Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice Colouring Book Illustrated by Julianne St. Clair

Okay, for the sake of full disclosure, I adore autumn. It is easily my favourite season and I revel in my fall bias :) 

When I heard Thomas Nelson was releasing an "autumn themed" colouring book I was curious if they would be able to capture the charm and atmosphere of this season.

Overall, I'm charmed. The pictures really do cover a wide spectrum of the season from the tradition pumpkin patch to beautiful fall flowers, to hot drinks and fall sunsets. The variety was impressive and certainly gives a lot of options for colouring choices depending on a person's mood. The pictures really evoke the nostalgia and slowing down I personally associate with the season.

As far as construction goes the book itself has a nice weight with reasonable paper weight. I found my pencil crayons (or my children's crayons) went on well and easily brought the images to life. That said, I do wish the pages were either thicker or single sided as markers just were not a reasonable option do to bleed through.

Finally, I found the text selection interesting. The book does utilize a solid collection of scripture verses for users to fill in as one would expect from Thomas Nelson but also includes a few sayings ranging from theologians to simple fall themed whimsy. 

I  am looking forward to indulging in some quiet moments with my coffee, a comfy blanket, and this colouring book all autumn long and can see any other fans of the season have an equally enjoyable time.

4.5 stars out of 5

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

The Beautiful Word Adult Coloring Book

The Beautiful Word  is one of the latest offerings in Zondervan's line of colouring books. Combining the more intricate pictures customary of adult colouring books with scripture verses for a fuller and more versatile experience.  

As far as colouring books  go, The Beautiful Word is a solid option for enthusiasts. 

The paper has a great feel for colouring. I was nervous to try markers due to bleed through potential but found pencil crayons worked well (I couldn't get the crayons away from my 2 year old long enough to test those). The pictures themselves have a great selection of images flowing from simple to detailed and with varying levels of difficulty. 

I really appreciate a book with selection as it allows me to find pictures that will draw me in regardless of my mood.

The variety also allows users to find the right level of difficulty to help them focus on the accompanying Scripture. This  book really tries to facilitate time for reflection and contemplation and,in my case, I found them to be fairly successful. 

The one area I didn't feel was quite as developed was the hand lettering section. Now, admittedly, hand lettering is not an area I have much experience in. That said, the tutorial read more as an introduction with tips rather than an explanation and seemed better suited for people who were interested enough to google further or had more exposure than just having heard the term like myself. 

The Beautiful Word is definitely filled with beauty, be it pictorial or words,  and would be a welcome addition to any creative or reflective time.

4 out of 5 stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Indescribable By Laura Story and Jesse Reeves

Confession time, I'm a  life long fan of colouring books. Whether it was at Grandma's house as a child or curled up with dormmates in college, there is something relaxing and inspiring at bringing pictures to life with vibrant colours. This also means I'm always on the hunt for a good colouring book to add to my collection.

Indescribable by Laura Story and Jesse Reeves tries hard to live up to  its name but I'm going to do my best anyway :)

First Impressions.

 For the sake of full disclosure, I squealed when this book arrived. It is a paper cover but still weighted and feels like solid quality. The  colours are vibrant and shiny (which my two little ones immediately spotted and were drawn to like magpies). The pages are durable with the wonderful added bonus of perforated pages for easy detachment or simple laying flat which can make a world of difference for colouring in small spaces.

Closer Inspection.

One of my annoyances with adult colouring books is their extremes. Either a book is so detailed it takes forever or it's so simplistic there isn't any challenge. Indescribable has pictures on both ends resulting in variety. I love that I can find a picture regardless of my time frame, tiredness, or attention span.  There is also a strong variety in the themes of the pictures. Indescribable takes its cues  from Chris Tomlin's hit song. This means that each page brings to life different lyrics  and elements of the beloved song adding interest and selection that is an unusual highlight for the genre.

Downsides.

I'm not convinced the paper is thick enough to keep some of my darker markers from bleeding through (although pencil crayons colour like a dream). You may also be at risk for humming  Indescribable after colouring for too long ;)

5 out of 5 stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.