I was so excited to read another book in The Everstone Chronicles by Dawn Crandall. This is book five in the series. The entire storyline follows a group of men and women who meet in one way or another, and each unique story fits together so beautifully. You can read each book alone, but I highly recommend reading them in order, because they connect so well. This particular story picks up from the last book, and explains the tragic events occurring in the life of Nicholette Everstone.

Nicholette is a widow, and she continually imagines what her future might look like. Will she ever find love again? Could her heart even consider it? So much has happened since the death of her husband, and she wonders at the possibility of regarding someone else in the same manner as her William. Those around Nicholette try to comfort her, but not much can be said regarding the most difficult day of her life.

There is so much to be said about these books, because this series contains so many wonderful stories and characters. Each individual holds so much and gives so much to the context of each scene—conflict is everywhere, because love and jealousy abound with each turn of the page. It is so interesting to see how the lives of these characters meld together to create such incredible plots. I recommend checking out this series—perhaps it can be you New Year’s set of books to read! Happy reading!

I love the friendship between the younger girl and the older man. I found it relatable. Also, generosity is a great theme for a Christmas story. I did get a little bored halfway through and take a break to read something else, but when I came back to it, it got more exciting. I would really enjoy watching a movie version of this!

The Quality of Silence: a review of Silent Days, Holy Night

The Emerald Crest mansion stand high on the hill above the town for years, cloaked in mystery and silence. That is, until bright, inquisitive and warm-hearted Julia befriends the deaf, reclusive owner of Emerald Crest  and ultimately alters the attitudes and outlook of the entire community.

Young Julia’s family nurtures and guides her understanding of Henry Lafferty, the owner of Emerald Crest. She quickly sees beyond his disabilities to discover a kindly, talented sculptor- a brilliant but kind man who’s never been able to hear.

“His troubles could have made him a bitter, angry man, but they just seemed to make him better. In his silence, he must have learned some important lessons about living and making a difference in the world.”

There are some descriptive passages that paint the scene in greater detail. ‘Ice crystals around the windowpane fame the view where more snow clouds are settling on the mountains.’
But it is the warm family dialogue that moves the action and story development forward.

Indeed, it is through conversations with others that Julia learns about looking beyond exteriors to find someone’s inner motives and see them clearly through their actions. Henry Lafferty may be deaf and have difficulty communicating with others but he speaks kindness and gentleness through his actions.
And as she seeks to bridge the communication gap with Henry, Julia learns other lessons. Julia’s grandmother reminds the curious Julia to keep confidences. “It’s their story story, not our story to tell.”

Prayer is frequently a natural response in the story to the growing tension at the mansion and within the community. Julia noted that her grandmother “..prayed like God was right there in the front seat. No fancy works like they used at church. I could tell she talked to God regularly like that.”

As the tension develops with unknown intruders on the property at night, windows broken and reports of other planned destruction, we are reminded of the importance of moments. One decision, one moment can change things.

“Yes, but it only takes a moment, just one moment, to change a lot of things. That one moment when someone decided to be generous… could be the turning point in their lives.”

The delight of the concluding scenes of the story and changes within the community and Emerald Crest are also reflected in the reactions and behaviour of Julia, fellow students and the whole community.
The narrative does develop slowly and I took a while to actually become involved in the story. The opening scenes seemed a little superfluous and, for me, did little to hold my attention. However, once the story progressed, it took form and built interest.
So who would enjoy this book?

First, the book has a Christmas focus but it could be read and enjoyed anytime. Second, although it is an adult novel anyone would enjoy it. Since Julia is a young girl, I think that even young readers would enjoy the story and although there is tension and intrigue, no real violence is detailed. In fact, it would be a good way to teach some of the outlined values to young readers.

Silent Days, Holy Night is a jewel of a story, a treasured Christmas classic that I savored through its touching moments, thoughtful acts of kindness, gentle humor, and even shed tears of happiness over. This is a story of a pivotal moment in a young girl’s life and its far-reaching effects, but also pictures God’s love in sending His precious Son to us. Phyllis Clark Nichols has become one of my favorite writers of contemporary fiction and Silent Days, Holy Night is a “best of the best” read for me.

