The Rolls of the Drums by Jan Drexler

Greetings! It is hard to believe it is November 1.  This year is whizzing by at a fast clip.  Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders by Tessa Arlen* comes out on November 5 along with The Bake Shop by Amy Clipston and Cast Iron Alibi by Victoria Hamilton.  Deanna Chase has released A Witch for Mr. Holiday.  It is the beginning of the Witches of Christmas Grove series.  If you like steamy paranormal romances, then this is the book for you.  

The Roll of the Drums by Jan Drexler takes readers back to May of 1863 in Weaver’s Creek, Ohio.  Ruby Weaver has moved in with her sister, Elizabeth Kaufman.  Elizabeth’s husband, Reuben left a year ago to fight for the south and he has not corresponded with her since he departed.  Ruby is twenty-eight, unmarried and content with her life.  Ruby does not believe that a woman must be married in order to be happy and fulfilled.  Gideon Fischer along with his ailing wife, Lovinia and their four children arrive in town.  The family experienced hardship at the hands of soldiers and Gideon wants to find a new place to start over where they do not need to fear.  Ruby becomes friends while caring for the very ill Lovinia.  Lovinia makes Ruby promise to marry Gideon if she passes away.  Lovinia believes Ruby is the partner Gideon needs and the mother her children will need in her absence.  Ruby reluctantly agrees never believes she will have to fulfil the promise.  Lovinia extracts a similar promise from Gideon.  When Lovinia passes away, neither one wish to honor the promise they made.  However, Gideon needs someone to keep house and care for the children while he establishes their farm.  Ruby will spend her days at Gideon’s home and keep living with Elizabeth.  Unfortunately, there is someone in authority who does not feel the arrangement is proper.  Ruby and Gideon must decide how to proceed.

The Roll of the Drums by Jan Drexler is the second novel in The Amish of Weaver’s Creek series.  I recommend reading The Sound of Distant Thunder before beginning The Roll of the Drums.  I thought the story was well-written and it moved along at a thoughtful pace.  The characters are realistic and developed.  Ruby Weaver has lovely red hair which along with her age and unmarried state make her different from other females in her community.  Ruby does not feel that marriage is necessary to be a happy and content individual.  I like that Ruby is a resilient woman of strong faith. Gideon Fischer is relocating his family after the soldiers devastated his small Amish community.  He wants to find a safe place for them to reside and Gideon is worried about his wife’s health.  Lovinia, Gideon’s wife, knows her time is short.  Lovinia believes Ruby is just what Gideon and her children will need once she is gone.  She makes Ruby and Gideon promise to marry each other if she passes away.  While each make the promise, they are both hoping they will not have to honor it but for differing reasons. There are good life lessons incorporated into the story.  We get to see the characters go through some rough times.  I like that the author does not give us a lighthearted feel good story (there are ups and downs just like real life).  Gideon is at the lowest point of his life and we get to see how he will handle it.  It can be hard to let go of our worries and rely on God, but it is necessary.  The phrase from The Roll of the Drums that lingered with me is “Only the Good Lord knew the future.  He will give you the strength you need”.  Everything happens for a reason as we see in The Roll of the Drums.  While the story focuses on Gideon and Ruby, we also catch up with Ruby’s sister, Elizabeth who married Reuben at such a young age.  In addition, Levi Beiler is a bookworm who loves to devour theological books.  His father constantly berates him and Levi wonders why.  He overhears a conversation that soon puts things in perspective and leaves Levi with more questions.  We see how a person’s experiences can influence how they look at others and situations.  The Roll of the Drums is a sweeping historical Amish novel that has love, forgiveness, fear, redemption, joy, judgement and so much more.  You will not be disappointed with this compelling story. 

The Roll of the Drums is available through Amazon* (Amazon UK) along with The Sound of Distant Thunder.  There is a teaser at the end of The Roll of the Drums for the next book in The Amish of Weaver's Creek series!  Thank you for joining me today.  I am participating in the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for A Legacy of Murder by Connie Berry tomorrow.  It is the second novel in A Kate Hamilton Mystery series.  I hope that you have a cheery day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.

The Sound of Distant Thunder: The Amish of Weaver's Creek

Hello!  A Thief Consumed by Heather Sunseri comes out on October 11.  It is the second book in the International Thief series.  Due East, Beasts and Campfire Feasts by Erin Johnson will be published on October 13.  It is the seventh tale in Spells and Caramels series. 

The Sound of Distant Thunder by Jan Drexler is the first story in The Amish of Weaver’s Creek series.  Katie Stuckey is seventeen years old in 1862 and lives with her family on their farm near Millersburg, Ohio. She is ready to marry Jonas Weaver, but her father wants her to wait until she is eighteen.  Jonas begins work on their home in his spare time.  The Civil War is raging on and Jonas is against slavery.  He knows the stance of the church on fighting, but Jonas has yet to be baptized.  Conscription is enacted and the names for their county are drawn. Jonas is spared, but his married brother, Samuel is on the list.  Samuel has a choice of paying the $200 fee or get a substitute.  Samuel does not wish to pay the fee because the funds would go to the war effort nor is he comfortable with having someone go in his place.  Jonas takes matters into his own hands and goes in Samuel’s place.  He leaves a letter for his family, Katie and his friend, Levi.  He asks Levi to keep an eye on Katie for him while he is away.  Can Jonas and Katie’s love survive the choice he made and the separation?  Join them on their journey in The Sound of Distant Thunder.

The Sound of Distant Thunder takes us back to April of 1862 to an Amish settlement in Ohio.  I felt the author captured the time period with the viewpoints of the characters and the description of their everyday lives as well as their homes, clothing, literature, conveyances, and methods of construction.  It must have been a difficult time to be a pacifist with the Civil War going on around them.  Conscription had them battling their conscience versus their church teachings.  Jan Drexler did a wonderful job at capturing the differing thoughts and the inner conflict.  I thought The Sound of Distant Thunder was a slow paced story (it plodded along like an old horse).  The first half of the book is Jonas and others rehashing the same issues regarding war over and over.  Jonas debating if he will stay at home or go off to fight.  The pace improves slightly after Jonas goes off to war.  Christian views are prevalent throughout the book.  Prayer, faith and turning our worries over to God are some of the themes.  We get to see how the various Amish settlements had differences and their attempts to find common ground.  The Amish in the story are portrayed as hardworking and caring individuals.  I did not feel like I was reading the first book in the series.  The backstory on the main characters was lacking.  I was confused by Katie and her fear.  She has a fear that men who are attracted to her will die.  It is not fully explained until late in the book. It seemed unreasonable because she was not afraid Jonas would die if they married.  Wouldn’t she be afraid to marry the man she loves?  The ending was abrupt and felt incomplete.  I was left with several unanswered questions.  The romance between Katie and Jonas is sweet and heartwarming in the midst of such brutality.  I am giving The Sound of Distant Thunder 3 out of 5 stars.  I suggest you obtain a sample of the book for your e-reader to see if The Sound of Distant Thunder is for you.

I appreciate you checking out my review.  I am featuring A Crafter Knits a Clue by Holly Quinn tomorrow.  The first book in A Handcrafted Mystery series.  I hope you will find the time to stop by.  I hope you have an inspiring day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader