Christmas Bells: A Novel

This was my first book by Jennifer Chiaverini and it will not be my last. I loved it. I am a fan of historical fiction and this went back and forth between current day and 1860's Boston. It was the story of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's family living in Boston during the Civil War and the story of several people in current day Boston, all intersecting in the same locations and landmarks. Very well written and I will tell you something that I am starting to really appreciate about authors like Ms. Chiaverini, there was no swearing and foul language in this book. She was able to tell two parallel stories in a well written and captivating style without that. I for one was very happy about that. So much so that I just ordered the Spy Mistress.

I was not expecting such a lovely, well-written tale about several people's lives that intersect on Christmas Eve, and how that tale is interwoven with events that occurred during the Civil War. The author's command of history is impressive, and her prose is lovely. Highly recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer Chiaverini's Elm Creek Quilts series, so this book was a major disappointment. First of all, it is very somber and is not the type of uplifting Christmas novel I prefer during the holidays. The plot is also very disjointed. The story focuses on a contemporary afternoon of children's choir practice for Christmas in a Boston Catholic church from a range of child and adult characters' perspectives, which is quite tedious and repetitious. These chapters are interspersed with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's family's story during the 1860s and the US Civil War. The slender threads holding the two plots together are Longfellow's famous poem "Christmas Bells," sung by a boy in the choir, and the cruelties of war past and present. The Longfellow sections, which were the strongest although very sad with graphic details of injuries and deaths of soldiers in the Civil War, might have worked better as a stand alone novel. The best part of the book are tie-ins to Longfellow's famous poem "Christmas Bells," especially the last stanza.

As a novel that combines history and modern fiction, the author captured the subtleties of each character and how they interplay with each other. The author takes historical record of Longfellow’s life, and adds fiction to fill out verbal aspects as he eventually writes the famous poem: “Christmas Bells,” which most of us know as “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day.” Also adding in a story line of another family in today’s time that is also being affected by war. The Civil War for Longfellow’s story and the modern family dealing with Afghanistan’s effect on their family. The emotions are very defined for both family groups as well as for 4 other modern day characters. This is the perfect Christmas story. It has history, historical places and battles, parental and family love, innocence, conflict within personal problems of each character, and the charm and hope of the Christmas season all neatly wrapped up in one book.

This book is about modern day and golden day. It is about the civil war time and the suffering that Henry W Longfellow's went thru during that time. Henry lost his loving wife from a tragic accident and he suffered many years because of it. The modern day is about young people falling in love, a father going off to war and many other things that happen in our current day. I enjoyed this book.

I have read allot of the author's books, most of the elm creek quilt novels, the quilt pattern books, and a couple of her historical novels, so I was a bit disappointed in this one . I learned allot about the Longfellow family that I didn't know about so enjoyed those parts of the story the most. I can appreciated author's going back and forth in time but this was really several stories broken up and put into a novel. Not her best writing is why I gave it 3 stars-was glad I picked this book up at a sale price here otherwise I would have been even more disappointed.

i think this Christian historical and fictional novel is well written.. It compares and contrasts the stories of two families: Henry W. Longfellow who lived during the Civil War and a modern family living during the Persian Gulf War, At times it is hard to make the transition between the two historical periods because of the intensity of the story . If someone is or has had a rough time spiritually this book is good medicine.

I am listening on CD's for the 3rd time. I have gifted this book to friends and received grateful thanks. It is designed like Longfellow's "Tales of the Wayside Inn". One chapter covers a period in Longfellow's life; the next the story of one of the people present for a children's Christmas concert practice featuring the hymn "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" based on Longfellow's poem. The characters ring true and the reasons they are all present are interesting. The part of Longfellow's life covers the Civil War years so it is educational as well. A truly uplifting book.

This was a nice book to read around Christmastime but I just didn't find the modern story and historical story to jive. I could have done without the whole church choir and their members' problems. The characters didn't grab my attention and with multiple points of view, no one story seemed compelling or even necessary. A book just about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow would have been excellent as his story was one I had never heard and would have liked to learn more about. I wonder why Jennifer decided to switch back and forth from character to character and time period to time period. It took a lot away from Henry's story.

I liked the approach of telling stories from the present and from 1960 to 1864, the Civil War period, that are linked somewhat loosely by the Longfellow poem and later song "Christmas Bells." The history was more interesting to me, but the present time story with its various twists centered around a catholic church in Cambridge, MA and love story were fine. The writing is solid and the characters are fairly well drawn and kept my interest.It is a Christmas story and was right up my alley,.

This was my first book by Jennifer Chiaverini and it will not be my last. I loved it. I am a fan of historical fiction and this went back and forth between current day and 1860's Boston. It was the story of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's family living in Boston during the Civil War and the story of several people in current day Boston, all intersecting in the same locations and landmarks. Very well written and I will tell you something that I am starting to really appreciate about authors like Ms. Chiaverini, there was no swearing and foul language in this book. She was able to tell two parallel stories in a well written and captivating style without that. I for one was very happy about that. So much so that I just ordered the Spy Mistress.

I was not expecting such a lovely, well-written tale about several people's lives that intersect on Christmas Eve, and how that tale is interwoven with events that occurred during the Civil War. The author's command of history is impressive, and her prose is lovely. Highly recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer Chiaverini's Elm Creek Quilts series, so this book was a major disappointment. First of all, it is very somber and is not the type of uplifting Christmas novel I prefer during the holidays. The plot is also very disjointed. The story focuses on a contemporary afternoon of children's choir practice for Christmas in a Boston Catholic church from a range of child and adult characters' perspectives, which is quite tedious and repetitious. These chapters are interspersed with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's family's story during the 1860s and the US Civil War. The slender threads holding the two plots together are Longfellow's famous poem "Christmas Bells," sung by a boy in the choir, and the cruelties of war past and present. The Longfellow sections, which were the strongest although very sad with graphic details of injuries and deaths of soldiers in the Civil War, might have worked better as a stand alone novel. The best part of the book are tie-ins to Longfellow's famous poem "Christmas Bells," especially the last stanza.

As a novel that combines history and modern fiction, the author captured the subtleties of each character and how they interplay with each other. The author takes historical record of Longfellow’s life, and adds fiction to fill out verbal aspects as he eventually writes the famous poem: “Christmas Bells,” which most of us know as “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day.” Also adding in a story line of another family in today’s time that is also being affected by war. The Civil War for Longfellow’s story and the modern family dealing with Afghanistan’s effect on their family. The emotions are very defined for both family groups as well as for 4 other modern day characters. This is the perfect Christmas story. It has history, historical places and battles, parental and family love, innocence, conflict within personal problems of each character, and the charm and hope of the Christmas season all neatly wrapped up in one book.

