"A Plain Scandal" by Amanda Flower

About this book:

  “The people of Appleseed Creek in the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country are under attack. Soon after the dust has settled on a buggy accident that turned out to be murder, an unknown assailant begins cutting off the long hair of Amish women and the beards of Amish men.

  New to the area, computer specialist Chloe Humphrey may not share their customs, but she is certainly alarmed over these crimes against the Amish and worries how such events will impact her growing number of friends who are more connected to that way of life.

  In this small community, when Chloe discovers the body of an Amish businessman who was stabbed in the back and whose beard was cut off, she knows that finding the murderer and restoring peace to Appleseed Creek is as much her responsibility as anyone else’s.”


Series: Book #2 (of four) in the “Appleseed Creek” series. (Review of Book #1 Here!)

Spiritual Content- Prayers & Blessings over food; Church going; Nearly all about Amish bishops, deacons & shunning; Talks about God; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Many mentions of God, His will, & forgiving; Many mentions of Mennonite & Amish folks, their beliefs & being baptized; Many mentions of Churches, services & sermons, pastors/preachers, choirs & the Sabbath; Mentions of prayers; Mentions of persecution, religions & hate crimes; Mentions of Christians & faiths; Mentions of Christmas; A couple mentions of Bibles; A couple mentions of pride & sin; A mention of not calling someone a saint.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’, a ‘sheesh’, a form of ‘wimp’, three forms of ‘shut up’ and four forms of ‘stupid’; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Sarcasm, eye rolling & sass; Pain, passing out & a concussion (up to semi-detailed); All about dead body, the murder, remembering the weapon, crimes, attacks, hair being forcibly cut off, injuries & murders (up to semi-detailed); Many, many mentions of deaths, murders, car accidents, blood, gunshots/shooting & bullets (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of past harassments & stalkers; Mentions of prison, parole & ex-cons; Mentions of almost drowning & hypothermia (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of nightmares & screams; Mentions of gossip; A few mentions of drinking & a bar; A few mentions of tobacco; A few mentions of pain & horse bites; A few mentions of divorce & leaving someone; A couple mentions of throwing up; A mention of a 1920s mobster; A mention of a clique;

           *Note: A mention of Girl Scouts; A couple mentions of Women’s Lib; A few mentions of designer brands (Ugg boots & American Eagle); Mentions of Barbie, Ken & Skipper.

Sexual Content- a semi-detailed kiss; Touches, Nearness, Warmth, Embraces & Hand Holding (up to semi-detailed); Noticing; a ‘baby’ and two ‘hot’s; Many mentions of flirting, blushes & jealousy; Many mentions of crushes & dating/courting; Mentions of women calling men “delicious” & good-looking and snapping them up; A few mentions of guys wolf whistling & catcalling to women; A mention of a kissy face; Some love, being in love & a bit of the emotions;

           *Note: A mention of a statement being mildly sexist; A couple mentions of modesty; A couple mentions of droopy jeans on boys.

-Chloe Humphrey, age 24
                                        1^st person P.O.V. of Chloe
                                                        324 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

Amanda Flower does great first-person point-of-views! I’m really enjoying this series and Chloe is just a fun character all around. Very different from normal Amish books out there. ;)

See y’all on Friday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

"A Plain Death" by Amanda Flower

About this book:

  “Welcome to Appleseed Creek, the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country, where life is not as serene as it seems.
  While her Cleveland friends relocated to Southern California and Italy, 24-year-old computer whiz Chloe Humphrey moves with some uncertainty to Appleseed Creek to direct technology services at a nearby college. Her first acquaintance is Becky, an ex-Amish teenager looking for a new home.
  While driving Chloe’s car, Becky collides with a buggy, killing an Amish elder. But what looks like an accident is soon labeled murder when police discover the car’s cut brake line.
  Now, Chloe must take on the role of amateur sleuth to discover who the real intended victim was before the murderer makes a second attempt. Becky’s handsome Amish-turned-Mennonite brother, Timothy, a local carpenter, comes in handy along the way. With God’s help, they’ll solve the mystery that’s rocking this small community.”


Series: Book #1 (of four) in the “Appleseed Creek” series.

Spiritual Content- Many prayers; A few Scriptures are quoted & mentioned; Church going; Talks about God, forgiveness & sin; Many talks about the Amish ways & beliefs; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Many mentions of bishops, deacons & a monk; Mentions of Church.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘geez’, two ‘screw-up’s, three ‘idiot’s, five forms of ‘shut up’ and nine ‘stupid’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Sarcasm; Bruises & Pain (up to semi-detailed); All about car accidents, murder & attempted murders (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of tobacco juice, alcohol & drunks; A couple mentions of drunk driving & robberies.

Sexual Content- Touches & Nearness (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Blushes; four ‘hot’s; A girl is leered at by some jerks, and mentions of them & trying to grab her; A couple mentions of miscarriages & feeling like they’re punishment; Mentions of exes, crushes & pretty girls; Mentions of creeps wanting to have “fun” with a girl (doesn’t happen); A little bit of love & the emotions;

           *Note: A mention of a girl’s dress hugging her curves.

-Chloe Humphrey, age 24
                                        1^st person P.O.V. of Chloe
                                                        322 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

This was a different kind of Amish book and I really enjoyed it! Chloe was fun—she works with computers and her cat’s name is Gigabyte, y’all. I love it. The romance element was very sweet and clean. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

See y’all on Friday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

"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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Early High School Teens-

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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-

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Early High School Teens-

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Pre Teens-

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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! :)

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the publisher (Waterbrook Press) for this honest review.