Two Great Stories and Two Great Authors

The Turtle's Shell by Vincent Eke
Pages: 46
Genre:  Early Reader, African Folklore
Source: Review Copy

From Goodreads
The Turtle's Shell tells the story of Tobi, a smart turtle who thinks he can get away with deceiving his friends. He ends up learning a few shell cracking lessons. This friendly easy-to-read book shows children how our everyday actions and decisions always consequences. This story also draws attention to the nuggets of wisdom embedded in African cultural stories which can be emulated by any child whatever their racial background.

My Thoughts:
I love reading folklore.  This story tells how the turtle got the patches on his shell.  This is a wonderful story that teaches children the importance of compassion, community service, not being greedy, doing the right thing, sharing, caring for community.  The story is told to a group of children by a wise woman of their village.  When famine his the animal kingdom the lion calls a meeting and they decide to find food and share it. However, the turtle sets out with great intentions but becomes greedy and doesn't share with his fellow animals as agreed.  This is a story that children and adults of all ages will enjoy reading over and over.  The cool thing is that this story book has coloring pages within it.
I look forward to reading more by this author.

Places you can find the author:
www.lionpen.com
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Pinterest

The Sad Tree and Pronuba by Christina Steiner
Pages: 32
Genre: Children's, Early Reader
Source: Review copy

From Goodreads
A Lonely Tree and a Special Friend... The desert is a lonely place for Joshua, a tree who has never seen another tree like him. He asks everyone in his environment to help him find a companion...but although the desert loves him, nobody can help. Things change for Joshua one beautiful spring night when a tiny moth comes to visit. This exquisite story about the life-cycle relationship between the Joshua Tree and the Pronuba Moth will delight readers of all ages.

My Thoughts
This is a wonderful book about a Joshua tree that grows in the desert. He was sad and lonely because he was the only one of his kind. Then he learns there is another, but he can't move to visit or even see it.  A small moth is allowed to lay her eggs inside his flowers.  In exchange she helps him out. This is a story that teaches a science lesson of how the interaction of nature recreates life.  This was beautifully told, simply told so the youngest child will understand. The pictures were beautiful.  Another great book for children to read or for parents and grandparents to read over and over again to children.

Vanguard of Hope by Kathy Steinemann

Pages: 349

Genre:  Adult, Mystery

Source:  I received a review copy

From Goodreads:

ALTERNATIVE HISTORY:

LISETVILLE, 1890 -- Murders are committed; homes are burned; family secrets are buried; an unexpected romance complicates lives. Amid the mystery and violence, a vigilante brigade emerges to administer justice.

Flowing through the intrigue and drama is a dark undercurrent that will touch your heart as you empathize with the victim.

My Thoughts:

This was not like a lot of the books I read.  This book was told through diary or journal entries.  Hope, the main character is a victim of rape by her father.  This causes her to have difficulty with relationships within her own family and friends.  She is married to Peter, a doctor.  Thinking he doesn’t love her, she is drawn to a former slave.  While her husband is away the two have an affair and she ends up pregnant.  She and her husband work things out.  In the meantime the Sapphire Brigade goes about exacting justice upon those who prey upon women and young girls.  There seemed to be several storylines going through this at one time.  After Hope’s husband dies she marries once again. The ending left an opening for the second book in the series.  I really wanted to like this a lot.  It is not that it was a bad book, far from it.  It was just not something I really enjoyed for personal reasons.  I am sure there are many out there who would enjoy this book and I recommend they give it a try.

The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis

Pages: 323

Genre: Amish, Romance

Source:  (Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review through Library Thing’s Early Reviewer program.)

From Goodreads:

Amelia "Amy" DeVries, a 24-year-old violinist, is disillusioned with life and love after the collapse of her long-running romance. Weary of endless rehearsals and performances, Amy sets out on a road trip through the Pennsylvania mountains. She leaves her cell phone behind so life's demands can't intrude on her solitude. She doesn't know, nor care, where she will end up.

When her car breaks down deep in the mountains, Amy realizes the flaw in her "no cell phone" plan. She abandons her car and walks the winding roads, searching for help. Following the smell of woodsmoke and the sound of music, she finds a rustic log cabin. There she meets a young Amishman--and through him a community--that will change her life forever.

My Thoughts:

I have to say that Beverly Lewis is one of my favorite authors of Amish fiction.  She has crafted a wonderful story where the characters are very believable.  Their problems are such that no matter what your background you can relate to them.  All of us have parents who have had dreams for their children.  We don’t want to disappoint our parents.  In this book Amelia’s father has a dream of her becoming a concert violinist.  Amelia loves playing the violin.  However, she really loves fiddling.  Her father would think this is beneath her talents.   The other main character is Michael.  He loves his father dearly but would love to become an architect.  That would mean not joining the church and entering college.  Neither want to disappoint their parents.  Yet, their dreams, if they followed them and their hearts would do just that.  They must each face and make hard choices.  There is a small romance in the story. Want to find out if either one of them follows their own path?  Then I suggest you go out and get this first book in the series.  You won’t be disappointed.