Christmas Under Construction by Rylee Ridolfi

Christmas is a dream for one of the McKenna sisters, as Molly puts the finishing touches to her Christmas village and the preparations for her wedding. This second book in the series features a dramatic period in the life of Megan, the sister who has always been known as the Winter Queen, the attractive woman who has found herself suddenly divorced and replaced. Mother of two young daughters who are complete opposites, she has struggled to find a way forward until she has been given the challenge of redecorating a lodge in the village. The problem really emerges when she discovers that she is to work with Stone Reynolds, who is a local man working on a local shabby property. Their working relationship is the subject of the book which takes a wry look at contemporary dating, post divorce problems and more with gentle humour in the ultimate festive setting. Although this is the second book in a series, it is perfectly possible to pick up the ongoing stories as the book is consistently and cleverly written. I found it an illuminating read and was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review it. 

At the beginning of the book Megan is preparing to go on a blind date in order to appease her sisters and mother. Not that she expects much to come of it; she believes the difference between dating as a popular teenager and a divorced mother of two small girls is huge. This is especially true as a running joke throughout the book is that each date she is set up with is progressively less appealing. She meets Stone, who is apparently a construction worker who is willing to work on the lodge which is the final building in the Christmas village. Molly has firm views on the style she wants for the attraction, but Stone seems to have ideas of his own. As the days tick down to Christmas, she is also struggling to cope with her daughters Sophie, who is passionate about clothes and shoes, and Olivia who is far more concerned about the creatures that live in the nearby river. Her concentration on all things Christmas is further compromised by the visits of her ex husband Chase who continually reminds her of how she has spent most of her life as his partner in the perfect couple. His new partner Bree is of course younger, and as shallow as he is now beginning to appear to be as she realises that he is no longer her ideal man.

This is a book that concentrates on the lead up to Christmas and has a theme of dreams of the “perfect” celebration. However, this also takes a realistic view of what post divorce life can be like, especially with two demanding children. It is not the American dream, as it shows that money and status are not the answer to Megan’s problems. Stone is also a well developed character whose past is a problem to him, but who can develop a lovely relationship with not only Megan, but also her daughters. This is a festive romance with several humorous twists and near farce elements, as Megan especially is shown as a very real person who has the daily disasters which remove her from her perfect Winter Queen memories. I enjoyed the humour of this book, the characters who had a realistic view of life, and the way that Megan admits that there is a real need to accept that life has changed.   

This is the other blog post that got delayed due to my technical problems with wi fi. It is a good read, and at this time we need some escapism!

Lady in Red by Tessa Buckley

This is a marvelous children’s book in the Eye Spy series  which manages to pack in an exciting story of a snake, a painting and a special house. Narrated by Alex, and starring his twin sister Donna, this book incidentally deals with divorced and or absent parents as they tackle a villain who has dominated the local area via the media as well as commercial power. Not that it ever preaches or sets out behaviour which is dangerously challenging; there is adventure and tension for the young characters throughout, as well as making friends even if they are very different. It deals with issues such as half siblings and housing difficulties, but it does not drag on or wallow in difficulties. I rarely read and review young people’s books since I finished teaching children, but I was delighted to have the opportunity to read and review this lively book. 

The book begins with Alex admitting that he is frightened of snakes. This is inconvenient as it is the end of summer term, and a boy called Jake has brought in his pet snake Queenie for the class to see. Donna is entranced, and gains an invitation to visit Jake where he is living with a family in half of a historic house. Acacia Villa once belonged to a famous Victorian painter, Gabriel Pascoe, who was relatively well known. His most well known picture was “The Lady in Red”, which has gone missing. The other half of the house, no. 3, is uninhabited, which of course is an attraction for children who have formed a detective agency. Meanwhile a family celebration for the twins’ remarried mother distracts interest and means there is a meeting with someone involved with the deserted no. 3. As the children investigate the missing painting and a threat to their new friends, excitement and danger beckon. 

This is a well written book with vivid characters, some tense moments and some genuine gentle humour. As with many adventure novels for younger people, the parents are absent when most of the action takes place. The plot is exciting and is well dealt with in terms of understanding for the targeted audience, without violence or unduly disturbing elements. This is a successful and well written book, and I recommend it to those who enjoy a contemporary adventure with relatable characters.

This post has been delayed for a few days because of technical difficulties – no internet! This is a wonderful children’s book which deserves a wide audience; it quite reminded me of happy hours spent reading children’s book sunder the guise of checking them for my children!

