Sukkot

I just read The Very Crowded Sukkah by Leslie Kimmelman, and it had a really nice afterword that describes the holiday.  I include it here in its entirety:

"About Sukkot

     Jews all over the world celebrate the holiday of Sukkot for seven days in September or October.  It is a harvest holiday - something like a Jewish Thanksgiving.  Sukkot means "booths" or "huts," for the little huts Jews build in their backyards, where they enjoy their meals during the holidays.  It's a reminder of the days long ago, when Jews wandered in the desert for forty years, often building little huts at night for shelter.  Later, Jewish farmers also built sukkot during harvest seasons so that they could stay near their fields and protect their crops.

     Each hut, or sukkah, has three sides and a leafy roof.  The branches that cover the roof are thick enough to provide more shade than sun inside, but thin enough so that they sky -- or at night, the stars -- still shows through.

     The etrog (whcih looks like a giant lemon) and the lulav bouquet (made from date palm, myrtle, and willow branches) are symbols of the holiday.  With the etrog in the left hand, and the lulav bouquet in the right, special blessings are said on Sukkot mornings. The lulav branches are waved east, west, north, up and down, to show that God is Everywhere.  Thanks are given for the good food of the earth and for the rain that helps it grow."

MOVIE - A Simple Favor

R (1:56)

Wide release 9/14/18

Viewed 9/18/2018

RT Critic: 85   Audience:  77
Critic's Consensus:  Twisty, twisted, and above all simply fun, A Simple Favor casts a stylish mommy noir spell strengthened by potent performances from Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively.

Cag:  4.5
Directed by Paul Feig

Lionsgate 

Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding

My comments:   This was a really cool, interesting movie that I liked a lot.  You knew right from the beginning that this was going to be bizarre, and it ended up being well acted as well as having an intriguing storyline.  I went to see it because of Anna Kendrick, but having Blake Lively and Henry Golding as the other protagonists made it just perfect.  Greatly enjoyed.

RT/ IMDb Summary  A SIMPLE FAVOR, a stylish post-modern film noir directed by Paul Feig, centers around Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), a mommy blogger who seeks to uncover the truth behind her best friend Emily's (Blake Lively) sudden disappearance from their small town. Stephanie is joined by Emily's husband Sean (Henry Golding) in this thriller filled with twists and betrayals, secrets and revelations, love and loyalty, murder and revenge.

MOVIE - BlackKklansman

R (2:15)

Wide release 8/10/18

Viewed 9/12/2018

RT Critic: 95  Audience:  82
Critic's Consensus:  BlacKkKlansman uses history to offer bitingly trenchant commentary on current events -- and brings out some of Spike Lee's hardest-hitting work in decades along the way.

Cag:  5

Directed by Spike Lee

Focus Features

John David Washington, Adam Driver, Topher Grace

My comments:  So many emotions filled me as I watched this movie - outrage, disbelief, laughter.  I was so appalled because I don't want to realize the prejudices that some people feel so incredibly strongly.  It's........sick.  The movie was quite brilliant, but I thought it would be more of a comedy, not realizing how incredibly difficult it would be to watch.  Wow.  And I do adore Adam Driver.

RT/ IMDb Summary:  From visionary filmmaker Spike Lee comes the incredible true story of an American hero. It's the early 1970s, and Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) is the first African-American detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department. Determined to make a name for himself, Stallworth bravely sets out on a dangerous mission: infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan. The young detective soon recruits a more seasoned colleague, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), into the undercover investigation of a lifetime. Together, they team up to take down the extremist hate group as the organization aims to sanitize its violent rhetoric to appeal to the mainstream. Produced by the team behind the Academy-Award (R) winning Get Out.

92. Perfekt Order by S T. Bende

#1 The Aere Saga
read on my iPhone
self-published 2015
YA Fantasy
Finished 9/10/2018
Goodreads rating: 3.98 - 1395 ratings
My rating:  1
Setting: Contemporary Arcata, CA (Redwoods country, California)

First line/s:  " ' Cheese and Crackers.' Needles shot up my pointer finger."

