A Lancaster County Christmas
BY: Suzanne Woods Fisher
PUBLISHED BY: Revell
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8007-1995-1
Pages: 206
Reviewed by Billy Burgess


A sudden snowstorm changes the holiday plans for an elementary school teacher C.J. Fitzpatrick and his photographer wife, Jamie, who were on their way to Jamie’s father’s wedding on a cruise ship. They had been slowly drifting away from each other when a freak accident causes them to take shelter at an Amish farmhouse. Sol and Mattie Riehl eagerly take in the stranded couple until the storm ended.

The Amish couple has problems of their own. They are taking care of Zack, Mattie’s seventeen-year-old cousin, who has been into some trouble. Zack has been living with them since summer. Sol is praying that Zack isn’t a bad example to their son, Danny.

As C.J. and Jamie must face their marriage problems, Sol and Mattie pray for more children that they are afraid they can’t have.

I’m a fan of Amish fiction and I was anxious to read A Lancaster County Christmas, even though this is September and not December. It sure has gotten me in the mood for Christmas! The troubles that the couples face are realistically believable, and so is the situation with the teenager Zack. This is the second book I have read from author Suzanne Woods Fisher, and I look forward to reading more Amish novels by her. I recommend this book to all romance readers, or someone who is looking for a sweet, charming read. This would make a great Christmas gift!


About the Author:

Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. She has many, many Plain relatives living in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and travels back to Pennsylvania, as well as to Ohio, a couple of times each year for research.

Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don't have to "go Amish" to incorporate many of their principles--simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily-- into your life.

When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth.


Suzanne can be found online at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

Link to buy the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Lancaster-County-Christmas-Suzanne-Fisher/dp/0800719956/ref=sprightly-20


The Contest:

To celebrate the release of her first Christmas book, Suzanne Woods Fisher has teamed up with her publisher, Revell, to bring you the "Christmas in September" iPad Giveaway! The winner will be announced on 9/27 at the A Lancaster County Christmas Facebook Party! Details below. Tell your friends and join in the fun (9/7-9/27).

Oh and be sure to follow the blog tour here - many of the bloggers have copies of the book to giveaway!







Suzanne and Revell will be presenting one merry winner with a Christmas Prize Pack (valued at over $600):



A Brand New iPad 2 with Wi-Fi
$25 gift certificate to iTunes
A copy of A Lancaster County Christmas


To enter, click here http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13425768. But, hurry the giveaway ends on 9/26.



But, wait! There's more! The winner will be announced at the A Lancaster County Christmas Facebook Party on 9/27 at Suzanne's author page. During the party she'll be revealing something *BIG* - you won't want to miss it. She'll also be hosting a book chat, trivia contest and giving away a few early Christmas presents! Hope to see you there.

Backyard Horses: Horse Dreams

BY: Dandi Daley Mackall
PUBLISHED BY: Tyndale
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4143-3916-0
Pages: 156
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Ellie James is a fourth grade student with a wild imagination. She loves to daydream during class about owning a horse. Whenever she is assigned a writing assignment, she wants to write about one thing - horses. One afternoon she glances outside and sees a beautiful horse galloping across the schoolyard. By the time she gets the teachers attention, along with her classmates, the horse had disappeared. The teacher has had enough of Ellie’s fibs and sends a note home for her parents to read. Ellie soon realizes that the horse was real?

A few weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised to find complimentary copy of Horse Dreams in the mailbox from Tyndale. I don’t know much about horses, but I enjoyed reading about Ellie and her love for horses. Ellie may be a daydreamer during school, but her dreams do come true. The book was a delight light to read and I’m sure kids, especially horse lovers, will love reading it to.

*I would like to thank Tyndale for sending me a complimentary copy.

 How I’m going to talk to my kids when they become teenagers is a thought most parents have since the kids were born. They change in front of our eyes, rebel, and become independent, wanting to spend less time with the family and more out with their friends. And if this is not enough, many start to drink, smoke, and experiment with drugs and sex. You remember; you were there a few years back.

