Book Review and Giveaway: Amish White Christmas Pie by Wanda E. Brunstetter

This is a very easy read and nice story.
Amish White Christmas Pie
by Wanda E. Brunstetter

• File Size: 459 KB
• Print Length: 306 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1616268662
• Publisher: Barbour Books (September 1, 2012)
• ASIN: B008MFOIQW

Genre: Christian Fiction, Amish
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: September 1, 2012
Step into Amish country for this bittersweet holiday romance. Here you’ll meet Will Henderson, a young man tortured by his past, and Karen Yoder, a young woman looking for answers. Add a desperate father searching for his son, and you have all the ingredients for a first-class romance that will inspire and enthrall.

Review:
Will Henderson was not born Amish but was raised by a good Amish couple after being left, ‘temporarily’, with them as a five year old. Will is now 22 and has chosen to live the “plain” life. He is soon to be married to a lovely young Amish woman, Karen. However, Will is tortured with abandonment issues and insecurities that threaten the serenity of his marriage, if his jealousy doesn’t forestall the marriage altogether. Even Karen begins to feel that Will is not ready for marriage if he cannot face this issues of his past and grow beyond them.

While Will struggles with his anger and bitterness, his natural father wonders where his boy might be and how he is fairing. He has a new wife and children but he has never forgotten the son he left behind when he went looking for a stable job. Is there any possible way he can find his son and if he does, could Will forgive him?

This is a nice story of forgiveness, acceptance and the importance of communication. The writing style is simple and this reads very easily and quickly. However I was a bit bored at a third in. I did like the ending but feel the beginning and middle of the book could have had less mundane dialogue (and running to the telephone) and more rich Amish setting and life-descriptions. These characters were almost too much like normal “Englishers”. Plus I found it hard to believe there would be so many horse and buggy accidents in such a short time.

I read this with my Ladies’ book club. Several of the ladies loved the easy read and fully enjoyed the story. A couple others were like me - we liked the ending but felt the book lacked the rich details we like in Amish stories. We did enjoy that there was more depth to the story than a simple romance but on the other hand, we were not fully pulled in by the characters or story. (Maybe we are action junkies.) The pie recipe was in the print copy but not the Kindle version. One of our ladies made it and said it was wonderful!

This is the second book I have read by this author and I think her writing is just not my cup of tea although her books are popular. This book has good ratings and is an example that confirms that not every author or every style of writing suits every reader the same. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy an easy style read with life issues facing Amish characters.

This was our Ladies' Book Club book for discussion 1/10/15.

Giveaway:

ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for a gently read print copy

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For 3 Extra Bonus entries comment on the review, OR

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* This contest is open US Only for Print Book.
* This contest will close 5 PM (Central) January 18, 2015.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED after January 18, 2015.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Scavenger Hunt Stop and Book Review: Goodbye to Yesterday by Wanda E. Brustetter

This is the beginning of a serial novel so it is not the complete story.

It's my turn and honor to share in the fun of  the Discovery Saga online scavenger hunt! For full details on the hunt and how you can participate (and possibly win an amazon Kindle) please go to Discovery Saga Scavenger Hunt. Remember that the clues can be found in the ten blog reviews by finding the word that is in all capital letters.

Goodbye to Yesterday: Part 1 (The Discovery - A Lancaster County Saga)

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Books (February 5, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1616260858
• ISBN-13: 978-1616260859

Genre: Amish Fiction
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description

Release date: February 5, 2013 | Series: The Discovery - A Lancaster County Saga (Book 1)

Join Meredith and Luke Stoltzfus, an Amish couple who are faced with the greatest challenge of their young lives. Financial struggles. Arguments. A suspected pregnancy. A last-minute trip to South Bend, Indiana. A drug addict on the run. A deadly encounter at a Philadelphia bus station. Will their love and faith be enough to bring them back together again, against all odds?

Review:
Luke Stoltzfus is struggling with having lost his craftsman's job and being unable to find a new job in his community. He is sensitive and moody and his young wife, Meredith, is frustrated as they are not communicating well. Meredith worries as she thinks she may be pregnant but she doesn’t want to stress Luke more.

Then Luke’s uncle invites him to come to Indiana to learn the trade of engraving headstones. Luke will have to invest a good portion of their dwindling savings to buy the equipment but it would give him a skill and a career to secure their future. Although everyone else in the family is excited and supportive of the opportunity, Meredith has reservations. She particularly isn’t comfortable with Luke having to travel to Indiana during bad snow storms.

The day arrives and Luke heads out on the bus to Philadelphia where he will switch buses. Unfortunately the storm is moving in from the west and Luke may be heading straight into it. Before he can face that danger, a rather naive Luke has a very bad encounter with a drug addict. What SEEMED like a God given opportunity to improve his life turns out to be a horrific experience. Meanwhile Merrie is feeling lonely at home waiting for a call to reassure her that Luke has arrived safely.

I enjoyed the characters, the lovely descriptions and Luke's pet dog. The financial struggles and resulting friction between the newlyweds are circumstances that many can relate to and I found it interesting in the Amish setting. I was rather surprised by the stubbornness, pride and worry of the couple as these attitudes don't fit my expectations of the Amish. It is also interesting how Ms. Brunstetter presents the background and mind set of the drug addict.

This is the first book I have read by this author. It is sweet and dear but a very light level read. At times I felt it was written for younger readers, still it was enjoyable. I would be interested to try a full novel by Ms. Brunstetter to see if the writing is the same style.

I didn’t particularly mind the cliffhanger ending but I am not sure I am in favor of spreading a book of this nature over six short novellas, especially considering the price to get the full set. If you like Amish stories with real life issues you might want to try this sweet read.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A passage I particularly like:

    Meredith smiled and felt herself relax. God’s Word always had a way of speaking to her just when she needed it most. Page 103.

I hope everyone has been having a great time following the clues. 
Okay, Discovery Saga scavenger hunters—the FINAL clue will be posted tomorrow at:  Http://www.perfectisboring.blogspot.com
GOOD LUCK!
Let your friends know about the hunt and invite them to join us while there is still time.

I received this book from the author through Handlebar Publishing for an honest review.

About the Author..

Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 60 books with more than 6 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today. Wanda’s books have been translated into four foreign languages.

Wanda’s fascination with the Amish culture developed when she met her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, and whose family has a Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Meeting her new Mennonite sister-in-laws caused Wanda to yearn for the simpler life. In their travels, she and her husband have become close friends with many Amish people across America. Wanda’s desire to explore their culture increased when she discovered that her great-great grandparents were part of the Anabaptist faith.

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

Make a visit to Ms. Brunstetter's website and you just might hear something surprising!

Discovery Saga Scavenger Hunt Starts February 5!

Goodbye to Yesterday releases February 5! 

A Goodbye to Yesterday: Part 1 (The Discovery - A Lancaster County Saga)  

Wanda Brunstetter

Don't miss this exclusive 6-consecutive-month release of Wanda E. Brunstetter's brand-new Amish serial novel, The Discovery Saga.

To celebrate, Handlebar Publishing is launching the Discovery Saga Scavenger Hunt. Follow the clues from blog to blog each day, and you could win a Kindle loaded with Wanda's books, including The Silence of Winter, the second installment in The Discovery Saga serialized novel. Here are the details about the scavenger hunt: 

The Discovery Saga Scavenger Hunt

Follow the clues to ten blogs, DISCOVER the keywords, and you could win a Kindle, loaded with Wanda Brunstetter favorites!

Check back here at Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf for review and CLUE on February 14.

Also - Check out Handlebar Publishing's Win Books Weekly page for chances to win books!