The Plain Choice by Sherry Gore

The Plain Choice
Genre: Adult, Autobiography
Source: I received a copy from Netgalleyto facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.


Not all Amish or Mennonite people grew up as a plain person. There are people like Sherry Gore who were looking for meaning to life and stumbled upon the lifestyle. Sherry grew up in California and Florida. When her parents split she chose to live with her father in California. She grew up in an affluent area, yet she was lonely inside. She had been exposed to the love of Jesus through several family members. Because of several bad choices in her life, Sherry was sent from her father's house to her mother's in Florida. Here she lived as a homeless person for six months before eventually getting married, having two children, and moving back to California. Sherry was still looking for something but didn't know what when she and her first husband divorced.  After being a single parent raising her daughter's the best she could, she met and married her second husband. Toby loved her and her girls. He gave Sherry the only son she had. This marriage did not last once Sherry found what she was looking for, life lived the way the Bible speaks. A Plain Life.  However, her divorce did not mean the end of her relationship to her husband. Sherry leans on her faith as she learns about her oldest daughter's life threatening diseases. I will interject here and say that I live about a mile and a half from Sherry's house. Because I shop in the Pinecraft area, I became familiar with her and her cookbooks. I followed along and prayed for her daughter Jacinda, until her passing this last spring.  Although it is not in the book, she remained friends with her ex-husband Toby, whom she lost last month. If nothing else,  this book shows that God can take someone who is so messed up and use them for good. Through her book she shows that God doesn't judge who you are or were as a condition of his acceptance of you. There are many who will say she is not truly Amish or Mennonite. To this I say, unless you live in the area and see and understand that there are many different types of Amish/Mennonite, just like there are many different types of Baptists, you should not judge. Besides, God won't separate us when we get to heaven so why should we worry about it here on earth? This story is her journey to become a "plain" woman, not about what the Amish are all about

Check out Sherry's other books:
Simply Delicious Amish Cooking: Recipes and Stories from the Amish of Sarasota, Florida
Me, Myself, and Pie
Taste of Pinecreaft: Glimpses of Sarasota, Florida's Aish Culture and Kitchens
Made with Love (Pinecraft Pie Shop #1) with Tricia Goyer
Planted with Hope (Pinecreaft Pie Shop #2) with Tricia Goyer  (Coming March 2016)

Find her on:    Facebook                        Twitter

Hoplite by Lee Ness

Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Book description for the Hoplite novel: 
In 440BC, all the young Alexander wants to be is an Olympian. But while trying to follow his hoplite father, Alexander becomes trapped aboard a troop ship. His life spins out of control when making port, the seemingly benign state of Samos overthrows the mighty Athenian army and tragedy strikes. He soon realises that the foes in his own camp are more dangerous than the Samian rebels. When one of his only friends and allies on the island goes missing, Alexander has to further endanger his own life to try and find him but by doing so he puts his friend's life, and his mother back in Athens, in danger. 
Note: This novella is Part 1 of Hoplite. The other five parts will be released over the course of the year. 
Book description for Part 1. 
Alexander hero-worships his father, but Lysander is recalled back from furlough by the Athenian Army to intervene in a dispute between the island Samos and the City state of Miletus. Alexander decides to follow him, but finds himself trapped on the troop ship when it embarks. With the ship unable to return to port, Alexander must stay with the troops all the way to Samos. Lysander decides there is little danger as the Samians are mere farmers and scholars, no match for the might of the Athenian Army. But the Samians revolt and suddenly, all the Athenians are in danger....

My Notes:

I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
This story starts off somewhat mysterious. We have a young boy, Alexander, who is sneaking along the docks. He is trying to locate his father. The reason we learn is that his father is going off to battle. He had been bullied and the way he handled it didn’t turn out right. His mother doesn’t really belong in Athens and as an outsider can own no land. With her son gone she is in danger from the people where she lives. Alexander spots his father. His desire is to speak to him and then go home. To avoid being seen he is grabbed and told to carry something aboard his father’s ship. He hides below deck where he falls asleep. When caught by a soldier he ran into on shore he is smacked around, until his father rescues him. Under his father’s care he is protected. He is stuck on board until they can get him back home. This means he will follow his father to the battle. When he sees his father killed things go from bad to worse. How will he get home? Was his father’s death his fault?

Alexander is a very brave young man who finds himself in circumstances he should never have been in. This book will keep you turning pages until you reach the end. It will also keep you waiting and wanting the next in this series. This is an awesome book.Alexander is a very brave young man who finds himself in circumstances he should never have been in. This book will keep you turning pages until you reach the end. It will also keep you waiting and wanting the next in this series.  This is an awesome book.

Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls are Used in War by Jessica Dee Humphreys & Michel Chikwanine

Genre: Middle Grade, Autobiography

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:

Michel is like many other five-year-olds: he has a loving family and spends his days going to school and playing soccer. But in 1993, the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Michel and his family live, is a country in tumult. One afternoon Michel and his friends are kidnapped by rebel militants and forced to become child soldiers.

My Thoughts:

When Michel Chikwanine was only five years old he was kidnapped from his school by rebel soldiers. The reason? They were recruiting child soldiers.  Because he was feisty and tough acting  to the soldiers, they decided to keep him alive.  Michel made a promise to his father, who was an activist to stop the terrible things the rebels and government were doing against their own people. He ingrained these thoughts into his son. This book is a direct result of those teachings.  Michel wanted to make sure he kept his promise to his father and spreads the word about child soldiers to help prevent and stop this horrific act against humanity.  This is a book that should be read in every history class.