My comments:   Probably one of the most ridiculous books I've ever read.  Period.

Goodreads synopsis:  All's fair when you're in love with War.
          For seventeen-year-old Mia Ahlström, a world ruled by order is the only world she allows. A lifetime of chore charts, to-do lists and study schedules have helped earn her a spot at Redwood State University’s engineering program. And while her five year plan includes finding her very own happily-evah-aftah, years at an all-girls boarding school left her feeling woefully unprepared for keg parties and co-ed extracurricular activities.
          So nothing surprises her more than catching the eye of Tyr Fredriksen at her first college party. The imposing Swede is arrogantly charming, stubbornly overprotective, and runs hot-and-cold in ways that defy reason . . . until Mia learns that she’s fallen for the Norse God of War; an immortal battle deity hiding on Midgard (Earth) to protect a valuable Asgardian treasure from a feral enemy. With a price on his head, Tyr brings more than a little excitement to Mia’s rigidly controlled life. Choosing Tyr may be the biggest distraction—or the greatest adventure—she’s ever had.

MOVIE - Crazy Rich Americans

PG-13 (2:00)

Wide release 8-15-18

Viewed 9/9/18 at Carlisle 8 with Ella

RT Critic: 92   Audience:  79
Critic's Consensus:  With a terrific cast and a surfeit of visual razzle dazzle, Crazy Rich Asians takes a satisfying step forward for screen representation while deftly drawing inspiration from the classic -- and still effective -- rom-com formula.

Cag:  4.5 So much fun!

Directed by Jon M. Chu

Warner Brothers Pictures

Henry Golding, Constance Wu

My comments:  This is a fun movie that highlights the city of Singapore, making it look glitzy and decadent and over the top.  I wonder how much of this is real?  A very enjoyable movie with a lot of comic relief balancing out the decadence and snobbishness of the rich.  Ella enjoyed it a lot, and snuggled with me in the recliner throughout the movie, which was the best part of it all!

RT/ IMDb Summary:  "Crazy Rich Asians" follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu (Wu) as she accompanies her longtime boyfriend, Nick Young (Golding), to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. Excited about visiting Asia for the first time but nervous about meeting Nick's family, Rachel is unprepared to learn that Nick has neglected to mention a few key details about his life. It turns out that he is not only the scion of one of the country's wealthiest families but also one of its most sought-after bachelors. Being on Nick's arm puts a target on Rachel's back, with jealous socialites and, worse, Nick's own disapproving mother (Yeoh) taking aim. And it soon becomes clear that while money can't buy love, it can definitely complicate things.

91. Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine

listened on Audible
2017 Thomas & Mercer
302 pgs.
Adult Mystery
Finished 9/8/18
Goodreads rating:  4.11 - 60,608 ratings
My rating:2

First line/s:  "Gina never asked about the garage."

My comments:  So much repetition, so much berating herself over and over and over again and then repeating the same actions that she berates herself fo.  So stupid.  Not figuring out her enemy when it was pretty darn clear.  And after disappearing eight different ties in four years, not doing so the first time she REALLY needs to?  This protagonist was so irritating, I can't believe I actually finished this book. 

Goodreads synopsis:  Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.
          With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace.
          But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.

90. Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason

#3 Inspector Erlundur, 1st one published in English from Icelandic)
read on my iPhone, listened on Audio, AND watched the movie on Amazon Prime!
translated from Icelandic
2005 Minotaur - originally in 2000 in Iceland
275 pgs.
Adult Police Procedural/Murder Mystery
Finished 9/6/18
Goodreads rating:  3.8 - 19,061 ratings
My rating:  3.5
Setting: contemporary Reykjavik, Iceland

First line/s:  "The words were written in pencil on a piece of paper placed on top of the body."

