Scan barcode
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review
4.0
An Amish Summer is a collection of four novellas by Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller, Kelly Irvin and Shelley Shepard Gray. A Reunion in Pinecraft by Shelley Shepard Gray takes readers to Pinecraft, Florida where Graham Holland and Sherry Kramer have agreed to meet. The two have been corresponding for six months after meeting at a wedding in Shipshewana. Sherry is joined by her sister, Sharon and their friends, Vera and Carla. Upon arrival Graham realizes he has made a mistake. Graham has been writing to the wrong sister. He met both sisters at the wedding very briefly, but one made a bigger impression (he just got their names mixed up). How does Graham tell Sherry about his error? He decides to keep it a secret for the time being (not a good idea). During the vacation, Graham spends time with both sisters, and he ends up more confused. When Graham finally figures out his feelings, Sherry discovers his secret (about the mix-up). How will this story end?
Summer Storm by Amy Clipston is set in Maryland at Cascade Lake. Arianna Smucker is looking forward to her wedding to Jesse Zook in November. But then Jesse tries to help Tobias, his best friend and Arianna’s brother. Jesse and Tobias have a buggy accident that lands Jesse in trouble with Marvin Smucker, Arianna’s father. He calls of Jesse and Arianna’s engagement. Can Jesse repair the damage and get back in Marvin and Arianna’s good graces? Will there be a wedding for this couple in November?
Kathleen Fuller contributed Lakeside Love. Esther Coblentz lives on Coblentz Farm with her parents, brother and sister. Esther has liked Judah King for years, but Judah only has eyes for her pretty sister, Sarah. Rhett Davidson, an Englischer and college student, is staying with the family for a month. Esther makes friends with Rhett as she introduces him to Amish life. Judah starts to notice Esther in a different light and it confuses him. Is there a chance for Esther and Judah?
One Sweet Kiss by Kelly Irvin takes readers back to Bee County, Texas. Martha Byler is attracted to Jacob King, but he has yet to put his rumspringa behind him. One night Jacob is taking Martha home when they are stopped by a very drunk Dwayne. Dwayne wishes to go alligator hunting in the dark and out of season. Jacob cannot leave Dwayne to his own devices and assists him much to Martha’s dismay. Martha helped raise her younger siblings for the last ten years, and she wants a responsible person for her partner. Over the summer, Martha spends more time with Jacob and starts noticing a change within him. There just might be a future for Jacob and Martha.
An Amish Summer contains four well-written and engaging stories. I liked the characters and the different settings. All the stories have the familiar theme of love and enjoying the summer months. Each story has a different moral or life lesson which include forgiveness, faith, power of prayer, trust, commitment, confidence in yourself, and responsibility. I thought each novella was just the right length. I found the stories to be uplifting, and I was left with a good feeling when I finished this book. I give An Amish Summer 5 out of 5 stars. My favorite story was A Reunion in Pinecraft. It had a lighter feeling to it and it was nice to revisit the Orange Blossom Inn in Pinecraft (The Pinecraft Brides series). One Sweet Kiss had a slower pace than the other novellas, but it was nice to catch up with characters from The Amish of Bee County series. All of the stories can be purchased separately or together. An Amish Summer contains charming, tender stories that will appeal to your romantic side.
Summer Storm by Amy Clipston is set in Maryland at Cascade Lake. Arianna Smucker is looking forward to her wedding to Jesse Zook in November. But then Jesse tries to help Tobias, his best friend and Arianna’s brother. Jesse and Tobias have a buggy accident that lands Jesse in trouble with Marvin Smucker, Arianna’s father. He calls of Jesse and Arianna’s engagement. Can Jesse repair the damage and get back in Marvin and Arianna’s good graces? Will there be a wedding for this couple in November?
Kathleen Fuller contributed Lakeside Love. Esther Coblentz lives on Coblentz Farm with her parents, brother and sister. Esther has liked Judah King for years, but Judah only has eyes for her pretty sister, Sarah. Rhett Davidson, an Englischer and college student, is staying with the family for a month. Esther makes friends with Rhett as she introduces him to Amish life. Judah starts to notice Esther in a different light and it confuses him. Is there a chance for Esther and Judah?
