My Bookshelf: Brightest and Best by Olivia Newport

Ella squeezed her eyes shut, flushes and chills taking her by turn. Gotte’s wille. How could she know God’s will? Was it even possible?

        Ella Hilty’s deepest desire is to marry Gideon Wittmer and be a mother to his three children. But before the betrothal and ceremony take place, Ella’s 1918 Ohio Amish community gets caught in a storm of controversy when English government authorities dictate that Amish children must attend consolidated public schools rather than their one-room schoolhouse.

        English schoolteacher Margaret Simpson had given up thoughts of marriage years ago, and she’s content with her peaceful life. But a budding romance and conflict with the neighboring Amish community lead Margaret down a path that she never expected.

        Citing freedom of religion rights, Amish parents stand their ground against progressive English laws that threaten to erode their culture and beliefs beyond recognition, but their stance doesn’t come without consequences. Where is the balance between submission to God and submission to a God-ordained government that endangers the church?

        Soon Margaret puts her last chance for romance at risk for the only choice her conscience can abide, and all eyes turn to Ella to bring unity to the Amish and understanding to the English.

        Brightest and Best is the third book in Olivia Newport’s Amish Turns of Time series, but it is the first book by her I have ever read. Although this novel started out a little slow for me, it quickly picked up speed, immersing me in the struggle between obeying God and obeying a God-ordained government. I really fell in love with the story, and found myself fighting along with them against the rules that threatened their way of life. I loved the historical aspects of this book and how they really made it what it was, and the characters were all wonderful and easy to relate to. Ella is so selfless and completely and utterly in tune with God’s will, and I really looked up to her and her faith. Margaret, although from a different background so unlike Ella’s, reminded me of her in so many ways. She really did want what was best for the Amish children, and it was obvious with everything that she did.

        What should you do when you know God is calling you to raise your children one way, and the God-ordained government you live under says something different? How do you know what is right, and how far to push the boundaries? Will God make His will clear, and if so, will He make a way possible so you can follow it? Many Amish parents were faced with these questions throughout the whole of this book, and how they rallied and tried their hardest to do what was right, despite attacks coming from all sides, and the effect was inspiring. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for them, wanting to do what was right but unsure exactly what that was and feeling the pressure put on them by the government and the other families. Olivia really showed us how difficult it was for them, and I applaud her for weaving the story in such a way that it made you feel as if you were a part of the drama.

        As the story progressed, it really drew me in, and I found myself anxious to find out what would happen. I really did love the ending, although it didn’t turn out exactly the way I thought it would. However, it definitely did end well, and I found myself looking up to Margaret and Ella even more as I finished. They are both so strong and inspiring, and I really was blessed by that. All the characters, really, had at least one relatable thing about them, and I loved all of them for the way that they handled the situations they were presented with. With everything that filled the pages of this novel, it really did end up being one that I loved, and I will present it with four bookshelves out of five, and the only reason I do not give it all five was because of the fact that the beginning was a bit slow for me. All in all, Brightest and Best was a very enjoyable novel, I highly recommend it, and am looking forward to reading more by Olivia in the future.

        Happy reading!

You can purchase a copy of this novel here!

Linking up at Let it Shine.

Photo creds go to my awesome sister Allie. Check out her blog here!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Olivia Newport and Shiloh Run Press.

High Five for Friday

        Another week has come and gone, and let me say, I am soooooo glad it’s finally the weekend! But, I have to admit, this week hasn’t been all bad…

        1. I have officially moved! It was a big transition, even though it wasn’t much of a distance, but I have to say, I am very glad everything worked out and that I am able to be here. While it was a bit of a whirlwind, I know this is where the Lord wants me to be, so I’m super pumped to see what He has in store. I’ll keep you posted.

        2. Currently I am reading The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate, and I am LOVING it. Up until this point, I hadn’t read anything by her, but I am so glad I picked up this one. Lisa’s writing is phenomenal; every scene flows effortlessly into the perfect story that draws you in and keeps you wanting more. I cannot wait to finish this story, and I’m already anticipating reading the rest more by her. As soon as I finish this one, I’ll let you know what I think of it as a whole. Because of the move, I’m a little behind schedule, otherwise I would’ve already finished and reviewed this one, but either way, it’ll get posted eventually (wink, wink).

