Monday, January 12, 2015

Book Review: Amish Second Christmas by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Ruth Reid, and Tricia Goyer

Amish Second Christmas 
by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Ruth Reid, and Tricia Goyer


Hardcover
Series: Thorndike Press Large Print Christian Fiction
Hardcover: 597 pages
Publisher: Thorndike Press Large Print; Lrg edition (January 28, 2015)
Amazon Hardcover Link

Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 7, 2014)
Amazon Paperback Link

Kindle Edition
File Size: 1460 KB
Print Length: 419 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 7, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Amazon Kindle Link


Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 11 hours and 40 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Oasis Audio
Audible.com Release Date: November 4, 2014
Whispersync for Voice: Ready
Audible Link

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from BookLookBloggers.com. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ 

My thoughts:

Amish Second Christmas is a collection of four Christmas Amish romances. It has been a while since the last time I read an Amish book. As always, the stories are sweet, light and at times funny. Reading this kind of book makes me want to visit one of their communities and experience the simplicity of their life. 


Second Christmas
The Christmas church service may or may not be held on December 25th, but both Christmas and the following day, sometimes called "second Christmas," are holidays for the Amish. This second day is usually one of relaxation or visiting others. (http://www.amishnews.com/amisharticles/amishchristmas.htm)

Out of all the four stories, WHEN CHRISTMAS COMES AGAIN is my favorite. 
“When Christmas Comes Again” by Beth Wiseman
Katherine knows the first Christmas without Elias will be hard for her and the children. But when a mysterious Englischer appears with photographs of her late husband, Katherine  begins to wonder what other blessings Christmas could have in store. 
The story is like an ordinary one but the appearance of the Englischer (non-Amish person) made it an extraordinary story. The twist made my heart ache for Elias, Katherine's husband I never "met" (died in an accident). I am giving the story five stars.


“Her Christmas Pen Pal” by Ruth Reid
Joy was expecting a wedding proposal from Henry; what she got instead was news of another woman. But when her heartfelt letter to a cousin ends up in the hands of a young cabinetmaker, an unexpected correspondence between two strangers gets interesting fast.
I can't imagine Amish people having penpals. From what I understand, they live in a small area, and most Amish are shy and rarely go outside their community. This one was unexpectedly a nice story.


“A Gift for Anne Marie” by Kathleen Fuller
Anne Marie and Nathaniel have been best friends since they were kids. Now things are evolving . . . in ways everyone else predicted long ago. But when her mother suddenly decides to remarry in another state, Anne Marie’s new chapter with Nathaniel looks doomed to end before it begins. 
Best friends. . . .  sweet story for teens.... 


“The Christmas Aprons” by Tricia Goyer
Vanilla crumb pie has been Esther’s mem’s calling card for decades. But when Esther finally gets her hands on the secret recipe, she discovers that vanilla crumb pie is more than just dessert . . . it’s bachelor bait.
I don't like stories with a character that has low self-esteem especially if the character is no longer a 'teen'. 

All in all, it was a good read! Looking forward to reading more Amish stories in the future!

About the book:



“When Christmas Comes Again” by Beth Wiseman

Katherine knows the first Christmas without Elias will be hard for her and the children. But when a mysterious Englischer appears with photographs of her late husband, Katherine  begins to wonder what other blessings Christmas could have in store. 


“Her Christmas Pen Pal” by Ruth Reid

Joy was expecting a wedding proposal from Henry; what she got instead was news of another woman. But when her heartfelt letter to a cousin ends up in the hands of a young cabinetmaker, an unexpected correspondence between two strangers gets interesting fast.

“A Gift for Anne Marie” by Kathleen Fuller

Anne Marie and Nathaniel have been best friends since they were kids. Now things are evolving . . . in ways everyone else predicted long ago. But when her mother suddenly decides to remarry in another state, Anne Marie’s new chapter with Nathaniel looks doomed to end before it begins. 

“The Christmas Aprons” by Tricia Goyer

Vanilla crumb pie has been Esther’s mem’s calling card for decades. But when Esther finally gets her hands on the secret recipe, she discovers that vanilla crumb pie is more than just dessert . . . it’s bachelor bait.

About the authors:





Award-winning, bestselling author Beth Wiseman is best known for her Amish novels, but she has also written several successful contemporary novels, set primarily in her beloved Texas, including Need You Now and The House that Love Built. Both have received glowing reviews. Beth's The Promise is inspired by a true story. Website: www.bethwiseman.com Twitter: @bethwiseman Facebook: Fans-of-Beth-Wiseman






Kathleen Fuller is the author of several bestselling novels, including A Man of His Word and Treasuring Emma, as well as a middle-grade Amish series, The Mysteries of Middlefield. Website: www.kathleenfuller.com Twitter: @TheKatJam Facebook: Author Kathleen Fuller







Ruth Reid is a CBA and ECPA best-selling author of the Heaven on Earth series. She's a full-time pharmacist who resides in Florida with her husband and three children. Facebook: Author-Ruth-Reid Twitter: @authorruthreid





USA Today best-selling author Tricia Goyer is the author of 35 books, including the three-book Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series. She has written over 500 articles for national publications and blogs for high traffic sites like TheBetterMom.com and MomLifeToday.com. Tricia and her husband John live in Little Rock, Arkansas where John works for FamilyLife. They have six children. Twitter: @triciagoyer Facebook: authortriciagoyer 

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