On the first day of Christmas, my True Love gave to me…
This classic Christmas tune tends to fill school choral performances this time of year, but Christmas joy isn’t something the Sullivan household has had since their matriarch died a few years ago. Their dad has completely outlawed Christmas in the house – no gifts, no music, no joy. The kids think if they can just get their dad out of his slump, they might get Christmas back. They even set up an online dating profile for him to try to get him back out there, but when dad finds out, he tells the one person that messaged him (MsTrueLove) “no thanks”. But when a mysterious crate shows up from True Love Nurseries the next morning containing a young pear tree and a partridge chick, Christmas was the farthest thing from their minds. Who sent this thing and what do you even feed a partridge chick?
James Patterson and Tad Saffran’s The Twelve Topsy-Turvy, Very Messy Days of Christmas is the perfect light-hearted holiday read to get you in the mood for Christmas. This is the first release from this duo who are known for their thriller novels and journalism respectively. With humor and a bit of magical realism, this is a great book for all ages. Focusing on the importance of family and working through your grief, this novel is about what is truly important this holiday season.
I give The Twelve Topsy-Turvy, Very Messy Days of Christmas 4 out of 5 stars. It does give a bit of the Halmark movie feel, but I really liked this read! The holidays aren’t easy for some because of grief and the authors tackle that head-on. I also appreciate the honest retelling of what friendships look like in school and how the wrong friends can get you in a load of trouble. I read this alone, but could see reading this aloud to my young reader and can imagine him laughing so hard at parts of this!
As with any book that tackles grief, this may not be the best book for all readers. With some references to bullying and minor violence, it might be best read aloud by a parent to our younger readers so context and discussion can be added. This would be a great book club selection for a holiday-themed meeting – I can see snacks being served based on that dinner party menu later in the book!
I chose The Twelve Topsy-Turvy, Very Messy Days of Christmas for the Read With Lindsey Reading Challenge prompt “set at the holidays”. I’ve had this in my TBR stack since its release in 2022 – I’m so glad I finally got a chance to read this! I think my favorite day in this song is day 5 – Five Gold Rings. Let’s be honest – it’s the only day a quiet gift was given! If you have kids, you know the value of a gift that makes no noise. And who in their right mind would think geese and swans would make good gifts? Those things are vicious! What’s your favorite day of the gift giving?
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: Bridget Jones’s Diary, Helen Fielding
- Current audio book: She Doesn’t Have a Clue, Jenny Elder Moke
- Book I’m most looking forward to: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Holly Jackson
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