This book is about modern day and golden day. It is about the civil war time and the suffering that Henry W Longfellow's went thru during that time. Henry lost his loving wife from a tragic accident and he suffered many years because of it. The modern day is about young people falling in love, a father going off to war and many other things that happen in our current day. I enjoyed this book.

I have read allot of the author's books, most of the elm creek quilt novels, the quilt pattern books, and a couple of her historical novels, so I was a bit disappointed in this one . I learned allot about the Longfellow family that I didn't know about so enjoyed those parts of the story the most. I can appreciated author's going back and forth in time but this was really several stories broken up and put into a novel. Not her best writing is why I gave it 3 stars-was glad I picked this book up at a sale price here otherwise I would have been even more disappointed.

i think this Christian historical and fictional novel is well written.. It compares and contrasts the stories of two families: Henry W. Longfellow who lived during the Civil War and a modern family living during the Persian Gulf War, At times it is hard to make the transition between the two historical periods because of the intensity of the story . If someone is or has had a rough time spiritually this book is good medicine.

I am listening on CD's for the 3rd time. I have gifted this book to friends and received grateful thanks. It is designed like Longfellow's "Tales of the Wayside Inn". One chapter covers a period in Longfellow's life; the next the story of one of the people present for a children's Christmas concert practice featuring the hymn "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" based on Longfellow's poem. The characters ring true and the reasons they are all present are interesting. The part of Longfellow's life covers the Civil War years so it is educational as well. A truly uplifting book.

This was a nice book to read around Christmastime but I just didn't find the modern story and historical story to jive. I could have done without the whole church choir and their members' problems. The characters didn't grab my attention and with multiple points of view, no one story seemed compelling or even necessary. A book just about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow would have been excellent as his story was one I had never heard and would have liked to learn more about. I wonder why Jennifer decided to switch back and forth from character to character and time period to time period. It took a lot away from Henry's story.

I liked the approach of telling stories from the present and from 1960 to 1864, the Civil War period, that are linked somewhat loosely by the Longfellow poem and later song "Christmas Bells." The history was more interesting to me, but the present time story with its various twists centered around a catholic church in Cambridge, MA and love story were fine. The writing is solid and the characters are fairly well drawn and kept my interest.It is a Christmas story and was right up my alley,.

This is the first novel I've read by Jennifer Chiaverini but I'm not certain that I would rush to read another. This novel has a split personality with chapters alternating between fictional characters in the present and real life poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The story of the present day characters was predictable and simply told while the historical fiction was sometimes difficult to follow. The idea is good but the telling lacked spark.

Good but not great. We were considering this for our book club, but the time hopping mixed with several back stories got confusing too many times. Our members have made it clear they do not like that type of read. But it is still a decent read especially if you like historical fiction.

Strange book. Jumped from characters and time frames. A lot of info about battle stratifies during Revolutionary War(?). After reading over half the book I was hoping it would come together, but author kept adding more obscure characters. I’m an avid reader but couldn’t finish this

It's so interesting the way Jennifer Chiaverini has written this story around two different periods in history and yet wound them together coming to such a touching end for everyone. I found it very interesting how one Victorian house played such an import part in influencing the past and present periods of history in this story. Also, I was intrigued with learning about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's personal life and how Jennifer wove that into the story. I loved it! Jennifer Chiaverini is a very gifted and talented author.

I love her other books but this is not up to par. Chapters alternate different time periods and points of view which I always find intriguing and she has done that well in other books. I was willing to overlook the predictability and triteness of the plot and the contemporary characters, because it's a Christmas story, but could not bring myself to finish it, even though I am a fan of her other work, like Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, which was excellent.

This book is just a beautiful rendering of the life of Henry Wordsworth Longfellow, plus a modern tale which fits right in with the Longfellow tale, in two time areas, old and new. I am from New England where Longfellow lived and wrote, and my mother took me through the Longfellow House on Congress St., Portland, Maine many times. (There was a Longfellow Home in Cambridge, MA also near where I was born.) I grew up learning and appreciating his poetry, so it was an enjoyable book for me. But you don't have to grow up in New England to enjoy this story … and it's very well written by a popular author.

This is a really nice holiday read. The plot is an intermixture of contemporary fiction and historical fiction based on experiences of HW Longfellow--poet who wrote the poem for which this book is named. So many holiday books are too sweet or predictable. This a truly a worthwhile read for celebrating the holiday with literature.

Reading only 2-3 pages should put you right to sleep. The writing is s-l-o-w moving and the characters are one-dimensional. Written in a very passive voice, it's sure to underwhelm you, unless you have never read hisrotical fiction before. I lost track of this book a week ago & don't miss it at all unless I wake up too early & need something to put me back to sleep. I used to really look forward to her next novel - now, not so much. I think I'm through. The worst use of $20...

The book started well and thought I would enjoy each chapter in Longfellow’a time then next chapter present. Halfway through book became weary of the back and forth, especially since the present day constantly changing characters. Would have rather kept with one main character present and Longfellow past or just a history of Longfellow. Also would have been more interesting read about history of Longfellow .

An interesting juxtaposition between a variety of views of a modern-day Christmas choral event at the church and the historical perspective of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's family during the civil war. Seeing how individuals' backgrounds affect results is well presented by the author.

I really do not enjoy reading about the Civil War and that was exactly what every other chapter was about. So I read every other chapter and skipped the ones about the war. I really wish this author would stick to her series of Elm Creek Quilts and not try to jam history down our throats.

Enjoyed the book after I got used to the switching of characters and time periods. Wished it had better concluded the present day segment. Would recommend it for anyone wanting to get an insight of the times of Longfellow. Another enjoyable book from Jennifer Chiaverini.

I liked the story lines, however just when you get involved it changes centuries again. To many different stories to follow. I felt like it was incomplete at the end. I rather it expand on a few of the story lines.

While I usually love books by Chiaverini, this one was all over the place and very disjointed. Just too many characters to keep track of and less development of each than I would like. Still readable, just not her best.

I have enjoyed all of this authors books. She has done a series of quilting books with a wonderful story line. I loved the way she mixed history with her story line in The Christmas Bells but didn't take liberties with the facts.

I truly enjoyed this story of a poem that was written during the Civil war by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. As a poet, I really appreciated the poem and its inspiration. The poem is woven in two time periods through different circumstances. We are given an account of Longfellow's life and tragedies. Alternately we are treated to a love story of two young people who are in todays time brought together by their love of music. My book club read this for our Christmas party and it was well received. I recommend this story for all that want to learn more about Longfellow and his life and those who love a read about friendship that turns into true love.

Very interesting work about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Very effective use of two time periods and the effect the poems of Wadsworth had on people many years after his death.

