When Grace Sings, by Kim Vogel Sawyer (book two in a triology)

While this is a novel regarding an Old Order Mennonite Community in Kansas it has more to it than just a study about a simple way of life. The premise is that a reporter for a Tabloid paper comes to the community to live for several months to closely observe and get himself in close with the community. His real goal is to find the truth about their lifestyles to write an article to debunk the concept that their lives are ideal and peaceful. They want to run countercultural to the articles in most papers that paint a surreal lifestyle of the group.

But while that is the premise it gives the author the ability to deeply examine several issues that the characters are facing in the novel. It gives her the platform for delving into things with the hope to point out that they have problems, they have dirt in their lives that make them just like everyone else in the world.

The issues that will be addressed and addressed well are;
1)  Abandonment (parents who don't want their infants/children and give them up)
2)  Distrust (finding that people you trusted have not been completely honest with you)
3)  Acceptance (each of us has a need for acceptance, but often times that is illusive)
4)  Faith (Is there really a God? If there is does He really care?)
5)  Finding your true vocational path (i.e. old order Mennonite Farmer, or maybe something else)
6)  Secrets (how they can do more harm than good)
7)  Truth (why can't we just learn to tell the truth and be honest with each other)
8)  Sin (finally, the issue of sin, why we want to hide our sins from others)

In this second of three books we find that Alexa has opened the bed and breakfast at her grandmothers farm. It is just starting to get business and there are the usual ups and downs for a new small business enterprise. But then a long term customer, Briley Ray, a reporter, comes to stay for several months to learn about the Old Order Mennonites. Also, Anna-Grace and her future husband, Steven come to Arborville to fix up his grandparents old farmstead and possibly make it their home. But will the past catch up with Anna-Grace and make it impossible for her to live here in peace?

If you have not read the first book in the series you need to start there. I was fortunate that the publisher sent me a free copy of the first novel in exchange for a review. I loved it so much I paid for this second book. I loved this one so much that I am anxious the the third and final novel to be published, I can't wait to see how things in.

There is a readers guide at the end of the book in which Kim Vogel Sawyer gives book clubs a great set of discussion starters to talk about the book. I think that more than just an entertaining novel we have here a teaching platform for many issues that face our culture today. This would be a great novel to read with your teenage children to start discussions regarding, love, acceptance, vocation, God, etc.

Enjoy!