Bombka. O dziewczynkach, które odmieniły święta

by Sibéal Pounder, Anna Dobrzańska (Translator)

Najbardziej przebojowa książka świątecznego sezonu – błyskotliwa, inteligentna, napisana z sercem i z feministycznym zacięciem!

Co wiemy o Pani Mikołajowej? W rzeczy samej prawie… NIC. Od setek lat wtapia się w tło bożonarodzeniowych historii. Może jednak dawno temu opacznie zrozumieliśmy tę historię? Może prawda zniknęła nam z pola widzenia, a wraz z nią Pani Mikołajowa?

Oto historia, którą powinniście znać – opowieść o wytrwałości i drobnych aktach dobroci oraz o dwóch wspaniałych dziewczynach, które na zawsze zmieniły oblicze świąt.

To JEJ historia. Historia Blanche Claus.

Jak to się stało, że świat uwierzył, że Święty Mikołaj jest mężczyzną? Przecież to jedno wielkie nieporozumienie!

Blanche Claus jest sierotą. Mieszka pod jednym z londyńskich mostów i szczerze nienawidzi Bożego Narodzenia. Wszystko zmienia się, gdy w wigilijny wieczór spotyka staruszkę, która obdarowuje ją magiczną, czerwoną bombką z tańczącą w jej wnętrzu choinką. Wtedy w życiu Blanche pojawia się klacz Rudy i kochająca święta i bułeczki z bakaliami niezwykła dziewczynka o imieniu Rinki.

"Bombka" to opowieść o szalonej przyjaźni dwóch wspaniałych, odważnych dziewczynek, które postanowiły odmienić Boże Narodzenie. Ta cudownie zabawna, świąteczna przygoda rozgrzeje serce nawet najbardziej zaciekłego Grincha.

Dołączcie do Blanche Claus i jej najlepszej przyjaciółki Rinki i przygotujcie się na niezapomnianą bożonarodzeniową sannę!

"To wspaniała książka celebrująca silne, zadziorne dziewczyny i ich nieco zwariowaną przyjaźń. Rinki ma dwóch ojców, co wydaje się absolutnie naturalne, a tradycyjne role przypisywane płciom są podważane przez cały czas – i w tym również nie ma nic dziwnego. Ta książka to prawdziwy klejnot wśród bożonarodzeniowych opowieści!"
NetGalley Reviewer

"Przezabawna, krzepiąca i bardzo wesoła! Bardzo podobała mi się ta świąteczna książka i feministyczna fala, na której płyną bohaterki. Uwielbiam wszystkie bożonarodzeniowe smaczki rozsiane po tej książce! Ta książka wypełni was świąteczną radością! "
Harriet Muncaster

"Czarująca feministyczna wersja historii o Świętym Mikołaju, a właściwie… Mikołajce. Opowieść o tym jak wielką przemianę może zapoczątkować jeden prosty akt dobroci. Dwie zadziorne, pewne siebie dziewczyny i ich wspaniała świąteczna przygoda – pełna radości, magicznych koni i gadających drzew."
Children's Books Ireland

"Niesamowicie mi się podobała! Zabawna, inteligentna, genialna gra ze świątecznymi motywami. Już czekam na film na podstawie książki!"
Emma Carroll

"Błyskotliwa opowieść i wspaniały portret dziewczęcej przyjaźni. "
Hilary McKay

"Ta radosna i przezabawna książka pełna jest postaci, które pokochałam, i dialogów, które rozśmieszały do łez. Cudownie mi się czytało!"
Stephanie Burgis, autorka "Smoka z czekoladowym sercem”

"Historie Sibéal Pounder tryskają radością i energią, a jej bohaterowie z każdą książką stają się coraz bardziej atrakcyjni."
LoveReading4Kids

Powyższy opis pochodzi od wydawcy.

Genres: Christmas, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Audiobook, Holiday, Childrens, Magic

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 2020

About the author

Sibéal has written for publications including The Guardian, fashion trend forecaster WGSN, Vogue.com and The Financial Times, where she was the resident philanthropy columnist for the How To Spend It section for six years. She studied Modern History at St Andrews and Quentin Tarantino film at Yale.

