Sunday, March 18, 2018
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
The Newcomer by Suzanne Woods Fisher Blog tour ~ Giveaway
Click here to purchase your copy.
About the Book
Book: The Newcomer
Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Genre: Historical; Amish
Release Date: January 31
In 1737, Anna Konig and her fellow church members stagger off a small wooden ship after ten weeks at sea, eager to start a new life in the vibrant but raw Pennsylvania frontier. On the docks of Port Philadelphia waits bishop Jacob Bauer, founder of the settlement and father to ship carpenter Bairn. It’s a time of new beginnings for the reunited Bauer family, and for Anna and Bairn’s shipboard romance to blossom.
But this perfect moment cannot last. As Bairn grasps the reality of what it means to be Amish in the New World–isolated, rigid with expectations, under the thumb of his domineering father–his enthusiasm evaporates. When a sea captain offers the chance to cross the ocean one more time, Bairn grabs it. Just one more crossing, he promises Anna. But will she wait for him?
When Henrik Newman joins the church just as it makes its way to the frontier, Anna is torn. He seems to be everything Bairn is not–bold, devoted, and delighted to vie for her heart. And the most dramatic difference? He is here; Bairn is not.
Far from the frontier, an unexpected turn of events weaves together the lives of Bairn, Anna, and Henrik. When a secret is revealed, which true love will emerge?
About the Author
Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including Anna’s Crossing, The Bishop’s Family series, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher.
Guest Post from Suzanne Woods Fisher
Pennsylvania of 1737, the setting for The Newcomer, is like a foreign country. Parts of it might seem familiar—the same hills and creeks and blue sky, but we’d hardly recognize the settlers. People like Anna, or Bairn, or the mysterious Newcomer. We wouldn’t be able to understand their language, their customs and traditions. Their world was that different from our modern one.
The first group of Amish immigrants (first written about in Anna’s Crossing and followed up in The Newcomer) settled northwest of Philadelphia, then a vast wilderness, and relied on each other for safety, security, building projects, and church. In nearby Germantown, settlers were tradesmen, so they clustered houses together in small knots. The Amish farmers took out land warrants for sizeable properties and lived considerable distances from each other.
In The Newcomer, Anna cooked food in a cauldron over a large hearth. One-pot meals can trace their beginnings to open-hearth cooking when ingredients for a meal went into a large kettle suspended over the fire. Traditional dishes—ham and beans, pork and sauerkraut—used sturdy, available, and simple ingredients that improved with long, slow cooking. The dishes could be easily expanded when the need arose to set a few more places at the table. And it did, often. Large families and unannounced company inspired Amish cooks to find ways to “stretch the stew.”
Noodles (including dumplings and rivvels) could be tossed into a simmering broth to make a meal stretch. Most farms had a flock of chickens, so eggs were easily at hand. Today, homemade noodles are still a favorite dish.
Another “stew stretcher” was cornmeal mush, originally eaten as a bread substitute. Early German settlers who made their home in eastern Pennsylvania roasted the yellow field corn in a bake oven before it was shelled and ground at the mill. The roasting process gave a nutty rich flavor to the cornmeal. Mush is still part of the diet the Old Order Amish—cooked and fried, baked, added into scrapple, smothered in ketchup. Dress it up and you’ve got polenta.
Now here’s one thing we do have in common with 1737 Pennsylvania immigrants…a love of good food and a shortage of time! Here’s one of my favorite one-pot recipes—probably not the kind of stew Anna might have made for ship carpenter Bairn or the mysterious Newcomer (ah, which man one stole her heart?)…but definitely delicious. Enjoy!
Lentil Chili
Here’s one of my favorite “stew stretchers.” You can expand it even more by serving over rice.
Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
10 c. water
1 lb. dry lentils
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt (season to your taste)
½ tsp. pepper
2 c. salsa (your favorite variety)
29 oz. canned tomatoes, crushed
Blog Stops
February 7: cherylbbookblog
February 7: Moments Dipped in Ink
February 7: inklings and notions
February 8: Just Commonly
February 8: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
February 8: Ashley’s Bookshelf
February 9: A Reader’s Brain
February 9: Genesis 5020
February 9: A Simple Life, really?!
