Book Review: Annie's Truth by Beth Shriver

Annie is happy in her life as a young Amish woman. She has a beau, a kind family, and a future that looks bright. She is shocked when she finds out that she was adopted, and she almost immediately decides to go into a secular town to look for her biological mother.  After a few grueling weeks with no answers, Annie is thrilled when her birth mother is found. The happiness, however, is extremely short lived. When Annie learns the tragic happenings surrounding her birth, she  begins to wish she were never born.  Only when she trusts god will she truly be set free.

I liked:

• The plot. At first, I thought it could be a lot like The Shunning by Beverly Lewis, but it really took an unexpected turn towards the middle.
• The unpredictability. It had so many unexpected twists and turns, that it really made for an interesting book.
• The character’s description. I believe that the characters were very well described.

I disliked:

• There is a *SPOILER* rape scene*SPOILER OVER*, and while it was not graphic, I wasn’t very comfortable at all reading it. Given, I am 17, and I just don’t read this kind of stuff.

Overall:

I liked the book as a whole, and while I would only recommend it to ages 20+, I still believe it to be a great book!

Charisma House gave me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Arms of Love by Kelly Long

Lena Yoder has loved Adam Wyse her entire life. Therefore, it is a huge blow when he suddenly breaks off their long-lived relationship.  She struggles with his unidentified need to fight; to kill even. For the peaceful Amish, fighting is never an option, only forgiveness. Lena is struggling through many trials, and Adam leaving her is not helping. Through a succession of unfortunate happenings, and small glimpses of joy, Lena has to decide if God is for her, or if she is alone.

I liked:

• The heritage. Having read many modern-day Amish tales, it was interesting to read one in such a unique time.
• The time frame. I have never thought about there being Amish people during the Revolutionary War, but it added a very unique plot to the books.
• A scene towards the end. I won’t give any spoilers, but it has to do with praying for the sick, and them recovering. SO powerful

I disliked:

• The sorrow. The entire book had a heavy oppressiveness hanging over it. It wasn’t until the  last page it was happy. *note* The Author DID say she didn’t plan for the book to be a happy one, just one explaining the terrors of life as an Amish person in the 1700s. I just like happy books, and I hadn’t seen the author’s note until the book was over.
• The PG-13 sections. Surprisingly, for a historical book, this book was EXTREMELY incomfortable for me to read at some parts.

Overall:

While I did enjoy certain aspects of this book, I would only recommend it to people who are fine with reading a lot of sadness.

This e-book was given to me in exchange for a free review.

Book Review: Not a Fan-Teen Edition by Kyle Idleman

Are you a follower of Jesus? Many would say so. What does a follower really consist of? If held up to the light of the Word, many “followers” would turn out to be fans. Being a follower is much more than just attending church, having a Christian ringtone, or staying pure until marriage. Being a follower means to have a personal relationship with Jesus, not to follow some rules. It means having a DTR talk, and seeing how committed to Jesus you really are.

I liked:

• The premise.  I really loved the book as a whole. It was interesting enough to keep up with a teenager’s attention span, but profound enough to make you think. Hard.
• The prologue. I could not believe how insightful it was. Literally. I read it a few times just to grasp the profoundness therein. Free bread? Ouch hallelujah.
• The down to earth writing style. Wow. It is really hard to maintain the balance between profound and approachable. Kyle Idleman did it well.
• The prologue. I know I wrote it twice, but seriously. It was fantastical.

I disliked:

• How much it challenged me. Just kidding. That was my flesh talking, my spirit loved it J

Overall:

I would 100% recommend  this book to anyone. Literally. While it is meant for teenagers, I think anyone could benefit from reading once, or twice, or a lot. (There is an adult version, which I hope to read soon.) I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Libbi H.

 

This book was given to me for free from Zondervan in exchange for my honest review.