Her bestselling debut Witch Wars has been translated into 10 languages so far and was shortlisted for the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award and the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize.

Reviews

[Jade Ratley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Bloomsbury for providing me a proof copy of Tinsel!

This was such a beautiful, heartwarming story of the magic of Christmas, and of course a perfect festive read, even if I did read it on Halloween instead!

In this story, we follow a young girl on her journey to learning the true love and magic of Christmas and discovering who her people are and where she belongs. Blanche makes some incredible friends along her way to fulfilling her wildest dreams and has a crazy adventure in doing so.

Overall tinsel scored 7.14/10 on CAWPILE, giving it a 4-star rating overall, which I absolutely think it deserves. The relationships formed in this book all felt very real, my heart swelled at the bonds created and dreams accomplished together. The book had a great spin on the story of 'Santa Claus' and was a really fun read - I would for sure re-read this in Christmases to come and recommend to others for the festive period - this is one I see my sister really enjoying!

There were a couple of things that I think were left a bit open, and some loose ends could have done with tying up to give us a tidier ending, but overall I was very satisfied with the read, and devoured it in one sitting!

A heartwarming take of the girls who invented Christmas, I loved it!

[Gavin Hetherington · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best kind of escapist and magical middle grade novel you need to read this Christmas!

Blanche Claus has big ideas for what she wants Christmas to be, and along with Rinki, Santa and a whole slew of elves named Carol, she might be able to make Christmas magical for every child in the world.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this (even if it was during October and I should have been focusing on the spooky reads). The character of Blanche and her friendship with Rinki is so heartfelt and empowering, showing girls across the globe that they can do ANYTHING! I enjoyed so many aspects of the characters, from Carol and Carol, oh and the other Carol, and Carol, and EGGNOG!!! And Carol...

So many humourous moments really made this a fast and easy read as I wanted to fly through it and see if Blanche succeeds in her Christmas mission. I enjoyed the many nods to Christmas traditions and how we may have got the whole Christmas story wrong. This is by no means historically accurate, but it shouldn't have to be because it spins a truly wonderful festive tale that will definitely provide you with that warm Christmas feeling.

[Dash fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆ Enchanting, Magical, Witty, Fun Festive Read!


Tinsel is a Heartwarming and Enchanting Christmas Middle Grade Read.

This story is all about Mrs Claus and Christmas. It's a magical adventure with lots of mischief, fun and Christmas Sparkle.

This story is also very empowering to women as it teaches children what it was like for women and how they wasn't treated equally. It teaches children the value of friendship and kindness.and treating people with respect.

The characters are simply enchanting and beautifully presented. The plot is whimsical, and special. There's so much going on and discoveries to be made.
There is plenty of witty humour that kept me giggling out loud, that children will love!

So if you are looking for a Whimsical, Funny, Enchanting, Uplifting, Festive Treat then you will adore Tinsel.


Thank you to Bloomsbury Children's Books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.




You can Find this Review and all my Other Reviews on My Blog :-

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/1...

[Dannii Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost every middle grade book I have read includes a message of morality to deliver to its young readers and this is especially so of Christmas stories. This one was no exception.

The duo who centred this story had a limitless belief in their future success and an unlimited supply of imagination, hard work ethics, and heart in order to achieve it. One of my favourite quotes from the book was "One day things will be different... One day the world will imagine more of girls. We'll make sure of it!" Whilst obviously focusing on a fictional duo, and being extremely fantastical in nature, this also ensured it reminded its readers of all our ancestors who have fought for the freedom we receive today, in a myriad of areas. The fight obviously still exists but at least a little more equality exists, than in the Victorian period Blanche and Rinki reside in.

This proved to be as empowering as it was heart-warming and was the perfect little slice of Christmas spirit and cheer I needed, to help close off the hard year 2020 has been, for us all, and to put it into perspective.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Sibéal Pounder, and the publisher, Bloomsbury Children's Books, for this opportunity.

