It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  What a great start to a new year, a new week, and a new book.

This morning I downloaded a copy of "The Christmas Candle" by Max Lucado. I had seen the book many times on the shelves at my neighborhood Barnes and Noble but failed to pick up a copy. I had seen the ads for the movie that I still want to see even though we have moved past the Christmas season but apparently we are not movie goers anymore.  So the whole "Christmas Candle" experience escaped me until I read a review on a blog I frequently read.

The review, which can be found at Brandon's Notepad, discusses the book and the movie.  The author of the blog entry does an in depth analysis of the religious aspects of the both the book and the movie as well as some comparison/contrast of both.

I found the review to be well thought out and compelling -- enough to make me stop reading and download the book which I began immediately.  I will refer back to the blog as I read the book to think through the points made by the blog author.

As I generally like to read "the book" before I see "the movie" I am glad I bought the book in plenty of time to get it read before the movie is released in February.  I am sure I will enjoy both and hope that "The Christmas Candle" will become one of my yearly Christmas favorites.

Even though I just started the book, it has me hook, line and sinker.  As one reviewer, John C. Maxwell, said "Fans of Charles Dickens and Jan Karon's Mitford series, you're in for a treat!Max Lucado has penned a wholly original Christmas story complete with cbblestone streets, quirky characters and a supernatural visit that you'll never forget."  Well, that cinches it for me -- I am in and I am sure I won't be able to put it down.

So, if you have read the book or seen the movie or if you like to read religious analysis, visit Brandon's Notepad.  Perhaps his blog will encourage you to read the book again or, as in my case, the first time.  I will review when I have completed the book.