Gathering the Threads by Cindy Woodsmall -- my REVIEW

I usually like reading Amish fiction, often I feel it's just kind of "fluff" but oh my, this series of three Amish fiction books in the series "The Amish of Summer Grove" by Cindy Woodsmall are not really fluff, though they are easily readable and VERY interesting!

This book, Gathering the Threads, is (as it sounds) a culminating book in a series.  I would REALLY suggest that you read the first two books in the series, as they are wonderful reads as well (but if you don't have the opportunity, this book very nicely gives a little summary at the beginning of the book to tell you the high points of what has happened already in the series, which will be helpful to many.)

Ariana is a young woman (early 20's)  who was brought up in an Amish family with younger and older siblings, and even a twin.  She is dedicated to her Old Order Amish lifestyle and attempts to talk her sibling out of leaving the group.  Her world is completely shaken when she (and her parents) find out that she was mistakenly swapped at birth with another baby girl and she is actually not their biological child.  Ariana's parents find their biological daughter and her parents and, at the threat of a lawsuit by the English father, the girls go for a trial period with their biological families.

The biological child of the Amish family is Skylar, who is addicted to drugs and a very worldly lifestyle.  Her parents are not married to each other, and they are anxious to find a "fix" for Skylar's destructive lifestyle.

As Skylar enters an Amish family, she has struggles to find her place as well as coming to grips with her heritage.  Ariana, thrust into an English lifestyle, has a very hard time, and her bio father has many demands on her as he tries to broaden her horizons.  Through this all, a childhood friend of Ariana's (Quill) who has left the Old Order Amish life helps her out immensely.

This third book, Gathering the Threads, is Ariana's re-entry into Amish life.  Three months away have changed her in many ways.  She has longed to return to her Amish family and fiancee and now that she's there, she is confused.  She has learned that God's Word, the Bible, is what is important to follow, and is unsure about how the Amish bishops' rulings fit in with this.  She earnestly wants to do what is right and unfortunately the church leaders give her an amazing amount of trouble.  Her family is confused as well, and her Amish father exercises his strictness.

In the end, Ariana chooses her pathway--but of course, I'm not going to tell you what it was :)

It's hard to summarize this all, but I will say that it is a very good book, and I would totally recommend it.  It gives a bit of a different look at the Amish life, and makes the reader think a bit as well.  This is definitely a book that will make you want to stay up at night to read just one more page. :)

So -- yes, yes, yes--read it!  Enjoy it!  Struggle a little bit along with Ariana to figure out Who is really in charge.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


GIVEAWAY!!!!  I have the first two books in this series, Ties that Bind and Fraying at the Edge to give away!  What a great way to prepare to read the third book in the series!  This giveaway will start today (7/20) and will end on Saturday July 29th at 8 p.m. Eastern time.  Oh, and you must have a US mailing address  To enter, please leave a comment below!  I don't have a fancy setting on here that has you enter your email address, so if you are not someone I have a way to contact, please check back here the evening of the 29th or the next day, July 30th and let me know how to contact you :)  If the randomly chosen winner does not respond by Aug 1, I will have to choose another winner!