The book was well written. The pace was rather slow for me. It moved from modern day to the civil war days and back again. Mostly about how Longfellow came to write his famous poem, now a Christmas Carol.

Like this author, but rather hard to follow. Story switches back and forth between settings, characters and time. I am learning a lot about those years in history and Longfellow.

What a beautiful story. I enjoyed the way the stories of the people involved entwined around one incident. I also enjoyed the history of the poem that inspired the story. I read the book in one day. This a book that will be enjoyed over and over again.

Good Christmas uplifting story. I learned a bit more about the civil war and about Longfellow. A bit predictable for me

Not crazy about books that have repeated phrases/paragraphs. Never have been and this one does just that. Also this could have been at least two novellas and probably should have been . I have been a fan since Mrs. Chiaverini wrote the Elm Creek series but the historical novels lately have a lot to be desired. Enjoyed the story line in Christmas Bells but not the way the book was formatted.

I did not know all the verses to Longfellow's poem,I Heard the Bells, or that the poem had been written during the Civil War. It was also interesting to learn a little about Longfellow's life and the times living in Boston. Then Ms Chiaverini tying it into present day. I enjoy her books and know she must do a lot of research.

Enjoyed the stories of the two side by side stories of a modern Christmas tale and one of Longfellow’s family story.

Loved this. Chiaverini was able to alternate between the lives of a contemporary couple and Tennyson's life. Loved the history. Loved the characters. Loved the story.

I appreciate that the author provided more background on the 'I heard the bells' song.

Chiaverini incorporates historical facts within her fiction story and goes back and forth between two time periods effortlessly! I couldnt put this down.

I love this author. It makes a nice addition to my library. No problems with the seller, item, nor shipping. Book arrived in great condition.

I love Jennifer Chiaverini's books. This one was a blend of current times and Civil War. Learned a lot about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Makes me want to reread his poems.

This book did not seem to have the same spirit level as JC's other books. Kept reading and hoping I would find the wonderful writing in her other books, but the story underscores I found it. I am a JC fan, but not so much a fan of this particular writing effort.

The book wasn’t in the condition I expected for the cost of it. Shipping was prompt.

It was predictable but sweet. I liked the historical fiction part of the book.

I really liked the telling of two families and how they lived in two centuries in the same area. It was all beautifully tied together. It was a good history lesson.

This book was a Christmas masterpiece. Chiaverini adds current drama with historical events to create a blend of the importance of family blended with the Christmas miracle.

This book bounces back and forth from the Civil War time to present. It's not confusing and the stories meld well. Jennifer writes very well.

The storyline is confusing because it changes chapter to chapter.

I enjoyed the story switching each chapter from Henry W Longfellows' life to the current days and how Longfellows' influences were shown in both time frames. It was a good glimpse into the history of the nation during Longfellows' life, as well as an entertaining novel. The book was well worth the reading.

A nice story that intertwines the present with the past. Each chapter focuses on a different character's perceptions, adding dimension and depth. Chiaverini begins with Henry Wadswoth Longfellow and I enjoyed finding about his life. Good historical fiction.

Although I enjoy the Elm Creek Quilt series much more, this book was a delightful read even after Christmas has passed! Thanks for the history mixed with the fiction, a nice change from what I normally read.

For the first time I was disappointed. The author has two stories going on about the same subject but in different eras. I had to retrain my brain with each new chapter. I hope there isn't a repeat of this style of writing from one of my favorite authors.

Christmas Bells was a fast read with a wonderful romantic story entwined with a story from the past. I enjoyed it very much!

Paperback book arrived with cover folded in half. NEW and ruined.

Great story, interesting to see connection with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

I have not finished reading, but so far it has been interesting and enjoyable. It switches between eras, which can be disconcerting but the story line is well worth it.

This was an incredibly well-written book, containing a story within a story. It certainly made me want to read more of Longfellow's poetry and other writings. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and have recommended it to others.

I absolutely love reading Jennifer Chiaverini books. I have everyone of the Elm Creek series. I have 2 or 3 other novels by her. She holds you in a very real world with every word. It's hard for me to lay one down because of chores that have to be done. I can hardly wait to acquire her next book.

Nicely woven story. Beautiful Christmas story.

It's hard to find books that are engaging and historical. This book is both. I liked the way the past and present were represented

Okay story.

It was simple & rather boring. Like watching a Hallmark movie

It was bought for my wife and she like it

A very interesting book

Good book

Great book

So glad to learn the history of the poem, Christmas Bells. And having the comparison to our current circumstances was interesting. I liked how the story was brought to the same incident with each character. Great book.

Christmas Bells: A Novel, written so wonderfully all characters came alive. Giving the reader a look at day to day living during the Civil War but also current hopes, joys, sadnesses and faith in the future that everything will be aright...God is large and in charge!

I found the sections in Henry wadsworthg Longfellow interesting but didn't like the way the book went back and forth between the two stories and time periods. Nor d id I really get the connection between the two.

Great story with insight to history of Christmas Bells poem by Longfelliw

Disappointed in the book. Liked "Mrs. Lincoln Dressmaker" so this is the reason I purchased the book. How much is true in "Christmas Bells?

I do not read for long session so returning to the book again after some time, I have to go back and review somewhat.

Absolutely adored this book and the story behind the Carol. I love her historical novels, not so much her quilting mysteries. They are too predictable.

This was a great book. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day is one of my favorite poems. I love historical fiction anyway so this was right up my alley. This was actually two stories that are tied together and I loved every second of it. Well worth the read.

The story was very compelling to me. The switching back and forth between modern time and the original time when the poem was written was wonderful. So glad that I purchased this novel.

This is written differently than most books taking place in the present and the 1800's. Every page is interesting. Thank you Jennifer Chiaverini for another great read!

Did not like the way the book was written. Hard to follow jumping back and forth to different eras. My least favorite of her works and I've read them all.

A little slow to start, and a bit confusing as to how the different time periods connected. Once I got to middle of book it fell into place and was a good story.

I really enjoyed how the different story lines and people inter-twined throughout. This is one of my favorites by Jennifer Chiaverini.

I chose this rating because Ms.Chiaverini is a wonderful storyteller. I have always been I intrigued by the Civil War and this is one of many informative books she has written. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a good read.

Lovely Christmas read.

I found the story to disjointed. Enjoyed the Longfellow history.

The story line did not flow. Each story at one time was repeated word for word. Some of the added characters just popped into the story and did not flow into the story, I have read several of JC's books and loved them. This one was disappointing.

I did not care for the format going back and forth in time. It was like to completely different stories in the same book.

Good Book.....love this author!

Liked the story but found it repetitive. How many times do we have to hear that Alex gets to talk to his dad first.