February 10: Lane Hill House
February 10: Blogging With Carol
February 10: Eat, Read, Teach, Blog
February 11: Quiet Quilter
February 11: Daysong Reflections
February 11: Southern Gal Loves to Read
February 12: Christian Bookaholic
February 12: Jeanette’s Thoughts
February 12: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
February 13: Karen Sue Hadley
February 13: Just the Write Escape
February 14: Rhonda’s Doings
February 14: Bigreadersite
February 14: Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses
February 15: Blossoms and Blessings
February 15: Connie’s History Classroom
February 16: Bibliophile Reviews
February 16: Book by Book
February 17: Pause for Tales
February 17: A Holland Reads
February 18: A Greater Yes
February 18: The Power of Words
February 19: Lighthouse Academy
February 19: A Baker’s Perspective
February 20: By The Book
February 20: Giveaway Lady
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away a Kindle! Click below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/b0d1
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
An Uncommon Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray
Overwhelmed by the responsibilities of running a ranch on her own, Laurel Tracey decides to hire a convict—a man who’s just scary enough to take care of squatters and just desperate enough to agree to a one year post.
The years following the war have been hard on Laurel Tracey. Both her brother and her father died in battle, and her mother passed away shortly after receiving word of their demise. Laurel has been trying to run her two hundred acre ranch as best she can.
When she discovers that squatters have settled in her north pasture and have no intention of leaving, Laurel decides to use the last of her money to free a prisoner from the local jail. If she agrees to offer him room and board for one year, he will have to work for her to pay off his debt.
Former soldier Thomas Baker knows he’s in trouble when he finds himself jailed because he couldn’t pay a few fines. Laurel’s offer might be his only ticket out. Though she’s everything he ever dreamed of in a woman—sweet and tender-hearted, yet strong—he’s determined to remain detached, work hard on her behalf, and count the days until he’s free again.
But when cattle start dying and the squatters damage a barn, Thomas realizes more than just his freedom is on the line. Laurel needs someone to believe in her and protect her property. And it isn’t long before Laurel realizes that Thomas Baker is far more than just a former soldier. He’s a trustworthy hero who’s survived a terrible past. He needs more than just his freedom, he needs her love and care too.
About the Author
I grew up in Houston, Texas, went to Colorado for college, and after living in Arizona, Dallas, and Denver, we moved to southern Ohio about ten years ago.
I’ve always thought of myself as a very hard worker, but not ‘great’ at anything. I’ve obtained a bachelor’s and master’s degree…but I never was a gifted student. I took years of ballet and dance, but I never was anywhere near the star of any recital. I love to cook, but I’m certainly not close to being gourmet…and finally I love to write books, but I’ve certainly read far better authors.
Maybe you are a little bit like me. I’ve been married for almost twenty years and have raised two kids. I try to exercise but really should put on my tennis shoes a whole lot more. I’m not a great housekeeper, I hate to drive in the snow, and I don’t think I’ve ever won a Monopoly game. However, I am the best wife and mother I know how to be.
Isn’t it wonderful to know that in God’s eyes that is okay? That from His point of view, we are all exceptional? I treasure that knowledge and am always so thankful for my faith. His faith in me makes me stand a little straighter, smile a little bit more, and be so very grateful for every gift He’s given me.
I started writing about the Amish because their way of life appealed to me. I wanted to write stories about regular. likable people in extraordinary situations-and who just happened to be Amish.
Getting the opportunity to write Inspirational novels is truly gratifying. With every book, I feel my faith grows stronger. And that makes me feel very special indeed.
My Review
Although I did not read the first book in this series, I did not feel like I missed anything. I will of course go back and read the first book, just to gain some more history and understanding of the time and happenings. It is like meeting new friends and really until you get to know their history, you cannot always relate to why they do the things they do or think the way they think....
What an adventurous and sweet story ! Historical Fiction is one of my first loves in reading. I absolutely love Civil War Era stories. I think it is amazing when two people are put together in life not knowing that they could be exactly what each other needs. Laurel needs help on her ranch for sure after losing all her family. Will she find that help ? Will the man she chooses to help, help her ? Triumph through adversity in life makes for a real touching story.
Thomas seems like he is just counting his days till he is free, but I got the feeling while reading that God had other plans for both of them. Will he see that Laurel is everything he needs in life and in a woman ? He sure is a romantic at heart. He is also a hard worker. He has been through a lot and really needs someone to help him go on in life in faith and love. Will Laurel be that woman ?
