When the Music Stops by Patty Eger

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I loved this sequel to 84 Ribbons.  After her injury Marta returns home.  At first she just hangs out around the house, most days in her robe.  She still has an issue with diet pills.  Steve has been a big support throughout this whole thing.  He is still supportive when she makes a mistake that could ruin their relationship.  Marta’s biggest issue is trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life.  Before the accident she thought she had her whole life mapped out before her.  Now she is so confused.  What starts out as helping her mother at the dance studio, turns into so much more?  Will this be what it takes for her to straighten out her life?  When she meets the parent of one of her students she feels conflicted.  Will she still stay with Steve, or will her life take her down a different path?  At times I felt annoyed at her indecision.  I think I felt that way because I am a person who has a difficult time making decisions. Once I’ve made the decision the commitment is there 110%.  I know this is how Marta felt. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who love the world of dance or love to read about the world of dance.  This book didn’t focus on Marta’s dance so much as her dance with life changes. An excellent book.

Three Amish Books

So I spent the weekend catching up on my Amish reads.  I've been behind on so many. When I'm having a "bad knee" day all I can do is sit or lay down and read.  My movement is restricted.  As much as I hate that, I love that I have more uninterrupted time to read.  Here are my three for today.

Amish Values for your Family by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Adult, Inspirational, Informational

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Amish values is a book that should be read by any family that is looking to improve their family dynamics. The one thing I’ve always admired about the Amish is their sense of family and what is truly important.  One thing that really stood out is how much family means to them.  They love their children, but do not spoil them the way we who are not Amish do.  For this reason they don’t grow up feeling like we, the parents owe them everything they desire. They raise their family around their faith.  God is the center of the home. The author shows us through examples and stories of Amish families. This is not a book where the author spouts off, “do this or that  to get this or that”.

I think one of the reasons I relish their lifestyle so much is because I pretty much grew up that way.  We are not and never were Amish. Yet, growing up on a farm with all of our duties were so similar to the Amish lifestyle.  I was never raised to expect anything except what God gave us. I worked hard as did all of my family.  It carried over to my own children, even though we left the farm behind many years ago.  My parents made sure that God was the center of our life. We started our morning with devotions and we ended our evening with devotions. I was well prepared for my day ahead. 

This book, with all of its examples and proverbs at the beginning of each chapter, shows that we can go back to a simpler life, yet not as structured as the Amish live, and still come out with some of the same great results.

Living in Harmony by  Mary Ellis

Genre: Adult, Amish Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

All is not harmonious in Harmony Main for the main characters in this story.  When Amy and Nora King lose their parents in a house fire, their younger siblings go to live with relatives and they go with Amy’s future husband to Harmony, Maine. John’s brother is the minister in Harmony.  He decides that Amy and John need to wait a while so that Amy can properly grieve her  parent’s death. Things are so different in Harmony.  They are a stricter community.  Amy is willing to try to fit in. Nora on the other hand has difficulty.  Their clothes are too bright so they must make new ones to fit in with the drab colors of their new community.  Where they would have had singings and buggy rides while courting, that is all banned in this community.  For Nora it mean no Rumspringa, which is also banned. I applaud Amy for trying so hard to fit in to her new community. I also applaud her trying to help Sally, the minister’s wife who doesn’t feel like she fits in with the other women.  Nora, I wanted to smack her for acting like a spoiled brat.  When John’s younger brother Elam, the rebellious one shows up, he takes Nora down that path as well.  Amy learns that she has an aunt who was shunned leaving nearby. She makes plans to meet with her and learns that is also forbidden.  Will she follow the rules or follow her heart? Will Nora ever settle down and stop causing so much trouble?  Will John and Amy finally get married? The answers to these questions are waiting for you  in the book.

I have to say the only character I really had a hard time liking was John.  He came across as too strong and almost unforgiving in some of the things he did. However, like all of her other books, I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend it to those who love reading Amish Fiction.

Abigail’s New Hope – by Mary Ellis

Genre: Adult, Amish Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Abigail loved helping deliver babies. Since she could only go so far in school she was an unlicensed midwife who worked with the local doctor. Unfortunately the one night the doctor is needed most, he is unable to help.  Abigail goes to help a young mother deliver her baby.  She tries to get the mother to go to the hospital, but she refuses. Abigail delivers the baby, but loses the mother. 

When the authorities find out that Abigail was not licensed, she is arrested for practicing medicine without a license and several other things. To add to her pain, her father, a bishop won’t come to the jail to see her, she can’t make bail because the community won’t help.  At this point I probably would have felt betrayed by everyone.  Abigail spends her time reading her Bible and praying.  At home her sister has come to stay in her house to help Abigail’s husband with the children and the household duties.  While helping out she meets a young man who works on the farm.  Everyone thinks Isaiah is mentally not all there. In reality he is deaf and very smart.  Catherine is aware of this and attracted to him. 

