Archive | August, 2013

The Divine Secrets of the Whoopie Pie Sisters

30 Aug

Whoopie Pie Sisters

The Divine Secrets of the Whoopie Pie Sisters by Sarah Price and “Whoopie Pie” Pam Jarrell

Synopsis:

Follow the story of four Amish sisters who run Whoopie Pie Place, the best known bakery outside of Berlin, located in Holmes County, Ohio.  Each sister has a secret that influences their lives and, unknowingly, impacts each other.  Yet, little by little, the pressure of balancing their responsibilities of their daily lives with their individual secrets becomes harder to manage.  Leah, Susan, Lydia, and Sadie need to decide whether or not to confide in each other in order to gain the support of their family.

The Divine Secrets of the Whoopie Pie Sisters is a different type of Amish Christian story. By blending the 25 years experience of living among the Amish from Sarah Price with Pamela Jarrell‘s extensive 15 years experience interacting and befriending the Amish in Berlin, Ohio, Price and Jarrell team up to give the readers a new type of story that focuses not so much on romance but on friendships and the reality of day-to-day life living among the Amish.

Thoughts:
 
The Divine Secrets of the Whoopie Pie Sisters is eBook One of An Amish Christian trilogy.  With just over 100 pages, you will quickly consume this delicious treat!  Prior to this, I had not read Sarah Price or Pamela Jarrell.  I thought they did a wonderful job writing about the complexities of relationships within a family.  Siblings working together are sure to have their share of strife, and these four sisters are no exception!

In The Divine Secrets of the Whoopie Pie Sisters, you will come to know and care for each member of this close-knit family.  Even if you are not a fan of Amish fiction, I believe you will be able to relate to the struggles this family faces, whether it be business matters or matters of the heart!  Book One closes with such a cliffhanger, you will be anxious for the release of Book Two!  I can’t wait to read more!

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Daily Deal- The Outcast

28 Aug

The Outcast

The Outcast by Jolina Petersheim

For today only, Amazon has selected Jolina Petersheim’s The Outcast as their Kindle Daily Deal.

http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eBooks/b?ie=UTF8&node=154606011

Raised in an Old Order Mennonite community, Rachel Stoltzfus is a strong-willed single woman, content living apart from mainstream society until whispers stir the moment her belly swells with new life. Refusing to repent and name the partner in her sin, Rachel feels the wrath of the religious sect as she is shunned by those she loves most. She is eventually coerced into leaving by her brother-in-law, the bishop. But secrets run deep in this cloistered community, and the bishop is hiding some of his own, threatening his conscience and his very soul. When the life of Rachel’s baby is at stake, however, choices must be made that will bring the darkness to light, forever changing the lives of those who call Copper Creek home.

Don’t miss this amazing deal!  Today only, purchase your copy of The Outcast ebook for Kindle for just $1.99. 

In honor of this Daily Deal, Jolina is hosting a GIVEAWAY CELEBRATION on her author Facebook page today.  Be sure to visit!!

https://www.facebook.com/jolinapetersheimauthor

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FREE Download- Into The Free

26 Aug

Into The Free

Into The Free by Julie Cantrell

 

FREE download: Into The Free by Julie Cantrell

http://www.dccebooks.com/products/into-the-free

Offer available now through tomorrow, August 27, at midnight!

Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to download Julie Cantrell’s award-winning novel, Into The Free!  The release of the sequel, When Mountains Move, is only days away. 

 

In one word: MAGNIFICENT!

My thoughts about Into The Free can be found here:

https://buzzingaboutbooks.com/2013/07/19/into-the-free/

 

Into the Free, a New York Times and USA Today bestseller, won Christy Awards for Best Debut Novel and for Book of the Year 2013 as well as the Fiction Award from the Mississippi Library Association.

 

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The Outcast

23 Aug

The Outcast

The Outcast by Jolina Petersheim

In Jolina’s own words:

“Hi! I’m the debut author of The Outcast: a modern retelling of The Scarlet Letter set in an Old Order Mennonite community in Tennessee!”