The Snow Fox Diaries by Jan Mazzoni

Getting back to nature sounds like a good idea in this abstract, but in this novel Katie’s new appreciation for nature is complicated and costly. She discovers a fox, a very special one, and it transforms her view of what is truly important to her. She starts from a bad place, and her discoveries are not straightforward, but it makes her reassess everything. This is a lyrically written book of descriptions of an exceptional animal which breaks into the consciousness of one woman, but which reveals much about other people. This is a book of contemporary life in the city, with the disappointments of work and even married life, and the sharp contrast with life in Devon and life alone. The author identifies this as “Ecofiction” (or ecolit), a story with a strong environmental theme at its heart, and this book is a sophisticated story of one woman and her refusal to allow a rare creature to suffer despite the contemporary world. Katie is a relatable character, while those around her reveal more than would normally be expected.   I found this a fascinating and enjoyable book, with a delicate portrait of an animal on the edge of the human world. I was so pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this book.

The book begins with Katie and her husband Ben. Once she was busy, content and ambitious in a job which she felt fulfilled in, even if the combination with her husband’s heavy workload means that they do not see much of each other. That was before. Now Katie does not work, and has become aimless, distant from Ben who is working hard. It is only when Ben discovers a cottage in Exmoor, an area that Katie remembers from her childhood, that she begins to find her sense of purpose. She discovers a white fox and her two cubs, and realises that something so precious is outside her experience, goes beyond the privations of life on her own. However, such delicacy is something impermanent, and the balance of Katie’s life follows an interesting path as she strives to keep connections. The contrast between solitude and people jars her, and she senses the danger to creatures that should not really exist. She is suspicious, she fears discovery, yet she cannot avoid or cease to revel in a small family that only she understands.

The nature of the life Katie lives with Ben is a balance of changing ideas, with things that bring them together and force them apart. Secrets and suspicions between them echo the sense of betrayal that pervades Katies fears for her life in a house that she is trying to restore, trying to make special. This is a vividly written book with passages which set out the delicate, fateful existence of wild creatures. Katie is a character with real depth, as she struggles with her empty city life, and notices the tiny details of a house suddenly abandoned. This is a skilfully constructed novel of unconventional love and discoveries of nature and life, of the motives of people and how they react to them. It succeeds because it is a careful build up of tiny details into a big picture which fits with an unexpected plot. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys the interface between nature and people’s lives.  

The Deptford Girls by Paricia A McBride

Lily Baker is a young woman in the midst of a unique situation – the bombing of London during the Second World War. Amid a constantly changing scenery as formerly solid buildings are no longer there, this incident packed novel shows the effect of uncertainty, fear and danger have on Lily and those around her. This is the fourth book in a series featuring Lily Baxter, but I read it as a standalone and found its pace and action meant that I followed it well. Lily is in touch with women and men on the Home Front whether they are young and making discoveries about life, or older women struggling with children and other responsibilities. There are incidents which are unique to wartime, as the fighting comes near in various ways, through coping with the limitations on accommodation, to problems that would exist even in peacetime.  As Lily and her friends deal with racism, the problems of evacuees and mysterious businessmen, this is a book that maintains a fast pace of challenges for the women that Lily comes into contact with, while she has her own romantic issues. The amount of research that went into the incidents that make up the plots is amazing, as each challenge flows into another revelation or reflection. I found it a fascinating fictional account, and I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this book. 

As the book opens the author uses the opportunity of introducing two new workers at the depot to introduce not only characters together, but to tour the depot itself, with hints as to the nature of the work Lily and some of her friends are engaged in as part of her military service. Her friend Bronwyn is her companion in having been bombed out twice, losing everything they possessed and having to find clothes in the rest centres. They often sleep in the tube, which is not just an adventure but an uncomfortable and crowded place which does not lead to a good night’s sleep. Lily does ARP work, which leads her to understanding the risk faced by the nights filled with raids, as well as helping her to cope with some of the situations with which she is confronted. A friend joins the WVS, and helps provide food for those enduring raids and other challenges. Bronwyn drives ambulances, and has her own experiences of death and injury.  An unexpected pregnancy means an exploration of the difficulties faced by young women at the time by institutions and social services. 

This book is a fictional overview of so many of the incidents and anecdotes of the Second World War that it is quite breathtaking. Lily is a sensitive and intelligent protagonist whose involvement in the situations described is always of significance, even if she is not the person at the centre of the crisis. This is a vivid and vibrant book of fascinating people, resolutions to situations, and a sure understanding of the setting of a bomb damaged London.I enjoyed reading of Lily’s adventures in this book, and would definitely be interested in reading others.