Her Fear (The Amish of Hart County #5) by Shelley Shepard Gray

Her Fear (The Amish of Hart County #5)

by 

Shelley Shepard Gray

About:

In New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray’s latest novel of suspense in her Amish of Hart County series, an EMT falls for a woman with ties to an Amish community where people are dying similar, suspicious deaths

Sadie Detweiler never imagined she’d move to Kentucky, yet here she is: a pregnant, unmarried Amish girl banished by unforgiving parents to live with kin she barely knows. The men are gruff and her cousins are secretive. Worst of all, elderly matriarch Verba becomes mysteriously ill shortly after Sadie moves in. When EMT Noah Freeman arrives, Sadie immediately notices he’s unlike any other Amish man she’s met. Noah is warm, confident, and has an easy way with practically everyone in the community, both Amish and English. Though Sadie is drawn to him, she has little hope he will reciprocate her feelings once he learns she’s with child.

Noah can’t understand how a girl as sweet and lovely as Sadie ended up sleeping on a cot in Verba Stauffer’s kitchen. He also senses Sadie is terrified of something. Concerned, he checks up on her. Eventually they strike up a friendship and soon their attraction is undeniable. When Verba later dies at the hospital and her death is followed by two others, Noah’s boss wants him to dig around the Amish community for clues. He agrees—for Sadie’s sake—because only the truth will keep her safe and by his side.

My Thoughts:

Her Fear by Shelley Shepard Gray is not a typical amish read, but better. I love this entire series and this is the 5th book in the The Amish of Hart County series. While it can be read as a stand alone, I highly recommend reading the entire series. You will enjoy each book and the characters. Shelley Shepard does a fantastic job at bringing the characters to life and bringing the reader into the story. 

Her Fear deals with subject matters that are delicate and emotional, an unplanned pregnancy, abandonment, family difficulties, lies and so much more. This book is such a great read. The writing is phenomenal with the plot twists and turns, which made reading this book go rather quickly I could not put this book down because of how my emotions took over when reading this book. 

I highly recommend grabbing a copy today and reading it! You won't be able to put it down. I give this book 5/5 stars.  This was such a great read, make sure you pick up the entire series.

About the Author:

I live in southern Ohio with my husband, two teenagers, and two dogs. My days are filled with busy activities like most any other mom and housewife. But I also love to write books.

Each morning, after my kids go off to school, I sit at my desk, look out my window, and dream of other places. The hours fly by as I make up people and places and drink way too much coffee.

Writing for Avon Inspire has truly been a dream come true. Being able to spend my days in my make-believe world of the Brenneman Bed and Breakfast is a true blessing. I have enjoyed getting to know more about the Amish culture and tapping into my faith as I show each character’s progression toward a personal relationship with our Lord.

The Hope Jar (The Prayer Jars #1) by Wanda E. Brunstetter

The Hope Jar (The Prayer Jars #1)

by 

Wanda E. Brunstetter

About:

What happens when making an elderly Amish couple very happy means going along with a lie that gets bigger by the day?

Michelle Taylor is not who her new family in Lancaster County believes her to be. The Lapps were looking for their long-lost granddaughter when they met Michelle and she assumed the identity of Sara Murray. Once homeless and hopeless, Michelle has come to love her new Amish friends and even considers the idea of romance among them.

Finding an old blue jar in the barn that is filled with slips of paper containing thoughts, quotes, and prayers by an unknown author becomes a boost to Michelle’s budding faith— but also convicting. How can she tell the truth without hurting the ones she has truly come to love?

My Thoughts:

The Hope Jar by Wanda is a delight! I thought this book was a perfect read for a day at the beach. In fact, I read it from cover to cover while on vacation. I found the story of Michelle and Sara Murray to be one of hope, redemption, forgiveness and love. This story is very inviting and the characters are intriguing.  The plot was well thought out and The Hope Jar is another favorite of mine by Wanda. Aside from the Hawaiian series and the Christmas Quilt Novellas, I think this is going to be an excellent series and I cannot wait to read the next one in the book. Oh, and you'll need to read the next one because the reader is left with a cliff hanger at the end. So, does the case of Michelle and Sara ever get resolved? Grab the book to find out! I give this book 5/5 stars! The Hope Jar is definitely a favorite of mine!