Synopsis:

Raised in an Old Order Mennonite community, Rachel Stoltzfus is a strong-willed single woman, content living apart from mainstream society until whispers stir the moment her belly swells with new life. Refusing to repent and name the partner in her sin, Rachel feels the wrath of the religious sect as she is shunned by those she loves most. She is eventually coerced into leaving by her brother-in-law, the bishop.

But secrets run deep in this cloistered community, and the bishop is hiding some of his own, threatening his conscience and his very soul. When the life of Rachel’s baby is at stake, however, choices must be made that will bring the darkness to light, forever changing the lives of those who call Copper Creek home.

 

Thoughts:

Jolina Petersheim has a gift for writing, which is proven by her debut novel, The Outcast.  You will quickly find yourself drawn into the community Jolina so vividly describes.  The unique narration, through two different points of view, allows the reader a deeper understanding of the members of this cloistered community.  The Outcast is a story of life and death, love and loss, and secrets and surprises.  However, its most important message is that of forgiveness and the power that lies therein.

I look forward to reading more from Jolina Petersheim!  Her second novel, The Midwife, is a story about an Old Order Mennonite midwife and an Englisch woman who both claim the same child, and what it means to be a mother: genetics or love.  The Midwife will be released in Summer 2014. 

 

Biography:

Jolina Petersheim holds degrees in English and Communication Arts from the University of the Cumberlands. Though The Outcast is her first novel, her writing has been featured in venues as varied as radio programs, nonfiction books, and numerous online and print publications. Her blog is syndicated with The Tennessean’s “On Nashville” blog roll, as well as featured on other creative writing sites. Jolina and her husband share the same unique Amish and Mennonite heritage that originated in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, but now live in the mountains of Tennessee with their young daughter.

You can visit Jolina Petersheim at: http://www.jolinapetersheim.com/

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The Prayer Box

21 Aug

The Prayer Box

The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate

Synopsis:

When Iola Anne Poole, an old-timer on Hatteras Island, passes away in her bed at ninety-one, the struggling young mother in her rental cottage, Tandi Jo Reese, finds herself charged with the task of cleaning out Iola’s rambling Victorian house.

Running from a messy, dangerous past, Tandi never expects to find more than a temporary hiding place within Iola’s walls, but everything changes with the discovery of eighty-one carefully decorated prayer boxes, one for each year, spanning from Iola’s youth to her last days. Hidden in the boxes is the story of a lifetime, written on random bits of paper–the hopes and wishes, fears and thoughts of an unassuming but complex woman passing through the seasons of an extraordinary, unsung life filled with journeys of faith, observations on love, and one final lesson that could change everything.          

   

Review:

Tandi Jo Reese, a young mother with two children, has run away from a difficult past.  The Outer Banks of North Carolina is as far away from Dallas, Texas as she can get.  Here, Tandi seeks refuge in the only place she felt safe and loved as a child.  Memories of childhood days, spent with loving grandparents, flood Tandi and leave her hoping for something better for herself and her children. 

Finding temporary lodging in a guesthouse, Tandi Jo does not come to know her landlady, Iola Anne Poole, until after Iola’s death.  Desperate to find a way to make a fresh start, Tandi agrees to help sort through the Iola’s belongings and clean out her dilapidated house. 

Through the discovery of eighty-one prayer boxes, Tandi comes to know Iola Anne Poole and her loving Father.  The thoughts and prayers of one woman, recorded over her lifetime, open Tandi’s eyes and her heart.  In discovering the woman Iola was, Tandi Jo Reese discovers the woman she, herself, will become.

While The Prayer Box is a beautifully written novel of a young woman trying to find her way in life, it is also a story of faith, hope and redeeming love.   Once again, Lisa Wingate has eloquently woven love and the lessons we learn into the fabric of her newest novel, The Prayer Box.   Don’t miss this incredible journey!

