Title: Come December
Author: Holly Schindler
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: December 7, 2022
Genres: Holiday, Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: 24 pages
Source: I received a free copy from the author.
Rating: 5 Stars
Blurb:
Content Warning: Grief and loneliness.
Review:
Loneliness only makes the holidays even harder.
Thanksgiving isn’t a common setting in the books I read, so I was intrigued when I realized that November and early December was when Natalie had the experiences she had here. I also appreciated the fact that she was such a lonely character as that isn’t a typical theme in Thanksgiving stories either. There is definitely something to be said for exploring a few of the many reasons why someone might find the holidays difficult and why not everyone is filled with cheer at the end of the year. I would read Thanksgiving and other holiday-themed stories much more often if this were commonplace.
This included a light, friendly paranormal twist that was in no way scary, so no worries to anyone reading this who might be a little nervous at the thought of reading about a ghost. It was an important part of the storyline in the sense that Natalie valued those conversations and the first friendly person she met after moving, but it could also be read as a metaphor for adjusting to a new town and having to start all over again with making friends and putting down roots.
The romantic subplot, too, was handled gently, so I also want to reassure anyone who doesn’t usually enjoy that genre that this is a sweet introduction to it. Romance is interesting to me when it’s a small part of a much bigger story whose main conflicts involve other aspects of life, and that’s exactly what happened in this tale. If you ask me, this is a great example of how to seamlessly incorporate romantic elements without allowing them to overshadow everything else that’s going on with the characters, so kudos to Ms. Schindler for finding the perfect balance here for everyone from diehard romance fans to those of us who are more hesitant about the genre but occasionally willing to visit it.
Come December was a heartwarming and life-affirming Thanksgiving read.
Oh, this week’s topic is easy.
“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
Title: Hearth Stories, Winter Solstice 2023
It’s hard to tell which books will become classics. Not every bestseller is actually well written or will continue to affect readers in twenty or fifty years. Likewise, I have no doubt there are some true gems out there that may have had middling to poor sales but will eventually be rediscovered and taught in classrooms all across the world.
Title: Ghosts of Christmases Past
This year I am grateful for…
War isn’t something I like to read about, so this still fits the original “books outside of my comfort zone” theme as well!
Title: For the Rest of Us – 13 Festive Holiday Stories to Celebrate All Seasons