Book Review: Where We Fall

I found Where We Fall to be the kind of book that I do not want to put down once I start. It is so beautifully written and insightful into depression. As a past sufferer of this infliction I felt she was able to cover the subject very well. Abby has depression and all that it entails. I felt like Abby's character was describing me at times. In addition to Abby's depression, there is so much more to this book. Each character was developed so well and the idea of the promise of salvation is felt throughout as well.

I very highly recommend this book. I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

The Three Lions of England, an Endeavor Press publication, is set in 1381 in Kent, England. It tells of three voices during this time. First is Wat Tyler. This man led the people in an uprising against King Richard II's government. He turns to the "second Lion" Jack Straw who wants to fight for what is considered an unjust system of taxation. The third is John Ball. He plans to lay siege on London in order to meet with King Richard, receive justice and execute the ministers who have led the corruption of the Kingdom.

This is a fascinating part of English history and the viewpoint through the book helped me to clarify the vision of each of these men. I caught myself contemplating things throughout the book.

The writing was good and, as I have mentioned, led me to look at this history from a new point-of-view. I was given this book by NetGalley and Endeavor Press in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Sunday Morning

I saw this book on Knit Picks' blog when it was published. I looked at the pattern pictures and fell in love with each of them. I then decided to review Sunday Morning on my podcast, Naturally, Kim's Knitting. I love this book and all the patterns are just the kind of things that I would pick out for a Sunday morning.

Included is a wrap that is so lovely and flowing, I envision myself wrapped in it while reading a book. There are also shells, tanks, and a lacy long sleeved, boat neck sweater. The hard decisions come next as I decide what I will make first and will I make it for myself or someone else.

I highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys creating beautiful tops to wear on the lovely, cozy, Sundays.

The book can be purchased HERE!

Book Review: Crochet Stories: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

This book, Crochet Stories: L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz not only provides crochet patterns of each part of the story but it also includes a condensed version of the story.

Of course, the first pattern is Dorothy and Toto, but it also goes on to include the yellow brick road, munchkins, the witches, the house and shoes. Some of the things that surprised me were the glasses for the Emerald City and the bucket of water.

I love this book and, for anyone that enjoys crocheting figures, this book would be a winner.
I was  given this book by Dover Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Alice in Wonderland Designs Coloring Book

Alice in Wonderland Designs Coloring Book by Dover Publishing, is a paperback coloring book with designs printed on one side of each page. This feature is something that appeals to me as I like to display my work once I finish a design. in addition, each of the pages are perforated for easy removal from the book. The pictures within include a variety of skill level coloring. Some with smaller areas to color, some with wider, longer, or larger designs.

The story's progression is reflected as the coloring designs progress through the book.

I love this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Alice in Wonderland, or coloring.

I was given this book by Dover Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Esther: Finding Yourself in times of Trouble

This is a Drawn in Bible Study. Esther: finding Yourself in Times of Trouble is easy to use as a Bible Study. It is broken into four sections. Within each section there are questions, devotions and coloring to help show how this story can help with life.

It helps to awaken the creative side of a person while sharing the Bible's truth. I feel like this study can help people become more drawn into God.

I was given this book by Tyndale Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Can be found HERE!

Book Review: Bible Sleuth: New Testament

Bible Sleuth: New Testament is similar to the hidden figure puzzles in past years. The difference is that each of the colorful, fun-filled pages have to do with the New Testament. Plus each page has several figures to find. Included is the story of Jesus at the Temple, Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man, The Apostles Heal Many and so much more.

These puzzles will keep children occupied while exercising their eyes and their minds.

I was given this book by Tyndale Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: How to Push Through

 How to Push Through is the fourth book in a series. In this book Anna Maria von Doderer has to tell a therapy patient news about a diagnosis she made many years ago.

The patient, Chrissie, is not looking forward to this visit either. She needs to tell her about Egon. Egon was abandoned during the second world war and grew as a wild child who brought many others together in different ways.

