My prayer is that these Scriptures will speak to your hearts today and reach deep into your souls.
Speak, Lord
Month: September 2021
Review: AN UNEXPECTED AMISH HARVEST by Carrie Lighte
This is a short book that is a quick and lovely read. Set in the Amish world of a potato farm in Maine, it brought back memories of my own time of living in Maine and how focused everyone was when it was potato harvest time. Susanna Peachy goes to live with her grandfather and his wife because her step-grandmother has a broken wrist and needs help during this busy time. Unknown to her before her arrival, her grandfather has hired her former suitor, Peter Lambright, to help with the harvest. That means Susanna will see him daily as one of her duties is to make and serve lunch to the workers. I enjoyed the sweetness of the story and the realistic details about the characters and the setting. Susanna was self-conscious about her appearance and has made big changes by changing her dietary habits. That fact attracts attention from other possible suitors and also makes her wonder if people can be so shallow as to only like others who look good physically. The story had a lesson to teach and a love story to tell, with some obstacles in the way of the would-be couple. Fans of light romance will enjoy reading the story and learn about how hard potato harvesting can be.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
About the Author
Carrie Lighte enjoys traveling to Amish communities across the United States and she hopes to visit a few in Canada soon, too. When she isn’t writing, reading or researching, she likes to hike, kayak and spend time at the beach.
Connect with the Author
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/carrielighte Website: http://www.carrielighte.com/books
Buy An Unexpected Amish Harvest by Carrie Lighte
Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335567185_an-unexpected-amish- harvest.html Amazon Barnes and Noble Target Powells
Review of THE SECRET KEEPERS OF OLD DEPOT GROCERY by Amanda Cox
This is a beautifully written multi-generational story with a theme of finding redemption by letting go of the past and forgiving yourself. Glory Ann is the matriarch of the family, an octogenarian grandmother who wants to finish out her days running the family grocery store in their little town. Her daughter Rosemary, however, is determined to sell the store and ease her mother into the comforts of living out her years resting. Sarah, Rosemary’s daughter, has suffered a tremendous loss in her life and has come home to heal and to work at the family’s grocery store, the last place that she really felt happy and fulfilled. All three women have secrets from each other and all three have to forgive themselves before they can open themselves up to a true family relationship. Told in the present and the past, this book slowly reveals the secrets and the anguish that each woman is secretly holding on to. I especially enjoyed these revelations, anxiously awaiting each secret to be revealed to each other and for the reactions of the others once they were revealed. The characters were so realistic that I almost expected them to jump off the page and speak to me. The plot took what could have been trite and made it into a wonderfully woven story of strong women who have to face the past and find the future together. There are so many layers to this book, with childhood neglect and grandparents who spurn their kin, but the best part was that as a reader, I was reading all of the secrets and urging the characters on to discover the truth and to embrace forgiveness for the past. The lessons that can be learned from reading this lovely tale are manifold, but I think the one that is most memorable for me is that of acceptance and moving forward. I thoroughly enjoyed this book of Christian fiction, with a foundation of faith but not so overwhelming that it took over the entire story. Fans of contemporary women’s fiction will enjoy this novel and ponder the wisdom that it imparts.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Purchase Links for this Lovely Story:
Many heartfelt thanks to Revell for giving me the opportunity to read and review this life-changing story!
BE THE LIGHT
BE THE LIGHT
Review of HER PERFECT LIFE by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Wow! I mean all caps, WOW! I have not read a book this fast in years, but I honestly couldn’t put this one down. This psychological thriller is a character study about family and choices (good and bad ones). It’s about innocence and second chances. Oh, my! The story is centered around a television investigative reporter named Lily who is known as #PerfectLily because that is how her life seems to be. She has a producer named Greer as her friend, a nanny named Petra to take care of her household and the most darling little seven year old named Rowen that anyone could ever hope to meet within the pages of a book. But all is not actually perfect in Lily’s life because when she was about Rowen’s age, her beloved older sister Cassie came into her room and told her good-bye and then vanished. Lily has always wondered what happened to Cassie, but there are no easy answers and even though she has the intelligence and connections to find her, she hasn’t been successful in her quest. When a confidential informant starts feeding Lily and Greer information, they are a little wary but the tips are useful so they choose not to look a gift horse in the mouth. When Lily starts getting strange gifts, she begins to suspect that what the detective had told her about Cassie may not be the truth. Her investigation and its effect on her life is the crux of the story, but there is so much more to it! You just have to read it to find out why I am absolutely in love with this book and cannot recommend it highly enough. Secrets, lies, betrayals! The characterization was perfection and the plot was captivating from beginning to end. As I said, I couldn’t devour it fast enough and know that you will want to get your hands on this little jewel as soon as possible. Just book a weekend away to read it because you will want to keep reading until you have found the mystery to #PerfectLily.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Publishing on September 14th! Purchase Links:
Outward Appearances
bible.com/bible/1171/1sa.16.7.MEV
We are frequently deceived by outward appearances and judge people accordingly. My prayer is that I will look deeper, at the person that they are on the inside, the character that they have developed and the integrity that they demonstrate. Some of the most handsome and most beautiful people in the world are the most selfish and judgmental. It’s not the beauty on the outside that matters to God and it shouldn’t matter to us, either. Each of us is created to be a unique part of God’s creation. We need to find our place in this world and stand tall, knowing that we are children of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
May God bless and keep you close to His heart today.
