***Rinny Reviews*** On strike for Christmas by Sheila Roberts

*** Disclaimer *** - I received a free copy from the lovely Clara at Little, Brown Book Group in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

At Christmas time, it seems as though a woman's work is never done. Trimming the tree, mailing the cards, schlepping to the mall, the endless wrapping - bah humbug! So this year, Joy and Laura and the rest of their knitting group decide to go on strike. If their husbands and families want a nice holiday filled with parties, decorations, and presents - well, they'll just have to do it themselves.

The boycott soon takes on a life of its own when a reporter picks up the story and more women join in. But as Christmas Day approaches, Joy, Laura, and their husbands confront larger issues in their marriages and discover that a little holiday magic is exactly what they need to come together.

Goodreads

Published December 2nd 2014 by Piatkus (first published October 30th 2007)

Review

When Clara offered me the chance to read one of Sheila Robert's three Christmas books being released today, I jumped at the chance I love Christmas reads but do not often get to fit them in around all the craziness of the season. It was tough choosing one but On strike for Christmas sounded perfect, who does not or has not ever felt like packing it in and going on strike for Christmas I know I have. (I will include the synopsis of the other two books after my review, I hope to read these through the rest of December, fingers crossed!) 

As soon as i started reading this book, I was captivated. I did not put it down except too put tea in the oven. The only thing missing was a roaring coal fire! Unfortunately our electric one doesn't quite give the feeling the same. This book is a heart warming, fun, cozy read, at times i was laughing out loud, others i was fighting tears. It is a perfect Christmas read. In fact so much it has lifted my christmas spirit so much i plan to tackle some more Christmas shopping i have put off the past week.

The book follows an array of different characters from a small town and their Christmas stories. They all are in different situations and are all so relatable. Even the poor men that get the Christmas duties dumped on them, Even if I am more like Bob when it comes to socializing I also have alot of Joy in me. You can see where both sides are coming from in all of the different characters stories. I like the fact that we are following the strike from lots of POV'S, not only are they relatable all of the characters are realistic and by the end you feel like you know all of them so well and they all grow throughout the book, learning invaluable lessons. Its rare when you just cannot pick a favourite character from a book  but this is one of those times. It is also so hard to pick a favourite moment as there is just too many situations they all find themselves in that are simply priceless. Glen LOL the stuff he gets himself into still makes me chuckle. He reminds me so much of my husband.

The book is an easy, enjoyable read full of wit and paced perfectly. It has the right mix of fun and seriousness in.  I loved the terminology the characters used and the playfulness in the author's writing. I think not only the Grinch's out there but the Yulezilla's would all enjoy and get something out of this charming festive read.

I'm so glad my husband is a big kid at Christmas and does help out or I might have just joined in the strike this year. I think that as you read not only do the characters learn and grow but for Christmas stress heads like me or those less inclined to help out their other half's learn too. Christmas does not have to be perfect or a one person job. Having a perfect Christmas would not be perfect without the people who mean the most around you. Appreciate everyone in your life and all the things they do do for you or with you. Even if you are otherwise inclined.

My Rating : 

To Buy Links

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Sheila's other Christmas releases today

When Kiley Gray discovers an enchanting snow globe in an antique shop, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. For years, the snow globe has passed from generation to generation, somehow always landing in the hands of a person in special need of a Christmas miracle.

Kiley could use a miracle herself. This year, all she wants for Christmas is someone to love. A hopeful shake leads her on an adventure that makes a believer out of her. When Kiley shares the story of the snow globe with her best friends-two women with problems of their own-they don't believe it. But they're about to discover that at Christmastime, sometimes the impossible becomes possible and miracles really do come true.

Goodreads

When a guy is in trouble, he starts making deals with his Creator . . . and Ambrose the cat is no exception. In danger of losing his ninth and final life, Ambrose makes a desperate plea to the universe. He'll do anything if he can just survive and enjoy a nice long, final life. His prayer is answered when a stranger comes along and saves him-and now it looks like he has to hold up his end of the bargain.

The stranger turns out to be a firefighter named Zach, who's in need of some serious romantic help. If Ambrose can just bring Zach together with Merilee, the nice lady who works at Pet Palace, it's bound to earn him a healthy ninth life. Unfortunately for Ambrose, his mission is a lot harder than he ever thought. Merriliee is way too shy to make the first move on a ladies man like Zach, and Zach thinks he's all wrong for a nice girl like Merrilee. Now it's going to take all of Ambrose's feline wiles-and maybe even a good old fashioned Christmas miracle-to make them both realize that what they're looking for is right in front of their eyes.

