Showing posts with label author: shelley shepard gray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label author: shelley shepard gray. Show all posts

Monday, February 8, 2016

Tasty Book Tours Book Review: A Son's Vow


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The Amish Brides of Pinecraft Series (Bks 1-4)


A SON'S VOW
The Charmed Amish Life #1
Shelley Shepard Gray
Releasing on January 26, 2016.
Avon Inspire



Shelley Shepard Gray’s first book in her Charmed Amish Life series is set in the quaint Amish village of Charm, Ohio, and tells the stories of the Kinsinger siblings who are each struggling to find both forgiveness and love in the face of tragedy.

Three months ago, everything changed for Darla Kurtz and her family. Darla’s father was responsible for a terrible fire at Charm’s lumber mill which killed five Amish men. And though he, too, lost his life, the town of Charm hasn’t looked at her family the same since. Even Lukas Kinsinger—with whom Darla used to have a close friendship.

Now her brother’s anger at the town is spilling over onto Darla, and she has the bruises to prove it. The accident already cost five lives, but if something doesn’t change soon, Darla fears it will cost her—and her family—even more.

Lukas Kinsinger wants to mourn the loss of his father, but he can hardly find the time to breathe. Suddenly the head of his father’s lumber mill and responsible for taking care of his three siblings, he’s feeling the pressure. He has also never felt more alone—especially with the new tension between he and Darla. But when he learns of her troubles at home, Lukas knows he can’t simply stand by and watch. Someone has to help her before another tragedy occurs.

As Lukas and Darla attempt to repair their families, they discover somethi dng deeper than friendship growing between them. But will Lukas and Darla’s love be accepted after so much loss? Or will the pain of the past overcome any chance of future happiness?

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Before I say anything about the book, I have to comment on how beautiful the cover is, especially the guy on the cover. Drools. There needs to be more covers that look like this...

This story is really one of two families coming out of darkness. It isn't your usual light fluffy Amish read. Two families have a tragedy that pushes them apart when they were very close.

The story revolves around three sets of people who all suffered losses when the local mill caught fire. Darla is getting the brunt of it all. Everyone seems to blame her for what her father might have done. She's also lost the closeness she once had with Lukas Kinsinger who is now running the mill.

Aaron is Darla's brother who is not dealing with with the new responsibilities that fall on his shoulders. He's turning abusive to those that are close to him. He's a character that you almost want to feel sorry for. Sherry tries to get you to feel some sympathy for him. He knows what he's doing but he can't seem to control his anger.

Then there's Hannah, who lost her boyfriend, Paul in the fire. She's putting her life together working for an English family.

All of their lives seem to intersect through Aaron and his troubles.

I was surprised at how little faith seemed to play in this book especially when it came to Aaron and his violence. I would have thought that the Bishop of their district would have stepped in to help Darla and her family. In fact, a lot of the doings of the the residents of Charm seem to be a little progressive for Amish, especially Hannah who seems like she might be ready to leave the Amish faith for an English life. 

I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to finding out what happens in the next book.

Rating 5 flowers




Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time Hold Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.


Saturday, August 6, 2011

Book Review: The Caregiver

The Caregiver: Families of Honor, Book One
Author: Shelly Shepard Gray
Title: The Caregiver
Publisher: Avon Inspire
Publish Date: March 8, 2011
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Two lives converge one stormy night on a train headed to Cleveland.
Lucy is traveling by herself via train to Jacob's Crossing to help care for her cousin Mattie, recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Trying to overcome the sudden death of her husband, she's glad to get away and focus on someone else for a while.

The only other Amish people on the train are Calvin Weaver and his little sister, Katie. When their train breaks down outside of Cleveland, Calvin and Lucy band together to face the outside world. But Calvin also carries the weight of past hurts. When an altercation brings both their wounds to light, they question whether they can trust each other.

Once in Jacob's Crossing, Lucy is occupied with caring for Mattie, while Calvin does his best to run his family's farm. But they can't stop thinking about those special hours spent together. Will the bond they formed last? And will Lucy and Calvin be able to put away the pain in their pasts to recognize the happiness that is suddenly in their grasp?


Review: I never read any of Shelley Shepard Gray's Amish books, but this one looked interesting. Like most of the Amish stories out there, it is full of hardship and sadness. Mattie is only in her early twenties and battling breast cancer. Lucy is coping with the loss of her husband who was a violent man.
 
These two women and their feelings are what carry this story through. Shelley doesn't sugar coat Mattie's illness and you really feel for her and cheer for her, hoping she beats the disease, just as you want Lucy to find love again with Calvin.
 
Those two have a hard time getting it right.
 
If there was one thing that bugged me about the book it was Mattie's age. She was only 22 and had breast cancer. I know that things like that can happen, but it was the one thing that didn't quite work out for me.
 
This is a light read with some heavier themes than most Amish fiction. It is also the start of a new series called Families of Honor. I look forward to reading the next book and looking into her back catalog. When you think of Amish fiction you usually think Beverly Lewis and Wanda Brunstetter. It is nice to have another author to enjoy in that genre
 
 
Rating: 4 flowers
 
 
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