        3. Everything is on track for my very first giveaway!! I’m planning on (as long as nothing comes up and throws me off track) having it start September 7^th, so look out for that! I’m already so excited to get to read The Chase, so the fact that I get to give a copy away as well makes me super happy. For those of you who don’t know, The Chase is a new book for girls all about trusting God with your happily ever after, and it’s by Kyle Kupecky—a Christian Recording Artist—and his wife Kelsey—who is also the daughter of New York Times Bestselling Author Karen Kingsbury. Anyway, I cannot wait to share this book with you, so come back September 7^th for my giveaway!

        4. Another thing I am reading at the moment is Your Best Happily Ever After by Ginger Kolbaba. I’ve been reading it as my devotions the last couple of weeks, and I absolutely LOVE it. As I’ve read page after page, I’ve learned so much about what it means to really live out the ‘happily ever after’ God has for you. I’ve been enjoying it immensely, and I cannot wait to share my full review with you!

        5. Oh, I almost forgot! The lock-in I mentioned I was planning on last weeks’ post went really well! It was so much fun, and I know all the teens enjoyed themselves. It was also just such a great time of bonding for everyone, especially since we are currently in transition and without a youth pastor. Anyway, it was an absolute blast, full of great games like Sardines and Hunger Games Dodgeball, and lots and lots of pizza. I cannot wait to help out with another one!

        There’s my highlights for my week. I cannot wait to see what next week holds!

        Happy Friday!

Linking up at High Five for Friday, Five on Friday, FridayFavorites @ Meet at the Barre, and Friday Favorites @ The Diary of a RealHousewife.

All credit for the photo of Your Best Happily Ever After goes to my sister, Allie. Check out her blog here.

The Proposal at Siesta Key by Shelley Shepard Gray

        Penny Troyer rarely disobeys her parents. In the years since her sister’s tragic death, they’ve wanted nothing more than to keep her safe…even if it means never leaving the house.

        But tonight, she’s bending the rules because Michael Knoxx, the most famous member of the Knoxx Family Singers, a traveling Mennonite Evangelical family, is scheduled to speak. Penny has heard of Michael—how he lost part of his leg in a terrible accident and uses the experience to inspire others—and knows she must meet him. So, for the first time ever, Penny stands up to her parents and goes out on her own.

        Though he speaks about living life to the fullest, Michael knows he needs to take his own advice. Life on the road is grueling and Michael wants to slow down, to rest…to perhaps meet someone who sees him as a man, not just a celebrity. So when a twist of fate allows him to stay a little longer in Pinecraft, Michael knows God is showing him a new path, especially when he discovers that Penny has also survived a terrible ordeal.

        But as Michael’s time in Pinecraft comes to an end, Michael and Penny are left to wonder what kind of future they could possibly have together. Are they brave enough to take the chance given to them? Or will they choose to cling to what is familiar, even if it pushes away their dream of happiness?

        The Proposal at Siesta Key is the second book in Shelley Shepard Gray’s Amish Brides of Pinecraft series, and is my favorite so far. Although I loved both Leona and Zach, and their story, I loved Penny and Michael even more. I felt that this story flowed even better than the first, and it was easier for me to relate to. Besides, in the beginning, I felt so much pity for both Penny and Michael that it endeared them and their journey to me even more. With their funny interactions and painful situations, this book quickly pulled me in, and I also loved getting to know Beverly better, as she is starting to be one of my favorite characters of the series. I cannot wait to read her book.

        Anyway, Penny’s sweet character drew me to her immediately, and I loved watching her take control of her life. Her determination to not let her life pass her by is admirable, and I loved the way she gave Michael another chance even though he didn’t exactly deserve it at first. Of course, he was in pain, so you have to give him a little bit of grace and mercy, which Penny seems to be full of. I quickly felt as if Penny and I were friends, despite our obvious differences, and I loved watching her story play out, especially the parts with Michael. She is just such a sweet character, and her kindness and patience were almost limitless. Plus, her crush on Michael was pretty cute.

