A Simply Enchanted Life

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Before the Dawn by Kathleen Bauer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Charlotte’s life is turned upside down when her daughter is killed in an accident and she becomes the guardian of her three grandchildren.

Charlotte was estranged from her daughter Denise when the accident happened and she had never really been allowed to get to know the grandchildren.

Now their lives are thrown together and they have to learn how to live together and how to be a family. The children have to adjust to a new state, the loss of their mother, the loss of friends and new rules. Charlotte has to learn to rely on God as she struggles to fall back into the role of a parent.
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Sweet September by Kathleen Bauer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Sweet September picks up during harvest time.

Tension runs high as Bob and Charlotte learn to give over some of the control of the farm to their older son, Pete.

It doesn’t make it any easier that they’re still struggling to make a new life with their three grandchildren that came to live with them following the death of their mother.

Life for Emily, Sam and Christopher is also still in turmoil as they learn to fit in with new peers, a new school and also as they learn their place on their grandparents farm.
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These were fantastic books. I felt a certain sweet nostalgia reading about Charlotte. It made me miss my own grandmother that has gone on to be with the Lord. As I read this book I longed for another afternoon with her. I could nearly imagine the smell of apple pie baking in the oven or the smell of cocoa waiting on the stove after a brisk walk in the fall air. If you’re looking for a quick read to prepare you for the fall season—these are two books you should pick up!
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Kathleen Bauer is the pen name for a team of writers who have come together to create the Home to Heather Creek series.

I received this book free from the publisher through a fantastic program called Litfuse Publicity. I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts and opinions I have expressed are my own. To view other reviews and learn more about the blog tour for the Home to Heather Creek series please visit the Litfuse group by clicking here

Bumper Wipe Clean Activities by Juliet David

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This little book has provided hours of fun for my children; especially during church when my three year old becomes antsy.

This spiral bound booklet comes with a black felt tip pen but I bought additional colored dry erase markers so that she could color the pictures. Always make sure that the dry erase markers you buy will wipe off easily. There is a tester block on the back of the book for testing purposes which I really appreciated.

This little book has activities that are appropriate for toddlers such as pages they can color and then there are activities older children will enjoy as well such as dot to dot, mazes, spot the mistake and word puzzles. Fun, educational and biblical makes this book a win win for parents with young children!
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I received this book free from Kregel Publications in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Guideposts Books is thrilled to announce their brand new series, Home to Heather Creek, by Kathleen Bauer. The first two books, Before the Dawn and Sweet September, launch this month and Guideposts Books is celebrating with a Paperwhite Kindle Giveaway!

One winner will receive:

• A Paperwhite Kindle
• Before the Dawn and Sweet September by Kathleen Bauer

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 5th. All winners will be announced October 7th HERE.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 7th to see if you won! (Or better yet, subscribe to their blog [enter your email in the blog sidebar] and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

The Reason by William Sirls

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The Reason is definitely in the top 10 books that I have read this year.

I honestly wasn’t sure that it would be the type of book that I would like to read but it was fantastic!

The funny thing about this book is that before I even read it; God used it to teach me a lesson.

When the author contacted me about reading this book I had told them yes and a few days later it came in the mail. It so happens that I got this book during a time when I was having some financial struggles. I was being negative about the situation and I certainly wasn’t trusting in God even though He has never failed me. I opened my package and the author wrote in the inside of the book, “Only Believe.” Which was also the theme throughout the entire story but from that very small phrase I was reminded to believe and the Lord would provide!

This author and book is such a blessing!

When a terrible storm destroys the cross in front of a small town church it seems rather hopeless that it will ever be repaired as the blind minister, James Lindy and his family doesn't have the financial means to do so!

Coming 12-17-13!!!

In a somewhat extraordinary twist of fate this broken and destroyed cross brings about a series events that will forever alter the lives of an entire group of people. A mysterious stranger is at the midst of a strange set of occurrences surrounding the cross and also in intertwining the lives of a group of people that started out as strangers.

When the Lindy’s “adopted” daughter, Brooke’s young son is diagnosed with leukemia; The Lindy’s, Brooke, her friend Carla and the medical team treating young Alex’s cancer  learn that they must “Only Believe.”

Each of these people has their own private pain or their own set of obstacles that keep them from a personal relationship with Christ and it seems that the mysterious stranger, Kenneth is just what is needed to bring them to God.

I don’t want to spill too much of this story—it was somewhat of a modern day Lazarus tale that many may find too hard to believe—but then again? One must, “Only Believe.”

Fantastic 5 star story of redemption and grace which will mean even more to you once you read the biography of the author in the back of the book. If you decide to pick up this book I hope that it blesses you as much as it did me!
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Over the course of his life, William Sirls has experienced both great highs and tremendous lows--some born of chance, some born of choice. Once a senior vice president at a major investment firm, he was incarcerated in 2007 for wire fraud and money laundering, where he learned a great deal more than he ever bargained for. Life lessons involving faith, grace, patience, and forgiveness are evident in his writing. He is the father of two and makes his home in southern Michigan.

I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Adoring Addie by Leslie Gould

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Book two in The Courtships of Lancaster County series by Leslie Gould is another wonderful Amish Rendition of a Shakespeare tale!

These books are stand-alone so I wouldn’t worry much about which order to pick them up though I’ll say I really enjoyed this book more than Courting Cate.

Both books were really good but this one was simply my favorite of the two. The characters were enjoyable and easy to relate to.

Addie Cramer’s parents are set on her marrying Phillip Eicher and are furious when she begins to show an interest in Jonathan Mosier. I have to admit that Phillip drove me nuts. He was annoying and just irritated me. This of course was the desired emotion the author obviously wished to invoke.

The Cramer’s disdain for Jonathan stems from a decades old feud between the Mosier and the Cramer Family. Their hatred clouds their mind and skews their ideas about Jonathan, who actually is a really stand up kind of guy and a great Christian to boot!

The real reason for the feud is discovered by Addie and it’s a very tricky situation to deal with. This leads to a good bit of soul searching and thought on Addie’s part on how to best deal with and diffuse the feud—bringing peace and healing to both families.

This book deals with situations of alcoholism and depression that will really make you connect with these characters. They seem so lifelike!
I’ve read a good bit of skepticism about how one can retell such a tragic story such as Romeo and Juliet in a lighthearted Amish tale but the author captured the tale perfectly!

I am very eager to pick up the entire series. Most retellings are typical and annoying. These are a bit unique as they’re in an Amish setting and they’re much more lighthearted than secular tales.
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Leslie Gould is the coauthor, with Mindy Starns Clark, of the #1 CBA bestseller, a 2012 Christy Award winner, The Amish Nanny, and The Amish Bride. She is also the author of numerous other novels, including Garden of Dreams, Beyond the Blue (winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice for Best Inspirational Novel, 2006), and Scrap Everything. She holds and MFA in creative writing from Portland State University and has taught fiction writing at Multnomah University as an adjunct professor. She and her husband and four children live in Portland, Oregon.

Learn more about Leslie at www.lesliegould.com
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.