Reading, Writing & Pondering

      Do you need a new Advent devotional to read this year? Let Earth Receive Her King by Alister Begg is both beautiful on the outside and full of Christmas reflections to stir your heart on the inside. Let Earth Receive Her King is divided into five parts. Following the introduction: Part One: Christmas in the Beginning Part Two: Christmas in the Land Part Three: Christmas in the Gospels Part Four: Christmas in the Letters Part Five:Awaiting the New Advent I like how this book starts before the Gospels. The story of Jesus actually begins in the Old Testament, which many of us know and yet so many years we just read the Christmas story in the gospels and call it a day. I like that this book studies all aspects of Christ coming and then the full story of his birth. This Advent book has 25 readings that run from Genesis, Isaiah, Luke, and more right through to Revelations. It encompasses the whole Bible. For me, this is new to cover so much ground in an Advent Devotiona...

  Mistletoe Season is a compilation of three Christmas novellas that will warm your heart this year. Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts, Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller, and The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham were all enjoyable reads for me. Return to Mistletoe is the first story in this book. Emmy Banks lives in Mistletoe, Missouri and runs an antique and coffee shop. Kieran O'Neill has just returned to Mistletoe following years abroad in Ireland. Emmy is his sister's best friend and he was Emmy's prom date years ago. Can they rekindle a friendship--or something more? A Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham is the second story. I'm not going to lie. I enjoyed Basham's Skymar series a whole lot so I was thrilled to get more of that story-line. In this one, Princess Ellie's brother, Prince Arran St. Claire is sent to Ransom, North Carolina for three months of rehabilitative work with Ellie's husband, Luke. Even before he works with Luke and Charlie...

  Sometimes, when there is so much negative stuff in the news, we need to know good things, like miracles, can still happen today too. Christmas Miracles by Karen Kingsbury is a book full of real life stories to encourage people through the Christmas season. Christmas Miracles: True Stories from the Most Wonderful Time of the Year has some wonderful heart-tugging stories in it. I enjoyed them all but I think the first story, Have I Told You Lately?, that Kingsbury wrote about her father and a Rod Stewart song was my very favorite. If you are familiar with Guideposts magazine, these stories are like a whole book of wonderful real-life stories that could have appeared in that magazine. Some of these stories will make you smile or laugh and others will cause you to tear up--some may even do both. They are all stories that bring up the emotions of the holidays.  Christmas Miracles would make a great gift for someone of about any age. I think most people would enjoy these stor...

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Star of Wonder by Angela Hunt hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours ! About the Book When I saw Star of Wonder was written by Angela Hunt, I knew I wanted to read it. I have enjoyed her books so much in the past. Star of Wonder is an Advent Devotional. It is divided into four parts: The Places of Christmas, The Prophecies of Christmas, The People of Christmas, and The Purpose of Christmas. There is also an introduction at the beginning. In the introduction, Hunt shares how after writing several novels set in first-century Judea and the Savior's birth, she "discovered a divine majesty surrounding the people, places, promises and purposes of Christmas." Hunt hopes this book will rekindle a sense of wonder in the reader as well. I have to start by saying I love the beautiful cover of Star of Wonder. It is inviting and "speaks" of majesty to me. The book is a great size to put on your bedside table or tuck in a pu...

  All About Christmas by Alison Mitchell is sure to have some answers for questions from those early elementary students--ages 7 to 11. This is a large book that is roughly 9 by 10 inches in size and almost 50 pages long. There is a lot of good information in All About Christmas. It is a book that could be read straight through or one that you could use the table of contents to find the information that you most want to learn about Christmas. There is also a glossary in the book and a quiz, for those who want to test their knowledge after reading through the book. As a homeschool mom, I would also like this book to use with our studies around Christmas. There are drawings and there are also actual photos in the book that back up the information presented. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  The Christmas Surprise by Steph Williams tells the Christmas story to young children in a little different way. I love the way this book is written. It is a fun one to read aloud to help little ones understand the Christmas story. There is also a note for grown-ups in the back to guide adults as they talk to children about the Christmas story. There is also the text from Luke1:26-35 in the NIV version so adults could also read directly from the Bible at the end to the children as well. I think The Christmas Surprise is well done. It is written is such a way that young children can not only understand the Christmas story but also so they can get excited about it. As I already mentioned, it is fun to read aloud as an adult could ham it up and use different voices to make this book even more fun. It is also one that children could keep to re-read every year and learn to read on their own. Best of all, The Christmas Surprise is at a price point that is under five dollars so it wou...

Many little ones like watching cars and trucks and seeing them work in real life. Wreck the Halls by Melinda Rathjen and illustrated by Gareth Williams is a board book aimed at children under five who enjoy watching cars and trucks. It is a fairly small board book at about six inches square with thick cardboard pages that make it easy for little ones to look at on their own.  Wreck the Halls is kind of a silly book and it does sort of give human qualities to the cars and trucks along the lines of  the Disney's Cars movie. I think this book could be fun to read with little ones. At the same time, I do think it may lead to some questions or explaining for little realists who wonder about talking cars--or maybe it will just inspire them to use their imagination more. It would be a good book for families who celebrate Christmas without focusing on the religious aspect of it or families that don't mind some books without the religious aspect. Wreck the Halls focuses more on the ...