The narrative begins with the unveiling of festive preparations for a Christmas gala at Emerald Crest, a majestic mansion in the mountains of West Virginia, then takes us back sixteen years to 2002, when a ten-year-old Julia first meets Henry Lafferty the Second, a recluse in his late 50s. Emerald Crest itself becomes a major character, a mountain home with outside walls built out of green granite from the north, and floors out of green marble from Ireland, a tribute to Henry’s grandmother.

Julia and Henry Lafferty are two of the most memorable fictional characters ever – rich, well-drawn, relatable characters who pull at the heart strings. With the precocious Julia, the author did a wonderful job in combining childlike qualities with those of inquisitiveness, intellect, and giftedness. Henry, given the name “H” in sign language by Julia, is kind hearted, generous, highly intelligent, and a talented sculptor. The connection between these two is palpable, and no words are necessary as music, smiles and hugs become their language. In the words of Julia’s grandmother, Grancie, “His troubles could have made him a bitter, angry man, but they just seemed to make him better. In his silence, he must have learned some important lessons about living and making a difference in the world.”

There’s so much to reflect upon in this story, one being the way we interact with people whose disabilities set them apart. Getting to know Henry through Julia’s eyes was a beautiful experience, and although she couldn’t bring him sound, what she did bring was of much more importance – music, companionship, and new family-like relationships.

Another thought is how seemingly unimportant moments can become all important in the direction our lives take. The dictionary defines pivotal as being “of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something else” – and that perfectly describes Julia’s first meeting with Henry. Not only was Julia’s life changed, but that of Henry and so many others in the town. As I read this story, I couldn’t help but reflect back on some pivotal, God-sent moments in my own life.

The overall theme of this story is its expression of God sending Jesus to reveal His character and love for us. Silent Days, Holy Night is a touching and emotional story, one that I will be reading again during future Christmas seasons. Very highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The book starts out in the present time, but then Julia thinks back to when she was 11, and met Henry for the first time. He is a wealthy man, a generous but reclusive man, who was born deaf. From a horrible car accident, when he lost his mother, he had become confined to a wheelchair as well. Julia is a smart and inquisitive child, and wants to learn sign language, how to carve and to become his friend. She goes with her father, who is his lawyer, and slowly the two become fast friends. Both lives are enriched for the friendship, and the story makes you think about others. Highly recommend this book, and although I read it during Christmas it is not needed for the book to be enjoyable. A sweet story for any time of the year.

I really wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy this book since most of it is from the viewpoint of a ten year old, but thought I’d give it a chance. I’m so glad I did! Author Phyllis Clark Nichols created some very intriguing characters and situations that kept my attention right to the end.

Not afraid to tackle the subject of bullying (yes, even adults can be bullied), I loved how Mr. Lafferty handled his unique position. Our heroine, Julia, has such a heart for Mr. Lafferty that you can’t help but find it heartwarming.

While this is not a romance it is full of sweet moments that show love for our fellow man. A wonderful Christmas read with some surprises throughout, I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

SILENT DAYS, HOLY NIGHT is the first book I read by Ms. Phyllis Clark Nichols, but it most certainly won't be the last. Women's fiction is not a genre I normally look for, but the blurb of this one interested me.

Written in first person, it starts in the here and now, but then goes back sixteen years to when she first meets Mr. Lafferty and how knowing him changed her life in so many different ways.

I read this entire story in one day -- except for when my kindle died and I had to charge it for an hour. Very hard to put down. I loved Julia and Mr. Lafferty and the hosts of important secondary characters.

Highly recommend this book at Christmas time or any time.

I got a copy off Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This story can truly renew your faith in humanity! Readers need be be warned: please make sure you read to the end for the epilogue, but be sure to have your tissues ready!

This book and its story are great! I enjoyed it cover to cover, from beginning to end, and could barely be okay with it ending! It shares with readers the true meaning of Christmas. The author writes this story so that readers are put right in the middle of everything: the main character, Julia, an eleven-year-old girl, and a reclusive deaf man who has a gift of carving. I'll be honest, I think this movie is ready for Hallmark! I know it's a movie I would definitely watch!

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this story! It was great!

"Silent Days, Holy Night" was absolutely a darling read and I love how young Julia was portrayed. She's a very intelligent and perpetually curious soul, and Nichols wrote her character perfectly from the 1st person perspective. I've read a lot of books (and seen a Hallmark movie or two) where preteen children are either written as entirely too old or entirely too childish, but the author balanced Julia very well. I also appreciated that disabilities were portrayed in a positive and accurate setting. Mr. Lafferty wasn't seen as scary; Julia just wanted to learn more about him and befriend him. We seriously need more of this in fiction (and real life).

This book is also a very clean read, which I appreciated, and isn't a run-of-the-mill Christmas story. There are mysteries to unravel and even a bit of suspense involving some troublemakers that decide to harass Mr. Lafferty. The story is a great reminder of what we should be doing around Christmastime (and all the time, I suppose) : helping folks who might be passed over by others, setting aside time to bring joy to someone, and learning about someone with an open mind and heart.

The only reason I've docked a star from the rating -- the prologue and epilogue. While I don't want to get into details and spoil anything in case anyone wants to read the book, I will say that they seemed to kind of stick out away from the story. I had trouble getting through the prologue, despite the beautiful prose, because I found it somewhat vague and I just couldn't connect with the characters (and was worried that the whole book would be like that). The epilogue was similar. After I read the book in its entirety and thought about it, I did see the reasoning behind including the prologue and epilogue, and it is a neat little way of wrapping the story up, but I perhaps would have included the material from both in the epilogue.

I truly did enjoy reading this book - it's a cozy read for anyone who's looking for a Christmas book this season; it's heartwarming and innocent, refreshing, and it'll get you into the holiday spirit pretty quickly!

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from JustReads. The opinions listed here are mine.

I really enjoyed this sweet story. The protagonist, Julia, is an extremely intelligent little girl with a big heart who reminded me so much of my niece with her plethora of knowledge on so many subjects. I love the idea if changing can'ts to cans, and she goes about doing just that when she plans a surprise Christmas party for recluse, Mr. Lafferty. The theme of one moment changing the course of someone's life runs throughout the book, and is one I can relate to in my own life.

This is a new author for me, and I look forward to reading more of her works. I appreciate Gilead Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book for my honest opinion.

I received this book as an eARC from NetGalley. I would like to thank the publishers, the author and NetGalley for accepting my request and providing me with a copy of the book.



Narrative and plot
A major part of the story is told through the eyes of the eleven year Julia. This isn’t your shy, confused eleven year old. Julia is way too intelligent beyond her age and observant as well. The story calls out this fact to itself a couple of times. Even then, Julia has this innocence and vibrant energy about her that makes for a compelling narrative. If I start nit-picking, perhaps the only thing that I could say against the book is that, at times it was a bit confusing when the narrative shifted between the past and present of Julia. I had to re-read it to make sure a few times. Other than that, this book is just flawless.



The plot is not something I would say challenging. It is a simple Christmas tale told in a child’s point of view. It depicts the impression that we leave on our kids with our actions and the memories we create for them. The book has a message and it could have felt a bit preachy if told from an adult’s perspective. However, it found a smart way to bring the emotions of a child along with everything.



Characters and Conflict

Mr. Lafferty and Julia are the two main characters of the book. The two people who have nothing in common at a first look. Julia is an active and talkative child while Henry is a man on a wheelchair who happens to be deaf. The way these two find their inner zeal and connection mark the beginning of an unusual friendship. Julia’s family and the people in Henry’s life are all interesting characters with their own stories. The relationship between Julia her dad, her mother, and her brother and how she reads each one of them was indeed fun to read.



A story is only good when it creates enough obstacles for the protagonist. However, here the obstacles are mostly around Henry. And as Julia points out, a group of good people joins hands to turn the “can'ts” into “cans”. It addresses the ripple effect that is caused by a simple action, either good or bad and the consequences it has on so many people and their lives.



Conclusion

Christmas is the time when friends and family come together and share each other's joys and sometimes worries. This whole book is centered around Christmas and it really gets to your heart. It conveys a simple message of doing good and bringing joy to everyone in a powerful way. I would recommend this book to everyone to read during the holiday season.

