Publication Date: 01/14/2014
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Imprint: Revell Books
Genre: Christian/Inspirational Fiction
Pages: 336
ISBN-10: 0800720946
ISBN-13: 978-0800720940
(Received for an honest review from Revell Books)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, ChristianBook, Indiebound
Suzanne Woods Fisher on the WEB: website, blog, twitter, facebook, goodreads
Books in the series:
The Letters (2013), The Calling (2014)
Coverart: Click the Image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.
Excerpt from, The Calling, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.
Synopsis:
Twenty-year-old Bethany Schrock is restless. Her love life has derailed, her faith hangs by a thread, and she is spending the incredibly hot summer days wading through a lifetime's accumulation of junk at the home of five ancient Amish sisters. About the only thing that holds her interest is the spirited and dangerously handsome Jimmy Fisher--and he seems bent on irritating her to no end.
When the sly old sisters and a guest at the Inn get Bethany involved in running the local soup kitchen and starting a community garden, she suddenly finds herself wondering, Shootfire! How did that happen? Despite her newfound purposefulness, a gnawing emptiness about a childhood mystery continues to plague her. Encouraged by Jimmy Fisher, she will seek out the answers she craves--and uncover a shocking secret that will break her heart, heal it, and point her to love.
Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher delivers her trademark twists, turns, and tender romance in this delightful and exciting visit to the deceptively quiet community of Stoney Ridge.
Thoughts:
Suzanne Woods Fisher is one of the premiere writers in Amish fiction. Her latest book in the Inn at Eagle Hill series, The Calling takes on some weighty issues and how the Amish community deals with them. Readers will find Woods Fisher's writing to be much like the Amish, simple and full of faith and love. She brings a voice full of clarity and wisdom to this series. However, this is not your average Amish story and will appeal to readers of other genre's, as well as, those who love Christian and Inspirational writing. A great addition to the series.
What I liked:
The Inn at Eagle Hill series started with the first book, The Letters. Rose Schrock starts her own bed and breakfast and we start to learn about the Amish community of Stoney Ridge and it's inhabitants. Suzanne Woods Fisher's latest book, The Calling picks up the story with Rose's grand-daughter, Bethany.
This book has a lot to do with Bethany's struggle to figure out what God wants her to do with her life. She is a bit at loose ends, having had a failed relationship and not many prospects for the future. I thought the author did such a good job of letting the reader feel Bethany's emotions in this book and how she was dealing with the separation from her parents and all of things happening in her life. If was definitely an emotional journey and I Bethany grew by leaps and bounds throughout the book. It was a great adventure watching her grow.
Mental health is an issue that is rarely touched on in a book like this and I was surprised and happy to see that Suzanne Woods Fisher didn't shy away from it. She showed great sensitivity to the topic and was able to enlighten readers about how the Amish deal with this kind of thing in their communities. I think we can all take lessons from the Amish in many avenues of our lives, but seeing the way they handled this situation gave me an even greater respect for how the Amish allow God to rule in their lives.
Bethany's relationship with Jimmy Fisher was a joy to read about in this book. Jimmy is brash and has a bit of devilry about him and he was very appealing to Bethany and she to him. I thought that aspect of the book was poignant and full of surprises. It gave the book some much needed tender moments and a touch of romance.
I also enjoyed Bethany's relationship with the five sisters, whose house she was cleaning. I thought the sisters were such interesting characters. Their home was practically running over with things they had kept from years gone by and some of those things were a bit on the eerie side, including a trunk full of bones an skulls. Suzanne Woods Fisher did a great job of interjecting all kinds of mysterious happenings and clues to what is really going on in Stoney Ridge.
What I didn't Like:
Not much to report here. The pacing could have been a bit faster, but that tends to be the case with most Amish fiction. Not only do the Amish have a slower pace of life, so do books about them. LOL. Not a deal breaker to be sure. Excellent Amish fiction!
Bottom Line:
Most Amish fiction tends to be very repetitive and lends to the idea that you've read one Amish book, you've read them all. I was glad to see that as usual Suzanne Woods Fisher takes readers outside box and deals with topics and ideas that you don't find in too many Amish books. The mystery angle is interesting as well, and that touch of romance is very endearing. You gotta read this one.... it's that good!
Available January 2014 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
About the Author:
Giveaway Details:
Check out Savings In Seconds for your chance to win a copy of The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher. You have a couple of weeks before the deadline.
1 comment:
Thank you for that review. I already that book on my wish list. Will move it up closer to the top.
Post a Comment