The Winnowing Season (Amish Vines and Orchards, #2)

Title: The Winnowing Season
Author: Cindy Woodsmall
Labels: Fiction | Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Waterbrook Multnomah
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Recommended To: Woman, Adult, YA
Contains: Clean.

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Blurb From Amazon: The tornado that devastated Kings’ Orchard pushed Rhoda, Samuel, and Jacob to make a new start in Maine. Are they strong enough to withstand the challenges of establishing an Amish community—and brave enough to face the secrets that move with them?
          On the eve of their departure to begin a new Old Order Amish community outside of Unity, Maine, Rhoda Byler is shocked to discover that choices made by her business partner and friend, Samuel King, have placed her and her unusual gifts directly into the path of her district’s bishop and preachers. She is furious with Samuel and is fearful that the Kings will be influenced by the way her leaders see her, and not what they know to be true—that Rhoda’s intuition is a gift from God.
          Jacob King won’t be swayed by community speculation. He loves Rhoda, believes in her, and wants to build a future with her in Maine. But when the ghosts of his past come calling and require him to fulfill a great debt, can he shake their hold before it destroys what he has with Rhoda? Samuel has a secret of his own—one he’ll go to great lengths to keep hidden, even if it means alienating those closest to him. Throwing himself into rehabilitating the once-abandoned orchard, Samuel turns to a surprising new ally. Book 2 of the Amish Vines and Orchards series asks: can the three faithfully follow God’s leading and build a new home and orchard in Maine? Or will this new beginning lead to more ruin and heartbreak?
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Well, here I am again, reading books out of order. Haha. One would think I'd learn to stop and read in order, but nope. I guess what prevents me from learning my lesson and dropping this out-of-order habit is the fact that rarely do I come across a book in a series that can't stand alone enough for me to read and understand everything. The Winnowing Season is one of those books that can stand on its own two feet (so to speak) and not lose the reader.

The Winnowing Season is a continuation of the first book in the Amish Vines and Orchards Series, A Season For Tending. The first book compliments it by giving more back story into previous events, but The Winnowing Season has its own unique and individual story line as well. This is the kind of series I like--reading all the books in order gives you a deeper and richer experience overall, but you can still pick up any one of the books and read it separately.

This is definitely one of my favorites from Cindy Woodsmall. I've read several of her books, but this one really topped the rest, at least for me. I loved the character development, the real thoughts and feelings of the characters, the unique way each handled different situations. I felt like Woodsmall really brought the characters to life. Not only that, but there was a lot more controversy in this book than I personally have found in most Amish books--which I liked. There were all kinds of situations and dilemmas that arose, threatening each character in a different way. The ending impressed me as well--it wasn't quite what you'd call your typical happy-ever-after ending, and left me wanting to get my hands on the next book to find out what happens next. Definitely recommended!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

Victim of Grace

Title: Victim of Grace
Author: Robin Jones Gunn
Labels: Religion | Christian Life | Spiritual Growth
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication Date: April 23, 2013
Recommended To: Women
Contains: N/A

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Blurb From Goodreads: Robin Jones Gunn reveals poignant truths from her life as well as from the lives of women in the Bible as she flips the notion that we are at the mercy of circumstances. She asks, what if God has dreams for you? What if he is accomplishing those dreams in the midst of shattered hopes? When life doesn't go as expected, it's easy to feel like a victim. We look at the events that have gone wrong and view our lives as impaired. What if we could see our future as God sees it? Would our view radically change if we understood we are indeed victims rather than of happenstance? God, the Relentless Lover, has vigorously sought you. He has instilled dreams in your heart that are grander than you can imagine. But the route to their fulfillment often is through a path you wouldn't seek. What if God wants to take the hopes that tug at your heart and enliven them? Are you ready to live inside the mysterious joy of being a victim of grace?
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Let me just start by saying that cover to this book sis gorgeous--both online and on the physical copy. So pretty! Anyway, I enjoyed, I enjoyed reading Gunn's Victim of Grace. It's a light read, and I found myself reading through quickly while still understanding all that she was talking about.

Victim of Grace is more or less about a concept that the things that seem bad in the moment--making us a victim--may actually be setting us up to be receivers of God's grace. We often don't see this in the moment, but rather realize it later, in retrospect, and sometimes not even then. It encourages us to have a more positive outlook as we wait for God to bring us full circle.

