Book

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

the life and adventures of santa claus

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus By: L. Frank Baum

Plot:

Every child knows about Santa Claus, the jolly man who brings gifts to all on Christmas. There are many stories that tell of his life, but the delightful version relayed in The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is by far the most charming and original of all. Only L. Frank Baum, the man who created the wonderful land of Oz, could have told Santa’s tale in such rich and imaginative detail.

Review:

I’m a big fan of L. Frank Baum, but I’ve somehow never read this book. I vaguely remember knowing that it existed but it wasn’t until I started looking for Christmas books that I was reminded of it.

I wouldn’t say it’s as good as the Wizard of Oz, and some parts were definitely dated, but I thought the overall story was very sweet. It is something that I look forward to reading to my daughter when she gets older.

I will say I was surprised by a fairly descriptive violent part in the book, which really just points of the differences between children’s book then and now. People are so much more protective of their children now a days.

4/5

Here’s a quote from the book that I liked:

“But it is the Law that while Evil, unopposed, may accomplish terrible deeds, the powers of Good can never be overthrown when opposed to Evil.”

The Perfect Christmas

The Perfect Christmas

The Perfect Christmas By: Debbie Macomber

Plot:

WHAT WOULD MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS PERFECT? For Cassie Beaumont, it’s meeting her perfect match. Cassie, at thirty-three, wants a husband and kids, and so far, nothing’s worked. Not blind dates, not the Internet and certainly not leaving love to chance. What’s left? A professional matchmaker. He’s Simon Dodson, and he’s very choosy about the clients he takes on. Cassie finds Simon a difficult, acerbic know-it-all, and she’s astonished when he accepts her as a client. Claiming he has her perfect mate in mind, Simon assigns her three tasks to complete before she meets him. Three tasks that are all about Christmas: being a charity bell ringer, dressing up as Santa’s elf at a children’s party and preparing a traditional turkey dinner for her neighbors (whom she happens to dislike). Despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie does it all — and she’s finally ready to meet her match. But just like the perfect Christmas gift, he turns out to be a wonderful surprise!

Review:

Didn’t like this one as much as the last. Cassie was too perfect. She was evidently a brilliant chemist, great cook, kind, thoughtful, just everything that makes a person perfect. The only thing she was lacking was a man to give her babies.

I thought the romance wrapped up way to quickly and wasn’t very believable. Simon was awkward and rude but of course brilliant; so naturally she fell in love with him.

Romance novels don’t have to be completely believable, but the romance should be the most realistic part. IMO

Oh well. I’ll probably read more from Debbie Macomber but I don’t see her becoming a favorite. I like the sweetness of her books but not sure about everything else in them.

2.5/5

When Christmas Comes

when Christmas Comes

When Christmas Comes By: Debbie Macomber

Plot:

Emily Springer, widowed mother of one, decides to leave Leavenworth, Washington, to spend Christmas with her daughter in Boston. Charles Brewster, history professor, curmudgeon and resident of Boston, wants to avoid Christmas altogether. He figures a prison town should be nice and quiet over the holidays — except he’s thinking of the wrong Leavenworth! Through an internet site, Charles and Emily arrange to swap houses for the holiday. So Emily goes to Boston—and discovers that her daughter has gone to Florida. And Charles arrives in Leavenworth to discover that it’s not the prison town — it’s Santa’s village! The place is full of Christmas trees, Christmas music and…elves. Meanwhile, Emily’s friend Faith Kerrigan travels to Leavenworth to visit her and instead finds Charles the grinch. Then Charles’s brother, Ray, shows up at his home in Boston to discover that he isn’t there — but Emily is. Through all the mix-ups and misunderstandings, amid the chaos and confusion, romance begins to emerge in unexpected ways. Because everything changes at Christmas!

Review:

Last Christmas when I was tripping on the hormones your body produces after giving birth and breast feeding I watched a lot of the Hallmark channel. No idea why since the combination of hormones and Hallmark could be lethal if not monitored carefully.

I ended up seeing a movie called Trading Christmas that I really liked. I’ve watched it since, just to make sure I wasn’t imagining things, and I still like it. I’d heard of Debbie Macomber but I’d never read one of her books, until now.

The story was pretty much the same as the movie with some changes, naturally, the most changed was the daughter. After having read the book I think the movie did a better job with the daughter. I was seriously questioning why someone hadn’t slapped her in the book, while in the movie I could see her side of things.

Even with the desired slapping I really enjoyed the book. Macomber seems to write sweeter romances, no sexy scenes, just lots of hope and love. Sometimes I want that though. Maybe I’m getting old.

3.75/5

 

Sidenote: The movie title is better. Book title makes me think porno. Just saying.

Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy #1) By: Ilona Andrews
Burn For Me

I don’t know what they were thinking with this cover

Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy #1) By: Ilona Andrews

Plot:

Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile situation. Nevada isn’t sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.

Then she’s kidnapped by Connor “Mad” Rogan—a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Torn between wanting to run and wanting to surrender to their overwhelming attraction, Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive.

Rogan’s after the same target, so he needs Nevada. But she’s getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change. And, as Rogan has learned, love can be as perilous as death, especially in the magic world.

Review:

I can only read an Ilona Andrews book for the first time once and I always feel a little sad because of that. I know I can re-read it and I do, I just don’t get to experience the same wonder and not knowing what’s going to happen next.

Anyway. Love the whole hierarchy system with Primes being in control and owning districts and such. It reminds me of her Kinsmen series, which is awesome by the way and you should totally check it out.

Unlike her Kinsmen series, though, people have powers because of a magical serum that was created and now years later there are powerful, rich Primes that pretty much rule everything. Obviously since they’ve been rich for generations they’re completely out of touch with the everyman so when Nevada comes along and turns down not one, but two Primes she’s an oddity.

I liked Nevada, and I really liked her family, I look forward to seeing what happens next. I’m also curious to see if Andrews can change my opinion of Rogan and make me think he’s worthy of love.

5/5

Side note: Not a fan of the cover or the blurb. I feel like they cheapen the quality of the story that Ilona Andrews has created. Just an opinion

Johnny and the Bomb

Johnny and the Bomb

Johnny and the Bomb (Johnny Maxwell Trilogy #3) By: Terry Pratchett

Plot:

Everyone thinks that Mrs Tachyon is just the local bag lady, a bit smelly and a bit mad. But Mrs Tachyon is somehow at the centre of an amazing time travel facility. Johnny and his friends find themselves transported back 50 years, where no-one’s ever heard of a biro, let alone a Big Mac.

Review:

Well I didn’t get the closure I was looking for, but in the end I don’t think that’s a bad thing. This is a children’s book and I was trying to remember when I was a child if I cared about what happened later to characters. Unfortunately I can’t remember, maybe I didn’t and that’s why it happens so often in children’s books. Kids don’t think that far into the future so why should their books.

I really enjoyed this series, even though it was a kids book it didn’t mess around. Johnny may think that he’s an idiot but he’s a lot smarter than he gives himself credit and honestly I wish there was more about him. The fact that so much happens around him and the theory that it’s because his imagination is so big his head can’t contain it, is interesting.

It has definitely made me want to read more Terry Pratchett. I’ve read Good Omens and loved it. I read the first Discworld book and thought it was ok, but wasn’t inspired to read further. I might have to try the second one.

4/5