If you love history and a sweet romance with some trials in life thrown in, you will love this book. I can't wait to see what comes next in the lives of Laurel and Thomas !
I really love the way this story is so full of detail and it made me feel like I was right there on the ranch, living the story. Almost as if I was Laurel !
You Can Find Your Copy Here:
Paperback
An Uncommon Protector (A Lone Star Hero's Love Story)
Kindle
An Uncommon Protector (A Lone Star Hero's Love Story) Kindle Edition
Also for more fun and excitement....
and in the meantime... If you would like to try to win some of Shelley's other books.... Check out this giveaway !!! (click on the picture)
Saturday, February 4, 2017
The Healing Art of Essential Oils A Guide to 50 Oils for Remedy, Ritual, and Everyday Use byKac Young, PhD
Simple and potent, essential oils will transport you into a new world of aromatic awakening, physical healing, and natural delight. The Healing Art of Essential Oils is a comprehensive guide to fifty carefully selected oils, providing a master class in beneficial uses, blending suggestions, spiritual uses, background and history, cautions, names, ruling planet, and corresponding element.
Used for their spiritual and curative properties by cultures around the world for thousands of years, the essential oils presented here can help you achieve holistic wellness and personal enrichment. Discover how to use oils for physical and emotional healing. Explore how oils compliment chakra work and astrology. Learn which oils to purchase first and which to avoid. This book also includes recipes for pain remedies, aphrodisiacs, warding off coughs and colds, insect repellent, household cleaners, relaxation and stress relief, skin creams and moisturizers, weight loss rubs, and much more.
About the Author
Formerly a producer and director in the television industry, Kac Young, PhD, observed the harmful effects of stress and unhealthy working conditions, leading her to earn a Doctorate in Clinical Hypnotherapy, a Doctorate in Natural Healing, and the title of Naturopathic Doctor as a third credential. She's studied health, healing, biofeedback, past-life regression, Bach flowers, and Chinese Medicine, and she's traveled to all parts of the world to study under respected healers and teachers. She runs a private practice where she consults with people who want to change their lifestyle, prolong their lives, and use as many natural products as possible in the process, helping people with weight loss, smoking cessation, addiction therapy as well as the healing of physical conditions and chronic issues.
Social Media
My Review
I have really enjoyed this book ! One reason being that it is something I have longed to learn about and the other is that it is filled with a lot of educational thoughts and facts. I have enjoyed the history of essential oils and also learning how they are made. I have been taking notes as I go through each section as there was much I wanted to retain in memory for future use. Also the links to the websites of reference I will be checking out in the near future.
I have been looking for a in depth book to learn about essential oils and their uses, I have found this book to be just that book I was looking for ! If you also would love to learn about essential oils, I hope you will look into this book for your library at home or your kindle. I love kindle as it allows me to take my books with me everywhere I go.
You can get your copy here:
Disclaimer: I received a free kindle copy of this book via NetGalley for my unbiased review and have received no further compensation for doing so.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Wake Up Smiling 40 Devotions for a Hope-Filled Life by Audrey Meisner
Before you open your eyes or say a word each morning, a few precious moments have the potential to place you on the pathway of peace and hope. Make these seconds count. They are more important than you can even imagine!
In Wake Up Smiling, Audrey shares her very personal journey of taking three simple Bible verses and believing them in a way that some may say is outrageous. Living heaven on earth has become very real for her, and every morning she wakes up with hope. If you’re ready to live, dream, and experience freedom from worry and fear, Jesus really is as close as the mention of His name. He’s waiting to share His secrets with those who will abandon all and say, “I am ready.”
God has a recipe for hope for you. It is practical, it will turn your life around, and it starts as you wake up.
My Review
This book is filled with 40 relatively short devotional readings to give you a smile as you start your day ! I would say that each may take 5 to 15 minutes to read and give insight into how to apply the lesson learned to your life. It is a very good way to get to know the Lord better and what he wants for our lives. It is an enjoyable thing to do each day and a great way to start your day with the Lord. I really am enjoying this devotional and It would make a nice gift for giving to a friend or a friend shut in !
You can get your copy here:
I received a Kindle digital copy of this book free for my honest review from the publisher via NetGalley and have received no further compensation for doing so. The opinions here are my own opinions.
