Interview with Kimberly Brook Williamson, Coloring Book Artist

In case y'all haven't noticed, I love my people. That's why I felt a bit chagrined when I realized I have failed to introduce one who a) has been there for me forever and ever amen, and b) happens to be published! She has been my sidekick and instigator, my editor, my study partner, my co-worker, my roommate, and always my friend. This phenomenal woman is fiercely faithful, legit full of grit, and super talented. On that note, I introduce you to my dear friend Kimberly Brook Williamson.

Woman by Grace Interviews Kimberly Brook Williamson

WBG: Biography points I shouldn’t miss:

KBW: Lifelong resident of Arkansas, almost life-long friend of yours! I come from a long line of creative and musical people, and drawing makes me feel connected to them.

WBG: I have enjoyed your artwork for years. When did you decide to publish your doodles as a coloring book?

KBW: Thank you! I started publishing my doodles about 4 years ago, though I have been drawing for ages. I began drawing pretty regularly in around 2014. I have always doodled, and suddenly it became ‘my medium’ through an interesting series of events.

WBG: Where did you get the idea to compile your doodles into a coloring book?

KBW: I started posting my doodles to my Facebook page, and a lot of people said they were good.   The drawings kept coming, and I hated for them to just sit on a shelf in a book, when they could be shared with others who might appreciate the option of adding their own color. I love to color too, but I can draw a lot more places than I can color. Drawing is just a more portable and compact art form for me. 

WBG: Where do you find inspiration for your doodles?

KBW: Sometimes I just start drawing lines. Sometimes I fold the paper in random ways; sometimes measured and symmetrical. I might have an interestingly shaped item on my desk that I could trace that gives me a jumping-off point. I might get a prompt from a friend!  Some of my best work came about by request. :D

WBG: Are there hidden gems or themes in your doodles?

KBW: There are generally little gems that you might catch, and as far as themes, yes. I like to work with the elements. Fire, Water, Earth, Air. Sometimes North, South, East and West. Sometimes sun and moon. Sometimes I just put on an audio book and start drawing. I always have really interesting outcomes when I do that. For example: While listening to Harry Potter, I was just sort-of mindlessly drawing and suddenly realized that there were owl shapes in my piece. 

WBG: Do you color your doodles?

KBW: Yes. But I never color one before I scan a picture of it in black and white for a future book. It seems rude not to share :)

WBG: How many designs are featured in your coloring books?

KBW: There are usually around 40 drawings in each book, but I don’t have a set number.

WBG: What do you hope others get from your coloring books?

KBW: I want people to relax. This world is chaotic. It needs peace and color. Drawing is my therapy. If someone else finds a benefit to adding color, then it can be their Color Therapy.

WBG: Are there other places people can find your art?

KBW: Actually yes :) I painted a couple of quilt squares during this year for the Arkansas Quilt Trail.  You can find a link to it online if you would like to drive around and see these squares in person (I think I saw some in Goshen on my last visit to your house!) And they will also be on the AQT website eventually. :) I love a good project, and anything I earn goes to support future artistic endeavors, basic needs, whatever happens to be most pressing at the time. :) 

Find this gem along the Arkansas Quilt Trail.

Arkansas Quilt Trail square by Kimberly Brook Williamson.

WBG: Is there anything else you would like to share with my readers?

KBW: I have some pretty significant mobility issues, and drawing is one of the things I can do when I can’t do much else. It helps keep my mind sharp and my heart soft; my troubles dull and my purpose clear.

WBG: Do you like to drink coffee or tea while you create?

KBW: I do like a good cuppa. Either will do! Coffee with cream and Tea with honey!

WBG: What other creative outlets do you enjoy?

KBW: I play the piano. I sing. I hum some sort of tune almost constantly. (sorry to those who tire of that! :p)I paint. I crochet. I write. My current writing project is a piece about my son Riley, who has some special needs of his own. I am up to his tenth year in the book, and he is currently 15. Every time I make a little progress in the book, he gets older! I imagine 10 is as good a place as any to stop. The entire book is a poem. I have been rhyming since I could write! If I ever wrap that up and get it published, maybe you can ask me about it. 

For now, it will have to suffice to say-that’s a tale for another day!

Thank you, Emily, for taking the time to do this. It means a lot to me to be able to share joy, especially in a world so easily darkened with fear and worry. I appreciate the opportunity to increase my reach. I just want to be a blessing, and want you to know that you are one! :)

Kimberly's coloring books make great gifts and are currently available on Amazon. Visit her author page here ✎ or click the images of her coloring books below to link directly to them. You can also find Kimberly online at the following social media links:

Blog * Facebook * Instagram * YouTube

Volume 1

 

Volume 2

Volume 3

Thank you, Kimberly, for taking the time to share your talents with my readers. And for the many years of friendship, both behind us and before us. May God continue to bless you and yours!

Book Review - To Dwell Among Cedars

Y'all know I can get misty eyed and a bit emotional over pretty much anything; I'm not going to deny it. However, there is a short list of books that actually hit so hard that I have to put them down, cry it out, and pick them back up again. Exceptionally well written biblical fiction does that to me. It happens when an author plucks facts from the Bible and weaves them carefully and prayerfully into a story so well written that I am carried into the events. It happens when the lightning strikes and I can feel it in my chest, when a tree is engulfed in flames and I can feel the heat, when guilt and shame reverberate in my own soul and when understanding, mercy, and grace are poured out so that I can feel them on my own head. All of these experiences accompanied my reading of To Dwell Among Cedars, the first book of The Covenant House series and latest release from Connilyn Cossette.

