Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Series Recommendations // Amish Fiction

I hope everyone is having a great week! Today I am going to be sharing with you some Amish fiction series that I enjoy. I really like Amish fiction, especially books by Beverly Lewis. I also like Suzanne Woods Fisher and Wanda Brunstetter.
Here are a couple series that I enjoy. :)


The Heritage of Lancaster County by Beverly Lewis
In the quiet Amish community of Hickory Hollow, Pennsylvania, time has stood still while cherished traditions and heartfelt beliefs have flourished. But a secret lies buried that could shatter the tranquility its inhabitants have grown to love.
When Katie Lapp stumbles upon a satin infant gown in the dusty leather trunk of her parents’ attic, she knows it holds a story she must discover. Why else would her Amish mother, a plain and simple woman who embraces the Old Order laws, hide the beautiful baby dress in the attic?
On the eve of Katie’s wedding to widower Bishop John, startling news staggers out of her anguished parents, and nothing prepare Katie for the devastation their confession brings. Feeling betrayed, Katie watches as the only life she has ever known begins to unravel, leaving it its wake a furrow of pain…and a future of hope.

The Heritage of Lancaster County is a fun three book series. It’s a continuing story through all three books so this is a series that you’ll want to make sure you read in order. This was the first Amish fiction series that I read and I loved it!




Annie’s People by Beverly Lewis
Annie Zook, the only daughter of an Old Order Amish preacher, wants to please her parents and her Plain community, but a hidden passion stands in her way. Creating fine art is strictly forbidden by Annie’s church district. Her secret has already cost her the affection of handsome Rudy Esh. She must choose between her art and the People…the only life she knows.
Louisa Stratford, Annie’s longtime pen pal, is a modern Dendrite who shares Annie’s love of art. When Louisa escapes her own problems to go to paradise for a taste of the simple life, will she nudge Annie closer to all she has known and loved…or tempt Annie to pursue her own dreams?

Annie's People is another series that has a continuing story. I enjoyed this series quite a bit. :)




Home to Hickory Hollow by Beverly Lewis
The Fiddler : A wrong turn in a rainstorm leads Englisher Amelia Devries to Michael Hostetler—and the your Amishman’s charming Old Order community of Hickory Hollow. Despite their very different backgrounds, Amelia and Michael both feel hemmed in by the expectations of others and struggle with how to find room for their own hopes. And what first seems to be a chance encounter might just change their lives forever.
The Bridesmaid: Joanna Kurtz has made several trips to the alter, but never as bride. The young Amishwoman is a closet writer whose stories aren’t her only secret.
Eben Troyer hopes to make Joanna his bride—if he can ever leave his parents farm in Shipshewana, Indiana. Yet Eben’s hopes to build a life with Joanna hinge on his brothers’s return from the English world…
The Guardian: When Jodi Winfield comes to Lancaster to house-sit, the last thing she expects to find is a disheveled little girl alone on the side of the road. The young teacher is mystified when she learns there have been no reports of a missing child, and the girl herself is no help, since she can’t speak English. It’s as if the child appeared out of nowhere.
Then Jodi turns her attention to Hickory Hollow—and the cloistered world of the Old Order Amish—in search of answers.
The Secret Keeper: Jennifer Burns shocks everyone when she bids farewell to her modern life in favor of the Old Order Amish world, settling in with Samuel and Rebecca Lapp. 
The people of Hickory Hollow are curious about the beautiful young seeker among them—one Amishman in particular—and Jenny faces many challenges in the Proving time the brethren set for her…challenges of the heart, as well as the spirit.
The Last Bride: Of her Old Order parents’ five daughters, Tessie Miller is the last to marry. She has her heart set on Amishman Marcus King, but Tessie’s father opposes the match.
Impetuously, Tessie and Marcus elope to the English world, then return to Hickory Hollow to live as singles, trusting they’ll convince the Millers to give their love a chance. But when the unthinkable happens, Tessie faces the almost-certain censure of the People. Will she find a reason for hope in spite of her desperate plight?


