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The Arctic Cruise by Caroline James

Jan24

The Arctic Cruise by Caroline James

The Arctic Cruise by Caroline James is a delightfully fun novel that entertained me from the start.

A Christmas cruise is very charming. Along with the traditional festivities, we see the rather energetic Santa who wears swimming trunks on board ship; and we travel ashore to take in the delights of Norway.

The cruise is made up of an eclectic bunch of people – those who brave the ice-cold swimming pool for a daily swim, and those who prefer food, drink, and more leisurely activities. There is something for every taste.

We drop in on a small group of six guests – a couple where the husband has terminal cancer and who are determined to make memories while they can. “When the Beast [cancer] came back, it would be hungry…Her husband’s decline would be rapid… In the meantime, their lives were for living.”

There is a retired school master from Skipton, and a new widow from Lancashire. She was “in a widowed world she hadn’t been ready to enter.”

The final pair are a loud, showy couple determined to be the centre of attention.

We see the generosity of hearts who want to help those less fortunate. They are angels in disguise as they see those who are invisible to others.

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The Virgin Mary’s Got Nits by Gervase Phinn

Jan6

Heart Warming

The Virgin Mary’s Got Nits by Gervase Phinn is a very charming anthology of tales and poems set at Christmas.

We hear tales about nativities that the author experienced as he visited schools in Yorkshire in his role as school inspector. Children are delightfully honest and forthright in their opinions, which often produces much hilarity.

A child in a nativity said: “Can you tell the palm tree to shift, Miss, he’s blocking my view and I can’t see my Nana.”

An angel in another nativity when talking of the baby Jesus said: “’E’s a reight bobby-dazzler.”

There are poems scattered throughout, as well as short stories that bring a tear to your eye. My particular favourites were Happy Christmas, Miss Dunn; and A Christmas Miracle.

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A Polar Bear Christmas by Lucy Bozzi

Dec21

Delightful

A Polar Bear Christmas by Lucy Bozzi is a delightful book and just perfect for the under-fives. Whatever your age, this tale will enchant you.

The story surrounds three polar bears who are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa Bear on Christmas Eve. Lucy Bozzi has perfectly captured the magic of Christmas through the eyes of her characters.

The book is beautifully and simply illustrated by Ilya Tolochka. There is a lot of detail within the pictures which provides a good starting point for discussions with our children.

 A Polar Bear Christmas would be a beautiful addition to any child’s personal library.

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A Ruff Royal Christmas by Karen Schaler

Dec19

Time For Love

A Ruff Royal Christmas by Karen Schaler is a most charming contemporary Christmas novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Karen Schaler is the queen of the festive novel. Her words portray not only the physical setting, but also feelings, memories, emotions and the love that Christmas brings. Her words take up residence in the reader’s heart as we don’t just read the novel, we experience it.

A major theme is that of love vs duty. Tradition and duty have dictated a life. “It’s our duty. It’s who we are.” “You are also human.” A soul has got lost within duty and has forgotten how to really live. The perfect scene must be presented at all times – but love gets lost along the way. In contrast we meet characters who are full of life and love, and are determined to awaken the lost soul to love and life.

There is the theme of rescue dogs. “Even though many of them had come from horrible circumstances, they were still eager to find a person to love them and to love.” These dogs have a huge capacity to love and can soften even the hardest hearts. We meet Stormy who is due to be the first royal dog. He has a joi de vivre about him, with the ability to make people smile.

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