 Arisa and Lukio are just children when the Ark of the Covenant is hauled into their Philistine city of Ashdod and unceremoniously dumped at the feet of their patron god, Dagon. Arisa recognizes it as the subject of tales and songs long shared with them by their Hebrew slave, and faithfully heeds Azuvah's urgent pleading to follow the Ark, which the Philistines return to the Hebrew people when they realize it seems to have brought a curse upon them. Arisa's reverence for the Ark and its power lead her to a place of peace.

To Dwell Among Cedars is the kind of book I prefer to read in print so that I can easily highlight and reference quotes that really stick out for me. Here are a few of the many:

✐"My mother reached up to cup my cheeks in her palms, her diminutive size no match for the large heart that lived inside her chest." What a beautiful sentiment! Lord, may I be that kind of mother!

✐"You were there in that valley eight years ago. You know who protects the Ark." Praise the Lord! The One who protects the Ark also protects my loved ones!

✐"But you are not his God, Eliora. You cannot save him from himself. That task is Yahweh's alone." That's one to cling to when you're the kind of person who wants to fix everything for everyone. It's the kind of fish-slapping truth I need to be reminded of fairly often; can I get an "Amen!" there?

To Dwell Among Cedars is now available for purchase from your favorite bookseller. You can find it locally or online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Christian Book.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine. 

Book Review - Burden of Proof

 Legal thriller? Yes. Quantum physics and time travel? Really? Well, yes. Prodigal with the mother of all second chances, who broke my heart and caused me to put a major dent in a box of tissues? Yes to that, as well.

Davis Bunn delivers all of the above in Burden of Proof. Ethan has spent his life living the way he wanted, doing what he wanted, and running from his regrets. But then he is given a chance to right those wrongs, an opportunity to care for and show unselfish love for those he hurt most. The question is, will he be able to right those wrongs and heal those wounds before time runs out?

I got a bit worried when Sonya started talking about mind-body states and transitioning, but Bunn has a knack for building characters and setting scenes that make the theoretical work. It is exactly this theoretical vs. literal gap that works with the emotional turmoil and hits you right in the prodigal to make Burden of Proof a solid read.

Burden of Proof by Davis Bunn is available now from your favorite bookseller. Find it at your local store or order it online from: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Christian Book. 

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Softly Blows the Bugle

When Elizabeth Kaufman's brother, Jonas, returns from the Civil War with a friend in tow, Aaron Zook is a broken man. His missing limb is the only visible reminder that life after the war is very different from his life before, but it is not the only thing gone from Aaron's life. His father, grandfather, and family farm are gone as well, leaving Aaron as untethered and unsure as he is unsteady. Elizabeth knows she shouldn't be glad that her husband, Reuben, is a casualty. However, she is relieved that she is no longer subject to his cruelty. She has found peace in her singleness and is prepared to live the rest of her life taking care of her parents, siblings, and their families. She certainly has no feelings for Aaron Zook, and Aaron has no intentions to stay in Weaver's Creek. Of course, our feelings and intentions are pliable in the Author's hands.

Jan Drexler offers up this story as the third installment in her series, The Amish of Weaver's Creek. While I try to read series books in order, even going to the very beginning before reading a book for review, I managed to look over that tidbit before beginning Softly Blows the Bugle. I was well into the book before I realized the oversight, and too committed to stop long enough to read the first two books, The Sound of Distant Thunder and The Roll of the Drums. There were a few instances that I felt I might have gained some insight by reading those books first, but Softly Blows the Bugle reads well as a stand alone book. The author builds Weaver's Creek in a way that is beautifully mapped in my mind. Her characters have depth and quickly become familiar to the reader.

Softly Blows the Bugle by Jan Drexler is currently available from your favorite bookseller. Feel free to click the links below to by from these online retailers:

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/AmazonBugle

Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/BNSoftlyBlowsBugle

Christian Book: https://tinyurl.com/CBBugle

Thank you to the publisher and the author for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions within this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - The Conqueror

 Let’s just start with the cover of The Conqueror by Bryan Litfin. I can feel the heat and fury radiating off the exceptionally handsome dust jacket. My husband took one look and announced that he is going to want to read it as soon as I finish. Though his preferred genre is nonfiction and technical, the statement does respect the fact that this beautifully designed graphic does its job to pique the reader's interest. 

To start a book with maps and a detailed historical note is to get my attention. The author has given us context and set expectations for the time period and socio-political climate in which the story is set. There is no doubt that he has done extensive research, a trait I greatly respect in any historical fiction. Litfin’s historical note was the proverbial carrot I eagerly followed into a work of fiction meant to illuminate history. There is one thing to consider, however, when reading The Conqueror; Litfin clearly states in the historical note that he has "...tried to add a certain realism to my story that reflects the way things really were." While this spurred me on initially, I later realized this should have been my first clue that things were going to get graphic. I'm a big girl, and I can handle it, but it's not a choice I typically make.

