Book Recommendations~Series

I'm back today to share with you all some of my favorite series! :)

A Life of Faith: Millie Keith by Martha Finley (adapted by Kersten Hamilton) 

Millie Keith is a bright, energetic, and happy twelve-year-old living in the charming town of Lansdale, Ohio, in 1833. Her world is about to be turned upside down when her Pappa announces that he is moving the family west to an undeveloped town on the Indiana frontier. The eldest daughter of eight lively children, Millie must shoulder responsibility for her mischievous brothers and sisters on the perilous journey and learn to trust God for her uncertain future. Will her Christian faith sustain her as she leaves behind friendships and everything she has ever known? 

Circle C Adventures by Susan K. Marlow

Living on the Circle C ranch in 1880s California provides 12 year old Andi Carter with more than her fair share of adventures. Whether nearly trampling her schoolmaster with her palomino horse, Taffy, or outwitting an escaped convict, Andi's life is never boring. Her hair-raising escapades always end up teaching her valuable lessons about family, faith, and friends. 

Stoney Ridge Seasons by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Keeper

When her fiancé postpones their wedding a second time, Julia Lapp is determined to change his mind. But when traveling beekeeper Roman Troyer comes to Windmill Farm, all of Julia's plans are challenged. Can she secure the future she's always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?

The Haven

On a warm spring day, Sadie Lapp returns home to her quiet, unassuming life in Stoney Ridge after spending the winter in Ohio. But she brings with her a secret that could change the Lapp family forever. It seems like the only person who's willing to give her the benefit of the doubt is a handsome young Englisher with a secret of his own . . . 

The Lesson

Mary Kate Lapp yearns for adventure, but all she seems to find is trouble. When an unexplained death coincides with the arrival of a mysterious young man, M.K. is determined to take matters into her own hands and get to the bottom of it. Will she find more than she bargained for?

The Rose Trilogy by Beverly Lewis

Rose Kauffman, a spirited young woman, has a close friendship with the bishop's foster son. Nick dresses Plain and works hard but stirs up plenty of trouble too. Rose's sister cautions her against becoming too involved, but Rose is being courted by a good, Amish fellow, so dismisses the warnings. Meanwhile, Rose keeps house for an English widower but is startled when he forbids her to ever go upstairs. What is the man hiding? 

Rose's older sister, Hen, knows more than she should about falling for the wrong man. Unable to abandon her Amish ways, Hen is soon separated from her very modern husband. Mattie, their young daughter, must visit her father regularly, but Hen demands she wear Amish attire--and speak Pennsylvania Dutch, despite her husband's wishes. Will Hen be able to reestablish her place among the People she abandoned? And will she be able to convince Rose to steer clear of rogue neighbor Nick?

Homeward on the Oregon Trail by Melody Carlson

Kentucky, 1854—Elizabeth Martin has mourned her husband’s death for three years, but now she feels ready to fulfill the dream they had shared—to take their two children west. The dream becomes reality when her middle-aged parents and bachelor brother surprise her with the news that they want to go as well.

After converting three of their best wagons to prairie schooners and thoroughly outfitting them, the little party travels from Kentucky to Kansas City, where they join a substantial wagon train. Elizabeth soon finds herself being drawn to the group’s handsome guide, Eli Kincade.

The long journey and deepening relationships challenge the travelers to their core, and Eli’s mysterious past leaves Elizabeth with more questions than answers. She knows there’s no turning back, but she wonders, What have I gotten myself into?

The Christy Series by Catherine Marshall (adapted by C. Archer)

Christy Huddleston's dream was to teach the poor mountain children. But she never imagined that the treacherous journey into the heart of the Smoky Mountains would bring danger into the lives of one mountain family.

Join Christy as she crosses the bridge from the familiar world of parties and pretty things into the strange, new world of Cutter Gap. There she meets the country doctor, Neil MacNeill, who needs her help to save a man's life. And the handsome young minister, David Grantland, rescues Christy when her own life is in danger, and helps her face the challenges of teaching, and loving, the proud mountain people.

--This is the first of twelve books in the Christy series, based off of Catherine Marshall's original book "Christy". --

Have you read any of these series?

Book Recommendations~Stand Alones

Today I just thought that I'd share a few of my favorite books with you. These are all stand alone books. Tomorrow I will do another recommendation post, but with some of my favorite series. :)

Melissa James has a picture-perfect existence--or so it seems. In reality, she has been looking over her shoulder her entire life. Just as her secrets are about to catch up with her, she seeks a haven in Pennsylvania Amish Country. Will her stay bring her peace, or will it bring danger to the Plain community?

Flight instructor Jack Livingston has been raising his eight-year-old adopted niece, Natalie, since the accident that took her parents' lives. When he travels, Natalie is tenderly cared for by her Amish nanny, Laura Mast, who loves the little girl as her own.

Eight excruciating years ago, Kelly Maines's baby was kidnapped. Determined to find her child, Kelly has tirelessly pursued every lead to its bitter end. And now, with the clock ticking, one last clue from a private investigator ignites a tiny flame of hope: Just a few miles away lives a young girl who matches her profile.

Can this be, at long last, Kelly's beloved daughter? 

 Ariana loves her life, her parents, her little town, her job as the town's schoolteacher, her students. But one evening after classes are done and she prepares to hurry home before a blizzard hits, her whole life changes in an instant.

