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Many years ago, I had read one Christmas book by Donna VanLiere but I didn't realize it was part of a series. Them, MK reviewed one of her Christmas books and I discovered there was a whole series. I've been able to get a couple of the audiobooks through the library, and at a book sale recently, I picked up a couple of more. If you are looking for sweet stories about friends, family, and community, then this is the series to read. They are all relatively short, making them easy to squeeze in between all the holiday craziness.They can also be read as standalone novels.
If you are looking for more books to read for Christmas, be sure to check out all the 25 Days of Christmas Reading recommendations.
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Donna VanLiere's Christmas Hope series starts off with The Christmas Shoes. It was published in 2001 and is based on the popular Christmas song of the same name from NewSong. The book was made into a movie in 2002, starring Rob Lowe and Kimberly Williams. I picked this book up at the library book sale and I hope to read it this year.
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| November 2001; St. Martin's Press; 978-0312289515 audio, ebook, print (144 pages); holiday fiction |
Buy The Christmas Shoes at Amazon
Book 2, The Christmas Blessing, is the sequel. Nathan Andrews, who was the kid in The Christmas Shoes, is now grown up and pursuing a career in medicine. In 2005, this book was also made into a TV movie. This one starred Neil Patrick Harris, Rebecca Gayheart, and Angus T. Jones.
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| October 2003; St. Martin's Press; 978-1429936767 audio, ebook, print (225 pages); holiday fiction |
Buy The Christmas Blessing at Amazon
Book 3, The Christmas Hope, is a story of love in the face of loss, joy when all seems hopeless, and how light can shine into the darkest places. It doesn't follow the first two books, so it can be read as a standalone novel. It was also made into a movie in 2009, and you can stream The Christmas Hope on Prime.
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| November 2005; St. Martin's Press; 978-0312334505 audio, ebook, print (224 pages); holiday fiction |
Buy The Christmas Hope at Amazon
I listened to book 4, The Christmas Promise, last year, and it was a very sweet story. We are introduced to Gloria, who appears in other books in the series. It is a story of second chances.
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| October 2007; St. Martin's Press; 978-0312367763 audio, ebook, print (224 pages); holiday fiction |
Buy The Christmas Promise at Amazon
Book 5, The Christmas Secret, was the first book I read in the Christmas Hope series. I read it back in 2017. I think it had been on my shelf for a while, as I probably picked it up at a library book sale, when you can buy books by the bag. I've always been a sucker for Christmas books so even though I didn't know who the author was or anything about the book, I tossed it in the bag. In 2014, it was made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel.
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| October 2009; St. Martin's Press; 78-0312558369 audio, ebook, print (304 pages); holiday fiction |
Buy The Christmas Secret at Amazon
Book 5.5, The Christmas Journey, is the retelling of the Navitity story. The book is illustrated. It is a short story - only 50 pages long.
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| October 2010; St. Martin's Press; 978-1429945530 audio, ebook, print (50 pages); historical fiction |
Buy The Christmas Journey at Amazon
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| October 2011; St. Martin's Press; 978-1429989411 audio, ebook, print (222 pages); holiday fiction |
Buy The Christmas Note at Amazon
Book 7, The Christmas Light, is about the power of love and faith to reveal the possibilities that lay right in front of you.
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| October 2014; St. Martin's Press; 978-1250010650 audio, ebook, print (224 pages); holiday fiction |
Buy The Christmas Light at Amazon
Most Christmas books at my digital library has weeks long hold lines. I was shocked when I saw book 8, The Christmas Town, was available with no waiting last week. It was the perfect audiobook to get me ready for Christmas. Lauren grew up in foster homes and just wants a family for Christmas. What ensues is hilarious as both Gloria and Miriam want to befriend her, yet since it is an ad on Craigslist they are cautious. None of them use their real names so they don't know they know each other.
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| October 2016; St. Martin's Press; 978-1250010674 audio, ebook, print (240 pages); holiday fiction |
Buy The Christmas Town at Amazon
Book 9,The Christmas Star, is the book MK reviewed that reminded me of the previous book I read. I remember feeling disappointed that I didn't get a copy to review. I did read this book a few years ago. And it is great. I noted in my Goodreads review that this book is full of "all the feels".
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| October 2018; St. Martin's Press; 978-1250163905 audio, ebook, print (240 pages); holiday fiction |
Buy The Christmas Star at Amazon
Book 10, The Christmas Table, is the final book in the series (at least for now). MK also reviewed this book and called it a "heartwarming novel". I picked this book at the same library sale as I picked up The Christmas Shoes (I find it kind of funny that I got the first and last book in the series). I'm hoping to read it before Christmas too, but with only 3 days until Christmas that is doubtful.
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| October 2020; St. Martin's Pressl 978-1250164674 audio, ebook, print (240 pages); holiday fiction |
Buy The Christmas Table at Amazon
Have you read any books in this series? Since a few of them have been made into a movie, it might be fun to do a book and movie night.
Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.
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