Bryan Litfin certainly is a master at crafting moments of intrigue and intense battle scenes. I could practically feel the heft of the spatha in my hand, the thunderous quaking of the earth beneath the boots of legions, the spray of blood on my skin. Litfin's writing style from the military perspective is spectacular. His crafting of political intrigue, superb. The stark contrast between the Christian lifestyle and that of the pagan society around them is highlighted at every turn: the mysterious, yet peaceful, sacraments of the Christians vs the chaotic and violent sacrifices of fickle pagan gods, the sacred nature of intercourse between a Christian husband and his wife vs the pagan sentiment that sex is a political tool and method of exerting dominance. The sexual tension between Rex and Flavia is more overt than I would prefer, though it does effectively portray the pull between what the eye sees, the body feels, and the morals dictate for the greater picture. I think it contributes to the contrast between Christian and pagan opinions of sex; the author effectively prods our emotions in that regard, certainly more than I would have chosen.

In The Conqueror, Bryan Litfin explores the contrast between the two very different cultures sharing the same time and space, while also portraying the reality that the One True God is available to all. All in all, I enjoyed this book and appreciated its realism within historical context. However, I do feel that I should temper my recommendation by stating that this book veers to the edge of propriety within the realm of Christian fiction. Still, it is important to realize and remember these things, pondering what those who came before us in the faith endured to advance the cause of Christ.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Point of Danger

I have a rule about suspenseful books.

It says that if you open your book with a statement like, "The package was ticking," you had better deliver. Thanks, Irene Hannon; you kept my heart pounding until the very last word of Point of Danger. There is no doubt the first novel of her Triple Threat series snatched my attention from the get-go and didn't let go.

Eve Reilly is a conservative talk radio host who holds nothing back for the sake of being politically correct, so it's no surprise that she has gotten used to hate mail. Neither is it surprising that she's not going to back down when things escalate to a point of action. Police detective Brent Lange is tasked with trying to determine the source of the particularly nefarious package as other suspicious incidents unfold around Eve. The deeper he digs, the more involved the plot seems... and the more involved his heart becomes.

Irene Hannon has woven an intricate web of social and political intrigue based on events we have seen unfolding as we watch the evening news, which made Point of Danger very relevant, very real, and very intense. I picked up this book, read her opening declaration, and promptly informed everyone in my house to go away until I had completely devoured it. (Thankfully, they love me enough, and know me well enough, to do just that!)

Point of Danger is currently available from your favorite bookseller. Here are some links, because I'm helpful like that.

Christianbook: https://tinyurl.com/y4awulw7

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y5yrdlfm

Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/y5sx8nv9

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - The Key to Love

The kind of romance that leaves you breathless, a love story worthy of the pedestal upon which she has placed her parents'; nothing else is worthy of Bri Duval, and she's quite happy to stay single until she finds it. With her parents gone, she has nothing left to teach her about love, aside from a collection of letters to her mother that reveal a romance to which no other compares.

As head baker at the Pastry Puff, Bri fills the role her mother previously held, caring for the patrons who are her small town neighbors and perpetually trying to find the missing secret ingredient to her mother's famous macaron recipe. She knows everyone in Story, Kansas, until the day Gerard Fornier walks through the door of the Pastry Puff and rubs her the wrong way. Gerard is writing an article about the love lock wall and the love angels of the Pastry Puff, and he may be the ticket to saving the bakery from declining sales. The trouble is that Gerard is hardly a fan of love and manages to clash with Bri at every turn.

The other problem is that Bri most certainly is not falling in love with Gerard and Gerard is not, under any circumstances, falling in love with Bri. And when Bri's romantic foundation is shaken to its core, Gerard is not supposed to be the one to console her. Is it possible that this love-foul adrenaline addict can help save the Pastry Puff, the love lock wall, and her hopes of a fairytale romance? You'll have to read the book to find out!

The Key to Love by Betsy St. Amant is available August 13, 2020 from your favorite bookseller.

ChristianBook: https://tinyurl.com/CBKeytoLove

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/AKeytoLove

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/BNKeytoLove

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Something Worth Doing

Jane Kirkpatrick gives us the story of suffragist Abigail Scott Duniway in her new release, Something Worth Doing. Beginning with the Scott family's trek across the rugged northwest to their new home in Oregon in 1852, Kirkpatrick weaves a colorful tapestry of the toils and trials of Abigail's young life which bring her to the point of action in the suffragist movement. From her early days of editorial writing through the process of building a school, millinery, and newspaper to advance the causes of women, the author walks the reader through all the emotional toil Abigail Duniway invested to improve the conditions in which women lived in her time, with a great goal of improving conditions for generations to come.

Something Worth Doing is an excellent choice for the historical fiction fan who is interested in the suffragist movement. I appreciate the way Jane Kirkpatrick highlighted this influential historical figure and filled in the gaps between the information we have. Though Abigail's grit was her driving force, I appreciate the way the author includes the great support given by her husband, children, and others who were dedicated to the cause.

Something Worth Doing by Jane Kirkpatrick is available now from your favorite bookseller.

Christianbook: https://tinyurl.com/CBSomething

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/ASomethingWorthDoing

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/BNSomething

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Nine

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. These days, it's kind of difficult, since there are so many beautiful book covers out there. Nine by Rachelle Dekker qualifies as one of the most beautiful covers I've seen in a very long time. The internet does it no favors. Sure, you can see the moody mist on the mountains, but the sparkle on the physical book's cover makes that mist nearly tangible, and to practically feel the mist makes a woodsy scent tickle the nose as the pages turn.