What a wonderful story! Phyllis Clark Nichols has given us wonderful characters and an incredible setting for the story. There is heart, goodness, and compassion all through this storyline. It’s a perfect story for Christmas. I would love to see this book made into a movie. This will be a book that stays on my list of Christmas favorites to be read again each year.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This is the second book I’ve read by Ms. Nichols. I find it interesting to note that at least two of her novels create strong characters with special needs. In this particular novel, a main character is a deaf man, Mr. Lafferty, who ends up befriending the narrator as a young girl.
Just like the first book I read, I found it a challenge to read. The narration is simple and the writing style elegant, but details about everyday life are a good chunk of narrative, although perhaps it is intentional as the story is told from the point of view of a ten year old girl. The pace was too slow for me, and the mundane details of crocheting or carving birds drove me wonky. I was bored more than interested in the story, no matter that the back cover content had caught my attention.
Unfortunately, this book wasn’t high on my list of great reads.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Silent Days, Holy Night
By Phyllis Clark Nichols

For 16 years Julia Russell has shared a special friendship with Henry Lafferty the Second. Julia met Mr. Lafferty when she was almost 11 (her words) through her father. The Russell family has been associated with the Lafferty family for many years with Julia's grandfather and father both employed as the family lawyer. Mr. Lafferty has been a recluse for the majority of his life due to his deafness and the injury that left him wheelchair bound.

But Mr. Lafferty isn't as the whispers around town describe him. He has a giving heart that only see the cans and not the cannots. He gives to those in need though they don't know who their benefactor is. Julia is determined to share the man she has come to call friend - letting others know that he isn't the scary monster their rumors have turned him into.

Silent Days, Holy Night is told from the present day as Julia prepares for the upcoming Christmas and a special Christmas Gala at Emerald Crest (the Lafferty home) and flashes back to Julia's first meeting with Mr. Lafferty and their friendship that grows into a special first Christmas that will forever change their lives.

If you are looking for a feel-good Christmas book that won't leave with a depressed aftertaste you will love Silent Days, Holy Night which celebrates the joy of both the season and the giving heart. Julia is one of those children who knows or wants to know everything (or as her grandparents say she's a 40-year-old child) but she has a caring heart.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.

A very sweet book that tells a wonderful Christmas story. This is the first book by Ms. Nichols that I have read so I'm excited to go find her other books. I know they will be just as good.

If you would like to read a heartwarming Christmas story, read Silent Days, Holy Night. This is a delightful story of friendship and hope. I loved the character, Julia. I found it refreshing to read about a child with such a big heart. As she tries to crack the shell of a man whose life has been difficult, she shows how to love. With humor and joy, this story encompasses the spirit of Christmas. This would make a great gift for anyone twelve to one-hundred. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gilead via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When I first started reading Silent Days, Holy Night, I wasn't sure what to think. I struggled to get into the novel, as it felt like the reader had been dropped into the middle of the story. And really, that's basically what happened—the majority of the story is set 16 years in the past, and the book begins with a prologue in the present. (Sometimes I like prologues, and sometimes I don't. In this case, I'm not a fan. Similarly, the epilogue felt unnecessary.)

Once the action flashed back to the past, I still wasn't completely engaged at first. Some of the dialog seemed a little stilted, and Julia's grandmother gave her some advice that I felt was ... misguided at best.

Once Julia really became friends with Mr. Lafferty (H), though, I was completely swept into the story. The relationship that Julia and H formed was so sweet, and I loved watching it develop. And as the book reached its climax, I found myself bawling through my lunch break!

This book is about generosity in the face of prejudice, friendship, and true care for others, and it's such a great Christmas read. Of note is that there is zero romance in these pages, and I loved it anyway—in fact, I think the lack of romance and pure focus on Julia and H's friendship made the book stronger.

This novel attracted me with its beautiful front before I ever read the back, so a literary "you had me at hello." This is such a sweet story of crossing barriers, considering other people and loving beyond measure. I have witnessed my own children reaching out to their disabled Grandfather and there is little sweeter.

My only slight criticism was that at times I wasn't sure what was going on as the present day parts were less clear to me, but other than that, this was a tremendous story of human inner beauty. I'd highly recommend it.

Let me gush a moment if you will. I adored this book! I mean, it wasn't perfect and the opening left me a bit confused but it weaved together so nicely and really does leave you with a warm cozy Christmas feeling. A feeling of community and friendship and love and just belonging. This is a new to me author but I'm completely on board with reading her again. Like, I am actively seeking out anything I can find with her name attached!

