The Tony Awards

Let me just say if all awards shows were this awsome I would actually watch them. These are two performances from the 2011 Tony Awards. This is why Broadway Rocks!!!

The opening number



and a duet between Hugh Jackman and Neil Patrick Harris

“Most convicted felons are just people who were not taken to museums or Broadway musicals as children.”    - Libby Gelman-Waxner quotes

The Healer's Apprentice

I love books set in a different time period. I think my favorites are probably ones with princes or princesses. That is what drew me to The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson.

Overview:

Two Hearts. One Hope.

Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her—a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill.

When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she's never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

Pasted from <http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/healers-apprentice-melanie-dickerson/1100162136?ean=9780310721437&itm=1&product.urlkeywords=healers-apprentice%2fmelanie-dickerson&usri=the%2bhealer%2bs%2bapprentice>

When I first started reading this book it was a little confusing and hard to keep the names straight. For the future Duke character Dickerson switched between calling him Lord Hamlin and Wilhelm without explaining in the beginning of the book that it is the same person. At first while reading it seemed that they were two different characters rather than the same one with a formal and informal name. Once I made it farther into the book it picked up with Wilhelm pushing Rose toward his brother thinking he would be better for her. Of course that could not work out. My only real problem with this book is the incorporation of religion for the characters. Now don’t get me wrong I am not against religion and I believe that everyone has the right to believe what they want. My problem with the religion in the book is that the characters relied on religion to much. When someone was sick they would be stitched up and then a prayer would be said. What is strange about that is the characters expected God to fix the wound like the stitches were just a precaution. When Rose was in danger Wilhelm prayed more than he did anything. I wanted more action and less sitting around praying about stuff hoping God would just fix it for them.  This is a good book if you like time period pieces and you can deal with all the praying. If you don’t like those things then this isn't the book for you.