Skip to main content

Christmas books and movies

I look forward to November and December when it is fashionable to read Christmas stories and watch Christmas movies.  I have to be honest and admit, though, that I read and watch them throughout the year.  The characters in such stories are portrayed with more hope and there is a coming together, a reunion, of family and friends that isn't present at other times in the year as often (in books and movies).

Melody Carlson publishes a Christmas novel every year and almost every year for the past five years I've had a chance to review them.  This year's novel is The Christmas Cat.  The story is about
Garrison who inherits his grandmother's house--and her cats--after she passes away.  His grandmother was his only family and he feels lost without her.  He's struggling to recover from Malaria that he caught while working in Africa and is trying to get a job.  So, his trip home to take care of his grandmother's estate occupies his heart and mind.  The story follows his trials as he finds particular homes for each of the six cats left behind.  The end is like that of other Christmas stories.  It will make you smile and feel like you drank a cup of hot tea with a cinnamon stick in it.

The writing makes this story flow quickly and easy.  I didn't notice any major bumps in my reading.  I enjoyed it and quickly followed Garrison as he found his way in the story.

If you enjoy made for tv Christmas movies (which I have to admit that I do), you'll probably enjoy this story as well.

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from Revell Books.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Missing Pieces

The other day I was discussing a book with my mom and explaining to her my concern about how "blame" is cast upon the child in the story.  My mom commented about how deeply I read and consider what is written. Sometimes I wonder if I go overboard.  Am I questioning too much?  Am I overreacting? Why am I reacting this way? I come back to knowing that God wired me this way.  But, I also reflect on how God has guided my path through the maze of books I've read over the past few years and what I've learned from the books themselves and from reading them.   Recently, I read a book that troubled me.  The book I finished reading was  Guiltless Living  by Ginger Hubbard.  When I began reading it, I found myself puzzled and then disconcerted. And in the end, I cried. But, I cried for a different reason than one might suspect. I'd like to explain. I did not read Ms. Hubbard's previous book “ Don't Make Me Count to Three ”, but I knew from f...
Post a Comment
Read more

listening or rather not listening to directions...

This week has been very eye opening. I am observing and noticing what I need to learn in order to be a better homeschooling mom and teacher and what my daughter needs to learn to be a good homeschooling student. My weakness when I was a teacher in a first grade classroom was not understanding how small concepts had to be broken down--and I lost my patience very quickly. This week, in particular today, I am seeing how detailed my directions need to be. I am going to be working very consciously and deliberately on this. On the other hand, I realized that my daughter does not listen! Wowsers! In a classroom, Autumn listens very well. She is a compliant child and very influenced by peer pressure and conformity. So, she listens along with everyone else and follows directions. But, at home, it's just Autumn and maybe Sami and Mommy. Very, very different! I had forgotten that most of kindergarten in the public schools is not focused on teaching students academic and learning co...
1 comment
Read more

Listening to the Bible

The Word of Promise (Bible on CD) I have been reading the Bible for as long as I can remember. I remember being given a Good News Bible when I was in third grade. When I was 14, my great grandmother gave me a copy of the Living Bible. When I went to college, I began to read the NIV and held onto a thin paperback copy for 4 years that I wrote all over. After I graduated from college, I really wanted a nice NIV study Bible and I saved up to buy one. I have held onto it ever since. Last year, I found a tiny ESV leatherbound Bible on clearance and it is now the one I carry with me in my purse. Interestingly enough, after all these years of reading the Bible, I have never listened to it on CD. I've often considered it. I've listened to lots of teaching on CD from Ravi Zacharias, John Piper, and others, but I've never actually listened to the Word on CD. Two weeks ago, I received a copy of the Word of Promise Bible on CD. I opened it up with excitement ...
Post a Comment
Read more