This story is told in the individual voices. I found the story to be written in a way that kept me interested, even though I had not read the previous books. The characters and the story line were woven together in a way that I felt I was living the lives of the characters I read about. I loved the descriptions that were in place as it allowed me to imagine scenes deeply.

I would recommend the reader try the other books in the series, but if they do not mind this, it is an excellent book by a talented writer.

I was given this book by the publisher, The Odyssey Press, in exchange for my honest review.

Audible Book Review: Unplanned

Unplanned is one of the Kennedy Stern Christian Suspense Novels. I decided to listen to this book to get a different perspective on this series. I love all the books in this series and the audible version was no different.

Alana Terry offered this version to me in exchange for my honest review and I am so glad she did. I have not been reading these books, or listening in this case, in any order, but it doesn't matter. Each on stands on their own but they also work together.

In this book Kennedy is having to face decisions surrounding pro-choice. This should not scare anyone off though. I felt the entire story worked around this topic very well. After volunteering, through Pastor Carl, at the pregnancy center hotline for a weekend, she gets a call that upsets her. The call stays with her even after the connection is gone. She then begins looking into it to see if she can find out more details. This led to an unexpected event where Kennedy would have to rely on the Lord as she faces hard choices.

I like the way that answers do not come easy to Kennedy and her first choice for options is not automatically to the Lord. Even when she prays she has doubts that this is the correct move or how many prayers can she send out before giving up.

I feel like Kennedy lives in my heart and mind as I believe that I would move in some of the same ways she does when faced with unexpected circumstances.

Alana Terry has been a favorite author of mine for a few years and I don't see that changing anytime soon.



Unplanned is an incredibly written Christian suspense novel. The book's theme is pro-life and being that I am pro-choice it did not have any bearing on the quality of the book for me. Kennedy comes back to the states to attend Harvard after spending 10 years living abroad in Yanji China with her family. She soon finds herself in a terrifying situation. Kennedy volunteers to take the new pregnancy centers hotline phone for the weekend helping out the pastor who is a family friend. Her first night assisting, she gets an extremely disturbing call on the hotline phone. Kennedy cannot get the details of the call off of her mind. She begins to sleuth around trying to find out all she can about the situation at hand. I do not want to say much more or I will ruin the book but, it gives you a little to chew on. Did this situation change the way Kennedy looked at abortion as always an atrocious thing? Who called the hotline and what caused the call to be so disturbing? You will now have to read the book to find out.
I found this book to actually be a light read even though it deals with atrocious situations. The book is very well written. Unplanned will keep you on the edge of your seat with the captivating plot. If you are pro-choice do not overlook it thinking that this is not a book for you. It will make you think. I hope that this book changes minds of people who think that abortion is wrong in every case. This would be a good read for young adults to the elderly.
To everyone who is reading this you have to look through the eyes of the person dealing with the difficult decision of abortion. In some situations what is right for you might not be the right thing for them. What if the woman is homeless and raped, will you take her and the baby in? Feed them, clothe them, protect them? know matter what you think it is never an easy situation.
"Thank you, Alana Terry, for letting me give an honest review of your book."

Book Review: The Saturday Evening girls Club

The Saturday Evening Girls Club is a historical fiction set in Boston in the early 20th century. The women are young immigrants, based on actual people, who are working together to help build a new life in America.

The Saturday Evening Girls Club blends real historical figures of early 20th century Boston with an engaging story of young women from immigrant families trying to find their place in the new world. The characters struggle with respecting the “old ways” of their immigrant parents, and pursuing opportunities of work, education and autonomy that were beginning to be available to women. This is the best book I’ve read this year!

These women are from Italian and Jewish families and they all live in Boston's North End. Their names are Caprice, Maria, Ada and Thea. They are considered to be second class citizens due to their gender and being immigrants, but they do not look at themselves as victims. Caprice is aiming towards her own hat shop. Ada takes college classes, secretly, while trying to keep her aim true and not to fall  for a boy of different ethnicity. Maria is trying to escape from her father's alcoholism. Thea admires the possibilities in being a modern girl but she also admires the traditional ways. Each of these girls come together through The Saturday Evening girls Club and find the support they need in this group of women. 

