The Fiddler

As much as I love to read, I really haven't had much time this summer. However, I was finally able to get started on "The Fiddler" by Beverly Lewis, one of my favorite authors. Once I got started, it was a quick read. I didn't want to put it down!

As always with Ms. Lewis' books, this book is set in Amish country. However, the main character isn't female, nor is she Amish. Amelia Devries, an Englisher who is also a classical violinist feels pressured by her parents, especially her father, also a renowned violinist, and her agent to continue growing her fame as a touring violinist. However, she feels like something is missing, and has been moonlighting as a fiddling champion under the name Amy Lee. On her way home from a fiddling performance, Amelia is caught in a rainstorm, gets turned around and lost in Amish country, specifically near a remote cabin close to Hickory Hollow, where a young Amish man, Michael Hostetler is also searching for his path in life. He escaped to the cabin to sort out his feelings and decide whether or not to follow in his father's and ancestors’ footsteps and join the Amish church. Amelia is invited to spend a weekend with a friend of Michael's, and Ms. Lewis weaves a story of soul-searching, family, and budding romance. The book takes some unexpected turns before revealing Amelia and Michael's decisions on what path they want to follow in life.

Overall, "The Fiddler" was an enjoyable read, taking me to Pennsylvania Amish country and once again, giving the reader a peak into Amish culture, this time from the viewpoint of an Englisher looking in and an Amish man looking out. So many of Ms. Lewis' books are from a young Amish girl's perspective, making this change was quite delightful.

I was provided with a copy of this book in order to review for the publisher, Bethany House Publishing, but was not required to give a favorable review.

The Messenger Review

I was recently given this amazing opportunity to review books and blog about them. How great is that? The first book I received from Bethany House Publishers was "The Messenger" by Siri Mitchell.

First of all, I will say that this is the first book I have read by Ms. Mitchell, and the time period, the Revolutionary War, is not one of my usual picks. However, I really enjoyed the book, and look forward to reading more of her books, and maybe I'll branch out to other books on this topic.

It  did take a little time getting into the book, maybe because of the different time period, use of the Quaker language (ie, thee, thou, etc) mixed in the speech, or the writing style of switching back and forth every chapter between the main characters, Hannah and Jeremiah, speaking in first person.  By the middle of the book, I was used to the style, and looked forward to reading the other character's viewpoint as the story progressed.

Overall, the story was well laid out and the slight bit of suspense kept me wanting to come back to finish the book. I especially enjoyed the note from the author at the end where she pieced together the factual history to the fictional story she had written. 

The Messenger

I just got my first book to review for Bethany House Publishers. Of course, who can say no to free books? Since it WAS free, I expanded my horizens and went with an author I was not familiar with at all, Siri Mitchell. It's a historical fiction, but from an era I haven't read alot about, the Revolutionay War period, especially dealing with the Quakers. Should be interesting!

Book reviewer!

I just signed up to be a book reviewer for Bethany House publishers! I'm very excited since I love to read and I am constantly looking for new books to read! I'm just finishing up one of my favorite series by an amazing author - Karen Kingsbury. And I have a completely new author on hold at the library - Sara Evans, a book called Sweet By and By. Should be interesting given the good reviews on it. In spite of my insanely busy days, I always find time to read, especially now that I fallen in love with reading on the iPad. It makes it so much easier to pack several books to take with on a car ride or even just to read and turn the pages one handed while holding a sleeping Elijah!

My Lucky Husband

So on Tuesday, Doug spent the day in Indianapolis at a conference for work. Usually it's rather boring and the only thing he looks forward to is the breakfast at Cracker Barrel on the way there! But this year, he got an early Christmas present. (Side note - I've been wanting and talking about a Kindle Fire for months, and before that just a regular Kindle.) WELL.....Doug didn't get a Kindle, or a Fire, but an IPad. The conference organizers had a drawing for an IPad, and guess who won!! Merry Christmas, Doug! I guess I don't need the Fire after all, because I'm sure he'll share his new toy with me! Since he got the call earlier this evening, he's been researching all the apps he can get and fun things he can make & do with his new IPad.

Tornado in November?

OK, so why do tornadoes have to happen when I'm on a roll? About 4 o'clock this afternoon, I had 2 of the 3 kids napping, and I'm cranking out fundraiser packets when I get a call from my almost frantic hubby telling me there's a huge storm on the way, and we are under a tornado warning. Yes, that is right, a tornado warning on November 14th. It shouldn't really be that shocking since it was almost 70 degrees today, and we live in Indiana. Since we have no basement or any rooms without windows in our house, I stop what I'm doing, wake up the girls and load up the family and head over to my grandma's. It turned out to be nothing, but you never know. So, the storm passed, we ended up eating supper and then I rush off to a meeting, making it home after 9:30 to a house that was left as it was this afternoon - dishes on the counter, toys all over the floor, fundraiser packets strewn across the dining room table, laundry in the washer and dryer. Good thing I have nothing to do tomorrow.

Cool Fall Days

It's that time of the year again! FALL! My favorite season! I love the leaves changing, the cooler days, crisp nights, smells of campfires, apples, and harvest! Last week, I got to take a drive way out into the middle of nowhere and enjoy the beginning of fall in Indiana, (which also included a 2 year old screaming for part of the trip, but I digress). The scenery was beautiful, lots of woods with varying amounts of color change on the trees and fields of corn turning to a rustling brown. Tomorrow is Kenzie's first field trip of preschool. We get to go to the pumpkin patch! She is very excited, and so is Lillia (who also gets to come along!) Wish me luck, I'm taking all three kids. Am I slightly crazy?

Anyway, this week is going to be super busy, lots of places to go, things to do, and people to see. And actually, this is just a busy busy month!! The one thing I'm looking forward to the most is the fact that Doug's football season will be over! Only 3 more weeks! Finally - especially after a very long week last week, where he had 5 games in 6 days. The kids and I missed him very much!

Well, I just pulled 7 quarts of spaghetti sauce out of the canner, and I have 3 totes of clothes sitting in the living room that need to be priced for the garage sale this weekend. (This is just a start of the garage sale stuff, there are at least 8 or 9 more totes upstairs that need to be gone thru and priced.) It has been slightly sad and bittersweet sorting the girls' clothes and significantly downsizing the amount that I'm keeping. Even little Elijah has a tote of clothes that don't fit him anymore!

Here's another reminder that kids don't stay little long - my little Kenzie is tying her shoes by herself and is riding her bike without training wheels! And the sad part is, she didn't even really need anyone to teach her how to ride without training wheels - she just basically started riding! (Tear..., sigh...)