My comments: I've had this book on my Kindle for years, and then got a cheap deal on audio, so had them both and finally decided to go for it.  Then I discovered it was hard listening to it because so many of the places and names in Iceland are almost incomprehensible for my weary brain.  But flipping back-and-forth between the text itself and the audio was really quite interesting.  And then I rented and watched the movie, made in Iceland with subtitles, an hour after I finished the book!
     Not only was this story/mystery itself incredibly dark, the setting was almost darker.  Although it was autumn, it was a dreary, constantly rainy autumn.  Erlunder, the detective protagonist, is a 50-ish, scruffy smoker, long divorced, with a daughter who is an addict.  She begins living off and on with him, and their relationship is ingrained into the story.  I'm not really sure how or why his investigation moves in the direction it does, but we immediately discover the dead man is a rapist, his few friends are criminal and crazy, and everything hinges around the death of a four-year-old boy 25 years previously.  The movie pretty much followed the book, though in a bit different order, but adding situations with the dead man's two accomplices that did change the story a bit.  Not sure how to rate this - I liked the setting and the characters, but the direction in which the plot moved so so improbable....

Goodreads synopsis:  When a lonely old man is found murdered in his Reykjavík flat, the only clues are a cryptic note left by the killer and a photograph of a young girl’s grave. Inspector Erlendur, who heads the investigation team, discovers that many years ago the victim was accused, though not convicted, of an unsolved crime. Did the old man’s past come back to haunt him?
          As the team of detectives reopen this very cold case, Inspector Erlendur uncovers secrets that are much larger than the murder of one old man--secrets that have been carefully guarded by many people for many years. As he follows a fascinating trail of unusual forensic evidence, Erlendur also confronts stubborn personal conflicts that reveal his own depth and complexity of character.

Great Friday Nine to Five Drive

Carlisle to:

ShippenStitch, 45 W. King St, Shippensburg, PA to:
     Checked out the shop for the first time, as well as their "EverSewn" machines

The Yarn Basket, Chambersburg, PA (which was, unfortunately closed for the Labor Day weekend) to:

Shady Grove Fabrics, 2900 Buchanen Trail East, Greencastle, PA ( a Mennonite shop, with mostly fabrics and goods for Amish/Mennonite sewing, with a few cottons for quilting to:

Itchin 2 Stitch, Waynesboro, PA  (my GPS took me about a mile down the road, next time, watch for the address and don't trust the GPS.  I didn't stop this time) through:

Gettysburgh, to:

Creative Ewe Yarn Shop, 11 N. 5th Street, McSherrystown, PA (Loaded down with yarns!!) and
     Golden Dragon Chinese & Japanese Restaurant, 7 S. 6th Street, McSherrystown and on through:

Hanover, PA and then

HOME

89. Sanctus by Simon Toyne

read on my iPhone/Kindle/Book/Audible
2011 Harper
486 pgs.
Adult Mystery
Finished 9/5/18
Goodreads rating: 3.81 - 7049 ratings
My rating:  2
Setting: Contemporary Turkey

First line/s:  "A flash of light filled his skull as it struck the rock floor."

My comments: I quite enjoyed this until the "revelation"" at the end, which made me roll my eyes...heavenward, lol...  I actually quite liked the writing, especially the descriptions, but the premise of the story was silly  So, liked and and disliked it....

Goodreads synopsis:  REVELATION OR DEVASTATION?
          The certainties of the modern world are about to be blown apart by a three thousand year-old conspiracy nurtured by blood and lies …
          A man throws himself to his death from the oldest inhabited place on the face of the earth, a mountainous citadel in the historic Turkish city of Ruin. This is no ordinary suicide but a symbolic act. And thanks to the media, it is witnessed by the entire world.
          But few understand it. For charity worker Kathryn Mann and a handful of others in the know, it is what they have been waiting for. The cowled and secretive fanatics that live in the Citadel suspect it could mean the end of everything they have built – and they will kill, torture and break every law to stop that. For Liv Adamsen, New York crime reporter, it begins the next stage of a journey into the heart of her own identity.
          And at that journey's end lies a discovery that will change EVERYTHING …
SANCTUS is an apocalyptic conspiracy thriller like no other – it re-sets the bar for excitement and fascination, and marks the debut of a major talent in Simon Toyne.

