A Simply Enchanted Life

Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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

Suggested Age:17+ Genre:Memoirs, Non-Fiction

 This story a heart wrenching look into the depravity of the hearts of men and the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.   'Neither prison nor torture can frighten the Christians of the Underground Church.'

Your Family in Pictures: The Parents' Guide to Photographing Holidays, Family Portraits, and Everyday Life by Koh, Me Ra
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For parents (especially moms) with little to no photography experience who want to capture better portraits and photos of their families using any camera.

What parent doesn’t want to capture the perfectly imperfect joy of family life through photos? From holidays and vacations to portraits and shared moments, celebrated photographer (and mom) Me Ra Koh not only helps moms and dads take better photos, but inspires them to discover photography as a way to connect with, cherish, and celebrate their family. With forty beautiful “photo recipes” anyone can follow—with any camera—preserving your family’s story has never been easier!

I was so excited to take this book! Photography is a passion of mind and as most of my friends know—I’m actually opening a new photography business called Simply Enchanted Photography.
The thing is though—it’s so much easier to take pictures of strangers than it is to take pictures of your family. You aren’t a photographer to your own children—you’re quite simply, mom.

I thought this book would provide me valuable tools and tips for photographing ‘my’ family. Instead, what I found was that this book had many wonderful tips, tricks and ideas that I will be able to carry through as I work with clients as well!

While I have a nice Canon DSLR, this book is still useful to anyone and it doesn’t require you to have a fancy camera to take nice pictures. The techniques suggested to getting your family’s attention and suggestions on how to build your photographer’s eye is helpful to anyone—new photographers or hobbyist especially.

Are you a new photographer or simply wanting to take better pictures of your family? Wherever you’re at in your photography goals—Capture life. Live life. Love life.
View all my reviews

Amazon|B&N
Me Ra Koh, affectionately known as The Photo Mom, is the leading photography expert and educator to moms with cameras. She hosts the Disney Junior TV show Capture Your Story with Me Ra Koh, and also writes a weekly column for Disney’s Babble.com

“I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.”

Simply Delicious Amish Cooking: Recipes and Stories from the Amish of Sarasota, Florida by Sherry Gore

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I’ve seen a lot of praise for the author of this cookbook from various Amish-Fiction writers so I was excited to have the chance to pick it up. I held off on writing my review until I tried a few of the recipes which might I add—were DELICIOUS! I wanted to get a picture of the recipes we tried but unfortunately the muffins were gobbled up before I had a chance!

I thought this cookbook was great but I will be honest that I’m still slightly confused over cookbooks in e-book format. I understand that this book comes in both print and in e-book but seeing as the ebook version is the one that I read…

The reason ebooks as cookbooks make no sense to me is that you get your kindle or ereader filthy and have to have it in your kitchen which isn’t a very safe place for an electronic. Also, it does not make it easy to flip through and look at which recipes you want to view or to just prop your book open and take a look.

Otherwise, the cookbook itself was a 5 star cookbook simply for the delicious breakfast muffin recipes I found inside! I made the Blueberry Streusel muffins and as I said—they were gone before I could even get a picture of them! I can’t wait to try a few variations of this recipe with other fruits. I’m betting strawberry would be fantastic!

This is a book I will definitely be on the lookout for in printed format. I enjoyed the recipes and the stories inside the beginning of each chapter. I knew very little about Pinecraft, Florida or about the Amish and Mennonite that live there. There was also a “statement of faith” of sorts that helped put their belief system into perspective.

If you’re looking for a recipe book with fantastic desserts—I do suggest this one. I DO suggest getting the book in print rather than ebook publication!
View all my reviews

Amazon|CBD|B&N
Sherry Gore has a multiple book contract (including a memoir) with Zondervan, an imprint of HarperCollins. Sherry is the author of Simply Delicious Amish Cooking and is the editor-in-chief of Cooking & Such magazine, which has been called “Visually stunning, completely heartwarming” by Amish novelist, Cindy Woodsmall.

