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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
Herb of Grace by Adina Senft is a sweet and lovely novel. Sarah Yoder is a widow with two sons, Simon and Caleb. Her husband, Michael, has been gone for five years. Sarah sells herbs at the local Amish market in town as well as to Ruth Lehman, an herbal healer. Ruth suggests that Sarah learn how to be a Dokterfraa (herbal healer) as a way to earn money. Sarah is good with herbs and Ruth thinks that she will be a natural. Sarah is not sure if she will have the time and decides to pray about the situation.
Henry Byler left the Amish community over twenty years ago. He has just inherited his Aunt Sadie’s farm. He has returned but is not sure about staying. Caleb introduces himself to Henry as soon as he arrives in the hopes of finding work. Caleb is very outgoing and straightforward. Caleb finds out that Henry is a potter and shows Henry around the Amish market.
Henry then meets Sarah who asks him about some little pots for her herbs. Slowly they start getting to know each other, but despite the attraction they can only be friends. Sarah is a member of the Old Order Amish community and Henry is not (nor does he have any intention of joining). Sarah suppresses her feelings for Henry and tries to keep things friendly between them.
Sarah is having trouble with her son, Simon. Simon wants to go to Colorado, but Sarah thinks he is too young to go off. Simon is only seventeen and Sarah relies on him. Priscilla Mast likes Simon and keeps trying to get him to notice her. Will Simon obey his mother or will his desire to travel get the best of him?
Will Sarah become a Dokterfraa? What will Henry decide to do? Will Henry’s pottery be well received? Read Herb of Grace (I also discovered that herb of grace is a folk name for rue) to find out the answers. I really enjoyed this story and did not want it to end. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Keys of Heaven. I give Herb of Grace 5 out of 5 stars. Herb of Grace is such a beautiful book to read.
Henry Byler left the Amish community over twenty years ago. He has just inherited his Aunt Sadie’s farm. He has returned but is not sure about staying. Caleb introduces himself to Henry as soon as he arrives in the hopes of finding work. Caleb is very outgoing and straightforward. Caleb finds out that Henry is a potter and shows Henry around the Amish market.
Henry then meets Sarah who asks him about some little pots for her herbs. Slowly they start getting to know each other, but despite the attraction they can only be friends. Sarah is a member of the Old Order Amish community and Henry is not (nor does he have any intention of joining). Sarah suppresses her feelings for Henry and tries to keep things friendly between them.
Sarah is having trouble with her son, Simon. Simon wants to go to Colorado, but Sarah thinks he is too young to go off. Simon is only seventeen and Sarah relies on him. Priscilla Mast likes Simon and keeps trying to get him to notice her. Will Simon obey his mother or will his desire to travel get the best of him?
Will Sarah become a Dokterfraa? What will Henry decide to do? Will Henry’s pottery be well received? Read Herb of Grace (I also discovered that herb of grace is a folk name for rue) to find out the answers. I really enjoyed this story and did not want it to end. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Keys of Heaven. I give Herb of Grace 5 out of 5 stars. Herb of Grace is such a beautiful book to read.
daisey4's review against another edition
5.0
I love Amish books. I like this one a lot. I also love herbalism.....maybe that’s why I liked this story so well.
lorialdenholuta's review
5.0
I am not Amish, so why did I choose to read Herb of Grace? For various reasons. I've always admired the craftsmanship of Amish-made items, especially my treasured pair of scissors purchased in Lancaster County thirty years ago. I oil the pivot point from time to time, but I'm still waiting for them to need sharpening. I'm in agreement with many aspects of the Amish lifestyle, especially when it comes to cooking, gardening, living simply, crafting, and herbal medicine.
Most importantly though, I have read this author's non-Amish books and am a fan of her writing style, which is laden with positivity and creativity. I trusted Adina Senft to tell me a good story, and perhaps give me more insight into the lives of the Amish, especially Sarah Yoder, a "Dokterfraa", that is, an herbal healer. After reading the synopsis, I couldn't resist learning more about her. I was not disappointed.
Adina Senft does not gloss over the everyday details of life in Whinburg Township. While Sarah is the main protagonist of this story, no character is glossed over, either. Her sons, Simon and Caleb, both struggle with trying to help their mother with the finances, while experiencing the fun and woes of what felt to me like typical, realistic teenager lives. Her neighbor Henry Byler is an "Englisch" man who has returned to the community, but has no plans to return to the Amish ways he was brought up in. A large supporting cast includes misbehaving teenagers, Sarah's herbal mentor Ruth, an older couple with mysterious medical complaints, the owner of a local inn, and a good handful of relatives.
The Amish lifestyle includes an abiding faith in God, which is a part of every aspect of daily life. For those who enjoy this aspect of a story, there's plenty of spiritual questioning and comfort. For those not of that mind, the character's expressions of faith are included gently in a story-pertinent manner.
While Herb of Grace can be enjoyed on its own, readers need to know that not every loose end is tied up by the final page. This is book four of a nine book (plus a Christmas story) continuous series.
A glossary of all the Amish words and phrases used throughout the book is included in the back. This is worth mentioning, as you might want to look up a phrase now and then as you read.
Most importantly though, I have read this author's non-Amish books and am a fan of her writing style, which is laden with positivity and creativity. I trusted Adina Senft to tell me a good story, and perhaps give me more insight into the lives of the Amish, especially Sarah Yoder, a "Dokterfraa", that is, an herbal healer. After reading the synopsis, I couldn't resist learning more about her. I was not disappointed.