Julia is a bit over the top and I think if she had been my kid I wouldn't have near the patience her parents had with her. Just a guess though as she reminds me a wee bit of Munchkin. Never ending questions, answering questions with questions, nothing like a simple statement from this kid. Ever. From the beginning I didn't really 'get it'. I didn't understand the purpose of these people at this place and the reason for this party. For about a chapter and a half I was wondering what I'd gotten myself into. Once I started piecing it together I realized that I really didn't need to know because if I had then the entire story would have lost something. I needed to watch this friendship blossom. I needed to see this community build. I needed what this book had to offer.

The friendship between H and Julia was precious. It was the perfect example of the idea that struggles are just opportunities to turn can't into can. It's so odd as at work we just had a similar training opportunity for something very similar. Building friendships that are cross generational. Building friendships with someone who you can't communicate with . . . yet. Building friendships that are based around mutual respect and true caring about another human being. This book is truly a reflection of what the Christmas Spirit can bring to individuals, friends, families and communities. Strongly recommended for anyone who just wants an amazing story of friendship and caring and respect.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Just Read, NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

I so very much enjoyed Silent Days, Holy Night by Phyllis Clark Nichols. The story is SO well-written, the plot is highly engaging, and the characters are just the absolute best. This is a story that will stick with me long after the final page has been read. If you are looking for an endearing and charming Christmas novel, then Silent Days, Holy Night is the book for you!

The main character of this novel is Julia. Julia is a ten-year old genius and is one of the best-written children I’ve ever read. I adore Julia’s character. As a teacher of many, many years, Julia’s character is the exact type of kid I love to teach — the highly intelligent, thoughtful, straight-A kiddo. I love these types of kids so much because they never want to stop learning. Julia teaches the reader many wonderful things throughout this story, but one concept really stuck with me. There is a moment where she discusses a science experiment she conducted on leaves. The experiment is cool and definitely worth learning about, but what I love so much about this moment is when Julia makes this point: “There’s always more to a leaf than we can see.” What a smart little girl! This thought applies to everything really, especially people.

I recently finished a Bible study that discussed the notion of divine appointments. The study explained that every day we interact in some way with many different kinds of people. Some people we see in our day are constants like spouses, children, coworkers, and friends. We fully know why God put those people into our lives. But thrown in the mix throughout our day are strangers. People we see walking past us. People who stop us for directions. People we accidentally bump into. People we pass by in the grocery store. The list goes on and on. The idea in the Bible study is that God purposely puts these people in our path. There are no mistakes with God. Perhaps these people are there for a divine appointment? The thing is, we humans view most everything at face value — we only see the outside of the leaf so to speak. We forget that like leaves people have more to them than what we initially see with our eyes. So, we view a stranger walking down the street as merely a person walking down the street. Maybe we notice something about his/her clothing, or the way the person has styled his/her hair, but do we ever think, “Did God put that person in my line of sight for a reason?” Perhaps God puts people in our path because there is more to the moment than meets the eye. Perhaps they need a quick prayer from a stranger to help them get through their day? In the novel, Julia meets a stranger and that meeting changes her life forever, but only because Julia is willing to look past the surface and see into who this person really is. This is definitely something I need to work on in myself. I need to be a little more like Julia!

There are moments in our life that change us and we will never be the same again. Some moments are positive forces of change, but some are negative. I will never forget the day I graduated from college, began my first “real” job, met my best friend, married my husband, gave birth to my daughter, etc. I also will never forget 9/11, the day my brother died, the day I lost a student in a horrific accident, or the day my best friend was diagnosed with a rare cancer. All of these moments have changed my life. Consider your life for a moment — I am betting you could immediately name off several positives and negatives that come to your mind. The most interesting idea from Silent Days, Holy Night is that moments are not made in a vacuum. Moments happen and affect others around us too. Moments make humans a community. Julia meets a lovely gentleman who changes her life forever, but his influence on her changes the lives of her entire community as well. This really made me stop and consider how I act in my day, and how those actions affect my community. Am I building my community up, or tearing it down? What a great question to reflect upon this holiday season.

Silent Days, Holy Night is a fantastic holiday read that I cannot recommend enough. There is so much goodness packed into only 240 pages. I leave Silent Days, Holy Night feeling hopeful and contented, and having learned quite a few timely messages. I give this book a hearty 5 STARS!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via Just Read Tours. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.