        Although we don’t really get the best impression of Michael in the beginning, I quickly got over his minor faults and found him to be a man of worth. He, like Penny, was an extremely determined person, even though sometimes it wasn’t the best of his traits. But, all in all, he really did treat Penny well, and if you add that to his other admirable qualities, you cannot blame Penny for her attraction to him. Even though he is tired of constantly being on the road, he continues without saying a word because he doesn’t want to disappoint his family, and he always strives to never be a burden. Besides, I loved the way he gently teased Penny, their palpable attraction was really one of the cutest things I have ever seen.

        Since I really did enjoy this sweet story even more than I expected I would, I gladly award it all five bookshelves, and I know I cannot wait to read the next two books in the series—A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn, which releases next month—and A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft—Beverly’s story—which releases in October. I have really enjoyed the first have of this series, and applaud Shelley for such wonderful Amish novels that I would recommend to anyone who likes Amish fiction.

        Happy reading!

You can purchase a copy of this novel, or the others in the series, here!

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Shelley Shepard Gray and Avon Inspire Publishing.

Top Ten Tuesday: Auto-Buy Authors

        Today’s Top Ten Tuesday are the top ten authors whose books I auto-buy, meaning the authors whose novels I preorder/purchase without even thinking about it. Because I know I have loved their previous works, I go on ahead and preorder their books. Since I’m sure I’ll love it, I might as well get it, right?

1. Julie Klassen

        Julie Klassen has been on my auto-buy list the longest. I have read every single one of her novels, and have loved each one. Clearly I could not help but add her to my list, so now every one of her new novels ends up on my ‘books to preorder list’ (yes I have one of those). Lady Maybe was the most recent of her books I ordered, although I am already planning on ordering The Painter’s Daughter, which releases in December.

2. Sarah E. Ladd

        Sarah E. Ladd has been on my auto-buy list almost as long as Julie has. Although I haven’t read that many of her books yet, I absolutely loved the ones I have finished. Recently, I preordered and read her latest release, The Curiosity Keeper. I really loved that first book in her Treasures of Surrey series, so I am already planning on preordering the next one—Dawn at Emberwilde—which releases next May.

3. Rachel Hauck

        Rachel Hauck is one of my favorite authors of all time. Obviously, it stands to reason that she would be on this list. I absolutely love her books, and am looking forward to all her new releases to come. Especially The Wedding Chapel—it releases in November—which I have already preordered as an e-book.

4. Denise Hunter

        Although Denise Hunter is a relatively new author to me, I fell in love with her writing almost immediately. Her Chapel Springs series are some of my favorite books of all times, and I am so excited for her new series, the Summer Harbor series. The first book, Falling Like Snowflakes, releases next month, and I’ve already preordered it, and am making plans to order the second book—The Goodbye Bride—even though it doesn’t release until next April.

5. Katherine Reay

        Katherine Reay made it onto my auto buy list easily, even though I’ve only read one of her two books so far. I absolutely loved Dear Mr. Knightly, and I cannot get enough of the Jane Austen themes that filled that book, which make me excited to read her other novel, since it is full of them as well. Not only does she get her inspiration from Jane, she also finds ideas between the pages of the novels by the Bronte sisters, as is evident in her book that is releasing in November. The Bronte Plot is going to be wonderful, I am sure of it, so that is why I’ve already ordered it.

6. Kristi Ann Hunter

        Although Kristi Ann Hunter is obviously a very new author to me—she has only released one e-novella—I couldn’t help but put her on this list. Why? Because I was already planning on preordering her first full length release before I even finished A Lady of Esteem (the e-novella). A Lady of Esteem was by far the best novella I have ever read, and I absolutely loved Kristi Ann’s writing style. Since I loved it so much, I already have the whole Hawthorne House series on my ‘books to preorder list’, starting with A Noble Masquerade, which releases next month.