Sherry is also a weekly scribe for the national edition of the 120-year-old Amish newspaper, The Budget. National Geographic Channel featured Sherry prominently in the 2012 season of their documentary series, Amish: Out of Order. Sherry is currently under development contract for a second documentary series and just completed a sizzle tape for Lifetime TV. Sherry is a year-round resident of beautiful, sun-kissed Sarasota, Florida, the vacation paradise of the Plain People. She has three children and is a member of a Beachy Amish Mennonite church. She’s a caregiver to her twenty-two-year-old daughter, a Sunday school teacher, a cooking show host, and an official pie contest judge

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

I'm No Angel: From Victoria's Secret Model to Role Model by Kylie Bisutti

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I usually can’t stand true stories/autobiographies but this one pleasantly surprised me! WOW! What an inspiration and a reminder that we are all precious in God’s eyes. I think this book would be perfect for a young girl or even an older girl who is struggling with her body image.

There is a lesson we can learn about beauty in the modern world and how what we see is not really a reality and how our perception is skewed based by media and modern photoshop tools. Most importantly we are reminded that beauty comes from within because God looks upon our heart and not upon our physical appearance.

"God sees everyone one of us as beautiful. We are, after all, made in His image. We make ourselves ugly by turning away from Him and getting entangled in things He despises, like pride, greed and lust. But the more we cling to virtues like humility, selflessness, modesty, and purity, the more beautiful we become--not only in His eyes, but also in the eyes of others. You can't airbrush that."

Definitely 5 stars! I loved the honesty and the Godly principles. I will be keeping this book for future discussions about body image and modesty with my children.

In December 2011, 21-year-old Victoria's Secret Runway Angel Kylie Bisutti stunned the fashion industry when she chose faith over fame and fortune and made the switch from supermodel to role model. In "I'm No Angel," Kylie shares her story--from her early years struggling to make it big in the cut-throat world of modeling, her "big break" winning the Victoria's Secret Runway Angel competition, and the disillusionment and spiritual warfare that followed, to the moment she realized that she could no longer reconcile her career with her Christian beliefs, surrendered her life to God, and dedicated her life to preaching a message of modesty and inner beauty. Along the way, Kylie talks about her personal struggles with inadequacy, low self-esteem, and her near-constant quest for approval in a world where you can never be thin enough, pretty enough, or sexy enough. She helps readers understand that true beauty lies within and that real fulfillment comes from knowing, loving, and serving Christ
View all my reviews

Amazon|CBD|Barnes&Noble
Kylie Bisutti is an American model who won the 2009 Victoria's Secret Angel. At 19, she beat out 10,000 other girls to win a modeling contract with Victoria's Secret,,"Victoria's Secret Model Search" competition,broadcast online through CBS and concluded during the December 1st airing of that year's Fashion Show. Placing first through fan voting over fellow contestant Jamie Lee Darley in the final round earned Bisutti, nineteen years old and a newlywed at the time of filming, the prize of walking in the annual show alongside Victoria's Secret Angels like Heidi Klum, Miranda Kerr and Doutzen Kroes.

Although Bisutti continues her career in the entertainment business,she did not work with Victoria's Secret after the show. She later said lingerie modeling conflicted with her Christian values: "My body should only be for my husband and it's just a sacred thing." Bisutti states that she will only choose wholesome jobs that will honor her Christian beliefs. I received this book free from Tyndale 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.

My Amish Childhood: A True Story of Faith, Family, and the Simple Life by Jerry S. Eicher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was so pleasantly surprising for me…WOW! I’m honestly shocked because this is the first time I have ever made it through an autobiography! Not only did I make it through but I enjoyed it! This was also the first book that I have read by the author.

My mother has been bugging me for quite some time to pick up his books and I had been meaning to but I will admit that I was scared. It seems that male authors sometimes leave me feeling as if something is missing that connects with me as a woman. Not all male authors mind you—but it was still enough to scare me for a short time.

I should have put away my fears because I absolutely loved this book. I thought it was humorous at times, brutally honest and also touching. I’m giving 5 stars to this book and wish I could give an additional star for being the first autobiography that was written in a way that appealed to me.

