Review-A Plain Death by Amanda Flower

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I have a new author on my radar and I am not about to let her out of my sight! Amanda Flower has written a fantastic book!  I must say I simply adored this book. It follows Chloe Humphrey, a twenty-four year old computer techy, who takes a job in the small quaint town of Appleseed Creek, Ohio. Right from the start Chloe realizes this small town may not be so small after all. As she is driving along a rural road she sees a young girl in distress. The girl is being accosted by two men who seem to want to do harm. Chloe intercedes and scares the men away. And so it begins…. Chloe finds out that the girl is Becky Troyer, who is Amish and is leaving home.  Becky asks to stay with her and Chloe agrees for a few days. She seems harmless and Chloe likes her from the get go. Besides, she knows no one in town so this is a start. Becky promises to find a job and she is determined to do so.  She gets an interview at a local greenhouse and decides to borrow Chloe’s car without her knowledge to get there. Never mind that she has no license, she wants this job! On the way to the interview tragedy occurs. The brakes go out on the car, and Becky is unable to stop going down a hill and slams into a horse and buggy killing the beloved Bishop Glick. Shocked and horrified Becky manages to only receive a broken arm. Becky is in a heap of trouble. Chloe and Timothy Troyer, who is Becky’s brother, rush to her defense. Chloe knows her car was in proper driving condition so what happened? After some investigation, it’s discovered that the brake line was cut. Who would do such a thing?  As the mystery deepens and I was drawn into the investigation, I quickly realized everything was not what it seemed…..

A Plain Death has it all- mystery, intrigue, and a cast of characters that you will think about long after the last page is turned. Throw in Timothy, a handsome suitor for Chloe, and you have a recipe for a prize winning book. Amanda Flower has cooked up a real winner and I can’t wait for seconds!

This book was provided to me from B&H Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Author info: http://amandaflower.com/
A Plain Death: An Appleseed Creek Mystery can be pre-ordered in the Destination Amish Store.
Orders are processed through Amazon.
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Amy Clipston Book Giveaway: Signed Copy of Season of Love

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I am very excited to share a fabulous give away from Amy Clipston. She is giving away an autographed advanced copy of A Season of Love, complete with bookmarks and a pen! What a terrific gal. This book does not release until June 19, which makes this is a special prize. I had some comments about winning this book so here’s your chance. :)  I love this book and I know you will too! Good luck to all. Here’s the link to my review: A Season of Love.

Contest starts today – May 17 and runs until May 24. The winner will be announced Friday, May 25. To be fair I will be using random.org to pick the winner.

 Contest rules are simple.

  1. Leave a comment for Amy on this post.
  2. Like or share on Facebook.
  3. Leave another comment on this post if you liked or shared. That’s 3 chances to win!

About the Author

Amy Clipston is the author of the bestselling Kauffman Amish Bakery novels. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan College and currently works for the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. Amy lives with her husband, two sons, and four spoiled-rotten cats. Visit her on the web at www.amyclipston.com and www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks.

A Trip Back to Stoney Ridge: An Interview with Julia Lapp

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One of my favorite books this year was The Keeper by Suzanne Woods Fisher. I am super excited to read book two, The Haven, which releases in August. If you have read The Keeper then you are familiar with Julia Lapp and are in for a real treat! I have an interview with her from The Stoney Ridge Roving Reporter. This interview makes the anticipation for The Haven at an all-time high! I simply cannot wait till August……….Enjoy

About The Keeper

Julia Lapp has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. When Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding–again–she knows who is to blame. Perpetual bachelor and spreader of cold feet, Roman Troyer, the Bee Man.

Roamin’ Roman travels through the Amish communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives full of bees, renting them out to farmers in need of pollinators. He relishes his nomadic life, which keeps him from thinking about all he has lost. He especially enjoys bringing his bees to Stoney Ridge each year. But with Julia on a mission to punish him for inspiring Paul’s cold feet, the Lapp farm is looking decidedly less pleasant.

Can Julia secure the future she’s always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?

WELCOME TO THE NEWS FROM STONEY RIDGE COLUMN.

BY STONEY RIDGE TIMES ROVING REPORTER!

Interview with Julia Lapp from “The Keeper”–back for a visit to Windmill Farm in Stoney Ridge

Stoney Ridge Times Roving Reporter: Julia, the last we heard, you had decided to marry Roman Troyer, the Bee Man, but you hadn’t told him yet. Can you fill us in?

