Inspiring story tells tale of unexpected blessings

“The Christmas Angel Project” by Melody Carlson; Revell (Baker Publishing Group); August 2016; 176 pp; $15.99

By Ann Jonas
For The Visitor

Christian author Melody Carlson has written over 200 books, including several Christmas novellas. Her newest Christmas title, “The Christmas Angel Project,” features five women in a book club who come from different walks of life.

The book club is seemingly held together by Abby Wentworth, a kindergarten teacher who is a loyal friend to the other four members of the reading group. In the book’s prologue, it is Thanksgiving evening and Abby is finishing the last of the homemade Christmas ornaments she plans to give to each of the book club members at their upcoming gathering.

“The Christmas Angel Project” by Melody Carlson; Revell book cover.
“The Christmas Angel Project” by Melody Carlson; Revell book cover.

When Abby unexpectedly dies in her sleep that night, her husband calls Belinda, who contacts the other book club members. Belinda is a single mother with a 20-year-old daughter and operates a chic consignment boutique; she considered Abby her best friend.

Belinda contacts Louisa, who was Abby’s oldest friend and mentor. Louisa’s husband died less than a year ago and her son and his family live in Dubai. She suggests that the four women get together to help each other grieve. Cassidy, a veterinarian, thought of Abby as her second mom. Grace, an interior designer, has twins in college and her relationship with her husband has been strained. The four meet to mourn together, and it becomes clear that Abby was the one who made them gel.

Soon after the funeral, Abby’s husband stops by Belinda’s shop and drops off a small package containing the ornaments Abby had crafted. When the group meets for seemingly the final time, they find that Abby made each of them an angel ornament resembling the recipient. Abby also wrote a letter to the group expressing her gratitude to each of them for being her angels over the years, especially while she was battling cancer. The four women are inspired by the letter and angel ornaments and decide they want to become “Christmas angels” and do something to pay it forward, in honor of Abby.

“The Christmas Angel Project” follows the four women as they try to find something meaningful to do to fulfill their pledge. Each of the women has a different gift or talent; some find it quite challenging to discover what they can do to make a difference. As they work toward their goal, the women find unique ways to pay it forward; they also become closer to each other and meet new friends along the way.

This book is a heartwarming tale with the message that helping others brings unexpected surprises and blessings to the recipient, but also surprises and blessings to the one doing the good deed. Carlson’s characters seem genuine and believable; all are in different stages in their lives and have various struggles of their own but are likable women. The novel is relatively short, very readable and inspirational.

Carlson writes at least one Christmas novella each year along with numerous inspirational novels for both adults and adolescent readers. She lives with her husband in central Oregon.

“The Christmas Angel Project” is available in bookstores everywhere, including the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University Bookstores.

Ann Jonas is the general book buyer for the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University.

Books for youth

“All Shall Be Well: A Spiritual Journal for Hope and Encouragement” by Hilda St. Clair. Paraclete Press (Brewster, Massachusetts, 2016). 120 pp., $15.99.
Teenage readers and adults alike will find calm, inspired creativity and peaceful contemplation with this beautifully illustrated journal. Sixty quotes illuminated with bright watercolor are accompanied with activities to help focus the day on God. Hopeful and encouraging, the journal is a reprieve from a loud and hectic world. Ages 13 and up

“Jesus Speaks to Me About Confession” by Angela M. Burrin, illustrated by Maria Cristina Lo Cascio. The Word Among Us Press (Frederick, Maryland, 2016). 45 pp., $13.95.
Not too long after the celebration of Christmas, children start to seriously prepare for their first confession, a sometimes intimidating event for a young Catholic. In this illustrated keepsake book, Jesus is the narrator. He gently talks directly to the young reader, explaining the origins, steps and gift of the sacrament of reconciliation. The book also includes prayers, such as a prayer to the Holy Spirit, an act of contrition and an examination of conscience for children. Ages 7-9

    — Catholic News Service

Author: The Visitor

The Visitor is the official newpaper for the Diocese of Saint Cloud.

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