What I didn't know is that this one is set practically in my backyard, which gave me an instant familiarity with the rugged terrain. That's where the familiarity ends, unless you consider that Lucy and Zoe are girls and I'm a girl. Familiarity may have ended, but the action and thrills didn't. They cruised right on to the very end of a story that kept the pages flying until I ran out of pages to turn. 

The question of, "Does my past define who I am," is a common theme. Rachelle Dekker handles it in an interesting way, examining the lives of Lucy, Zoe, Seeley and others. Am I created and predestined to be one thing or can I choose to set aside those preconceived notions and become more? Can you?

Nine by Rachelle Dekker is currently available from your favorite bookseller.

Christianbook: https://tinyurl.com/CBNine

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y56zqrg6

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/BNNineRD

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All the opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Happy Fall, Y'all!

Today marks one of my favorite days of the year, and although it is a bit different this year, it's still full of the things I love about fall:

*Gray days

*Cozy socks

*Soup

*My favorite fall teas

*PUMPKIN MUFFINS!

What in the world isn't lovely about fall? Now, I typically turn the thermostat down and splurge this one day of the year to make it feel like fall INSIDE our house, since it doesn't feel too seasonally appropriate OUTSIDE. This year, I feel like I won the weather lottery. (Thank you, God!) It's so gray and rainy! *giddy squeal* I propped my office door open for the pets and it will stay that way until I run out of perfect weather. If it all goes well, I may even be able to put on a light sweater in a few minutes!

I also usually drag out my fall decorations, all the pumpkins and leaves, on this very awesome day of the year. I wasn't so sure I wanted to bat my eyelashes and send my darling (and slightly less than perky today) husband into the attic for my porch pumpkin, but he's perking up and just might do it for me after all. I keep the rest of the goods where I can see them when I open the linen closet all year, for a little pick-me-up when the weather is miserably hot and humid. They'll be covering every surface by the time our principessa gets home from school today.

Now for the truly sacred traditions of the autumnal equinox in our household, we look to the kitchen. This is the day I bake the inaugural batch of pumpkin muffins and make the inaugural pot of soup. Don't get me wrong, we love pumpkin muffins and soup, but these culinary delights are reserved for fall and winter in our household. (Most likely because, by the time spring rolls around, we've had soup and pumpkin muffins nearly every day for half the year!) This year, we're taking it to back to basics with a tried and true "Trashcan Vegetable Soup." It sounds delicious, doesn't it? The name might imply that this consists of whatever vegetables would be headed to the trashcan, but that's actually my recipe for veggie stock. Nope, Trashcan Vegetable Soup got its name because I dump in whatever I feel like adding. This time, it's a mixed veggie blend with added okra, chickpeas, and lentils. It's 9am and I'm already drooling over supper! I'll be satisfied with a pumpkin muffin to hold me over and to go with my first cup of fall tea, Squashbuckling Chai from my favorite tea shop, Savoy Tea Co. I would love to drink it all year, but there's something about it that begs me to hold on for its season. Today's lineup also includes Gesundheit, because 2020, and Frosted Orange Roll... because... Frosted Orange Roll.

And now, dear reader, I leave you to enjoy my tea and a good book in the company of my support crew. I would leave you with a picture of them, but Beckett and Sugar have what can only honestly be referred to as "COVID haircuts." I hope y'all take time to enjoy the little things with big impacts, and have a happy fall!

Book Review - The Edge of Belonging

 It's September 1994 when homeless Harvey James finds a newborn, still covered in blood and wrapped in a men's flannel shirt. The moment the tiny girl wraps her fingers around his, Harvey knows that this child cannot be thrown away the way he has been. Each would be the family the other had not had before.

It is September 2020 when The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox finds its way into my hands and doesn't leave them until I reach the end of this stirring and deeply emotional love story. You know the kind of book where you know what's coming, but the real enjoyment is in the reading? If you really wanted to shoehorn me into a literary type, that might be it. Life is full of surprises; action, adventure, twists & turns are great in a book, but sometimes I just need to know that it's all going to end up well and the most stressful plot point is that the male love interest confuses the female love interest's brother for a romantic rival. There's just the right amount of tension and misunderstanding before the confusion is unraveled and everyone lives happily ever after. 

I spent the entirety of The Edge of Belonging feeling like I had it pegged and thinking I would cruise along and enjoy this one, then shelve it along with all the other cozy books I have enjoyed. I suspect the author knew that was what would happen, because she didn't let it go so easily. Amanda Cox flat out wrestled with all the stressful plot points. Some of them hit closer to home for me than others, but they are all very real and very relevant. She handled them with care to bring about a story that needed to be told and treasured. I'm all full of book recommendations, in case you haven't noticed all the blog posts, but this one gets a special spot on my recommendation list. The Edge of Belonging is the kind of book you'll want to purchase in the physical copy, because I guarantee you will know someone else who needs to read it.

The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox is currently available from your favorite bookseller.

Christianbook: https://tinyurl.com/yxbu76zw

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y4szmn63

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/yy8llwyk

Thank you to the author and to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. All of the opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - The Price of Valor

The Global Search and Rescue series from Susan May Warren goes out with a bang... a ka-boom... a ka-plow... and a whole lot of action for the entire team. The Price of Valor focuses on Hamilton Jones; we finally get Ham's book and learn more of his story. I love the way Warren writes her fiction as the story of what God does in the lives of Ham and the people around him. These characters, our GSAR family and friends, build each other up and support each other when things get hairy... and things get hairy in The Price of Valor, for sure!

