This book combines two very unusual subjects and modern day topics and weaving them into an informative, entertaining and interesting story!
Lydia is quirky and can't seem to keep her life in order. This leads her quickly going from job to job in rapid succession. She feels doesn't fit in anywhere, especially not in the ordered life of the Amish. She secretly plans to leave.
Nathan's dream is to become a successful organic farmer. He loves Lydia and only sees her sweet spirit and unusual insight into situations. Unfortunately his father and brother are sold out to using as many harmful chemicals on their crops as the can. Ignoring the impact they have on the environment and health.
To complicate matters more Lydia's paternal grandmother comes to stay. She is overbearing, unkind, controlling and has a master plan to âfixâ Lydia once and for all. Lydia's Aunt, Dok is a physician who left the Amish years ago. She offers her a job in her office. Her suspicions are validated with some testing, Lydia has ADHD.
All the characters are so multifaceted! Each has their own faults and struggles they are secretly dealing with. Ms. Fisher beautifully weaves them all together in their relationships and community!
I learned much about ADHD that I wasn't aware of. Not only some of the challenges but also how greatly it impacts one's day to day existence. I appreciated that the author presented that it can be treated without medication.
A wonderful story of forgiveness and God's healing in unexpected ways.
I received this book from Revell Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated are my own.
Lydia is quirky and can't seem to keep her life in order. This leads her quickly going from job to job in rapid succession. She feels doesn't fit in anywhere, especially not in the ordered life of the Amish. She secretly plans to leave.
Nathan's dream is to become a successful organic farmer. He loves Lydia and only sees her sweet spirit and unusual insight into situations. Unfortunately his father and brother are sold out to using as many harmful chemicals on their crops as the can. Ignoring the impact they have on the environment and health.
To complicate matters more Lydia's paternal grandmother comes to stay. She is overbearing, unkind, controlling and has a master plan to âfixâ Lydia once and for all. Lydia's Aunt, Dok is a physician who left the Amish years ago. She offers her a job in her office. Her suspicions are validated with some testing, Lydia has ADHD.
All the characters are so multifaceted! Each has their own faults and struggles they are secretly dealing with. Ms. Fisher beautifully weaves them all together in their relationships and community!
I learned much about ADHD that I wasn't aware of. Not only some of the challenges but also how greatly it impacts one's day to day existence. I appreciated that the author presented that it can be treated without medication.
A wonderful story of forgiveness and God's healing in unexpected ways.
I received this book from Revell Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated are my own.
Welcome back to Stoney Ridge and all of its colorful characters! This delightful story is full of insight into family relationships, friendship, and faith, with subtle humor. It was fun to see mentions of returning characters, but easy to read as a stand alone.
Lydie is a wonderfully unique character, bursting with energy, creativity, and a concern for others. I just wanted to hug her, cheer her on, and reaffirm what people finally realized, that she was special and loved just as she was, something many need to hear. The hurtfulness of gossip, comparison, and deceptions makes her story especially heart tugging, as she struggles with trying to fit in and please others.
The author does a great job of showing other points of view, i.e. Lydie's father, David, and her friend Nathan. Research into Attention Deficit Disorder was clearly evident and naturally woven into the story. The organic gardening topic is quite relevant to today and made an interesting point of contention between the siblings. I liked all of the Amish sayings with gardening that held extra meaning, like "walking the beans".
A charming story that kept me reading quickly to the end. Highly recommend! 5 stars!
(An ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.)
Lydie is a wonderfully unique character, bursting with energy, creativity, and a concern for others. I just wanted to hug her, cheer her on, and reaffirm what people finally realized, that she was special and loved just as she was, something many need to hear. The hurtfulness of gossip, comparison, and deceptions makes her story especially heart tugging, as she struggles with trying to fit in and please others.
The author does a great job of showing other points of view, i.e. Lydie's father, David, and her friend Nathan. Research into Attention Deficit Disorder was clearly evident and naturally woven into the story. The organic gardening topic is quite relevant to today and made an interesting point of contention between the siblings. I liked all of the Amish sayings with gardening that held extra meaning, like "walking the beans".
A charming story that kept me reading quickly to the end. Highly recommend! 5 stars!
(An ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.)
Anything but Plain by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a special Amish tale. I thought the story was well-written with realistic, developed characters. I liked returning to Stoney Ridge with its familiar characters (can be read as a standalone). There are some amusing characters. I would put Hank near the top of the list. I can just imagine him with his loud voice (he always shouts). Lydie Stoltzfus is a great character. She is lighthearted, lively, and scattered. Lydie has trouble staying focused and following through on things (starts one project and then goes off to another, leaving cupboard doors open, always late). Lydie feels like a round peg being pushed into a square hole. I thought the author did a wonderful job at showing how ADHD can affect a person's life. I can tell the author did her research on ADHD. It was interesting learning about the techniques that can help people with ADHD (something besides medication). I loved the humor scattered throughout the story. Lydie's grandmother is a force of nature. People would rather flee their home than deal with her. I enjoyed learning about organic farming and the different types of produce. There were some varieties that I had never heard of before. I like that the author showed how pesticides can affect people (an example is individuals with asthma). The romance progressed slowly which suited the story. There are a couple of different storylines in the book involving various characters in Stoney Ridge. It makes for a more engaging book. The ending left me with a smile on my face. I appreciated that there was a cast of characters at the beginning of the book. Anything but Plain was an entertaining story. I hope this is not our last visit to Stoney Ridge. Anything but Plain is a diverting tale with a speedy scooter, an undulating pasture, a meddling Mammi, a fleeing family, missing magazine pages, a big blast, and a surefire solution.
