The Confession Musical

Synopsis:

Katie Lapp, a young Amish girl, discovers her parents have been keeping a secret from her... she is

adopted. Katie decides to seek her birth mother, defying the rules of her Amish village and risking a

shunning. Meanwhile, her wealthy birth mother, Laura Mayfield, battling an illness that might take her

life, begins a search to find her long-lost daughter to bequeath her inheritance before it is too late. Secretly plotting against her is the gold-digging husband Dylan (played by John Schneider), who is scheming to make sure it is he who inherits her fortune. With the help and prayers of her Christian maidservant (played by Chonda Pierce), they try to foil Dylan’s plan and reunite Katie and Laura.

My thoughts:
I have read so many books in the Amish genre so it was fun to see a musical about one of these books.  
This is a touching story.  I enjoyed the characters, storyline, and the singing.  I appreciated the comic relief provided by Katie's friend as well as the butler and his wife.  They all three made me laugh throughout the movie.

This musical will have you rooting for Katie to find her birthmother and answers to her questions. There are several twists and turns in the story as well  caused by the secrets that are uncovered which keep the story interesting.  

It is a sweet musical to watch. Watch the video trailer here.

Get your tickets now.

Order your tickets now to see The Confession Musical Movie with John Schneider and Chonda Pierce. You will Sing, Dance, Laugh and Gasp in this new film from Blue Gate Musicals!  Buy tickets  here.

I received the opportunity to watch this video from FrontGate media for my honest review.  Thank you.

#confessionmusicalmovie, #theconfessionmusicalmovie, #confessionmusical, #movieconfessionmusical #fathomevents #chondapierce, #johnschneider #bluegatemusicals

Have a day of blessings! 

 Bethany

Book: Anything But Plain

About the book:

It's not easy being the bishop's daughter, especially for Lydie Stoltzfus. She's not like other Amish girls, as much as she wishes she were. The only thing she does well is disappoint others. Leaving her family and church seems unbearable, but staying might be worse.

Knowing Lydie is "between" jobs, the local doctor asks her to fill in at the front desk for a few months. To Lydie, this is a boon. It gives her time to figure out how she's going to say goodbye to her neighbor, Nathan Yoder--the main reason she needs to leave Stoney Ridge. Nathan claims he's in love with her, but she knows she's not good enough for him. If in doubt, Nathan's father reminds her frequently.

As Dok spends time with Lydie, she recognizes symptoms of a disorder rare among the Amish. She offers treatment for Lydie. But will it be enough to make her stay? Or has help come too late?

Bestselling and award-winning author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to Stoney Ridge, a small town that feels like an old friend.

My thoughts:

I feel like I've read quite a few books by Suzanne Woods Fisher.  This one did not disappoint.  I enjoyed the topic of ADHD in this book as it was a topic I had not seen previously addressed in all of the many books I've read from the Amish genre.  I actually learned some things about ADHD as well and helpful ways to help people cope who have ADHD.

I enjoyed the character Lydie and was cheering for and wanting to see her be successful. 

This is the author's site.  She has so many wonderful books and series.

I received a copy of this book as part of the Revell Reads blogger team for my honest review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings! 

 Bethany

Book: Summer’s Promise

About the book:
Can she leave everything she knows for love?

Summer Carson has lived near the Amish community in Paradise, Pennsylvania, all her life. Now she's following in her father's footsteps and earning her degree in agricultural science so she can continue his work helping local farmers.

In her job at the county extension office, Summer moves between the Englisch and the Amish worlds. While she sometimes finds herself speaking—and even thinking—in Pennsylvania Deitsch, the transition isn't always easy. But what has come naturally to Summer is her attraction to one of the farmers: Abram Yoder is handsome, steady, and hardworking. He's everything so many of the Englisch men she knows are not. And Summer quickly realizes that she's caught his eye as well.

Can Summer give up the comforts she's always known for a life with this Amish man? And is Abram willing to let her try?

My thoughts:
 Summer's Promise is the third book in the Harvest of Hope series by Barbara Cameron.  

