Customer Reviews

Hot Apple Cider: Words to Stir the Heart and Warm the Soul

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Renown writer Janette Oke, author of Hallmark Channel's "Love Comes Softly" series, writes in the foreword to this book that "stories connect hearts." I felt that repeatedly as I read this book! HOT APPLE CIDER is a journey across not only the landscapes of Canada (and beyond), but also the varying landscapes of life. It's a from-the-heart collection from some of Canada's finest writers.

I was glad to have two copies for all the times I said to a family member of friend "You've got to read THIS one!" but wasn't ready to part with the copy I was reading.

This is to be read slowly...and savored! Great gift idea!

I sat down with Hot Apple Cider one evening intending to read just one story before retiring. But one story led to another and another.I just could not put this book down. Filled with encouragement and inspiration this collection is one that you will want to read and share with a friend. Thank you Canadian writers for sharing your hearts.

It occurred to me while reading this book that it doesn't make sense to be reading a book entitled Hot Apple Cider when it's been close to 100 degrees outside. But this book was not meant to warm the body. It's designed to warm the heart, and most of us could use a heart-warming story any day of the year.

This collection of stories and poems by 30 Canadian authors was edited by N. J. Linquist and Wendy Elaine Nelles, co-founders of The Word Guild, an organization for Christian writers in Canada. The book is similar to the Chicken Soup series in that the stories are short, and you don't feel like you have to make a big time commitment when you sit down to read a story or two. However, I found myself wanting to read another and another because they are so well-written.

All of the selections present a Christian worldview, but they are not necessarily evangelical or preachy. One story described a woman's struggle with drug addiction and her subsequent turning to Christ for final victory over her addicition. Heartwarming, educational, inspirational, and even entertaining---that's how I would describe this volume.

A friend gave me a copy of "Hot Apple Cider" to read and I could not put it down. From the first story I felt drawn into the plight of this poor woman who lost her husband while vacationing in Australia. I felt her pain as if I had been there with her. When I finished the story I wanted to know more about this new friend I had made on the pages of this book.

As I read on through the book I delighted in finding more stories of great Canadian authors who shared their personal stories. I felt some how closer to these authors through reading personal accounts of their lives.

Like the perfect cup of hot apple cider with a mysterious blend of delicious spices the book left me wondering what flavour of story would come next. The book is filled with such a delightful collection of fiction and non-fiction stories on a variety of subjects. Some of the stories made me think, question or evaluate my own life, while other stories were sheer pleasure.

The next time you are looking for the perfect gift for a friend I highly recommend this book.

A cup of hot apple cider can do more than warm one up after being out in the cold - it can be very soothing, which is the aim of "Hot Apple Cider: Words to Stir the Hear and Warm the Soul". A collection of short stories, poetry, and wisdom seeking to heal and mend the soul of the reader after difficult and stressful situations, "Hot Apple Cider" offers nearly 300 pages of enlightenment. "Hot Apple Cider: Words to Stir the Heart and Warm the Soul" is highly recommended for community library collections dedicated to literary anthologies.

I love to read the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, so when I learned of this anthology with an all Canadian cast I was thrilled! Interesting stories with excellent writing. Great gift idea.
Kimberley Payne
www.kimberleypayne.com