The Christmas Cradle

The cover and title of this book doesn't do the riveting story justice. This is an Amish story unlike any I have ever read. Charlotte Hubbard hit multiple big and current topics in The Christmas Cradle. She covers the consequences of premarital relations, revenge, shunning, death, love and grace. This was a book I struggled to put down. It's a mixture of sweet and intense moments all wrapped up in grace.

I would recommend this book to anyone enjoys a mystery or Amish fiction. It's definitely a great read.

*This book was given to me by NetGalley for an honest review.

Safe In His Arms

Safe in His Arms is a late night, edge of your seat, reading till you pass out from exhaustion kind of novel. If you love action and mystery novels you should give this one a read. Colleen hits on inheritance debates, murder, bank robbers, and of course love. I could relate to Margaret's feelings on her looks. Actually I believe most women find flaws in their appearance. We can all view ourselves to tall, short, heavy, skinny, big feet, small boobs and so on. Yet, despite our shortcomings, those closest to us can see the real us.


This book was a great read that I really enjoyed to the breath holding end.

*This book was given to me years ago for an honest review by Net Galley. I downloaded the book, but somehow missed reading it. Many apologies to Colleen Coble for delaying this review. It truly is a wonderful book.

The Curiosity Keeper

The Curiosity Keeper is a riveting book that dives into strenuous family relationships, loyalty, and purpose. I found myself glued to the story while weaving through the clashes between different classes, the missing Bovey, and a host of issues. This is one mystery novel I couldn't put down until I was done and even then I found myself thinking about the characters. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good mystery book. Even my eight year old daughter was caught up in the story.

*This book was given to me by Net Galley for an honest review.

Spectacular Selection of Sea Critters

My eight year old daughter and I read this together. We enjoyed the bright colors and fun rhymes. The book was a bit difficult to read, especially on a laptop, because of the creative illustrations and how the words were woven throughout it. However, we enjoyed it. If you have a child who enjoys the sea this would be a fun addition to their reading collection.

*This book was given to me by Net Galley for an honest review.

Made With Love

Made With Love by Tricia Goyer and Sherry Gore is a different look on Amish life in Sarasota, Florida. I enjoyed reading how Lovina's family adapted to life away from a farm. One thing we can take away from this story is how to handle someone's past. Do we hold it against them or look at who they are now? This seems like an easy decision until we're faced with the choice. There are quite a few things we can learn from this book about marriage, trust in God, and community.

Although I enjoyed the story it did feel slow. I was near the end of the book when I felt the excitement pick up. Do I need excitement? I need a story that will grip me enough I can't put it down till I'm done. I read the last 20% of the book in one sitting because I HAD to know how it ended; I wish I felt that way in the first 20%.

*This book was given to me by Net Galley for an honest review.

Stay! A Top Dog Story

Fun book with great illustrations. Ben knows his dog's quirks well and leaves humors, yet helpful note on how to care for him. One thing we can learn is that a little training goes a long way with dogs.

My third grader found it inspiring on how to write a short story for school this year.

*This book was given to me by Net Galley for an honest review.

A Bride at Last

A Bride at Last is a whirlwind of hurt, troubled pasts, and a little bit of love. There's a lot of action packed into this book; enough that I thought surely I'm nearing the end when I was less than halfway through. There's so much hurt and pain that I found myself grieving for these people. I can't imagine going a lifetime without a kind word or touch. Under all the story lines we see lessons that we can take away like not judging people for who they were, but who they are.

Overall it was a great story that I would definitely recommend and possibly read again.

*The novel was given to me by Net Galley for an honest review.