I enjoy all her books.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though it was a bit troublesome going back and forth in time. I understand the purpose of this though. The only real problem was that I didn't want it to end!

Good, enjoyable Christmas read.

I have sung this song since I was a child and not once did I notice the lyrics (poem) was written by Longfellow

Very well written as Jennifer always does her homework Love her writing

I am just getting around to reading this book. I have read most of Jennifer Chaverini's books and have enjoyed and learned from each of them.

Love Jennifer Chiaverini books

Loved the book. Loved the history presented. Liked the story line.

Was given as a gift. Price was excellent. Person who received the gift said it was an enjoyable read.

Liked the parts about Longfellow. Watertown story too sappy.

Read this book for our Read this book for my book club. Enjoyed the comparison of present day and the time of the Civil war. Hardships are hardships no matter when in time they occur.

interesting historic novel with wonderful evocation of the era and everyday life

The connection between characters was fascinating and fun to see develop. I always have a history lesson with J. C. stories.

Nice read

Ok

I enjoyed this book very much, can't wait for another to come out. Can't quit reading, because you wonder what will be next in each chapter.

Wonderful book that you don't HAVE to save for Christmas! Love Jennifer's stories and this is one of the best!

Didn't Havre me. Anxious to turn page. I am a big fan of quilt series. Not bad but far from my favorite book.

A pleasant story blending the Civil War and present day

Found this book inspiring and informative. Background of Longfellow made for a beautiful and easy reading novel. Recommend reading for everyone.

Fast service and as promised - Excellent!

Always enjoy reading about the Elm Creek Quilters.

Very sweet plot line and I love this book as much as all of her books.

very interesting stories. some better than others. must read it all

Tremendous Hard to put this down. Love it

Great story - lots of correct historical fact.

Book did not look new. Red marker across top of pages and pages discolored.

Book was fair condition...was disappointed in quality...expected better.

great

A beautiful Christmas story written by one of my favorite authors! It will definitely put you into the spirit of the Christmas season.

Loved this book. Learn some history along the way.

Loved this book and have shared with friends!

Awesome wholesome reading that had you not wanting to put it down.

Love, love, loved this book. Jennifer Chiaverini is becoming a favorite author.

Haven't read it yet, but sure to like it!

I didn't really enjoy the back and forth from the past to the present. But, that is just my personal feeling. I've always loved this author just not this book.

Beautifully woven together. Perfect for the season.

Loved the latest Chiaverini novel. I have enjoyed the Elm Creek Quilters as well as her historical works. Christmas Bells ties together the historical relationships with modern ones through the poem by Longfellow. A great read for Christmas!

Due to my life, I had to put this book on hold until the Christmas season. Now I am glad I did

Just in time for the holidays,perfect. Author once again has combined history, imaginitive story line and characters to keep the reader involved.

it is as stated in the ad

Good read

Could not get past the "time travel" of how this book was written. I did not finish reading this book of Jennifer's. Loved all the others she wrote.

Rembles.....

Wonderful, wonderful read!!

One of the best ... I will definitely read it again.

I don't like books that have 2 separate stories in 2 separate times. I didn't even finish it

She is one of my fsvorite authors. I have All of her books. Reread them often..

this would give a history lesson to many

I enjoyed this book. I hated to see it end.

Loved this book

Wife loved it.

Historical fiction intertwined with a wonderful modern day story. Heart wrenching and heart warming! An amazing read!!!

Enjoyable reading!

Although there were many happy endings, this book was not for me.

A good Christmas read woven into historical facts about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

It was slow, getting into it, but then it was great.

Was hard to follow sometimes.

A little difficult jumping back and forth between time periods

Again, Jennifer has done a marvelous job. Love her writing!

Read this book for my book club. We all enjoyed it. Great read!

Well written, engaging and full of hope. Love how the characters knit together . The nun was especially entertaining. Very good read.

Great story

A nice holiday read.

Great book!

One of the best books written by Chiaverini. Very fast reading.

Love her writing!!

Excellent

The author seems to be more focused on historical facts and sharing that information, than in developing her characters so they are more than just names and faces in the story. I actually glossed over some of the historical sections of the novel so that I could follow the modern story that had more personality and insight in its characters. I have read all of this author's books and enjoyed the first ones much more because she revealed the true characters and personalities of each person.

It's like a Hallmark movie. It is meant to make the reader feel good about Christmas and that everything works out in the end---somehow even Longfellow's son serving in the Union army in the Civil War is very Pollyanna-ish. If that is what a reader wants, this is the book appropriate book. However, there is no documentation for the "research" about Longfellow or the war, and so the book reads like a nice story. The parallel story in present time was both predictable and underdeveloped.

Very enjoyable read. Well written.

Disappointing

not her usual

Haven't read yet, know it will be good.

I enjoyed to book

Great read.

If I wanted to read a book about social justice, I would have bought one! Very disappointed that Ms Chiaverini felt the need to include her political leanings in a Christmas novel.

If it is December, I like to read a few books with a Christmas theme. Christmas Bells: A Novel by Jennifer Chiaverini seemed like a good choice. While the premise of this book is good, I think the author got very bogged down with her characters. Christmas Bells takes place in Boston, although it alternates between the 1860s and the present. In the 1860s, this novel focuses on poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his family. He writes the poem, Christmas Bells, about celebrating Christmas during a time of great sadness (the Civil War). For the present, the plot centers around St. Margaret’s Roman Catholic Church and a number of characters who have ties to the church. Christmas Bells begins with the story of the children’s choir director at St. Margaret’s. Then it moves on to a different character and a different viewpoint each time the novel comes back to the present. In addition to the choir director, the plot also includes accounts by the choir accompanist, a brother and sister chorister, their mom, the parish priest, a parish nun, and a senator’s wife. Each character is facing their own issues (job loss, unrequited love, death of a spouse, sibling rivalry, school problems, etc.) and with each new character, the same scenes are repeated again and again with just minor changes due to character viewpoints. It started to get rather tedious and a bit too long. The parts that I enjoyed the most were the historic fiction sections about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his family. I noticed that Jennifer Chiaverini has received high ratings for some of her other novels, so perhaps I may give them a try. I am not totally disappointed in Christmas Bells, although I was looking for something more engaging than this novel.

