I was pretty disappointed with this one actually. It's a tiny book with large print that in reality is only the first few chapters of a "real" book. I would have been pretty disappointed had I bought this book. There is nothing that is resolved in this part of the story. It sets up for continuing the series but in no way can be read on it's own. It honestly felt like a rip-off- a way to make money by forcing people to buy different parts of the same book. I'm not sure what the publisher or author's goal is for doing it this way, but I really didn't like it at all. With regards to the story, as I said before, this booklet introduces the reader to Meredith and Luke, a newly married Amish couple dealing with the stress of a lost job. I can't say that I enjoyed this too much either. It seemed to be dragged out too much, and the adding of Dutch words or phrases then explained by an awkward repeating by the second person in the conversation drives me nuts. This part of the story shows the stress of the couple as Luke lost his job a few months back, then his excitement and her misgivings as he goes to Indiana (from Pennsylvania) to learn and buy a business from his uncle only to experience "tragedy" as the back flap puts it. Which is exactly where the "book" ends. I was so annoyed by that that I really cannot recommend this book at all. I honestly would not bother unless you LOVE Amish fiction, and are willing to buy multiple books to get one story.

I recieved a copy of this book for review from the publisher.

The book Martyr's Fire, is an adventure type book set in the time of knights. Main characters include Thomas, the Lord of Magnus who finds he is an immortal, Katherine, who is an immortal seeking to help him recover Magnus and the secrets of the Immortals, and Isabelle, a druid who wants to destroy them both and regain control of Magnus for her father who was "demoted" after Thomas took the fortress of Magnus from him. This book took me a while to get into; it was hard to tell who were the "good characters" for a while. The ending of books like this drives me CRAZY. If you aren't looking for a new series to read, than don't bother. There is no conclusion whatsoever, except that Thomas begins to slightly trust Katherine. If I'd have known it was this kind of teaser story, I wouldn't have bothered. I much prefer books that actually give you a bit of satisfaction at the end, even if they have a teaser towards the next in the series to a book that's sole purpose is to get you to buy the next one. I really can't rate this book very highly for that reason. This book is actually the third in the series, which I did not realize when I began reading it. That may have something to do with my confusion at the beginning, though it still does excuse the lack of a complete storyline within this book. I actually find it astonishing that the third book in a series could feel so incomplete.

I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This is a set of three books set in the late 1800's about Emma, who starts out as a young woman with eyes for an older man in her colony. They live in a cooperative community run by Wilhelm Keil, who is a thorn in Emma's side (and mine!) for the entire series. Keil chooses to send her new husband, who she's had very little time with due to Keil's missions for him, as one of the scouts who go to the west coast to look for land to move the colony as Keil feels it is getting too many outside influences. Emma is a bit spirited for the community and talks her way into being sent along as well. The series follows Emma and the scouts on their journey and the development of the new colony. More details would give away too many surprises (not always good ones!), but the series was good. The historical details of the book are so interesting, and at the end of the third book we find that Emma and the colony are true historical characters fleshed out by the author, and that one can still visit the historical colony of Aurora. Emma changes throughout the series through the hardships and joys she suffers in her life. They were somewhat frustrating to read, as through most of the books, Emma separates herself and tends to think the worst of people as she struggles with being part of the colony and being dependent on others due to her circumstances. It takes until the third book for Emma to return to her faith and find the joy in her life and those around her. That is definitely the redeeming book for Emma as she takes the colony's initial mission of making other's lives better than one's own to heart and lives it out. The things that happen to Emma definitely merit the frustration she has, though i would have liked to see her grow more as a person in the first two books as well as the third. Perhaps that's more my (as the reader) desire to help her avoid the struggles her decisions lead her to. I would recommend these books, and encourage the reader to read all of them, and the third book is definitely where Emma shines and shows her Godly character growth. It is interesting to see the goals and lives of those in the colony grow and change as well from the picture we get of them in the first book or so. I'd love to add the historical Aurora Colony to the list of sites to see if we ever travel to the west coast!

I recieved a copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to like this book, a novel about the great tribulation when God takes His church from this earth. the book follows Dax, a U.S. senator, who is living a worldly, luxurious life, devoted to his work and mistress and leaving his wife and 2 children to their own devices. At the beginning, we realize that Dax is imprisoned for religious dissidence and experiencing horrible conditions. the story is told in flashbacks as Dac shares his story with the other prisoners and other times that the story just jumps to a third person narrative about Dax's life. the writing is stilted and awkward and even being halfway through the book, I really don't care about any of the characters. Events such as the world uniting under one government are discussed as if sharing that the someone went out for groceries. Suddenly the government is openly against the Christian church and ignores any mention of any other religions. The disappearance of the Christian church is barely reacted to except for Dax and his wife immediately believing in Christ though they had ignored his preacher brother for their entire lives. and they seem not to care enough to share the gospel with Dax's good friend and bodyguard, nor do they attend church or read the Bible until months later. The author's description of the believers being taken is interesting, and the premise is obviously excellent, however it seems very underdeveloped. charcters emotion and thoughts are ignored; no mention of his children is made after one dies during a drug deal and the other chooses the occult. Dax doesn't think at all of his wife when they are separated after being arrested. when they are executed with twenty pages left in the book, it is just matter of factly ststed that his wife's bloody head is placed for him to see while the executioner swings the axe for his own. this book has potential, but the author chose to treat it like a news story rather than getting the reader invested in the story and characters and living the amazing experience with them. Unfortunately, I would not recommend this book.

I recieved a copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.