I liked that in each chapter, after Gunn talked about a person experience of being a victim of Grace, she went on to talk about a woman of the Bible who was also a victim of grace. Not all were obvious victims of grace--some of them we flat out have felt sorry for. But for each Gunn had a point about that woman that made it clear that they were indeed victims of grace. One thing I would have liked to have seen were more personal experiences from other women other than Gunn. Not that her life story isn't interesting or inspiring; I just enjoy reading from many viewpoints on a subject such as this.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

Lone Wolf

Title: Lone Wolf
Author: Jodi Picoult
Labels: Fiction
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: February 28, 2012
Recommended To: YA, Adult
Contains: Foul language; 1 short, suggestive scene; topics of life and death.

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Blurb From Goodreads: On an icy winter night, a terrible accident forces a family divided to come together and make a fateful decision. Cara, once protected by her father, Luke, is tormented by a secret that nobody knows. Her brother, Edward, has secrets of his own. He has kept them hidden, but now they may come to light, and if they do, Cara will be devastated. Their mother, Georgie, was never able to compete with her ex-husband’s obsessions, and now, his fate hangs in the balance and in the hands of her children. With conflicting motivations and emotions, what will this family decide? And will they be able to live with that decision, after the truth has been revealed? What happens when the hope that should sustain a family is the very thing tearing it apart?
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Lone Wolf is probably one of the most interesting fiction book I've read. Picoult has woven a story real, living, breathing characters. I'll be honest, I didn't think one could write a book from so many different character viewpoints, all of which are written in first person. However, this book is written in at least six different character viewpoints, and not once did I get lost along the way, not once did I forget who's viewpoint I was reading. Each character has their own distinct voice, their own distinct past, their own distinct reasons for why they do what they do. The way she weaves these viewpoints is absolutely brilliant.

My favorite character viewpoint was Luke. Ironic, really, because during the greater part of the book he is in a vegetative state. Rather, intermittently he would have a short chapter, in which he would tell of some past experience with the wolves he lived with, and how the pack operated, and his own personal feelings. These intervals came perfectly, because it would set the stage for the following chapters. As you read through the book, you come to realize that the things pointed out relate very much to the motives behind the other characters actions and words, driving the plot along.

I really can't say anything about the plot itself--other than the blurb--because it is so realistic, so complex that I honestly don't know what I could say without giving away part of it. You'll just have to read it for yourself. One thing I did not like, however, was the language used. The first fifty pages or so are clean as a whistle, then as the tensions in the plot pick up, so does the foul language. I ended up keeping a thin sharpie marker with the book so that when I ran across these words I could black them out, because honestly, I would have to have to chuck the book because the plot and characters are fantastic--but I can't have myself, others, or my siblings reading that kind of garbage. Other than that, I was very happy with this book.

I bought this book, and therefore was not required to write a review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

Promise Me This

Title: Promise Me This
Author: Cathy Gohlke
Labels: Fiction | Historical Fiction
Publisher: Tyndale House
Publication Date: January 24, 2012
Recommended To: Historical fiction and romance readers.
Contains: Clean.

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Blurb From Goodreads: Michael Dunnagan was never supposed to sail on the "Titanic," nor would he have survived if not for the courage of Owen Allen. Determined to carry out his promise to care for Owen's relatives in America and his younger sister, Annie, in England, Michael works hard to strengthen the family's New Jersey garden and landscaping business.Annie Allen doesn't care what Michael promised Owen. She only knows that her brother is gone--like their mother and father--and the grief is enough to swallow her whole. As Annie struggles to navigate life without Owen, Michael reaches out to her through letters. In time, as Annie begins to lay aside her anger that Michael lived when Owen did not, a tentative friendship takes root and blossoms into something neither expected. Just as Michael saves enough money to bring Annie to America, WWI erupts in Europe. When Annie's letters mysteriously stop, Michael risks everything to fulfill his promise--and find the woman he's grown to love--before she's lost forever.
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Promise Me This is a book that I've been picking at for a long time. Not because it was boring--not by any means--but because the copy I have of it is an ebook and I rarely have the opportunity to read ebooks. This was probably a really good book for me to have as an ebook, however, because it was interesting and memorable enough for me to go weeks--and occasionally a month--without reading any of it and still being able to remember everything that was happening when I got an opportunity to read a few chapters.

I love historical fiction, and this book covers a time period I don't often have the chance to read. It covered the better span of two peoples lives, Annie Allen and Micheal. Despite the huge period of time covered, the book as a whole flowed nicely and kept me engaged. I loved how the plot was intricately weaved. One more than one occasion I couldn't predict the next twist, which kept me turning pages.