I liked reading Summer and Abram’s story. Summer is working hard to finish college on top of working and helping her mother.  They are both grieving the loss of her father.  Summer also feels the burden of caring for her mother when she begins to notice her health and memory seems to be declining. She has a lot on her plate right now.  

Abram, an Amish man that lives nearby, comes along as a friend to Summer.  They both enjoy each other's friendship but don't know if they can have a relationship because they are from differing lifestyles.  

There were some things that confused me. I was not sure at first of Carl’s role and his relationship to Summer or her mother.  I was confused about his age and role. Also, I didn’t know why it suddenly said Abram had a cell phone since the Amish do not typically use them.  I couldn’t remember if I had missed it previously stating why he was allowed to have a phone.  There were parts of the book that didn't flow well in my opinion, parts felt choppy and needed to be more developed or left out.  

Overall I enjoyed the story.

I was not familliar with this author and had not read the others in this series.

I received a copy of this book from the Kregel blog tour for my honest review.  Thank you.


Have a day of blessings!
 Bethany

Book: Inside an Amish Home

About the book: Welcome to an Amish home. It s rare for outsiders to see inside the homes of Old Order Amish people, who live their Christian faith in community, simplicity, and humility. An Amish family in the Midwest gives us a glimpse into the intimate spaces where their family life unfolds. Patterns of work, play, fellowship, and worship become visible, and the warmth and light of the rooms bear witness to their love for God and for each other. Come in!

My thoughts:I am somewhat familiar with the Amish lifestyle due to the books I read in the Amish fiction genre.  Also we toured The Amish Village on our family vacation.  I thought this book would give me more information, but I didn't learn too much really.  I mainly enjoyed the pictures.

This book has some pretty pictures to show you inside an Amish home.  There are not photos of the people since they do not want to be photographed.  Some of the photos were not the best quality in my opinion.  I could not tell if this was because of the actual image or because I was looking at it in a digital copy so the layout was different than it should be.  The information was somewhat informative if you know nothing about the Amish way of life.

This book is coming out early in 2019.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
   Bethany

Book: The Celebration

Today I'm sharing a book with you called The Celebration.  This is the 3rd book in the Amish Cooking Class series by Wanda E. Brunstetter.  I reviewed the first book The Seekers and the second book called The Blessing.  I enjoyed the other two books and was glad to read this third book.

About the book:
Lyle and Heidi Troyer have taken in a brother and sister, who were orphaned when their parents were killed in a car accident. Hoping to help the children adapt and make friends, Heidi decides to hold a series of cooking classes for kids. But kids are always accompanied by an adult—and that is where the trouble arises.

Miranda Cooper is living the life of a single mom to her two kids while separated from her husband, but Trent is trying to worm his way back into her heart.

Denise McGuire’s life as a wife, mom, and real estate broker is full and spilling over.

Darren Keller, single dad and firefighter, and Ellen Blackburn, single mom and nurse, find a few things in common.

Will hearts be healed over plates of Amish food?

My thoughts:
I liked the change of this book in having the cooking class for children instead of adults as was the case in the other two books in the series. It was interesting to read the interactions of the children in the class as well as how the parents interacted with one another.

Heidi is a wonderful main character who is easy to like.  She has lots of wisdom to share with her students and their parents and is never rude or pushy.  I appreciate that she includes a Bible verse with her recipes for her students to take home and to read how the verses bless the families.

Another thing I liked about this book is that the recipes are included at the end.

It is somewhat predictable I thought as I read but is a good story and my favorite in this series.

This book will be coming out soon at the beginning of February.

Watch this short trailer about the book too.

Visit the author's website here.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book for my review.

Have a day of blessings!
   Bethany

New book in 2018

Do you have books coming out in 2018 that you look forward to reading?  Here is the video trailer to the next book in the Amish Cooking Class series by Wanda E. Brunstetter.  The book is #3 in this series, and I look forward to reading it. It releases in February (which we know will be here before we know it!)  It looks like it will be a good book. (And I like the purple on the cover.)