About the Author:

 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author, Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written close to 90 books translated in four languages. With over 10 million copies sold, Wanda's stories consistently earn spots on the nations most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards.

Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.

When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

The Hundred Story Home A Memoir of Finding Faith in Ourselves and Something Bigger By Kathy Izard

The Hundred Story HomeA Memoir of Finding Faith in Ourselves and Something Bigger

By Kathy Izard 

About:

Kathy Izard was a graphic designer, wife, mother of four daughters, and volunteer at Charlotte’s Urban Ministry Center when an unlikely meeting with formerly homeless author Denver Moore changed the course of her life. Inspired by Denver’s challenge to do more than serve in this soup kitchen, Kathy quit her job to take on what seemed like an unimaginable task in her second half of life—to build housing for Charlotte’s homeless.

Woven together in this motivational story of a call to social action is Kathy’s personal journey to define the meaning of home and her own struggle with faith, family, and fulfillment. Reading this book will not only make you believe you can change the world, it will also end up changing you.

My Thoughts:

Kathy Izard begins a journey when she was asked the question "where are the beds?" She discovers that her life has a huge sense of purpose and meaning when she decides to step out of her comfort zone and answer that question for her city of Charlotte, North Carolina. With patience, dedication and diligence, Kathy created a place for homeless people to thrive. Of course, there are several amazing people behind the story of these homes and of those who lived on the streets. Their stories will make your life better and this memoir will make you take a look at your life asking the question how can you make a positive impact on the world? 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it made me think a lot about my life. I really think Kathy is an inspiration for us all and reminds us to step out and take a leap of faith. I read this book cover to cover in one sitting. I give this book 4.5/ 5 stars.

About the Author:

I grew up a little off the grid in El Paso, Texas. My father always believed my sisters and I could change the world. I don't know that I really believed him, but his message imprinted on me. I became a Longhorn (University of Texas at Austin) graduating with a B.S. in Advertising and took my first job out of college in Charlotte, N.C. where I have lived most of the last thirty years. Being an art director for ad agencies meant long hours so I started my own graphic design business in order to be home for carpools and naptime for my four daughters. While I loved helping clients and nonprofits communicate their mission, I kept feeling I was missing my own.

Called to Protect (Blue Justice #2) by Lynette Eason

Called to Protect (Blue Justice #2)

by 

Lynette Eason

About:

For the past year, Chloe St. John has been working as a K-9 cop with her German shepherd partner, Hank. After being dumped by her fiance for another woman, Chloe has decided that Hank is just about the only male she likes. She's over the whole romance thing and focuses her attention on doing her job. Because a serious case of human trafficking with connections to her missing cousin just landed in her lap.

When US Marshall Blake MacCallum's daughter goes missing, he's ordered to kill the judge he's protecting and tell no one about his daughter's disappearance or she will die. Blake races against the clock to rescue his daughter while Chloe and Hank are asked to be a part of the task force assembled to bring down the traffickers. Chloe finds herself attracted to the silent, suffering man, but thanks to her previous bad judgment, she wonders if she can trust him. And can Blake trust himself around this firecracker of a woman?

Bestselling author Lynette Eason warns readers to buckle in for a fast and furious ride that will have their hearts pumping from the very start.

My Thoughts:

Lynette Eason is back with another action packed, emotion suspense novel that will not disappoint. This book is a page turner inside and out. With characters that are realistic, and a plot that will keep you reading, this book is one that you will not be able to put down. This was an interesting read, especially with the subject matter that the author used, but she did a fantastic job with a relevant issue that is going on in our country. I really enjoyed this book, the plot and the characters. I highly recommend this book if you like suspenseful reads. I give this book 4.5/5 stars. 

