David S. Henderson

This review was originally posted on Melissa's Midnight Musings on December 16, 2012.

All of these stories are sweet and to the point. The first story, the Fourth wish shows the power of helping out, when three boys help out a man down on his luck and in return he gives them things and adventures that all the money they are surrounded with can't buy.

"Best Christmas Ever" is the funniest of all the stories by far being that it has the most odd things going on in it. The 8 year old's uncle comes back to visit...after having escaped lockup. The rest of the family has told the boy that his Uncle has been away working in Australia, so there are all these references to a job in Australia. Then the familys' lost dog comes home pregnant and proceeds to have ten puppies in a box in the garage. The boy's sister also comes home pregnant. And then, there's a fireworks explosion. An eventful Christmas story, to say the least.

All I'll say about "Broken Christmas" is that the ending will tug at your heartstrings just a little.

Overall, this is a nice collection of stories. The overall message goes well with the title in that even though holidays and families may sometimes be dysfunctional or "broken" you can always try to make the best of what you've got.

The only negative about the collection of stories is that they felt just a bit wordy. A bit of paring down of some repeated phrases and tightening up language in other spots would make this perfect.

Have any of you ever had any "broken" Christmases where things didn't go quite as planned but you made the best of it anyway?

*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*… (mere)

I cannot determine which is my favorite of the three: each have their moments that jump to the forefront, yet surprisingly do not overplay on emotions and sentimentality that is often found in stories about the season.

The writing is descriptive and clearly leads the reader along the journey of the story; most lasting only a few hours on Christmas Eve. The stories often feel much like those told each year, the “do you remember when” stories when everyone struggles to find the most dramatic or funny moments to share with the group. As such, each has a common moment that strikes a chord of memory in the reader, setting off their own series of memories of the season.

Truly a book worthy of a quiet fireside read, especially in the holiday season.

I was provided an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility.
… (mere)