The Women of Christmas Book Review

Experience the Season Afresh with 

ELIZABETH, MARY, and ANNA

SUMMARY:  God Reached Down from Heaven with the Best Gift of All

      A sacred season is about to unfold for three women whose hearts belong to God. Elizabeth is barren, yet her trust in God remains fertile.  Mary is betrothed in marriage, yet she is willing to bear God's Son.  Anna is a widow full of years, yet she waits patiently, prayerfully for the Messiah to appear in the temple courts.

     Following in their footsteps, you too can prepare for the Savior to enter your heart, your mind, and your life in a vibrant, new way this season.  Best-selling author Liz Curtis Higgs explores the biblical stories of Elizabeth, Mary and Anna, unwrapping each verse with tender care and introducing you afresh to The Women of Christmas.

REVIEW:  If you ever read a book by Liz Curtis Higgs (or even if you've never read a book by Liz Curtis Higgs), you definitely need to read this book.  She opens up the Christmas story in a way I've not seen before, focusing on the women God used in bringing the Messiah to His people.  Like the summary says, the author goes verse by verse, going over all the intricate details and presenting old ideas in a new light.  She starts with Elizabeth and the details surrounding the birth of John the Baptist, explaining them in simple but profound ways.  Mrs. Higgs does the same for Mary and Anna but doesn't end there.  She also gives account for the men involved in this important time - Zechariah, Elizabeth's husband; Joseph, Mary's betrothed; and Simeon, a righteous and devout man who was waiting for the birth of the Messiah.  As they are in the gospels, their stories intertwine but Liz lays them out with her trademark humor and way of explaining things.

     This book is for anyone looking for a new way to look at and study the events surrounding Jesus' birth.  It is tops on my list and one I look forward to reading again and again.

This book was provided by Waterbrook Multnomah for review without compensation.

Liz Curtis Higgs is a popular conference speaker, who has presented inspirational programs for audiences in all fifty United States and fourteen foreign countries.  She is also the author of more than thirty books, with 4.5 million copies in print, including her non-fiction study of Ruth, The Girl's Still Got It, her best-selling series, Bad Girls of the Bible, Unveiling Mary Magdalene, and Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible; her award-winning Scottish historical novella, A Wreath of Snow; and a series of children's books, including The Pine Tree Parable.

     Liz is happily married to Bill Higgs, who serves as director of operations for her speaking and writing office.  They share their life together in a nineteenth-century farmhouse near Louisville, Kentucky.

The God Puzzle Book Review

How the Bible Fits Together to Reveal God

as Your Greatest Treasure!

*Presents the Bible as one seamless story

*Share deep truths in a way kids will understand

An easy to use workbook for kids ages 7 - 12

SUMMARY:  God is not something to study . . . He is Someone to Know!

Parents:  Finally, the resource you've been looking for to teach your child about God!

• any parent, knowing little or a lot, can teach their child with no preparation
• deep theology and themes of the Christian faith presented so a child can interact with and understand
• deeply Biblical, each lesson points to Christ and a personal relationship to Him
• can be done at any pace that works with your family
• each lesson connects the pieces so the child understand their faith

Here, at last is a resource:

• perfect for parents who may not have a strong background in the Christian faith as well as those who have been Christians a long time and are looking to build a solid foundation for their own children
• written by a Children's Ministry Professional, Sunday school teacher and mom with years of hands-on experience working with children

 www.leadmetoGod.com

REVIEW:  My three kids fall right in the suggested ages for this workbook.  Always looking for new ways to teach them biblical ideas and foundation, I jumped at the chance to look at this book and see what it offered.  

     My 12-yo daughter and I worked through one lesson on our own; my two boys (ages 10 and 6) and I did one together; and the three kids and I worked on two as a family.  The material we looked at was easy enough for my youngest to understand but not so easy that my oldest was bored.  As the summary mentions, you do not have to prepare anything to do these lessons with your kids.  Most of the time, I just decided to do a lesson, picked up the book and a bible and started teaching.  My 6-yo enjoyed it so much he asked if we could do another exercise together.  The presentations are laid out in an orderly fashion with lots of scripture verses to look up.  It also provides activities for the kids to do, like a crossword puzzle, fill in the blank, search a word, and coded puzzles to name a few.  At the end of each lesson, the children are encouraged to write down what they've learned, their thoughts and a prayer.  