7. Melanie Dickerson

        I love, love, love Melanie Dickerson’s books. Her fairy tale retellings are absolutely amazing, and I love the way she ties some of them together. Full of dashing heroes and dangerous situations, her novels are always captivating, which made my decision easy when I thought about who to add to this list. I have been eagerly anticipating her next release—The Golden Braid—for months already, and it doesn’t even come out until November. Obviously I cannot wait until that book shows up at my door.

8. Regina Jennings

         Even though I have only read one of her novels, I already love Regina Jennings. A Most Inconvenient Marriage is one of my favorite books of all time, and while reading it, I fell in love with the way she weaves together her historicals. Imagine my excitement when I first found out about her upcoming release—At Love’s Bidding. I immediately added it to my preorder list, and am excited to get to read it soon.

9. Elizabeth Camden

        Although I have only read one of her books as well, I am positive I love Elizabeth’s work. She writes the best super sweet historical novels that I cannot get enough of. Since I loved The Rose of Winslow Street as much as I did, I could not help but add Elizabeth to this list and plan to order Until the Dawn, her upcoming December release.

10. Siri Mitchell

        Last but not least, Siri Mitchell is another author I absolutely love. The first novel I ever read by her—She Walks in Beauty—is by far one of my favorite novels of all time, and to this day I cannot forget it, not that I’ve tried. Siri does such a wonderful job of writing super sweet, captivating stories that definitely touch your heart, so I always anticipate reading her books. Flirtation Walk—her upcoming March release—is no exception, so that is why she has this well-earned spot on my list.

        So, those are my top ten auto-buy authors! I’m excited to see if they change much over the next couple of years. What do you think? Do you have a few in common with me? There’s only one way to find out!

        Happy reading!

Linking up at Top Ten Tuesday.

My Bookshelf: The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson

Happily ever after…or happily nevermore?

        Gisela’s childhood was filled with laughter and visits from nobles such as the duke and his young son. But since her father’s death, each day has been filled with nothing but servitude to her stepmother. So when Gisela meets the duke’s son, Valten—the boy she has daydreamed about for years—and learns he is throwing a ball, she vows to attend, even if it’s only for a taste of a life she’ll never have. To her surprise, she catches Valten’s eye. Though he is rough around the edges, Gisela finds Valten has completely captured her heart. But other forces are bent on keeping the two from falling further in love, putting Gisela in more danger than she ever imagined.

        I absolutely loved this book (and isn't its cover just stunning?). Melanie Dickerson always does an outstanding job of weaving captivating, suspenseful romances, and The Captive Maiden is no exception. With its Cinderella themes, dashing hero, and dangerous rescues, this novel was absolutely impossible to put down. I just couldn’t get enough of it, and finished it in a matter of hours (even though I had to stay up late to do so). Since Gisela is the ‘Cinderella’ of this adventure, it was extremely easy to love, admire, and pity her, though Valten is another story. I know, I know if he’s the ‘Prince Charming’, then I must love him, right? Don’t worry, I do. I just fell so, so much harder for him than I ever did for Charming.

        Valten—Lord Hamlin, to be exact—is absolutely, positively wonderful. Although he is apparently incredibly handsome, that has nothing to do with my feelings for him (yes, you can have feelings for fictional characters; wink, wink). Vulnerable, yet strong, Valten is the picture of the perfect hero. The way he chases after and protects Gisela no matter what is completely and utterly adorable, and his determination to trust God despite his fears is just as sweet as it is inspiring. I absolutely loved watching him compete or interact with his sisters and, as always, I enjoyed his and Gisela’s interactions. Their attraction is palpable, and seeing them fall in love was beautiful to behold.

        Gisela is so strong! I cannot imagine facing everything she faced at the hands of her stepmother and sisters and still remaining aloof, claiming not to care. Yet Gisela does so with practiced ease, though I know her heart hurts inside at their ill treatment. The way she hangs on to the picture of Valten she has in her head even after all the years that pass is by far one of the sweetest things I have ever heard, so you can imagine my excitement as things started to work out between them. Although her life was far from easy, Gisela continued to trust in the Lord and look for His guidance in her life, and her constant faith and determination were absolutely inspiring. From the very first page, I felt as if Gisela was one of my very closest friends, and I cheered with her as her life become more like the ‘Happily Ever After’ part of the fairytale.