This is a great story.  There are themes of love, forgiveness and finding God in the midst of your trials.  Lessons of learning that God accepts us just the way we are where we are.  Mary Ellis is great at creating such realistic stories that tug at the heartstrings yet have so many hidden messages and lessons that we all need to hear.  You could never say her stories are preachy because they are definitely not.  This is one Amish fiction author you really need to read.

Dancing to the Flute by Manisha Amin

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads

“Kalu picked up the flute by his side and started to play. The sound was deep and full, as if he were translating his thoughts into music. It stayed in the air like dust floating on the sunlight, and each note held the promise of something not quite spoken but maybe heard in the darkness of a dream.” 

 Abandoned as a young child, Kalu, a cheeky street kid, has carved out a life for himself in rural India. In the quiet village of Hastinapore, Kalu has also found friends: Bal, the solitary boy who tends the local buffaloes, and Malti, a gentle servant girl, who with her mistress, Ganga Ba, has watched over Kalu since he first wandered into the small town. 

One day, perched high in the branches of a banyan tree, Kalu chooses a leaf, rolls it tightly, and as he’s done for as long as he can remember, blows through it. His pure, simple notes dance through the air and attract a traveling healer, whose interest will change Kalu’s life forever, setting him on a path he would never have dreamt possible and testing his belief in himself and his sense of identity. 

Rich in texture and atmosphere, Dancing to the Flute is a heartwarming story of a community’s joys and sorrows, the transformative powers of music, the many faces of friendship, and a boy’s journey, against all odds, to become a man

 My Thoughts

Take a trip through rural India. Learn about it culture and especially its classical music. Meet Kalu, a young boy who lives on the streets. To survive he runs errands.  It was hard to imagine that there could be anyone worse off than he was. Kalu has a friend named Bal.  I was sickened to learn his family sold him.  He had even less than Kalu had. Kalu had a talent that helped him improve his life.  He was gifted at playing the flute.  This ability  gets him noticed. It also is what helps him get an education.  As he travels we are shown the sights and sounds of life in rural India.  The descriptions are so vivid you get the image in your head and it stays with you. Just because he is discovered doesn’t mean trust comes easily to him.  Hope is something he tries to hang onto, but it is difficult when there has been so much pain in a small life. A great book from many aspects, learning about India and its classical music, learning about the lives of those who are on the lost rung of the caste system. I’ve heard stories from some of my Indian students, but this book brought it so much clearer.  A great book to read and learn from.  I recommend you read the book to see just how his life was changed and who it was that helped bring about that change.

Mastercraft Coloring Book for Grown-Ups

Genre: Coloring Book
Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

When I was asked to review this book I jumped on it.  I am always looking for adult coloring pages to help me relax.  I have a folder of individual coloring sheets I have found online to download. When I clicked on the link to look at this book I was surprised to see it was an ebook.  My first concern was how I was supposed to color the book.  The end of the book has a link to download the PDF version. I did that and immediately picked out four pictures to color.  These pictures are fun and whimsical as you can see from the cover above. I printed a whimsical cat, owl, a fun beachy type picture and a picture with mushrooms and leaves that reminded me of something from the 70s.  I enjoyed coloring the pictures.  The other thing I like about this book is that at times my granddaughter wants to color pictures like this. She's never been one to color Disney type pictures.  I know that this is something she would want to color as well.  I definitely will recommend this book. If I have a favorite picture all I have to do is print it over again.

The Rocket Book by Peter Newell

Genre: Children, Humor
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:
"When Fritz,
the Janitor's bad kid,
Went snooping in the basement,
He found a rock snugly hid
Beneath the window casement.

He struck a match with one fell swoop;
Then, on the concrete kneeling,
he lit the rocket and-she-oop!
It shot up through the ceiling."

Long before Richard Scarry or Dr. Seuss, an American artist delighted a generation of children and their parents with hilarious, topsy-turvy illustrations and slightly subversive tales told in rhyme. This was illustrator/author Peter Newell.

Originally published in 1912, The Rocket Book remains as profoundly enjoyable and incredibly popular as ever. This classic work will delight readers of all ages with the story of how a rocket launched from the basement floor of an apartment building and how it interrupts the day.

Peter Newell (1862-1924) began his career as an artist drawing portraits, using crayons as his medium. In his fantastic humor, many believe, is the first appearance of the gentle humor of the absurd which The New Yorkerhas subsequently developed to such a high level.