     This is one children's bible study that I will gladly share with others (or at least the name, not necessarily the book  :-)  ).  I can't wait to do more lessons with my family.  

This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group for review without compensation.

 

Valerie Ackermann has a BA in Theology and has been a full time Children's Ministry Director for over 10 years. She is also a weekly Sunday school teacher, wife and busy mom of two boys ages 9 and 11.  She has hands-on experience as a children's ministry professional, teaching and leading children of all ages.

A Marriage in Middlebury Book Review

SUMMARY:  One decision changed both their lives... but will love win in the end?
     Charlotte Rose Hill enjoys a comfortable life serving up country delicacies, uniquely blended teas, and matchmaking advice for her quirky, devoted customers.  The only thing lacking is someone to share it with.
     At eighteen she denied Sam Wilder's marriage proposal after his family convinced her to walk away from their relationship.  They both moved on...or so she thought.  When Sam walks back into her life more than a decade later, Charlotte is surprised that her heart still quickens.  But is it because of his presence?  Or because of the presence of Sam's new fiancee?
     A second chance at love doesn't happen often, but their past may keep them apart.  Is it too late for Sam and Charlotte?

REVIEW:  This was an interesting story with lots of quirky characters who move in and out of the novel.  Sometimes it was hard remember who each person was, their role and relevance to the main story, and their relationships to the other members.  There are also at least three different tales woven together around Sam and Charlotte's characters and stories that worked together pretty easily that make this book work.  It was an easy read that will tug at your heartstrings.  My 12-year-old daughter even liked it.

This book was provided by Litfuse for review without compensation.

Award-winning author, Anita Higman, has written more than twenty books for adults and children, including Winter in Full Bloom, A Merry Little Christmas, and Love Finds You in Humble, Texas.  She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and lives in the Houston area.  Learn more about the author at www.anitahigman.com.

Aloha Rose Book Review

Quilts of Love

Every Quilt Has A Story

SUMMARY:  Will conflict with one man keep Laney from her dream of a loving family?

     When Laney Carrigan sets out to find her birth family, her only clue is the Hawai'ian quilt - a red rose snowflake applique on a white background - in which she was found wrapped as an infant.  Centering her search on the Big Island and battling fears of rejection, Laney begins a painstaking journey toward her true heritage.

     Kai Barnes, however, is determined to protect the people he loves.  He thinks Laney is nothing more than a gold-digger and blocks every move she makes.  As their conflict escalates, it puts at risk the one thing that Kai and Laney both want most - a family.

REVIEW:  This was an interesting book.  Laney has always felt a little out of place because of many different things:  her darker coloring, being adopted, moving a lot as an Army brat, and now with her dad's remarriage after her mother's passing some years earlier.  Something that stood out to me was the sacrifices made by both Laney's birth mom and adopted mom.  Her birth mother, Rose, knew she could not care for her child like she needed so she finds a family to take the baby, even though the family is unsuspecting.  Laney's adopted mom, Gisela, gives up her family in Germany because they would not accept Laney as hers because of her dark coloring.  She often heard rude comments that the child was the product of an affair her husband had while serving in Asia. 
     As Laney struggles to feel like she fits in with her birth family, I like how her grandmother, in the early stages of dementia, loves and accepts her without any hesitation or reservation.  I also like how Aunt Teah, who has a huge heart, adopted Kai, a young boy who came from a very difficult home life, and loved him just like he was her own.
     This is a good book that has enough twists to keep you guessing on how things will work out in the end.

This book was provided by Litfuse for review without compensation.

Lisa Carter has taught at the university, high school, and middle school levels and currently teaches music at a preschool.  She is a member of the ACFW, RWA and several online writers' forums and has been published in MomSense and Christian Parenting Today.  Lisa and her husband, David, live in North Carolina and have two beautiful daughters.

The Christmas Quilt Book Review

Quilts of Love

Every Quilt Has A Story

SUMMARY:  Babies have their own schedule.  But so does God.  Annie's life is deliciously full as the Christmas season approaches. She helps her husband, Samuel, attend to the community's minor medical needs.  She occasionally assists Belinda, the local midwife.  And most days, she finds herself taking the buggy to her brother Adam's home.
     When her friend Leah is due to deliver her first child before Christmas, Annie becomes determined to finish a crib quilt before the boppli arrives.  But God's plans are different from Annie's, and she may not finish the quilt in time.  As each piece of the quilt comes together, Annie discovers the quilt holds far greater significance than she ever imagined.

