Hope For The Holidays

If you are a fan of the Chicken Soup For the Soul series of books then you would enjoy reading the work of Christine Pisera Naman. The author is a contributor to the afore mentioned series of books and now writes her first work of fiction, Christmas Lights. In this novel, Naman tells us the tales of ordinary women living extraordinary lives. She takes us through the heartwarming stories of seven women. Their lives are filled with struggles and triumphs; all met with faith, hope and love. We meet each woman on Christmas Eve, each waiting for a sign of Christmas spirit or looking for a reason to celebrate the holiday. The author captures the essence of the holiday spirit with her poignant story telling style and through her relatable characters. As readers she leads us to feel as if we already know these women. In each story the unique characters get a chance to reflect on their events of the last year and eventually rediscover the magic and wonder of Christmas. As Christmas Eve approaches each woman realizes that the holiday season is a time to be thankful and fill their home and hearts with love.
I won’t get into the individual stories or the women’s connections since that should be left for the reader to experience. I wish I could tell you the relevance of the book’s title and the wonderful ending that unfolds but I will restrain myself once again. I will say that the seven women have more in common aside from their collective choice to don a red sweater on Christmas Eve. This novel is aptly suited and inspiring for the festive season and sure to conjure up a sleigh full of memories. So set aside a long, quiet afternoon and cozy up to this read but I suggest you have a box of tissue on hand. No matter the trials and tribulations or stress and strife in our life we can and should take some time to count our blessings.
Something to think about...

Wanda Lynne Young

Hope For The Holidays was published in the December '07 issue of Real Women Magazine in the Reader's Corner column.