The Blended Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter & Jean Brunstetter

 

Book Description:  Sadie Kuhns has a lot happening in her life. She is creating a unique quilt by blending a traditional Amish pattern with a Hawaiian pattern as a tribute to her time spent in the islands, and she is working on a self-published book. But her relationship with Wyman Kauffman has stagnated after six months of courtship. He can’t seem to commit to a profession that would secure a future, and he is jealous of the time Sadie gives to her own pursuits. Is there really any reason to drag this courtship out? 

My Thoughts:  Ahh!  The trials of budding romance.  Except that poor Sadie seems to have a bit more of the trial then most.  Her relationship with Wyman seems to budding and thriving and then nothing!  A nothing more than 'hi' relationship.

Sadie like most Amish young women knows how to quilt and do it well.  The only thing is Sadie has been to Hawaii, remember the Hawaiian Quilt?  Now Sadie wants to make a quilt putting Hawaii and her Amish roots together.  What a grand idea!  Sadie also wants to self publish a book. But her relationship or lack or relationship with Wyman seems to keep all her projects and thoughts on the back burner.

As the story evolves so does the relationship of Sadie and Wyman evolve with all of its ups and downs.

Sadie learns to overcome and Wyman learns to be productive.  Quite a gut story.

*This book was provided by Barbour Publishing*

What I Left for You: Volume 3 (Echoes of the Past) by Liz Tolsma

 Book Description:  A Family's Ties Were Broken in Poland of 1939   1939 Helena Kostyszak is an oddity—an educated female ethnic minority lecturing at a university in Krakow at the outbreak of WWII. When the Germans close the university and force Jews into the ghetto, she spirits out a friend's infant daughter and flees to her small village in the southern hills. Helena does everything in her power to protect her family, but it may not be enough. It will take all of her strength and God's intervention for both of them to survive the war and the ethnic cleansing to come.  Recently unengaged social worker McKenna Muir is dealt an awful blow when a two-year-old she's been working with is murdered. It's all too much to take, so her friend suggests she dive into her family's past like she's always wanted. Putting distance between herself and her problems might help her heal, so she and her friend head on Sabbatical to Poland. But what McKenna discovers about her family shocks everyone, including one long-lost family member. 

My Thoughts:  It's been awhile since I read a story authored by Liz Tolsma.  This is such an interesting story especially for WWII fans.

There are some sad times in the story but overall it's a story about faith, love and adventure.

Helena Kostyszak is a brave and adventurous young woman.  Even though she is sad and afraid at times she saddles up and does what needs top be done.  Accomplishing the task at hand.  Helena is a young woman to be admired.  

Then Helena's friend McKenna Muir is dealt a hard life blow so Helena suggests that they take a sabbatical to Poland.  This trip opens up all kinds of surprises and a mystery.  

Such an interesting read.  I loved reading about WWII and the trip that Helena and McKenna take.

This is a great rainy day or snowy day read.  Don't miss this story!

*This book was provided for review by Barbour Publishing*

 

 

Taste of Home has some of the BEST recipes and these cookies

 are the BEST for a fall treat!

Angel Sugar Crisps

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Water
• Additional white or colored sugar
• 
  

Directions:

• In a bowl, cream butter, shortening, sugars, egg and vanilla until
• light and fluffy. Sift together flour, soda, cream of tartar and
• salt. Add to creamed mixture; mix until blended. Shape into large
• marble-size balls. Dip half of ball into water, then in sugar.
• Place, sugared side up, on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400°
• for 6 minutes or until done. Cool. Yield: 4 dozen.

Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/angel-sugar-crisps#ixzz3JL7SyMXk

Joy to the World By Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt, and Erica Vetsch

 

Book Description:  In Heaven and Nature Sing, two music lovers, parted in youth, find their way back to one another. A woman and child cross paths with a wounded veteran and discover healing in Far As the Curse Is Found. And in The Wonders of His Love, can a portrait painter thaw a widow's heart? 

"Heaven and Nature Sing" by Carolyn Miller When family obligations part two people in love will they ever have a chance to love again?  Edith and George take family quite seriously, almost too seriously, until per happenstance they are in each others company once again after having fallen in love years before.  Edith longs for a family and George longs for Edith.  George must once again win Edith over. "Far as the Curse is Found" by Amanda Barratt This was an interesting short story.  A woman with a child out of wedlock in a day and age when such things were frowned upon.  And a poor, wounded solider.  When Dwight offers Jenny a job so she can feed her child happiness begins to blossom in two hearts. "Wonders of His Love" by Erica Vetsch Oh, my!  This story was so toughing,  A widow with a heart frozen with hurts as wide as a glacier and a painter with a warm heart just ready to heat up a frozen tundra.  The way that Hamish melts Cilla's heart is such a sweet story.  A story full of love and grace. These three stories are perfect to begin the holiday season.  Stories that will brighten your day and help you to get ready for warmth and happiness. *This book was provided for review by Kregel Publications*

All Is Calm, All Is Bright: A Colleen Coble Christmas Collection by Colleen Coble

 

 

Book Description: Return to two of Colleen Coble’s most beloved settings—Bluebird Ranch and Hope Beach—for holiday romance and mystery!

All Is Calm

It’s going to be an unexpectedly romantic Christmas at Bluebird Ranch.

Brendan Waddell has always considered Bluebird Ranch a little piece of heaven: an idyllic ranch that pairs abused children with abused horses, run by one of his Marine buddies. Now, it seems just the place to spend Christmas recovering from an on-the-job injury.

