When Finley Brown returned to her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma, from boarding school, she expected to find it just as she left it. Christmas hasn't changed much in her sixteen years. But instead she returns to find that her best friend is dating her ex-boyfriend, her parents have separated, and her archnemesis got a job working at her grandmother's inn. And she certainly didn't expect to find the boy she may or may not have tricked into believing that Christmas was an idyllic holiday paradise on her grandmother's doorstep. It's up to Finley to make sure he gets the Christmas he was promised. This is Finley's Christmas. It's about home and family and friends and finding her place, and along the way she also finds the best Christmas present of all: love.
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- YA Fiction & Indies
- Young Adult Fiction
- So, This Is Christmas
So, This Is Christmas
Author(s)
Publisher
Genre(s)
Age Range
12+
Release Date
October 12, 2021
ISBN
978-0593353127
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Editor reviews
3 reviews
Overall rating
4.0
Plot
3.5(2)
Characters
4.0(2)
Writing Style
4.5(2)
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A(0)
Chestnuts roasting on the open plains...
Overall rating
3.7
Plot
3.0
Characters
4.0
Writing Style
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Finley is attending a prestigious private school in Connecticut. Boarding there is a way to escape life in Christmas, Oklahoma, where she thinks her opportunities are limited. Even if private school will set her up to attend a good university, life there is lonely and difficult. She was a top notch student in Oklahoma, but just average in terms of prep school students. She decides to go home for Christmas and help out her grandmother at her Hoyden Inn, but things go badly wrong. Her mother is off visiting Finley's aunt, her father is living at the inn, her former best friend is dating her former boyfriend, and an academic rival is working for her grandmother. If all of that isn't enough, Arthur Chakrabarti Watercress (of the British construction equipment international conglomerate Watercresses) a classmate from the private school, has arrived in Christmas with his Aunt Esha to experience a traditional US Christmas. The problem? Finley may have posted some things on the town website that weren't exactly true, and Arthur and his aunt are bound to be disappointed by her deception. She's not fond of Arthur; he is snooty and hangs out with people who are unkind to Finley, but to uphold the honor of her grandmother's inn and the town in general, she needs to make the visitors' experience as good as she can. She embarks on a lot of projects that don't end well; visiting the local reindeer farm, baking cookies, and going to the local parade. Arthur is angry at the deception, but still wants to optimize his aunt's experience, since she has stuck by him when his busy parents have all but abandoned him. Finley has problems of her own, since she is worried that her parents are divorcing and is debating whether she will go back to the boarding school. She also starts to find Arthur rather attractive. The two manage to have a decent enough holiday, but there are some complications. Arthur and his aunt head back to Connecticut, and Finley wonders if she will ever see him again. Will a Christmas miracle, in an unlikely Christmas venue, bring them back together?
Good Points
I haven't watched many Hallmark Christmas movies, but I understand that Andreen has written for many of them. So, This is Christmas seems to have some similarities to these (small town setting, addition of attractive potential suitor from outside the town, Christmas activities, complications, happy ending), but also seemed more complex than the majority of them. This was solidly young adult, and included some facets of teen life that will definitely speak to high school readers; trouble fitting in at school, struggles with academic content, desire to go to a good college and leave one's hometown, parents having marital difficulties, drama with ex-boyfriends and friends. All of these topics make this a great read. The Christmas details are not lacking, and the romance develops fairly naturally. Arthur is a bit formal, but fully embraces the quirky Christmas experience, even if it wasn't what he expected. If this were ever made into a holiday movie, I might even watch it! (Still need to hunt down Suzanne Nelson's You're Bacon Me Crazy!)
What is a weakness for middle school is a strength for Young Adult audiences. I enjoyed that fact that the plot got a bit complicated at the end with the grandmother coming out as a lesbian. The fact that the storyline with Ayisha ramped up to include the fact that she applied and was accepted to the private school Finley attends, but her mother wouldn't let her go was also a great addition. This shed a lot of light on why Ayisha always seemed irritated with Finley, especially once she started talking about not going back to the school. Both of these subplots added some diversity and interest to the story that was welcome, but also added to the length and complexity. Middle school readers who want Christmas stories might be happier with just the romance and the mixup about the commercial viability of Christmas, Oklahoma.