MOVIE - Beautifully Broken

PG-13 (1:48)

Limited release 8/24/18

Viewed 9/2/18 at Gettysburg Outlet Mall

RT Critic: 67   Audience:  94
Critic's Consensus:  There was none for this one

Cag:  4.5

Directed by Eric Welch

ArtAffects Entertainment

Based on a true story

My comments:  A tearjerker.  The retelling of the story of three families and the genocide in Rwanda beginning in 1994.  Two of the families are very religious, and there's a strong Christian belief-in-God that makes up part of the foundation of the story.  But even for a non-believer -- this non-believer in particular -- the story was more than righteous.  We can all help.  We can all make a difference in the world.  All it takes is a little love, a little compassion, a little understanding, and a dose of hope.  With or without religion, doesn't matter.  I love the way all three stories intertwined - and if it weren't true I would definitely say there were too many coincidences!  At the end, just before the credits, it explains what happened to the people involved in the story and then ends with a wonderful message from one of the protagonists.
Legacy Mission Village, First Presbyterian Church of Nashville.

RT/ IMDb Summary:  A refugee's escape, a prisoner's promise, and a daughter's painful secret all converge, causing their lives to become intertwined in ways they could have never imagined. As three fathers fight to save their families, they are led on an unlikely journey across the globe, where they learn the healing power of forgiveness and reconciliation.

88. In Dark Company by Linda Castillo

#9.5 Kate Burkholder aka Burkholder super-short story....
read on my iPhone
2018 Minotaur Books
60 pgs.
Adult Mystery Novella
Finished 8/31/18
Goodreads rating:  4.18 - 435 ratings
My rating: 2.5
Setting: contemporary Painters Mill, Ohio

First line/s:  "He was going to kill her."

My comments:  This one introduces Linda Castillo's reading community to the Hutterites, a division of Anabaptists like Amish and Mennonite.  About six months ago I watched a YouTube documentary about them which I found interesting and disconcerting.  The biggest difference between Hutterites and the Amish is that the Hutterites live communally and are mainly located in Canada.  This short story does not include a murder, but amnesia, assault, and robbery instead.  Very simplistic but interesting in its way.

Goodreads synopsis:  From the New York Times bestselling author of DOWN A DARK ROAD comes Linda Castillo's IN DARK COMPANY: a short story about an injured young woman with amnesia who seeks Chief of Police Kate Burkholder’s help to remember her identity—and her attacker. 
          It’s the middle of the night in Painters Mill, and Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to a scene where a mysterious young woman, battered and terrified, has sought shelter at an Amish farmhouse. She can’t remember her name or where she’s from, but she knows one thing: someone was trying to kill her. Kate suspects that “Jane Doe” remembers more than she’s letting on, but when Jane is attacked again on Kate’s watch, Kate resolves to find the truth. As Jane’s memories start flooding back and Kate dives deeper into her murky past, they must race to discover what Jane was running from—and who is still pursuing her.

87 Nice Try, Jane Sinner by Lianne Oelke

read on my iPhone
2018, Clarion
420 pgs.
YA CRF
Finished 8/30/18
Goodreads rating:  3.97 - 1887 ratings
My rating:  3
Setting: contemporary anywhere, usa
First line/s:  "I'm not a particularl;y good daughter, but I sat through a month of therapy for my parents' sake."

My comments: I don't know why I didn't like this more than I did.  It was written in an interesting way - somewhat like a script or a play, much of the time.  It was about teenage angst, normal and abnormal.  It was about faith and religion, friendship and family, who-cares-what-anyone-thinks, and uncertainty.  And although I hate reality TV, this was a fun way to go about telling the story of a troubled teen.  Maybe there just seems to be too much overtelling in places, or that sometimes it rambled too much?

Goodreads synopsis:  The only thing 17-year-old Jane Sinner hates more than failure is pity. After a personal crisis and her subsequent expulsion from high school, she’s going nowhere fast. Jane’s well-meaning parents push her to attend a high school completion program at the nearby Elbow River Community College, and she agrees, on one condition: she gets to move out.
           Jane tackles her housing problem by signing up for House of Orange, a student-run reality show that is basically Big Brother, but for Elbow River Students. Living away from home, the chance to win a car (used, but whatever), and a campus full of people who don't know what she did in high school… what more could she want? Okay, maybe a family that understands why she’d rather turn to Freud than Jesus to make sense of her life, but she'll settle for fifteen minutes in the proverbial spotlight.
           As House of Orange grows from a low-budget web series to a local TV show with fans and shoddy T-shirts, Jane finally has the chance to let her cynical, competitive nature thrive. She'll use her growing fan base, and whatever Intro to Psychology can teach her, to prove to the world—or at least viewers of substandard TV—that she has what it takes to win.