[mara.literacka · Rating 5 out of 5]

DOSKONAŁA ŚWIĄTECZNA OPOWIEŚĆ!🎄🥺Będę do niej zdecydowanie starała co jakiś czas wracać i polecać innym. Cudowni bohaterowie, dopracowany każdy szczegół, wszystko się zgadza. I to dziewczyńskie przesłanie!💥 Daje 5/5 z dużym serduszkiem.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohhhh this book is full of joy! I felt SO happy as I read it, I laughed so much at all the fabulous lines and moments, and the ending was just perfect. Here's to the power of quirky girl friendships! Here's to ambition and kindness and Christmas fun!

Just to get this note out of the way - this book may officially be set in "Victorian London," but - just don't worry about that part, okay? It's not really historical in any sense except in a fun kind of homage to A Christmas Carol and our ideas about Victorian Christmas, and I did not mind those historical inaccuracies one bit - because it wasn't trying to be historically accurate. It was trying to be charming and joyful and give a funny, loving wink to all of our Christmas traditions (with a big theme of girl-power throughout), and it absolutely succeeded on all counts. (Also, for my adult readers - if you enjoy Gail Carriger's books, I think you'll really enjoy the humor in this one, too!)

I looooooved all the characters in this book (including the BEST and funniest talking Christmas tree ever!), and soooo many lines of dialogue made me laugh out loud, again and again (sometimes even with really embarrassing bursts of snort-laughter). I can't wait to read it again with my kids - and I can absolutely imagine this book becoming a Christmas tradition for our family. It was so hilarious and so much fun!

[Blondynka o książkach · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 ⭐
Mam ochotę podarować tę książkę każdej dziewczynce, która znam i tym, których nie znam w sumie też 💜

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this was amazing! Such a strong female empowering story! I love how the author made it clear that during the time this story is told, that girls couldn’t do the same as boys, or even get certain jobs if they were girls. When the main character disguises herself as a boy, & then does a job better than all the boys-the author proves we weren’t ever given enough credit....still aren’t in many ways. Also, no one even thought that the person delivering all those presents could possibly be a girl, much less believe it. I love how the Ms. Claus of this story is the actual “Santa” of this story-Blanche, & I loved her. Such an amazing character. We follow her story right from the beginning when she’s a young girl living off the streets. Such a great Christmas read. It gave me all the feels I was looking for. I absolutely loved Blanche’s best friends Rinki, & Santa. The elves were so great! Lol I loved all the Carols. Rudy & Eggnog have my whole heart though. They just melted my heart. I DESPISED Mr. Krampus. What a horrible, evil man! He added so much to the story though, so good! This book shows the power of a truly special friendship, & what two girls can come up with & accomplish. This brought me so much joy. Especially reading most of it, & finishing it on Christmas Eve night. I own a couple of books by this author, but I loved this so much, & the writing is so amazing....I will be getting ALL of her books lol I highly recommend this. I’m in love w/this cover by Sarah Warburton too. It’s absolutely GORGEOUS! It’s a naked hardback also. Stunning.💜

[Pris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely and wonderful take on Christmas! ❤️🎄✨

[Steph ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was absolutely adorable. I really enjoyed the premise of the story and how the story was executed. A lot of fun for kids but also makes you think as an adult as well. Great adventure with some great friendships and important lessons for children too. Highly recommend.

[book.touch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Przeurocza feministyczna książka w świątecznym klimacie 🥹❄️🎄

[Joey Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children’s Books for the Earc to read and review.

If you love Christmas then I 100% recommend you read this. It is Christmas perfection. From the incredible story being told, to the spirit throughout to the magical-ness of it all and the cast of characters we meet within. It’s a must read for any Christmas lover out there.

There are so many things I loved about this book for a start Blanche Claus yes it was so perfect that this story told us that ‘Santa’ Claus is a strong, determined, incredibly sweet, intelligent and resilient woman who does anything she sets her mind to doing. This book shows you all of that with our protagonist Blanche, it’s something the world needs to see that a woman can seriously be and do anything including be ‘Santa’ Claus. It is wonderful and you instantly love her from page one, she’s a fierce and wonderful well written woman.