Happy Labor Day!
It’s that time of year when thoughts turn to another year of work, another year of school, another year of setting and trying to keep goals. Yes, it is Labor Day. Did you know that this day was established back in the late 1800’s when people marched in NYC demanding better pay and time off? Of course, they were working twelve hours per day, six days per week. These days, there are many who have decided just to remain at home and get the paycheck from the government who has so willingly decided to make them dependents. My thoughts on that come from the Scriptures.
We are to work so as to not be a burden to others. Our primary goal is to do the work of the Lord, but we also have to have a job that pays for our food and shelter. The government, also known as the taxpayer, does not owe us anything.
Harsh words, right? I have read in several books that in establishing the colonies, several of the governors used this Scripture to make sure that the people understood that working was to be undertaken by everyone. How far we have come from this! It has become the responsibility of Uncle Sam to feed us (EBT), to shelter us (HUD) and to meet our medical needs, too. That was not how God established things to be. Work=Eat. Simple equation that we need to return to. I know what you are thinking: But, Covid….Yes, there was and is a pandemic (I prefer my daughter’s word for it, the “plandemic”), but God doesn’t say to work and eat as long as there are no dangers to your health. I don’t see any conditions to the statement above. We did what the government said to do for over a year. China sent us a virus, tanked our economy, influenced our election and still has many too afraid to go out to earn a living. Work=Eat.
The final word for Labor Day is that we should not get tired in doing good for others. I don’t know about you, but I am most energized when I have a purpose, a reason to get up in the morning and to get my day started. Imagine if every day, each of us awakened with a sense of having a partnership with God and doing good each day for someone! What a different world it would be! Instead of “me, me, me”, it would be “you, you, you.” I would like to live in such a world, a world where people are kind just because it’s the right thing to do, where people understand that we are all humans sharing this planet until God calls us home to be with Him. Our time on earth is finite, but our kind words and deeds can last forever. We just have to reach out to a hurting world and give them the same hope that Jesus has given us.
My prayer is for each of you to have a blessed Labor Day, reflecting on God’s goodness to you and directing it out to others. 🙏🏻
Review of READING BETWEEN THE CRIMES by Kate Young
I was intrigued by this book from the beginning because it actually starts with a charity function at which Lyla discovers a dead body. Lyla is a private investigator with her Uncle Charlie’s firm in Sweet Mountain, Georgia, and she loves nothing more than a good mystery. In this latest book in the Jane Doe series, Lyla and her group of friends who enjoy mysteries (the real ones and the ones in the books they discuss in their Jane Doe group), are hard-pressed to discover what is really happening under the surface of the murder mystery itself. I love a good puzzle and this book surely fit the bill! With plenty of red herrings and lots of suspects, I was completely blown away by the unexpected ending. Loved it! The characters are well-developed and even though there are plenty of them, I felt as though I knew each one well enough to keep guessing and eliminating suspects as I followed the well-developed plot and clues. This is the second book in the series, but it can definitely be read as a standalone. I really look forward to more in this cozy mystery series. This one surely had an edge to it that was a pleasant surprise, so I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
This new cozy mystery is coming your way on September 7th, so get ready! Pre-order it today. Purchase Links:
Get cozy and solve the mystery along with the Jane Doe Book Club and master sleuth Lyla! 🏘 💵 📗
Review of DON’T LOOK NOW by Mary Burton
A fast-paced, non-stop thrill ride! The story of Detective Jordan Poe and her quest for justice is one that is as memorable as it is high-octane. From the beginning, when Jordan is determined to find the killer who is wrapping young woman in plastic and killing them, the atmosphere is dark and forbidding. When Texas Ranger Carter Spencer takes over her case, I could feel her rage boiling over. The case has a lot of twists and turns, including a debilitating injury to Jordan when she goes to a crime scene alone. Her sister Avery is still fighting the demons of drug addiction and is a companion and helper to her injured sibling. The killer was mostly a surprise although I must admit that I did guess correctly about three-fourths of the way through the book. The clues were well hidden, so finding out that I was right was an extra bonus for me. The story itself rocketed its way from the first victim to the conclusion, with a head of steam that would not quit. I discovered a lot to like about Jordan. She is a strong female protagonist who is also independent and a worthy opponent to criminals. She is compassionate and kind to the families of the victims and she is the kind of sister that everyone would like to have, the one who believes in you and who helps you along the way. The characters were important to the story, but the plot carried them in an intriguing and intense way that just did not let up. I raced to finish this book as I just wanted all to be wrapped up with a neat bow in the end. Well, it was, kind of. There was a romantic element to the story, too, but it took second place to the mystery of who the killer was and what his motivation was for his depravity. Fans of mystery, romantic suspense and thrillers will enjoy this new book and look forward to more adventures of Jordan Poe.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in a accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
This thrill ride will be available on September 28, 2021, but you can pre-order it now! Purchase Links:
Target Indiebound Powells Barnes and Noble Amazon
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 