by Jason F. WrightFrom the back of the book:
"Hope Jensen is a young, single woman and an aspiring newspaper writer, and when she receives a much-needed but anonymous Christmas gift, she's determined to find her benefactor."
(Yay! I finished my first book for the 2009 Holiday Reading Challenge.)
I bought this book last Christmas and hadn't gotten around to reading it. Yesterday, I decided to take a little break and picked it up thinking I'd start reading a few pages. Well, I never got back up until I finished it!
What a fun holiday read! The main character loses her adopted mother just prior to Christmas, then her home is robbed and trashed. As the police are investigating, a jar of money shows up on her doorstep. No one knows where it came from. So she sets out on a personal mission to find out where it came from.
The twist is -- she hides the fact that she's a reporter and she's planning to use what she finds in a story to boost her career. But that jar leads her on an adventure that changes her outlook on life. She meets wonderful people who all have their own stories to tell.
I just loved this little book. It's a quick, easy read that forces you to take a little time off from the hustle and bustle of the season and relax. This book would be a wonderful stocking stuffer for the reader(s) in your life or for that shy new person at the office you have been trying to make feel more at home. Give it to your teenage daughter, your elderly grandmother, your cranky next door neighbor ... the possibilities are endless. I can't imagine anyone not liking this book.
Now for the kicker! I googled "Christmas Jars" to get a picture of the cover and came across Jason Wright's Web site! You would not believe what I found there!
Jason has written a couple sequels to the book and he has this whole network of Christmas jar givers across the U.S. There's a map that shows where jars have showed up and pages of testimonials from folks who have received their very own jars. It's great fun! You just have to check it out!
4 comments:
I read this last Christmas and really enjoyed it. I remember I was crying my eyes out by the end of the book. Lovely review.
♥Nely
It's great when a story takes on a life of its own and inspires people to be so giving.
Thanks, Nely and Jenn for stopping by.
Nely -- There were a couple spots in the book where I kind of teared up, too. It's really a lovely story.
Jenn -- Yes, I agree. I was very impressed with how people have responded to this book. It shows folks still do care for those less fortunate, not just monetarily, but emotionally as well.
I love the cover of this book. It just screams Christmas cheer :)
How wonderful that people are using this idea and leaving their own Christmas jars around the country. What a great idea. I'll have to check out that website.
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