 But talking is only one component of the relationship you have with your kids. Try to see them as what they really are; children of God you have the privilege to raise, care for and guide as they find their way in the world. In that sense, your soul and theirs are equal, having different roles to play in life. Being aware of it you would raise them respecting who they are, bringing them to respect you and your role as their parent. Having relationship which is based on mutual respect is a key for healthy dialog with teens.

Seeing them as God’s children will also give us the patience and composure needed so much if we are to succeed in our role as parents. Remember that teenage rebellion is a normal part of their growth. We have the experience; they still need to accumulate it. Still, the parent is the mature one in the relationship, so even if they seemed unwilling to listen, make sure they know you are always there for them. It is important to remember that all that God is asking of you is to do your best, and that ultimately how each person ends up is between his or her soul and God.

Nurturing healthy relationships with kids from an early age will help you to survive the turmoil of the teenage rebellion. No one likes to hear orders al the time, and parents who constantly give them (“Because I said so”), will find it harder to deal with teenagers who are much less impressed by threats and punishments. So talk to them, open yourself and when possible explain your reasoning for making a new rule, or setting new restrictions. It is your home and your rule, but a wise leader lets everyone feel included.

You are the pillar of the family, and your kids don’t need you as their best friend. They even don’t need to love you; they need to respect you, and hopefully overtime they will come to admire the role you played in their lives. Hearing her saying, “You are the best parent in the world” because she got what she wanted would make you feel good, but is not a sign of a decision well made. Make what you consider to be the right decision and over time they will learn to respect you for it. Most people grow up to by like their parents, so while guiding them as teens; you are also showing them how to do the right thing as a parent later on.

There are many ways to raise teenagers, and the one you will adapt has a lot to do with how you were raised. Try to remember what worked and what didn’t. Try hard not to repeat the mistakes you parents made, and if useful to you, use those things that worked. And when you feel overwhelmed, it is a good idea to seek professional help. But above all, listen to your inner voice, and seek God’s help. It is where the endless wisdom of the universe is to be found. And we need every bit of it if we to be successful raising teenagers in the 21th century.



Author Bio


During his formative years, Tal Yanai was not happy with his reality. What he was creating in his life was not in alignment with what he wanted in his heart or what he knew and deeply felt was possible.

As a struggling student, he was considered a troublemaker in school. Then one day, during a bike trip from the kibbutz to the sea, he was asked to take charge and make sure none of the other kids lagged behind. For the first time in his life, at age fifteen, Tal got a taste of what it meant to assume responsibility and be a leader. This one experience planted the seed for his goal to assume a leadership role in his later life. After finishing high school, having been raised on Kibbutz, Einat, Israel, he volunteered to serve as a leader in the Kibbutzim Youth Movement, which focused on principles such as volunteering, mutual help, and giving to one’s community and country.

In tenth grade he was diagnosed with dyslexia, which explained his learning difficulties but it did little to ease his frustration with himself and his everyday struggles. He had no mentors he could confide in or look up to. And no matter how hard his parents tried, his living on a kibbutz meant they had little influence during his teenager years.

At the age of twenty-three, when he moved to the U.S., Tal found solace in a higher power and started on a spiritual path, which has led him to align himself with his soul’s essence and mission.
For two years he worked as an historical analyst at the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, established by Steven Spielberg after the filming of Schindler’s List. As part of his job, he listened every day to testimonies of Holocaust survivors. Many were children or teenagers during WWII and their stories greatly influenced Tal’s decision to become involved with educating youth, so he proceeded to get his Teaching Credential in Social Studies.

Bringing two wonderful children into the world gave him a new sense of urgency to share and teach everything he’s learned about God and spirituality. Today, Tal teaches Hebrew and Judaic Studies in Temple Beth Hillel in the San Fernando Valley as he continues his quest to explore the meaning of soul and achieve his full potential as a spiritual teacher.








Resource on drug abuse for help talking with your teen: http://blackbearrehab.com/substance-abuse/

Releasing Gillian’s Wolves
BY: Tara Wooply
PUBLISHED BY: Bats in the Boathouse Press
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 9780983203308
Pages: 282
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

In this debut novel, Gillian Sach has raised two grown kids and has been a loyal wife for thirty years to her now United States Congressman husband, Jack, who hasn’t remain faithful. Gillian has always suspected of her husband’s infidelity, but was never for sure until she found the hotel keycard in his pocket. Soon, she learns of her husband affair with a young staff worker. With the support from her friends and family, she leaves Jack shortly after his campaign and takes time for herself, focusing on her art and some traveling. Gillian returns to the states feeling renewed, but is instantly thrown into a political scandal.