One Sweet Kiss by Kelly Irvin takes readers back to Bee County, Texas. Martha Byler is attracted to Jacob King, but he has yet to put his rumspringa behind him. One night Jacob is taking Martha home when they are stopped by a very drunk Dwayne. Dwayne wishes to go alligator hunting in the dark and out of season. Jacob cannot leave Dwayne to his own devices and assists him much to Martha’s dismay. Martha helped raise her younger siblings for the last ten years, and she wants a responsible person for her partner. Over the summer, Martha spends more time with Jacob and starts noticing a change within him. There just might be a future for Jacob and Martha.
An Amish Summer contains four well-written and engaging stories. I liked the characters and the different settings. All the stories have the familiar theme of love and enjoying the summer months. Each story has a different moral or life lesson which include forgiveness, faith, power of prayer, trust, commitment, confidence in yourself, and responsibility. I thought each novella was just the right length. I found the stories to be uplifting, and I was left with a good feeling when I finished this book. I give An Amish Summer 5 out of 5 stars. My favorite story was A Reunion in Pinecraft. It had a lighter feeling to it and it was nice to revisit the Orange Blossom Inn in Pinecraft (The Pinecraft Brides series). One Sweet Kiss had a slower pace than the other novellas, but it was nice to catch up with characters from The Amish of Bee County series. All of the stories can be purchased separately or together. An Amish Summer contains charming, tender stories that will appeal to your romantic side.
kelz09's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
tashiea's review
4.0
Picked this up as a light summer read, and very much enjoyed it! All four stories were well written and enjoyable. The light romances were very sweet and really helped Amish values shine through.
nataliesboooks's review
3.0
A Reunion in Pinecraft (Shelley Shepard Gray) - 2.5 stars
I just wasn’t a fan of the whole mistaken identity plotline. It was weird that he met the one girl, liked her, and inadvertently began writing to her sister, and then liked her instead. It was convoluted and seemed a bit strange.
Summer Storms (Amy Clipston) - 4 stars
Definitely the best one in the collection. Jesse was so sweet and so determined to do the right thing. I don’t know how Amy Clipston does it, but her novellas are always well developed and I love the characters.
Lakeside Love (Kathleen Fuller) - 3 stars
This one was cute, but I got tired of the jealousy after a while. I did like the ending and I liked that Esther was able to come out from her sister’s shadow.
One Sweet Kiss (Kelly Irvin) - 1.5 stars
I didn’t like this one at all. There were too many characters which made the story hard to follow and I haven’t read the series that connects to this novella. I didn’t like the main couple in this one. They didn’t seem compatible. The conflict was also resolved way too easily.
I just wasn’t a fan of the whole mistaken identity plotline. It was weird that he met the one girl, liked her, and inadvertently began writing to her sister, and then liked her instead. It was convoluted and seemed a bit strange.
Summer Storms (Amy Clipston) - 4 stars
Definitely the best one in the collection. Jesse was so sweet and so determined to do the right thing. I don’t know how Amy Clipston does it, but her novellas are always well developed and I love the characters.
Lakeside Love (Kathleen Fuller) - 3 stars
This one was cute, but I got tired of the jealousy after a while. I did like the ending and I liked that Esther was able to come out from her sister’s shadow.
One Sweet Kiss (Kelly Irvin) - 1.5 stars
I didn’t like this one at all. There were too many characters which made the story hard to follow and I haven’t read the series that connects to this novella. I didn’t like the main couple in this one. They didn’t seem compatible. The conflict was also resolved way too easily.
audiobooks_sweettea's review
My Thoughts
These lovely ladies have once again brought their fans a collection of stories that will forever be with them. Each story is unique and filled with God's grace and love. Each story has characters that are perfectly chiseled for their roles and will become friends with the one holding the book. I love when a collection of stories can do that!
I loved each of these stories as they flowed perfectly and wrapped me up and kept me captive. But, the one I'll focus on in this review is Ms. Fuller's story, Lakeside Love. This story is wonderfully written! As someone who didn't always fit in with the crowd, and always had friends slightly skinner, and slightly prettier, I can relate fully with Esther. Watching her story unfold felt like my story! I loved watching Esther and Rhett get to know each other, and I had a love/hate relationship with Judah, which, to me, was perfect. I highly
These characters in Ms. Fuller's story (and the other 3 stories!) all competed to own my heart. In the end, after seeing God's love and grace at work among the Amish, they all owned it. Each character had a small piece of my heart. I loved spending summertime with these sweet, unforgettable characters.