We learned in The Heart of a Hero (Global Search and Rescue, book 2) that Hamilton Jones has been reunited with the darling daughter his wife Signe kept secret from him. Now he is more convinced than ever that Signe is alive and he is determined to find her, to bring her home, to redeem her to the family they could be together. The choices he has to make are unenviable, and the lessons in forgiveness and redemption are more easily said than done. 

With her trademark realism and frank conversation, Warren handles the struggles we all find in the depths of our human hearts and the truth of our Savior's love, grace, forgiveness. She calls out our own confusion through the struggles of her characters, who tend to feel (like we all do sometimes) that the battle is ours. When we, and they, are tempted to believe that our responsibility is to BE Jesus, we're refocused and reminded that our responsibility is to SHOW Jesus. Her characters may have much greater adventures than I do, but their struggles and lessons they learn are very relevant.

The Price of Valor by Susan May Warren releases October 6, 2020. You can preorder now from your favorite bookseller to make sure your copy lands in your hands ASAP.

Christianbook: https://tinyurl.com/yxp5cpjz

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y6qqtuns

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/yysxsp2k

Thank you to Susan May Warren and Revell for allowing me a copy to read and review. Please know, dear reader, that the opinions stated in this review are my own and are completely unbiased.

Book Review - The Librarian of Boone's Hollow

Addie Cowherd is precisely where she intends to be along her path to becoming an author when the realities of the Depression Era bring her to what seems to be a screeching halt. With her options limited to none, it seems hopeless until she learns of a traveling librarian position in the Kentucky hill country. She is an outsider and her welcome to Boone's Hollow is lukewarm, at best. What is to become of her and her dreams if she can't find a way forward alongside these people?

Just because Emmett Tharp grew up in Boone's Hollow doesn't mean he fits in. The Depression ruined his big city opportunities and his education isn't much help in the mining community he used to call home. How will he make a living when he can't find a desk job and he isn't cut out for work in the mine? And how can Addie and Emmett work together to open up new worlds and new understanding to the people around them?

Kim Vogel Sawyer's latest release felt a little familiar when considered in the scope of, "What happens when the world closes a door on our plans?" And, "How do I trust God to make a way when it seems there is none?" I really enjoyed the story line of The Librarian of Boone's Hollow, as well as the way the author's thoroughly considered characters build a world in which I could become immersed in order to feel the frustration, distrust, affection, and joy woven throughout. The idea that understanding can break down walls and one person can make a difference are timely reminders to us all.

The Librarian of Boone's Hollow releases September 15, but you can pre-order your copy today from your favorite bookseller.

Thank you to the author and to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Love Has A Name

I was minding my own business, just mentally ranting about the state of the world and this culture of disrespect that seems to have become so prevalent, when I saw the info for an upcoming release from Adam Weber and Waterbook called Love Has A Name. My rant came to a screeching halt. THIS! This is what I was struggling to articulate! Love DOES have a name, and a face, and a story. Putting those elements together, name + face + story, gives humanity to the people around us and facilitates the kind of love we're meant to have for each other. Adam Weber articulates this well through the chapters that each highlight the names and stories of individuals God has used to teach the author about love, as well as corresponding Bible characters who exhibit each kind of love. I recommend reading this one with a highlighter in hand; the stories are spot-on and the insights are well worth noting.

No publisher disclaimer is necessary in this case, as I gladly threw down my cash for this one. By now, I hope y'all know I give my own honest opinion every time. Because I'm full of 'em and I like to share!

Book Review - Don't Keep Silent

The McKade boys are in it again. This time, it's Liam, and he's still trying to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up. Sure, he has served in the Marines and in the DEA, but a blown cover and a bullet have him back at the Emerald M with his brothers while he figures out what God has planned for him next. He didn't dream it would be the woman who blew his cover. The woman he took that bullet to save. The woman he thought he loved, before he realized she had used him for her own purposes. The woman who now needs him to help her find her missing sister-in-law before time runs out.

Elizabeth Goddard's Don't Keep Silent is the third book in her Uncommon Justice series. If you don't know the McKade boys by now, it's high time to pick up the first book and read your way through the adventures kicked up by Austin, Heath, and now Liam. Goddard balances danger and romance intricately and pulls the reader into the lives of the Emerald M. Don't Keep Silent is another action packed page turner. Sure, you could read it as a stand-alone, but frankly, you wouldn't skip straight to the end of the book, so why miss out on the rest of the Uncommon Justice series.

Thank you to the author and to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - These Nameless Things

My very first impression of Shawn Smucker's These Nameless Things was that the imagery crafted within is positively astounding. It was not at all difficult to become immersed in this carefully crafted world, so thorough were Smucker's descriptions. My second impression was that I did not enjoy this book, but I encourage you to roll with me as I explain a bit more. You see, These Nameless Things is not meant to be lightly read. It is utterly exhausting. Not because it is an untimely story or poorly written, but for the exact opposite reason. This book is an eloquent image of Dante's Inferno, a timely parallel and a wake-up call to the beauty of the human creature that is so thoughtfully made in the image of God. Exhausting in the sense that every nuance is critical to the understanding of the value of a person and overwhelming beauty of grace and forgiveness, These Nameless Things is worth every moment of toil alongside the characters in order to appreciate the complex themes.

