Book Review: Taken For English( Valley of Choice~ book #3)

Taken For English

By~ Olivia Newport

Olivia Newport

Quote: "You underestimate yourself, Annalise. Look at what you have already accomplished in your life. How can you think there is anything you could not do?"~ Elijah pg. 156

Started: September 1, 2017

Finished: September 12, 2017

paperback 368 pages

From the Cover:

Annie joined the Amish church based on prayerful conviction, not romantic dreams.

 And yet, she can't deny she'd hoped to share her new, plain life with Rufus. Neither can she deny that his ways are nothing like the fast-paced culture she left behind- Rufus is obviously in no hurry. When he makes unexpected choices about his work, Annie wonders if he has lost interest in the love that sparked between them.

While arson threatens trust in the peaceful southwestern Colorado valley near Westcliffe, Annie resolves to keep a confused Amish teenage girl from decisions that could jeopardize her future. Ruth, Rufus's sister, is Annie's temporary roommate while she navigates the muddy waters of shifting family relationships, career choices, and an irresistible romance with the persistent Elijah.

Family history clearly shows it's never been easy living a plain life in the English world. Will the changes and challenges Annie now faces as a young Amish woman test her newfound faith in good ways or bad? And how long will Rufus test her patience?

My Review:

My first thought in starting this review is..."Shwooo! I finally made it through this series. I'm done!"

I am a stickler for seeing things through to the end and this was no exception. Although, I admit, I did struggle.

I found myself almost dreading my "reading time" and I hate that. That is my time to do something I enjoy!

I just couldn't with this whole series. I held out hope in book two but was disappointed yet again.

There just wasn't any part that really grabbed me and made me want to continue.

And, I really tried!

I wanted to at least like the characters,but they never seemed to develop. And the ones that did make it into all three books just seemed...fake or vague.

Annie, claims to be truly Amish and not "in it for love", BUT that is all we hear from beginning to end, in all three books!

She is waiting on Rufus to make his move.*SPOILER*(Which he does in the last 30 pages or so)

Ruth wants to be All things English, nurse, drive a car, go to school, have a cell phone, wear English clothes, yet she keeps going back to everything Amish! And is still in love with her Amish beau.

Once again, there are new characters thrown into this book. Some that had no place or purpose, some were just annoying and then with that history, genealogy, past Bieler/Byler stuff again that made no connections to the present day story.

I'm sorry Ms. Newport, but I was not impressed. 

I only gave this book 2 stars. Mainly for effort. I definitely felt, as the third and final book, there should have been so much more!

Where was that... "Aha!" moment?? 

The big finale!?

It just never happened for me.

Has anyone else ever had this happen? 

Did you finish it out or give up? 

Am I being to harsh?

As always, Happy Reading! 

Book Review: In Plain View: Valley Of Choice(Book #2)

In Plain View

By~ Olivia Newport

Quote:

" What do you know about Karl Kramer's missing fertilizer? Or what do your friends have to do with it? ~ Annie pg. 187

Started: August 21, 2017

Finished: August 31, 2017

Paperback 361 pages

From the Cover:

Choosing the simple life has never been so complicated...

Nearly a year after her successful but unsatisfying high-tech life, Annie Friesen wonders if she can truly succeed at being Amish. A lucrative job offer, a red dress, and the shadow of an Amish woman looking for a husband create a vortex that clouds Annie's choice. Her parents seem determined to sabotage her efforts, and Rufus Beiler, the Amish carpenter who captured her heart, leaves room for doubt about their future. When an explosion brings Annie under suspicion, she wrestles with how her new values will manifest in her efforts to clear her name.

Meanwhile, Amish parents Eli and Franey Beiler struggle with their daughter Ruth's decision to live away from the Amish settlement and pursue higher education in Colorado Springs, and the attentions of Elijah Capp bring Ruth's path to a crossroads.

Facing decisions that can change their own  futures as well as the futures of generations, both Annie and Ruth unravel the past in order to bring the future into plain view.

My Review:

This story continues with Annalise(Annie) trying to simplify her life and herself along with continuing on her path to becoming Amish. She has given up her career, her car, and her modern technology and easy communicating with her family. She has moved into a small home and had all electricity removed. She is living simpler, but it seems her life is anything but simple.

She is struggling with the Amish ways and language. Trying to pretend that she isn't doing this all for a man, Rufus. She now has Beth, one of the Stutzmans' daughters who are staying with the Beiler's until their house is finished, to make her jealous and cautious around Rufus. She is competition. 

Her sister is in town for a visit and insists on tempting Annie to stray back to her old ways.

Annie still has her suspicions about Karl Kramer and now with the explosion a whole new set of problems between the Amish and English people.

This story is just spinning out of control in circles. I cannot get a grasp on what this story is about or how it is supposed to play out. 

