clay Larson’s baby was stolen and never found. Eden blamed herself, Clay lost himself in work. Their young and rocky marriage ended. Or so Eden thought.

Now  Eden’s moved to a new town. She’s found faith and is trying to rebuild her life. She’s even dating again-a sweet guy who plans to marry her someday. But then Clay arrives out of the blue and delivers shocking news: they’re still married. What’s more, Clay has been searching for Brianna all this time. And he believes he’s found her: their daughter is in Bluebird, Texas, at a youth ranch.

To uncover the truth, Eden and Clay sign on as counselors at Bluebird Ranch. Working together, they rediscover their love for each other. But danger is closing in-Eden, Clay, and their young charges are in jeopardy. As they fight to save their family, Eden realizes that God has been fighting for them all along. And His plans are for a more abundant life than they’ve dared to hope.

My Comments:

I always enjoy Colleen Coble’s novels and this one is no exception.  I read it in just a couple of days and was very curious about the outcome.  The story was engaging, the characters interesting and likeable.  The story had both romance and mystery, so it met all of my criteria of great women’s fiction.  The Christian elements were believable without being preachy.  I think someone who was not of the Christian faith would also enjoy reading this book.  I wonder if a sequel will be coming…

Listen to part of the book now.

My Comments:

Great book to get you started into the holiday season.  Amy has an engaging writing style and although Amish Christmas books don’t always “feel” Christmasy to me, this one does more so.  This book is part of the series the Kauffman Amish Bakery, but can definitely be read on it’s own because I haven’t read all of the books in that series, yet I enjoyed it.  This is a great book if you believe in love at first sight, and second and/or third chances.  I feel these Amish books must be somewhat idealized, but that is some of the appeal to me – a great escape that is clean and sweet!   As you can see from my last several posts, I’m on a roll! You might want to wait until the weather cools down a tad bit to read it, but I would definitely recommend reading it!

My Comments: 1225 Christmas Tree Lane is the last book in Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove series.  So sad!  I loved this series – the stories were always warm and fuzzy!

Of all things, Debbie used puppies in this book to wrap up this engaging series based on her hometown.  Almost every family in the town received or requested a puppy from a litter of black labs.  What a great way to finish a homesy type series of stories – especially to us dog lovers!  Most of the characters had happy resolutions to their issues from previous books.  The resolutions were both satisfying and joyful.

I had to see this series end, however, this is a GREAT holiday read including all the feel-good elements of a Debbie Macomber book.  I highly recommend this series and this book!

I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley.  Thank you!