86. Amish Renegade by Rose Doss

read on my iPhone
Independently published in 2018
190 pgs.
Amish Romance
Finished 8/29/18
Goodreads rating:  4.48 - 46 ratings
My rating: 3
Setting:

First line/s:  "Kate Beiler clutched at the small, warm hand of the girl she'd raised since her marriage, numbness gripping her as she stood facing the plain wooden coffins in front of her."

My comments: This latest Amish story seemed a little bit more real to me.  It spoke more of feelings vs. suppressing them.  I think the strongest realization that has come from reading these stories is that Amish suppress feelings, don't talk to each other about anything of importance - everything is "what you see is what you get" and led by God's will, which is pretty much interpreted by the men of the congregation,  This particular story included real human feelings which the two protagonists , because of their teachings and upbringing, didn't really know how to handle well.  There is so much repetition in these books that the real meat of the story could probably be told in one chapter, as a short story, but when I get around all of that this one has appealed to me more than the others.  It actually speaks about love for another human being, which I haven't seen or even felt much in previous books of this type. 

Goodreads synopsis:  Kate must ask her first love to marry her even though she later married another man! When Kate’s only financial support dies in a buggy accident along with her beloved parents, widowed Kate Bieler must find refuge for herself and the young child of her deceased husband. Refusing the bishop’s suggestion that she marry his teenaged son, she very reluctantly asks the only other single Mann in their small Amish settlement to marry her. Unfortunately, Kate and Enoch Miller share a conflicted past. When she went on rumspringa against his wishes, he cut communication and their courtship ceased. Distressed and angry, Kate then married another Mann…but she never stopped loving Enoch. When widowed shortly later, after praying to Gott, she knows she must ask Enoch to marry her and take in the child of the Mann she’d married instead of Enoch. 
          Agreeing to this, Enoch angrily—and out of a deep hurt—deviously determines to make Kate pay. Only he ends up again falling in love with her…and the child of his rival that she brings with her. Can they find the love they once lost? 

85. The Secret by Beverly Lewis

Seasons of Grace #1
read on my iPhone
2009 Bethany House Publishers
364 pgs.
Adult Amish Romance
Finished 8/27/18
Goodreads rating:  4.04 - 5894 ratings
My rating: 2.5
Setting: Contemporary PA Dutch country

First line/s:  "Honestly, I thought the worst was past."

My comments:  This is one heck of a long, drawn out story, so long and drawn out that it became quite boring.  It's the first of the series and leaves you pretty much hanging at the end.  I think the series is three books - books which could have been made into just one of the smae length.  It sure needed chopping!  And for being such a close knit clan/community, no one ever - EVER - really talks to each other or shares anything of any kind of importance.  Crazy.  They sure know how to gossip, though.  Is this what the AMish community is really like?  I'd love to find out what will happen to the three major portagonists but I refuse to spend the time....

Goodreads synopsis:  In the seemingly ordinary Amish home of Grace Byler, secrets abound. Why does her mother weep in the night? Why does her father refuse to admit something is dreadfully wrong? Then, in one startling moment, everything Grace assumed she knew is shattered. Her mother's disappearance leaves Grace reeling and unable to keep her betrothal promise to her long-time beau. Left to pick up the pieces of her life, Grace questions all she has been taught about love, family, and commitment.
          Heather Nelson is an English grad student, stunned by a doctor's diagnosis. Surely fate would not allow her father to lose his only daughter after the death of his wife a few years before. In denial and telling no one she is terminally ill, Heather travels to Lancaster County--the last place she and her mother had visited together. Will Heather find healing for body and spirit?
          As the lives of four wounded souls begin to weave together like an Amish patchwork quilt, they each discover missing pieces of their life puzzles--and glimpse the merciful and loving hand of God.