The imagination used to create this story is wondrous, taking the ideas that are out there for Christmas and all the elements and components that make it up and finding a natural reason for them, for creating them into existence in this world. From what the Elves really are to how Claus became Claus, to how Rudy became who she was and so popular. Plus the invitation to meeting Krampus which due to his terrifying nature you rarely see in stories like this. To the truest of magic, friendship and that one red bauble can be the best gift you ever receive.

I loved all the characters they were all so wonderfully written from cook who sings anytime Krampus is near which made me laugh so much, to the array or Carols with different personalities each one so perfectly crafted, to Rinki and Santa who were the truest of best friends to Blanche. Plus all the other characters we meet through this journey to create Christmas.

I’m a Christmas person all year round and getting to read this made me feel so magical inside, that warm and wonderful Christmas feeling and spirit. It’s a book I’m certainly going to be reading each year from now on.

[tris_bookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
LA RAGAZZA CHE HA CAMBIATO IL NATALE ha uno stile che ricorda un cartone animato di Natale, una di quelle storie dolci, ottimiste, femministe e cariche di grandi significati che scaldano il cuore del lettore. È un testo che consiglio a tutte le bambine, ma anche a chi è più grande perché è impossibile non apprezzarlo nonostante il target middle grade.
Vi siete mai chiesti come è nata l’usanza dei regali di Natale? E siete sicuri che Babbo Natale sia un lui con una lunga barba bianca e una slitta di renne?

Questa è la storia di Blanche Claus, una bambina orfana, cresciuta sulle strade di una Londra vittoriana, ma che è stata capace di conservare un grande cuore. Ha avuto solo due amici: Ruby, una cavalla speciale che l’accompagnerà nel suo destino e Rinki, un’orfana come lei, con cui passerà il suo primo Natale felice, un’amica che purtroppo rivedrà solo dopo un paio di anni ma che sarà essenziale nella sua vita. Blanche ha un grande sogno nel cassetto: rendere il Natale un giorno felice per tutti i bimbi del mondo, donando loro un regalo e un po’ di amore.
E il suo progetto, grazie a tanto lavoro e alla scoperta di un mondo magico nel profondo Nord, diventerà realtà. Con l’aiuto dei piccoli elfi Carol, dell’albero Eggnog, grazie alla vicinanza di un giovane e gentile cuoco di nome Santa e ovviamente il supporto della sua amica, Blanche si preparerà a consegnare i regali nella notte di Natale ai bambini di tutto il mondo. Peccato che ci sia qualcuno che vuole metterle il bastone tra le ruote.
Una lettura adorabile, una favola sulla forza dell’altruismo e sull’amicizia che vi lascerà con il sorriso sulle labbra.
Voglio spendere due parole per fare i complimenti alla casa editrice anche per l’edizione bellissima con dettagli grafici natalizi in ogni pagina.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard for me to find Christmas novels that really suit me, so four stars is high praise here. I found it charming and sweet and entertaining on the whole. A few bits were a tad quirky or just not my type of humor but mostly I was delighted. It's got an old-fashioned charm with some modern sensibilities and I found the twist on the Santa story generally quite well-done and clever. I really enjoyed most of the characters, too. Overall, definitely recommended with the caveat that readers should be old enough that it will not be upsetting to have the Santa story upended that a girl named Blanche Claus was actually the first "Santa" and her horse, Rudy, the original "Rudolph" and that Blanche and her friend Rinki came up with the idea of delivering a toy to every child at Christmas.

[kamila.czyta · Rating 5 out of 5]

JAKIE TO JEST UROCZE 😩🤍

[Mewa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feminizm w wersji dla młodszych. Powiedzieć, że mi się podobało, to nie powiedzieć nic.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Ok lets start with the good here! Once the story gets going it is magical! I love the idea that we have got the story wrong all this time and actually Christmas was the invention of two orphan girls. It's very Christmas carol, meets Annie.

I however thought that the pacing was really off with this book. id say I spent a good 50% quite bored, the story wasn't really getting going, then I spent around 40% thinking I love this, its totally magically, and then again the last 10% fell flat.

