The Christmas Star by Ace Collins
Publisher/Year: Abingdon Press, 2012
Format: Paperback
Pages: 216
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads
Summary
Can the broken heart of a child be healed by an unexpected Christmas letter?
Robert Reed gave his life for his country in the early days of World War II. His sacrifice was honored when his widow and son were presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor. Every Christmas, the final decoration Marge Reed hangs on the family’s tree is that medal. Rather than being a symbol of honor for young Jimmy Reed, that shining star represents loss, pain, and suffering.
However, a message delivered by one of Robert’s fellow soldiers and a mystery letter found in a Bible put a father’s sacrifice and faith into perspective and bring new meaning to not just the star hanging on the Christmas tree but the events of the very first Christmas. Then, when least expected, a Christmas miracle turns a final bit of holiday sadness into a joy that the boy has never known.
What I thought
Something you need to know about me (which will explain A LOT): I LOVE Christmas. It is my absolute favorite holiday–so much so that I’m one of those weirdos who can listen to Christmas songs or watch Christmas movies or read Christmas books at any time throughout the year.
So right now, when I need literally anything that will bring me happiness, when I saw this come up on my list, I welcomed it with open arms. And turns out, its sentimentality was just what I needed. Reminiscent of It’s A Wonderful Life and with a bit (but not too much) of a Christian focus, I found this to be a sweet and simple tale of a WWII Christmas that will remind you of what this season is all about. Aside from its message about the importance of hope and faith, it wasn’t a very deep book, but I was okay with that. And the Christian message was simplistic without being preachy. My favorite character was Calvin, hands down. I will say that I found the ending 100% unnecessary, but I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a complete sucker for a cheesy Christmas miracle.
A super sweet, nostalgic Christmas tale was just the thing to make me feel better, and I really enjoyed this one! It has definitely earned a place on my shelves to be enjoyed during Christmases yet to come.
Jessika Reads 