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day/ Their old familiar carols play/ And wild and sweet/ The words repeat/Of peace on earth, good-will to men!” This is the famous chorus of the poem/song written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The story begins in the pre-Civil War year of 1860 when we are introduced to the Longfellow family, an almost ideal family who deeply cared for each other and thoroughly enjoyed their Boston, Massachusetts environment. Harsh, then, is the extinguishing of the joyful flame when Henry’s wife, Fannie, dies in an accidental fire. Longfellow is extremely overcome at the loss of his beloved wife and the thrill of Revolutionary times is also being squelched by the decisions made by Southern states to secede from the Union. The issue of slavery and its economic realities has become the divisive factor calling for the split of a barely one hundred year old united nation. Longfellow’s family will be called to also sacrifice much during the duration of the war, perfectly summarized in Longfellow’s entire poem, “Christmas Bells.” Travel in time another hundred years and we are watching how a devoted and talented music teacher, Sophia, is devastated with the news that her job has been eliminated because of financial budget cuts. She’s also the conductor and director of a local church choir that is preparing to perform Longfellow’s poem as part of the annual Christmas celebration. Her accompanist, Lucas, loves her but is afraid to honestly broach the subject with her. At the same time another family suffers because they have not heard from their husband and father who is serving in the National Guard in Afghanistan. He used to call regularly but all of a sudden those calls stop. Some other conflicts arise from here, later to be challenged by a Catholic nun with remarkable intuitive powers – or are they divine? There is so much more than can be described herein that makes this story real with all of the pain and grace-filled happiness that normal life challenges bring, even in the beloved season known as Christmas! Jennifer Chiaverini crafts stories that convey an easy style intertwined with real, harsh challenges that don’t crush the reader with the elicited tension riddling so many scenes. This reader is always delighted to read another Chiaverini novel and highly recommends this excellent work of historical fiction!!!! Perfect for any season!!!

I'm normally a fan of Chiaverini. I've read nearly all of her quilting books and thought I'd give one that wasn't quilting a try. I can't say I really enjoyed it. Christmas Bells is actually two, maybe a little more, stories in one. One set in the "present" day, and the other set in history, during the Civil War. The modern story follows both two people who volunteer with a children's choir, a priest that is head of the church where the choir meets, a parishioner of the church who's recently lost her husband, and also two children who are in the children's choir and the present part of the story intermingles all of their stories. The historical follows the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow family and tells of their struggles and woes of living during such a tumultuous era. The problem for me was all these stories kept jumping back and forth and left me feeling like it was incomplete. Sure the storylines all wrapped up, but they were so quick that it felt like the problem was given not that long before the resolution. I enjoyed the present day story much more engrossing than the historical; and found that one distracting. I did like that to tie the two together, Chiaverini used Longfellow's poem, The Christmas Bells. I can see what she was trying to do, it just wasn't to my taste. If you like Christmas and short stories, I think this book will be more appealing. For those looking to get engrossed in the "lives" of the characters, it leaves something feeling missing. Review by M. Reynard 2020

Jennifer Chiaverini is a favorite author of mine, so a Christmas novel by her enticed me. CHRISTMAS BELLS blends the modern day lives of several individuals with that of none other than Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his family in 1860. Yes, I thought it strange too, but it actually did work quite well in the end. Not knowing anything about Longfellow, I was fascinated that he was such a Christian man, and that he actually wrote the lyrics to the carol, "I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day." I had no idea! But the real stories are of he and his family during the Civil War, and a modern day children's choir director, pianist, priest, and a seemingly-senile nun who is actually sharp as a tack. All of it homogenizes and makes sense in a way that makes the reader smile. The Longfellow sections were full of detailed history which may or may not interest you; admittedly, I skimmed some of that. And my only criticism would be that the author repeated the same scenario for the involvement of each person in the modern story, each time, which was unnecessary and irritating, in my opinion. But it is a really nice Christmas read, and I learned a lot about a famous person.

This is a dual time novel, covering the historical period where Henry Wadsworth Longfellow suffered a great personal tragedy and later wrote the poem, “Christmas Bells”. In the current timeframe, also in the Boston area, the author takes a scene of a church choir practice, and starting at time point prior, walks us through the lives of each of the major characters at the scene. We have a music teacher who has been informed she will be losing her job, a mother hiding a secret from her children about her soldier husband, the girl child who has been accused of plagiarism by her English teacher, the boy child missing his father, the pianist who has an unrequited love, the priest who has a deep family rift to heal, the sister who has an uncanny intuition, and finally, the senator’s wife who is in mourning. Each brings more to the story and in the end, their stories connect.

I just finished reading Christmas Bells by Jennifer Chiaverini. The books takes place in modern day Boston as well as in 1860. Sophia is music teacher at Peleg Wadsworth Elementary School and due to budget cuts, she will be out of a job at the end of the school year (why do they always cut the arts programs). Sophia is also the director of the children’s choir at St. Margaret’s Catholic Church. She is on her way to the rehearsal for their Christmas program. They are going to perform Christmas Bells in honor of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The book gives us the history of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and how he came to write Christmas Bells. It starts in December 1860 when Longfellow was happy with his family and then tragedy strikes. We get to see how he survived the hardships and came to write Christmas Bells. In modern day Boston we get to see the same day through the eyes of different people all connected to St. Margaret’s Catholic Church. Father Ryan, Sophia, Lucas (pianist for children’s choir), Paul and Camille Barrett (got to church and benefactors), Sister Winifred, and the Moran family (Alex, Charlotte, Laurie, and Jason). At the end of the novel, it moves forward through Christmas and the children’s concert at St. Margaret’s. Christmas Bells is a lovely novel. I enjoyed the modern day scenes better than the historical ones. The novel is well-written and very interesting. I likes how the author connected people from the past to the present. I give Christmas Bells 4 out of 5 stars. I received a copy of Christmas Bells from First to Read (www.firsttoread.com) in exchange for points that I earned.

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old familiar carols play And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, goodwill to men” In 1865, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a beautiful poem called Christmas Bells. Later on, it formed the basis of the Christmas song entitled I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. A nice rendition by the Craving Crowns can be found on You Tube. My grasp of the details of the Civil War is woeful. My familiarity of the works and life of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is just as bad. After spending the better part of the year building up my knowledge of WWII through my historical fiction reads, I am eager to move on to other learning opportunities. This book provides a great start towards that goal. It is written in dual timelines: a story set in 1861-1865 centered around the Civil War and its effects on Longfellow and his family. I thought this was beautifully done. The other timeline takes place in current times, but in the same setting of Cambridge, MA, with the story loosely centered around St. Margaret’s cathedral. It is close to Christmas. There are eight or nine cast members who lives converge and whose points of view are alternately featured in the chapters. This part of the book is more towards women’s fiction, but that was fine with me. The connection between the two timeline stories is spiritual. I felt I got a two-in-one with this read. New knowledge about two relatively new subjects for me and a nice easy Christmasy read. Yay! I came out with warm and fuzzy feelings with goosies at the end, a great newfound respect for Mr. Longfellow, and a thirst to read more about the Civil War. What more could I ask for? I did dock a star as there is a slow section in the current-time story and though I dug every bit of the Civil War part, it’s probably written more for semi-beginners like me. The Longfellow part could not be more perfect. High praise for this one from me. I recommend it for all looking for something a bit different in terms of the timeline technique and a chance to learn and to be moved at the same time. My thanks go to Hennepin County Library and the Libby App for loaning me a copy of this novel.

