The Avid Reading Mom

I received this book free on my Kindle and decided to read it.  Michal, the first book in The Wives of Kind David series by Jill Eileen Smith was hard for me to read.  I had a hard time getting into the book.  Toward the middle it picked up a little but I struggled to finish it.  Sadly, this was not a book I would reread or highly recommend.  I decided to go ahead and review it in hopes someone else might find this review helpful…but please, give the book a try.  Several of my friends loved the book and gave it 5 stars, so you never know.

This book takes us behind the scenes into the palace of King Saul.  We get a glimpse, through the eyes of Michal, what it was like for her to grow up as a child of King Saul.  Her life was difficult.  She and her older sister were constantly vying for the attention and affection of those around them.  Michal also saw herself as the protector of her mother against an angry king.  Once David enters the picture, we see Michal begin to be drawn to him and trying to become his wife.  We also see the relationship between David and Jonathan develop.  In the end, Michal is left struggling with questions as to the purpose of her life.  Will she find her answers through David or in the God of David?

I don’t know why, but every time I read a novel about King David, I find myself not liking him very much.  I am sure every author does not intend for that to happen.  He comes across as very arrogant and the way he just flippantly discards one wife for another throughout his life, really makes me dislike him.  I know this is how it happened in the time of the Bible, but his disregard for the feelings of his wives and the reasons behind why he continually takes new wives is dishonorable.  What I found sad throughout this book was how David tended to blame Michal for the fierceness of his love for her.  After discarding her during tough times and taking more wives, she remains true to him yet he blames her for the bad in his life. 

Michal, on the other hand, is a woman who is so in love with a man that she can’t see how bad he is treating her.  She loves David with everything in her and stays true to him until the end, even when given to another man.  The author did a great job in portraying King Saul and his madness and how it affected the life of Michal throughout his life on earth and after he died.

I found myself loving Jonathan.  The man was a true man of God who would stop at nothing to be true to his friend, brother and the chosen man for Israel and the throne, no matter the cost.  Jonathan also loved his sister and wanted the best for her.  He had a fierce devotion to his family and the rightful King of Israel.  I was saddened, even though I knew it was coming, when Jonathan died.  I wish his life would have been extended. 

I tried really hard to stay engaged in this story.  I do not think it was the fault of the author, I just think it was the story in and of itself.  Michal was such a deep person who loved with everything she had and never quite received back what she gave.  I found myself feeling sorry for her and wishing more for her in the end.  While I did not fully enjoy the book, I would recommend it to anyone who likes to read accounts from the Bible in a novel format.

In book two of the Amish Vines and Orchards series by Cindy Woodsmall, The Winnowing Season, we see a continuation of the story of Rhoda, Samuel, Jacob, Leah and Landon.

In this book, we pick up right where book one (A Season for Tending) left off…with the characters preparing to move to Maine after a disaster leaves their current farm in need of too much repair.  Right from the beginning, the story gets the reader hooked.  Rhoda again struggles with choices that she made due to her gift, Samuel is trying to sort out his feelings and Jacob is still trying to recover from the demons that have followed him back from his time away from the Amish.  Leah is also trying to make some hard life decisions and Landon is beginning to have feelings for her.

Several questions can be asked as readers continue through this story.  Samuel has finally recognized what he wants but is it too late?  Jacob and Rhoda continue their relationship, but will his personal demons destroy what they have?  Leah loves her family, but will she give it all up for a life among the English?  Will Rhoda begin to understand the voices that keep haunting her?  Will there be a happy ending for everyone?

Like book one (A Season for Tending), this book leaves you hanging and asking more questions then getting answers.  I was hooked right from the beginning and couldn’t put this book down.  Cindy Woodsmall has such an amazing way of bringing the characters to life and drawing the reader into their story.  She leaves you wanting more.  Unfortunately, the next book won’t be available until Fall, 2013.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you love to read Amish Fiction.  You don’t necessarily have to read book one to understand the characters and story line.  Cindy Woodsmall does a fantastic job of “catching” the reader up on the story, but, to not read book one, would be a sad thing.  The story of these characters is so sweet that you don’t want to deny yourself being a part of their lives.  Get book one (A Season for Tending), read it, read book two (The Winnowing Season), and hold on for book three…coming Fall 2013!

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah’s Blogging for Books program for my free copy of The Winnowing Season, which I received in exchange for an honest review.

 

Old Order Amish Rhoda owns her own canning business and she has a “special” gift yet she is criticized within her community for using her gift to help others.  Eventually, by using the special gift, she is forced to move away from the family she loves and the community she knows, to start a new life and help a family in need.

Miles away, Samuel, who is the head of the families Orchard business, is forced to look for a new way to make money as the orchard begins to fail.  He is also forced to examine his relationship with his girlfriend as they are tested during this trying time.

Leah is the teenage sister of Samuel who is testing the boundaries of her rumschpringe.  Can Rhoda help her realize she has worth and value within her family and within the life God has placed her in? As the lines between business, love, and family begin to blur, can Rhoda finally open up to a new life? And what effect will this odd, amazing woman have on the entire King family?

This is the first book in Ms. Woodsmall’s “Amish Vines and Orchards”. It is a MUST read!!  I have loved reading Cindy Woodsmall’s Amish stories since I discovered her several years ago.  She has a way of bringing the characters to life as you read through each book page by page.  Her attention to detail and her ability to portray the Amish is fascinating…and this book did not disappoint.  I was hooked from the very second I picked it up and had a hard time putting it down when I had to.  The story is such a sweet story of love, forgiveness, redemption and finding value in who you are as a person.

Cindy Woodsmall gives a clear message that forgiveness is available and change can be made for the better in each of us!  The book is full of secrets, mystery, and fun. I loved this book and could not put it down. It should come with a disclaimer that states this book is hard to put down so start when you have time.   All said and done, I found A Season for Tending very fascinating. I’ve never read a book where the Amish were presented in such an interesting way with so much fun, humor and drama. It was a wonderful discovery. The end got my heart pumping!

I highly recommend A Season For Tending to anyone who enjoys Amish fiction. And to all those don't usually read this genre, I am here to tell you this is not your average Amish fiction, this book is something special, which I definitely encourage you to try!!!

The Winnowing Season (Book 2), should be available in April 2013.

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah’s Blogging for Books program for my free copy of A Season for Tending, which I received in exchange for an honest review.