About the Author:

 Lynette Eason grew up in Greenville, SC. She graduated from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, and then obtained her masters in education from Converse College. Author of twenty inspirational romantic suspense books, she is also a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). In 1996, Lynette married "the boy next door" and now she and her husband and their two children make their home in Simpsonville, South Carolina."

Healing the Scars of Addiction: Reclaiming Your Life and Moving Into a Healthy Future by Gregory L Jantz

Healing the Scars of Addiction: Reclaiming Your Life and Moving Into a Healthy Future

by 

Gregory L Jantz

About:

The wreckage of addiction lies scattered around too many people--from the one who is or was addicted to those in relationship with that person. Age-old culprits of drugs, alcohol, and gambling are joined by newer addictions, such as food, prescription medication, shopping, pornography, and technology. Left unaddressed, addiction devastates lives now and makes it difficult to see a positive way forward.

For anyone struggling with an addiction, attempting to live in recovery, or seeking to understand the mind of an addict they love, Dr. Jantz's newest book is a lifeline. In it he helps readers answer tough questions, such as

- Am I an addict?
- Why is the first step so hard?
- How can I put my life back together?
- Where do I go from here?

Addiction doesn't have to have the last word. Healing the Scars of Addiction offers a holistic approach to healing so that readers can reclaim their lives and move forward in hope. 

My Thoughts:

In Healing the Scars of Addiction, Dr. Jantz does a fantastic job of giving the reader tools to helping them recognize and seek help in aiding the relief of addiction and ultimately set free from them. It also helps one understand addition and gain knowledge. This book provides hope for those who are struggling with various addictions such as food, alcohol, gambling, medication, spending, pornography, technology, drugs, etc. This book is a great read for those who are ready to make a change and take back their life head first ready to break free from their addiction. Overall, I think this book is a helpful read and provides step-by steps for someone who is looking for help. It also provides a Christian perspective, which readers are looking for when it comes to freedom. I give this book 4/5 stars.

The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright

The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond

by 

Jaime Jo Wright 

About:

For over a century, the town of Gossamer Grove has thrived on its charm and midwestern values, but Annalise Forsythe knows painful secrets, including her own, hover just beneath the pleasant faade. When a man is found dead in his run-down trailer home, Annalise inherits the trailer, along with the pictures, vintage obituaries, and old revival posters covering its walls. As she sorts through the collection, she's wholly unprepared for the ramifications of the dark and deadly secrets she'll uncover. 

A century earlier, Gossamer Grove has been stirred into chaos by the arrival of controversial and charismatic twin revivalists. The chaos takes a murderous turn when Libby Sheffield, working at her father's newspaper, receives an obituary for a reputable church deacon hours before his death. As she works with the deacon's son to unravel the mystery behind the crime, it becomes undeniably clear that a reckoning has come to town--but it isn't until another obituary arrives that they realize the true depths of the danger they've waded into.

Two women, separated by a hundred years, must uncover the secrets within the borders of their own town before it's too late and they lose their future--or their very souls.

My Thoughts:

The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond is an amazing standalone novel edge-of the-seat suspense novel that will have you up at night. Jamie Jo Wright has found her expertise in writing dual stories. She beautifully weaves two storylines and brings together a small town of secrets from the past into the present, while bringing the reader on a high pace read to uncover secrets. This book is unique and I couldn't wait to solve the mystery. This book had me wrapped up in it until I had finished it. I read this book in one sitting at the beach because I needed to solved the mystery and the secrets. I give this book 5/5 stars. This book is a great book to read and figure out the town secrets. 

About the Author:

Professional coffee drinker & ECPA/Publisher's Weekly best-selling author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing spirited turn-of-the-century romance stained with suspense. Coffee fuels her snarky personality. She lives in Neverland with her Cap’n Hook who stole her heart and will not give it back, their little fairy TinkerBell, and a very mischievous Peter Pan. The foursome embark on scores of adventure that only make her fall more wildly in love with romance and intrigue.

Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimejowright.com!