 

You can read excerpts, explore Sandy’s Seashell Shop, watch the book trailer, and so many other fun things at:

www.ThePrayerBoxBook.com 

 

For more information about Lisa Wingate and her novels, visit her webiste at: www.LisaWingate.com or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/LisaWingateAuthorPage

 

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The Letters

19 Aug

The Letters

The Letters by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Rose Schrock is a plain woman with a simple plan. Determined to find a way to support her family and pay off her late husband’s debts, she sets to work to convert the basement of her Amish farmhouse into an inn. While her family, especially her cranky mother-in-law, is unhappy with Rose’s big idea, her friend and neighbor, Galen King, supports the decision and he helps with the conversion. As Rose finalizes preparations for visitors, she prays. She asks God to bless each guest who stays at the Inn at Eagle Hill. As the first guest arrives and settles in, Rose is surprised to discover that her entire family is the one who receives the blessings, in the most unexpected ways. And she’s even more surprised when that guest decides to play matchmaker for Galen King.

With her signature plot twists combined with gentle Amish romance, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites readers back to Stoney Ridge for fresh stories of simple pleasures despite the complexity of life. Fisher’s tale of God’s providence and provision will delight her fans and create many new ones. Welcome to the Inn at Eagle Hill.

Thoughts:

The Letters is a wonderfully written story of love and loss, hurt and healing.  As you read, you will fall in love with the delightful Schrock family and the people who come into their lives in the most unexpected ways.  Blessings abound in Stoney Ridge at The Inn at Eagle Hill. 

This was my first visit to Suzanne Woods Fisher’s Stoney Ridge, but it certainly won’t be my last.  The Letters is the first book in The Inn at Eagle Hill series.  The second book of the series, The Calling, will be released in January 2014.

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When Mountains Move

16 Aug

When Mountains Move

When Mountains Move by Julie Cantrell

When Mountains Move is the sequel to Julie Cantrell’s award-winning debut novel, Into The Free. If you haven’t read, Into The Free, you simply must!

My thoughts of Into The Free can be found here: https://buzzingaboutbooks.com/2013/07/19/into-the-free/ 

 

It is the spring of 1943. With a wedding and a cross-country move, Millie’s world is about to change forever.

If only her past could change with it.

Soon after the break of day, Bump will become Millie’s husband. And then, if all goes as planned, they will leave the rain-soaked fields of Mississippi and head for the wilds of the Colorado Rockies. As Millie tries to forget a dark secret, she hasn’t yet realized how drastically those past experiences will impact the coming days.

For most of Millie’s life, being free felt about as unlikely as the mountains moving. But she’s about to discover that sometimes in life, we are given second chances, and that the only thing bigger than her past … is her future.

Thoughts:

The majestic mountains of Colorado offer a fresh start for Millie Reynolds, even though secrets from her past remain. As Millie and Bump work together to establish a ranch, they are faced with many challenges. Millie continues to persevere and gradually begins to laugh and love and trust again. Slowly, she comes to the realization that she is loved, not only by those closest to her, but also by God himself. As this book so eloquently illustrates, love and forgiveness can certainly move mountains!

When Mountains Move is a beautifully woven story of human resilience that lingers, in the mind and on the heart, even after the last page has been turned. I have no doubt that Julie Cantrell has written another award-winning novel and I look forward to reading more from this wonderful author!

 

To read the first two chapters of When Mountains Move, please visit:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/159164923/When-Mountains-Move

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The Inheritance

14 Aug

The Inheritance

The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander

“THE INHERITANCE, the novel that grew from a prayer God placed on my heart to pray for my family and for myself 20+ years ago.”   -Tamera Alexander 

Determined to tame her younger brother’s rebellious streak, McKenna Ashford accepts her cousin’s invitation to move west, and to begin again.  But she quickly discovers that life in Copper Creek, Colorado, is far from what she expected. Shouldering burdens beyond her years, McKenna tries to be the parent Robert needs, instead of the older sister he resents.  But an “untimely inheritance” challenges her resolve at every turn, while also offering a second chance to restore her sense of trust–and perhaps even her heart.  
 
U.S. Marshal Wyatt Caradon is dedicated to bringing fugitives to justice, yet years of living on the trail have taken their toll. When his path intersects with that of McKenna, he comes face-to-face with a past he never wanted to relive–and the one woman who can help him find the future he’s been longing for.

As McKenna struggles to let go of her independence and Wyatt considers opening his heart again, they discover an inheritance beyond imagination.  But it will come at a price.

