As an extra treat for you I've an additional Countdown to Christmas feature by fellow blogger Victoria, who reviews at Vikz Reads and Writes, who has written a guest post about her favourite Christmas book(s).
For some, Christmas is about food, Telly, and family. For others, it’s about religion. For me, however, Christmas is about books. As a Child, every year, my sack would include at least one book. As the years progressed, the number of books increased. As I got older, I would spend more and more of my vacation actually reading those books. During the holiday season, I find a few minutes to; leave the chaos of the family, spend time quietly reading, taking a few moments in my own space, and giving myself chance to breathe. I find that when I do this I become calmer and enjoy the season more. So, I suggest that, this year, you do the same; find a quiet place, pour yourself a glass of wine, and read a book.
There are many books to choose from, many taking their themes and setting from the season. The best known, is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Little Women , by Louisa May Alcott, also begins and ends during this season. Of course, anything with; magic, children or snow works well at this time of year.
But, for my suggested Christmas read, I am going slightly off the standard path. I am going to discuss a relatively new book Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce. This book begins on Christmas day. A family are enjoying a normal Christmas with all its joys and squabbles. They are preparing the Christmas meal and feeling guilty and conflicted about who they should spend Christmas with. Then in the middle of the chaos the telephone rings. They receive a panicky call from their parents saying that their sister has just arrived at their door. The reader is forced to enquire what all the fuss is about? Isn't that what’s supposed to happen at this time of year? Children go home to see their family. But, then we learn that this particular daughter has been missing, presumed dead for the last twenty years. When they get over the shock of her return, we begin to uncover the various stories of the daughter’s missing years. But, unlike other fairy tales, we also get a glimpse of how her disappearance has affected her family and friends. This story takes the; traditional fairy tale, Christmas story, and their tropes; playing around with them, to create an engaging read that will stay with you for the rest of the year.
You can read Victoria's reviews at http://vikzwrites.wordpress.com or connect with her via Twitter @vikzwrites
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