  Is your family a fan of VeggieTales? Mine is! Joy to the World from VeggieTales is a cute board book aimed at children ages two to five years old. This book is a good size for little hands to hold themselves at 20 pages long and measuring about six inches square. It is also a fun book to read aloud. It is a little silly as you might expect from a VeggieTales book, which makes it fun if you are Veggie fans. At the same time, there is a good message at the heart of Joy to the World about what the real meaning of Christmas is all about. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

      With simple words and brightly colored illustrations, Patricia A. Pingry tells the Christmas story in The Story of Christmas board book. This book is fairly small measuring about six inches square and 22 thick cardboard pages long so it is also a good size for little ones to look at on their own--as well as a good book to read aloud to them. This book is meant to introduce preschoolers to Jesus and the Christmas story and I think it does a good job of doing that. It would also make a good gift book for little ones. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  Have you started reading Christmas books yet this year? A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson is my first one. I enjoyed this novella and the guaranteed happy ending that I was looking forward to. Sometimes you just need a book that is a sure thing in the "happy ending" department. A Quilt for Christmas starts out with Vera Swanson moving to a new town to be near her daughter and her family--only to have them unexpectedly move away elsewhere after he got there. Vera now feels along and is dreading the holidays. Then she meets her condo neighbors--starting with little Fiona when Fiona's mother turns ill and Fiona looks for help for her mom. Fiona stay with Vera for a bit and likes Vera's quilt. She would like Vera to make one for her mom for Christmas. . .and Vera agrees to try but she needs help to finish it in time. She puts up a sign to form a quilting group--and not only ends up with a quilt for Fiona's family but several new friends too. For the most par...

  Are you looking for a fun activity to do for Advent with your little ones? The Press-out-and-play book, My Advent Nativity by Tama Fortner and illustrated by Keith Allen, is such a wonderful idea for Advent with small children. Small children are curious and love to touch as they learn. With the new board book, My Advent Nativity, little children, about ages three to seven, can press out pieces of the nativity each day of Advent until Christmas and they have a whole pressed-out creche set.  My Advent Nativity Press-out-and-play book is a great idea for little children. It gives them something to look forward to, it helps them use their skills to press out the pieces, and it helps them to have their own nativity set. If you have a special set that you would rather not have children touch, as my mom did, then you could direct them to their own set that they can touch. At the same time, they are learning the true meaning of Christmas and hearing the Christmas story in bite-size...

  Under the Texas Mistletoe: A Trio of Christmas Historical Romance Novellas by Karen Witemeyer is a wonderful Christmassy set of stories sure to warm your heart.  I thoroughly enjoyed this uplifting set of Christmas novellas from Witemeyer. A Texas Christmas Carol was a fun story about a Scrooge-like man who meets a woman who helps him undo some of his stingy ways. The second story was An Archer Family Christmas. This sweet story tells about Cassandra Archer and how she handles and outlaw and his girlfriend with some happy unexpected results that made for a joyous Christmas. The third story was previously published, A Gift of the Heart. This story is a sweet tale about a widow named Ruth and her daughter moving to a wealthy resort town and softening the heart of a bachelor named Bo, a wounded reclusive bachelor. In between these stories, Witemeyer has included some Christmas devotions, Christmas history, and a few special Christmas recipes.  I truly enjoyed Under The Te...

  Simone Winthrop was busy cleaning out her grandmother's house with the help of her best friend, Andrea. Together they discovered a lost letter to Simone from her French Great Grandmother that suggests that Simone is heir to a "treasure." Despite Simone's fear of flying, Andrea manages to encourage her to fly to France and discovering whether there is any truth to the letter.  A Christmas in the Alps was an enjoyable read for me. I liked that this short novella held both a mystery and romance. I enjoyed each of the characters too. Simone seems real but fun and likeable. Kyle also seems like a great guy. There was humor at times and I enjoyed their chemistry. I also thought it was fun to have the book set in France at Christmas time. A Christmas in the Alps was just a sweet read with a mystery that took a bit to unravel in the short book. There isn't a lot of spiritual content to this book but it is a good clean read with a happy ending. I thoroughly enjoyed A Ch...

  As families spend more time inside together this year, an Advent workbook/journal may be just the thing to help everyone stay focused on the real reason for Christmas A Better Than Anything Christmas by Barbara Reaoch is a unique book that can inspire everyone in the family--no matter what age or experience. A Better Than Anything Christmas has a devotion for all age groups for every day of Advent starting on December 1. Each day has four parts: Explore, Explain, Engage and Enter In. The Explore section involves reading the Bible passage of the day together and answering a couple of questions. The Explain section relates the passage to our modern life today with a short reading. Then the Engage section asks questions and the questions are written for both older and younger children or for those who know Jesus versus those who do not. It ends with a prayer and a journaling page in the Enter In section. Extra pages are in the back for families who have more than one person who wa...