 

Goodreads in giving away 5 copies of The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander.  If you are a Goodreads member, enter today!

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/60507-the-inheritance

 

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Moon Over Edisto

12 Aug

MoonOverEdisto

Moon Over Edisto by Beth Webb Hart

Synopsis:

Edisto Island was where it all came apart. Can the Bennett girls ever be whole again?

Once, they were the happiest family under the sun, crabbing and fishing and painting on beautiful Edisto Island in South Carolina’s lowcountry. Then everything went wrong, and twenty years later the Bennett family is still in pieces. Mary Ellen still struggles to understand why her picture-perfect marriage came apart. Daughter Meg keeps a death grip on her own family, controlling her relationships at a distance. And eldest daughter, Julia, left it all behind years ago, forging a whole new life as an artist and academic in Manhattan. She’s engaged to an art dealer and has no intentions of returning to Edisto. Ever.

Then an emergency forces Julia back to Edisto to care for her three young half-siblings. She grudgingly agrees to stay a week. But there’s something about Edisto that changes people. Can Julia and her fractured family somehow manage to come together again under that low-hanging Edisto moon?

The past has come knocking on Julia’s door. Can she summon the courage to answer betrayal with love?

Thoughts:

As I began reading Moon Over Edisto, I was quickly swept away to South Carolina.  Beth Webb Hart does a wonderful job capturing the sights and sounds of the Lowcountry.  The novel is different from most, in that it is written from the perspectives of the individual characters in the story.  Reading from this perspective allows you, as the reader, to more readily identify the complexity of each of the characters and better understand the thoughts and feelings of each individual.  Julia and the Bennett family must let go of the hurt that has gripped them for so long and move forward in different directions. 

Moon Over Edisto is a touching and heartwarming story of a family’s journey toward healing and forgiveness.  As you close the book, you will continue to think about the lives you have become so immersed in and envision where their journeys take them.  Moon Over Edisto is a beautifully written novel and I highly recommend it!

 

Beth Webb Hart, a South Carolina native, is a best-selling author.  With a B.A. in English Literature from Hollins University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College, Hart serves as an inspirational speaker and creative writing instructor at conferences, retreats, schools, libraries and churches across the country, and she is the recipient of two national teaching awards from Scholastic, Inc. and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.  She lives with her husband, composer Edward Hart, and their family in Charleston.

For more information about Beth Webb Hart and her novels, visit: www.bethwebbhart.com. 

She also blogs every Tuesday at www.southernbelleviewdaily.com. 

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Wingate Week Wrap-Up

9 Aug

Food & Fun

Sisters

 

Yesterday, as part of Sisterhood #12, my mother and I reunited our copy of The Prayer Box with author, Lisa Wingate.  This special book came full circle and what a joyous reunion it was!

We had so much fun with Lisa, her mother, Sharon, and the ladies of Gourmet Gallery.  We attended an event called, Cooking the Books.  Dishes were prepared that were mentioned in The Prayer Box.  Delectable crab cakes, sausage balls, and banana beignets were served.  The food certainly wasn’t the only thing that was scrumptious!

Listening to Lisa relate stories of the book, from inception to culmination, was simply delightful!  As she read passages from The Prayer Box, she breathed life into the written words and transported us all to the Outer Banks and into the lives of the citizens of Fairhope. 

Don’t miss your chance to take this incredible journey. 
Pre-order your copy of Lisa Wingate’s, The Prayer Box, today!

 

Banana Beignets

In honor of Iola Poole and The Prayer Box, I have included Emeril’s version of Banana Beignets.  Enjoy!

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large ripe banana (about 6 ounces), sliced lengthwise in half and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Vegetable oil for deep-frying
  • 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the banana, flour, milk, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and whisk well to make a smooth batter.  Pour enough oil to come halfway up the sides into a large deep pot or electric deep fryer and heat over high heat to 360°F.  In batches, without crowding, drop heaping tablespoons of the batter into the hot oil (you can do 6 or 7 beignets at a time) and fry, turning them to brown evenly, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.  Sift the confectioner’s sugar through a sieve onto the beignets and serve warm.

Yield: 18 to 24 beignets

 

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