April 2023 MBR The Holiday Shelf

The Holiday Shelf

A Happy Christmas Ceilidh
Zoe Tasia
www.zoetasia.com
Independently Published
B0BPB1CPZD, $0.99 ebook

https://books2read.com/u/4D6ddr

https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Christmas-Ceilidh-Shrouded-Isle-ebook/dp/B0BPB1CPZD

Fans of short two-hour sci-fi and fantasy stories will find A Happy Christmas Ceilidh a fine addition to the Shrouded Isle series. It offers not just a fine Christmas story, but a compelling tale of fun, family, and community.

Much in the matter of an O. Henry story, Zoe Tasia presents the dilemma of holiday dreams that one couple cannot afford. Tempering this altruistic approach to the holiday is a series of challenges, from a moving elf on a shelf to an unwelcome snowman and the changing world of Becca, her boyfriend Greg, and her children, teenage daughter Jessie and younger daughter Tate.

It's a cozy mystery spiced with Christmas seasonal celebrations, Scottish culture, and island life which both dovetails nicely with the prior books in the series and stands well on its own for newcomers. As Tasia develops the natures and perspectives of each family member, readers receive a warm survey of magic and seasonal giving that is steeped with many of the literary devices of O. Henry in its development of ironies and life inspections.

While teens and young adults will find this story attractive, it would be a shame to limit its readership to this audience alone. Many a busy adult looking for a shorter seasonal read that embraces the warmth of caring and clues to solving puzzles will find A Happy Christmas Ceilidh compelling, uplifting, and satisfying, with its special blends of place and changing purposes. Tasia's focus on building community characters and added notes of cultural and social interaction creates a story that is as warm and cozy for winter pursuit as it is embracing in the concern that each of the characters exhibits towards others. Libraries looking for shorter reads will welcome A Happy Christmas Ceilidh whether they have prior books in the series or want a stand-alone seasonal story.

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