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09 December 2011

Diana's Corner - Review of A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman


by Vannetta Chapman 
Abingdon Press (October 2010)

4 stars~ ****
Review by Diana L. Flowers
A Simply Delightful Read!

In A Simply Amish Christmas author Vannetta Chapman invites us on a wonderful holiday to Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, amidst the smell of evergreen boughs, lighted Christmas candles in the windows, and Amish buggy rides in the snow!  Annie Miller leaves her Amish home at the age of sixteen to live with her English aunt, and earns her degree in nursing, which is totally frowned upon by the Amish. After being gone from her community for three years, Annie is summoned home to help take care of her father, who has been injured in an accident, and meets up with his best friend, the "grouchy bear of a man" as Annie dubs him, Samuel Yoder.

Samuel Yoder, a widower who lost his wife and child a few years back, is the Amish community's healer, because of his vast knowledge of herbs for medicinal purposes. When Annie arrives and they begin to work together serving the medical needs of the Amish, she sees Samuel as a rude, arrogant man, and sparks begin to fly! As Annie continues to live and work alongside her friends and family, her heart begins to long for God's quiet Spirit to fill her heart once again, knowing that the things she can accomplish on her own will not bring her the serenity she desperately needs. Will she stay and work in her Amish community or return to the hospital in the city, back to the desperately ill children she has grown to love? Will Samuel ever be able to let go of his deceased wife, and learn to find love and happiness again?

Vannetta Chapman's research into the ways and language of the Amish people was very extensive, even though the rules vary from one community to the next. Although, Ms. Chapman's love and respect for the Amish shines through her writing, she doesn't portray them as a perfect people without flaws, for hot tempers and jealousy arise, and even an unwed Amish pregnant girl is depicted in this novel. This was a quick, relaxing read, perfect for that "sitting by the fireplace" time of year, when Jack Frost is nipping at your nose! 

Very nicely done, Vanetta Chapman!  

32 comments:

  1. Welcome to OTT-WGH this morning everyone! Vannetta, I appreciate you writing the type of books you do; we all love them! They are so perfect for this time of year especially!

    I'm excited about your upcoming books, and folks, Vannetta, is writing a sequel to A Simple Amish Christmas called The Christmas Quilt, AND is writing 8 books, yes, you "heard" me correctly, 8 books in the next two years! How does anyone do that? :) So we all have alot to look forward to!

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  2. BC: would love to win this book I haven't read it yet and it sounds fantastic.. So toss my name in the christmas stocking for a chance to win!! Merry Christmas everyone

    mrslippo@hotmail.com

    Julie Lippo

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  3. I'm not entering...just stopping by to say I have read this book and it is a page turner. I loved it!

    Good-luck to all who enter!

    Blessings Diana and Vannetta!

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  4. Julie, this would be a wonderful Christmas gift for you, to be sure! Merry Christmas!

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  5. Judy, we are also giving away Falling to Pieces by Vannetta Chapman...have you read that one as well? If not, I will enter you!:)

    *Carrie, not sure. Does reader get their choice of book? I know they get their choice of format.

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  6. I'd love to read about how the Amish celebrate Christmas. Please include me. Thanks.

    desertrose5173 at gmail dot com

    BC

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  7. This sounds so awesome. I have really been wanting to read this book. Please include me!

    Blessings,
    Jo - BC
    ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com

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  8. Linda, although I couldn't be Amish (gotta have my phone, car, and computer!), I wish we celebrated Christmas more like the Amish do sometimes. They focus more on the birth of Christ and they keep their gift giving simple. One thing we do share with the Amish at Christmas, is the fact that they DO love to eat and have gobs of food and sweets, and so do we. :)

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  9. Hi, Jo, and thank you for stopping by! You are included in the giveaway!

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  10. DIANA, I'm glad you enjoyed ASAC. I enjoyed writing it so much, and yes -- portraying the Amish folk as "regular" people with a deep and abiding faith.

    As far as the 8 books, that does include the 2 that are already out, with 6 more to hit the shelves soon--all Amish! So keep watching www.vannettachapman.com. Next up is book 2 in my Shipshewana Quilt Shop Mystery Series--A Perfect Square, which will be out 3-31-12.

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  11. JUDY, thank you so much for stopping by to say hello. You are a sweetheart, and a dear to throw in your comment about Annie's story. Have a wonderful day.

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  12. Hi LINDA. We've been talking about how the Amish celebrate Christmas on my blog on Saturdays. Chck it out! http://vannettachapman.wordpress.com/

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  13. JO, thanks for stopping by and entering the give-away. : )

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  14. Diana, no I haven't read Falling to Pieces. Please enter me! Thanks!

    Blessings!
    judyjohn2004[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  15. Judy, the lady with the fish phobia, just entered you! LOL!

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  16. Sounds really great!! Love Christmas stories and Amish stories!! Thanks for the giveaway!

    BC
    Courtney
    kcmelone at yahoo dot com

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  17. You and me both, Courtney! Thanks for entering!

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  18. Great review Diana, can't wait to read this, in fact I COULDN'T wait, so I just picked it up. :) There's nothing better than a good Amish Christmas story.

    Vannetta I can't wait to read all those wonderful books that are on the way!

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  19. Good for you, Teresa! No time better than the present! Amish is good--Amish and Christmas--double good!

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  20. Thanks Diana for entering me. I'm so happy that your fish phobia is normal! lol

    All joking aside, I had a fish bone caught in my throat when I was a kid. It wasn't fun! Finally swallowed it with bread and milk. My throat was pretty scratchy for awhile. I blame my Step-Mom...she made me eat the fish!!!

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  21. Yes, Judy, the old bread trick. I was down to the last bite of fish and got one and it scared the heck out of me. Finally the bread got it!

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  22. This sounds like such a good book. In the past I had a small herb garden so I am interested in reading about the healing aspect included in this novel. I would love to win a copy.

    Blessings,
    Janice BC
    jsmithg@hotmail(dot)com

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  23. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  24. Janice, our heroine, being a nurse, and our hero, a healer who uses herbs for medicinal purposes, quite often butt heads! LOL! I hope you get a chance to read this soon!

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  25. I would love to win this! I can never read enough Amish books. Also Vannetta Chapman is an excellent author. Please enter me.

    Sam Whitney L.
    BC
    ramblesahm at yahoo dot com

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  26. Welcome to Overcoming Through Time-WGH, Sam! I'm with you; I don't think I've ever read a bad Amish book. I agree, Vannetta IS a good author, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books!! According to her, we'll be seeing alot of them around in the next couple of years!:)

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  27. I've not read an Amish Christmas book. After reading a few reviews of Amish Christmas books (including this one), I think I really need to start reading them!

    BC
    Evangeline
    writer.chicka[at]gmail.com

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  28. I have not read this book, but it sounds greats.
    Would love to win it.

    Joan

    goangaz@aol.com

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  29. Sounds like a good read, thanks for the chance to win.
    twinwillowsfarm at gmail dot com

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  30. Sugarpeach, we need to get an Amish book in your hands! LOL!

    Hey, Joan and Pegg! Nice to see you again! Throwing all of your names into my proverbial hat!

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  31. Congrats to beemama for winning the mystery BC Christmas book! Enjoy!


    ***Does anyone know who Paula O is? She won our drawing, but forgot her email addy, and we can't seem to find her.:(

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