Happy Monday Everyone :)
I hope you all had a fantastic weekend.
Mine was actually not too bad. I finally started feeling better on Saturday afternoon so I was able to make up some time at work, and then Sunday I was able to enjoy church and lunch out with my aunt and cousin which is always a treat. And to top it all off, my hubby and I went to do some Christmas shopping late last night which was definitely a nice way to end the weekend.
I have another review for you all today, which is mainly due to the fact that I read so many books during the days that I was at home sick that I have quite a few reviews to catch up on posting.
I've read several of Max Lucado's books previously that I've definitely really enjoyed, so I was looking forward to curling up with The Christmas Candle and seeing if I ended up liking it as much as I had his other novels.
The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado:
Source: Bought for myself
Publisher: WestBow Press
Publication Date: October 1st, 2006
Synopsis:
Journey back to a simpler time, to a small English village where nothing out of the ordinary ever happens. Except at Christmastime.
When a mysterious angel suddenly appears in a lowly candlemaker's shop, the holy and the human collide in a way that only God could imagine.
Glowing bright with a timeless message, "The Christmas Candle" will warm your heart with a surprising reminder of God's bountiful love.
******synopsis from goodreads*******
My Review:
I'd heard a lot about this Christmas novel over the years, and even more so after it was optioned for film a few years ago. I decided this year that it was finally time to get around to reading it, and I found myself enjoying the sweet story contained within its pages.
The Christmas Candle talks about miracles, and the expectations that come along with them. It's been a tradition in the small town featured in the story that every twenty five years the town's candle maker is visited by an angel. An angel who blesses one of his candles and in turn, the candle maker is able to bless one of his community members, and give them the miracle they are so needing.
However, this year is a hard year for the candle maker and his wife, and they themselves are one of the community members most needing a miracle. However, can they possibly choose to gift themselves the candle when there's so many other members in the church community who need to witness a true miracle to make it through the Christmas season, and onto the next year. When the encounter with the angel leads to unexpected events, the community will truly come to realize the miracle that is Christmas.
While this story is extremely short, it really touched on the important points of believing in what can't be seen, and never giving up hope that God has the perfect plan for your life if you can only trust fully in him to deliver. While I enjoyed it's poignant message, and Max Lucado's signature storytelling, I did feel the characters weren't developed enough for me to truly connect to them, and I was left at the ending of the novel wanting more, and feeling that certain things weren't truly resolved in the story's plot.
It was definitely a great holiday read that really outlines the true meaning of Christmas, but I ended up only rating it three out of five stars as it didn't quite fulfill my expectations, and this was mainly due to its shorter plot line, and the gaps that aren't really ever filled in for the reader. I'd definitely still recommend it, I just personally prefer some of Max Lucado's other stories over this one.
Thanks so much for reading guys! I won't have a post on Wednesday this week as I will be out of town for an appointment, but I look forward to having another bookish post for you all on Friday!
This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photo does not belong to me, and all rights to the respective owners.
I hope you all had a fantastic weekend.
Mine was actually not too bad. I finally started feeling better on Saturday afternoon so I was able to make up some time at work, and then Sunday I was able to enjoy church and lunch out with my aunt and cousin which is always a treat. And to top it all off, my hubby and I went to do some Christmas shopping late last night which was definitely a nice way to end the weekend.
I have another review for you all today, which is mainly due to the fact that I read so many books during the days that I was at home sick that I have quite a few reviews to catch up on posting.
I've read several of Max Lucado's books previously that I've definitely really enjoyed, so I was looking forward to curling up with The Christmas Candle and seeing if I ended up liking it as much as I had his other novels.
The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado:
Source: Bought for myself
Publisher: WestBow Press
Publication Date: October 1st, 2006
Synopsis:
Journey back to a simpler time, to a small English village where nothing out of the ordinary ever happens. Except at Christmastime.
When a mysterious angel suddenly appears in a lowly candlemaker's shop, the holy and the human collide in a way that only God could imagine.
Glowing bright with a timeless message, "The Christmas Candle" will warm your heart with a surprising reminder of God's bountiful love.
******synopsis from goodreads*******
My Review:
I'd heard a lot about this Christmas novel over the years, and even more so after it was optioned for film a few years ago. I decided this year that it was finally time to get around to reading it, and I found myself enjoying the sweet story contained within its pages.
The Christmas Candle talks about miracles, and the expectations that come along with them. It's been a tradition in the small town featured in the story that every twenty five years the town's candle maker is visited by an angel. An angel who blesses one of his candles and in turn, the candle maker is able to bless one of his community members, and give them the miracle they are so needing.
However, this year is a hard year for the candle maker and his wife, and they themselves are one of the community members most needing a miracle. However, can they possibly choose to gift themselves the candle when there's so many other members in the church community who need to witness a true miracle to make it through the Christmas season, and onto the next year. When the encounter with the angel leads to unexpected events, the community will truly come to realize the miracle that is Christmas.
While this story is extremely short, it really touched on the important points of believing in what can't be seen, and never giving up hope that God has the perfect plan for your life if you can only trust fully in him to deliver. While I enjoyed it's poignant message, and Max Lucado's signature storytelling, I did feel the characters weren't developed enough for me to truly connect to them, and I was left at the ending of the novel wanting more, and feeling that certain things weren't truly resolved in the story's plot.
It was definitely a great holiday read that really outlines the true meaning of Christmas, but I ended up only rating it three out of five stars as it didn't quite fulfill my expectations, and this was mainly due to its shorter plot line, and the gaps that aren't really ever filled in for the reader. I'd definitely still recommend it, I just personally prefer some of Max Lucado's other stories over this one.
Thanks so much for reading guys! I won't have a post on Wednesday this week as I will be out of town for an appointment, but I look forward to having another bookish post for you all on Friday!
This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photo does not belong to me, and all rights to the respective owners.
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