This book was interesting to read. I could see the amount of research Jane Healey placed in her work, through her writing about this group of women, Boston's North End and two of the founders. I felt like I was in the lives of these women as they went about their lives, including the troubles and the good times. 

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, so when I came across this one, I had a feeling I would want to jump in and I did. 

I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Books in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Review: Lift and Separate

Marcy was married to Harvey for over 30 years. He was the owner of Bountiful Bosom Lingerie Company. She was happy and so in love with her hubby until he announces that he is leaving her. Unsure what to do now, she decides to ignore it all. Soon she finds the reason why he wanted to leave, an affair with a model.

During this time, her mother was in an accident and the doctors find she also has cancer. Now Marcy has even more to deal with but also discovers that she has strength that she didn't know about.

This book is a fast read. I found the author was realistic in the way she had Marcy deal with all that was thrown at her. It could have been a difficult book to read but the way the characters and the details are faced are believable and amusing.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Rosalia's Bittersweet Pastry Shop

Claudia Lombardo is a food writer who has traveled the world to try the wares of great chefs. Then she hears about a convent in Santa Lucia del Mela which creates wonderful desserts. She travels there to find out about Sorella Agata who was the originator of these desserts, including a cassata which has never found its like anywhere.

Claudia decides to find out the secret behind these desserts, even though  Sorella Agata says there is not one. Through the tastings, Sorella Agata tells her the history of the shop and Rosalia, her inspiration. Rosalia was the daughter of a tailor. She is kidnapped, raped and beaten by a man she rejected. He then hid her in a cave where nuns found her and nursed her.

The story is rich in traditions, friendships, stories of saints and then the recipes.

The style was one of beauty. I loved this book.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Mermaid Moon

Colleen Cable does a wonderful job of combining suspense with romance in her Christian books. In this one, Mallory Davis has not been home for 15 years. Then her dad dies on his mail boat route. She feels that now she needs to go home because there are questionable things about his death. When at home she meets up with Kevin O'Connor, someone from her childhood, who helps her realize that her father was murdered.

Kevin was heartbroken when Mallory left years ago, so he is uneasy about her joining him on this case. Mallory and her daughter Haylie have threats made on their lives. Instead of making her stop it does the opposite. Along the way Mallory is able to discover many things and not just about her father's murder.

Colleen Cable does a great job in weaving together a story. With the suspense in this one, I did not want to put it down until I finished. The characters and story line are believable and are written in a way that made me feel like I was there with Mallory along the way. I loved the way the story had little twists and turns to keep me guessing throughout.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review. I thank them very much.

Very good book. Nya Hempstead leads a small church, along with her husband. Soon she is caught faking her prophecy with someone she shouldn't. This woman was a minister from a large Dallas church. Nya begins to love the attention she receives while the woman, Felicia Caldwell looks to get back at her.

I was not sure that I would enjoy this book but it pulled me in from the beginning and then the author was able to keep the story forwarding steadily. I loved the attention to detail as Tiffany Warren let us see what happens behind the scenes in large ministries.

I was given this book by Netgalley and Kensington Books in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Monstrous Little Voices

When I see the name Shakespeare in the title of a book, I must say my heart skips a beat and a smile appears on my face.

This book takes place in 1601 and begins with the Tuscan War. Being Shakespeare, there is some witches, antics, romance and war. The fairy courts are close to mass confusion.

There are five stories in here which join at the end of the war. It might be a bit confusing if the reader is expecting the work to be in his hand, instead they are the stories of his which were not told.  Jonathan Barnes, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Emma Newman, Foz Meadows and Kate Heartfield work together this story of bravery, change and magic.

I loved the way these writers were able to stay true to the great poet and create a work that would make the Bard thrilled. I loved it.

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for my review.