Not What I Expected

If you are a serious musician, well-versed in all of the intricacies of Mozart's compositions, this book might really strike a chord (ha!) with you. I expected a little more biography, which is there, but sketchily, in my view. There was quite a bit of supposition about why he wrote what he wrote and what he was feeling due to the goings-on around him, but of course we don't know the reality of any of that. The writer is a poet and it did, at times, feel a bit like a poetry book with a lot more flowery talk than the straight scoop. Not my jam. (Sorry, I couldn't help it.)

From Frightening to Heartwarming

Special Ed teacher Torey Hayden taught the kids that no other teacher would take, and had a history of success despite her (or maybe because of) her outside-the-box style of classroom management. One day she was notified that she would be adding to her classroom a six year old who had committed a heinous crime, until a space was available at the state hospital. This story tells the tale of her introduction to Sheila, the challenge(s) in reaching her, and the breakthrough that occurred due to her relentless pursuit of a connection. I couldn't put it down. There is a sequel, and I got it for Christmas--gotta go read!

Didn't Grab Me

I have to start by saying I read an ARC, so there's that. I was befuddled by a couple of early inconsistencies (I even went back and re-read the whole start to see if I'd forgotten something--nope) which made me feel like I was walking on a wobbly fence top, not quite knowing what I knew about the story. That aside, however, I didn't feel that the characters were very well-developed, nor was the conclusion very clear. I'm afraid it's a "meh" for me.