I particularly love how the characters grapple with the issue of forgiveness and grace, both the giving and receiving of these precious gifts that have the power to restore humanity. Not only to restore the recipient, but also to heal the heart and soul of the giver. These elements do not come naturally or easily to the flawed creature of humanity, and the toil involved in their exploration helps to highlight how very precious they are. Yes, These Nameless Things is exhausting, but is well worth digesting every hard earned sentence.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - An Appalachian Summer

With An Appalachian Summer, Ann H. Gabhart gives readers a thoroughly enjoyable story wrapped in with a celebration of differences. It was easy to get pulled in from the very first introduction of Piper Danson, who wants nothing to do with a debutante season or finding a suitable match, much less doing so in the midst of the Great Depression. It is easy to relate to Piper's search for an opportunity to do something with real meaning, and to find out who she truly is before settling for a the match chosen by her father instead of marrying the man she has loved since childhood. And it is easy to see why Piper grows to feel the way she does about the Frontier Nursing Service and the people she meets during her time with them.

Piper is different from many of the people around her; her social status dictates that she should marry money, especially amidst the uncertainty of the Depression era, but the love of her heart has lost his family money and along with it, his social status. She does not care for the extravagance of lavish parties when so many others are suffering, and she searches for her own identity in a time when such is not considered necessary. Through the course of this one summer, Piper finds that she is not such a rare bird, nor is she unsupported by the women in her life. She finds beauty and strength in the works and ways of those she encounters during her Appalachian summer, which helps her discover the beauty and strength within herself to follow God's lead for her future.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - A Dream Within A Dream

A Dream Within A Dream is the third book in the Coffey & Hill series from Mike Nappa and Melissa Kosci. I am going to be straight up with you right now; y'all know I'm a sucker for a series. If I am reviewing the third book in a series, I will absolutely read all three. And now for the sake of honesty, you should know that I didn't read this series. I tried. I really did. I got about three chapters into the first book, Annabel Lee, and walked right away. I was sure this review was going to be an altogether different kind of first for Woman by Grace: one where I explain why I just couldn't get into this book. And now we are all surprised, because A Dream Within A Dream has made a liar out of me.

It took a bit of time for me to grow accustomed to the stream of consciousness flow of Dream's narration. Following the flow of a story that involves an art heist, the Irish mob, Saudi terrorists, and a little boy lost seemed overwhelming. However, it did not take long at all for this madness to snatch my attention and hold me captive until the very last word. Not only that, but the references to previous Coffey and Hill escapades has inspired me to revisit Annabel Lee and follow that with The Raven.

Thank you to the authors and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - What Momma Left Behind

"I tried to convince myself this was a mistake, but it was like the good Lord stuck His hand down my mouth and pulled them words right out. They was no doubt I'd regret it."

Worie Dressar's notions of family get turned on their ear when her momma leaves this earth and Worie finds that Momma has been caring for the orphans of Sourwood Mountain. What is she supposed to do about the children who keep showing up at her feet with empty bellies and no families? The answer sure wasn't to take them in, but the good Lord had other plans for Worie's life.

Cindy K. Sproles has developed very strong and interesting characters in What Momma Left Behind. Their strengths and flaws are relatable, opening the reader up to a beautiful journey to understanding forgiveness and unconditional love. Her exploration of what makes a family, especially in light of God's love and care, is a heartfelt experience for the reader.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - The Heart of a Hero

Susan May Warren's upcoming release, The Heart of a Hero, reunites us with our Global Search and Rescue family. Picking up on relationships we built in the first book, The Way of the Brave, this one focuses on the stormy one between Jake Silver and Aria Sinclair. But here's the deal, this is so much more than adventure. This is so much more than romance. This is...

Aria has been fighting all her life just to thrive, sometimes just to survive. But what really makes her Aria? And why can't she shake the need to be a bit Kia, as well?

Jake is the devil. Or is he? And he knows about grace, but is he really worthy?

And the bigger question: Are we defined by one part of who we are or by the whole? By our vision of ourselves or by God's?

When Jake and Aria are caught in the storm, what's left in the aftermath is well worth reading The Heart of A Hero. There's beauty to be found among the destruction, because sometimes we have to be broken to find the truth.

Thank you to Susan May Warren and to the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. Please know, dear reader, that the opinions stated in this review are my own and are completely unbiased.

Book Review - Hadley Beckett's Next Dish

Hadley Beckett's Next Dish is as sharp as a well honed chef's knife and as hot as the kitchen in which she and Chef Maxwell Cavanaugh spar.

Chef Max's very public temper fit ruined Chef Hadley's moment of glory in the finale of America's Fiercest Chef. Now he's back from hiatus and smack in the middle of her life, for better or for worse. In fits and starts, they have to figure out how to make the best of the situation, while learning about communication and forgiveness in a way that kneads and stretches them both.

I enjoyed this recipe for disaster, and love, from Bethany Turner. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review it. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - The Traitor's Pawn

Aubrey Grayson's peaceful sunrise chat with her Papps is shattered when he was shot, and it only goes downhill from there. As a detective, she is used to intense situations, but this one is different from any she has experienced before. Kidnapped while waiting for assistance and then rocked by an explosion, can it get any worse?

