Review: The Christmas Journey

The Christmas Journey by Donna VanLiere

Publication Date: October 2010
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: Christmas/Seasonal
ISBN-13: 9780312613723
ISBN: 0312613725

(Received for review from St. Martin's Press)

Purchase: Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Borders, IndieBound

If you live in Morehead, KY or the surrounding area:

Purchase at our local independent bookseller: CoffeeTree Books
Borrow from our local library: The Rowan County Public Library

Donna VanLiere's website: www.donnavanliere.com
Donna on Twitter: Click HERE!
Donna on Facebook: Click HERE!

Other Books by Donna VanLiere you might be interested in:

The Christmas Shoes, The Christmas Blessing, The Christmas Promise, The Christmas Hope, The Christmas Secret, Finding Grace, The Angels of Morgan Hill, High Calling, Sheltering Trees, They Walked With Him

Excerpt from The Christmas Journey: Click HERE!
Book Trailer:



Synopsis (Donna's Website):

The eighty-mile journey of a common carpenter and a simple peasant girl is one of the most powerful stories in history. As books go out of print and stories fade from memory, the journey of Joseph and Mary and her delivery inside a common barn continues to bless and inspire hope in people around the world.

Accompanied by moving and beautifully rendered watercolor illustrations throughout, Donna's signature voice retelling shows that the story of the nativity is alive in our modern world.

Thoughts:

Donna VanLiere's name has become synonymous with great Christmas stories. Her Christmas Hope series has thrilled readers around the world with great heartwarming novels and now she brings us a retelling of Christmas story in a way most of us haven't considered before.

How was that journey possible? Weren't they cold in the stable? Didn't Mary suffer any pain as she bore, Jesus? Christmas has become so commercialized, with stores putting out Christmas decorations even before Thanksgiving. Lights staying up on houses all year long. The real essence of Christmas has been forgotten as we rush around trying to find that perfect gift. Donna VanLiere reminds us that, that Christmas long ago was nothing like it is portrayed today. Donna VanLiere helps us again find the "wonderment" of Christmas. She reminds us of what Mary and Joseph and Jesus went through to make it possible. The reason it was necessary.

This is a very beautiful little hardcover of just over 60 pages. It's a short, perfect read for the hectic season. VanLiere seems to have thought of some of the aspects of the Christmas story that we never think about. Mary had to travel over 70 miles to Bethlehem. She was nine months pregnant. The stable was barely more than a hut. There were animals all around them. It must have been cold and dirty. Yet a miracle happened there! VanLiere's interpretation is heartwarming and very vivid.

Watercolor illustrations provided by Michael Storrings give the tale an almost storybook quality. With beautiful colors that bring the story to life these illustrations are just gorgeous. Donna VanLiere originally wrote this retelling of the Christmas story to be read as a narrative for a Christmas Banquet. It is everything one would expect from a bestselling author with a heart for Christmas.

The Christmas Journey is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!




Both movies from The Christmas Hope series will be airing on LifeTime on Christmas Day, December 25th.

The Christmas Hope at 1 PM and The Christmas Blessing at 3 PM. (EST)