This book is an autobiography of Amish writer, Jerry Eicher whom, as we find out in the book—grew up Amish! He was honest about his awkwardness and even about his mischievousness as a child which I found to be refreshing as I often think of Amish children having the idyllic life we read about in Amish fiction. In the grand scheme of things—Jerry had quite a bit of issues to overcome; an issue with stuttering and bouts of depression.

We also got an inside view of a new Amish community in a third world country and the struggles that they faced. I was really rooting for the community to succeed and was a little disappointed to find out that it had failed. It was on that note that the autobiography was wrapped up. I would really like to see how things unfold in the later years. I am assuming that he eventually left the Amish faith—I want to know these things! I guess I’m greedy and want more information as I really found the author’s life to be very intriguing. This book definitely gets two thumbs up for me for both wit and for the insightful spirituality. I have to say that Eicher’s account of his salvation is possibly one of the sweetest, honest and simplistic explanations that I have ever heard—and it was touching. I will definitely be reading more from this author!
View all my reviews



Amazon|CBD|Barnes&Noble
Jerry Eicher’s bestselling Amish fiction (more than 210,000 in combined sales) includes The Adams County Trilogy, the Hannah’s Heart books, and the Little Valley Series. After a traditional Amish childhood, Jerry taught for two terms in Amish and Mennonite schools in Ohio and Illinois. Since then he’s been involved in church renewal, preaching, and teaching Bible studies. Jerry lives with his wife, Tina Eicher, and their four children in Virginia.
I received this book free from the Author and Harvest House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own

One Glorious Ambition: The Compassionate Crusade of Dorothea Dix, a Novel by Jane Kirkpatrick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Something drew me to the cover of this story and I’ll admit that I took it based solely on how the cover drew me in. It isn’t that it is a gorgeous cover but something about it is so inviting. I am so glad that I put aside my fear of non-fiction to read this book. I typically do not like a non-fiction story but this one read like fiction. Though I understand this is based on Dorothea and is not classified as "non-fiction" I found most of the information to be fairly accurate which was impressive. Set in the 1800s, this book takes us into the life of historical reformer, Dorothea Dix. Honestly, I had heard the name but I didn’t know anything about her—she was a fascinating woman that accomplished great things for those that cannot speak for themselves. If you’re a fan of historical fiction—particularly those revolving around social issues and reformations, then I strongly suggest this book. You will not be disappointed.

The story starts in the early life of Dorothea Dix. We see her early struggles in life as she cares for her young brother and her “unavailable” yet pregnant mother. It is not known what Dorothea’s mother suffered from—perhaps post-partum depression but more widely it is thought that she had some form of mental retardation that rendered her incapable of caring for her children. I suppose we’ll never know for sure but what we do know is that she was unable to care for her children and that her husband was an abusive alcoholic. Dorothea was eventually sent for by her grandmother and left her young brothers to live with her aunt and uncle, and then later on her grandmother. Unable to ever truly find the desire to find a suitor—Dorothea focused on teaching and later on she became an activist for those that had no voice. During Dorothea’s life she wanted to see hospitals constructed for the “mentally insane” rather than seeing them being sold into slavery or living in crowded jails. Many of these poor patients were abused, mistreated, starved or hungry. Moral and ethical treatments were not used. No kind touch or common decency that marks a person as being human. Where others were taking up the cause to free the slaves (another worthy cause) Dorothea was confused and frustrated that many of the abolitionist did not agree with the same freedoms for those in mental asylums or overflowing into the local jails. This caused her to become a voice for those that had no voice—and though she was a woman and women at that time really had no voice, she became a great reformer that brought about many needed changes. She never married but she did have a strong connection with President Fillmore and made many friends in congress and the senate. It was a remarkable feat for her day and we owe many advances in the humane treatment of patients to Dorothea Dix. She also happened to serve as a nurse and saved the life of Louisa May Alcott—fascinating! I wish I could sum this book up in words but I can’t. It was really a great read and it is the first non-fiction book I’ve read that I was fully immersed into the story.
View all my reviews|Excerpt

Amazon|CBD|Barnes&Noble

Wisconsin native, living in Oregon for past 35 years. With husband Jerry (35 years married) lived on a remote ranch in rural North Central Oregon along a wild and scenic river. She has two step-children and five grandchildren. Jane writes inspirational historical novels based on the lives of real people. She's a retired clinical social worker who was a community mental health program director and who served as a consultant to the early childhood program of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
http://www.jkbooks.com|Facebook

I received One Glorious Ambition: The Compassionate Crusade of Dorothea Dix as a complimentary gift in exchange for an honest review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. My comments and opinions are my own.