FBI agent Jack Shannon has followed the leads to Corpus Christi in the hunt for the man who is selling government secrets to foreign agents. He is surprised to find himself tangled in a mess that involves a senator and a police detective, especially when that detective is the woman Jack once loved.

The action keeps the pages turning in a fast paced novel that kept me guessing, even after the story ended. And the dynamic between Aubrey and Jack is a strong element that had me rooting for them, even when they didn't seem to root for themselves. Lisa Harris presents a solid romantic suspense that will keep you guessing, and cheering, from beginning to end.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.

Book Review - The Happy Camper

I.am.so.guilty.

For real, y'all.

Guilty as all heck.

What have I done, you ask? Well, I judged a book by its cover. But I really think you'll give me a pass when you see it. I mean, has there ever been a cover more unbelievably adorable as this one? Take a moment to look at it and literally feel the stress melt away. It is fairly magical.

In all fairness, I did also judge this one by the author. Sometimes I'm having a Melody Carlson kind of day, or week, or quarantine (I'm totally nailing this social distancing thing!) See, I know I can trust Melody to give me the kind of Hallmark-y experience that allows me to simply enjoy a book without super stressful plot twists and deep theological introspection. Don't get me wrong, you know I love all those things, too. But let's recap my own personal reality at the moment:
*Quarantine/Social Distancing Day 12 (TWELVE, Y'ALL!)
*Little Brother has been in a big ol' cone of shame for eleven days. That means, for eleven days he has been trying to cuddle with me and really mostly succeeding only at whacking me in the face over and over. And over. And, also, over.
*Princess Pea Pod is a little frustrated that her spring break is spent at home, being socially distant, and continues to ask if I'll please just take her to (Walmart\the mall\the park\friend's house\anywhere but here) in spite of every explanation.
*Yesterday, the power went out. Then the internet was out. And the garage door broke.

Melody Carlson, take me away! I so need Hallmark-y right now!

Dillon has had enough! She doesn't even realize it until she has chucked the dead-end boyfriend and the dead-end job, but her heart knows exactly where to go, and Grandpa welcomes her home with open arms. When she finds her childhood bedroom occupied by her own mother, Grandpa solves the space issue by offering her a vintage camper. Restoring Rose gives Dillon purpose, as well as the opportunity to get to know Jordan Atwood through trips to his hardware store and a shared enthusiasm for vintage campers. It's a bit of a bumpy ride, but Dillon and Rose find their identity together. I enjoyed the support Grandpa gives, the understanding Dillon and her mother find for each other, the banter with Jordan, and the joy Dillon finds through her new fascination. Thank you, Melody Carlson, for delivering another truly enjoyable story!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.

Book Review - Chasing the White Lion

Oh my gravy, y'all! I was doing great in my bookish world, reading all the good books, writing all the reviews, geeking out over all the authors I love. Then along comes James R. Hannibal with The Gryphon Heist, Talia Inger, Tyler, Finn, Eddie and the rest of the merry-ish band of law and disorder. My world was rocked. My Google searches got a little weird and TripAdvisor is STILL trying to convince me to take my dream trip to Transnistria. (Thanks, TripAdvisor, but I'm currently self-quarantined.) By the end of The Gryphon Heist, I wasn't sure who it was that I love and who I don't trust, who is telling the truth and who has been lying so elegantly all along. What I did know, is that I wanted more and Chasing the White Lion could not be released soon enough!

Problem solved! At least one problem was solved; I still had to convince the entire world to leave me alone while I utterly devoured this book! It was almost as if a hand reached out of the story and grabbed my face. There was no putting it down! This is the kind of book that genuinely left me breathless at the end, with a bit of, "What the heck just happened here?!?" The action of the story, the actual pursuit of the White Lion and the search for the missing children, is excellently crafted. The real core of the story, though, is one of redemption and of family.

It is always encouraging when an author takes an opportunity to use an already awesome story to fulfill a higher purpose. James R. Hannibal does this through a partnership with Compassion International, a wonderful organization with a heart for the impoverished children of the world, in which a portion of every book sold goes to support their mission. That's fiction with a purpose, for sure!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.

Book Review - Out of the Embers

Someone was watching.

I was immediately caught! Thanks to Amanda Cabot's hook of an opening line, I was involved in Evelyn's story from the first sentence. Out of the Embers is the first book in Cabot's new Mesquite Springs series and follows orphan Evelyn Radcliffe from the destruction of the orphanage she called home to the home that was meant for her.

Ten years after her parents were killed, Evelyn must start all over when her orphanage home is destroyed by fire. Who set the blaze that killed the matron and all of the other orphans, save sweet little Polly? Where will Evelyn and Polly go? How will Evelyn support them?

Wyatt Clark has always gone above and beyond to care for his family and nurture the dream of his deceased father, but he's planning for the day he can escape to chase his own dream. He is utterly unprepared to do anything more than providing shelter and food to the strangers he finds huddled under a wagon in a storm.

Amanda Cabot entwines their stories and their hearts deftly, while creating a lovable cast of characters in the town of Mesquite Springs. I look forward to the continuation of the series as we see what she has in store for Wyatt's dear sister, Dorothy, as well as the other citizens of their cozy Texas Hill country town.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.