If you are looking for a clean, fun, Amish read this summer, look no further than this 5 star read. It's a wonderful blend of romance, hope, faith, and God's unending love. The characters are perfectly chiseled and your heart will be swept up in the middle and kept captive til the last page is turned. I definitely recommend this to all and it's on my top reads list of 2017! Well done, ladies!This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads
the_next_chapter101's review
5.0
All 4 were 5/5⭐ for me. I wish I hadn't of waited all summer to read this. The best romance is the kind without all the vulgar language and sexual content.
booksforchristiangirls's review
3.0
About this book:
“A new novella collection of sweet, summer romances from some of our favorite Amish authors!”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“A Reunion in Pinecraft” by Shelley Shepard Gray
About this book:
“When sisters Sharon and Sherilyn Kramer attend a wedding in Shipshewana, one of them returns with a new penpal while the other returns to her job at the bakery. After sending weekly letters back and forth, Sherry and Graham Holland arrange a reunion in Pinecraft. Upon Graham s arrival, however, he realizes he s been writing to the wrong sister. He decides to use the reunion as a way to get to know both sisters, but can he sort through the confusion in time to turn the worst vacation ever into something truly wonderful?”
Spiritual Content- Luke 6:37 at the beginning; A Scripture is remembered; Talks about God; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of blessings & being blessed; A few mentions of giving thanks to God.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: an ‘idiot’, and three ‘stupid’s; A bit of Sarcasm;
Mentions of pain, blood/bleeding, injuries, stitches, scars, burns, & how it happened (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of throwing up.
Sexual Content- a semi-detailed kiss; Touches, Shivers, Embraces, & Hand Holding (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing; A bit of Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of dating/courting, dates, & boyfriends; Mentions of a breakup & cheating; Mentions of flirting & flings; Mentions of falling in love; A few mentions of blushes; A couple mentions of married couples kissing; A couple mentions of jealousy; Love, falling in love, and the emotions;
*Note: A couple mentions of a guy thinking a girl looks really nice in a bathing suit.
-Sherilyn Kramer, age 20
-Sharon Kramer, age 25
-Graham Holland
P.O.V. switches between them
100(-ish) pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars (and a half)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Summer Storms” by Amy Clipston
About this book:
“Arianna is counting down the days until her wedding to Jesse. They have been friends longer than Arianna can remember, and that friendship turned into love over the past couple of years. But when Arianna s brother Isaac, who happens to be Jesse s best friend, gets them both into trouble, Arianna s father puts an end to her engagement to Jesse. Some summer storms pass quickly, but Arianna is afraid the damage from this one may be too much to repair.”
Spiritual Content- A few Prayers; Church going (once); ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; A few mentions of church, church going, services, & a youth group; A couple mentions of Christians; A couple mentions of a bishop.
Negative Content- Many mentions of alcohol, bottles, drinking, drinking problems, getting drunk, & a drunk; Many mentions of buggy races, accidents, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); A few mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of a nightmare; A mention of a hunting trip.
Sexual Content- a cheek kiss, a not-detailed kiss, and a semi-detailed kiss; A bit of wanting to touch; Touches, Tingles, & Hand Holding (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing, Staring, Smelling, & Butterflies (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of dating & a boyfriend; A couple mentions of a crush; A mention of stealing a kiss; Love, being in love & the emotions.
-Ariana Smucker
-Jesse Zook, age 24
P.O.V. switches between them
100(-ish) pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Lakeside Love” by Kathleen Fuller
About this book:
“Esther has always lived in the shadow of her beautiful younger sister Sarah. Even the boy she has known and loved her entire life, Judah, only has eyes for Sarah. But when a handsome young Englischer comes to live with the family for a summer, everything begins to change.”
Spiritual Content- A few Prayers; Church going (once); Mentions of God & His help; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, services, & a minister preaching; A few mentions of faiths; A couple mentions of blessings; A mention of missionaries.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘stupid’s, and a ‘wimp’; A mention of a curse (said, not written); A bit of eye rolling; A few mentions of pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding; A few mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of saying something hateful; A couple mentions of throwing up.