Amish Prayers: Heartfelt Expressions of Humility, Gratitude, and Devotion by Beverly Lewis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amish Prayers includes a selection of prayers that have been translated from the original German and is introduced by Beverly Lewis. Each prayer is accompanied by a scripture from the King James Version of the Bible and includes beautiful black and white drawings of the Amish throughout. I found the prayers to be very insightful and with the inclusion of scriptures I think I may make use of this book for devotion guide.

About the Author:
Beverly Marie Jones (Lewis) was born in the heart of Amish country—Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At the tender age of nine, she began writing short stories and poetry.

Beverly's first venture into adult fiction is the best-selling trilogy, The Heritage of Lancaster County, including The Shunning, a suspenseful saga of Katie Lapp, a young Amish woman drawn to the modern world by secrets from her past. The book is loosely based on the author's maternal grandmother, Ada Ranck Buchwalter, who left her Old Order Mennonite upbringing to marry a Bible College student. One Amish-country newspaper claimed Beverly's work to be "a primer on Lancaster County folklore" and offers "an insider's view of Amish life."

A member of the National League of American Pen Women, as well as a Distinguished Alumnus of Evangel University, Lewis has written over 80 books for children, youth, and adults, many of them award-winning. She and her husband, David, make their home in Colorado, where they enjoy hiking, biking, and spending time with their family. They are also avid musicians and fiction "book worms."

You can find out more about this author by visiting her website at http://www.beverlylewis.com/



View all my reviews

Plain Wisdom: An Invitation into an Amish Home and the Hearts of Two Women by Cindy Woodsmall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I really loved this book. It's a funny thing how God works His will and direction into our lives without our ever understanding unless He shows us.

Cindy Woodsmall is my favorite author of the Amish genre. Month's ago I bought the book "Plain Wisdom" I had been so excited to purchase it and surprisingly the book made its way to my shelf without being read. I kept going to my shelf of books and pulling out books to read and for some reason I kept putting off reading this book.

I picked up the book this week. I am going through a very trying time right now...one of the lowest points of my entire life. I began to read and then to cry as the realization that God had this all in his plan for me. He didn't want me to read this book months ago. He knew I needed to read it now!

This book has little nuggets of wisdom through the entire book. I was so blessed by the insight that was shared by co-authors, Cindy Woodsmall and Miriam Flaud. If you are looking for encouragement or if you're questioning life in general, this is a good book to read. With heartwarming stories, admittance of failures and scriptures to back up the truths that God has shown to them, this book is sure to touch your soul and life your spirits.

"God knows how to heal the brokenhearted and how to give beauty for ashes" -Plain Wisdom p. 143



View all my reviews

Heaven in Her Arms: Why God Chose Mary to Raise His Son and What It Means for You by Catherine Hickem

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


"Heaven in Her Arms: Why God Chose Mary to Raise His Son and What it Means for You" is written by Catherine Hickem - a licensed psychotherapist, an author, speaker, coach, and counselor with years of experience. This non-fiction story is a look into the heart and life of Mary. Why exactly did God choose Mary to be the mother to His son? Did she share the same anxiety and fears that any other mother faces? How did she deal with those fears and anxiety? All of these questions (and more) are presented in this book. By looking at how Mary dealt with her fears and insecurity we can learn how to emulate her and to develop our own close relationship with the Lord. "Heaven in Her Arms" is absolutely fantastic for any mother or mother-to-be. I thoroughly enjoyed this book as well as the study guide in the back. I typically do not enjoy non-fiction or self help books but this one is worth the read!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255





View all my reviews