When the Soul Mends

~ A Book Review ~

Many of you know that I love to read!  If I don’t have a book handy, I’ll read the grocery labels.  I can’t help it!

After reviewing books for an independent company, I am now reviewing for WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.  What a great team of writers!  My first book to review for the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group was When the Soul Mends, by Cindy Woodsmall.

A relatively new author, Ms. Woodsmall’s books have already made the New York Times best seller list and won numerous other awards.  Ms. Woodsmall lives with her family in Georgia.  You can find out more, by going to her website. You will also find excerpts from her books and you can sign up to receive her free newsletter!

Having never read one of Ms. Woodsmall’s books prior to receiving When the Soul Mends, I was thoroughly looking forward to the experience.  I was not disappointed!

The book itself is about a young nursing student, who because of personal reasons has left the Old Order Amish family and the lifestyle that once represented her whole world.  Hannah is now faced with the challenge of having to return home to Owl’s Perch in order to help her younger sister who was partially responsible for Hannah’s leaving.  This is a story about the power of forgiveness and how God moves to restore all things.  It is also a story about overcoming rumors and lies, learning to trust once more.

I read this book over the weekend and  I barely put it down!  The characters are complex.  They are more than just names on a page, they are believable.  And what I loved the most, Ms. Woodsmall does not “telegraph” how the story is going to end.  When the Soul Mends contains twists and turns you do not see coming, therefore holding the reader’s interest right up until the last paragraph!

This is the third book in Woodsmall’s Sisters of the Quilt series.  Her writing is amazing! 

This is one author whose work I will look forward to reading in the future.

Disclaimer:  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  The words and thoughts used to describe the book are strictly my own.

Please visit my side bar where it says to "Rank this Review" and select the ranking you would give this review. 

(Hugs and thank you!)

Happy reading!

~ Cheryl

Eeeek! Guess What?!

Yeah! Eeeek....that's me! But while I do sometimes cause that type of response (you know, "hurry/ put it up/ stop/ you'd better not...Mom's coming!), that is not what I am “eeeking” about now.


I wasn't suppose to post my review of Coming Attractions until August 31st! I just found out today. Can I help it if I was finally on top things for a change? After all, that doesn't happen all that often. And since I finally was "early" with something, I hate to take it down, only to repost it next week. It just doesn't seem right!


What to do, what to do?


For now, I am leaving it as is. Next week, I may write a whole 'nother, other review! Just warning you ahead of time. Be prepared!

Book Review ~ Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions – Robin Jones Gunn



Recently, I was very blessed to be selected to review Robin Jones Gunn’s latest book in the “Katie Weldon Series”, Coming Attractions. This was a first for me!


Now for the truth. I am familiar with RJG’s work via Gardenias For Breakfast and the Sisterchick books, which by-the-way, I considered were for her older (cough), more mature readers (cough, cough). And I assumed (wrongly) the Christy Miller, Sierra Jensen, Katie Weldon story lines to be penned for the younger crowd. (Let me say again, wrong! Wrong! Wrong!)

What I love most about Robin’s books is the way I am absorbed into the story so completely, I almost fail to realize when little nuggets of gold spill off the pages and into my heart. The sliver of soap in Sisterchicks in Sombreros and the meaning of aloha in Sisterchicks do the Hula will always be treasures of gold hidden deep in my heart. And so it is with Coming Attractions!

I love the characters. Their individual personalities ring true throughout the book. Just when you think you might know where the plot is going, there is a gentle twist, uncovering new surprises! And I love that the friendships, while tested, remain strong and believable.

I don’t want to reveal too much about Coming Attractions, as you need to read this book for yourself. But there were two nuggets almost back to back and I do want to share them.

“I don’t think many of us know how to accurately measure success,” Eli said. “That’s because God’s ways aren’t our ways, and his thought aren’t our thoughts. So much of the kingdom of God is measured on a different scale than the one the world uses to measure value.” (pg. 191, Coming Attractions)

“So, if I love God, and I mean really love God with abandon, then I must come to love myself, my life. I need to love my story at the heart level. That’s what I believe life is for all of us. A story being written by God. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. When I start to love my story, with all its messed up twists and turns, then I can love other people who are living out their own stories with all their messed up twists and turns.” (pg. 192, Coming Attractions)

I love these nuggets. They bring God’s word into my heart in a new and different way.
Buy the book! I have an entire new series, make that three series, to buy!

Blessings (and happy reading!),
Cheryl