Not Just Any Quilt

I don't know about you, but Christmas and quilts just seem to go together as do babies and quilts. And when I think of quilts, I think of the Amish who are known for their quilts. So the title The Christmas Quilt jumped out at me. It was particularly excited to find this story revolves around not only a Christmas quilt but also a baby quilt.

When I began reading The Christmas Quilt by Vannetta Chapman, I was excited to find the characters are those first introduced in A Simple Amish Christmas. Thus I felt like I was catching up with old friends when I began reading. While familiarity with the characters was helpful, author Vannetta Chapman provides sufficient details so that readers just meeting these characters will have no problem following the story. Chapman begins the story by introducing Annie and Leah who are sisters-in-law and both expecting. Annie is excited to begin making a special quilt for Leah whose baby is due around Christmas time. Unfortunately, she has difficulty finding the time to sit down and work on it as Annie also is a nurse and assists her community quite often. Her nursing training comes in very handy when Leah experiences complications with her pregnancy and needs to be moved to a high risk unit at the hospital where Annie was previously employed.

Often Amish fiction with very few changes could just easily be historical fiction set on the frontier. An enjoyable twist to this particular work of Amish fiction was the very 21st century issues the characters faced. Too often it seems that characters in these books deal mostly with who is going to be married to whom or whether the young adult child is going to remain Amish or become an Englischer. Although there is tangential hinting of a romance between two minor characters, the main issues in this work are very similar to those non-Amish readers experience.

The Christmas Quilt is a very enjoyable piece of fiction just right for reading during the Christmas holiday or at any other time of the year. Begin reading this book now with this excerpt. The Christmas Quilt is part of the Quilts of Love series published by Abingdon Press. While this particular title is set in Amish country, not all of the books in this series are. I look forward to reading additional titles from this series.

I received a complementary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Not your usual Amish romance

Having previously read and enjoyed the first three books in Barbara Cameron's series Quilts of Lancaster County, I was excited to have the opportunity to read the most recent addition to this series Annie's Christmas Wish. This book picks up with Annie the daughter of Matthew and Jenny the main characters in the previous novels. We are also introduced to Aaron a young man from their community.

The title of this book originates from Annie's wish to see New York City at Christmas time. This dream has been field by a snow globe of the city given to her by Jenny as a child. Her wish comes true as her family has the opportunity to visit New York City. The book focuses on situations that put the anticipated trip in jeopardy and the adventures they have while in the city. As one would suspect, a definite culture clash occurs between Annie's Amish family and the experiences they have in New York City. These clashes open their eyes to benefits from living in their community and also provide unexpected opportunities for Annie.

While definitely Amish "bonnet fiction" the issues with which Annie struggles in this book are similar to those faced by many you adult Christian women but amplified due to her Amish heritage. Specifically, Annie desires to write and to have a "career" like her Mamm Jenny. Yet, she also wants to follow the traditions of her community by being married and having a family. This struggle causes relational difficulties with several other main characters. In particular, Annie's opportunity and the assumptions Aaron makes about what those opportunities will require creates quite a sore spot. Fortunately by the end of the book, the situation has been resolved quite satisfactorily.

I have greatly enjoyed Barbara Cameron's Amish fiction as her characters interact with Englischers frequently and struggle with the same issues as modern readers. The interaction between these different worlds sets these books apart and makes them less predictable than other Amish fiction. Although part of a series, Cameron includes sufficient background on the characters that reading the previous books is not necessary to enjoy Annie's Christmas Wish. Find a copy, a cup of your favorite hot beverage, and a cozy chair by the Christmas tree and enjoy!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Abingdon Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Not just Christmas in Apple Ridge

As Christmas is just around the corner, I've been indulging a bit more than usual with Christmas stories. So I jumped at the opportunity to read Christmas in Apple Ridge by Cindy Woodsmall. I had not previously read any of Woodsmall's books so I wasn't quite certain what to expect although I knew they were Amish romances.

Christmas in Apple Ridge is a three in one collection containing The Sound of Sleigh Bells, The Christmas Singing, and The Dawn of Christmas. While each story stands on its own, as the location for each story is Apple Ridge the characters continue to appear in the subsequent tales. Thus, unlike some stories which leave you hanging as to what happens to the couple, you are provided clues and insights into their married lives as well. Unlike many Amish romances I have ride previously, the characters in these stories were all hesitant to marry, thought they would never marry, and had careers beyond what is typical among the Amish. The career focus of even the ladies, while well-respected in their communities, provided them opportunities atypical of most Apple Ridge residents. These opportunities, the older age of the couples, and the expectations of their community combine to create an enjoyable story.

Although this collection is titled Christmas in Apple Ridge and the climax of each story occurs around Christmas, these stories could be read at any time of the year. Several of the stories take place over several months and mention other holidays such as the Fourth of July. They would be an enjoyable read at any time of the year. Anyone who enjoys Amish fiction or pioneer stories would appreciate this book.

My copy of Christmas in Apple Ridge was provided by WaterBrook Multnomah Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Sleeth, Nancy. Almost Amish: One Woman’s Quest for a Slower, Simpler, More Sustainable Life. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2012.

Anyone who has visited an Amish community or read one of the plethora of Amish novels that are quite popular these days has wondered what it might be like to live like the Amish away from the hustle and bustle, fast paced world we live in. For most of us that wish will always remain just that. However, in her recent book, Nancy Sleeth shares how her family has chosen to become, in her words Almost Amish and live a simpler, slower-paced life. Nancy serves as co-director along with her husband of the organization Blessed Earth an educational nonprofit that inspires and equips people of faith to become better stewards of the earth.

Books on simplicity, sustainable living, buying local, reducing your footprint, clearing the clutter, reducing dependence on technology, enjoying nature more, and getting out of debt are everywhere you look these days. In Almost Amish, Nancy Sleeth takes a smidgen of all of these resources and adds a large dollop of why these topics are important to God and should be important to believers. As the title indicates, Sleeth draws frequently on examples from the Amish community. Yet, she does not suggest we all need to become Amish. Instead, she provides lessons we all may learn from the Amish including a theological statement which grounds the Amish practice and then suggests how average Americans can incorporate these practices into their own lives. While encouraging readers to take steps towards simpler, sustainable living, Sleeth does not disparage those who are not yet ready to take drastic steps and instead encourages readers to take small steps, working their way toward the goal of being Almost Amish.

Many of the suggestions given in this book are not completely new. Suggestions include the typical get rid of excess clutter and possessions, not going into debt, paring your calendar of activities, and enjoying nature. Shopping local and supporting local businesses are encouraged both as part of being simple and building community among friends and neighbors. The importance of school is encouraged alongside the caveat of not letting school run your family’s life. A strong dose of service to God and others is encouraged which fits with the emphasis on being involved in your community and a fellowship of believers, as well as having strong family ties. A newer idea includes being conscious of technology use and setting health boundaries with technology. Sleeth indicates she has chosen not to use FaceBook or Twitter although she uses the internet quite frequently for their organization. Obviously, I have chosen to use FaceBook and Twitter as a means to review this book.

Almost Amish is recommended for libraries where Amish romances are popular. Study groups who are interested in simpler living may find this a useful resource to study and implement together. In fact, much of what Sleeth suggests would be easier to implement in a community of like-minded individuals. Additional resources and tip sheets are available on their website for further study.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Blessed Earth. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”