Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright - Review

Published: October 4, 2005

Number of pages: 128

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis:

Rising newspaper reporter Hope Jensen uncovers the secret behind the "Christmas Jars" glass jars filled with coins and bills anonymously given to people in need. But Hope discovers much more than she bargained for when some unexpected news sets off a chain reaction of kindness and brings above a Christmas Eve wish come true."

My thoughts:

Watch a touching story. This book will pull at your heart strings from the very first page. The whole idea behind the Christmas jars was so touching and thought provoking. After reading this book you will want to start your own Christmas jar. Hope was such a determined person from the time she was little and knew what she wanted. Then along the way she kind of got served a piece of humble pie. Don't get me wrong she was a good person all the way to the end of the book but in her own mind she did something wrong. You will find a lump in your throat as I did while reading this. I just found out there is a sequel to this book which I have to have. This is the second book I have read by this author and he does a great job of making you really stop and think while enjoying a touching story. 

About the author:

Jason Wright is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author.

Jason is a weekly columnist for the Deseret News and Northern Virginia Daily and articles by Jason have appeared in over 50 newspapers and magazines across the United States including The Washington Times, The Chicago Tribune, and Forbes. He is the author of The James Miracle (2004); Christmas Jars (2005); The Wednesday Letters (2007); Recovering Charles (2008), Christmas Jars Reunion (2009); Penny’s Christmas Jar Miracle (2009); The Cross Gardener (2010); The Seventeen Second Miracle (2010); The Wedding Letters (2011); and, The 13th Day of Christmas (2012).

Jason is also a popular speaker who speaks on faith, the Christmas Jars movement, the Joy of Service, the lost art of letter writing and many other topics. He has been seen on CNN, FoxNews, C-SPAN, and on local television affiliates around the country.

Jason is from Charlottesville, Virginia, but has also lived in Germany, Illinois, Brazil, Oregon and Utah. In 2007, while researching Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley for his novel The Wednesday Letters, Jason fell so in love with the area that he moved his family westward from northern Virginia to the Valley.

Jason is married to Kodi Erekson Wright. They have two girls and two boys.

Jason is originally from Charlottesville, Virginia, but has also lived in Germany, Illinois, Brazil, Oregon and Utah. In 2007, while researching Virginia's Shenandoah Valley for his novel The Wednesday Letters, Jason fell so in love with the area that he moved his family westward from northern Virginia to Woodstock. They've lived in the Valley ever since.

Jason is married to Kodi Erekson Wright. They have two girls and two boys.

The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen (#6 Royal Spyness Mystery)

Title: The Twelve Clues of Christmas

Author:  Rhys Bowen

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Type: Hardback

ISBN: 9780425252789

Source: Borrowed from Library

Published: Berkley - November 6, 2012

Synopsis of book: 

She may be thirty-fifth in line for the throne, but Lady Georgiana Rannoch cannot wait to ring in the new year—before a Christmas killer wrings another neck…
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me—well, actually, my true love, Darcy O’Mara, is spending a feliz navidad tramping around South America. Meanwhile, Mummy is holed up in a tiny village called Tiddleton-under-Lovey with that droll Noel Coward! And I’m snowed in at Castle Rannoch with my bumbling brother, Binky, and sourpuss sister-in-law, Fig.
So it’s a miracle when I contrive to land a position as hostess to a posh holiday party in Tiddleton. The village is like something out of A Christmas Carol! But no sooner have I arrived than a neighborhood nuisance, a fellow named Freddie falls out of a tree, dead…. Dickensian, indeed.
Freddie’s merely a stocking stuffer. On my second day in town, another so-called accident turns up another mincemeat pie—and yet another on my third. The village is buzzing that a recent prison break could have something to do with it… that, or a long-standing witch’s curse. I’m not so sure. But after Darcy shows up beneath the mistletoe, anything could be possible in this wicked wonderland.

Why I read this book: I read this book because I like to read Christmas themed books at this time of year and I am a fan of Rhys Bowen's books.

What I did like: I like how now matter where Georgie goes she always seems to end up tangled with some sort of mystery.

Overall Impression: Like the rest of this series I really enjoyed this book. I just wish I could have sat and read it in one day but alas we have to work. It seems no matter what Georgie does to try and earn a living or help herself she ends up tangled in a web of mystery and murders. I think it is nice how her Granddad is now always included in her little trips around the country. Also it seems that somehow Darcy always seems to appear out of thin air where Georgie is. How fun it would be to take part in a traditional old-fashioned English Christmas but I am not sure I could handle some of their traditional foods. What should have turned out to be a fun time helping to celebrate the season turned bad when people of the town started dieing from horrible "accidents". The ever clever Georgie knows there is more to the store and slowly searches until she finds connections to all the deaths and of course learns who the mysterious killer is. Without giving too much away I just have to say I like how the the twelve days of Christmas theme is used in this book, I thought it very cleaver the way the author incorporated this. I loved the ending of this book but can't say much more about it as it will ruin the story. I again suggest you pick up this series and enjoy the adventures of Georgie. I give this book 5 stars. 

The Christmas Note by Donna VanLiere

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• ISBN-13: 9780312658960

 Gretchen Daniels has recently moved into a condo with her two children to be closer to her mother, Miriam. She and her children are building a life together in a new community. A mysterious young woman, Melissa McCreary, lives next door to them. She has few possessions, little personality, and keeps to herself. One day a local landlord who is looking for Melissa knocks on Gretchen's door for assistance. Melissa's mother has died and in the coming weeks the landlord needs Melissa to empty her mother's apartment. Gretchen reaches out and offers to help Melissa, but the apartment is a gut-wrenching shambles of a home. There is little worth saving except for a few photos and a note that is discovered on the crate beside the bed. It is unfinished, but in the two scribbled lines Melissa discovers secrets about her family that she never could have imagined. can two very different women embark on a journey that explores a long-buried need for forgiveness, hope and redemption? Taken from the dust jacket of the book

I really enjoyed this book. It has been a little while since I have read a book by Donna but I am glad I did and now need to go back and read the other books in the Christmas series that I have not read yet. I really enjoyed Melissa and Gretchen. I love how Gretchen got Melissa to come out of her shell. I also love the few little surprises that happen in this book. I can't say more about that without spoiling the book. I also thought the way Miriam and Gloria got along was the funniest thing. The only thing I did not like about the book was it kind of left me hanging at the end but in a good way. Great fast fun holiday read. 5 Stars


FTC DISCLOSURE:I received this book in return for a fair and honest review.