Kristin's Reviews > The Christmas Note

This was my first book to read by Donna VanLiere. I have always heard
good things about "The Christmas Shoes" so I chose to get this book
when it was offered for a free review. I had high hopes but simply
couldn't get into it.

This book is written in journal format yet the voice and writing
completely betray the feeling of reading a journal. When the chapter
opener sets up for a journal you expect first-person, past tensed
writing. Instead, for example, one character explains where she works
to her journal in a manner that was completely odd. I was several
chapters in before I knew for sure if the main character's husband was
dead or merely injured. Aside from all of that, I must go back to the
voice in which the book was written in. As it is supposed to be a
note or journal, the voice simply doesn't fit that. It was two
writing styles interwoven into one style and the character's lives
were completely boring for most of the book. Having said that, the
ending was good but predictable. It's not the worst book I've ever
read but not the best. I was actually a little disappointed and
surprised given that I've heard such wonderful things about her other
books. Perhaps I will read the other books and see for myself.