Book Review: Brush of Angel's Wings by Ruth Reid

In Brush of Angel’s Wings, Ruth Reid’s second book in her “Heaven on Earth” series, we are treated to the story of Rachel Hartzler, a young Amish woman who doesn’t fit comfortably into her Michigan Amish community’s expectations. She meets a young man, Jordan Engles, who is only planning to stay with his Amish uncle for a short time to fulfill a promise made to his dying mother before he rejoins the English world. 

When Rachel’s father hires Jordan to help out on the farm, Rachel has to face feelings ranging from jealousy because this newcomer is taking her place working beside her father to renewed grief as Jordan’s presence reminds her of her brother who recently died. Jordan, in turn, is dealing with his own grief and finds himself searching for a connection to his mother through her Amish roots. In spite of this, Jordan and Rachel are attracted to each other, and as they learn to work together, they become friends.

The reader is also witness to the workings of an angel, named Nathaniel, and a demon named Tangus, both trying to affect Rachel and Jordan’s lives – Nathaniel to protect them, and Tangus to lead them away from God. The angel’s and demon’s interactions are woven into the story throughout the book.

I enjoyed this story and was caught up in the developing relationship between Rachel and Jordan, especially when a tragedy seems to force them apart. I wasn’t as interested in the angel’s part of the story - it could have been left out without affecting the story in any way. Even so, I’m interested in reading Ruth Reid’s other books, including The Promise of an Angel, the first “Heaven on Earth” book, and Angel at Her Side, the third book in the series, available January 2013.

I received a free copy of this book for my unbiased review.

Book Review: Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer

In Beside Still Waters, author Tricia Goyer takes the reader on a journey into an aspect of Amish life that few people consider: What happens to the people of such a tightly knit community when tragedy strikes?

Born on the same night her two older sisters were killed in a buggy accident, Marianna Sommers has tried to replace them in her parents’ lives. Marianna is caught between her duty to honor and respect her parents and her own desires to enjoy the courtship of the man she loves. If she refuses to relocate to an Amish settlement in Montana with them, Marianna would disappoint her parents and cause yet another loss to their family, something that she can’t bear to do. And yet, Aaron Zook has built a cabin on his land; a cabin for her if she’ll just stay and be his bride. As Marianna seeks to find peace with her decision, she finds something else that she never even knew was missing: the peace that she finds beside still waters.

I enjoyed this story immensely. The characters were presented realistically, with a lot of variety in personalities, which is something that is often missing in books with an Amish setting. Marianna is compelling as she seeks to understand the nuances of her life and the affect that the tragedy of the night of her birth had on her, and continues to have on her family. I also enjoyed the setting, since as readers we don’t often see Amish outside of Pennsylvania or Ohio.

This is the first of Tricia Goyer’s books I have read, but I will certainly look for more of them. A sequel to this book, Along Wooded Paths will be published in October, 2011, and is available for pre-order.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for my review.

Book Review: Plain Wisdom by Cindy Woodsmall and Miriam Flaud

Make yourself a cup of tea and settle in for a chat with your new friends, Cindy Woodsmall and Miriam Flaud. Cindy is an accomplished author of Amish fiction who met Miriam, an Old Order Amish wife and mother, through a mutual friend. As their friendship grew, they felt the call to share their lives with others. This book is the result of their collaboration.

Far from being a how-to book or a ten-steps-to-better-living book, Miriam and Cindy have shared their experiences in order to encourage us, their readers. The result is a series of visits that give us glimpses into the lives of two very real women who happen to live in two very different cultures, but united by their love for the same Lord. The book is divided into sections like “The Rhythm of Life” and “Laughter in Odd Places”, and then the sections are filled with short chapters written by both women. Sprinkled with bits of wisdom and delicious recipes, each chapter brings us another blessing to savor.

I read this book slowly, enjoying each chapter with my feet up and a cup of tea close by. I was sorry to see it end, but it’s one I’ll read again!

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.