Have a day of blessings!
   Bethany

Free Christmas book

I found out that a Christmas book is free to download right now and wanted to share that with you.

It is called The Christmas Secret by Wanda E. Brunstetter.

Here is the link to get it at Barnes and Nobles. You can find it at other online retailers as well.  This special will end soon so check it out today!

Have a day of blessings!
   Bethany

Book: The Blessing

Today I want to share with you book #2 in the Amish Cooking Class Series.  It is called The Blessing.

About the book:Six new cooking class students.  New friendships form, a romance blossoms, and hearts receive healing nourishment. Will Heidi’s own hurting heart also be healed?

Despite stressful changes occurring in their lives, Lyle and Heidi once again open their Ohio home up to those seeking to learn about Amish cooking. This time a teenager helping her divorced dad cook for the family, a caterer needing new recipes, a food critic, a hunter looking to impress his buddies, a wife given the class as an unwanted gift, and a mailman lured in by the aroma of good cooking gather around Heidi’s table.

During each class, Heidi teaches culinary skills, but it is her words of wisdom that have a profound effect on her students—though, this time Heidi’s own hurting heart will need some healing nourishment.

My thoughts:
I enjoyed the main character Heidi in the first book and she continued to be one of my favorites in this book.  I like that the recipes she makes with her students are included in the back of the book because as I read about them they sound good and like things I'd like to make myself.  This group of students is diverse just like Heidi's first group. At the beginning I wasn't sure how well they were going to mesh with each other so it was interesting to read and see them develop relationships through the six classes.  I can tell you that they all learning something in their cooking classes and it isn't just about being better cooks.

This is a good book to read and I look forward to what happens with Heidi and her husband and their desire to have children.

I reviewed The Seekers,  which is book #1 in this series here.

Find out more about Wanda E. Brunstetter and her other books at her website.

I received this book from the publisher for my review as part of the Clippity Clop Club. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
  Bethany

The Farmers' Market Mishap

The Farmer's Market Mishap is the sequel to The Lopsided Christmas Cake by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Jean Brunstetter.

Elma is the main character in this book.  She is living alone after her twin Thelma marries. She lives across the street so the sisters see each other often, but Elma still misses their closeness.  Elma is happy for her sister but longs to find her own love.  Thelma things Elma and her husband's friend Delbert will make a good match.  When a man from out of town (Ben) begins to show interest in Elma after they meet at the farmer's market, Thelma is concerned her sister will move away.  She wants her sister nearby since she is expecting a baby and will need Elma's help.  Can Ben and Elma have a relationship even though they do not live in the same city?  

I did not read book one in this series yet but was able to follow along with these characters.

Read more and find other Wanda books at her site here.

I received this book from the author and publisher for my honest review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
   Bethany

Coming soon from Wanda E. Brunstetter

I previously shared with you book 1 called The Seekers in the new series by Wanda E. Brunstetter.

Now is the time to pre-order the next book in the series called The Blessing. I am looking forward to reading this story!  You can pre-order online and then get the free goodies.

Go to this link after you pre-order to receive the free extra goodies!

Have a day of blessings!
   Bethany

The Seekers

Wanda E. Brunstetter has a new series called The Amish Cooking Class.  I finished the first book called The Seekers.

Heidi decides to offer cooking classes to teach students how to make a few Amish dishes.  She has quite a mixture of personalities who sign up to take her class.  As the weeks pass the students begin to share their personal experiences and problems.  They all seem to gain something more than just learning to cook through these classes.

I enjoyed this book and the characters with their various ages and backgrounds.  The author has another series which I've read called The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club that is similar.  I liked the main character Heidi's gentle way with her students and how she wanted to help them in their lives, not just teach them a few lessons on cooking. Another thing I liked was that the recipes Heidi teaches her students are included at the back of the book!  I want to try Amish haystack for my family. I look forward to read what happens to these characters, especially Heidi with her longing for a child of her own.

Click here to view a trailer for the book.

A copy of this book was provided to me for my review by the author and publisher.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
   Bethany

Do you like audio books?