My Thoughts:
Oh my, what a fun book to read  The rhymes were charming.  We see the consequences of on bad act and how they are perceived.  The janitor's son finds a rocket in the basement and lights it. The rocket takes off and goes through each of the floors above it.  On each floor we have a different incident taking place that is destroyed by the rocket coming through. The people in the apartments seem to be oblivious to what truly happened until it reaches the top floor.  I loved the way each floor had a two stanza rhyming poem to explain what happened.  I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. This is one of those charming books to be enjoyed by young and old alike.  The pictures definitely have an old time feel.  If I were to meet the author I would have to say, "More Please."

Wandering Among the Stars by Wirton Arvel

Genre: Poetry
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:
The motivational biography of a poet, a tale written in prose with many poems and inspirational quotes.
‘Wandering among the stars’ tells the love story between the protagonist and life.

A story where poetry and prose are intertwined like soul and body, to bring this love story to life so the reader can live it.

So it’s not about a collection of poems, least of all a story in verse. Maybe it could be described as a book of ‘narrated poems’ or as a ‘literary musical'; actually it represents a narrative experiment that lies somewhere between a meta-novel, a collection of poems and an essay; its main aim is to encourage those readers that usually prefer to read only prose works to read poetry as well.

It includes chapters about love, the cosmos, death,spirituality and poetry itself.

My Thoughts:
This book is a mixture of both poetry and prose.  Through the author's writing we journey with him from the beginning of his writing of poetry to the present. His writing covers many themes, especially nature.  Reading his poetry we often find him incorporating lines that refer to "little rays of sunshine". His poetry is meant to be inspirational, first to himself and then to the reader.  In the beginning of the book he talks about what poetry is. He compares it to a painter or a juggler who plays wit words.  He metaphorically describes it as "moving along dancing".   It is emotional. He follows each poem with prose to explain it.  I didn't find this to be as enjoyable as the poetry which is why I gave it four stars.  I would have liked more poetry and less prose.  However, I do understand that this is his "journey" so the prose was necessary.  With all this said, I would definitely recommend the book.  His prose is a great way to explain to my students what poetry is.

Dragon’s Future by Kandi J. Wyatt

Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:

Every child of Woolpren dreams of becoming one, but only a few are chosen. Now, ten-year-old twin brother and sister, Ruskya and Duskya, have been selected to join an elite group of riders: dragon riders. Full of awe and excitement, the twins leave their mother, and their home, to train for their new lives.

Fifteen years later, dragons are becoming extinct and riders are rare. One day, Ruskya is at the general store in town when a man announces that he is recruiting new dragon riders. Ruskya goes undercover, and discovers that there is another colony of riders with their own agenda—a quest to find a mysterious plant that could restore the dragon population, or destroy it. When a battle erupts between the two colonies, it’s up to Ruskya and his friends to fight for their dragons’ future, and their lives.

Follow Ruskya’s quest as he finds courage and friendship in this exciting middle grade fantasy series by new author Kandi J Wyatt.

My Thoughts:

Not since reading Christopher Paolini’s “Eragon” have I read a book about dragons that made me want to be a part of that world.  I felt myself wishing I could be in the procession and chosen by a dragon. The book is full of adventure, danger and courage.  All of these are qualities I look for when searching for books for my students to read.  The author has given special gifts to these dragon riders and used simple plants to create the magic that makes all of this work together.  I read this book much slower than I usually read because I wanted to savor every word and didn’t want it to end.  The world the author created was so well described and authentic I could visualize it.  There are subtle lessons and themes throughout the story about friendship, trust, courage and the abuse of power. This would fit right in with my first or second teaching unit on adversity because the characters face some of the most adverse situations ever.   It is at times an emotional read as you feel the pain the twins feel as the story of what happened to their father is slowly unfolded.  This author is truly gifted at feeding in back story a little at a time in just the right places to keep it flowing. She never creates an information dump.  The book ends with so many possibilities for future books I the series.  I can hardly wait for the next book.

Kandi Wyatt has created a story that keeps you flying high like her dragon riders, making this a story for everyone from the reluctant middle school reader to the adventure seeking adult. This is a book that should be on every fantasy shelf, in every school.

About the Author:

Kandi J Wyatt is a wife, mother of five, teacher, artist, and author. In her free time, she enjoys writing fantasy stories and Christmas programs, and drawing with graphite and colored pencils. Portraits are her specialty. Kandi also enjoys photography, thanks to her photographer husband who has let her join his journey as both his model and apprentice, and she occasionally serves as his assistant when he needs a “light stand with feet.” To learn more, visit:

You Can Find her here:

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Sapient by Jerry Kaczmarowski

Genre: Young Adult, Adult Science Fiction, Thriller

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

What would you do to help your child? In Sapient we find Jane Dixon, a scientist working hard to find a cure for autism. This is something her own son has. While experimenting on rats and other animals she has a breakthrough. Einstein a rat can suddenly read and write.  We see Einstein and Bear a dog interact in ways that animals don’t usually interact. Some of these interactions are funny. She thinks there is something in the serum that will also help her son.  She makes a connection between her test subjects and when the serum begins to work on them. She realizes her own son is approaching that time period and her window is limited. Now the CDC and the army are both interested in her results.  She injects her son Robbie to try to cure him.  This causes a problem of epidemic proportions. When she is held, her son and the animals go on the run.  The entire time I was reading about her animal testing I kept thinking, if I taught older students and used this book the first thing I would do is get their perspective on whether it is right to use animals as test subjects.  I love reading books that have a controversial theme running through them.