My Amish "KICK" - What is it about this genre of Amish Christian Fiction?

It's no secret that I'm fascinated with the simple life of the Amish, I think it's a fascination of anyone that knows of this religion/sect/cult, especially if you're enchanted with living 200 years in the past and love history and Colonial Williamsburg, Sturbridge Village, and other such historical places.  Being a raised-in-the-church Protestant, past Sunday School superintendent, and now-Atheist, I am also fascinated with the religious beliefs of the Amish people.

(Note:  for Amish NON-Christian mysteries, etc., see the bottom of the page.)

I've decided to read some of the different authors and check out different aspects of the novels.
My criteria:

Setting:
Protagonist/s:
Patriarchal/Male dominated beliefs:
The BISHOP:
God and the Bible:
Relationship with the English:
Modern conveniences:
Why readers might enjoy this genre (Amish Christian romance):
Questions?
My rating:
In general:

Authors:
Cameron - A Road Unknown, 2014 (3.5)

.......................Her Restless Heart, 2012 (3)
Davids, Patricia - The Wish, 2019 (4)
Doss, Rose - Amish Renegade, 2018 (3)
Lewis, Beverly - The Secret, 2009 (2.5)
..........................The Shunning, 1997 (1)
Newport, Olivia - Accidentally Amish, 2012 (3)
Price - Fields of Corn, 2010 (2)

Movies (all described below):
Saving Sarah Cain, 2007

1.  Fields of Corn by Sarah Price, 2010 (read July, 2018)
Setting: Leola, PA
Protagonist/s: Shana Slater, Englisher turned Amish
Patriarchal/Male dominated beliefs: VERY MUCH SO
The BISHOP: Not offensive that I can recall
God and the Bible:  Lots, the idea that everything is "God's will" is stated over and over
Relationship with the English: some trepidation
Modern conveniences: The Amish family rented out a small guest house to an Englisher, with electricity (which seems a little improbable to me...)
Why readers might enjoy this genre (Amish Christian romance): Romance, non-Amish girl falls in love with Amish boy and changes everything in her life for him.  First 3/4 of the book is okay, but the last quarter...
Questions? The young man in this story at first made concessions to Shana, but rapidly pushed her to his whim, and then became almost like a different person when he dug his heels in as the patriarchal head.  It didn't fit with the person that began the book.
My rating: 2
In general:  The last quarter of the book really set my feminist teeth grinding....yuck!

2.  A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron, 2014 (read August, 2018)
Setting: Paradise, PA (and Goshen, Indiana)
Protagonist/s:  Elizabeth B
Patriarchal/Male dominated beliefs: not particularly
The BISHOP:  Not a nice guy
God and the Bible: not a big part of the book
Relationship with the English: positive, they run a touristy gift shop in Lancaster County
Modern conveniences:  cell phones, hire drivers to get around even locally much of the time
Information that teaches of Amish ways?  Yes...
Why readers might enjoy this genre (Amish Christian romance): a super clean romance without a whole lot of religion shoved down your throat....
Questions?  The Amish celebrate Thanksgiving?
My rating:  3.5
In general:  Didn't make the hairs on the back of my neck stick up!

