Fifteen Minutes

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Genre: Life, family (and really…priorities. And fame.)

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5 high

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 353

Time period: Present

Publisher and price: Simon & Schuster, $22.99 (hardcover)

My overall opinion: Reading a book by Karen Kingsbury after several months without reading any felt, well, familiar. Rather like coming home. Which sounds horribly stereotypical, but I don’t know another way to describe it. I love her writing style and her characters so much, and they touch my heart like no other author yet has. This book is almost a cautionary book, warning about the pitfalls and hardships of being famous. I really like how Karen has this huge TV show in her book that’s super popular here in America (like The Voice or American Idol currently is) and she makes it totally believable, and also manages to work in a few cultural references to other TV shows or famous people. This book was easy to get into and read, and hard to put down! I’m definitely recommending it to everyone.

The Bridge

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Genre: Life

Series: I don’t THINK it’s in a series, but it might be? The next book is The Change. 

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 232

Time period: Present

My overall opinion: A good book with a sweet story...but I miss the Baxters. :( :)

Coming Home

 

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Genre: Family, life

Series: It’s about the Baxter family who are in so many of Karen’s previous books – their final book. 

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 301

Time period: Present

My overall opinion: What a book! I cried through much of it, but it was very good…and totally worth it. Karen Kingsbury has an amazing skill for making her characters live beautifully and realistically. Wonderful.

A Time to Embrace

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Genre: Life, family

Series: Women of Faith

Number in series: 2^nd

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 315

Time period: Present

My overall opinion: I didn’t love it, but it was very good (like everything I’ve read by KK has been). A moving story about the impact of bad decisions. Good book.

Reunion

 

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Genre: Family, life

Series: Redemption series

Number in series: 5^th (the final)

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 575 pages (large-print)

Time period: Present

My overall opinion: I’ll admit, I expected this one to affect me much more emotionally…and was surprised that it didn’t. I think Karen has improved her writing skills over time! Don’t take me wrong, she was an amazing author even back here, but she has gotten better. This whole series is great! It’s concentrates on Elizabeth primarily, with the family as the other focus.

Rejoice

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Genre: Life, family

Series: Redemption series

Number in series: 4^th

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 530 large-print

Time period: Present

My overall opinion: I enjoyed this book! It was riveting and sad at the same time. Brooke’s book. A good read.

Return

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Genre: Life

Series: Redemption

Number in series: 3^rd

 

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 532 large-print

Time period: Present…closer to 9/11

My overall opinion: Luke’s story, with some more of Ashley’s as well. I enjoyed it, but didn’t love it. I think Karen Kingsbury has improved over her years of writing!

Remember

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Genre: Life

Series: Redemption series

Number in series: 2^nd

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 619 (large-print)

Time period: 9/11

My overall opinion: It was good, very good. There were sad parts and happy parts, both very well written. I’m greatly enjoying learning the history of the Baxters! This book focused on Ashley. It doesn’t complete her story, that doesn’t happen until the end of the series, but it focuses on her. A wonderful series to read.