There has not been a book from Kingsbury that did not feature the Baxter family since Brush of Wings, which released in 2017. I have been hoping for a Kingsbury stand alone for a long time. That time is finally here. Continue reading “Book Review: A Distant Shore by Karen Kingsbury”
The Christmas Table was exactly what I needed! A light, Christmas story that helped me pleasantly pass a few hours.
In June 1972, John Creighton determines to build his wife Joan a kitchen table. Inspired to put something delicious on that table, Joan turns to her mother’s recipes. In June 2012, Lauren Mabrey finds a table that has been recently refinished. She discovers a drawer under the table which contains a stack of recipe cards. The story of the Christmas table unfolds in alternating timelines as Joan battles breast cancer and Lauren learns to cook, preparing for her baby’s arrival.
The Christmas Table is the latest in VanLiere’s Christmas Hope series. Do not let the fact that this is book ten be a turn off. You can read this book without having read any of the other books in the series. However, I highly recommend you go back and read each book. They are perfect, feel good stories for the holidays or anytime!
According to Amazon, this book clocks in at 240 pages. It is a quick read that I finished in approximately three or four hours. When I closed the book, I was pleased with the story, but felt I had read an abridged version of the book. There were certainly places where details could have been expanded upon and I would have enjoyed a deeper look into this story. When I am enjoying characters and their stories, I am always eager for more and that was the case with The Christmas Table. I will eagerly await the next book in this series to learn more about this cast of characters.
Looking for a story to start off your Christmas reading this season? The Christmas Table fits that bill with its reminders of faith. Grab a copy today!
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewer: Jennifer
Title: The Christmas Table
Author: Donna VanLiere
Release Date: October 6, 2020
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The Time of Jacob’s Trouble is not what I expected, nor was the writing the Donna VanLiere that I’m used to.
A typical day at work turns into a nightmare for Emma Grady when her favorite patient and several colleagues vanish in front of her. What could make so many people vanish in a moment? And not just in New York, but all over the globe?
Do you remember the Left Behind series from the early 2000s? As a believer those books packed a punch. To me they were an easier way to see what the Bible describes in the book of Revelation. The Time of Jacob’s Trouble seems to be VanLieres way of doing the same thing. But this book did not work for me or pack the same punch the Left Behind series did. The characters lacked depth and their stories and how they are written felt jumbled and without flow. Then suddenly, the book just stops! I was not expecting a cliffhanger! What I didn’t know when I started this book was that it is the first book in a series.
Why did my Kindle say there was nearly two hours left in the book when I reached the end of the story? Because the rest of the book is segments titled Where in the Word? The best way I can describe these segments are as Bible study material. VanLiere dives into the scripture surrounding the events in the fictional chapters she has written. I did not read these segments because I was not prepared for them. Their inclusion was such a shock to me. I wasn’t prepared to study the end times as told in Revelation in depth. My head was completely in the fictional characters and what was happening to them.
While this did not live up to my VanLiere expectations, it was still an okay read. I’m not sure how this book is classified, but it seems better suited for a Bible study group to experience together. I’m not sure that I’ll read the next book, but I’ll probably read the fictional portion only and skip the study material if I do decide to continue the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewer: Jennifer
Title: The Time of Jacob’s Trouble
Author: Donna VanLiere
Release Date: March 17, 2020
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I didn’t find Smoke Screen as intense as some of Blackstock’s previous works. Continue reading “Book Review: Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock”
Don’t let the Baxter name keep you from reading the latest from Karen Kingsbury. Two Weeks is Elise Walker’s story. While Cole Blake, son of Landon and Ashley Baxter Blake, plays a pretty big role, this book is not a focus on the Baxter family and can be read as a stand-alone. If you haven’t read the 25+ Baxter books prior to this one, starting here will not be a problem. Continue reading “Book Review: Two Weeks by Karen Kingsbury”
Fans of Karen Kingsbury’s Baxter Family can now introduce their kids to the best family ever. Continue reading “Book Review: Best Family Ever by Karen Kingsbury & Tyler Russell”
I did not like Catching Christmas as much as I thought I would. Continue reading “Book Review: Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock”
Who needs a feel-good story to kick off the holiday season? Was that a yes?! Then I have the book for you. Continue reading “Book Review: The Christmas Star by Donna VanLiere”
A story of how social media and the internet can be a detriment to our real-life relationships. Continue reading “Book Review: When We Were Young by Karen Kingsbury”
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