Books for Christian Girls: "Amish Christmas at North Star" by Cindy Woodsmall, Mindy Starns Clark, Emily Clark, Amanda Flower, & Katie Ganshert

{{It’s December and that means Christmas book reviews here on BFCG! Unlike how we did last year with every review day being a Christmas book, this year just Monday & Friday will be reviews of Christmas books. Wednesdays will be reserved for new releases. :) A couple giveaways are also scheduled this month, so keep an eye out!}}

About this book:

“One night four lives entered the world by the hands of an Amish midwife, just outside North Star, Pennsylvania.
Rebekah’s babies, as they are called, are now grown adults and in four heartwarming novellas each young person experiences a journey of discovery, love, and the wonder of Christmas.”

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“Guiding Star” by Katie Ganshert

About this book:

“Curiosity gets the best of Englisher Chase Wellington when he investigates the twenty-five-year-old disappearance of an Amish baby. When he finds adventurous Elle McAllister in Iowa will his discoveries upend her world?”

Spiritual Content- Prayers; Talks about God & forgiving; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; A few Scriptures are mentioned & talked about; Christmas & a song; A candle light service & a couple mentions of a sermon; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers; Mentions of church; A mention of Bible reading; A mention of sin, Adam & Eve.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘sucker’; A mentions of cigarettes, drinking & gambling; A mention of divorce; Mentions of tempers, abuse & hitting.

Sexual Content- an almost kiss, a forehead kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed, two semi-detailed kisses and a borderline semi-detailed // detailed kiss; Wanting to kiss; Mentions of kissing & mistletoe; Touches & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Noticing; A mention of a hand holding; A couple mentions of a 13 year old having a boyfriend; A mention of a teen pregnancy; A couple mentions of breast feeding; Love, falling in love, and the emotions.

-Noelle McAllister

-Chase Wellington
P.O.V. switches between them

100(-ish) pages

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“Mourning Star” by Amanda Flower

About this book:

“Eden Hochstetler slips from her parents’ fudge shop to investigate the death of her friend Isaac Yoder. Who is guilty? Isaac’s handsome great nephew Jacob, an angry Englisher, or someone else?”

Spiritual Content- Christmas; Mentions of the Lord’s day.

Negative Content- All about a murder, a drug & violence (barely-above-not-detailed).

Sexual Content- Touches (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Staring; Mentions of a handsome man; A bit of love & falling in love.

-Eden Hochstetter, age 24-25
P.O.V. of Eden

100(-ish) pages

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“In the Stars” by Cindy Woodsmall

About this book:

“Kore Detweiler has nursed his broken heart, avoiding North Star after Savilla Beiler suddenly rejected his love. But when he is called to return home, he and Savilla must join forces to keep a family together.”

Spiritual Content- A couple Prayers; A couple Scriptures are mentioned; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Christmas & mentions of Jesus; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers; Mentions of church.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘stupid’s; A bit of sarcasm; A mention of drinking.

Sexual Content- a cheek kiss, three barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and a semi-detailed kiss; Remembering a kiss (barley-above-not-detailed): Mentions of rumored cheating; Mentions of a woman’s cycles & a hysterectomy; Love, falling in love & the emotions;

*Note: A mention of a puppy-mill & a familial interbreeding.

-Savilla Beiler, age 24-25

-Kore Detweiler, age 28/29 (?)
P.O.V. switches between them
100(-ish) pages

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“Star of Grace” by Mindy Starns Clark & Emily Clark

About this book:

“Andy Danner left North Star to work in construction in a new Amish settlement in Louisiana. His little brother devises a scheme to bring Andy home for Christmas, and unwittingly unleashes the power of forgiveness in an old widower’s life.”

Spiritual Content- Prayers; Talks about God & forgiving; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; A Scripture is mentioned; Christmas & a mention of Bible reading; Mentions of God; Mentions of church; A couple mentions of devotions.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘crummy’, three ‘dumb’s and four ‘stupid’s; A bit of sarcasm; A couple mentions of blood & an injury (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); A few mentions of prison, drinking & an accident.

Sexual Content- Warmth & an Embrace (semi-detailed); Noticing; Love, falling in love & the emotions.

-Sam Danner, age 24-25

-Andy Danner, age 12

-Nellie Umble
P.O.V. switches between them
100(-ish) pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

This was a very well done novella collection. I loved how all the novellas were connected by more than just a plot thread, like other Amish novella collections I’ve read in the past. My favorite to not-so-favorite are actually in the order they are written in this book, so that’s easy to type out. :)

“Guiding Star” by Katie Ganshert was my favorite of this collection. It was different, not a true Amish story, but had mostly Englishers in it. I loved the adoption parts of this plot and found it all really interesting. It got my attention fast and I wish it was longer. :)

“Mourning Star” by Amanda Flower was an interesting mystery. This author does other great Amish mysteries and this one was a bit different from them. Eden is New Order Amish and her family owns a candy shop! Yum!

“In the Stars” by Cindy Woodsmall I was a bit worried about. I haven’t really been a fan of any books I’ve read by this author, so I was hesitant about this novella. I actually enjoyed it much more than the books I’ve read by her and I like it, even if I was a bit confused by the story at first.

And lastly, “Star of Grace” by Mindy Starns Clark & Emily Clark. Don’t get me wrong, this was a cute novella, but it just didn’t top any of the other novellas in this collection. Sam & Andy’s relationship was sweet.

Overall? I have to say I was surprised that I enjoyed the last two (due to prior reads of their books), but this really was a fun Christmas collection. :)

See y’all on Wednesday with a new review! :)