Almost Amish by Kathryn Cushman

Julie hates her life. She finally admits it. All the other mothers have it together, and they are not half as stressed out as she is. She is just trying to be the best wife and mother she can, but when her best is not good enough, she hopes and prays for a simpler life.

Susan is perfect. Unlike her unkempt sister-in-law Julie, Susan has her life together. Despite the fact that her husband left her for a younger woman and her daughter is pulling farther and farther away.

When the opportunity arises for Julie and Susan to become “almost Amish” for a tv show, they both say yes, and pack their families up to live a simpler life. As time goes on, however, they realize that a simple life is not as simple as it was thought to be.

I liked:

The way the book was written. It jumped from Susan to Julie perfectly, without a hint of a rift.

The prologue/epilogue. They fit together SO well. I absolutely adored it.

The dialogue. It was realistic, and the way the author wrote is was seamless.

I disliked:

I really liked the entire book, although it was not too much of a cliffhanger.  

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever thought it might be fun to live like the Amish for a period of time. It is definitely worth your time to read this book!

Thanks to the publisher for letting me review this book for free in exchange for this honest review.

Book Review: Call of a Coward by Marcia Moston

When you say that you will do anything for God’s glory, do you really mean it? That is the question Marcia Moston had to answer when her husband came and told her they were moving to Guatemala for a year. She has to endure a new way of life; nothing is the same. A different way of traveling, eating, and even laundering clothes. She meets many new people, and begins to fall in love with her small village. In this heartwarming story, Marcia shares how she responded to her call, the Call of a Coward.

I liked:

• Her writing style. It was very endearing. She wrote very clearly, but did not seem stuffy. She made me want to keep reading. It felt like she was speaking at my church about missions work.
• Her humorous tales. There were a few sections where I laughed really hard. She definitely had some funny stories.
• Her memories. I loved how she wrote very reminiscently, and yet seemed in the present.

I disliked:

• I did think the book seemed to end quickly, but there wasn’t much more she could’ve added, so I won’t fault her for it ;)

Overall, I enjoyed the story thoroughly and would recommend it to anyone interested in travel, biographies, missions work, or just a good story. It is perfect for all ages (given they can read :) because it is so pure. I liked this book very well!

This book was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Aldo's Fantastical Movie Palace by Jonathan Friesen.

Chloe hates the name-calling. She is sick of being taunted. It isn’t her fault she has scars on her face. Instead of facing her insecurity head on, she hides away in her great grandfather’s movie theater, Aldo’s  Movie Palace. When a strange boy comes in, she is immediately curious about his background. In a series of freak accidents, she is accidentally taken into his screenplay, “Retinya.” Once there, she is forced to save the entire underworld from the evil Vapor,  and help the kingdom of Retinya remember.

I liked:

• The character development.  It was definitely among some of the better character development skills I have seen, and the characters background stories were very well rounded.
• The vivid descriptions. Obviously, until you read the book, you won’t understand the importance of the descriptions. They are pretty fantastic. It painted an excellent picture  for the reader.

I disliked:

• The lack of God. I have always known Zondervan to be a Christian company, but you wouldn’t know from reading this book. Although there are veiled references to analogies of God and the devil, there weren’t enough for me to consider this a “Christian” book. That said, if this was , meant to be a secular book, it did a good job of introducing the idea of good and evil to a secular society.
• The sadness. It was really sad. If it were a book for adults, I would understand (kind of) but this is a book for ages 10+. I hate it when people die in books. Especially when they are sick.

Overall, I did not love the book, but I didn't abhor it. Although it had its pros, it also had some cons. I would not recommend this book to anyone under age 13, solely because of the death. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good fantasy read.

This book was given to me free in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated are completely my own.