[Jacq.and.the.readstalk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be my FAVOURITE Christmas read of all time! I know, big statement, but this was absolutely delightful and creative and empowering!

This is a story of magic and true friendship, wrapped up in a big Christmas ribbon and decorated with tinsel. Blanche and Rinki's friendship was the absolute highlight, especially with the meaning that everyone has their own path to follow, encourage and support one another on this path, and ultimately friendship can withstand the length the time.

Set in Victorian London at Christmas time, this is a quirky and whimsical tale rather than the more sober and tragic Christmas stories set around that time. The author has infused the plot with the utter joy and wonder of the season. All the christmasy details were PERFECT and some had me chuckling out loud. But what I really, truly loved was the empowering, and subtle message of girl power, feminism, and supporting one another, probably the best MG book I've read that delivers this in such an important and wholesome way, it gave me so much joy and positivity.

Hilarious and full of charm and wonder! This is a festive adventure to come back to year after year! I know I will and I will had to do it with a mince-pie celebration feast. If you think you know the story of Santa, think again...

IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmhvnaHSZTA/

[Tra le pagine di un libro mi troverai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recensione sul blog --> https://tralepaginediunlibromitrovera...

[Seli Ombre Angeliche · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarò sincera, non avrei mai pensato che biscotti di pan di zenzero e cioccolate calde potessero venirmi a noia, e invece. Lo so, è una premessa un po' infelice e non voglio allarmarvi, La ragazza che ha cambiato il Natale è un romanzo per bambini scorrevole, che piacerà sicuramente a moltissimi lettori, piccini e non. Però insomma, è inutile tergiversare: io ne sono rimasta un po' delusa. Con questo titolo ho avuto un colpo di fulmine, si presentava come una storia piena di magia, avventura e amicizia e sembrava trattare tematiche a me care, quindi come potrete immaginare avevo delle aspettative altissime, volevo che mi piacesse. L'idea che per una volta i riflettori fossero puntati su Miss Claus mi ha letteralmente conquistata, è una figura che da secoli vive ai margini delle storie natalizie ed ero curiosissima di scoprire cosa l'autrice si fosse inventata. Purtroppo fin dalle prime pagine ho capito che lo stile della Pounder non faceva per me - il che mi rattrista, dato che nella mia lista dei desideri sono presenti diversi altri suoi romanzi - e ne ho avuto la conferma a lettura completata. Lo stile di per sé non ha dei difetti, è molto semplice e scorrevole, adatto al target a cui è rivolto il libro, ma onestamente l'ho trovato un po' debole, non ha saputo coinvolgermi e quindi ho fatto fatica a lasciarmi trascinare nella storia. Come ho già detto, la storia è lineare e lo stile semplice, quindi non è stato difficile terminarlo, anzi, mi ha tenuto compagnia per una serata e per qualche altra ora il giorno successivo, ma sarò onesta, l'ho letto senza interesse. Non è che sia privo di qualità, anzi, penso che i lettori molto giovani si divertiranno molto, ma di certo tra noi non è scattata nessuna scintilla. In particolare ero curiosa di scoprire in quale modo l'autrice avesse sviluppato il tema del femminismo dato che, come avrete capito dalla trama, è una storia tutta incentrata sul "girl power". Purtroppo neanche su questo fronte sono rimasta soddisfatta, anzi. I valori che trasmette sono positivi e attuali, su questo niente da dire, ma il modo in cui la protagonista si impunta su alcune cose fa quasi sembrare la sua lotta per la parità un semplice capriccio e questo ai miei occhi l'ha resa fastidiosa, non sono riuscita a rispecchiarmi come avrei voluto nel suo desiderio di dimostrare il proprio valore. Come se non bastasse ho trovato la trama piuttosto ripetitiva. Messa così potrebbe sembrare che io abbia trovato La ragazza che ha cambiato il Natale un titolo pessimo, ma vi assicuro che non è così e, anzi, per i bambini è una lettura che consiglio molto, a mio figlio per esempio sarebbe piaciuto un sacco. In genere ho un feeling molto forte nei confronti dei Middle Grade, ma in questo caso specifico temo che il mio essere fuori target mi abbia impedito di apprezzarlo. Per spezzare una lancia in suo favore posso dire di aver apprezzato gli innumerevoli riferimenti alla leggenda di Babbo Natale e l'originalità della storia, così come l'allegra e festosa atmosfera natalizia. Anche se, lasciatemi togliere il sassolino dalla scarpa, Natale o non Natale non è possibile citare pan di zenzero e cioccolata calda ogni quattro righe per quasi 300 pagine. Giuro, non ne potevo più di biscottini intinti in bevande zuccherose, e sì che amo entrambe le cose.
Tirando le somme, purtroppo per me La ragazza che ha cambiato il Natale si aggiudica una sufficienza stiracchiata, ero convinta che me ne sarei innamorata e invece no, niente da fare. Lo consiglio però ai lettori giovanissimi, perché i messaggi che trasmette sono molto positivi e, secondo me, per i più piccoli può essere una magica avventura. Io lo regalerò sicuramente alle mie nipotine, penso che per loro la figura di Blanche sarà di ispirazione. Insomma, non posso dire che mi abbia conquistata, quindi io e questo romanzo ci salutiamo con serenità, ma non escludo di dare una seconda chance a questa autrice in futuro.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely wonderful re-imagining of how Christmas came to have a Santa Claus and all the fun that comes with that. This is a kids middle grade book, but I'd recommend it anyway for a fun Christmas read!