Sexual Content- three barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and a semi-detailed kiss; Remembering a kiss (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to kiss a girl (barely-above-not-detailed); A bit of Judah staring at girls’ lips; Touches, Nearness, Embraces, Hand Holding, & Warmth (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); Butterflies & Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of jealousy; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of dating, dates, playing hard to get, boyfriends, & girlfriends; Mentions of flirting & flirts; A few mentions of wanting to kiss someone; A couple mentions of Judah finding the perfect place to kiss a girl on her neck; A couple mentions of nearness; A couple mentions of swooning; A couple mentions of romantic moments; A mention of Judah noticing a girl’s lips that beg to be kissed; Love, falling in love & the emotions.
-Esther Coblentz
-Judah King
P.O.V. switches between them
100(-ish) pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“One Sweet Kiss” by Kelly Irvin
About this book:
“Everybody in little Bee County, Texas, can see the obvious: Jacob King and Martha Byler are meant to be together. Everyone, that is, but Martha. Ever since her mother died when Martha was a young girl, she has taken over the role of caregiver to her large family. And reckless Jacob, who has had a little too much fun on his rumspringa, only seems to add to the list of people to manage. But one summer changes everything, and these two may just find a way to meet in the middle and share one sweet kiss.”
Spiritual Content- Proverbs 3:5-6 & Jeremiah 17:7-8 at the beginning; Prayers; A Scripture is referenced; Talks about God, His plan, & trusting Him; ‘H’s are capital; Mentions of God; Mentions of talks about God; Mentions of churches, church going, services, singings, & hymns; Mentions of baptism classes; Mentions of bishops, deacons, & pastors; A few mentions of prayers & praying; A few mentions of a youth group; A few mentions of faiths; A few mentions of blessings & being blessed; A couple mentions of Jesus; A mention of Praising God; A mention of sin.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’, a ‘son of a gun’, a ‘sucks’, a ‘what the—‘, a ‘wuss’, two ‘idiot’s, two ‘stupid’, and three ‘shut up’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written); A bit of Pain & Blood/Bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); A riled alligator & being near it (barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of alligator hunting & the possibility of drowning or getting eaten; Many mentions of alcohol, kegs, drinking, underage drinking, a drunk, & drunk driving; Mentions of a car accident & death; Mentions of parties & partying; A few mentions of blood/bleeding; A few mentions of jails & a prison; A few mentions of smoking & tobacco; A few mentions of throwing up & burping; A few mentions of divorcing; A couple mentions of nightmares; A couple mentions of lies & lying; A mention of using the bathroom outside.
Sexual Content- a fingers-to-lips touch, two almost kisses, three not-detailed kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and two semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, & Hand Holding (barely-above-not-detailed); Nearness & Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); four ‘baby’s; Mentions of dating/courting, liking someone, & a girlfriend; A few mentions of kisses, kissing, & wanting a kiss; A few mentions of staring; A couple mentions of hand holding; A mention of a girl producing a child at age 16; A mention of exes; Love, falling in love & the emotions.
-Martha Byler, age 22 (?)
-Jacob King, age 20
P.O.V. switches between them
100(-ish) pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Two Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Two Stars
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
This was a decent novella collection! Let’s give some thoughts on each one:
Shelley Shepard Gray: Some parts seemed a little unrealistic from other Amish books I’ve read, (but I am in no way claiming to be an expert about the Amish) like in the case of an Amish man taking off his shirt to show a girl his scar (& by default, his muscles). I pretty sure I read something very similar in another Amish book I read earlier this year. It was overall an okay novella.
Amy Clipston: Ooooh, I wanted to slap Ariana’s father. Not a good thought, I know, I know, but I’m sure it’s a common thought for those reading about him! I enjoyed seeing these new characters and seeing these first two in a new series being in love. :)
Kathleen Fuller: Wasn’t a fan of Judah because of his major jealousy, but by the end he grew on me and I did really like that last chapter!
Kelly Irvin: I couldn’t follow along as well as the other novellas due to all the characters mentioned. I did love Simon & Amanda (not the main two) and found them to be precious. They’re the only reason the rating went up a bit for me. I really couldn’t get into this one.
