Year Update and The Fiddler

Wow! The year is halfway over almost and it seems like not much changed.

Am I living up to "Create" as a theme. I think I have made the most progress in creating a community. I have also been volunteering at church  and that helps me use my gifts. My weak areas are in developing a job I love or I would settle for could stand. I would also like to do some type of craft or artwork. I really miss singing also.

I have been reading a lot lately. I received the following title from Bethany House-a division of Baker Publishing Group, The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis. I receive no compensation for reviewing this book other than a free copy of the book.

I think it is a good and easy read. I have never read any kind of Amish fiction before. This book is definitely Amish fiction. Because I am a newbie to the genre, I think there were stories about the minor characters that I was supposed to know from other books. I didn't know but it didn't really bother me.

So the basic premise is that this girl Amelia who is a classical violinist has a secret life as the fiddler Amy Lee, as in a bluegrass fiddler. Her father, boyfriend, and agent have her life planned for her. She is going to record classical music and travel the world. Her secret life as a fiddler is her attempt at her own life, a secret life. She is coming home form a concert and gets lost and stuck near Amish country. She is rescued or really just found by Michael, a man who has left his family because he refuses to join the Amish church. He is stuck between both worlds.

They return together to Amish country and the quiet life is refreshing to Amelia. With Amelia's help, Michael sees his world through new eyes. Without spoiling what happens, I like that through this meeting they help each other to discover a life that doesn't alienate their families, and gets them unstuck from being caught between what they want and the expectations of others. The plot is somewhat predictable but I did think it was heading somewhere else at times.

I don't think this is classical fiction by any means but it did make me compare their dram a to my own life and maybe realize that their is the best life in the middle of two extremes.