The Scent of Cherry Blossoms by Cindy Woodsmall

The Scent of Cherry Blossoms by Cindy Woodsmall is a book sett in the Plain ways of Old Order Amish and Mennonite people.  Annie Martin has joined her Old Order Mennonite Church by has fallen for Aden Zook who has joined his Old Order Amish Church.  Neither has any qualms with their own church but the two religions as well as the two families refuse to allow the young of the congregation marry outside of their faith.  Annie and Aden sneak around in order to see each other but  soon get caught by Annie's Grandfather.  The story is of how they chose to spend their future and whether they are will to give up family and beliefs in order to be together.  A heart wrenching story.

I loved this story and grieved for the tough decisions these young people must make and the difficulties that they go through in their life.  Both love their famlies with all their faults and blessings as well as the faith they have both grown up with.  It is a quick read in that it only has 190 pages but you will love every page.

I was provided this book for this review from Multnoma Waterbrook Press.

Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings

Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings is about two women recently widowed.  One is Rosa who is of Mexican descent and the other is her mother in law Louise who with her family has been working in Mexico.  The story is set in 1878 during the settling of Texas.  Rosa faces prejudices because of her race but also because of not knowing the cultural differences.  Rosa's family has disowned her because of her marrage as well as her becoming a Christian.  Louise tries her best to teach her of the culture and learning the new ways.  When they arrive at their old homestead they find that the tenents had left and not paid the taxes.  Rosa and Louise immediately start to work to figure out how to make the farm pay for itself as well as save enough to pay years of back taxes in the three months left before the county puts the farm up for a tax sale. 

I liked this book.  It is an easy read and interesting book.  The reader finds theirself rooting for Rosa and wanting her to be able to fit into the community without loosing her identity as a Mexican.  She loves the bright colors of her heritage but it seems that the only time that her time others also appreciate it is in her needlework.  Her linens sell like hotcakes.  It is an enjoyable read.

This book was provided by Bethany House Publishing for this review.

Angels are for Real by Judith Macnutt

Angels are for Real by Judith MacNutt advertised as containing inspiring, true stories and Biblical answers.  Mrs MacNutt's book has an accessible, comprehensive and encouraging guide into the world of angels.  She discusses angels and how to recognize them at work in each of our own life.  Her book offers insight of miraculous encounters of others and her own life.  She also tells of Biblical narritives proving her theories.  This book discribes angel's various appearances, their activities, their importance to our life, and also an insight into fallen angels and/or Satanic angels.

This book is an uplifting book on angels.  To say that I enjoyed reading this easy to read and understand book would be a gross understatement.  I recieved so much information and insight into the world of which I live and the protection that I daily recieve from angels sent by God.  I felt a blessing from reading this book, no let me say that I realized the blessing that I was already receiving and had always been receiving.  Thank you Mrs MacNutt for writing this book and thank you Chosen Publishing for publishing this awe inspiring book.

I recieved this book from Chosen for this review.

Simple Secrets to a Happy Life by Luci Swindoll

Simple Secrets to a Happy Life by Luci Swindoll is a compilation of Ms. Swindoll's wisdom for living.  She is an organized woman whose book lays out her formula for becoming more creative, organized, healthy and therefor more happy with life.  These are simple truths and wisdom of 80 years of living and walking with God.  She teaches that the reader should strive for having what matters most rather than having it all.  She uses scripturally based and friendly advice to encourage the reader to strive for the greatness that God has available to each of us.

Simple Secrets is an easy quick read book on getting more organized and back to the Bible in your life.  It starts out preachy toned but once one gets past the beginning chapters (these 50 chapters are short mostly 2-3 pages long) it reads easier.  She is the sister of the well known Chuck Swindoll and mentions his name occasionally.   It lays down an easy foundation for becoming more organized but makes no pretenses in that Ms Swindoll is extremely organized and single minded. 

I probably would not have on my own read this book but it did give me good advice.  I would rate this book as only average on good reading but good on self improvement.  I recieved this book from Booksneeze for this review.

My Own Worst Enemy by Janey Davis

My Own Worst Enemy by Janet Davis is a book about breaking free from your own self doubts about your own talents and skills.  Ms Davis discusses how to break free of the destructive cycle of the self doubting voices that tell yourself that you're not good enough or that you will look like you think you are bragging about yourself.  Janet Davis'  book of life lessons from the Bible of women paired alongside modern women and their stories.  She calls all women to "Let your Little Light Shine and not Hide it under a Bushel."

I liked how Ms. Davis told of the strength of the women who though culture held them down used their intellect and strength to further God's work.  I love reading of the few female heros in the Bible and Ms. Davis fills this book with them coupled with modern problems that women of today face.  She shows women that they have the intelligence and strength to solve their problems with the plan that God has set forth for them if they only will not overthink and sabatage their own plans. 

This is a good book and an easy and quick read for the busy woman as well as containing a plan for which one can turn this into a woman's study group lesson also.  I was provided this book for this unbiased review.

The Captive Heart by Dale Cramer

The Captive Heart by Dale Cramer is a book set in the time of the Amish settling of Mexico in the 1920s.  It tells of the hardships of diseases ravaging the colony without help of nearby doctors.  It tells of the deaths of those who were not strong enough to withstand the harsh life or diseases.  It tells of death from the bandits' raids on their settlement as well as when they would need to travel the unsafe roads.  This book tells of being a people of God who would not resort to violence in a violent world.  The story tells of young love that is strong though met with difficulties at every turn.

I found this story exciting and interesting to a lover of historical romance.  The story holds the interest of the reader.  I in fact read this 344 page book in 2 days and I would have loved to have read it in one setting but my life insisted in going on while I just wanted to read this book.  I am leery of reading love stories written by men but Dale Cramer has been able to reveal the heart of a woman in a way most men cannot.  In the acknowledgements he states that his wife helps him edit it.  They really have it down to a science because I never once thought during the reading, "a woman wouldn't do or say that".  This is a great read and I am glad that I was privileged to have read it.

This book was provided by Bethany House for this review.