Do you listen to audio books?  I love that our library has so many to choose from, both CDs and digital downloads. It has only been recently, probably last 5-6 years I guess, that I have listened to audio books.

The above picture shows a sampling of the audio books by Wanda E. Brunstetter at one of the local library branches (our neighboring town has three different locations around the city).

I have listened to most of these I believe.  The set at the end with the picture of the lady on the spine are from a series called The Discovery---A Lancaster County Saga. I really enjoyed that whole series.

Check out all of Wanda E. Brunstetter's books at her fun website.

Have a day of blessings!  
Bethany

Do you enjoy Amish fiction?

I have read many fiction books about the Amish.  I don't know why I enjoy them so much, but I have read so many good ones.  One Amish author I have enjoyed for years is Wanda E. Brunstetter. I've read many of her books.

I wanted to share with you her site where you can sign up to receive her newsletter.  Go to her site and enter your email address. (Turn  your speakers up and you will hear the clip clop of horses' hooves as you browse her site.)  You will receive updates on her newest books by subscribing to her newsletter.  Another fun thing is that you will get a free ebook of Amish recipes just for subscribing.

I am reading her book The Seekers now and will be posting a review on it soon.  She has several other new books coming out in the coming months.

Have a day of blessings!
  Bethany

The Hawaiian Quilt

I realized I had never posted my review of this book so I wanted to do that.  I've read many books by Wanda E Brunstetter as well as various other authors who write stories about the Amish.  This one is very different because four friends who are Amish take a trip on a cruise ship to Hawaii.  That makes for an unusual setting for this book.   It was interesting the things that took place in the story (without giving away too much) that led Mandy to end up being longer in Hawaii than she originally planned.
I do look forward to more about the characters.  I was surprised by how the main character Mandy acted at times.  

This book had a different feel from other Amish books I've read and took me a while to "get into it." Overall, it was an okay book.

I received a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.  Thank  you.

Have a day of blessings!
    Bethany

Amish Friends Harvest Cookbook

I have always enjoyed looking at cookbooks.  I was pleased to receive this book for my review and couldn't begin browsing through the pages.  The pictures are so pretty and add to the enjoyment of this book.

The book begins with some practical tips and advice for gardening.  I found these very interesting to read and felt it gave me a glimpse into the Amish lifestyle.  Following this is the recipes which are divided into categories.  There is such a wide variety of recipes here that I have never heard of or tried.  Many of them look rather easy to complete. I saw some I will be able to try out for my family and the local fair.

It made me smile to see the recipe for fried flower blossoms.  We had these when we visited family in Iowa one summer.

This book came out in August and would be a nice gift for someone in your life who enjoys cooking.

Thank you to the author and publisher for sending me a copy of this for my honest review.

Have a day of blessings!
  Bethany

The Restoration

The Restoration by Wanda E. Brunstetter is the third book in The Prairie State Friends series.  I have read the other two so I was familiar with these characters.

In this book the main character Priscilla is courted by a young man named Elam.  An Englisher David comes to the area to visit his grandparents.  He has visited in the past so he's already friends with Priscilla and Elam.  He decides he wants to become Amish.  Priscilla also eventually realizes that David is interested in her as more than a friend.  She has to figure out how she feels about Elam and David.

Also in this book you will find out more about the other characters from this series and their families. I wasn't sure how it was going to end but let's just say I was pleased with the ending.

Visit the author's site here.

This book was sent to me by the publisher and author for my honest review. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

The Amish Millionaire Series

I have completed the first in a series of six books in a new series called The Amish Millionaire by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Jean Brunstetter.  Book #1 is called The English Son.  

In this book readers are introduced to Joel and his girlfriend Kristi.  Joel has left his Amish family for the modern world.  He works in the construction business.  It does not take long to realize Joel has a problem with spending more than he has.  He is trying to solve his problem but does not share what he has done with Kristi.

Kristi cares for Joel but wonders why he never talks about his family or childhood.  She begins to feel Joel is keeping something from her.  Is he stressed because of his work or is it something else?  

