This is the 4th book I have read by Cindy Woodsmall and the 1st of this series. I LOVE these books! They are perfect for anyone who loves to get lost in the characters' world and feel like they really know the people and the place. They are very real in that they are about real life problems-majo...
While many of us have our imperfections hidden on the inside, Lena feels burdened carrying hers on her face. How could anyone possibly be attracted to a girl with such a hideous birthmark? Lena is the local school teacher for the Amish children, and there is one particular boy who is making sure ...
I would like to begin this review by acknowledging that I am not the intended audience for this book. I am not a fan of "bonnet fiction", Christian fiction in general, and indeed am an Atheist.I read this for a class that I am teaching about readers' advisory. So I tried to read this with a kind ...
Cindy does not disappoint in ths book. As always she lets us get a glimpse into the challenges of Amish life and how the fear of what others might think about a situation cross all people alike. We all suffer from pain, rejection, loneliness, and guilt at mistakes made by us and others. This was...
With Christmas on the way, I am all about Christmas stories. I had read "The Sound of Sleigh Bells: A Romance from the Heart of Amish Country" by Cindy Woodsmall several years ago and absolutely adored it. I loved it so much, I shared it with everyone who was interested.Because of the love of t...
Another one of Amish "Comfort Reads" I enjoy when stress levels get a big much. This is was my first Cindy Woodsmall Amish book and it was not the best book of its genre I have read. Three stars is probably generous. The theme of the book (other than the usual Amish romance) deals with forgivi...
When Hannah Lapp's life is torn apart by unthinkable tragedy, it seems no one in her old order Amish community understands. Faced with viscous rumors and heart-rending decisions, Hannah's faith begins to grow as she learns to trust God with her pain and with her future. This book was so good! Emo...
Yesterday, I was in desperate need of something to help me relax and plucked this short novel out of my stack of library books to do just that. Woodsmall has a way of sweeping me into her stories so much so that I cannot stop before I devour every last word. This was exactly the uplifting story I...
This is my first reading by this author and this (Book 1) has me going back to the library to get the other four in this "Amish Vines and Orchard" It shows how when there is a different personality in the family how quickly they can be preceived as different, add this to their way of life and on...
THE WINNOWING SEASON is the sequel to A Season for Tending and readers will want to read these books in order. I have loved Cindy Woodsmall’s other books, but THE WINNOWING SEASON fell flat for me. I kept picking the book up and putting it down, and it never did catch my interest. I had to force ...
I did not care for the narrators in this audio version. The wisdom shared however was refreshing. This is a book on faith, evidenced and shown in the Amish lifestyle. Since I have never traveled to the Amish countryside, this book gave me a glimpse of their way of life, fascinating, interesting a...
This book concludes the Amish Vines and Orchards Series, and in a fine way. This is one of those series that I started with the intention of finishing, and I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed.After reading book #3, For Every Season, I wondered what could make book #4 a book to look forward to, ...
Christmas in Apple Ridge is a three-in-one collection of Amish stories. This edition has a new story The Christmas Singing. All the stories were really good, and I loved the twists in them. The characters were so realistically written.The Sound of Sleigh Bells introduces you to Beth Hertzler who ...
What Jacob had said on the two-way wasn’t the end result he’d expected when he’d left the office. But the proclamation had sent relief and happiness bouncing around inside him. Maybe he and his brother would weather this storm.He went to Rhoda’s old room and tapped on the door. What agreement had...
A trailer sat fifty feet off the road, but the entire side yard seemed to be a parking lot, and it was filled with vehicles. Was she really going to do this? Thoughts of how well things had gone with Cameron came to mind. If she and Cameron could clear the air and choose to be friends, surely she...
He’d protested this picnic outing. All he’d wanted to do was give two of the horses they’d been working with a walk through pastures and woods, but he’d been overruled. Even Lester, who’d stayed at home, had sided with Jolene, Hope, and Tobias. They trod in silence, leaves and twigs crunching und...
Ariana had pencil and paper in hand, trying to whittle the grocery list down to affordable and still get what was needed. When she wasn’t scratching items off, she was staring out the open window, deep in thought. “Why aren’t you out with Rudy on a Friday night?” “Hmm?” She turned, the distant lo...
It was Friday afternoon, and he hadn’t spoken to Marian since Wednesday night. He couldn’t stand seeing himself as she saw him—too weak to go on a simple date and too uptight to admit it. Trying not to think about her, he loosened the generator’s fan belt. He’d ...
She clung to the hoe, unable to budge. The Englisch woman was visiting the farm?Despite her speech to Jacob and Samuel that she wouldn’t carry the guilt about the blogger because she had done nothing wrong and people in the community knew Amish had moved in, she stood there facing her reality.Thi...
—JAMES 1:4 From Amanda (Miriam’s daughter) The week before Christmas, snow fell outside, and the windows creaked and groaned from the wind. Inside, the fireplace shed a warm glow across the floor and set to shimmering the shiny wrapping paper on the many gifts stacked beside me. I had just finish...
He was sure she was the same girl he’d had a run-in with once before because of Faye, only it’d been dark the first time. At times his sister’s behavior seemed to turn him into someone else entirely. And that girl had been in his path when his tolerance for Faye was at an all-time low. Every time...
The Dawn of Christmas Four years later Sadie rode in the front seat next to the hired driver. Her lips were pressed into a thin line. Summoned. Just like that. She’d been sent for. She held the letter from her parents, the one they had sent to her boss and trusted advisor. Loyd Farmer had given i...
A muddled gray daylight had edged over the top of the mountain a little while ago. Snow flurries swirled, dancing on air, as the horse and carriage joggled its way down the road. She shouldn’t be on her way to Levi’s on a Sunday morning. It seemed self-indulgent to have to talk to him first thing...