Balm of Gilead

What a wonderful world of plants and herbs God has so graciously given to us and how little we truly know how they can be used to cure and help a lot of what ails us today. Sarah Yoder has found this wisdom to help create ointments, salves and teas to help those in her community that need it and can benefit from it. If only she could find something to help keep her from the pain of the love she feels for Henry who has announced his marriage to a English woman, Ginny who runs the Inn. Since Henry never formally joined the Amish church, he is free to make whatever choices he believes is best for him even if it goes against everything he was raised to believe.

Now Sarah must find a way to keep her heart protected when Henry comes to her for help after having his hand affected by all the clay he works with as a potter. Beyond the normal dryness, they are beginning to bleed and nothing he has tried is helping. If Sarah can't help him, the career he had hoped to build by selling his pottery will come crashing down around him. Sarah is just beginning to sense a bit of healing as her own son has returned from a long trip to help on a ranch in Colorado. She is hoping he might now settle down and join the Amish faith, but this will be a season in Sarah's life in which she must learn that some choices are out of her hands and everyone must deal with the choices they make in life. It doesn't have any bearing on how well she has raised her son, but that a life is given to each of us to live as we see fit. Until that time, she can only pray and continue to search for ways to heal what is broken inside them all.

I received Balm of Gilead by Adina Senft compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is the third book in the Healing Grace Series, and one I have enjoyed because of my own love for herbal and natural remedies. I believe there is true power in their ability to heal what ails us and love that Sarah gets the opportunity not only to practice them but also to continue to learn more about what cures are available even as they encounter such things as latex allergies, something an Amish person wouldn't likely deal with on a daily basis. There is even a great discussion guide included at the conclusion of this novel. I give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Balm of Gilead, Adina Senft or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Balm of Gilead by Adina Senft

You can find Adina Senft on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Balm of Gilead, please check out Faith Word's website. 

Keys of Heaven

I've heard it said, that most people will grow if they are cultivated in a place where love, security and faith abounds. But what some might believe is that people can also grow among the rocks and places where soil is so thin, you would think they simply won't last long. Keys of Heaven by author Adina Senft, the second novel in the Healing Grace Series, explores that theme in a variety of situations involving both Amish and English living together in a small Amish Community.

Sarah Yoder is exploring her knowledge as an herbalist in finding cures where God's plants and weeds grow, turning them into useful lotions, remedies, teas and tinctures for whatever ails the person she is giving it to. Sarah is coming to terms with her brother and son leaving to join a cattle ranch while saying they were exploring their options. It has lead to a division not only in the community but in the family as well. She is praying that they will return soon and until that time will continue to resume training in helping her own people with natural cures.

Henry Byler has landed one of the biggest contracts he ever hoped for as a small time potter. They want to carry his line of bowls and pottery both in their New York stores and also online as well. The one thing Henry didn't consider was they were marketing this product as Amish made but Henry may have grown up Amish but he had made a decision to not follow in their footsteps nor does he want to join the church. That has put him at odds with some in his community and none more so than Sarah whose property adjoins Henry's.

When a wealthy family vacation at the Rose Arbor Inn, things are about to get interesting, from the oldest son, showing an interest in an Amish girl who works there as a maid, to the youngest one who has artistic passions he can't share with his family but finds hope in confiding in Henry. He dreams of one day being a great artist like Henry but hides all his passions from his parents. He believes Eric has the talent and only needs someone could encourage him. Is Henry the right person for the job?

I received Keys of Heaven of Adina Senft compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is such a beautiful blending of two very different cultures, the Amish and English as they try to find ways to settle any differences that come between them. It shows how we can often jump to conclusions that we might think are best for someone when in the end, we are simply overstepping God's plan for someone instead. It shows what the reward is for honest, hard work, and faith in small things and I can't wait to read the third novel coming out Balm of Gilead in the summer of 2015. A sneak peek of Balm of Gilead is included at the conclusion as well as a Reading Group Guide. I love how Sarah finds healing in what is growing around the land and I've loved learning about natural remedies through this series. It is well worth 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Keys of Heaven, Adina Senft or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Keys of Heaven by Adina Senft

You can find Adina Senft on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Keys of Heaven, please visit Faith Words' website. 

The Wounded Heart - Giveaway and Review

Once again another Amish novel has captivated my heart and left me sighing. A great sign of an excellent book in my personal opinion. For most people they understand the simple story lines of your typical Amish novel, but not in the case of The Wounded Heart by Adina Senft.

We have a story that is slow as it unfolds as we find ourselves immersed in the tragic story of Amelia Beiler, who has recently been left a widow after an unfortunate buggy accident that claimed not only the life of her husband, Enoch but the driver of the car that hit them as well. Now left to deal with managing a farm alone with just two small boys, she struggles to maintain her husband's pallet business as well. Offer after offer appears on her doorstep, first from an English man looking to retire and then subsequently from others within her Amish community as well.

The only thing is, that Amelia isn't sure she wants to sell. How else will she be able to provide for her family without having to move back home with her mom and dad? However when Amelia begins to experience tingling in her left hand, that leaves her numb and at times unable to use her left hand, she begins to wonder if perhaps God isn't sending her a sign after all. The only thing is will she be ready to accept all that God has for her, even if it means going against everything she believes she needs in her life.

I received this beautiful, heart-warming story as an Ebook compliments of Faith Words Publishers, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. I applaud the character of Amelia for attempting to hold down the front in spite of some difficult odds that seem to stack up against her. She tries to maintain a level of strength in trying to get on with her life, while still grieving for a husband that she still misses and has a difficult time trying to move forward. She relies a lot on her friends, Emma, who fears that God has abandoned her efforts to find a husband, and who manages to also be the only child struggling to take care of her parents who are in desperate need of medical care; and her other friend, Carrie, who is struggling to have children after being married for 10 years and unable to conceive. Meanwhile, Carrie's husband Melvin is struggling to find work since he lacks the farming skills to keep them afloat.

It seems like quilting is the only thing that keeps these three wonderful characters from falling apart. Each a times is able to put their own personal struggle on the back burner so they can assume the care taker in the others life. This is what it means to be true friends in my personal opinion and what makes for a great book. For those that love Amish stories, this one will not disappoint and takes a different road than the one most of us are used to, making it a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. When faced with any adversity in life, it's easier to weather those storms with the love and warmth of close friends. Just like the patches of material that make up a beautiful quilt, it takes friends and family to weave our lives together and make it beautiful and full of love and life.

This is the first novel in the Amish Quilt Trilogy and she has me as a fan for life! Can't wait for the next book in this series! For more information on this book, the author, read an excerpt or where to get a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

The Wounded Heart by Adina Senft

You can also find Adina Senft on Facebook by clicking here.

Thanks to the generous folks at Faith Words and Hachette Book Groups, they are providing a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of my blog. Here's what you need to do to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart!

2. Be a resident of the US or Canada or have a US or Canadian mailing address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. Since I will need a way to contact you if you're the lucky winner, please make sure to leave me an email address in the comment box. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. Leave me a comment and tell me why you'd love to win this book.

The giveaway ends on October 5th and I will be contacting the winner at that time. If you want to pass the news around to your family and friends, I'd love to add them to the giveaway and have them visit me as new followers.