As parents we often react without fully thinking of any possible consequences.  The author has shown a mother who does just that, under the false assumption that she is doing it for her son’s best interest.  The story flowed smoothly and quickly. There were enough twists and turns to keep the reader involved with this story.  Highly recommend this to people who like that science fiction thriller quality in a book.

About Jerry Kaczmarowski:

Jerry Kaczmarowski lives in Seattle with his family. He writes techno-thrillers that explore the benefits and dangers of mankind's scientific advancement. His first book, Moon Rising, was released in June 2014.  His second book, Sapient, was published in April 2015.

Jerry spent the first twenty years of his professional life in the consulting industry on the West Coast. His fascination with technology is matched only by his love of stories. His books intertwine action with a keen insight into how technology will shape our lives in the coming years.

To learn more, go to http://www.jerrykaczmarowski.com/   

Connect with Jerry on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

Two Unique Items

Two very unique items.  I received them in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

The Children's Pack of Frames by Bryan Canniff

From Good Reads:
This is a pack of pre-printed frames for children's art. Just draw, crayon, or paint in the frames and you have a framed masterpiece to hang or give to Grandma. London artist Emma Rios created the bold decorative frames.

My Thoughts:

I actually received two sets of these to review in exchange for an honest review.  The first set had a coating on them.  What we discovered was when my grandchildren used water based markers they tended to smear.  For my four year old grandson this turned into a beautiful watercolor look within the frame.  That is because his arm kept going over the wet marker.  His sister used crayons on it successfully.  With the second set those same watercolor markers worked great and were vibrant. My granddaughter made a birthday card/gift for her grandfather out of one of them. I have mine hanging on my wall.  She spent several hours making gifts to take with her when she visits her dad who has just returned from deployment. She made one not only for him, but for her brothers and step-mom. She said she liked that she didn't have to find a frame for it because it was done.  These are great for kids of all ages. I've had grand kids ages 4 to 9 create on these and they had a blast.  I am so thrilled I was allowed to review them.

Imagination Will Take You Everywhere (Doodle Art Alley Books volume 1 by Samantha Snyder

From Goodreads:
Explore the Magic of Doodle Art.

Imagination Will Take You Everywhere shares 50 doodle art images of inspiring sayings, quotes, and words printed on one side of the page for all ages to color.

Quotes from famous authors include Emily Dickinson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Benjamin Franklin, John Keats, Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, William Shakespeare, and more. The book also includes sayings and words from Be Kind, Courage, and Dream Big to Enjoy the Journey, Faith, and Hope.Each doodle art image has been carefully selected to provide plenty of enjoyment, inspiration, and relaxation .

My Thoughts:
I've been doing a lot of doodling and coloring of doodles and mandalas.  When given the opportunity to try out this doodle book and review it, I responded with a resounding YES PLEASE!  In this day and age our stress levels are higher.  We can't always get out and do things that will reduce our stress level. For me, when I would come home late from work, have to fix dinner then deal with my mother who now lives with us, I was not always able to go out and do something to reduce my stress levels from the day.  However, I could sit and relax while doodling and coloring, while making sure my mom was safe and sound.  The difference between what I had been coloring and what this book is all about is simple.  I'd been coloring pictures, or creating my own doodles.  Yes I have three journals of doodles. I opened this book and realized there was an inspirational saying on each and every page.  The drawings are incorporated around the words.  I tried colored pencils, twist up crayons, regular crayons, permanent markers and water color markers.  All of them work quite well. I have not tried my water color pencils yet.  The key word there is yet.  It will be coming, I'm just not sure when.  I really loved the inspirational sayings. Not only do you calm down and relax while coloring, but you get inspired by the quotes.  Definitely recommending this to all of my friends who color like me. 

Hurray God by Jeanette Sharp

Genre: Inspirational
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

These are stories that will inspire you. There are several stories here, each one inspiring.  Some will bring tears to your eyes.  All of them will show you how God works in our lives.  Some of these stories rocked people to their core, while others were simple stories that showed no matter how big or small the situation God is always there if we take the time to listen to and rely upon him.  These stories, this book would make an excellent gift for friends and family, whether they are going through a crisis or not.