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Beside Still Waters, Review and Giveaway

April 20, 2011 by Lauren

Over the past few years, I have enjoyed many of Tricia Goyer’s novels, particularly her historical fiction. In her new series, Tricia is exploring a new genre: Amish fiction. In Beside Still Waters, Tricia tells the story of Marianna Sommer. Marianna lives in an Amish community in Indiana with her family. Because she was born on the same night her sisters died in an accident, Marianna lives with the desire to be the perfect daughter. She appreciates the strict rules of her Amish community, and she is ready to join the church and become a wife and mother. Unfortunately, Marianna’s parents decide to leave Indiana for an Amish community in Montana. They want to escape the sorrow from the past and the pain that their oldest son Levi has caused by leaving the Amish way of life. Marianna agrees to move with the family for a short time before returning to her beloved beau and her familiar community.

Marianna is immediately struck by the beauty of Montana, but she is angered by the differences between the new Amish community and the Indiana Amish. She feels the West Kootenai Amish are too lax and mix with the Englisch entirely too much. As time passes, however, Marianna begins to love her new home and question some of the rules she has followed all her life. When Ben, a young Englischer, provides her family with an English Bible and speaks about God in a personal way, Marianna is both interested and fearful. She must decide whether to return to the comfortable life she knew in Indiana or to face her questions and doubts.

Although this is a fictional tale, Tricia Goyer based the story on the lives of her Montana friends. Since most Amish fiction is set in Pennsylvania, I found the western setting fascinating and a nice change of pace. I didn’t realize there were Amish communities in Montana, and I enjoyed reading about the differences between the West Kootenai Amish and eastern Amish communities. Tricia lives in Montana, and you can sense her appreciation of the beautiful landscape throughout the pages of the story. Beside Still Waters is the first book in the Big Sky Series. I enjoyed this novel, and my only complaint is that I have to wait until book two is released to continue the story.

If you would like to read Beside Still Waters, please leave a comment on this post. We have one copy to giveaway to one of you, and we will announce the winner on May 4th. Author Tricia Goyer is hosting a contest as well. To celebrate the release of the first book in the Big Sky Amish series, Tricia is giving away 10 copies of Beside Still Waters and a pair of antique Amish salt & pepper shakers. You can find the details at Tricia’s blog: It’s Real Life.

Lauren is a wife, mother of two, and an avid reader. She thanks Litfuse and B&H publishing for the review copy of this book. Lauren blogs at Baseballs and Bows.

Check out our current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter or on Facebook or YouTube.

Filed Under: Christian, Fiction, Lauren

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We Were Not Orphans »

Comments

  1. Amy says

    April 20, 2011 at 3:20 pm

    I would like to read this book. I follow Tricia on Twitter and have enjoyed “getting to know” her that way!

    Amy

  2. Carol Wong says

    April 20, 2011 at 3:52 pm

    I would really love to read this book. I haven’t had the chance to read any of Trisha Goyer’s books yet. The story line sounds very interesting.
    I come from Indiana and would be interested in how The Amish Community in Montana is different.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  3. riTa says

    April 20, 2011 at 4:19 pm

    Yes, I’ve always been interested in the Amish. In 8th grade I wrote a paper about them and earned an A+.

  4. vickie couturier says

    April 20, 2011 at 4:23 pm

    sounds like a book that I would really enjoy

    vlbelk(at)hotmail.com

  5. Jennifer says

    April 20, 2011 at 4:48 pm

    I really think that I would enjoy this book. I actually think that I have it on my Kindle. Maybe a free copy was offered, or I got in on NetGalley (or I’m totally wrong). I need to hole myself up somewhere and just READ.

  6. Jenna says

    April 20, 2011 at 4:52 pm

    I would be very interested in reading this! I am not familiar with this author but she sounds like she’s right up my alley!

  7. Tammy Gordon says

    April 20, 2011 at 5:07 pm

    Would love to win this!

  8. Jenny says

    April 20, 2011 at 5:18 pm

    I keep hearing about the new genre of Amish fiction and it sounds fascinating. I’d love to give this a try!

  9. Sandra Stiles says

    April 20, 2011 at 7:09 pm

    I am not familiar with Tricia Goyer’s work. It sounds promising. I am a fan of Amish Fiction. I would love an opportunity to win a copy.

  10. Katie says

    April 20, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    I would love to win a copy of this! Please enter me in the giveaway!

  11. Mystica says

    April 20, 2011 at 9:41 pm

    I would like to be counted in for this giveaway. Thank you for sharing.

  12. Beth C says

    April 20, 2011 at 10:25 pm

    I’d really enjoy this. Please enter me and thanks!
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

  13. Linda Kish says

    April 20, 2011 at 11:28 pm

    I would love to read this book.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

  14. Jamie says

    April 21, 2011 at 12:30 am

    This book sounds very interesting. I’m going to look it up.