        Since I loved The Captive Maiden so very, very much, I obviously cannot help but give it all five bookshelves. This is far and away my favorite of Melanie Dickerson’s books that I have read so far—and I have loved each of them so, so much—and it has a permanent place on my ‘favorite books of all time’ list. I would recommend it to absolutely everyone, and I am so very glad I bought it, as I am sure I will be reading this wonderful tale again and again.

        Happy reading!

You can purchase a copy of this novel here!

Linking up at Bloggers Who Have Inspired Me and Totally Terrific Tuesdays.

Photo creds go to my super awesome sister Allie! Check out her blog here!

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Melanie Dickerson and Zondervan Publishing.

The Promise of Palm Grove by Shelley Shepard Gray

        Amish bride-to-be Leona is thrilled to be in Florida, on a mini vacation in the pretty town of Pinecraft. Her girlfriends think she’s happy because she’s away from the stress of wedding planning. They have no idea that Leona’s real joy is in being away from her fiancé.

        Edmund is a good man and will make a decent husband…just not for Leona. The more time she spends with him and his overbearing ways, the less she wants to be his wife. Her cousins are sure Edmund is the right man for her—and their certainty makes Leona begin to doubt herself. But when a chance encounter with a wayward cat brings her face-to-face with a handsome, fun-loving Amish man named Zachary Kaufmann, Leona’s faced with two vastly different futures.

        Leona must decide: Should she follow the path set out before her? Or take a chance with only the promise of what could be to guide her?

        The first book in Shelley Shepard Gray’s Amish Brides of Pinecraft series, The Promise of Palm Grove is a delightful little story that made for the perfect summer read. Although it is just a little bit fluffy—it was definitely a light read—I really enjoyed reading all about Leona and her dilemma. Besides, who ever said fluffy reads were bad? Plus, this novel did have plenty of hairy situations and a few laughs, along with some pretty lovable characters.

        I really liked Leona. Since she is such a sweet girl, she is easy to love, and her struggle with knowing God’s will is something everyone can relate to. What I don’t understand, however, is how she ever liked Edmund in the first place. That man is a piece of work! I most certainly couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life with a man like that. Clearly, I cannot blame Leona for having second thoughts. With a demanding man like Edmund, I’m sure anyone would want out (let me just assure you that Edmund is a fictional character and that any hatred I have of him does not carry on to any real men who might happen to be anything like him). Especially once she meets Zach Kaufmann.

        Zachary Kaufmann is by far the exact opposite of Edmund. Always putting others before himself, Zach spends all of his time taking care of his younger sister, helping his family, and doing things for others, and none of his time on himself. Then he meets Leona. With her sweet smile and charming ways, she immediately catches his eye, and he knows he must find the time to get to know her before she leaves Pinecraft.

        The Promise of Palm Grove is such a sweet story of love, forgiveness, and new beginnings that was all too easy to enjoy. Along with all of its wonderful characters, something I loved about this novel was the fact that it is full of people learning to trust God and His will in their lives. I also really loved meeting the minor characters, some of whom will be featured in later books. Because of its wonderful storyline, I gladly give this novel all five bookshelves, and would happily recommend it, and the rest of the books in the series.

        Happy reading!

You can purchase a copy of any of the books in this series here!

Linking up at Let it Shine.

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Shelley Shepard Gray and Avon Inspire Publishing.

High Five for Friday

        It’s Friday! You know how some weeks it seems to take forever to get to the weekend? Well, this was one of those weeks. But it’s finally here now, and I’m gonna celebrate! Though I have to say, this week hasn’t been all bad…

        1. I’m setting up for my first ever giveaway!!! I’m so excited I can barely stand it! I’m not a hundred percent sure what day it will start, but it will most likely be September 7^th through the 14^th (both are Mondays, by the way). Unfortunately that seems like an eternity away, but that’s because the book I’m giving away doesn’t even come out in stores until the 1^st, and the copy I’ve already ordered to give away won’t get to me until the 3^rd. Plus, that will give me some time to actually read my copy so I can tell you how wonderful it is so that you’ll want to win the giveaway even more. What book is it, you ask? Just the one book I have been looking forward to the most ever since I first heard of it. It’s called The Chase: Trusting God with Your Happily Ever After and it is by Christian Recording Artist Kyle Kupecky and his wife Kelsey, who is also the daughter of New York Times Bestselling Author Karen Kingsbury. Here’s the description:

