The first two novels had a great start.

However, as the story progressed, they deteriorated.

The endings were simply terrible.

It was as if the author got tired of writing and suddenly tied up all the loose ends in an unrealistically neat way and then quit.

Based on this limited sample, it seems that her writing style is to begin really engagingly, then get bogged down in a mess, and finally drown the plot in a cop-out ending.

After that inauspicious beginning, it took me years to gather the courage to take on the third book.

I was cleaning out my bookshelves and decided to finally read the third novel before discarding this collection.

But, to my surprise, it turned out to be great.

It's too bad that two of the worst novels ever written preceded it.

I might have thrown away this collection without getting to this gem.

This is a remarkable book that encompasses the three novels mentioned below.

Some reviewers have criticized the size of this book. Indeed, it is large, but come on! It contains 3 books in 1. Did you really expect it to be small? *rolls eyes* Before obtaining this book, I had never heard of Karen Kingsbury. I only recently began reading Christian Fiction, and I'm so glad I picked this one up! Karen Kingsbury, you are now one of my new favorite authors, and I'm proud to have your book on my shelf!

Where Yesterday Lives

I adored this book, and here's why. From the very first page, it's captivating. You immediately wonder who this guy is and what's happening. This sense of curiosity persists throughout the entire story. I was completely absorbed in the characters. I wanted to understand why they were the way they were and whether they would be able to resolve their issues. Not once did I feel bored or want to put it down!

The author's writing style in this story was truly amazing to me. Just as I was getting to know a character and渴望更多细节, the author would switch perspectives and put me in the mind of a different character. I found this both fascinating and frustrating (in a good way). I was desperate to find out the rest of the story about a particular character, so the author had my full attention, and I simply couldn't put this book down!

Let this serve as a warning to all of you: you will cry when you read this. The last few chapters had me in tears, and I could hardly see the book. The emotions were palpable on the pages, and I felt as if I were there in real life, witnessing everything unfold. It amazes me that a book could be written so beautifully! Kudos to you, Karen Kingbury! This is one of the best books I've ever read, and I'm proud to add it to my personal library!!!

When Joy Came To Stay

Once again, I'm astounded by Karen Kingsbury's writing style! As she transitions from one character to another, this story keeps you guessing and trying to fill in the missing pieces. You reach a great point with one character, and you're dying to know the rest of the story, but then it quickly jumps to a different character, leaving you hungry for more information. I couldn't put this book down until I finished it.

I'll give you this heads-up. There is a child abuse scene that is extremely difficult to read, so if you have a hard time with such content, be forewarned. I was crying so hard during that scene that I had to step away for a while to calm down.

Once again, she writes so well that I feel as if I'm in the room with these people. The emotions leaping off the pages are simply amazing. It's very easy to get caught up in this book!

On Every Side

This is another excellent book by Karen. While it wasn't my absolute favorite, it was still remarkable! Well-written, filled with emotions, and featuring a great story line based on a true story.

You start off disliking Jordan, but over the course of the book, you find yourself growing to love him! Faith is an outstanding character who caught my attention from the beginning. She's one of those characters that you quickly fall in love with.