Julia: Let’s see, that must have been right after my father’s operation. Those few weeks were pretty intense, as you can imagine. Rome was a rock during that time.

Stoney Ridge Times Roving Reporter: So did you marry soon after that?

Julia: We did. Rome felt a longing to get back to his childhood home in Ohio. It felt like a miracle to have the farm. It was a miracle. He wanted to get back to Ohio as soon as possible and see what condition the house was in, but I didn’t want him to have to do that alone. I know he felt healed from his family’s tragedy, but that would have been a lonely task. So we decided to have the wedding at Christmas.

Stoney Ridge Times Roving Reporter: How did Fern react to that news?

Julia: Fern? She did what she usually did-she complained and said it was an impossible task. Then she sat right down and started planning it. With such short notice, only about four hundred people could attend. A little on the small side. But it was a beautiful day.

Stoney Ridge Times Roving Reporter: So then you and Rome moved to Ohio?

Julia: Sadie, my sister, wanted to come along with us for a few months to help us set up house. That ended up being a timely decision, for so many reasons.

Stoney Ridge Times Roving Reporter: Oh? Such as…

Julia: [Hesitates.] Well, that’s really Sadie’s story to tell. Let’s just say…coming to Ohio was a…significant turning point in her life.

Stoney Ridge Times Roving Reporter: Did the bees go with you?

Julia: Oh, my, yes! Rome could never be separated from his brown bees. He did leave M.K. with a new queen and a hive. He would have preferred waiting a few more years. Well, you know my little sister. She doesn’t really have the temperament for beekeeping. It requires…patience.

Stoney Ridge Times Roving Reporter: She told me she’s become a crackerjack beekeeper.

Julia: Mary Kate said that? [Rolls her eyes.] Fern might have an opinion about that. She’s had to take on some new chores since we left. Bee-related. (Glances toward the house.) Speaking of chores, is this going to last much longer?

Stoney Ridge Times Roving Reporter: Oh. Oh! I guess not. [Watches Julia hurry off to the house.] Well, thanks for taking a few minutes to update everyone today. [The rusty hinge of the kitchen door squeaks as Julia disappears into the house.]

Hope you enjoyed this interview! Stay tuned for more updates from Stoney Ridge.

Don’t forget to Pre-Order your copy of The Haven today!

Destination Amish Book Store - Orders are processed through Amazon.com.

To read my review of The Keeper click here.

A Season of Love – Amy Clipston

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Love is in the air in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania for everyone except Katie Kauffman. To Katie it seems like all of her friends are moving forward with their lives and she is not. Her best friends Lindsay and Lizzie Anne are happy and in love. Lindsay has started to date Matthew Glick and Lizzie Anne and Samuel, who is Katie’s brother, are to be married. Katie feels left out and often the fifth wheel. She fills her days working at her grandmother’s bakery and taking care of her family. Katie desperately wants what her friends have, someone to love and to be loved. Jake Miller is a carpenter, who is tending to a broken heart. He is stuck in a rut. He goes to work every day, and every night he goes home to a frozen pizza. Jake starts a job at the Kauffman Amish Bakery doing some remodeling. While working Jake and Katie forge a friendship and become lunch buddies. Katie and Jake enjoy their time together but trouble is brewing. Katie is Amish and Jake is Mennonite. Katie’s family strongly warns her of the dangers of getting close to Jake. The Amish do not mix with the Mennonite. The bottom line is that it cannot happen. As they grow closer, Katie and Jake realize just how strong their feelings are. The end result is Katie being forbidden to see Jake. Having already joined church she has no choice but to comply. Can the boundaries be broken so that these star crossed lovers can be together? Will the ways of the Amish and Mennonite be their downfall before they even begin?

What a book! This is a great story with wonderful characters that you will immensely enjoy. I felt so bad for poor Katie throughout this book! Let’s just say her father is set in his ways. And that’s putting it mildly! Previous storylines are wrapped up beautifully, and I was left with a sense of contentment. It is always such a pleasure reading Amy’s books. A Season of Love is the final book of her Kauffman Amish Bakery Series, but no need to fret, Amy has many more books in the works!

This book was provided to me from Zondervan Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Book is available for Pre-Order in the Destination Amish Store.

You can visit Amy Clipston’s website at http://www.amyclipston.com/

Don’t forget to Like and Follow Amy on Facebook and Twitter.