The plot of Releasing Gillian’s Wolves could have come from a news headline. It seem like every week a political congressman or governor announces that they had an affair or have been involved in some questionable activities, making the novel’s plot more real than fiction. The author, Tara Wooply, is the daughter of the Idaho State Senator Mary Lou Reed, so she had knowledge about the political campaigning route. She has written an inspiring main character, Gillian, in which despite major life setbacks, the character has the strength and ambition to reboot her life. As a male reader, I liked Gillian from the first chapter and cheered her on when she finally left her adulterous husband. I recommend the book to anyone enjoys a good read.

* I would like to thank the author, Tara Wooply, for sending me a copy to review.

Life is Not a Candy Store: It’s The Way to the Candy Store
BY: Tal Yanai
PUBLISHED BY: Bat-El Publishing
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-0-9832025-0-9
Pages: 72
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Life is Not a Candy Store: It’s the Way to the Candy Store is a Spiritual Guide to the Road of Life for Teens, intended to be a self-esteem aimed at young adults, but the book’s message can easily reach most adults. Peer pressure from friends, and even your teachers and parents can be overwhelming for any teenager. Author Tal Yanai uses more of a Christian/spiritual approach in dealing with these matters. Being at an adolescent age can be difficult for anyone. Do you follow your peer group? Or do you follow your own road/path? In order to find your road, but you must first understand yourself, where your ‘soul come into the physical body.’ You’ll be faced with many challenges while trying to achieve your life goals, but with God’s help you can be guided in the right direction.

Having faith is one of the main messages of Life is Not a Candy Store: It’s The Way to the Candy Store. Personally being a victim of High School torture and bulling, I was eager to review the book. Life has many trials, some you’ll conquer and others you’ll fail. As a teenager, you’re not fully emotionally developed, and you won’t react to life’s hardships the same way as an adult would. I recommend the book to teenagers and parents.

*I would like to thank the author for sending me a review copy.


Don't forget to stop tomorrows blog: http://blogcritics.org/books/

Author Bio


During his formative years, Tal Yanai was not happy with his reality. What he was creating in his life was not in alignment with what he wanted in his heart or what he knew and deeply felt was possible.

As a struggling student, he was considered a troublemaker in school. Then one day, during a bike trip from the kibbutz to the sea, he was asked to take charge and make sure none of the other kids lagged behind. For the first time in his life, at age fifteen, Tal got a taste of what it meant to assume responsibility and be a leader. This one experience planted the seed for his goal to assume a leadership role in his later life. After finishing high school, having been raised on Kibbutz, Einat, Israel, he volunteered to serve as a leader in the Kibbutzim Youth Movement, which focused on principles such as volunteering, mutual help, and giving to one’s community and country.

In tenth grade he was diagnosed with dyslexia, which explained his learning difficulties but it did little to ease his frustration with himself and his everyday struggles. He had no mentors he could confide in or look up to. And no matter how hard his parents tried, his living on a kibbutz meant they had little influence during his teenager years.

At the age of twenty-three, when he moved to the U.S., Tal found solace in a higher power and started on a spiritual path, which has led him to align himself with his soul’s essence and mission.
For two years he worked as an historical analyst at the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, established by Steven Spielberg after the filming of Schindler’s List. As part of his job, he listened every day to testimonies of Holocaust survivors. Many were children or teenagers during WWII and their stories greatly influenced Tal’s decision to become involved with educating youth, so he proceeded to get his Teaching Credential in Social Studies.

Bringing two wonderful children into the world gave him a new sense of urgency to share and teach everything he’s learned about God and spirituality. Today, Tal teaches Hebrew and Judaic Studies in Temple Beth Hillel in the San Fernando Valley as he continues his quest to explore the meaning of soul and achieve his full potential as a spiritual teacher.