The two rough-looking men who abduct her and take her far from home and family make no response to her frantic questions- "Why me? What are you going to do? Where are you taking me?" Held hostage in a camp of bandits, Ariana's emotions swing between terror and boredom as days stretch into weeks.

And then the boss's son appears in the doorway of her cabin. Does this mean she will never see her mother and father again, the two who so lovingly adopted her as an infant and raised her as their own? Will she ever wear the wedding dress so carefully saved for her, her one link with her birth parents, now long dead?

Kathleen O'Malley stood on the deck of the Barreth Lily and watched the land she'd called home for more than a dozen years slip from her view. She had thought she would be glad to see the last of it, but she was not. Emotions in turmoil, her whole being yearned to slip from the ship and return to what she knew. Even though Kathleen had not been happy with her situation, it was all she had ever known. As the shoreline faded into the morning mist, her only certainty was that she was bound for America to marry a man whose name she did not even know and whose face she had never seen. On the other side of the Atlantic, Donnigan Harrison anxiously awaits Kathleen's arrival on a prairie farm far from her port of arrival in Boston. He has known the wonder of a dream fulfilled--a snug frame cabin, the sturdy log barn and outbuildings, a fine herd of livestock, and crops in the field that made his eyes sparkle. Yet Donnigan felt a loneliness on the western frontier that pierced his very soul. With so limited opportunities for finding a wife, the notion of ordering a wife that once seemed unthinkable had come to make some sense. Now that the time has come, Donnigan feels like a small boy waiting for Christmas. But Donnigan's anticipation is overshadowed with terrifying uncertainties--What have I done?

After Jimmy is blinded in an accident with a firecracker, he has to relearn all the things he used to know - how to get dressed, how to find his way around the house, even how to eat. With the help of a determined therapist, he learns to read Braille and use a cane. Then he's given the chance to have a guide dog. Learning to work with Leader is not easy, but Jimmy tries harder than he ever has before. Can Leader really give him the ability and the confidence he needs?

--I read this when I was in late elementary school, but it is still a favorite of mine.--

Have you read any of these?

What is your favorite book?

A Few of My Favorite Things Tag~2

Hannah from Completely for Him tagged me for the A Few of My Favorite Things tag. Thanks, Hannah, I had fun doing it! :)

The Rules:

-Write down ten of your favorite things

-Tag at least three others!

1. Music. I enjoy playing music on my violin. I also like to listen to music. Especially when I’m in the car. Right now I have two top favorite songs that I’ve been listening to a lot. ;) They are “What Do I Know of Holy” by Addison Road and “Hold You Up” by Shane Harper. 

2. Dark Chocolate Milky Ways. They are so good. Whenever I get a candy bar, it’s usually always a dark chocolate Milky Ways. :)

3. Great authors. I love reading books by great Christian authors. Some of my favorites are: Beverly Lewis and Janette Oke. I’ve also somewhat recently started reading books by Suzanne Woods Fisher, Wanda Brunstetter, Robin Jones Gunn, and Sarah Sundin. They have some great books too. :)

4. The library. I really like to buy books, but the library is such a great place to get books from and see if you like them, before you decide to buy them. :)

5. Erasers. I have collected fun erasers for several years.

6. Friends. 

7. Great movies. These are a few of my favorites:

8. Board games. I really enjoy playing games with my family and friends. :)

9. Sewing. I don’t do it a whole lot, but when I get into a sewing mood it’s pretty fun. My favorite thing to make is pillowcases. 

10. The beach. I love going on family vacations to the beach. The ocean is so pretty and really fun to play in.

I'm not going to tag anyone this time, but if you'd like to do this tag go ahead! :)

May Highlights

Okay, I finally got around to doing my monthly highlights post for May. I know I’m four days late, but this week has been super busy. Plus it doesn’t seem like May can already be over! ;)

--Mother’s Day was a fun day. After church my family and I went to a restaurant with my grandparents for dinner.

--In the middle of May I put on a violin recital for my violin students. It was a lot of fun, and all of my students did really good. :)

--Towards the end of May my whole family and I went on vacation to the Oregon Coast. I had a ton of fun! :) 

I watched some great movies this month too. 

The beginning of this month my mom and I went to the theater and saw God’s Not Dead 2. It was really good.

I watched Alone Yet Not Alone with my family. I read the book last fall and really enjoyed it, so I was curious to see what the movie was like. It turned out to be really good, and it followed the book really closely. 

My mom and I also have been enjoying watching the TV series Christy. We’ve seen the first eight episodes, now we just have to get back to the library so we can get the other ones. ;)

This month I was able to read eight books. They were all really good. :)

A Woman Named Damaris by Janette Oke

Until Tomorrow by Robin Jones Gunn

As You Wish by Robin Jones Gunn

I Promise by Robin Jones Gunn 

The Bluebird and the Sparrow by Janette Oke

Forever With You by Robin Jones Gunn 

Home of our Hearts by Robin Jones Gunn 

One More Wish by Robin Jones Gunn 

I’m looking forward to June and what it will bring! The summer weather has already started. This whole week has been in the 90’s. 

So, how has your month been? Have you seen any of these movies or read any of these books? :)

I have some tags that I need to do, so I'm hoping to get those up soon. So for those who tagged me, yes, I am still going to do them! :)