Sunday, April 24, 2011

CW BLOCK AND BOOK REVIEW

I love this week's Civil war block.  It was very easy - just up my alley!


I saw on someone's blog that you can volunteer to review books, so I decided to sign up to do it.  Right before we left on our last trip, I received 2 emails from Bethany House Publishers asking me to select a book from each list, which I did.  When we returned, I received both books and just finished reading
Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer.



I received this book from the publisher in exchange for reviewing it, but that hasn't affected my opinion.  At first, I assumed the book had been written by a woman, and at one point, I wanted to see something about the author.  That's when I looked at the back and found out that Dale was a man!  I appreciated the page at the front where he lists the family members of Caleb and Martha Bender.  Not many books list characters, but I love it when they do.  The story grabbed me right away when Caleb Bender and other Amish fathers were arrested for not sending their children to public school.  As Caleb became aware of property available in Mexico and decided to move there, I wondered if this story was based on historical fact, and was amazed to find out that it was.  The trials and tribulations experienced by the family weave a story that is hard to put down.  I have always been fascinated by the Amish people and enjoy reading about what their lives are like (past or present).  It's a story about faith, love, family and work.  There is hope for the future, too, as this is the first of a series about the daughters of Caleb Bender.  I will definitely be watching for the next book to come out and also want to read the other books that Dale Cramer has written.


BTW, if any of you are interested in reviewing books for Bethany House Publishers, you can go here to
do so.

8 comments:

  1. What a cute block! I love the variety of blues you used.

    How fun to review books!!

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  2. That block does look pretty simple. I bet a whole quilt of them would be great, but I know that's not what you're up to. (You're going to have a fantastic quilt at the end of the year, though.)

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  3. Very pretty block, love the blues and the book sounds really interesting, too.

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  4. Love your CW block. This is going to be a beautiful quilt.
    The book sounds interesting. I will have to check it out.

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  5. I love that blue block too! I need to get started on mine! When??? The book sounds interesting too. ---"Love"

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  6. I like the block;) Still waiting to see what the whole thing is going to look like;)
    Have fun reading;)

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  7. Love the blues you used for your CW block! and thanks for sharing your book review.

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