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and magical story perfect for the Christmas days.

I was hyped that Sibéal Pounder was having a new book, and that this one didn’t feature mermaids or witches (though always give me more of that), but instead a story about two girls and Christmas.

I wrote a good/in the middle/meh review (though most is just perfectly good as I really enjoyed this book).

Good:

-A fun retelling of the Santa Claus(e) story. This time with girls in the lead which made me quite happy! I loved seeing all the puzzle pieces come together and how everything clicked to form one big jolly Christmas puzzle. How Blanche started with her plan to give every kid a present, how the elves started making them, how people thought Claus was a boy, and so on. It was delightfully written along with much more than just Christmas. We get adventure with carts, we get to see London, we see her on a boat, and so much more.
-Blanche. I just love a character who isn’t afraid to follow her own path. And boy, she is dedicated! She never gives up no matter what life throws at her (and it does throw a lot of things at her). Blanche is such a sweet and powerful girl and I was definitely rooting for her all her plans to come true.
-The book itself. The cover (all of it), the inside. It was just so pretty and this will be a great addition to my collection, I may even have to put it on a special place each Christmas as it makes for a perfect Christmas decoration!
-How the reindeer name were selected and how Rudy fulfilled her destiny.
-All the Carols! I just loved them! How some just LOVE LOVED them being all the same, and how others wanted to stand out and be something else. I just loved Blanche’s interactions with them, they made me laugh!
-Finding out who those two men in suits were. I had my suspicions and I was eagerly waiting for things to be revealed.
-Eggnog! That big fella was just adorable and sweet and I was just hoping that he could learn to be a bit less clumsy/a bit less break everything in your path. Because he just wants to be with the Carols. And I don’t blame him. I had so many laughs when Eggnog was involved. Including the one where he was stark naked (no decorations, get it) and rolling in the snow. 😛
-Rinki was such a wonderful and fun character and I really liked her feel for fashion, how she was such a good friend, did I mention mince pies? Which I never tried because it isn’t a thing here, but which do sound very yummy. Could I just borrow some of her clothes? Again, her fashion sense is crazy and glittery and fun.
-I did think it was hilarious that they thought EVERY house in the world had a fireplace. I know this takes place in another time, so I cannot look how it is there, but I do know that in my life at this moment, I only had 2 houses with a fireplace. One I live in now, and another one was a place I lived at a few years prior. And I lived in plenty of other houses.
-The first Christmas and how Blanche was doing some kick-ass work and I loved seeing the magic come to action. Seeing her go around the world, toys coming to life, her seeing the world. It was a delightful part!
-Teddy/Santa/Cook. Those three were such fun characters. I loved finding out more about Cook (and we find out some interesting things), I loved Teddy and his fashion, Santa with his food and how much he cared for Blanche.

