The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon J. Mondragon (Book Tour, Review, and Giveaway)

 Have you ever read a book that captures your mood perfectly?

 I LOVED The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady.  Once I started this cozy read, I couldn’t put it down.  The Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry knits together at the church prayer chapel each Wednesday.  They are shocked one Wednesday to discover that the chapel is closed down for painting and their pastor tells them that he wants them to take their ministry out into the world.  How are they supposed to pray at a shopping mall? Margaret, Rose, Jane, and Fran pack their knitting bags and try it out.  The new people they encounter have problems of their own that could use some prayer.  Will these ladies be able to spread their ministry and also solve their own issues?

 I loved that each character was fully fleshed and had a compelling story of their own.  I loved that the overall message was that making human connections with people and caring for them, makes the world a better place.  We all need that human connection and caring for the greater good.  I also loved the theme of mother and child relationships and being able to take the time to forgive and say goodbye.  There was also a good theme of not judging others as you don’t know their full story.  The story was very well written and engaging.  I need to read more from Sharon J. Mondragon.

 I also really liked that this is a Christian book that is actually a Christian book. Many Christian books are labeled Christian as they have a chaste romance, but do not actually have any discussion of Christianity.  This book actual has prayer, a church, church services, and trying to evangelize in the community to bring in new members.  It also applied Christian teachings such as forgiveness.  I especially loved the description of the Christmas Eve service and the lighting of the candles.  Jane has a moment where she realized that instead of blowing out the candles, you could be the candle that stays lit and brings the message out to your home and community.  I loved this.

 Favorite Quotes:

“Apparently, like most women of a certain age, they were virtually invisible.”

 “Luck is random.  Blessing is from God.”

 Overall, The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is a truly wonderful novel with great characters and message that will stick with me.

Book Source:  Review copy from Kregel Publications for being a part of the Book Tour.  Thank-you.

From the Publisher About the Book:

 

A knitting group’s change of scenery changes lives in unexpected ways

 Margaret, Rose, Jane, and Fran had a good thing going: meet every week in the quiet of their peaceful chapel and knit prayer shawls. No muss, just ministry. That is, until their pastor boots them out of the church in his last-ditch effort to revive the dwindling congregation.

 Uptight Margaret isn’t having it. Knitting prayer shawls where people can watch is the most ridiculous idea she’s ever heard of, and she’s heard plenty. Prayer belongs in the church, not out among the heathen masses. How are they supposed to knit holiness into these shawls if they’re constantly distracted by the public? But with no choice, the others embrace the challenge. They pack their knitting bags and drag Margaret—grumbling the whole way—to the mall with them. She can’t wait to prove them all wrong when it fails miserably, and show the pastor that she always knows best.

 Without the familiar mold the group has been stuck in, their own losses, pain, and struggles rise to the surface. And the people and situations they encounter every time they try to sit quietly and knit are taking them a lot further out of their comfort zone than they ever imagined. Can they find the courage to tackle the increasing number of knotty issues they learn about in the community--or will the tangle be too much to unravel?

 Sharon J. Mondragon’s debut is warm and delightful, full of real laughter, grief, and personality. It beautifully illustrates the power of women across generations to reach people for Christ.

 To read an excerpt of The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady click here.

About the author:

 Sharon J. Mondragón

writes about the place where kindness and courage meet. Her debut novel, The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady (originally titled The Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry) was the 2017 winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis award in the Short Novel Category, and she has also been recognized by The Saturday Evening Post where her short story, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” was an Honorable Mention Awardee in the 2014 their Great American Fiction Contest.

 Mondragón has been active in prayer shawl ministry since 2008 and currently serves as facilitator for the prayer shawl ministry at her church, St. Paul Episcopal in Waxahachie, TX. She also knits with the Circle of Healing at Red Oak United Methodist Church. She is a Level 2 Certified Knitting Instructor through the Craft Yarn Council and teaches beginning knitting at a local yarn store.

 Mondragón is the mother of five grown children and has four grandchildren. After 26 years as an Army wife, she has settled in Midlothian, TX with her hero/husband, her laptop, and her yarn stash.

 Visit Sharon Mondragón’s website and blog at www.sharonjmondragon.com and follow her on Facebook (Sherry Mondragón) and Twitter (@SJ_Mondragón). 

Giveaway:

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