A Sound Among the Trees

Arizona desert girl, Marielle, meets widower Carson online and they get married. Marielle suddenly finds herself step-mother to two children and living at Holly Oak, a plantation house in Virginia with Carson's grandmother-in-law. The house itself is rumored to be full of mystery, and if you believe the blue-haired ladies, it's full of ghosts. One of the ghosts is Susannah, a former resident of the house who is rumored to have been a civil war spy for the north.

History seeps through the very pores of the house down to the Civil War cannon ball lodging in the siding. Grandmother Adelaide holds all the history and stories close to herself. She's pretty sure the house is not haunted but is instead somehow stuck in sorrow and trying to make amends. Marielle isn't sure what to believe but she isn't entirely comfortable in a house filled with so many questions and stories from the past. 

Meissner is one of my absolute favorite authors and I was beyond thrilled to be able to review this book. What's unique about this author is her ability to blend the past and the present in an incredibly effective way. I'm rather bummed to say that this book did not live up to my expectations. Almost two-thirds of it was taken up with the modern day story that I felt was a bit heavy on the haunting and a bit lacking in clarity. Once we were transported to the past through a series of letters the book was fascinating and I stayed up late to finish it. Unfortunately the first two-thirds dragged and were not, in my opinion, Meissner's best work. However, she does an excellent job with the story of Susannah in the Civil War and you will find yourself captivated.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook 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." 

Harvest of Grace

I must come clean at the very beginning of this review. At the risk of offending possibly the entire reading world I will openly admit that I am not a big fan of the Amish genre. Gasp! Wheeze! WHAT!?

Everyone still okay?

Look around any Christian bookstore and you will see Amish fiction is taking over the shelves. Yes, their lifestyle is fascinating and yes, learning about them is interesting, but come on! After your twelfth shunning they get a little predictable, right? Wrong. It's true, I was wrong. There is Amish fiction everywhere and many of them are predictable and down right boring but there are few standout authors that make this genre readable. Cindy Woodsmall is one such author. I will willingly pick up any book that she writes because I know I'll be surprised. Harvest of Grace did not disappoint.

Harvest of Grace  is the third installment in the Ada House Novels. Sylvia is a dairy farm girl through and through. She loves farming and wishes her Father and her boyfriend Ephriam would treat her as an equal when it comes to decisions about the farm. When Ephriam asks Sylvia to marry him she shocks him by asking for more time. In the the time she has asked for Ephriam manages to engage himself to Sylvia's sister Becky. Wounded beyond words Sylvia pours herself into her farm work. When a moment in the barn with Ephriam turns the wrong way Sylvia flees her home and finds work at a dairy barn some distance away. Hiding and ashamed she once again pours herself into work on the farm.

Aaron is a recovering alcoholic who returns to his father's farm intent on selling it for profit and moving his parents into town with him. He doesn't settle on meeting his father's hired hand Sylvia and having her undying love for the dairy farm play into the drama Aaron's return creates. Not to mention Aaron finds himself drawn to Sylvia and she to him.

With two completely opposite views on farm and family one wonders if Sylvia and Aaron can find a common ground. I would tell you, but that might ruin the story :)

Aaron and Sylvia both possess a depth that makes Woodsmall's writing so delightful. They are quite unlike any other characters you have read before. A smattering of returning characters makes you feel as if you are revisiting old friends, but if this is your first Woodsmall book you won't feel like you're missing out. This is an easy and engrossing read that is perfect for a plane ride or a cup of coffee.

It's true, Cindy Woodsmall has made the Amish genre delightful and completely worth diving into. You'll definitely enjoy this book and all of the Amish books she has authored.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook 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."