Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway: "The Return" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

About the Book

The Return-Book CoverBook title: The Return
Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Release date: Sept 1, 2017
Genre: Amish
In a wild country, the true cost of love may be more than they can bear
Beautiful and winsome, Betsy Zook never questioned her family’s rigid expectations, nor those of devoted Hans—but then she never had to. Not until the night she’s taken captive in a surprise Indian raid. Facing brutality and hardship, Betsy finds herself torn between her pious upbringing and the feelings she’s developing for a native man who encourages her to see God in all circumstances.
Greatly anguished by Betsy’s captivity, Hans turns to Tessa Bauer for comfort. She responds eagerly, overlooking troubling signs of Hans’s hunger for revenge. But if Betsy is ever restored to the Amish, will things between Hans and Tessa have gone too far?
Inspired by true events, this deeply layered novel gives a glimpse into the tumultuous days of prerevolutionary Pennsylvania through the eyes of two young, determined, and faith-filled women.
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About the Author

Fisher_SuzanneWoods (1)Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including Anna’s Crossing and The Newcomer in the Amish Beginnings series, The Bishop’s Family series, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.comand follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher.

My Thoughts "The Return" is the final book in the "Amish Beginnings" series. It would be best to read them in order to fully grasp the context of the story. The book flowed well and I was easily immersed in 1763 Amish country. The story was told from the viewpoint of many different characters: Betsy Zook, Tessa Bauer, Felix Bauer, & Anna Bauer. I kept wishing I could read faster so I could find out was was going to happen and who ended up with who romantically! I thought it seemed wrong that Tessa had a crush on Hans. While he wasn't biologically related to her father, he was raised as his brother, so she should think of him as an uncle. I changed what I wanted to happen several times. I was surprised by what happened and saddened to read that the massacre was based on reality. I had thought of this as Tessa's story, but it is also just as much Betsy's story (especially with the title). Tessa grew in her character and became a stronger, nicer person. Betsy also had a different kind of growth.  I will definitely be reading more books by Suzanne Woods Fisher.

Guest Post from Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Three Sisters’ Garden: Corn, Squash & Beans!
Corn was a new food to the immigrants to the New World, introduced to them by Native Americans. Soon, it became an essential part of their daily diet, in one form or another. Growing it brought yet another new discovery: companion planting in the form of the Three Sisters’ Garden.
ThreeSistersGarden2According to Iroquois legend, corn, squash and beans were three inseparable sisters who only grew and thrived together. 18th century Native Americans wouldn’t have understood the science behind why companion planting worked, but they knew it did. Beans, like all legumes, have bacteria living on their roots that help them absorb nitrogen from the air and convert it to a form that plants can use. Corn, which requires a lot of nitrogen to grow, benefits from the legumes and provides a pole support for the beans to climb. Low growing squash leaves shade the soil and prevent weed growth. Their sharp and prickly leaves deter pests. This tradition, of planting corn, beans and squash in the same mounds, became a sustainable system to provide long-term soil fertility among Native American tribes that farmed.
The wisdom of planting Three Sisters’ Garden was adopted by the immigrants, including our own Betsy Zook from The Return. Betsy learned of the technique while a captive among a tribe of Indians and later, after she had been returned to the Amish, shared her knowledge with Anna and Bairn.
ThreeSistersGardenHave you ever considered growing a Three Sisters’ garden? All you need is the right kind of seeds, a mound of dirt in a sunny spot, and to not forget to water. Mother Nature will do the rest.
Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling, award-winning author of novels about the Old Order Amish. Her interest in the Plain People began with her grandfather, who was raised as a Dunkard (German Baptist) on a farm in Pennsylvania. Suzanne loves to connect with readers! You can find her on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

*Images courtesy of Dream Home Improvement and Technology Exchange Lab

Blog Stops

August 1: Quiet Quilter
August 1: Remembrancy
August 2: Bigreadersite
August 2: lighthouse academy
August 3: Genesis 5020
August 3: Book by Book
August 4: Carpe Diem
August 6: Artistic Nobody
August 7: A Reader’s Brain
August 7: Pause for Tales
August 7: Splashes of Joy
August 8: Live.Love.Read.
August 9: Mary Hake
August 9: Simple Harvest Reads (Spotlight)
August 11: The Power of Words
August 11: Karen Sue Hadley
August 11: Neverending Stories
August 12: Cafinated Reads
August 12: TinaTruelove
August 14: Vicky Sluiter
August 14: By The Book

Giveaway

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To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is doing an amazing giveaway from August 1 through 14! Check it out:
Four winners will receive one of the prizes below:
An Amish Gift Basket and a copy of The Return
Amish popcorn sampler and a copy of The Return
The Amish Beginning 3 book set series
One grand prize winner will receive:
An iPad Mini
You can enter at Suzanne’s website (http://suzannewoodsfisher.com/contests/) or on her Facebook page (http://gvwy.io/q1kb9u4)
"The Return" is available in paperback:
  • Series: Amish Beginnings (Book 3)
  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Revell (August 1, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0800727509
  • ISBN-13: 978-0800727505
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches

and in Kindle edition:
  • File Size: 9486 KB
  • Print Length: 338 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0800727509
  • Publisher: Revell (August 1, 2017)
  • Publication Date: August 1, 2017
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B01N98WSMW

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received. 
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1 comment:

Lori said...

oh my this book sounds amazing. and inspired by a true story. even better. need to write this title down on my list.
quilting dash lady at Comcast dot net

August 9, 2017 at 2:10 PM

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