Best guy out of these main heroes is: Jesse! (Amy Clipston’s novella) I really enjoyed his caring heart and how much he wanted to prove himself to Ariana’s father.
There wasn’t really a main girl I thought was the best, but I would say out of the four, Ariana (Amy Clipston’s) was my favorite.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2017/08/an-amish-summer-by-shelley-shepard-gray.html
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) for this honest review.
“A new novella collection of sweet, summer romances from some of our favorite Amish authors!”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“A Reunion in Pinecraft” by Shelley Shepard Gray
About this book:
“When sisters Sharon and Sherilyn Kramer attend a wedding in Shipshewana, one of them returns with a new penpal while the other returns to her job at the bakery. After sending weekly letters back and forth, Sherry and Graham Holland arrange a reunion in Pinecraft. Upon Graham s arrival, however, he realizes he s been writing to the wrong sister. He decides to use the reunion as a way to get to know both sisters, but can he sort through the confusion in time to turn the worst vacation ever into something truly wonderful?”
Spiritual Content- Luke 6:37 at the beginning; A Scripture is remembered; Talks about God; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of blessings & being blessed; A few mentions of giving thanks to God.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: an ‘idiot’, and three ‘stupid’s; A bit of Sarcasm;
Mentions of pain, blood/bleeding, injuries, stitches, scars, burns, & how it happened (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of throwing up.
Sexual Content- a semi-detailed kiss; Touches, Shivers, Embraces, & Hand Holding (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing; A bit of Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of dating/courting, dates, & boyfriends; Mentions of a breakup & cheating; Mentions of flirting & flings; Mentions of falling in love; A few mentions of blushes; A couple mentions of married couples kissing; A couple mentions of jealousy; Love, falling in love, and the emotions;
*Note: A couple mentions of a guy thinking a girl looks really nice in a bathing suit.
-Sherilyn Kramer, age 20
-Sharon Kramer, age 25
-Graham Holland
P.O.V. switches between them
100(-ish) pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars (and a half)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Summer Storms” by Amy Clipston
About this book:
“Arianna is counting down the days until her wedding to Jesse. They have been friends longer than Arianna can remember, and that friendship turned into love over the past couple of years. But when Arianna s brother Isaac, who happens to be Jesse s best friend, gets them both into trouble, Arianna s father puts an end to her engagement to Jesse. Some summer storms pass quickly, but Arianna is afraid the damage from this one may be too much to repair.”
Spiritual Content- A few Prayers; Church going (once); ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; A few mentions of church, church going, services, & a youth group; A couple mentions of Christians; A couple mentions of a bishop.
Negative Content- Many mentions of alcohol, bottles, drinking, drinking problems, getting drunk, & a drunk; Many mentions of buggy races, accidents, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); A few mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of a nightmare; A mention of a hunting trip.
Sexual Content- a cheek kiss, a not-detailed kiss, and a semi-detailed kiss; A bit of wanting to touch; Touches, Tingles, & Hand Holding (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing, Staring, Smelling, & Butterflies (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of dating & a boyfriend; A couple mentions of a crush; A mention of stealing a kiss; Love, being in love & the emotions.
-Ariana Smucker
-Jesse Zook, age 24
P.O.V. switches between them
100(-ish) pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Lakeside Love” by Kathleen Fuller
About this book:
“Esther has always lived in the shadow of her beautiful younger sister Sarah. Even the boy she has known and loved her entire life, Judah, only has eyes for Sarah. But when a handsome young Englischer comes to live with the family for a summer, everything begins to change.”
Spiritual Content- A few Prayers; Church going (once); Mentions of God & His help; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, services, & a minister preaching; A few mentions of faiths; A couple mentions of blessings; A mention of missionaries.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘stupid’s, and a ‘wimp’; A mention of a curse (said, not written); A bit of eye rolling; A few mentions of pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding; A few mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of saying something hateful; A couple mentions of throwing up.