Home to Hickory Hollow is an enjoyable, five book series. This series is one that you could read out of order if you wanted to. Some of the books mention characters from the previous books, but it would still be alright to read them out of order. All of these were really good, but my favorite book in this series is The Secret Keeper. :)




Indiana Cousins by Wanda E. Brunstetter
A Cousin’s Promise: When a horrific accident cripples Wayne Lambright, he finds it difficult enough to take care of himself, much less Loraine Miller, his future bride. Will he sacrifice his happiness to give her a better life? Having already been jilted once, Loraine is terrified of yet another rejection. But does she love Wayne enough to marry him, for better or worse? When her old boyfriend Jake Beechy returns from exploring the English world, he hopes Loraine will give him another chance. Will she renew their love or wed Wayne as promised? How will God work to give Loraine the desires of her heart?
A Cousin’s Prayer Katie Miller is traumatized after her boyfriend is killed in a van in which she was also a passenger. How will she find her way out of the valley of her depression? Freeman Bontrager will make any excuse to be near to Katie, hoping to win her love. But how far will he go to gain her trust. . .and her heart? What will bring this girl out of the shadows of fear, and open her heart to life—and love?
A Cousin’s Challenge: Jolene Yoder returns to Indiana to teach lip reading and sign language to the newly deaf Amish man Lonnie Hershberger. As she begins falling for Lonnie, Jolene wonders if she ll ever see signs of his love for her. Lovelorn Lonnie is fighting his attraction to Jolene, especially since she seems smitten by Jake Beechy. And Ella Miller is worried the roving Jake will end up breaking her cousin Jolene s heart, never realizing that Jake has really set his sights on her Ella! Who will end up with whom as these cousins face challenges in love and life?

The Indiana Cousin's series is a really great series. I haven't read a lot lot of Wanda Brunstetter's books, but the ones I have read I've enjoyed. I can't wait to read more books from this author!




The Bishop’s Family by Suzanne Woods Fisher   
The Imposter: Katrina Stoltzfus thought she had life and love all figured out: she was going to marry John and live happily ever after. Those plans started to crumble when her father moved the family to Stoney Ridge, then completely collapsed when John decided to marry someone else. Katrina is devastated. How could she have felt so loved, yet been so deceived?
As she struggles to face a future without him, a widow asks for her help to start a new business and Katrina quickly agrees. She needs time to heal her broken heart, to untangle her messy life, to find a purpose. What she doesn't need is attention from Andy Miller, a farm hand who arrives at the widow's farm just when help is most needed--and who always seems to say the right thing, and be in the right place, at the right time. Is Andy for real, or too good to be true? Deceived once before, Katrina is determined to keep her feelings in check. 
When a cascade of events is set in motion by some surprising information, the little Amish church is turned upside down. Soon, everyone has a stake in the outcome, and the community struggles to find the best response to an imposter in their midst. Can they forgive even the most deceitful deeds?
The Quieting: The Stoltzfus family faces serious problems, both in the church and at home. Everyone in the community expects minister David Stoltzfus to fix things--fast. But David doesn't work fast. He prefers to wait for God to work in individual hearts. However, even he is left wondering if the solution to their most pressing problem might be a Quieting.
When David's mother arrives, uninvited, more upheaval is in store. She has matchmaking plans for everyone in the family, including David and her eligible granddaughters--and especially for David's niece Abigail. When Abigail stumbles onto a curious connection during her genealogical research, it could help David solve one problem--but will it create another?
The Devoted: Bright, curious, and restless, Ruthie Stoltzfus loves her family but is stuck in a sea of indecision about her future: Should she stay Amish? Or should she leave? She's done all she can to prepare to go--passed the GED, saved her money--but she can't quite set her journey into motion.
Patrick Kelly is a young man on a journey of his own. He's come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to "everything Plain." Time, to Patrick, is of the essence. Every moment is to be cherished, especially the hours he spends with Ruthie, his Penn Dutch tutor.
Ruthie's next-door neighbor and cunning ex-boyfriend, Luke Schrock, is drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame. Rebellious, headstrong, defiant, Luke will do anything to win Ruthie back—anything—and Patrick Kelly is getting in his way.

The Bishop’s Family is the newest series out by Suzanne Woods Fisher. This series is a continuing story, each book is just told from someone else’s point of view. The Imposter started out a little slow and I wasn’t really too into the story, but it did get better. There were also quite a few characters so it was a little hard to keep everyone straight at first. Book 2, The Quieting, continued the story nicely. Book 3, The Devoted, is the last book in this series. I actually haven’t read it yet, it just came out last week, but I’m looking forward to it. :) 



Do you like Amish fiction? If so, who's your favorite author?



2 comments:

  1. I enjoyed reading your series recommendations, Rebekah! :)
    I have read the Indiana Cousins trilogy (loved those very muchly!). These look good; I'll have to try some of them sometime. :D The covers of the Home to Hickory Hollow books are soooo pretty!! ^_^

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    1. I’m glad you enjoyed it, Faith! :)
      I really enjoyed the Indiana Cousins Trilogy too. :) I can’t wait to read more books by Wanda Brunstetter. I really want to read the Sisters of Holmes County series soon.
      Oh, they are all really good! :D You should definitely try some sometime. ;) I really like the covers of the Home to Hickory Hollow series too. They are all super pretty. I especially like the cover of “The Guardian”. :)

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