REVIEW:  This is a sweet novel about best friends and sisters-in-law who go through their first pregnancies together.  I like how the girls used the quilt for one of Leah's twins to change their outlook during difficult circumstances. Using Galatians 5:22-23 regarding the fruit of the Spirit and the nine squares of the crib quilt, they told a story that matched each fruit and started focusing on positive things instead of negative.  Doing this not only changes their outlooks but their husbands and the people around them.  This book is a great way to start off the Christmas season.
    The author mentions that this book returns to visit Annie, Samuel and their friends from her novel, A Simple Amish Christmas.  This book does not seem like a follow-up (it's not quite a sequel) and the extra characters and their relationship to Annie and Samuel are explained very well.

This book was provided by Litfuse for review without compensation.

Vannetta Chapman is the author of five books about the Amish and has published more than one hundred articles in Christian family magazines.  She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather's birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania.  Vannetta lives in Texas hill country with her husband.

A Simple Christmas Wish Book Review

SUMMARY:  One GIRL in need of a home.  One WOMAN in search of a home for her heart.  One CHRISTMAS where it all seems possible.
     Rachel Milligan never imagined that she and her seven-year-old niece would spend the week before Christmas on a quaint Amish farm in Ohio.  But with so many unexpected occurrences of late, perhaps she shouldn't have been surprised.
     With her young niece Holly in tow, Rachel anxiously makes her way from Chicago to Ohio's Amish country.  As love begins to blossom, family secrets emerge, and old wounds are healed, Rachel realizes that she will do whatever it takes to ensure that Holly has the loving family she needs.
     Join bestselling author Melody Carlson on an emotional journey into the heart of what family truly means at Christmastime.

REVIEW:  This book has a few twists and turns I wasn't expecting.  Without giving too much away because it would ruin the ending for you, I was astonished at some of the directions the author took.  Not in a bad way astonished, but just "I hadn't thought about that happening." One of the relationships seemed a little unorthodox but I guess it is possible.  I love the ending and how it all works out.  This is a good book but make sure you have some tissue handy.  You will need them in some areas.

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books with sales of more than five million.  She is the author of several Christmas books, including the bestselling The Christmas Box, The Christmas Dog, Christmas at Harrington's, and The Christmas Pony.  She received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series and Finding Alice.  She and her husband live in central Oregon.  For more information about Melody, visit her website at www.melodycarlson.com.

Christmas at Harmony Hill Book Review

A Shaker Story

SUMMARY:  A Stirring Story of Healing, Hope, and Home at Christmas

    It is 1864 and the nation is torn apart by civil war when Heather Worth discovers she is with child.  With her husband at the front and nowhere else to turn, she seeks refuge in the Shaker village of Harmony Hill.  Amid the tumult of the times, Heather yearns for the peace she sees in this strange community.  But can this longing really be fulfilled amid these people with their peculiar beliefs about family?

     As Christmas approaches, the joy of new life and the love that is born of forgiveness may hold the answer.
     Join bestselling author Ann H. Gabhard for a peek into the world of the Shakers - and the world of the human heart.

REVIEW:   This is an interesting book.  Never having read much about the Shakers other than the little bit I learned in History class many years ago, I was curious to see what this book was about.  Even though they were basically isolationists, the Shakers did not turn away anyone in need.  I like how the author sets up the story by having Heather's Aunt Sophrena living in this commune.  Though they do not want you to contact family outside their community, Sophrena had corresponded with Susan, Heather's mom on occasion, paving the way for Heather's stay with the Shakers before her baby's birth.  While the community dynamics are strange to me, they are hard workers and take good care of Heather and her child.  I love the tenderness, affection and caring portrayed in this tome.  The community cares for Heather and the baby; Sophrena cares for Heather and the child, much to her angst.  Gideon loves his wife and wants to be with her.  Because of the love Beth has for her sister, she defies her dad to help a cold and hungry Heather. This is a good book and a fairly quick read.

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of several Shaker novels - The Outsider, The Believer, The Seeker, The Blessed, and The Gifted - as well as other historical novels, including Angel Sister, Small Town Girl, and Words Spoken True.  She lives with her husband a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky.  Find out more at www.annhgabhart.com.