I did find it hard to believe that Finley couldn't make a simple batch of Christmas cookies and that Arthur didn't own a parir of jeans, but otherwise thought this was a great Young Adult holiday read!
What is a weakness for middle school is a strength for Young Adult audiences. I enjoyed that fact that the plot got a bit complicated at the end with the grandmother coming out as a lesbian. The fact that the storyline with Ayisha ramped up to include the fact that she applied and was accepted to the private school Finley attends, but her mother wouldn't let her go was also a great addition. This shed a lot of light on why Ayisha always seemed irritated with Finley, especially once she started talking about not going back to the school. Both of these subplots added some diversity and interest to the story that was welcome, but also added to the length and complexity. Middle school readers who want Christmas stories might be happier with just the romance and the mixup about the commercial viability of Christmas, Oklahoma.
I did find it hard to believe that Finley couldn't make a simple batch of Christmas cookies and that Arthur didn't own a parir of jeans, but otherwise thought this was a great Young Adult holiday read!
So, This Is Christmas
(Updated: December 06, 2021)
Overall rating
4.3
Plot
4.0
Characters
4.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Finley decides that the prestigious New England prep school she's attending is nothing like she'd pictured. She tries hard to fit in and doesn't. After she is very creative on her town's website to impress her snobby classmates, she goes back home. Only Arthur, a fellow classmate, and his British aunt show up. Now it's up to Finley to show them the Perfect Christmas experience. After all, she does live in Christmas, Oklahoma.
What worked: Sweet small-town romance, perfect for the holidays. I'm a huge sucker for Christmas movies and books. SO, THIS IS CHRISTMAS fits the bill. Think YA meets Hallmark Christmas station. There's lots to love about this story. Hilarious dialogue, witty interactions with the town's residents, and of course, the town Christmas.
Finley is funny, spirited, and determined in her goal of showing Arthur how much Christmas is like what is described on the town's website. Truth is, it isn't. But that doesn't stop her. The scenes where Finley tries to recreate an old fashion holiday blossoms as others in the town do their part to add Christmas flare.
Arthur at first comes off as snobby and stand-offish. But that's far from the truth. Each experience, like the real reindeer farm and the town parade, has them closer to realizing there is in fact chemistry between them.
The scenes with her former BFF Mia and ex-boyfriend Brody show how friendships do change after time. To be honest, I didn't think Mia was that likable as a character with her passive-aggressive behavior to downright at times hostility toward Finley.
Overall, this is a cute Christmas romance that's perfect for those readers that love these types of stories. Engaging with a sweet romance that is sure to make you smile.
What worked: Sweet small-town romance, perfect for the holidays. I'm a huge sucker for Christmas movies and books. SO, THIS IS CHRISTMAS fits the bill. Think YA meets Hallmark Christmas station. There's lots to love about this story. Hilarious dialogue, witty interactions with the town's residents, and of course, the town Christmas.
Finley is funny, spirited, and determined in her goal of showing Arthur how much Christmas is like what is described on the town's website. Truth is, it isn't. But that doesn't stop her. The scenes where Finley tries to recreate an old fashion holiday blossoms as others in the town do their part to add Christmas flare.
Arthur at first comes off as snobby and stand-offish. But that's far from the truth. Each experience, like the real reindeer farm and the town parade, has them closer to realizing there is in fact chemistry between them.
The scenes with her former BFF Mia and ex-boyfriend Brody show how friendships do change after time. To be honest, I didn't think Mia was that likable as a character with her passive-aggressive behavior to downright at times hostility toward Finley.
Overall, this is a cute Christmas romance that's perfect for those readers that love these types of stories. Engaging with a sweet romance that is sure to make you smile.
Good Points
1. Sweet small town romance
2. YA meets Hallmark Christmas
2. YA meets Hallmark Christmas
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