This is book # 2 and it is the same as before. Too many "mini stories" trying to fight for a place in this one book.

again, there is the historical, genealogy aspect with the first set of Bylers. Annie has kind of dropped off on her research in this book, yet the chapters still keep flipping from present to past.I honestly would have preferred the entire series to be solely about the post Revolutionary War Bylers. It seems to have more character and believable story line.
I am finding the "Annie story" to just drag out and never really go anywhere!

I have actually already started the third and final book and it pretty much seems the same.
And now, they have added yet another Amish family who have moved into the town and already seem to be bringing trouble with them. As I've said before, I will stick it out and finish this trilogy.
Hopefully, the conclusion will finally bring some answers to this puzzling saga!

Happy Reading!

Review: Accidentally Amish: Valley of Choice book #1

Accidentally Amish

by Olivia Newport

Quote: " If you set aside your pride, you'll admit you were frightened last night. You're used to solving problems, but you're in a predicament you don't know how to get out of." ~ Rufus Beiler 

(pg. 36)

Started: August 14, 2017

Finished: August 21, 2017

paperback/ 368 pages

From the Cover:

Torn between two cultures...

When software creator Annie Friesen needs to protect her intellectual property from her scheming partner, she escapes the chaos of Colorado Springs for the hospitality of an Amish family in the San Luis Valley. Annie's own ancestral connection to early Amish settlers unfolds in a story within a story, and her worlds collide...

especially when she feels an attraction to her host, Rufus Beiler.

A cabinetmaker by trade, Rufus has troubles of his own. Because of a competitor's false accusations, his business is in jeopardy. and so is his family, ever since his sister, Ruth, left the Amish community in a shroud of questions.

Now Annie, an outsider, begins meddling in affairs that don't concern her. When Rufus tells her she can't continue to hide among the Amish forever, Annie is torn. Will she return to her accomplishments in the high-tech, modern culture of Colorado Springs or remain with Rufus and the humble simplicity of the San Luis Valley Amish?

My Review:

I'm sad to say I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped to. I bought all three in this trilogy(luckily) as a set at Half Price Books. I was kind of excited, as you never find a whole set at these secondhand thrifty shops. So, I jumped at the chance. I think I paid like $8 for the set.

Anyway, I usually enjoy Amish books. They are great easy reads and have great messages or spiritual insights. I love getting caught up in the easy, humble lifestyle they live with such purpose. I truly am fascinated by so much of their religion and lifestyle. The history of their way is enough to get me hooked reading almost anything Amish.

I honestly think what threw me off on this book was the new, modern, contemporary side of it. I just couldn't get into Annie's whole high-tech software life and them jump over to the farm  making cabinets and milking cows. It just didn't come full circle realistically for me.

There was way too much going on in this one short book. 

From Annie running from her problems, Rufus and Tom dealing with their own troubles, Ruth showing up in the story and going back and forth. Then there was back and forth between two towns("Amish town" and "Annie's world") and then we have her doing the genealogy to find the Beiler/Byler connection and the story jumps back in time to the late 1700's.

It really was way too much.

Just when I would get interested in one "good" part, it would zip over to a totally different"story".

I did start to like the characters and the historical part was definitely my favorite.

I only gave this book 3 stars. 

I believe it had great potential; just too much for one book.

I'm really hoping the second and third books get a little less chaotic in the story line and stick to a few major characters, instead of pulling in so many and so much.

Here's hoping! On to book #2,  In Plain View.

Happy Reading!

Review: Love Finds You..in Sugarcreek, Ohio

Love Finds You...

in Sugarcreek, Ohio

by Serena B. Miller

Quote: " This isn't our home Bobby. We have to move on."~ Joe pg. 51

started: Feb 10, 2012

finished: Feb. 13, 2012

From the cover:

 Policewoman Rachel Troyer has always looked after her three elderly Amish aunts, proprietors of a farmhouse inn near Sugarcreek, Ohio. The idyllic town is popular with tourists, who come to sample its famous Amish goods. But one thing is clear to Rachel- Joe Matthews is no tourist. When the bearded stranger lands on her aunts' doorstep, begging shelter for himself and his young son, Rachel is suspicious. Will she be able to uncover Joe's secrets despite her aunts'- and her own- growing affections for him?

My Review:

  I loved this book. I think it would have to be a combination of the Amish, which I truly enjoy learning about, the fact that it is set in Ohio, and the great story line that includes crime, devotion, and Christianity. This book was very heartfelt and so warm. I have learned that Sugarcreek is in fact a real place and now am planning a spring trip to visit. Although the characters and story are fiction, I feel it is an accurate description of the town and people.

I really liked Rachel's protective side. It shows how devoted and compassionate she is despite her hard, policewoman side. She is, either way a "go get em'" type. She doesn't wait around for others to figure things out or pass the job off to another. I feel this shows the hard work ethics and dedication one may get from growing up in an Amish setting. 

  I will give this book 4.5 stars