3.75 Stars An inspirational holiday novel with two storylines; one set in the 1860s, and the other in contemporary times. The Civil War era timeline revolves around Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his family after a tragedy and during the war. There's definitely some historical research that went into this part of the book. The contemporary story arc focuses on a church choir and intertwining perspectives from multiple POVs. Although there is little to connect the two storylines, other than the poem, it's a lovely story and a quick and easy read. I thoroughly enjoyed Sister Winifred's character. Recommended to Chiaverini fans and inspirational fiction readers. Penguin First to Read Galley

This is the second novel by Jennifer Chaverini I have read and reviewed and it is a wonderful Christmas novel. She combines the tale of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s inspiration for his famed poem “Christmas Bells” with a modern day story. The children’s choir at St. Margaret’s Catholic Church is preparing for their Christmas concert, the highlight of which, is the singing of ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day’ which is based on Longfellow’s poem. The choir director is losing her job, the priest and his brother are estranged and a family is missing their father who is deployed in Afghanistan and this is just a few of the dilemmas that face the congregation of the church. Ms. Chaverini’s story blends the historical fiction in with the modern day to make a delightful tale that keeps you charmed until the last page. The author employs a very interesting writing style in this book. While the historical portion follows along chronologically, the modern day segment is principally about each of the characters and their lives as they are attending choir practice. It explains each one’s background story. Once you are familiar with how they came to be there, the book moves forward and they all interact to create a marvelous ending. Juxtapose of style keeps the reader captivated and turning pages to the end. This is an appealing novel that can be read by both young and old. Although there is tragedy in both portions, each eventually on a happy note. Although I didn’t find the story deep or intense, it is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter’s night.

I found this book when browsing my digital library for Christmas audiobooks. I recognized the author's name because she also wrote The Christmas Boutique. I enjoyed Boutique so I hoped I would enjoy Bells, and I did! Christmas Bells is partly historical fiction, going back and forth between modern day and the 1860s to tell the story behind Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, and its impact on people involved with a Massachusetts children's choir, including a choir boy, a senator's wife, and a prescient nun. The historical part was okay. I often found myself wishing she would move on to the modern day story, which I found more compelling. But it was interesting to learn about the lead up to the Civil War, especially since there are ways it seems to parallel events I'm currently living through. Longfellow's story was very sad at times, but the trajectory was hopeful. The modern part was very well done. Each chapter centered on a different character experiencing the same events, but she did a good job of not letting it get repetitive. When I figured out that she was doing this, I quickly began anticipating which character she would turn to next, and was usually not disappointed. It was very interesting how she wove together the different stories. I love the idea that our lives all interact and impact each other, and she communicated this well through this uplifting Christmas tale. At times she seemed to be telling more than showing, but that's probably unavoidable when trying to flesh out so many different characters. She used this same technique in The Christmas Boutique, so perhaps this is her preferred style, but I thought she did it more effectively in this book than in Boutique, though Bells was published in 2015, 4 years before Boutique. The stories all wound together towards a very satisfying conclusion. The content was clean, there was nothing inappropriate; no bad language or adult situations. Best of all, there was no smarmy unrealistic romance, as is typical in many Christmas-themed books and movies. All in all a great Christmas read!

Sophia, an elementary school music teacher and director of the children’s choir at St Margaret’s Catholic Church, isn’t feeling much like Christmas. She’s just gotten the word that her teaching position will be eliminated at the end of the school year. Lucas, accompanist for the choir, is in love with Sophia, but afraid to tell her and be rejected. Alex, a boy who sings in the children’s choir, isn’t feeling much like Christmas, either. His father, a member of the National Guard, has been deployed to Afghanistan. Alex hasn’t heard from his father in a while, and he misses him. It won’t feel like Christmas without his father. Each story is told in a chapter from the point of view of the affected person. All fit together because of their interactions in St. Margaret’s. When the novel opens, the choir is rehearsing “Christmas Bells” a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, whose house is located not far from the church. Longfellow was also experiencing tragedy when he wrote the beautiful poem. His story and that of his family are told in interleaving fashion with the modern stories. The novel illustrates the wonder of Christmas where hearing the bells and feeling the spirit of the holiday can ease suffering. This is a lovely book. The Christmas theme shows the beauty of the holiday where suffering people can begin to see the light of hope. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it as a treat for the holiday. I received this book from Dutton for this review.

This tale is two stories entwined. A modern day Boston music teacher loses her school teaching job due to budget cuts at the same time she is preparing her church children's choir for the Christmas services. She is and has been unlucky in love, but the young man who is the choir piano accompanist has a secret crush on her. He just cannot get out the words. The plot alternately switches to the 1860's, to the lives of the family of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who experiences major tragedy with the death of his wife by fire and the determination of his eldest son to enlist in the military during the Civil War years. Longfellow experiences a dry spell in his writing due to his emotional state. The poem, "Christmas Bells," is the result. We know this poem as the hymn or Christmas Carol, "I heard the bells on Christmas day." This is the song being taught by the Boston choir mistress to her charges. A most wonderful medley of the two stories. My thanks to the author and the Penguin First to Read program for a complimentary copy of this work.

This book appeared on the best seller list and as it was a Christmas book I decided to check it out at my library. Not having a clue what to expect, even after reading the fly leaf, I started it and was left in some bewilderment until I realized that there were two stories running concurrently. One story was based in current times and the other story begins in 1860's Boston. While the reader might think that each of the stories are not connected, they would be wrong. The modern day story is based around a children's choir, their Christmas Eve concert, and the many characters involved directly and indirectly with said concert. I thought as I was reading the modern segments that it was disjointed and made no sense. Wrong. The characters and their stories start to tie into each other and come together on Christmas Eve in a very heart rending ending. The 1860 segment of the book is based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his close nit and loving family just before the Civil was about to break out. Jennifer Chiaverini did herself proud in the amount of research that went into writing this book. I really knew little about Longfellow except for a few of the poems that I was familiar with and didn't realize that he had even lived through the Civil War era. There is much heartache here in telling of his life but by shear will power of the man, he manages to pull his family closer together and in doing so, salvage his own being.. The coming together of the two stories lies in the creation of the poem Christmas Bells that Longfellow penned during the strife of the Civil War through the most difficult of times for him. Bringing that poem forward to today in a song is the basis for the modern story in the book, therefore tying the two eras together. Everything meshes in an exquisite ending of Christmas faith and love. Quite good. This is not a smarmy sweet little Christmas story but has substance and factual history.

Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings Two storylines contained in this sweet book. One storyline goes back to 1860 and follows Henry Wadsworth Longfellow as you see his life that inspired his "Christmas Bells" poem that has outlived him. The other storyline follows multiple people as they are preparing for a children's Christmas performance at a Catholic church and each chapter focuses on a character involved in one way or another with the performance and what they are dealing with during the holiday season.

Sophia and Lucas are both volunteers at St. Margaret's Catholic Church. Lucas is playing the piano and Sophia is the choirmaster. Together they're teaching the children of their choir Christmas songs. One of them is a beautiful poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Alex and Charlotte are both in the choir. Their mother is worried about her husband who's stationed in Afghanistan. Camille is the widow of a politician. They loved visiting the church together and have frequently made donations. Camille loves to watch the choir. After losing her husband she finds comfort in going to St Margaret's to watch the choir. Father Ryan loves his work, but he's had problems with his brother ever since he decided to dedicate his life to the church. Sister Winifred is the one who gives them all loving advice and who knows everything about the people in her church. In the time before Christmas people are having their problems, but the choir and the church are there to bring them comfort. It's 1860 and Henry, a famous poet, has a happy family. He's living together with his wife and children in a beautiful home and they have everything they could ever wish for. Unfortunately then tragedy strikes. It's also a somber and dangerous time for the country as it's the start of the Civil War. Henry continually worries about his family. Especially when one of his sons wants to become a soldier. Henry is afraid he will lose another person he loves dearly and he doesn't think he can handle it. Christmas Bells is a beautiful story about Christmas in a time of war. War is a constant stress factor in Henry's life. So many terrible things are happening and when a loved one is at the front it isn't easy to keep going for those who are being left behind. Especially when not all the news they're going to get will be good news. Christmas Bells is about those who don't feel so lucky and happy in the festive season. It's also a hopeful story. Christmas can bring a lot of good when people need it the most. I liked the important message never to lose hope very much. What I enjoyed most about Christmas Bells is the fantastic writing. The story is absolutely amazing. I don't think it's a standard festive Christmas story, but not every story has to be like that. I'm glad that I had the chance to read this book as it deeply touched me. If you're looking for a really good Christmas book you should definitely read Christmas Bells. Don't expect it to be all about fun and lightness, but be prepared to be blown away.

Christmas Bells – Jennifer Chiaverini This book was very difficult for me to get through. The author uses many characters and storylines within the book, which makes it hard to follow. The two main storylines take place in modern day Boston and 1860’s Civil War time, with emphasis on William Wadsworth Longfellow, his family events of the time, and his writing of the poem, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”. Modern time storyline covers a Senator and his wife, a military family of 4, a school teacher (choir director) and accompanist for the choir, a Priest and his family, and a Nun at the Catholic church. I found it hard to keep following all the jumping back and forth between storylines that become interwoven through a children’s choir at the church and the fact that one of the songs they sing is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”. The storyline with Longfellow covered many things about the Civil War, which I really didn’t enjoy as I don’t really like to read historical novels. I’ve read several of the author’s books and have enjoyed them, but didn’t really care for this one, other than it was a book with happy endings for the holiday.

The holiday season is in full swing, and for many it’s a time of joy, celebration and memory-making. For others, it’s a time of stress, heartache and painful reminders of what is missing or what could have been. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow knew this keenly as he struggled with the death of his wife, faced the uncertainty and troubles of the Civil War and worked to maintain his career and family. In 1863 he penned the now-beloved poem “Christmas Bells”, which ultimately would be set to music and sung around the world: I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men! The poem goes on to recount images and sentiments of Longfellow’s life as he felt despair, fear, but ultimately faith in light of all the calamity taking place around him and throughout the divided Union in the 1860’s. The novel Christmas Bells recounts a handful of these years as historical fiction, taking facts from Longfellow’s life and shaping them into an extended narrative. We see Henry as a doting husband, tragically made a widower by the loss of his beloved Fanny. He also plays the emotionally fragile father, desperate to keep his son from joining the army to fight alongside his peers. As a professional writer, he exhibits the struggles many have in putting pen to paper, eking out quality work in an effort to not only express himself, but also provide for his family. Christmas Bells also presents a later time period, our present day as seen in alternating chapters. Here we meet a wide cast of characters living in Longfellow’s hometown, all connected at least in part to St. Margaret’s, a historic Catholic church in Massachusetts. We meet a music teacher, her accompanist, a faithful nun, a priest, a wife of a soldier in Afghanistan and others. Their stories all intersect differently, affecting each other in minor and major ways. In a metaphorical way, their lines form the verses as paired with the refrain of Longfellow’s story in the opposite chapters. I thoroughly enjoyed Christmas Bells. It has the feel of a classic tale with the 19th century setting, but the modern aspect of it is also warm and inviting. I found Henry’s story to be a melancholy one, seemingly beset with constant anxiety over his family’s situation. That said, it was not mood-lowering at all. Henry’s struggle to keep his son safe from the war, and then later to overcome battle-related problems was compelling for this mother to read. Although I enjoy most things related to that era, my interest in the Civil War has never extended much beyond Gone with the Wind, and even my love for that has waned over the years. While raised in the American South, I don’t side with many of the agendas that were advanced on this side of the Mason-Dixon line. The racism and ignorance that remain generations later is repellent to me, so I do not prefer to read novels that are sympathetic to the Rebel cause or any descendant of it. Thankfully, Christmas Bells is told from the Union side of the story, with allegiances for the North being more prominent. War propaganda is not the main power behind these chapters, however. The focus is on the Longfellow family, and in particular Henry Longfellow. The metaphorical verses contained within the modern chapters took me by surprise. When beginning Christmas Bells, I thought my preference would be to remain solely within Henry’s time, as that is what drew my interest to the book initially. However, Jennifer Chiaverini constructs such an interesting piece with the many voices of her modern narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her characters, both old and young. Their individual stories were compelling, and their corporate interactions were much the same. I was keenly impressed with how she managed to bring their voices in and out, much like a musical concert. My only complaint is that I desired more time with each one. As their individual stories concluded, I found myself wanting more. This was particularly felt in the tale of the musical director and her pianist. When their chapters ended, I was keenly disappointed that we didn’t have more details in their conclusion. For those who adore the Christmas season and for those who anticipate it with at least a small sense of anxiety, Christmas Bells is an excellent choice for the holiday and weeks surrounding it. Moreover, it can certainly transcend the Christmas season. This is a tale of family, faith, and history. It is not so much an Advent story, but one of love in times of trial and uncertainty. I now have a greater appreciation for Longfellow’s classic poem, and will keep the verses presented in this novel in mind as I sing his lyric for years to come. In a modern world of calamity and uncertainty, we can all have the hope and confidence that God is not dead. He does not sleep. Right will prevail over wrong in the end, “with peace on earth, good-will to men.”

