The 13th Gift: A True Story of a Christmas Miracle

Just finished Joanne Huist Smith’s "The 13th Gift" for my fraternity book club. It is a heartwarming testament to the power of kindness and a perfect read for the holiday season, offering inspiration not just for Christmas but for any time of year when generosity and connection are needed most. "The 13th Gift" is a heartfelt memoir that captures the power of compassion during life’s most challenging moments. This true story recounts how a grieving family, shattered by the sudden loss of a husband and father, finds unexpected hope and healing through anonymous acts of kindness during the 12 days leading up to Christmas. The author's writing style is simple, yet it is deeply moving. What makes this book extraordinary is its universal message: that small gestures of love and kindness can restore hope, mend hearts, and bring light to the darkest of times. A solid read for someone seeking an uplifting story that celebrates the enduring spirit of the holidays and humanity. Check it out!

Stars for the story, but as a constant “reader” via listening to audible books, I’d strongly suggest a professional narrator.

A good book for bookclub at Holiday time. A heartwarming true story. Enjoyed the authors easy writing style. A relatively quick read.

I read this book for a book club. Definitely a keeper! Highly recommend it. It’s a great book for anytime of year but if you have a book club, December is a perfect time to read it.

I really wanted to love this book as so many others did. Maybe if I just lost a loved one I might have loved it. But I found it kind of boring and it just didn’t hold my interest. I am not going to pass it on to friends as I normally do but just donate it to Goodwill.

This unputdownable true story is like a beacon for anyone who wants to truly bless others with the true gifts of giving and love. A few years ago one of our children decided that my spouse and I had molested our own grandchildren and decided they needed to "take a break" from our family relationship. It lasted for 2 and 1/2 years. I felt like there was an anvil on top of my head. I knew that for my own survival I had to find someone else in need and serve them. The Lord put a friend in my path that I could be of service to. I felt that was what helped me thru it. I refused to give up on our child and our grandchildren. Thru counseling and humility our child realized the wrong things that were causing the feelings. We also sought counseling through our church. The issue was resolved and our family was reunited shortly after the 4th grandchild was born and what a wonderful blessing it was to be reunited! I can totally relate to the grief felt though our trial wasn't caused by a death in the family. Those two Christmas seasons were bleak indeed but my belief in service got us through it. I recommend this book to anyone suffering loss, whether it is a death or a temporary split in family ties.

I found this book to be a delightful Christmas read. I try to read a Christmas book around the holidays each year, as I find it helps to put me in the Christmas Spirit. This book did just that and had a very good message about hope, caring, family and a way to help others work through the grievance process. Too many times people fail to find a new way or better way to work through a loss, this is a thinking outside the box idea. I gave the book 4 stars because while it was an easy read, I felt the author could of developed some of the characters a little bit better, I would of organized a chapter just on her Husband Rick and put it earlier in the book, or a section on her family as a whole. But the book does show good Christmas spirit, love and a story that is tied together well in the end. The book had some humorist parts as well but I feel the author could of made them a little funnier by using some creativeness. I think a little further research on the gift giving group and sub-culture would of been nice as well, espically in the end of the book. So while not a perfect read it was a fun book for the holidays to read and I would recommend it again to friends espically around the holidays next year.

This book offers a profound exploration of selflessness and compassion, presenting a narrative that deeply resonates with the true essence of generosity. The story serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of sacrifice and unconditional giving, especially during the holiday season. Its emotional depth and inspiring message make it a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the genuine meaning of altruism and human connection. The author's compelling storytelling will touch readers' hearts and potentially inspire them to reflect on their own capacity for empathy and selfless acts of kindness.

This book is fascinating. Very hard to put down. A simply wonderful Story. I feel truly priviliged that I found this book and read it. Gift givers are wonderful people.

Great book lessons to be learnt Loved it 🥰

I really loved this book. It started off a bit dark and sad, normal when you lose your soulmate, husband, father of your children, your everything. The secret gifts worked a treat and all members in the family cheered up and became a family who were ale to enjoy Christmas which is about being together with family and friends. this is what christmas should be secret gifts, rather than gifts for giving. I hope lots of people take up this way of gift giving especially to people who go through a difficult time.Many thanks to the author I hope she and her family are well and not only keep the gift giving up but also inpiring other to do the same.

This book was a gift to me for a sad Christmas. The turning point of our retirement has revived the memory of the Christmas after my Dad's death (not long after his retirement) when nothing was joyful and we had to hold each other close to keep from falling apart. It has encouraged me to look outward for people to encourage at Christmas time.

A nice light read.