Lauren Everman first came to the ranch as a foster kid, but now knows it’s the perfect hideout. As the witness to a murder, Lauren needs somewhere to lie low. Her beauty immediately catches Brendan’s attention—but so does her secretive behavior. This Special Ops Intel man knows a woman on the run when he sees one. Can he trust her, or is she putting the ranch at risk? One thing is certain: he’s going to do everything he can to keep her safe so he can see what magic Christmas brings.

All Is Bright

A romantic Christmas wedding at Tidewater Inn gives Delilah’s unique gifts a chance to shine. But will her light be snuffed out before the bride and groom say “I do”?

As manager of the Tidewater Inn, Delilah Carter has been planning a spectacular Christmas wedding for her friend, Elin Summerall. But when Delilah’s car is forced off the road and into the ocean, she finally has to admit that the strange phone calls she’s been receiving lately may be more than just pranks.

Sheriff Tom Bourne has always had a soft spot for Delilah, and he’s determined to protect her. He hopes to win her heart by giving her the surprise gift of a lifetime . . . but first he has to make sure nothing happens to her before Christmas Day.

My Thoughts:  The Christmas reads are coming in...yay!  

Coleen Coble has two great novellas in one sweet book. 

The first novella, All Is Calm, is full of suspense.  Ironically, all is not calm at Bluebird Ranch.  Lauren Everman comes to the ranch to hide out.  She remembers the ranch from her days as a foster child. And Brendan Waddell comes to the ranch to visit friends. 

Brendan feels "love at first sight for Lauren.  But as he gets to know her he knows she is hiding something.  

A great short story full of suspense and mystery!

Then All Is Bright is the story about Delilah.  Delilah wants her friend to have the dream wedding she always wanted.  Sheriff Tom Bourne has admired Delilah and wants to protect her...he also wants to win her heart.  He plans a great surprise for her.  

Another great suspense short story with wonderful characters that come to life in the pages of a great read!

This book would make a nice Christmas card for someone who needs a lift during the holidays.

• Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0718037820
• ISBN-13: 978-0718037826

 Book Description:  A terrible darkness has fallen upon Jacob Weisz's beloved Germany. The Nazi regime, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, has surged to power and now hold Germany by the throat. All non-Aryans -- especially Jews like Jacob and his family -- are treated like dogs.

When tragedy strikes during one terrible night of violence, Jacob flees and joins rebel forces working to undermine the regime. But after a raid goes horribly wrong, Jacob finds himself in a living nightmare -- trapped in a crowded, stinking car on the train to the Auschwitz death camp.

As World War II rages and Hitler begins implementing his "final solution" to systematically and ruthlessly exterminate the Jewish people, Jacob must rely on his wits and a God he's not sure he believes in to somehow escape from Auschwitz and alert the world to the Nazi's atrocities before Fascism overtakes all of Europe. The fate of millions hangs in the balance.

My Thoughts:  Joel C. Rosenberg writes with a death defying description that left this reader gasping for breath and a rapidly beating heart.  

The scenes, the senselessness of it.all, the hope, the courage and the escape!  Oh!what!a!read!  

Reading about WWII is a passion of mine but when an author like Mr. Rosenberg writes a novel that feels so real, that feels like it took place yesterday, and when the events seem as if they could be happening right now, in this very country....well, the reader may, just as I did, gently close the book, take a deep breath and timidly open the pages again to read about Jacob.  

Ah!  This was not an "easy" read for me.  Breath taking, heart pounding, mind boggling...how could people...how could one man {Hitler} be so cruel!??!  Why would people follow a mad man?!?! How do these atrocities come to pass?!?!?  

At times it was hard to read but yet, hard not to read!  Wanting to know what was going to happen but barely daring to breathe...now that's a book that begs to be read by all!

What a read!

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414336241
• ISBN-13: 978-1414336244

In the Shadow of Denali (The Heart of Alaska) by Tracie Peterson, Kimberley Woodhouse

 

 

Book Description:  Cassidy Ivanoff and her father, John, work at the new and prestigious Curry Hotel outside Mt. McKinley. While John will be expedition and wilderness exploration guide for the wealthy tourists, Cassidy has signed on as a cook's assistant. Both are busy as the hotel prepares to welcome the president of the United States on his way to drive in the golden spike to officially complete the railroad.

Allan Brennan travels to the Curry Hotel to be an apprentice of a seasoned Alaska mountain guide. Ever since his father's death climbing Mt. McKinley, he's worked to earn enough money to make the trek to the Alaska territory himself. His father's partner blames their guide for the death of his father, but Allan wants to find the truth for himself. He finds an unlikely ally in Cassidy, and as the two begin to look into the mystery, they suddenly find that things are much less clear, and much more dangerous, than either could ever imagine.

My Thoughts:  I've always loved books authored by Tracie Petersen and now she has teamed up with Kimberley Woodhouse to write a great story set in Alaska.

Cassidy Ivanoff and her father, John, are in Alaska to work at the famous Curry Hotel which is within view of Mt. McKinley.

Cassidy is working as a cook's assistant and her father will be a guide in the wilderness for wealthy guests.

Then Allan Brennan comes along to be an apprentice as a mountain guide.

This historical romance was fascinating!  And Cassidy's cooking skills...as well as, the mountain guides adventures was a fun lesson for this reader.

There is a bit of a mystery in this read too.  Allan's father's guide blames the death of his father on their guide but Allan is there to be an apprentice so he can to find out the truth concerning his father's death.

Meeting Cassidy and finding that she is a great partner in helping him find out the truth in this somewhat dangerous mystery.

Then the president of the USA is making a stop at the hotel as he travels to drive the golden spike to complete the railroad.

A lot of history and mystery combined with some sweet romance.

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• Series: The Heart of Alaska (Book 1)
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers 
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764219235
• ISBN-13: 978-0764219238