Rating: 
Summary: The delightful miniseries continues
Review: I have religiously followed this wonderful series from the start and have so enjoyed the relaxed and genuine nature of these books. When I opened this one before I bought it - I noticed that the formatting (indentations, spaces and margins) had reduced the number of words on each page so that the book would be quite short. Sometimes this attempt by a publisher to create space and have a reader buy a book for more than it's worth would somewhat enrage me. However, this is gentle Mitford after all and Jan Karon's books never fail to deliver an eloquent story so I bought the book anyway. The restoration of the 19th century creche is a lovely metaphor for the process of the advent season and I always love how Jan Karon develops each character with dialogues and thoughts. The set up for the very final book is bittersweet and I look forward to reading the final chapter with a heavy heart because I will miss these characters. It's truly a lovely story. If it hadn't been for the reduction in substance I would surely have given it five stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Disappointment from Jan Karon
Review: I love Mitford and have read all of the Karon books, but this is another of the short stories that have been sold as novels. This was a sweet story, but I hate being ripped off. One nice thing about Shepherds Abiding is that it's size matches the earlier Mitford books on my shelf.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed that this was disappointing!
Review: I love Mitford.I love Jan Karon's writing. I love every one of the characters in the town she has created. But I didn't love this book - and that's disappointing. I was looking forward to another few hours in the company of Mitford happenings, and found, instead, a brief coffee break. For true Mitford fans, that just isn't enough. I hope that the last book in the series will be full, and complete, and engrwossing, and satisfying. Anything less than that just doesn't do the town - or the characters - justice.
Rating:
Summary: A good not great one...
Review: I love the sense of peace and hope that I always feel after reading these books. This one fell a little short for me, not the depth I would like to have seen. I do have to tell you about another book that I just read that left me feeling the hope and peace I was hoping to feel with Shepherds Abiding. Shade of the Maple by Kirk Martin he is a new author and I hope he writes many more...
Rating:
Summary: I love to "visit" Mitford!
Review: I loved Shepherds Abiding, just as I have loved all of the Mitford novels. They're so sweet and refreshing. If you're into sex and violence, you probably won't like the Mitford novels. But if you would like a relaxing little trip to a town kind of like Mayberry, you'll love Mitford. I recommend reading them all IN ORDER. I'll be sad when Jan Karon writes the last one.
Rating:
Summary: I love to "visit" Mitford!
Review: I loved Shepherds Abiding, just as I have loved all of the Mitford novels. They're so sweet and refreshing. If you're into sex and violence, you probably won't like the Mitford novels. But if you would like a relaxing little trip to a town kind of like Mayberry, you'll love Mitford. I recommend reading them all IN ORDER. I'll be sad when Jan Karon writes the last one.
Rating:
Summary: Speaks to me directly...
Review: I passed up this book one day, because although I own every Mitford book, I was feeling broke, and the large margins and abundance of white space on each page just ticked me off. But then a friend asked to borrow it, and was so upset that I hadn't pre-ordered the darn thing that I went and bought it. I didn't read it right away. But on the week I chose to read it, I got to some advice from Father Tim that was a specific and perfect answer to my prayers and struggles of that week. In addition, it was just as familiar, fresh, and faith-filled as I expect from Jan Karon, and I'm very glad I broke down and paid full price. A wonderful addition to the series.
Rating:
Summary: Faith abides in Mitford
Review: I picked up the newest installment in the Mitford series from my church library. Yes, the margins are pushed in and yes I wished for more...but I was blessed with what was there. The story of Father Tim's Christmas was exactly what I needed. It is a story of faith, faith in doing what you didn't imagine you could do, faith in hoping for something you never dreamed of having, and faith in the simplicity of the lives of our Mitford family. The book is setting the stage for the end of the series where we may see the conclusion of all the loose threads, will Kenny be found, will Father Tim and Cynthia travel to Ireland, will Dooley stay a Barlowe or become a Kavanagh...these are worth waiting for, in detail and in depth. To get to enjoy Christmas in Mitford makes this book worth my time to enjoy the story. But most of all it gave me faith when I needed to replenish my soul.
Rating: 
Summary: Better than I expected
Review: I read the reviews while waiting for this book to arrive. I was disappointed in what I read. When I got the book, I devoured it. I know it was short like A Common Life, but what a sweet thing for Timothy to do.. I am a Mitford addict, so I simply loved it!
Rating: 
Summary: I Felt Cheated
Review: I waited so long for this book to be released. Called the local Christian bookstore on the day of its release (October 20 -- even wrote it on my calendar!) Did something I never do -- paid FULL PRICE. Brought it home, opened it, and almost fell over. I had paid nearly $27 for a book that had 4-inch margins, and was quadruple-spaced. This isn't a full-length book -- and to charge that amount for such a padded effort is, well, sinful! Like the other reviewers, I love Mitford, but I don't love such chicanery. Shame on you, Jan!
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