Wednesday, January 30, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: THE LESSON by SUZANNE WOODS FISHER

The Lesson (Stoney Ridge Seasons)

 by

Suzanne Woods Fisher

  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Revell (January 1, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0800719891
  • ISBN-13: 978-0800719890
 About the book . . . 



Centered on one of Suzanne Woods Fisher’s most loved characters, this is the story fans have eagerly anticipated. The precocious M.K. is all grown up (well, almost) and ready to take on the world–with surprising results. Fisher’s trademark plot twists and turns are as unexpected and satisfying as ever in this third book in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series.

In her wildest dreams, spunky and impulsive nineteen-year-old Mary Kate Lapp never imagined herself behind a schoolteacher’s desk. A run-in (literally) with the schoolteacher compels her to act as a substitute teacher, just as her restless desire to see the world compels her to apply for a passport . . . just in case. The only thing of interest to M.K. in the sleepy Amish community of Stoney Ridge is the unexplained death of a sheep farmer that coincided with the arrival of a mysterious young man into the community. Frustrated that no one takes the crime seriously, she takes matters into her own hands. Unfortunately, as tends to be the case for M.K., she jumps headlong into trouble.


About the author . . .         

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Lancaster County Secrets series and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is also the coauthor of a new Amish children’s series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist. She is the host of internet radio show Amish Wisdom and a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California. For more information, please visit suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher. Get Amish proverbs delivered right to your iphone or ipad! Download the Free App! http://bit.ly/134r55G

Find out more about Suzanne at http://suzannewoodsfisher.com/.


Reader Review . . . 

Mary Kate Lapp yearns for adventure and excitement, but she thinks the situation is hopeless when she is assigned to substitute for the local schoolteacher.  Things begin to look more promising when her father hires a young man who is new to the community. He seems to have a secret, and Mary Kate (M.K.)  is determined to solve the mystery.

Truthfully, at the beginning of the novel I found the character of M.K. to be too frivolous and excitable to be believable.  But as the story progressed and the character matured, I became more interested in the story.  The back story of Chris and Jenny was particularly compelling, as it is not a theme usually addressed in Amish fiction.  I really appreciated the author's commitment to a realistic ending, as it would have been easy for her to take another route.

Appropriate for adolescents and older.

4.5 stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Litfuse Publicity Group<http://www.litfusegroup.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


****************************************************************************

***********************************************************************

2013 A-Z Reading Challenge

 


Do you love to read?  You know I do!  Escape with Dollycas Into a Good Book is hosting a reading challenge for 2013.This challenge will run from January 1st, 2012 until December 31st, 2013.

You can join anytime. It’s an alphabet challenge!!! The challenge is to read one book starting with every letter of the alphabet. 


So there are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z Reading Challenge.


A -  Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.


OR


B - Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet. For example: A – The Azalea Assault B- Blue Monday C – Crops and Robbers D – A Deadly Grind etc.



Books can be read in any order and all formats – print – e-book – audio – are acceptable for this challenge!
Ready to join?? 
Sign up at Escape with Dollycas Into a Good Book and grab the button.  


Non-bloggers you can join too! Just keep track any way you wish and enter a link below if available or sign up in the comment section. You can even set up a special shelf on Goodreads to help you keep track!


Need some help finding titles to match the alphabet –
Jandy’s Reading Room has a wonderful list to get you started.

Here is my list:  
A        AN ANGEL BY HER SIDE - RUTH REID - 4 stars
B       
C        CHRISTMAS WITH THE FIRST LADIES - COLLEEN CHRISTIAN BURKE
D        THE DILEMMA OF CHARLOTTE FARROW- OLIVIA NEWPORT
E       
F        

G       
H       
I         ICONIC SPIRITS:  AN INTOXICATING HISTORY - MARK SPIVAK
J       
K        KILLER RATINGS -  LISA SEIDMAN
L        TO LOVE A WOLF - BK WALKER
M        MY NAME IS MARY SUTTER - ROBIN OLIVEIRA
N        NEVER LET YOU GO - ERIN HEALY
O       
P        PERIL:  FROM JACKBOOTS TO JACK BENNY - PEARL GOODMAN - 4 STARS
Q        QUEEN OF THE AIR:  A TRUE STORY OF LOVE AND TRAGEDY AT THE CIRCUS - DEAN JENSEN
R        RAISING CUBBY-JOHN ELDER ROBISON
S       
T        THE POSTMISTRESS-SARAH BLAKE
U        UNCONQUERED:  THE SAGA OF COUSINS JERRY LEE LEWIS, JIMMY SWAGGART, AND MICKY GILLEY - J.D. DAVIS
V        VANISHED-IRENE HANNON - 5 STARS
W       
X       
Y       
Z       

I will be updating my list and will keep it posted on here.  Check back to see what I've read, and comment and let me know when you join the challenge.  Here's to a year of good reading!

*****************************************************************************************************

Gather kittens while you may, Time brings only sorrow; And the kittens of today; Will be old cats tomorrow. - Oliver Herford




5 comments:

Teddy Rose said...

It sounds kind of like a Little House on the Prairie type Book to me. Great review!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

That book doesn't really seem my type, but it looks interesting! Thanks for sharing it:)

Victoria from Always a Booklover

Unknown said...

Another to consider. Thanks. :)

THE SELF-TAUGHT COOK said...

Teddy- Now that you mention it, there is somewhat of a "Little House on the Prairie" resemblance. I always loved that series in childhood, so perhaps that's why I enjoyed this series.
Victoria & Rebecca - Thanks for your comments! I don't know about you, but since I began reading book reviews on others' blogs, I have found several interesting books that are not in my usual genres.

AddThis

Pin It