Elizabeth Byler Younts Book Review

I want to introduce to you an author who I know you will fall in love with: Elizabeth Byler Younts.  She was born and raised Amish until her family left the Amish culture as a child.  Elizabeth is a strong Christian and I am blessed to have been able to get to know her over the last several months.

Her first book was Seasons: A Real Story of an Amish Girl.

Seasons: A Real Story of an Amish Girl

This is a tribute to her grandmother who still is Amish.  Elizabeth is still very close to her grandmother and the rest of her Amish family and loves to go back and visit.  When I read this book I could tell that it was authentic from the Amish perspective.  From the minute you start reading this book, you cannot put it down.  The story of Lydia is very moving and you can honestly feel like your right there with her.  The fact that Elizabeth herself was Amish and still VERY close to her family, she is able to include the language, Pennsylvania Dutch, and share from the heart.  There are times in this story that it is truly heart wrenching, and, yes I cried, it isn’t a story to be missed!  I am absolutely in awe of who Lydia is as a person and I would LOVE to meet her in person! 🙂  Lydia’s struggles and triumphs as an Amish girl growing up during the great depression will pull at your heart-strings!  This was Elizabeth’s first novel and I am so proud of her.  She is an amazing author and her memoir is as professional as any Amish writer.  However, what sets hers apart is the story she tells has more heart.  I have read this book myself twice….it really is  that good!

Here is the You-Tube Video about the book:

Promise to Return: A Novel (Promise of Sunrise)

A Promise to Return is Elizabeth’s second book and is wonderful as well!!!  It is set when World War II begins.  The Amish are Non-Resistant so they do not bear arms in Wars.  During this time period, when the Amish were drafted, they became CO’s (conscientious objectors).  The problem was that Miriam and Henry were nearing their wedding day when he is sent to a CO service camp.  Then, as if things cannot get worse for Miriam, Henry comes home and Henry announces that he believes that he is being called by God to enlist and serve his country.  I absolutely loved this book!  I  pre-ordered it for my kindle and it downloaded the day it was released.  I stayed up almost all night reading it without the ability to put it down (have I said how much I love to read and how much I LOVE Elizabeth’s books? :).  A Promise to Return spoke to my heart in so many ways.  I am a military wife and I understand a man who has been called by God to serve his country.  You can see through the whole book that Elizabeth again draws from her Amish roots, her story is so very real and you can tell it is authentic.  I was sad when the book ended and cannot wait until the next in her series comes out!

This is a wonderful video that ChristianBooks.com did with Elizabeth when her second book was being released. 🙂

You can read more about Elizabeth by visiting her website and Facebook pages.  There she shares more about her family, her roots, and her faith.  She also has several pictures posted of her family that you can see.

The Solace of Water: A NovelPromise to Keep: A Novel (Promise of Sunrise)Promise to Cherish: A Novel (Promise of Sunrise)

If you want more information on Elizabeth you can find her on Facebook and at her website :).