Choose Joy: 3-Minute Devotions for Women Compiled by Barbour Staff
Got 3 minutes to spare? You'll find the spiritual pick-me-up you need in Choose Joy: 3-Minute Devotions for Women. Written especially the twenty-first-century woman, this delightful devotional packs a powerful dose of comfort, encouragement, and joy into just-right-sized readings. Minute 1: scripture to meditate on; Minute 2: a short devotional reading; Minute 3: a prayer to jump-start a conversation with God. This portable package makes a fabulous any-occasion gift for every woman.
My Review
I really like this Devotional ! It is short and just the right thing to start the day with if your a busy mom. It could also be read to daughters by the mom as a short devotion of God's Love to share with them as they move into womanhood. Being a homeschool mom it is important to me to spend a few minutes with the Lord and this gave me a few minutes if I get up and children are already up. It brings peace and joy to my heart in a few short moments and that is what I needed lately to inspire me.
You can get your copy here:
I received a kindle digital copy of this book free for my unbiased review through NetGalley and have received no further compensation for doing so. The opinions expressed are my personal ones and not those of the publisher of this book.
Raging Storm (Book 2 The Remnant Series ) by Vannetta Chapman
In the Darkness,
Anarchy Awakens
When a massive solar flare wiped out all modern technology across the globe, the small town of Abney, Texas, was thrown into chaos. Shelby Sparks and her teenage son, Carter, have found refuge, but Shelby knows she can't simply remain hidden. Carter is a type 1 diabetic in need of insulin—and Shelby will risk her life traveling to Austin to make sure he gets it.
Shelby's best friend and high school sweetheart, Max Berkman, won't even consider letting her make the perilous journey alone. Together, they manage to reach the capital—only to discover that while things are desperate in Abney, Austin has turned into an urban nightmare on the brink of anarchy.
Shelby and Max's search for medical supplies will lead them into terrifying territory, where the only thing more uncertain than finding what they need is the hope of making it out of the city alive.
* * *
In this second book in an eerily plausible, action-packed dystopian series, survival will be threatened and faith will be put to the ultimate test as a raging storm engulfs America.
About the Author
Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace, including romantic suspense and Amish romance novels. Chapman was a teacher for 15 years and currently writes full-time. She lives in the Texas hill country with her husband, pets, and a herd of deer.
Website
Social Media
My Review
Being a Mamma to a son who is Type 1 diabetic , this series by Vannetta really hits close to home for me... I think for years it has always been my biggest fear , that if SHTF so to say there would be no insulin for my son. Thank the Lord he is 27 and a wonderful husband and father of 2 sons and soon to be another blessing !
When I first heard of Vannetta's New Series, I was at first surprized as it didn't seem like her normal type of books. I had grown use to her Amish Fiction ! Well when she said it was a story about a Mother with a Son who was Type 1 Diabetic, well I had to grab a copy of Deep Shadows to read. Having a son who is type 1 and always wondering what we would do made this book come alive to me. I can say that dystopian stories have not been my genre of choice, but I had read a few books by another christian author that also were and so I thought well this one really hits close to home, so I read it! I remember saying that there needed to be a sequel.
So here I am looking for books to add to my blog for review and There it is !!! The 2nd book in the series ! Yay !!! I was thrilled.
So, How does Shelby get through the hard times ? Like me she is consumed with trying to be there for her son Carter ! I love a story of a mothers love for her child or children, it just warms my heart, but the suspense keeps me turning the page and I love how Vannetta brings me right into the story and makes you feel as if you are right there in the heat of it all !
I can say that my heart has been feeling all the drama of this series and if you have a child who is diabetic you will surely feel the intense moments of motherhood on a mission. Does Shelby find the needed supplies ? Does real love find it's way into her life and heart amidst these terribly hard times ? ( No spoilers here ) The story has held my interest and it has been hard to put it down at times , it has kept me awake at night...lol The suspense has been tense and I love a great story that keeps me on my toes and this did it.
If you like Suspense, Danger, Mystery if you will...
You will Love this Story !
Yes Vannetta has again written and awesome tale, you won't be disappointed !
You can get your's Here:
Book 2 The Remnant Series
Book 1 The Remnant Series
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Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of Raging Storm from NetGalley for my honest review and have received no further compensation for doing so.