The Crow's Call

GIVEAWAY

BRUNSTETTER, WANDA E.
THE CROW'S CALL

Mysterious events plague a greenhouse in Pennsylvania's Amish Country

When Vernon King, his on, and son-in-law are involved in a terrible accident, three women are left to cope with their deaths, as they become the sole providers of the family they have left. The women's only income must come from the family greenhouse, but someone seems to be trying to force them out of business.

Amy King has just lost her father and brother, and her mother needs her to help run the family's greenhouse. It doesn't seem fair to ask her to leave a job she loves, when there is still a sister and brother to help. But Sylvia is also grieving for her husband while left to raise three children, and Henry, just out of school, is saddled with all the jobs his father and older brother used to do. As Amy assumes her new role, she also asks Jared Riehl to put their courtship on hold. When things become even more stressful at the greenhouse, will Amy crumble under the pressure?

My Review:

There's something very similar in the way both Wanda Brunstetter and Beverly Lewis write. They are both classic storytellers who have a distinctive Amish flare both in word choice and cadence. So, definitely, if you're a Beverly Lewis fan, do give Wanda Brunstetter a try and here's a great place to start because The Crow's Call is the first in a new series. And a mystery at that!

Honestly, the first chapter is gutwrenching. I found it hard to catch my breath reading about the accident that irrevocably changed the lives of the King family forever. And I'm still reeling. In a way, their story is very much a grief journey depicting the various ways each family member copes (or doesn't!) in the ensuing months. Amy's at the heart of the story but the author brings in multiple points of view as she carries us through the day-to-day challenges of dealing with such a catastrophic loss.

And if that wasn't enough to cope with, Amy keeps discovering senseless acts of vandalism centered around their greenhouse business.  There are plenty of interesting characters I put on my suspect list -- both Amish and Englisch -- and while I think I might have it narrowed down a bit, I'm still not sure exactly who the culprit is or why they are being so cruel because....

Gah! Cliffhanger ending alert! It seems The Amish Greenhouse series is more of a serial style and the mystery definitely isn't solved by the end of this first book. I'm on tenterhooks waiting to see if my suspicions are correct! Thankfully I don't have to wait long because The Mockingbird's Song comes out in less than a week. :-)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Crow's Call, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 1 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

The Seekers

GIVEAWAY

BRUNSTETTER, WANDA E.
THE SEEKERS

Married for ten years with no children to help fill her days, Heidi Troyer comes up with the idea of teaching classes in the art of Amish cooking in her Holmes County, Ohio, home. During each of the classes, Heidi teaches a variety of skills, but it is her words of wisdom that have a profound effect on her five students.

A woman engaged to marry, an expectant mother estranged from her family, a widowed mom seeking to simplify, a Vietnam vet who camps on the Troyer's farm, and an Amish widower make up the mismatched lot of students. But Heidi's cooking lessons soon turn to life lessons as they each share the challenges they are facing. Is this what God had in mind when Heidi got the idea of cooking classes?

My Review:

Wanda Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre and she has over 10 million books sold! Her classic storytelling style lends itself well to the Amish genre. Using multiple viewpoints, Brunstetter weaves a surprising tale of diverse souls finding grace and hope for the future through the quiet service of a gentle Amish woman.

Heidi has no idea that she'll be teaching more than cooking when she starts up her classes. Inspired to include a scripture with every recipe card she hands out, we get to see how the Word influences the lives of her students. Sweet and funny and poignant. There's even a light romance that flourishes in the group. I was really touched by the difference one woman made as she followed God's leading in her life.

An inspiring, feel good story that illustrates the power we can all have to reflect God's light in the world.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Seekers, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 8 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck.

Woman of Courage

BRUNSTETTER, WANDA
WOMAN OF COURAGE

Take a three-thousand mile journey with Amanda Pearson as she leaves the disgrace of a broken engagement and enters the work of a Quaker mission in the western wilds. The trip is fraught with danger, and Amanda is near death before reaching her destination. Among those she meets are an Indian woman who becomes her first convert and a half-Indian trapper who seems to be her biggest critic. But love follows her into the wilderness and will determine the course of her future. You are sure to enjoy this historical romance adventure from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter.

My Review:

An epic tale of courage and faith though I think the title should be Women of Courage since it was the Indian woman, Mary's story that held me spellbound. Now that's courage! Amanda's journey into the wilderness does make for a fascinating read as well. Exchanging her orderly life in a Quaker settlement for the perils of being a missionary among the Nez Perce tribe results in many life altering consequences. Amanda and those closest to her survive untold dangers. I barely had time to catch my breath before something unexpected lurked on the next page. From one peril to the next Amanda struggles to find her place in this untamed land. An interesting look at a fascinating time in American history.

My thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for a review copy of this book.