In the middle:

-I never felt that Krampus was a villain. I just found him annoying. Highly annoying. Wondering how in hells he got away with all the crap he did in life.
-The carterboys, on the one hand I could see at least some of them had a brain… but sadly, I just am not sure if I should like them and feel sorry for them or if I should throw them in the Thames.

Meh:

-The part after the first Christmas, the successful one. I knew that we still had something that would happen, but after all this… I didn’t want it.
-I was delighted by the epilogue… until I started reading it. Don’t get me wrong, yeah for saving the world (and more should do it), but it feels just forced to add these messages these days. The first one I saw in a book I found fantastic, but it is now in so many books, and it doesn’t always fit. I would have rather seen an epilogue on Santa or something else. Also on the note, there are already alternatives aplenty for tinsel. Popcorn, paperchains, etc.. I am definitely thinking of doing popcorn next year (I saw it on an American show once and I was intrigued, though I kept forgetting to do it), though I would have to stop eating it. 😛 Yes, as you may see (from my Christmas post), I still use tinsel. The last string I bought was some time ago, I just got many older tinsel stuff left and since that stuff is not recyclable I will just wait until it truly falls apart before I throw it away. It just seems bad to throw it away while it is still good.

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Despite a few things I wasn’t too big of a fan of, or didn’t know what to think of, I very much enjoyed this fun girlpower book! I would recommend it!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Dreximgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blance and Rinki have big plans for the world but as girls in a boys world will they be able to achieve them? And if they do will anybody believe it was a pair of girls?

This gave me proper Christmas vibes, it was brilliant. So festive and full of magic. I loved the characters, both Blanche and Rinki were wonderfully rounded. Blance especially was so determined and brave, I was behind her 100% of the way. Rinki and her adoptive parents were also a delight and I loved all of their relationships.

I would highly recommend this book, it had everything you could need to be a new festive favourite.

I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

[Tish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this, I'm a big of anything that challenges what a woman or a girl can do and it was an interesting telling of our familiar tale. Filled with inspirational messages and Christmas joy

It had a lovely little message at the end about tinsel and the environmental impact, it gets a big thumbs up from me for that message alone

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating origin story of Santa Claus and Christmas As We Know it. Really unusual, extremely whimsical! I especially loved Eggnog, and the Carols, especially Blanche's Carol and her relationship with her Captor.

I do feel like a lot of the threads of the story got cut short; she introduced so many ideas, and we had some questions still about the end. But it made me crave mince pies!

[julka ⋆˚꩜｡⋆˙⟡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

CU-DOW-NA!!!

najlepsze ksiazka jaka czytalam. nie mam zastrzezen.

nie wiem co powiedziec. przepiekna ksiazka, ktora uczy nas przyjazni, zaufania, feminizmu, dawania drugiej szansy... same plusy. to byla chyba pierwsza ksiazka przy ktorej powiedzialam "wow, to jest naprawde dobre".

"moje zycie jest tutaj. [...] ale zawsze bede z toba"

"innosc jest dobra."

6/5 🌟
polecam kazdemu 🫶🏼🫶🏼

[Luisa Basso · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Sempre bello leggere della magia del Natale, per me uno dei momenti più belli.
Bella questa versione diversa da quello che siamo abituati a leggere.
Sicuramente apprezzato molto di più dai bambini/ragazzi.
Ascolto scorrevole a parte qualche vocina insopportabile.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eines der absolut schönsten Weihnachtsbücher das ich jemals gelesen habe. Ich bin total verliebt.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adorable Santa origin story! It had many humorous moments and I laughed aloud many times. It reminded me of A Boy Called Christmas which I also loved. So cute!

[emkart_andbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ciekawe i nowatorskie podejście do tematu, ale ja jakoś nie mogłam się w to wciągnąć, nie porwało mnie. Nie poczułam ✨tego✨…