Adina Senft does not gloss over the everyday details of life in Whinburg Township. While Sarah is the main protagonist of this story, no character is glossed over, either. Her sons, Simon and Caleb, both struggle with trying to help their mother with the finances, while experiencing the fun and woes of what felt to me like typical, realistic teenager lives. Her neighbor Henry Byler is an "Englisch" man who has returned to the community, but has no plans to return to the Amish ways he was brought up in. A large supporting cast includes misbehaving teenagers, Sarah's herbal mentor Ruth, an older couple with mysterious medical complaints, the owner of a local inn, and a good handful of relatives.
The Amish lifestyle includes an abiding faith in God, which is a part of every aspect of daily life. For those who enjoy this aspect of a story, there's plenty of spiritual questioning and comfort. For those not of that mind, the character's expressions of faith are included gently in a story-pertinent manner.
While Herb of Grace can be enjoyed on its own, readers need to know that not every loose end is tied up by the final page. This is book four of a nine book (plus a Christmas story) continuous series.
A glossary of all the Amish words and phrases used throughout the book is included in the back. This is worth mentioning, as you might want to look up a phrase now and then as you read.
dk4him's review against another edition
4.0
Book review for Herb of Grace by Adina Senft. Publisher FaithWords, August 5, 2014. 320 pages.
Here is a summary of the book from the publisher:
Amish widow Sarah Yoder has been struggling to raise her two teen aged sons and provide a home where family and members of her Old Order Amish church can find fellowship and friendship. Though she is close to her in-laws, lately it feels like her relationship with her boys is splintering. Her stepson Simon wants to move out west with his cousins to find work. And her youngest, Caleb, is spending far too much time over at the tumbledown home of a man who left the church long ago. Henry Byler only returned recently to Willow Creek when he inherited the family farm--under protest--and now seems caught in a struggle between the faith of his childhood and the world he's come to know.
Ruth Lehman, the local Dokterfraa, believes Sarah should use her gift for growing plants to become an herbal healer, too. Sarah is reluctant, however, uncertain if caring for others will take her away from her family--the place where she believes God wants her. But when she feels called to help members of her community, she soon discovers that the heart can be scarred as deeply as the body. As she compiles her herbs, she waits for God to do his healing work in a man who rues a harsh decision, in a lonely prodigal who has lost everything, and maybe even in a herbalist-in-training who firmly believes she will never love again.
I first discovered author Adina Senft at my local library. As soon as I enter the library....which is often... I am drawn to the New Books shelf like our friend Homer the cow next door is drawn to apples! I am especially partial to Amish Christian Fiction so when I spotted her Amish Quilt series well you know I was all over that one. It's a fab 3 book series with each book focusing on a different woman in a circle of 3 friends.
I was excited to see she had a new series starting with this book, Herb of Grace which again takes us back to the Amish Community.
Sarah and Henry give us a wonderful story. Sarah and her struggle to survive as a widow and single mother. Henry and his foray back into the Amish community that he has been separate from for so many years. Henry's friendship with Sarah's son is a wonderful conduit to a relationship for these two adults who really did need each other.
Loved Sarah's gift for herbs and gardening and her creativeness. I also admired her care of her friends and neighbors even when they perhaps were not so neighborly.
Adina has a wonderful writing style that will easily draw you into this peek into this fictional Amish world she has created and you will find yourself not being satisfied with that peek. You will be wanting to settle right in with Sarah and Henry and their families for a nice long visit.
I was provided with a copy of this book for a fair & honest review courtesy of FaithWords via Netgalley
Here is a summary of the book from the publisher:
Amish widow Sarah Yoder has been struggling to raise her two teen aged sons and provide a home where family and members of her Old Order Amish church can find fellowship and friendship. Though she is close to her in-laws, lately it feels like her relationship with her boys is splintering. Her stepson Simon wants to move out west with his cousins to find work. And her youngest, Caleb, is spending far too much time over at the tumbledown home of a man who left the church long ago. Henry Byler only returned recently to Willow Creek when he inherited the family farm--under protest--and now seems caught in a struggle between the faith of his childhood and the world he's come to know.
Ruth Lehman, the local Dokterfraa, believes Sarah should use her gift for growing plants to become an herbal healer, too. Sarah is reluctant, however, uncertain if caring for others will take her away from her family--the place where she believes God wants her. But when she feels called to help members of her community, she soon discovers that the heart can be scarred as deeply as the body. As she compiles her herbs, she waits for God to do his healing work in a man who rues a harsh decision, in a lonely prodigal who has lost everything, and maybe even in a herbalist-in-training who firmly believes she will never love again.
I first discovered author Adina Senft at my local library. As soon as I enter the library....which is often... I am drawn to the New Books shelf like our friend Homer the cow next door is drawn to apples! I am especially partial to Amish Christian Fiction so when I spotted her Amish Quilt series well you know I was all over that one. It's a fab 3 book series with each book focusing on a different woman in a circle of 3 friends.
I was excited to see she had a new series starting with this book, Herb of Grace which again takes us back to the Amish Community.
Sarah and Henry give us a wonderful story. Sarah and her struggle to survive as a widow and single mother. Henry and his foray back into the Amish community that he has been separate from for so many years. Henry's friendship with Sarah's son is a wonderful conduit to a relationship for these two adults who really did need each other.
Loved Sarah's gift for herbs and gardening and her creativeness. I also admired her care of her friends and neighbors even when they perhaps were not so neighborly.
Adina has a wonderful writing style that will easily draw you into this peek into this fictional Amish world she has created and you will find yourself not being satisfied with that peek. You will be wanting to settle right in with Sarah and Henry and their families for a nice long visit.
I was provided with a copy of this book for a fair & honest review courtesy of FaithWords via Netgalley
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