When Mercy Rains by Kim Vogel Sawyer| A powerful tale of redemption

When Mercy Rains by Kim Vogel Sawyer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
★: Didn't Like it
★★: It was Ok
★★★: Liked it
★★★★: Really liked it
★★★★★: It was amazing

Suggested Age:14+ Genre:Amish/Mennonite Fiction, Christian Fiction

First off, I want to say that this book cover is gorgeous! I love it so much! The colors are inviting and it just pulled me right in and made me want to read the book.    I’m SO glad that this cover caught my attention because it’s one of the best books that I’ve read in a long while!  I was happily reading along when all of a sudden I was thrown for a complete loop. I thought I had the whole thing figured out and then was blindsided when things turned out differently than I thought.  I’m very rarely surprised by books so this was very pleasant for me.  I cannot wait to read the next installment!

 
Note: I let my thirteen year old read this but not all parents will feel comfortable with topics involving teen pregnancy/unwed mother.  Teen pregnancy is not glorified in any way, in fact, you see the shame that this young girl felt and the embarrassment.   As always, I suggest that you use your own discretion in regards to this matter.

My Week in Review 1/11/15-1/18/15

Arie singing at the piano

Who’s crazy enough to read another week in review? If you choose to do so—I'm sorry, you get to hear my rambling on my week which was just as chaotic as the last. 

Kahlan chilling out with her favorite Lalaloopsy

Okay, first up was our Monday which of course started at our music lessons. Nothing particularly report worth but I decided to mention it because I found out that my daughter is ready to move up to a new piano book! She’s only been taking lessons for four months so I’m happy and proud of her!   Nothing makes a mama happier than to see her little ones excel at something they love!

Tuesday I had my seven year old to the doctor.  With Kahlan and Arie’s problems with their legs, their gait and etc, I wanted to get my seven year old looked at.  Kahlan has already been diagnosed with hypermobility and low and behold I find out my seven year old is also effected. Of course this isn’t a surprise to me as I’m starting to suspect a connective tissue disorder but I was completely sideswiped with the news that her left foot is flat and that she’s going to need to see a podiatrist very soon…great.  I’m just ready for answers. We need them.  I am starting to read up a lot on EDS and a lot of the stuff just makes sense.  Of course I’m not relying on google to diagnose us but I just hope that we find some answers soon!

To Everything a Season by Lauraine Snelling

To Everything a Season by Lauraine Snelling

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

★: Didn't Like it
★★: It was Ok
★★★: Liked it
★★★★: Really liked it
★★★★★: It was amazing

Suggested Age:14+ Genre:Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction


I really tried to love this book. I did.  This book just wasn’t for me. I felt that it dragged on and on and I just couldn’t connect with the characters.  I have tried to read this for the last twelve weeks and I’ve just decided that I’m not going to make it through.  I felt like the book jumped right into a story without introducing me to the characters. I was completely lost.  This says it is the first in a series but I didn’t know anyone.  I had no connection to anyone and there also wasn’t a glossary of terms so I had no idea what a Tas was.  It wasn’t the only word used but it’s the only one I can recall at this point. I just know I had zero clue of what it was. I’m assuming it’s a family relation but I was—lost.   

I’ve loved other books by this author so after I research this series out to figure out if there’s a better starting point—I’ll probably come back to this at some point.    The cover is gorgeous enough to make me want to revisit when I’ve worked out my confusion.

Amy Clipston's Bakery Bunch!

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Amish Fiction. One just has to look through my blog posts to see that I read and review a good deal of it. 

I was SO excited when I sent in my application for and was chosen to be on Amy Clipston’s Street  Team, The Bakery Bunch.  Another really cool thing is that shortly  after I was accepted, my family and I got to meet Ms. Amy at a book signing! Of course, that’s another post but I couldn’t help but fangirl for just a minute.             

Anyway, I wanted to show off some of the gifts that Miss Amy sent to us and how we’re putting them to use.

So,   follow us on our day and see how we spread our love for the Bakery Bunch! 

The Bargain Bin 1/12/2015-1/19/2015

Enjoy these bargains on Christian ebooks for a limited time from

Amazon! They are currently free or greatly reduced! I will try to add freebies throughout the week! Feel free to share your own finds in the comments below! 

My Week in Review 1/04/14-1/11/15

First off...HAPPY NEW YEAR! Secondly, I’m a slacker, there…I said it.  Last year I started a blog series called, “My Week in Review,” and I had such an amazing response to it.  Life got crazy and I found myself slacking.  You know those moments in life where you sit down at your computer to catch everyone up and you were so busy that you feel overwhelmed even trying to form the words to describe your week? That was pretty much my life last year.

Life is still busy.  In ways I wish I could say that things had slowed to a more reasonable pace and that the whirlwind I live in had slowed to a breeze rather than a raging gale.  Unfortunately, that just isn’t the case and life is busier than ever.

I can’t even begin to hope to catch everyone up on everything that has gone on in the last year so I’ll just pick right back up in reviewing my weeks.

Amy Clipston Giveaway! Last day to enter!

This is a giveaway by Amy Clipston and is not being given away on this blog. Please click the picture to the left or click here.

TWO WINNERS will receive the following:

• An Amish Cradle;
•   ARC of Miles From Nowhere;
• Amish 2015 calendar;a luggage tag;
• a grocery bag;
• a pen; and bookmarks.
• a potholder purchased in Bird-in-Hand, PA;
  
  
  
  
  

This contest will end tomorrow evening, Sunday, January 11. The winners will be announced Sunday night.

This contest is in no way sponsored by Facebook.

2014 Top Ten Read & Best Book Cover

In no particular order. These are the top ten books I have read this year

The Butterfly and the Violin|A Mother's Secret|Christmas at Rose Hill Farm

A Love Undone|Where Treetops Glisten|Children of the Eclipse|The Daughter of Highland Hall

The Queen's Handmaid|A Miracle of Hope|Seasons of Tomorrow

My choice for the best book cover of 2014 goes to Tracy Higley's The Queen's Handmaid!