As December (and 2018) marches forward, it feels like a lot of craziness leading up to the end of the year and the holiday season.
But I have really been enjoying taking time to finish up my most recent read in time for this week's book review.
I've been reading Sarah Addison Allen's The Sugar Queen, and it just might be the sweetest holiday read ever.
The book is a sweet-romance, set just as winter comes to a North Carolina town. It follows Josey, a twenty-seven-year-old wealthy, sheltered young woman who has two secrets hidden in her closet. One is a huge stockpile of sugar sweets, and the other is Della Lee, a local waitress, who randomly shows up in her closet one day.
With Della comes a whole host of changes. Josey meets a friend. She makes moves towards her long-time crush. She - gasp!)- stands up to her mother. As she tries to get Della Lee out of hiding in her closet, she takes certain steps which lead her toward some self-realization.
Throw in a whole host of characters with a whole host of secrets, and just a tiny dash of magical realism (books that magically show up wherever you need them!), and you have The Sugar Queen.
This book is perfectly lovely for what it is. It is a sweet, romantic story heavy on sentiment. If you like eating Christmas cookies while watching Hallmark Christmas movies, you are going to be blown away by this book.
If you don't, you will probably get a toothache and then a stomach ache and not really from the cookies either.
“Snow flurries began to fall and they swirled around people's legs like house cats. It was magical, this snow globe world.”
I enjoyed it. It's light, and sweet, and perfect for this time of year. Because I do like cookies and tea and cheesy Christmas movies.
“I think Heaven will be like a first kiss.”
I like the characters. They are more developed than a lot of chick-lit books. And some of the moments are described very well. Allen clearly wants to make the reader fall in love with the season, just as Josey does. And she succeeds. So, my Christmas-loving heart was happy.
And I also kind of want the books I need in my life to magically show up wherever I go.
“Books can be possessive, can't they? You're walking around in a bookstore and a certain one will jump out at you, like it had moved there on its own, just to get your attention. Sometimes what's inside will change your life, but sometimes you don't even have to read it. Sometimes it's a comfort just to have a book around. Many of these books haven't even had their spines cracked. 'Why do you buy books you don't even read?' our daughter asks us. That's like asking someone who lives alone why they bought a cat. For company, of course.”
All in all, if you don't like books like this, then you aren't going to like this book. Simple.
But if you do, it is truly lovely and enjoyable and perfect for this season.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to make myself a giant mug of hot chocolate, topped with marshmallows, and stirred with a candy cane. And then I'm going to watch a cheesy Christmas movie.
Happy holidays! What are you reading this season?
Do you like to read holiday-themed or seasonal books?
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