Dollycas’s Thoughts There are two stories in this book. One set in present time and the other in 1863. They are tied together by Longfellow poem Christmas Bells. The book alternates chapters going back and forth between the two stories. The main story tells the reader about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his family before and through the civil war. As always Jennifer Chiaverini has researched his life and bought us a wonderful story and presented a slice of history in a very enjoyable way. His love for his family and the heartbreak he suffers leaps off the pages. His wonderful poems are given new life. That new life shines in the second story. The present day story introduces us to Sophia, a schoolteacher whose music program is being slashed by budget cuts. Something that is happening all across the United States. Sophia is also the music director at her church. She is featuring the carol “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” based on Longfellow poem for the church’s Christmas service. This story takes place in a short period of time and each chapter is told from a different person’s point of view. This story was entertaining as well. Because parts of the story overlapped there was quite a bit a repetition. I found myself skimming those parts and wish the author had found another way to present this story. The characters were very engaging and I would have liked a broader story about them.

In present day Boston, St. Margaret’s Church hosts a children’s Christmas Eve concert each year. The music teacher, Sophia, has chosen the Longfellow poem turned Christmas hymn, “Christmas Bells”, as the song for this particular service. Throughout the novel, the story jumps back in time to Boston during the Civil War era, and the events that surrounded Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s composition of the renowned poem, through family tragedies and constant fear for his eldest son fighting for the Union. Christmas, more than any other time of year, gave her abundant opportunity to enjoy their gifts, for she truly believed that the most profoundly glorious music ever composed had been created to celebrate that holy season. Within each present day chapter, a different character’s story is told revolving around Christmas Eve at St. Margaret’s, including promising young love, family struggles, and hope for the future through the kindness of others. In Christmas Bells, Jennifer Chiaverini brought the Longfellow’s heartache and rejoicings to life through this narrative, while introducing Longfellow to a new generation in a way that would allow them to understand the deeper meaning behind the poem. Chiaverini created paralleling stories that united humanness, no matter the time period, and a new appreciation forged for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow through his masterpiece, “Christmas Bells.”

I found out about this book through the library. I love to read Christmas books at Christmas, so I went to the library to find some. The Librarian found a few and this was one of them. At first, from the description, I didn't think I would like it too much. I don't know, seemed cheesy to me, I guess? As soon as I started reading it though, I was very into it. Was one of those books that is hard to put down. I loved the way she went back and forth from modern times to the past. Learning about Longfellow and his family was so interesting. There were even things about the Civil war I learned. I liked the modern story too with the different characters. Love how she told each character's individual story. Was so easy to get attached to them all. I found this book so well written. To me, it was very touching and informative. A perfect combination. I highly recommend this book to read well, anytime, but especially around Christmas.

I was so excited to be able to review “Christmas Bells” by Jennifer Chiaverini. I have always been impressed with Ms. Chiaverini’s writing because of wonderful plots, developed characters and descriptive prose. However, this book left me wanting more of that. The plot seemed disjointed because of the switch back and forth between time periods. The characters were good, but I was not sure of their connection. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” was the basis for the story woven about the lyrics and song. I got that, but I never was comfortable with the connections between now and then. Perhaps I missed something. I did enjoy reading each section almost as a stand-alone story. In that respect, I enjoyed the book. However, it seemed more of an anthology to me. I will continue to read all that Ms. Chiaverini writes and hope that this book was just a mistake. I received a print copy of this book from NightOwlReviews.com in return for my honest review. You can find this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-ir. Other reviews can be found at http://imhookedonbooks.wordpress.com.

Ok I am giving this book a 4 because I love it. I got a bit tired of the same thing being repeated chapter after chapter - sort of made me feel the author was running out of words. Things didn't need to be repeated so often. I did love the comparisons of Henry Longfellow to what Mrs. Moran and her family were experiencing. Both had soldiers at war and both had horrible moments of not knowing if their loved ones were ok or not. Both were parents who loved and supported their loved ones. I had a difficult time believing how people could travel during the Civil War, but from reading previous books on the Civil War the elite could get around more comfortably. Sad what happened to Henry's wife. Such a tragic accident. Overall a truly great book.

This book was different than any other I have read so far. The author based her book on the poem Christmas Bells by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The story revolves around the lives of Chorus members in present day and Henry Longfellow's life in the 1800s. It was such an interesting shift and somehow the poem Christmas Bells ties it all together. There were times when I thought I was reading a history book, especially when the story shifted to the 1800s. But it was entertaining and I learned more about the heartache that the Civil War caused. It is so well written, that one can overlook the descriptiveness to the text. I really enjoyed the story line that was based on present day. It follows the lives of a brother and sister (who sing in the choir), the music teacher, piano player, Priest, Politician's wife, Nun, and soldiers wife. It was interesting to see inside each of their lives and POVs. Their stories revolve around each other and in some instances there were repeat conversations, in different POVs. This was heartwarming story, filled with love, perseverance, and hope.

This was my first holiday title of 2015 and perhaps the only fiction title I will read this year. That makes me happy to say that I’m extremely pleased with Chiaverini’s execution of this work. Christmas Bells was a beautiful split-timeline historical fiction which bounced among a host of characters from the modern day and a period of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s life (1860-1864). As you may have gathered, the story was inspired by and bears the name of Longefellow’s poem “Christmas Bells.” As a veteran Chiaverini reader, I have come to expect her deft handling of Civil War events and people. This skill transferred seamlessly to modern characters, as I took new delight in the cleverly interwoven story lines of this novel. The military family whose father is deployed for the holidays touched remarkably close to home (I’ll admit brought tears to my eyes on a few occasions). Moving, reverent, and hope-filled, let Christmas Bells grace your holiday reading pile this year.

This book is two-in-one. One tale follows a group of people meeting in a church to rehearse Christmas song. The novel uses separate chapters to address each character's viewpoint. In between, Jen tells the tale of Longfellow and what led him to write the Poem "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." Interesting lives.

Christmas bells by Chiaverini, Jennifer Have read many of the author's other quilting works. This one starts out with Sophia music program and there is no money and it's suffering from budget cuts and her underprivileged students. She leads the choir into the practices by a 1863 poem from Longfellow. Story goes back in time with alternating chapters from 1860 to the present as we learn the details of the time when the poem was written. The past of Sophia comes to light also so we can understand why she didn't end up in Chicago... Book is like having two different stories told and how they entwine with one another. I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).