Sexual Content- three barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and a semi-detailed kiss; Remembering a kiss (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to kiss a girl (barely-above-not-detailed); A bit of Judah staring at girls’ lips; Touches, Nearness, Embraces, Hand Holding, & Warmth (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); Butterflies & Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of jealousy; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of dating, dates, playing hard to get, boyfriends, & girlfriends; Mentions of flirting & flirts; A few mentions of wanting to kiss someone; A couple mentions of Judah finding the perfect place to kiss a girl on her neck; A couple mentions of nearness; A couple mentions of swooning; A couple mentions of romantic moments; A mention of Judah noticing a girl’s lips that beg to be kissed; Love, falling in love & the emotions.
-Esther Coblentz
-Judah King
P.O.V. switches between them
100(-ish) pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“One Sweet Kiss” by Kelly Irvin
About this book:
“Everybody in little Bee County, Texas, can see the obvious: Jacob King and Martha Byler are meant to be together. Everyone, that is, but Martha. Ever since her mother died when Martha was a young girl, she has taken over the role of caregiver to her large family. And reckless Jacob, who has had a little too much fun on his rumspringa, only seems to add to the list of people to manage. But one summer changes everything, and these two may just find a way to meet in the middle and share one sweet kiss.”
Spiritual Content- Proverbs 3:5-6 & Jeremiah 17:7-8 at the beginning; Prayers; A Scripture is referenced; Talks about God, His plan, & trusting Him; ‘H’s are capital; Mentions of God; Mentions of talks about God; Mentions of churches, church going, services, singings, & hymns; Mentions of baptism classes; Mentions of bishops, deacons, & pastors; A few mentions of prayers & praying; A few mentions of a youth group; A few mentions of faiths; A few mentions of blessings & being blessed; A couple mentions of Jesus; A mention of Praising God; A mention of sin.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’, a ‘son of a gun’, a ‘sucks’, a ‘what the—‘, a ‘wuss’, two ‘idiot’s, two ‘stupid’, and three ‘shut up’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written); A bit of Pain & Blood/Bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); A riled alligator & being near it (barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of alligator hunting & the possibility of drowning or getting eaten; Many mentions of alcohol, kegs, drinking, underage drinking, a drunk, & drunk driving; Mentions of a car accident & death; Mentions of parties & partying; A few mentions of blood/bleeding; A few mentions of jails & a prison; A few mentions of smoking & tobacco; A few mentions of throwing up & burping; A few mentions of divorcing; A couple mentions of nightmares; A couple mentions of lies & lying; A mention of using the bathroom outside.
Sexual Content- a fingers-to-lips touch, two almost kisses, three not-detailed kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and two semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, & Hand Holding (barely-above-not-detailed); Nearness & Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); four ‘baby’s; Mentions of dating/courting, liking someone, & a girlfriend; A few mentions of kisses, kissing, & wanting a kiss; A few mentions of staring; A couple mentions of hand holding; A mention of a girl producing a child at age 16; A mention of exes; Love, falling in love & the emotions.
-Martha Byler, age 22 (?)
-Jacob King, age 20
P.O.V. switches between them
100(-ish) pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Two Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Two Stars
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
This was a decent novella collection! Let’s give some thoughts on each one:
Shelley Shepard Gray: Some parts seemed a little unrealistic from other Amish books I’ve read, (but I am in no way claiming to be an expert about the Amish) like in the case of an Amish man taking off his shirt to show a girl his scar (& by default, his muscles). I pretty sure I read something very similar in another Amish book I read earlier this year. It was overall an okay novella.
Amy Clipston: Ooooh, I wanted to slap Ariana’s father. Not a good thought, I know, I know, but I’m sure it’s a common thought for those reading about him! I enjoyed seeing these new characters and seeing these first two in a new series being in love. :)
Kathleen Fuller: Wasn’t a fan of Judah because of his major jealousy, but by the end he grew on me and I did really like that last chapter!
Kelly Irvin: I couldn’t follow along as well as the other novellas due to all the characters mentioned. I did love Simon & Amanda (not the main two) and found them to be precious. They’re the only reason the rating went up a bit for me. I really couldn’t get into this one.
Best guy out of these main heroes is: Jesse! (Amy Clipston’s novella) I really enjoyed his caring heart and how much he wanted to prove himself to Ariana’s father.
There wasn’t really a main girl I thought was the best, but I would say out of the four, Ariana (Amy Clipston’s) was my favorite.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2017/08/an-amish-summer-by-shelley-shepard-gray.html
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) for this honest review.
More...