  15. Vilmarys says

    April 21, 2011 at 8:19 am

    I would love to read this. Thanks for the opportunity.

  16. Amy says

    April 21, 2011 at 8:30 am

    LOVE Amish fiction. Would love to win! Thanks for the opportunity!

  17. Karen Gonyea says

    April 21, 2011 at 11:22 am

    Looks very interesting 🙂

  18. Alison S. says

    April 21, 2011 at 3:48 pm

    I would like to read this.

  19. tennille says

    April 21, 2011 at 9:34 pm

    looks interesting

  20. CaroleM says

    April 22, 2011 at 1:22 am

    sounds like a really interesting book! I also had no idea there were Amish communities in Montana!

  21. Janet says

    April 22, 2011 at 8:33 am

    Thank you for this opportunity! Sounds like a good one.

  22. Cindi says

    April 23, 2011 at 12:53 am

    I adore everything that Tricia writes…
    Her new Amish Fiction is a book that I would
    really enjoy reading and passing on to my
    family and friends!
    Many thanks to you…
    Cindi

  23. Some Lucky Dog says

    April 23, 2011 at 3:49 am

    I’d love to win this book and if I don’t, I’ll definitely be buying it. The West Kootenai Amish live just across Lake Koocanusa from us. We love going there to visit and eating the weekend dinners they prepare at the Amish store. Their annual auction they hold to raise funds for their school is a huge event!
    someluckydog at gmail dot com

  24. SamanthaR says

    April 23, 2011 at 5:13 pm

    sounds like a wonderful book!

  25. Miranda Ward says

    April 23, 2011 at 6:10 pm

    looks like a great book

    [email protected]

  26. Shannon Baas says

    April 23, 2011 at 10:02 pm

    Looks like a good book.

  27. Debra Hall says

    April 24, 2011 at 12:28 am

    im a avid book reader and i think this would be a good book

  28. Debra Hall says

    April 24, 2011 at 12:28 am

    new facebook fan

  29. Jennifer Short says

    April 24, 2011 at 12:39 am

    This sounds like a fantastic book. I’d love to win!

  30. EMMA L HORTON says

    April 24, 2011 at 8:39 am

    I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THIS BOOK TO READ

  31. angie says

    April 24, 2011 at 6:15 pm

    This book sounds great.

  32. McKim says

    April 25, 2011 at 10:39 am

    I have recently read a few Amish based novels from other authors and would be interested in reading this one.
    kimkmc at yahoo.com

  33. Nicole C. says

    April 25, 2011 at 12:05 pm

    I would love to read this book. I love reading books about the Amish!

  34. Desmond says

    April 25, 2011 at 4:40 pm

    Count me in!

  35. debbie says

    April 26, 2011 at 9:24 am

    I would love to read this book, it sounds really good.
    [email protected]

  36. Gail says

    April 26, 2011 at 12:11 pm

    I would like to be counted in on this one, I haven’t read any of her books yet!

  37. Barb says

    April 27, 2011 at 3:40 pm

    Sounds like a very interesting book. And I *love* Montana!

  38. Staci A says

    April 29, 2011 at 8:28 pm

    I would love reading this. We live in an area with a huge Amish population, so it would be interesting to read more about their way of life.

  39. Daniel M says

    April 30, 2011 at 8:06 pm

    have always been fascinated by the amish

  40. Ellie W says

    May 2, 2011 at 7:49 am

    This sounds like a great book.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    eswright18 at gmail dot com

  41. Ed Nemmers says

    May 2, 2011 at 8:40 pm

    I would like to read this book!

  42. Debbie Kennedy says

    May 2, 2011 at 9:54 pm

    I need some new summer reading material and would love to add this to my list!

  43. Kim H. says

    May 2, 2011 at 10:07 pm

    I wasn’t at all interested in this book (and wasn’t going to enter) until I read your entire review. You have me hooked. I have this written down if I don’t win. Thanks so much for the review. I love finding new books, esp new books I might not have otherwise tried. 🙂

  44. Jennifer J says

    May 3, 2011 at 2:29 am

    I love to read so I really hope I win!

  45. kathy pease says

    May 3, 2011 at 7:21 am

    Thank you for the great giveaway please count me in 🙂
    kathypease(at)gmail(dot)com

  46. Diane Baum says

    May 3, 2011 at 8:47 am

    I haven’t read any of Goyer’s books yet, but have heard that she is an excellent writer.

  47. susan smoaks says

    May 3, 2011 at 9:53 am

    i would love to read this

  48. Shaunda Eppes says

    May 3, 2011 at 9:56 am

    This book sounds great. Would love to read it.
    Shaunda.Eppes at gmail dot com

  49. Dorothy says

    May 3, 2011 at 10:38 am

    Great Contest, Nice prize, Thanks for the chance to win it, cuz I like winning and winning is FUN!

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