Book Review: A Star Will Rise: A Mosaic Christmas Anthology II

Series: A Mosaic Anthology

Release Date: November 4, 2020

Genre: Holiday Christian Short Stories

Christmas should be a time of wonder and expectation, but what if tragedy, illness, family secrets, or betrayal strip away every belief in what the future holds? And in a good and loving God?

When circumstances beyond their control dramatically alter their lives, can broken, betrayed, and disillusioned people rediscover their faith and come to see that God's plans are far better for them than the ones they had imagined for themselves?

♡ A Christmas Homecoming by Brenda S. Anderson

♡ Love and Unexpected Stress Responses by Eleanor Bertin

♡ Sixty Feet to Home by Sara Davison

♡ The Twelve Days of Mandy Reno by Regina Rudd Merrick

♡ Returning to Christmas by Angela D. Meyer

♡ One Christmas Wish by Marion Ueckermann

♡ A Garland of Grace by Candace West

PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads | Bookbub

My Review 💛

What a way to start off the holiday season! This set of stories completely captured my heart! Each tale is such a contrast from the others, yet they all hold that note of grace that seamlessly binds them together.

I have written short reviews for each story included in the anthology below, and included my rating of each. My final rating of the entire anthology is an average of all the scores combined.

♡

A Christmas Homecoming by Brenda S. Anderson

I really enjoyed this short story and actually craved more! Thank goodness there is the prequel Pieces of Granite and then the Coming Home series! I love hearing sweet stories and seeing couples seeking the Lord together. The holidays and family coming together is always great, and of course the happy ending.

I did feel like the courtship storytelling was a little rushed, and the reader getting no details of the two weeks except that they prayed together, but other than that it was a very sweet read indeed!

My Rating: ★★★★★

♡

Love and Unexpected Stress Responses by Eleanor Bertin

I liked this story for what it was, but didn't find myself craving any more than this. The note from the author about her son having Down Syndrome, and this particular story being close to my heart, actually brought the story up for me!

I loved Jesse!! His energy and positivity is wonderfully contagious! I felt bad for Anna and her situation, but loved that she had Tom, and their situation felt eerily similar to how my husband and me fell in love. Very sweet ending and great novella!

My Rating: ★★★★

♡

Sixty Feet to Home by Sara Davison

I loved the premise of this story, someone thinking that they have life all figured out, only for life to happen, changing all their plans, and reminding them that they have absolutely no control! I feel like I learn this lesson on a daily basis! This is also a story of knowing that God never leaves you, which is such a comfort to me.

I did feel like the relationship between Jonas and Christy was a little too rushed, but sweet nonetheless, though I didn't have time to really connect with the characters, which did make the story fall flat for me.

My Rating: ★★★

♡

The Twelve Days of Mandy Reno by Regina Rudd Merrick

Love!! Love!! Love!! This novella, hands down, is my favorite in the bunch! I'm not sure if it has to do with reading the first book in the RenoVations series, and knowing the characters, or the insanely creative 12 Days of Christmas idea to not only brighten someone's holiday, but also tell that person how you feel, but I enjoyed every moment of this read!

I felt the connection to the characters, the imagery of Christmas tidings and traditions, and the Christmas morning recipe from the author at the end of the book. Incredibly sweet, wholesome, and creative - even including the 2020 pandemic! - The 12 Days of Mandy Reno is perfection!!

My Rating: ★★★★★

♡

Returning to Christmas by Angela D. Meyer

Another amazing story of grace and the God of restoration and redemption! This novella definitely has a darker and more somber tone than the others, but in doing so packed a powerful grace-filled punch. I too have seen grace in the midst of a severely abusive relationship and am thankful that I am still here to testify that God was there through it all, is still here, and is still working in my life.

The writing is incredible, putting the reader directly into the story, locking your mind and heart to Josie's. Such a poetically beautiful reminder that we are never alone in our circumstances and that you can always come home.

My Rating: ★★★★★

♡

One Christmas Wish by Marion Ueckermann

One Christmas Wish was pretty good, yet sad. Anytime I read anything about abuse it always hits me. I often wonder if that would've been my fate if my ex-boyfriend wouldn't have finally left me alone after stalking me for years.

Though I did like the story, I felt like Lucas was a hollow character. Delaney pours her heart out about her past and feelings, and all we get from Lucas is that he's handsome and has a generous spirit. If they're going to end up together I need a lot more than that.

Other than Lucas, and the story being highly predictable, it was another sweet read.

My Rating: ★★★★

♡

A Garland of Grace by Candace West

What an amazing way to end this wonderful anthology! This is a unique story, one that I haven't read before, which was very refreshing! Though a quick story, you don't feel like anything is lacking, and can feel the warmth, angst, and emotions of the situation radiating off the pages.

Holly is amazing, exuding grace, and someone that I immensely admire. Holly is the perfect example of what grace can do in someone's life. The writing flowed effortlessly and I couldn't believe how fast I read it, hating that Ivy and Holly's story had to end. An absolutely enjoyable read!

My Rating: ★★★★★

The diversity of the subjects tackled, the different writing styles, and introductions to authors that were previously unknown to me, kept this anthology fresh, and made for a refreshing and perfect read this holiday season!

My Rating: ★★★★★

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