MOVIE:  Saving Sarah Cain 
2007, PG (1:43) directed by Michael Landon, Jr. RT Audience:  73% Borrowed from Bosler Library
RT Summary:  A well-meaning but self-centered newspaper columnist learns the importance of placing career before family when her sister dies and she brings her late sibling's five Amish-raised children to live with her in the big city. There was a time when Sarah Cain was one of the city's best-known writers, but these days she seems to have lost her touch. When Sarah's sister Ivy dies and the writer is suddenly saddled with five children who aren't accustomed to city life, her editor urges her to document the unique experience in her column. As a result, Sarah once again finds the success that has eluded her for so long - but her time in the spotlight yields some unexpected consequences. When the children find out that Sarah has exploiting the situation to bolster her readership, they feel so devastated and betrayed that they demand to be placed with a new foster family.
Setting:  Lancaster County, PA (and Portland, Oregon)
Protagonist/s: Sarah Cain, an Englisher, and her five orphaned Amish nieces and nephews
Patriarchal/Male dominated beliefs: No
The BISHOP: Unimportant
God and the Bible: Hardly any
Relationship with the English: Weird...they let those kids be taken off by this unknown aunt without any fight at all....this doesn't fit with any of the information I have, to date, about what would really happen...
Modern conveniences: No, but the homes are really big and spacious and well-lit, which isn't how I picture Amish homes.
Why readers might enjoy this genre (Amish Christian romance):  It's a fun story.
Questions? Lots.  This is definitely a movie made for the general population...sad but light, with beautiful people
My rating: 3
In general: Entertaining, like a Hallmark movie that didn't actually turn my stomach.

3.  Accidentally Amish by Olivia Newport, 2012 (read August 2018)
Unfortunately, I'm entering this quite awhile after reading it, so the nitty gritties are forgotten...I rated it a 3.
My review/comments:  The first in a series of three that follow Analise/Annie into the Amish life.  The reality is that she fell for an Amish guy and because of her high-powered , crazy life she is ready for some simplicity.  Only a little is mentioned about faith and God, so I can totally believe that she thinks she might be able to deal with/handle this incredible life change because she's in love.  So, thus far, it's been fairly believable.  However, for her to ever follow this lifestyle for the rest of her life, she's going to have to become like a "born-again" and I think that would drive me -- and her -- absolutely nuts AND be hard to believe.  Yes, all that sort of think is nonsense to me....
     So will I read on?  Doubt it greatly.

4.  The Secret - Beverly Lewis - 2009 (read August, 2018) rated 2.5
This is one heck of a long, drawn out story, so long and drawn out that it became quite boring.  It's the first of the series and leaves you pretty much hanging at the end.  I think the series is three books - books which could have been made into just one of the same length.  It sure needed chopping!  And for being such a close knit clan/community, no one ever - EVER - really talks to each other or shares anything of any kind of importance.  Crazy.  They sure know how to gossip, though.  Is this what the Amish community is really like?  I'd love to find out what will happen to the three major protagonists but I refuse to spend the time....

5.  Amish Renegade  - Rose Doss 2018 rated 3
My comments: This latest Amish story seemed a little bit more real to me.  It spoke more of feelings vs. suppressing them.  I think the strongest realization that has come from reading these stories is that Amish suppress feelings, don't talk to each other about anything of importance - everything is "what you see is what you get" and led by God's will, which is pretty much interpreted by the men of the congregation,  This particular story included real human feelings which the two protagonists , because of their teachings and upbringing, didn't really know how to handle well.  There is so much repetition in these books that the real meat of the story could probably be told in one chapter, as a short story, but when I get around all of that this one has appealed to me more than the others.  It actually speaks about love for another human being, which I haven't seen or even felt much in previous books of this type.

5.  Her Restless Heart by Barbara Cameron, 2012 (read January, 2021)
Setting: Paradise, PA 
Protagonist/s:  Mary Katherine
Patriarchal/Male dominated beliefs: somewhat....horrible, mean, gruff father
The BISHOP:  Not a nice guy, domineering
God and the Bible: not a big part of the book, though everything is God's will....
Relationship with the English: positive, they run a touristy quilt shop in Lancaster County
Modern conveniences:  cell phones, hire drivers to get around, she even dresses in jeans and has her hair down once in awhile, which seems very off to me
Information that teaches of Amish ways?  some...but there's a lot of freedom that I don't think is real
Why readers might enjoy this genre (Amish Christian romance): a super clean romance without a whole lot of religion shoved down your throat....
Questions?  The male was constantly buying gifts...birthday, flowers, etc.  Not sure how much this sort of thing happens
My rating:  3

Amish Mysteries written from the point-of-view of outside the Amish community:

Hopkins, Karen Ann
     Sheriff Serenity Adams, Blood Rock, Indiana
     #1:  Lamb to the Slaughter, 2014 (3)