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A review by pixieauthoress
'Tis the Season by Ann M. Martin
5.0
Maybe I was just in a particularly sappy or Christmassy mood today when I finished this book, but I think this is probably the best in the series so far. I think it's got to the stage where all of the characters and families are developed enough that I'm starting to really care about them. I realise that Camden Falls is totally idealised, with their cute Christmas celebrations and how close-knit the community is, but it makes me wistful for times when communities were like this. I think this would be a great novel for a parent to read with their daughter at Christmas. I'm still not sure how a child would cope with the number of different characters and storylines going on in this book, but it's not all that different from the Baby-Sitters Club series, which I started reading when I was eight.
My only main qualm with this book was that, as sweet as it was that Flora, Ruby and Olivia conspired to give Nikki's family an amazing Christmas, I can't help but think they're giving Mae the wrong impression about Christmas being the time when you get everything you want. I always had wonderful Christmases growing up, but I knew I'd never get everything on my Christmas list and I knew not to ask for presents that were really expensive. Also, although Mae got everything she wanted this Christmas, does this mean everyone in the town is going to have to club together to buy the family presents year after year so as not to disappoint Mae? Maybe I'm overthinking this part of the book, but it did make me wonder if this book was giving the wrong message about what Christmas means.
However, despite my little concern over Mae's ideas of Christmas, this was a lovely story. I think I may have to buy the next book in the series. 4.5*
My only main qualm with this book was that, as sweet as it was that Flora, Ruby and Olivia conspired to give Nikki's family an amazing Christmas, I can't help but think they're giving Mae the wrong impression about Christmas being the time when you get everything you want. I always had wonderful Christmases growing up, but I knew I'd never get everything on my Christmas list and I knew not to ask for presents that were really expensive. Also, although Mae got everything she wanted this Christmas, does this mean everyone in the town is going to have to club together to buy the family presents year after year so as not to disappoint Mae? Maybe I'm overthinking this part of the book, but it did make me wonder if this book was giving the wrong message about what Christmas means.
However, despite my little concern over Mae's ideas of Christmas, this was a lovely story. I think I may have to buy the next book in the series. 4.5*