Overall I really enjoyed Promise Me This. This is a book I would gladly recommend. Maybe even read again in the future--though I'm unlikely to forget it's fantastic plotline. I bought this book off Amazon. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

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Wishing on Willows

Title: Wishing on Willows
Author: Katie Ganshert
Labels: Fiction | Christian | Romance
Publisher: Waterbrook Mutlnomah
Publication Date: March 19, 2013
Recommended To: Women, Ganshert fans, YA
Contains: Clean.

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: A three-year old son, a struggling café, and fading memories are all Robin Price has left of her late husband. As the proud owner of Willow Tree Café in small town Peaks, Iowa,  she pours her heart into every muffin she bakes and espresso she pulls, thankful for the sense of purpose and community the work provides. So when developer Ian McKay shows up in Peaks with plans to build condos where her café and a vital town ministry are located, she isn’t about to let go without a fight.
          As stubborn as he is handsome, Ian won’t give up easily. His family’s business depends on his success in Peaks. But as Ian pushes to seal the deal, he wonders if he has met his match. Robin’s gracious spirit threatens to undo his resolve, especially when he discovers the beautiful widow harbors a grief that resonates with his own. With polarized opinions forming all over town, business becomes unavoidably personal and Robin and Ian must decide whether to cling to the familiar or surrender their plans to the God of Second Chances.
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          One of the things I remember most about Ganshert's first book, Wildflowers from Winter, was the raw emotion in it. I loved it--every minute of it. It was probably one the most emotionally engaging books I've ever read. In Wishing on Willows, we get the same moving emotion, but it was different. Refined. While the first book was raw, leaving it all out there on the floor for you to recover from for the next week, the second was refined emotion that keeps bringing you back to the thought of it.
          I liked the plot line of Wishing on Willows. While certain details reminded me of Ganshert's first book, the plot wasn't quite what I was expecting. It kept me interested, engaged, and turning pages. At the end I honestly had no idea what was going to happen, but the whole thing still moved along smoothly and naturally.
          Katie Ganshert has yet to disappoint me. Her books are full of emotion, realistic situations, and crazy twists. Oh...and her guy characters are really cute...but at the same time, very human. I look forward to ready any and all future books from this talented author. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

Swept Away (Trouble in Texas, #1)

Title: Swept Away
Author: Mary Connealy
Labels: Fiction | Historical Fiction
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: March 1, 2013
Recommended To: Women, YA, Adult
Contains: Clean. Slightly suggestive of some marital occurrences, but in a clean way.

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: Swept away when her wagon train attempts a difficult river crossing, Ruthy MacNeil isn't all that upset at being separated from the family who raised her. All they've ever done is work her to the bone. She prayed for a chance to get away, and then came the raging flood. Alive but disoriented, she's rescued by Luke Stone...so unfortunately, there are more chances to die in her immediate future.
Luke is heading home to reclaim the ranch stolen from his family. But the men who killed his father are working hard to ensure Luke doesn't make it alive. He has no choice but to keep moving. Still, he can't just abandon Ruthy, so she'll have to come along.
His friends--a ragtag group of former Civil War soldiers--take a fast interest in the pretty gal. Luke thinks that's rather rude--he's the one who found her. And the more time he spends around the hard-working young woman who is a mighty good cook, the more he finds himself thinking beyond revenge and toward a different future. For the first time in a long time, Luke is tempted to turn from his destructive path and be swept away by love.
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          I'll be honest, this wasn't my favorite book that I've ever read, but it wasn't bad. For the most part it kept me engaged and interested. The characters were all unique, but at times I felt like they were kind of one dimensional. I mean, everyone had their reason for doing what they did, and an overall motive. But nothing ever really stood in the way of that one motive; nothing really challenged their way of thinking. I felt like none of the characters really had any conflicting opinions that got in the way.

          The plot was interesting, and I'll admit that there were two twists that I didn't see coming. One was good in the sense I wasn't expecting it, but even that wasn't as exciting as I would have preferred. The second twist was just plain funny. It was hilarious to read that section from a guys point of view--I got a kick out of the explanations and reasoning of the dude's head. Definitely made it worth the read.

          Overall, while it wasn't my favorite, Swept Away was a good read. It had it's corny, stilted moments, but the section of humor was all worthwhile. This is a book that definitely got better as it progressed. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.