Not my favourite Amish book unfortunately. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy the characters, the family of Arie was frustrating, not much love or warmth and the same with Edwin's family, with his family just poor relationships non that are resolved, I wonder why they were introduced because they did not impact the story in a positive way.

I didn't like this book as much as Wanda's other stories.
I did love the dialogue even though they probably don't think like that but who really knows? It was fun knowing what they thought though.
Some readers will think that Lorrina is selfish but really shes not. She just didn't want to follow in her mother's footsteps and who can blame her? She wants to be her own person.
Arie is a weird name for an Amish girl. I thought Arie was the kind of selfish one. I didn't much care for her and I felt sorry for Edwin.
I didn't like that Lorrina and Arie got their own story because it felt like I was reading two different books.
Im giving 3 stars for this one. It just fell flat for me. I kept hoping that it would pick up but never did.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. A opinions expressed are mine.

Stories of life among the Amish are always of great interest to me. Indeed, this one kept my interest and curiosity alive throughout. An Amish ballerina seemed very unlikely to me but inquisitiveness got the better of me and I found myself flipping through the pages to discover what Arie was up to.

Arie was very secretly into ballet dancing, a no-no frowned upon by the Amish. The dynamics of the issue for Arie mirrored an inner struggle. Would she be able to embrace her Amish-ness, or not?

I was very satisfied with this clean story not only because of the Amish element but the added faith-based input and the dash of romance. There was some extra 'meat' in regards to time the author, Richelle Brunstetter, must have put in to researching both ballet moves and the drill team of synchronized horse demonstrations, so that she could describe them with enjoyment for the reader. It was a lovely touch too, to find a recipe at book's end that refers to the soup Brenda makes for her family.

Overall, I believe that the author has treated the Amish with dignity and respect; another great point in favor of this book.

~ Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger ~

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

I found this story very slow moving with more detail than it needed. Honestly, it's not a book I would recommend

❝It is aflame so it can shine, and what's true must be spoken without restriction, much like a burning wick that brightens a room. This also holds true for the talents we possess. Each of us has been bestowed with gracious gifts. It's unwise to disregard our abilities out of a sense of not serving or to hide them out of fear of judgment. First Peter 4:10 says, 'As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.’❞

‘Amish Ballerina’ tells the story of Arie Kauffman who loves to dance ballet, though prohibited in her amish community. She longs to twirl and leap on a stage but she also wants to be a good amish daughter to her parents and join the church to be with her long-term boyfriend Edwin.

Though the title makes you believe that the story is mainly Arie’s, I feel like this book also gives enough focus to two of the most important people in Arie’s life: her boyfriend Edwin and best friend Lorrina. Each is going through something difficult in their lives; their family lives to be specific, and we see them getting the attention they deserve. I applaud that.

I just didn’t care about the characters. They were very realistic with their flaws, but I just couldn’t find myself rooting for any of them. I also didn’t enjoy the dialogue. A lot of times, I kept thinking, “No one talks like this in real life.”

This was my first book by Wanda E. Brunstetter and though I didn’t enjoy it, I know she’s loved and will definitely give her other books a try.

I have loved Wanda Brunstetter and Amish fiction for years. This book is not a favorite and the best I can describe it as is okay. The characters were not very likeable; and even though it is full of biblical truths the storyline to go with them seemed forced. I felt like there was not a lot of depth to the characters and most of them seemed selfish.

Thank you for the ability to read and give and honest review.

This book about an Amish girl who had a passion for dance was very interesting and different from other Amish books. Arie had some problems with her parents, allowing her to explore the things that she wanted to learn about. She knew that ballet was against the Amish culture so she kept it hidden from her parents for years. She had an English friend who took lessons weekly. They would get together and Lorraina would teach Arie what she had learned in class. It was never clear to me how she met this English friend.
As the book goes on, Arie’s parents find out that she has been secretly learning ballet throughout the years and are very disappointed in her. Arie decides that she is going to start taking classes with her friend because that is what she wants to do. The class has come between her and her boyfriend so they break up. One night there is a car accident that damages her parent’s store and this seems to change everything. I enjoyed the book and feel that others will enjoy it also.

This was a lackluster book, in my opinion. It definitely wasn’t up to par with Wanda’s other books. I have noticed whenever she has a co-author, the book isn’t as good. My rating is a 3 1/2 stars. There’s a good Christian message throughout the book, but too many characters are grouchy and complaining. I also felt a lot of the dialogue was unrealistic. I was given a complimentary copy of this book and the opinions are my own.

I have never heard of an Amish girl wanting to be a ballerina. It was a good story.
I especially liked the friendship between the two girls. The parents could have
been a little more understanding.
Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

The Amish Ballerina by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Richelle Brunstetter. I was really wanting to love this book but it wasn’t my favorite book she has written. Still an enjoyable read with Faith and Family at the center. Thank you to # NetGalley and #BarbourPublishing for this Arc. This is my honest review.

Loved reading the inspirational and awesome story. Arie has a passion to learn ballet, but it is against her Amish faith, and her boyfriend, Edwin, wants her to choose the Amish church, so they can stay together. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting Christian romance story

I’ve read books by Wanda Brunstetter before and enjoyed them, so was eager to try this book. However, I had a hard time with it. There’s a huge cast of characters, and I didn’t connect with any of them, and didn’t really like any of them. Most of the time it seemed most of them were cranky, irritable, self-centered, and finding fault with others, both adults and children. The relationships and interactions seemed stilted, and even the plot twists seemed stilted. I kept hoping the book would get better, but in the end, I was just glad to finish it.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." #TheAmishBallerina #NetGalley

Wow! I absolutely loved this book written by Wanda and her granddaughter. I loved the plot and the main character who questions her passion of ballet dancing.. I love how Scripture and honoring God are displayed beautifully and practically in the story. This was a page turner and finished the book in a day. I was grateful to be able to obtain a free copy through the publisher and NetGalley. If you love Amish fiction, This is a book I highly recommend. It is a stand alone book.

Arie Kauffman had a friend Lorrina Moore, who invited her to a ballet performance when she was ten years old. Arie was Amish, and they were not allowed to pursue dancing, but Arie went and she was enthralled with the movement, and Lorrine taught her as much ballet as she could.
Many years later Arie was dating Edwin, she was helping her parents at their store and watching her brother and sister while her parents worked. Edwin found out about Arie's ballet when he found her practicing in the barn loft. Arie told Edwin about her passion for ballet but that she loved him too.
Then a tornado came through....