Review: Coming Home by Karen Kingsbury

Title: Coming Home

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Publisher: Zondervan

Publication Date: June 25, 2012

Pages: 304

Genre: Christian Fiction

Source: ARC from Publisher

Rating:

Summary (from Goodreads): Coming Home is a novel about tremendous victory and unprecedented loss, a story of faith and a forever kind of love, love that will stay with you long after the last page. This stand-alone novel will serve as either a grand introduction or a beautiful conclusion in the saga of the Baxter Family. The Baxters make plans to come together for a summer lakeside reunion, a celebration like they haven’t had in years. But before the big day, the unthinkable happens. As the Baxter Family rallies together, memories come to light in the grief-stricken hours of waiting and praying, memories that bring healing and hope during a time when otherwise darkness might have the final word. In a season that changes all of them, the brilliance of family love overshadows even the valley of heartache as the Baxters draw closer to God and each other. Along the way, secrets are revealed and the truth about the Baxter Family history is finally made known. Ultimately, in this portrait of family love, the Baxters cling to each other and to God’s promise of forever.

 

     This was another heart-wrenching book from Karen Kingsbury! I will try my best not to add any spoilers until the end. You're welcome. :)

     This book was not at all what I expected it to be. As I stated in my review for the Bailey Flanigan series, I've been following the Baxter family since the beginning of time. If this is your introduction to the Baxters, and you read this as a stand-alone book like the description says, then you'll probably just view it as a drama you could read for a good cry. As for me, like the Bailey Flanigan series, it goes a bit further than that.

     Karen Kingsbury has been one of my favorite Christian authors for a very long time and I would recommend most of her books to anyone because they reach the reader straight to the heart. They are so real. I know that Karen is transitioning to a new publisher, and I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps they are requiring her to write more books in less time. Since the Bailey series, it seems like her books have become rushed and far away from what made them real and wonderful. Coming Home is a good read, and I feel like Karen reached some of her roots again. Although, the parts with Bailey and Brandon still made me cringe. I tried to get through them as fast as possible so I didn't have to go through that despair all over again!

     So, Coming Home. Although it took up some space in the beginning, I liked the recollection of everyone's pasts and how they got to where they are. That was nice for nostalgia's sake, and it's also nice for new readers who need some of the back-story. It was heart-felt and reconnected the characters with the story and each other. As for the events that took place after that, I understand tragedy happens when we least expect it, and it was  another journey Karen took us through the life of the Baxters. I think the worst part about it, is that this wasn't just another book within the series, it was supposed to be the wrap-up for the entire saga. Honestly, I just don't think is was a good way to end it all. It felt unfinished. It felt like there needed to be more, and it felt like it ended way too soon. Perhaps she has yet another Baxter installment up her sleeve, but I just didn't find this to be a good ending to the entirety of the Baxters.

****WARNING - SPOILERS****

     In the beginning it seemed like such a big deal to be celebrating John Baxter's birthday with everyone writing letters to him. The direction I expected this book to go was something was going to happen to John Baxter and he would pass away, "going home." I was thinking that actually would have been a great way to wrap up the journey we've taken with the Baxters, because in a way, it all started with John and Elizabeth. However, it was so far away from that and in the end, all those letters and John's birthday didn't seem quite as important as we entered into the story thinking they were. It was kind of disappointing. It also seemed out of place and inconsistent to kill off an entire family (or I guess "sub-family") the way Karen did. Like I said before, it all felt incomplete.

****END SPOILERS****

So if you're looking for a tear-jerker and you haven't read any other books by Karen, this is a pretty good book. If I hadn't read them all I would probably give it 4.5 stars. But because I have, I have to give it 3.5. I would advise that you start from the "Redemption" series, because those are all top-notch and really shoot straight to the heart.

Blessings,

Review: Loving by Karen Kingsbury

Title: Loving (Bailey Flanigan #4))

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Publisher: Zondervan

Publication Date: March 27, 2012

Pages: 352

Genre: Christian Fiction

Source: Amazon Kindle Store

Rating: Sadly,

Summary (from Goodreads): The answers Bailey Flanigan once longed and prayed for are finally becoming clear. In Loving, the fourth and final book in the Bailey Flanigan Series by New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, Bailey is planning a wedding and making decisions that will shape her future. Bailey enjoys the beginning of her new career and time spent with Brandon while Cody faithfully coaches his team on and off the field. Will she spend her life with Brandon Paul in Los Angeles, or will her heart draw her back to Bloomington, Indiana and Cody Coleman, her first love? Bailey has learned much and grown over the years, but the greatest challenges, the richest joys, and the deepest heartaches are still to come. Featuring members from Karen Kingsbury's popular Baxter family, Loving completes Bailey and Cody's story --- the finale thousands of fans have been waiting for.

 

      First and foremost, I have to say that I absolutely adore Karen Kingsbury and I have been reading her books for years. As I am approaching the "starting a family" stage of life, Karen has shown me through her writing the standards that I desire to raise my family in. She is incredibly inspiring and I truly look up to her as a Christian woman, writer, wife, and parent.

*****WARNING: SPOILERS*****

I, like many others, have grown with the Baxters and Flanigans since the beginning. And I, like many others, went through the series hoping for a happily ever after for Bailey and Cody. When I went to purchase this book for my kindle, I was still believing that there was going to be some miracle of a turnaround for Bailey and Cody and everything was going to be "okay." But as I got to the Amazon page and saw that there were over 100 people that rated this book as 1 star, my heart sank. No. It couldn't be. Bailey and Cody HAD to find a way! ...right????

I began to scroll down and read the reviews. This wasn't going to end the way I had hope it would all these years. I actually debated whether or not I should even purchase it because I was so upset about it. But, I couldn't do that to Karen. She had her reasons, and I was going to show my support either way, being the loyal reader that I am.

Normally, I read through a Karen Kingsbury book in a day. A day and a half at most. Knowing how this was going to end, it seriously took me over a month to get through this book. I would lay my kindle down on my lap, look at my husband in desperation and say, "this isn't how it's supposed to be! I just don't know if I can finish it!" Yes, I am one of those that feel like these are real people.

I'm glad that I knew the ending beforehand, because although it took time, eventually I started becoming more accepting of the fact that Bailey was going to choose Brandon. And because Karen decided to minimize the character of Cody and maximize the character of Brandon, it became more bearable.

The thing is, with everything Cody had gone through between almost losing his life overseas, losing Cheyenne, and even losing Bailey for a while...you would think he would've had some epiphany that life was too short, keep those you love close....fight for them and never let go, especially Bailey. He wouldn't just shrug his shoulders and move on with his life...that's not the Cody Coleman we all knew! Andi was a bit random, but even making her and Brandon a couple would've made more sense.

I'm still really torn about this series...by the end of it I was able to like the character of Brandon a lot more, but if I didn't know she was going to pick him the whole time, I probably would've been a lot more devastated.

I give a painful 3 star rating because I still think that Karen wrote within the same context we all love her for: Faith, Family, and Love. However, I think the storyline throughout the Bailey Flanigan series started off strong, but slowly became weaker as Karen was trying to decide which direction to take Bailey. I feel like it became too much like a repeat of Katy and Dayne's story. Although it worked for them...and although I know you don't always end up with your first love, I think Bailey Flanigan and Cody Coleman could have easily had a successful "first love" story that could've been one of the sweetest of them all.

Totally Team Cody,