Book Review - Collision of Lies

Imagine that your son has been dead for three years when you receive a text message from an unknown phone number, "Help me, Mom." I know I would move mountains to find out where this message came from and what it might mean for my child.

Imagine now that you are minding your own business when this message and the parents to whom it was sent land squarely in the middle of your peaceful Saturday morning breakfast. Amara Alvarez, property crimes detective for the San Antonio Police Department, just wants to eat her breakfast and do her job well enough to get her transferred to Homicide. But she hopes a quick check of the text will prove to be an accident or a nasty prank. She never expects what unravels from there. Aided by a Texas Ranger, the FBI, a quirky and intelligent SAPD medical examiner, a homicide detective named Starsky, and Larry, her trusted iguana, Amara follows the shreds of evidence to uncover something much larger and more sinister than anyone could imagine.

Tom Threadgill offers up quite a thrilling web of unfolding details in Collision of Lies. This book was hard to put down from the very beginning and held my attention firmly. Amara and her cohorts were very relatable and highly enjoyable. I look forward to the next time we meet Detective Alvarez and Larry in action!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.

Book Review - Isaiah's Legacy

Book Review - Isaiah's Legacy

From the Cover:

Eight year old Shulle has only known life in a small village with her loving but peculiar father. When Uncle Shebna offers shelter in Jerusalem in exchange for Shulle's help tutoring King Manasseh, Judah's five-year-old co-regent, she's eager to experience the royal court. But Shulle is soon disillusioned with Yahweh, the God of her father, when she discovers He's given King Hezekiah only ten years to live. When Uncle Shebna threatens her father's safety and demonstrates the starry hosts' power, Shulle begins the subtle swaying of young Manasseh, using her charm and skill on the boy no one else understands. Will Shulle free Judah from Yahweh's chains? What role will she play in Isaiah's legacy?

Years later, tragedy thrusts an embittered and ambitious twelve-year-old Manasseh onto Judah's throne. When an even darker influence seeks to twist his brilliant mind toward cruelty, Shulle begins to wonder if the gods they've worshipped so freely have led their hearts into captivity... and if anyone can be too far gone to experience the sovereign love to the one true God.

Review:

Isaiah's Legacy, the third installment in the A Novel of Prophets and Kings series by Mesu Andrews, follows in a grand tradition of inspired biblical fiction that enlightens as it carries the reader to Judah for a turbulent ride through the reign of King Manasseh. A thoroughly researched and well crafted novel, but not an easy one to read, it examines a level of spiritual darkness and depravity that is often danced about, implied, but rarely addressed directly. However, these issues are very real and are critical to a true understanding of the evil that gripped King Manasseh's heart until Yahweh broke the chains that bound him and redeemed him in a glorious way.

This novel picks up after the conclusion of Isaiah's Daughter, at the end of King Hezekiah's life, as his son Manasseh prepares and eventually becomes king. We are subject to the conflict of loving certain characters while we hate the evil that works its way into their lives and shackles them apart from the loving God. Shulle had my heart from the very beginning, and my heart broke for her over and over again as she was tricked and manipulated into the sorcery that bound her while masquerading as power. Manasseh's reign of terror against the prophets and Yahwehists is a horror that was foretold, but not any easier to bear as it unfolded. Through it all, Queen Hephzibah can only pray and hope that her previous boy will someday see Truth and turn from darkness. And her abba, the prophet Isaiah, foretells his own demise at the hands of his grandson, knowing that it must be done as Yahweh says to ultimately give Him the glory.

Dear reader, know that Isaiah's Legacy is not a bit of fiction to be undertaken lightly. As Mesu Andrews toiled to bring it forth, so you will toil to digest it. And yet, it is certainly one of the most valuable and eye opening novels I have ever consumed. The understanding that comes from the scripture and the exploration of the spiritual, social, and political turmoil within reveals what is possibly the greatest prodigal story ever told. And if Shulle and Manasseh can be unchained by Yahweh, then nobody is beyond His redemptive love.

About the Author:

Mesu Andrews is the Christy Award-winning author of Isaiah's Daughter and numerous other novels, including The Pharaoh's Daughter, Miriam, Of Fire and Lions, and Love Amid the Ashes. Her deep understanding of and love for God's Word brings the biblical world alive for readers. Mesu lives in North Carolina with her husband, Roy, and enjoys spending time with her growing tribe of grandchildren.

Links:

Find Mesu online at MesuAndrews.com

Follow Mesu on Goodreads * Instagram * Facebook

Purchase Isaiah's Legacy at Amazon (Release date February 18, 2020)

Disclaimer:

Woman By the Grace of God received a book to facilitate this review. The views and opinions expressed here are 100% honest and my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, part 255 Guidelines, concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in advertising.

Launch Party Info:

Join Mesu on Facebook Live for the Isaiah's Legacy launch party! Come prepared to hear about Isaiah's Legacy and to ask questions about the research and writing of this awesome novel! Click here to select GOING and receive reminders prior to the party, February 18 at 8pm EST. (I'm pretty sure a little birdie mentioned giveaways!)

Speaking of Freebies:

Did you know that Mesu has written FOUR short-story prequels that have been combined into a novella prequel to Isaiah's Legacy? It's called Adnah's Legacy, and it's FREE to Mesu's newsletter subscribers. Just go to any page on her website, and you'll find a sign-up widget in the right-hand column.