Joel visits his family and they all suspect he comes just because he wants something.  Will his father listen to him or turn him away?
 
This is a short little book and a great read!  I recommend this book to you if you enjoy Amish fiction.  I can't wait to read #2 which is called The Stubborn Father.

I received this book from the publisher for my honest review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!

Book: The Forgotten Recipe

I have finished the first book in the Amish Heirloom series called The Forgotten Recipe by Amy Clipston.

Veronica Fisher is grieving the loss of her fiance Seth who died in an accident at the shop where he worked. She finds a recipe made by her grandmother in an old chest in the attic; baking gives her something to occupy her mind.  She begins selling her pies at a bake stand.

Jason Huyard was a friend of Seth's and was with him when he lost his life.  Jason wants to offer his sympathy to Veronica; however, when he meets her he is left fumbling for words.  He continues to visit her bake stand each week for her delicious raspberry pies.  He can't seem to workup the courage to admit to Veronica that he knew Seth and blames himself for his death.  

The two begin spending more time together.  Will Jason ever be able to admit the truth to Veronica?  Will she accept him if he admits his secret?

I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the next one in this series.  Veronica received a lot of help from her sisters and parents.  Jason was a likable character who clearly cared greatly for Veronica. I wanted to give him a push to just tell her the truth!  

This book was somewhat predictable with a twist at the end.  Check it out and find more information and other books at Amy Clipston's website.

This book was sent to me as part of the Bakery Bunch. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

The Love Letters

I have read many books by Beverly Lewis and recently finished another one called The Love Letters.

Marlena is staying with her grandmother during the summer after the death of her grandfather.  She enjoys being with her grandmother but also looks forward to returning home to her family and beau Nat.  Marlena is asked to care for baby Angela Rose, the daughter of her sister Luella (who left the Amish faith) when Luella is in the hospital.  Marlena feels the baby will only be with them a short time.  They have a difficult start together, but Marlena quickly becomes attached to the baby girl.  What will happen to baby Angela Rose when Luella dies and her father is overseas in the war?

Marlena has a lot to deal with internally as she is at her grandmother's home.  She attends a Mennonite church which Marlena attends while she is there.  Her beau who is Old Order Amish, however, does not approve of this.  Marlena feels torn with the new things she is learning and the things she has been taught her entire life.

Another character of this book is a young man nicknamed Small Jay.  He lives near Marlena's grandmother. Small Jay befriends a man he finds living in an old mill. Their friendship is a big part of this book as well.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to you.

This book was provided to me by Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. I am appreciative of the extra time they gave me for this review with the recent birth of my son.

Have a day of blessings!
 

A Simple Prayer

I have another wonderful book by Amy Clipston to share with you today.  I finished this book a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed this story.  A Simple Prayer is the 4th book in the Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series. (I reviewed A Hopeful Heart here previously.)

This book is mainly about Linda Zook and Aaron Ebersol.

Linda is a grown Amish woman who lives with her uncle because her parents were killed in a buggy accident when she was a child.  Her uncle is very bitter towards Linda even though she does everything to take care of him and the home.  She is very lonely in her situation and wonders if life will ever be different.  She begins working at the bed and breakfast and enjoys helping there and develops a friendship with the owner.

Aaron returns home after leaving 17 years before.  He finds out his mother is ill so he comes home.  He is unsure how his return will be received because he hasn't heard from his family during this time even though he tried to contact them through letters.  While some family members accept him, others do not.   Was it a mistake for Aaron to return?

Aaron stays at the bed and breakfast and chats with Linda about his return home and how his family treats him. Linda is surprised to receive any attention from him. Linda does not want to get close to him because he is not Amish and will be leaving soon.

This is a good book that people will be able to relate to because of the common problem of strained relationships between family members. I liked the way the characters tried to work through their problems. It is also a story of friendship and the value of having someone believe in you.

I enjoyed this story, and I hope you will check out this book as well as others by Amy Clipston.  Find out more at her website.

I received an advanced copy of this book as part of the Bakery Bunch.

Have a day of blessings!