  Does your family read a book together for Advent every year? We did that a lot when our son was younger and all through the years. Seven Words of Christmas by Robert Morris would be a good book to read with the whole family through the Advent season.  Seven is a special number in the Bible. Pastor Morris says that the number seven signifies completeness or perfection. In Seven Words of Christmas, Pastor Morris says that God heralded His son into the world with seven unique prophetic words that still speak to us in our world today. Those words are: Salvation, Favor, Blessed, Guidance, Joy, Redemption and Peace. Throughout Seven Words of Christmas , Pastor Morris shares Scripture and stories around each of these seven words as he shares the story of Christmas. I read through this book in a short amount of time and enjoyed it so much. Seven Words of Christmas brought the Christmas story to life for me today starting with the Scriptures in Luke as Zacharias and Elizabeth find ...

After several years in the same location, Krista Galloway decided it was time to move somewhere new and start over with her daughter, Emily. She took a new job as the city manager of Winter Hill, Washington, and starts shortly before the holiday season. She isn't on the job very long before she struggles as she makes some startling discoveries that leave her feeling unwelcome in this small tight-knit community, which is so different from their last home in Phoenix, Arizona. Emily went in to the move hoping for new friends and a chance to see some snow. Will the two find what they are looking for? You'll have to read Christmas In Winter Hill by Melody Carlson to find out. I wouldn't be surprised to see Christmas In Winter Hill made in to a Hallmark movie. It is a sweet, touching holiday story. It is easy to picture both the decorated small town and the various townspeople, as well as follow the story that you know will end on a happy note. I thought Carlson did a great...

Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas by Ace Collins has all the information you need if you want to find out how a Christmas tradition began. This book details how almost any Christmas tradition that you can think of got started. Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas shares how advent began, why holly is important, the significance of the nutcracker ballet, and why we hang up stockings to name just a few of the traditions that I found interesting in this little book. Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas will be a keeper for me in our personal library for future reference. I think it would be a great addition to anyone's personal library and to church libraries. From the introduction in the front of this book through all of the traditions that are detailed, I found this whole book to be quite interesting. It is both interesting reading and a book to reference when you need to as all of the traditions shared in the book are in alphabetical...

We have had cold and snow early this October in the Midwest which has already put me in the mood for the Christmas spirit. I was excited to win a copy of The Christmas Star as I have not read a Donna VanLiere book before but I have always wanted to. Gabe Rodriguez is a guy who loves children and works in the maintenance department of the Grand elementary school. He often talks to seven-year-old Maddie, a cute little girl who has spent her young life in foster care. Maddie decides to play matchmaker with Gabe when she learns that he is single. Every day after school, Maddie goes to Glory's Place, an after school program while her foster mom works. Amy is a new volunteer there and Maddie thinks she is perfect for Gabe. . .However, there are a few surprises for everyone when they get together. I enjoyed this sweet inspiring Christmas tale of  love and compassion in The Christmas Star . I most definitely would read more of VanLiere's work after reading this book. It was som...

Finn Parish is a cab driver. Miss Callie is a lady with dementia in a wheelchair. She calls for a cab one day and the adventures begin. Finn doesn't really want to be saddled with this old lady but she also reminds him of his mother. It is Sydney Batson's first year as a law student. When her grandmother gets ill unexpectedly while she has to be in court, she reluctantly sends her in a cab to the clinic. I don't want to give any spoilers so I will stop there. I had to sigh when Catching Christmas was over. I really didn't want it to end. I don't know what better compliment you can pay an author. I laughed. I cried. I enjoyed every minute with Callie, Sydney and Finn. I truly enjoyed all of these characters. I thought Catching Christmas was a sweet novella that left me with a happy feeling that I read it. I would recommend it to anyone needing a dose of Christmas cheer. I also liked that there are discussion questions in the back of the book and it is well w...

It wasn't snowing this week, but we did have a dark, cool, rainy day that felt a little winterish. It felt close enough to the Christmas season that it was the perfect day to get my tea and curl up and read A Christmas by the Sea by Melody Carlson. A Christmas by the Sea is the story of Wendy and her son Jackson Harper. After Wendy's husband died a few years before from cancer, Wendy was left with mounting debts. Then she inherits her grandparents' cottage in Seaside, Maine. Wendy sees this as a way to finally pay off her debts. However, Jackson sees it as a place to get a fresh start with fresh, new memories. Wendy wants her son to be happy but she doesn't know what else to do. But maybe God has something else in mind? A Christmas by the Sea was a sweet feel-good novella. I enjoyed this story and genuinely liked the characters. However,  I did get a little frustrated by the communication struggles, but I have seen enough poor communication in families around ...