Publication:
May 3rd 2016
by Fleming H. Revell Company
Synopsis:
The Stoltzfus family faces serious problems, both in the church and
at home. Everyone in the community expects minister David Stoltzfus to
fix things–fast. But David doesn’t work fast. He prefers to wait for God
to work in individual hearts. However, even he is left wondering if the
solution to their most pressing problem might be a Quieting.
When David’s mother arrives, uninvited, more upheaval is in store.
She has matchmaking plans for everyone in the family, including David
and her eligible granddaughters–and especially for David’s niece
Abigail. When Abigail stumbles onto a curious connection during her
genealogical research, it could help David solve one problem–but will it
create another?
Meet the Author:
Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Letters, The Calling,
the Lancaster County Secrets series, and the Stoney Ridge Seasons
series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is also the coauthor of an Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner for The Search, a Carol Award finalist for The Choice, and a Christy Award finalist for The Waiting. She is also a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California.
Connect Online:
A "Quieting" is a rare occurence among the Amish.
It is a method of church discipline that revokes the ordination of a minister, deacon or bishop. It is meant to act as a thunderclap to an individual who hears only what he wants to hear.
My Thoughts:
Suzanne Woods Fisher takes us back to Stoney Ridge and the struggles David Stolzfus is facing. He's a widow and raising 6 children on his own, but he's also a minister and the owner of the Bent N' Dent store.
David has been facing a crisis in his church. Freeman Glick, the Bishop, made a grievous error in his duties by switching the lots in the hymnals during the choosing of a minister or bishop. Freeman refused to believe he had done anything wrong because he only modeled his behavior after the former bishop, Elmo Beiler. This wasn't a decision for an individual, but rather the voice of the church. David knew this was a problem that needed to be not only addressed, but also dealt with for the good of the church.
The one thing he hasn't anticipated is the arrival of his mother and two nieces from Ohio. Tillie Yoder Stolzfus is a wonderful mother, but also has the nickname of Meddler and she has arrived for a long-term visit. His two nieces are Laura and Abigail which are around the age of his oldest daughter, Katrina. Abigail is a literal person and only sees things in black and white. While she might get on some people's nerves for her literal talk, that's what draws Dane Glick to her. Of course at present the very last thing on her mind is courting, because currently she is trying to help her father with his genealogical research. Mammi, Tillie, basically finds fault with everything and everyone in the house. She even tries to take over the Bent N' Dent. It seems like she's trying and succeeding in ruffling everyone's feathers.
I loved this story.
I was immediately drawn in from the first page.
The storyline brings elements of mystery, suspense, humor, and faith.
The characters are both engaging and complex. David is so easy to love with his easy going personality. He truly wants to do what's best for the church. Abigail is a really strong girl without even knowing it. Her honestly brings complications in various forms, but it's probably what I like best about her. Dane is a character that will sweep you off your feet. He knows what her wants and plots his course to get it. The plot is full of twists and turns involving the family that it kept me turning the pages until the end. To be honest, I love learning about the Amish and since I am new to the genre I had not heard of a "Quieting" so I found that aspect of the story very interesting. Every church has problems because as members we are all human. I know every church handles things, but I liked how David went about finding the right answer for his church. To me it showed a true spiritual leader.
This book is part of a series and I have read the first one, but with that being said I still feel that it is a story that can stand alone. The author give enough background in this story that the reading the first book is not necessary, but I would recommend it because it's such a great book.
Of course I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the Amish genre or loves a good story.
**I recieved this book from the publisher as part of their book bloggers program for a honest opinion without bias or outside influence. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Available for Purchase:
AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | CHRISTIANBOOK
BAKER RETAIL
I loved this story.
I was immediately drawn in from the first page.
The storyline brings elements of mystery, suspense, humor, and faith.
The characters are both engaging and complex. David is so easy to love with his easy going personality. He truly wants to do what's best for the church. Abigail is a really strong girl without even knowing it. Her honestly brings complications in various forms, but it's probably what I like best about her. Dane is a character that will sweep you off your feet. He knows what her wants and plots his course to get it. The plot is full of twists and turns involving the family that it kept me turning the pages until the end. To be honest, I love learning about the Amish and since I am new to the genre I had not heard of a "Quieting" so I found that aspect of the story very interesting. Every church has problems because as members we are all human. I know every church handles things, but I liked how David went about finding the right answer for his church. To me it showed a true spiritual leader.
This book is part of a series and I have read the first one, but with that being said I still feel that it is a story that can stand alone. The author give enough background in this story that the reading the first book is not necessary, but I would recommend it because it's such a great book.
Of course I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the Amish genre or loves a good story.
**I recieved this book from the publisher as part of their book bloggers program for a honest opinion without bias or outside influence. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Available for Purchase:
AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | CHRISTIANBOOK
BAKER RETAIL
Excellent review, Katrina! I loved the first book so much - but then, I always love Suzanne's stories. There's no one quite like her. Anyway, I'm eager to start on this one soon.
ReplyDeleteThank you Carole. I love this series. I think you will love this book as much as the first. She is the first author I read who writes Amish and I was hooked. I'm eager to hear your thoughts. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteBlessings.