Simple Pleasures

About The Book: Simple Pleasures: Stories from My Life as an Amish Mother (MennoMedia, March 2016).  Young Amish homemaker Marianne Jantzi invites readers into her family's life on the snowy plains of Ontario.  The mother of four young children and wife of a storekeeper, Jantzi writes about her daily routines and heartfelt faith with equal measures of wit and warmth. Sewing, cleaning, cooking, gardening, and helping to manage the store take up most hours in her day, but Jantzi finds time to pen columns for the Connection, a magazine beloved by Amish and Mennonite readers across the United States and Canada. Never sugarcoating the frustrations of motherhood, Jantzi tells it like it is, broken washing machine and bickering children and all. But through her busy days, Jantzi finds strength in simple pleasures of family, fellowship with her Amish community, and quiet time with God.  Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1p0SQvJ
About The Author:  Marianne Jantzi is an Amish writer and homemaker in Ontario, Canada. Formerly a teacher in an Amish school, Jantzi now educates and inspires through her "Northern Reflections" column for The Connection, a magazine directed mainly to Amish and plain communities across the U.S. and Canada. She and her husband have four young children and run a shoe store among the Milverton Amish settlement of Ontario.

My Thoughts On The Book: I have always had a fascination with Amish life and read a lot of Amish fiction.  I asked to review this book because it was stories of an Amish mother and let me tell you, this book was spot on.  It was a actual visual of what Amish life is like. Marianne Jantzi shares stories of her personal life as an Amish mother in an Amish community.  Each detail of her book gives a vividly painted mental picture of simple pleasures found among the plain world.  I loved it.  The book reminded me of stories my grandmother would tell about her childhood.  A true joy to read!  
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publishing and Herald Press as part of their Blogging Review program.   I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!    

Snow Angels, Secrets, And Christmas Cake

 

About The Book:  Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake is a truly heart-warming and hilarious read about sisters, love and finding the courage to be yourself – one snowflake at a time.  For Tamsin Angel, Christmas is always the biggest and best… chic parties and a little showbiz sparkle are a must. This year though, things aren’t going quite as planned…With bailiffs suddenly at the door and her husband nowhere to be found, it looks like Christmas just got downsized. Moving into her sister’s flat, she wonders whether things will ever be the same again.  After losing her husband on Christmas Eve, Sam Angel has rebuilt her life around her son Jacob and her new business – The White Angel Bakery. She’s also found herself a very handsome, loving boyfriend, but is struggling to let go of the past.

Thrown together with a sprinkle of Christmas magic, Sam and Tamsin might just learn a little more about each other – and themselves. But when disaster strikes at the bakery, will they be able to save the day in time for Christmas?

About The Author: Sue Watson was a journalist on women’s magazines and national newspapers before leaving it all behind for a career in TV. As a producer with the BBC she worked on garden makeovers, kitchen takeovers and daytime sofas – all the time making copious notes so that one day she might escape to the country and turn it all into a book.

After much deliberation and copious consumption of cake, she left her life in TV to write. Her first novel was Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes about a woman struggling with weight, work, marriage and motherhood. Her second novel  Younger, Thinner, Blonder, is about a talk show host who has the perfect ‘Hello Magazine’ life… or does she?  Her latest novel, Love, Lies and Lemon Cake is about hairdresser Faye Dobson, who’s lost her sparkle. She dreams of being whisked to Paris for dinner, making three wishes at the Trevi Fountain and having sex under the stars. But her wrinkles are multiplying, her husband’s passion is only for plumbing, and the nearest she’ll get to Rome is a take-away pizza. Can Faye get her life back before it’s too late?
My Thoughts About The Book:  I truly believe that Sue Watson has portrayed the true meaning of Christmas and "real" life in her  book  'Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake'. This story of  two sisters and how they overcome their views of each other, their past, their present, and the holidays was very touching.  Sam and Tamsin could be anyone we know in real life.  They are those different people that paint our lives with colors.  The book is funny, sad, and full of feel good Christmas cheer. 
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Netgalley as part of their Book Review Blogger Programs. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!