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Liked It “Mary Kate (M.K.) has finally reached adulthood and she wants to spread her wings and explore the world. Although she dearly loves her family and friends, she's not sure the Amish life is for her. However, her big plans grind to a halt when she accidentally crashes into the community's school...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Mary Kate (M.K.) has finally reached adulthood and she wants to spread her wings and explore the world. Although she dearly loves her family and friends, she's not sure the Amish life is for her. However, her big plans grind to a halt when she accidentally crashes into the community's school teacher, and she has to teach the kids until the regular teacher has recovered. But she is much more interested in playing detective than teaching. She wants to solve a murder and find out more about the mysterious strangers that moved into town. In this third and final book of the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, M.K. matures, but she is also the same fun-loving M. K. She learns to stay true to her nature while learning (once and for all?) that she should keep her nose out of other people's business. But will she stay in Stoney Ridge, or leave the community to explore the world?
Rachel B wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I'm really glad The Lesson gave me the opportunity to tie up all the loose ends on the Lapp family. The book is a quick read, with a light and humorous writing style. M.K. is probably the most complex character in the series, and this exploration of her strengths, weaknesses, and quirks makes for a satisfying conclusion to the Stoney Ridge Seasons series. ”
“Bill read this, I liked it although at times the main character drove me crazy.”
Sue K wrote this review Thursday, April 11, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“***This is the "conclusion" to the Stoney Ridge Series***
JuneBug31 wrote this review Friday, April 5, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Story Description:
Baker Publishing Group|January 1, 2013|Trade Paperback|ISBN: 978-0-8007-1989-0
In her wildest dreams, spunky and impulsive nineteen-year-old Mary Kate Lapp never imagined herself behind a school teacher’s desk. A run-in (literally) with the school teacher 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.
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.
My Review:
Every time I read one of these novels with M.K. as the star I just shake my head. M.K. or Mary Kate Lapp is now nineteen-years-old but still has the propensity for getting herself into trouble. At every single turn of the page she is into someone else’s business and accusing someone of something only to find that she jumped head first into the fire and should have waited, then spends half an hour saying “What have I done….what have I done now?”
After running into the school teacher with her scooter, the teacher needs time off to recuperate and the Board of Education believes that M.K. would be the best person to fill-in as a substitute but M.K. does not want to teach school and is dreading every single moment of it. She was slowly counting down the days until her time was up when she overheard one of the students say something terribly derogatory about her teaching ability that soon changed her tune and she began to take the job more seriously.
Then, a young man moves into the community just as a farmer is killed and of course good ‘ol M.K. doesn’t think the Sheriff is doing a good enough job at solving the crime and decides to get involved herself. Next thing you know some innocent person is being dragged off to jail in the back of a police car all thanks to her. Once again, “what has she done!”
M.K. makes me laugh out loud. She just can’t seem to mind her own business and is so busy conducting everyone else’s that she doesn’t pay enough attention to her own.
My only complaint with this third in the series was the ending. It was totally abrupt. I turned the page expecting to read more and there was nothing. I felt the author left us hanging and should have added at least another chapter at the end to tie up some loose ends but I suppose it’s been left up to our imaginations. I, personally, would have preferred to see the story continue on for a bit. Other than that, this was a crackerjack read and you’ll enjoy it immensely!
"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".
”
“This was not what I expected. I didn't like that the author pretty much made Jimmy Fisher a joke! He was ridiculous and acted like an idiot just like his brother. I was so hoping he would grow up. I think everyone expected this book to be a love story between MK and Jimmy! That's why I was so excited to read this one. I thought it would be the best but it was probably the worst of hers that I've read. Maybe because I had such high expectations.”
Amy B wrote this review Saturday, February 9, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Stony Ridge Seasons book 3:
Karen S wrote this review Monday, January 28, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
MK is "drafted" to teach, much against her wishes. Chris & Jenny come into her life, and they change everything. An accident from years ago ties them all together, and when the truth comes out, they are all stronger and better..
”
“Mary Kate Lapp is a bit like George Bailey from It's A Wonderful Life. Filled with dreams of exotic places and all she desires is the right time to set out on her journey. But at nineteen, she's still struggling to find her place in the world. She's a bit impulsive, over-active, and what some would call a bit of a busy body. Still she sees nothing wrong with her flittering in and out of people's lives around her. Until they seem to lead to trouble when she least expects it. Yet Mary Kate or M.K. as her friends and family refer to her, is more than smart. She's determined, a bit strong-willed and persistent. Since adventure has yet to find her, she's making plans for something more.
Kat wrote this review Monday, January 14, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
As luck would have it, adventure happens when and where she least expects it. While riding in her buggy one afternoon she hears a loud boom and when she investigates, it leads her to find a sheep farmer who has been murdered. M.K. takes a personal responsibility to find out who the murderer is before they kill in her small Amish community once again. But the police are less than pleased with M.K.'s offer to help solve the crime. So she does what any determined young women with a curious mind would, she sets out to find clues on her own.
While in the process she runs in to quite literally, Alice Smucker, who is the town's local drama queen. When she insists that she is going to die and requests that M.K. summons an ambulance, fate intervenes. Now that Alice is out of commission, the town needs a substitute teacher and the board has just the right person in mind. That's right, M.K. After all she spent the last eight-years under Alice's schooling and isn't the slightest bit pleased when they want her to fill in for the next three weeks. She doesn't have the slightest clue how to teach a class and her room full of students is about to unleash their worst on poor M.K. Adventure has indeed come to town.
In the novel, The Lesson by Suzanne Woods Fisher, we find ourselves at the concluding book in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series. In this one, the story revolves around M. K. or Mary Kate Lapp who seems to always be right in the middle of everything when she least expects it or when people would rather have her any place else. But besides adventure has she grown up enough to perhaps find someone to share in her spirited adventures or will she simply be too busy to notice what is right in front of her eyes. Just who is the new stranger that has moved into town and just why does he seem to keep to himself all the time. Is he in fact hiding something? Could it be that M.K. has found the murderer after all right beneath her nose the whole time? Well, you will need to pick this one up for yourself to find out.
I received The Lesson by Suzanne Woods Fisher compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Revell Publishers for my honest review. Having read the previous books in the series, The Keeper and The Haven, I was super excited to see how Suzanne would bring all this to a closure. It can be read as a stand alone but to really get to know the characters of Stoney Ridge, you will want to pick up the other two books. This is a delightful end to the most animated character in this series and one I could relate to quite a bit with my own version of M.K. in my youngest daughter. It has allowed me to see her a bit differently than I did before and like the ending of the book, it all comes full circle when you can see where it has all been going before. For fans of Christian Amish Romance with a bit of mystery attached, you will want to place this one on your must read list! I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars!”
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