        Only God could have written a love story as beautiful as Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky’s. from their teenage days thousands of miles apart when they separately wrote letters to their future spouses, to a chance meeting backstage at a concert, their story brings hope and inspiration to every girl.

        It’s easy to get impatient for the future to play out, especially when it comes to love. Before long you find yourself chasing the perfect guy and trying to write your own happily ever after. But the truth is, your best future won’t be found chasing boys—it’ll only come by first chasing God.

        In The Chase, Kyle and Kelsey take turns telling their story, with Kelsey sharing secrets to a godly relationship and Kyle revealing the truth about what guys really think. Together they’ll show you how to put God first, protect your heart, deal with the loneliness and peer pressure that come along with purity, and see yourself as God does.

        Are you ready to trust God with your very own happily ever after? Let the chase begin!

        Doesn’t that sound amazing! I’m absolutely dying to read it. Anyway, keep an eye out for my giveaway; I’ll be posting more details soon!

        2. This week I have to give God a huge, huge thank you for the blessings he has given me. The main reason I say this as one of my highlights is because of the people God has placed in my life, and how much they mean to me. You see, I’m going to be moving (not far, just residences) next week, and an absolutely amazing couple who goes to my church—and are also more like family to me than anything else—have been going above and beyond trying to help make this move as easy as possible. Last Sunday, they had mentioned something about helping me out, but I had been quick to assure them that, while that meant the world to me, I didn’t want them to have to go out of their way and that they didn’t have to do that.

        Well, they knew they didn’t have to, but they wanted to, so on Wednesday they brought it up again, and they—along with my best friend—had me sit down and write out everything else I needed before move-in day so they could help me pick it up. I cannot tell you how blessed I felt as I sat there among some of the people I love the most as they tried to help me by reminding me of things I might need that I hadn’t thought of, and then offering to purchase it for me. I have never been so thankful for the way God gives you exactly the blessing you desired, right when you needed it most. And I’m not talking about the act of helping as much as how loved I felt by their offer. Even if they never actually did a single thing to help, just the way they offered and the way they showed how much they loved me meant more than they will ever know.

        3. More nail designs! The middle nail on that hand is a little messed up, but that’s okay (I’m not very patient when waiting for them to dry). Unfortunately I have to say this isn’t my favorite design, but I do like it nonetheless. And I am positive that I will be doing stripes again—I really want to try chevron by I’m not sure if I’m brave enough yet. Speaking of nail designs…

        4. I’m working on my very first nail tutorials! Isn’t that exciting? While they aren’t going to be videos (I know I’m not brave enough for that just yet), they will be step by step instructions with quite a few pictures to lead you through! I’m thinking I will have at least one design every 1^st and 3^rd Monday, although I’m not entirely sure just yet. We’ll see, but either way, I will have some tutorials soon! Since I’m moving, it might not be until next month, but rest assured, they are coming!

        5. Last but not least, I just read The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson. I know I always talk about books, but I really couldn’t help it this time. The Captive Maiden was absolutely amazing! I read it all yesterday, and I loved every bit of it. I have never, ever melted into a little puddle as many times as I did reading this novel. It was by far one of the sweetest books I have ever read, and the suspense just about killed me! I cannot wait to review this book, but I’m waiting until Tuesday since I own this one and want to post it as a part of my regular “My Bookshelf” posts I always do on Tuesdays. So, look out for that review, because I will have a lot more gushing—and swooning—over this book to do!

        Happy Friday!

Linking up at High Five for Friday.

All credit for the photo of The Captive Maiden goes to my sister Allie. Check out her blog here.


All credit for the italicized synopsis of The Chase goes to Kyle & Kelsey Kupecky and Revell Publishing.