Goodreads

Author Links

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Piatkus Halloween Treasure Hunt

This Halloween, follow five amazing authors through five fabulous book blogs for the chance to win a grand prize with Piatkus.

Christopher Rice, Kate Ellis, Tim O’Rourke, Kristen Callihan and Darynda Jones have joined forces to write a spooky story. Every day from  27th to 31st October , each author’s section of the story will feature on a different blog. Each section of the story will contain a single highlighted letter. Follow the story through the blogs, collecting the highlighted letters as you go and on 31st October  you will have enough letters to spell a single word!

The creepy blog crawl starts here (you don't need to collect a letter from this section of the story):

You wake up at the end of a long, dark corridor. Someone slams and locks the door behind you. There’s no way to go but forwards. At the end of the corridor is a heavy wooden door.

In front of you is an envelope with your name on it. You open it with trembling hands. It says, ‘You have been brought here for a reason. Prove that you are worth saving. Work out the five clues if you want to live.’

You stand up, clutching the letter, and run for the end of the corridor. On the door is a keypad, containing all 26 letters of the alphabet. Knowing, deep down, that it won’t help, you try desperately to open the door. It’s firmly locked. Turning round, you see five doors in the side of the corridor. Three to the left and two to the right. Five doors, five clues. You know what you have to do.

The Hunt

Day 1, 27^th October: Head on over to Chicks That Read to read the first installment of the story from Christopher Rice and to collect your first letter!

Day 2, 28^th October: Go to Bookthing to read the second installment of the story from Kate Ellis and to collect your second letter!

Day 3, 29^th October: Click through to Book Mood Reviews to read the third installment of the story from Tim O’Rourke and to collect your third letter!

Day 4^th, 30^th October: Head on over to Opinionated Cupcakes  to read the fourth installment of the story from Kristen Callihan and to collect your fourth letter!

Day 5^th, 31^st October: And finally go to Fiction Fascination to read the fifth installment of the story from Darynda Jones and to collect your fifth and final letter!

Visit http://www.piatkusbooks.net/halloween-blog-tour/, submit that word and you’ll be entered into our competition to win a bundle of Piatkus books and special Halloween sweets.

ROOM FOUR Kristen Callihan

Outside in the corridor I take a deep, trembling breath, trying to banish the image of the old woman. Dreams bring up memories best left buried. Perhaps this is a dream and the corridor an illusion. Hoping to wake, I smash my head against the fourth wooden door.

Pain explodes with blinding brilliance behind my eyelids. “F*cking hell.” Not a dream, then. I have three letters: B, R and A. I need two more.

Forehead smarting, eyes watering, I force myself to enter the fourth room.

My footsteps echo in the cavernous space. My breath is frost in the darkness. From the far side of the room comes the muted tick-tock, tick-tock of a clock. I pause, blood rushing in my ears.

A child’s voice, high and soft, drifts over the icy-blackness. “Ninety years without slumbering. Tick, tick, tick, tick . . .”

My heart stutters. No, no, no. I don’t want to remember. But without thought, I whisper, “His life's seconds numbering. Tick, tick, tick, tick . . .”

Childish laughter rings out, the little voice singing, “It stopp'd short — never to go again . . .”

Numbly, I finish the old nursery song. “When the old man died.”

Terror arcs through me. I have to get out, clue be damned. I spin on my heel, slam into the door. It won’t budge. Won’t let me free. “Let me out! Let me out, you bloody bastards!” My knuckles split against the unyielding wood, blood splattering in glossy dots.

A hiss from behind, and then light flickers across the black wood door. Hairs lift on the back of my neck as I turn.

White faces, their leering grins, highlighted by the lit gas sconces. Masks. Hundreds of masks line the walls.

Sweat rolls down my cheek, my breath a pant that matches the thunderous beat of my heart. Those grins, black goatees painted upon white masks. Guy Fawkes.

“Shit.”

And then I see her, at the far end of the room. Large eyes, button nose, cheeks chubby and pink with the freshness youth. My body seizes. She stares back at me, her little lip quivering.

No, no, no. I shut my eyes tight.

“Mama?”

Sadie. My knees give out, grief and a cold blast of memory ripping through me.

A louder hiss. My eyes snap open as flames flare high and hot. Crackling fire runs on the diagonal from one corner of the room and stops right in front of me. Taunting.

Not real. It cannot be.

Cool air hits my neck. The door has opened. I can leave this hell. Be free.

Another wall of flames shoots out from the opposite corner, trapping the child in the middle. She cowers against the wall, her tender, little arms rising to protect her face. “Mama!”

Heat pulls my skin tight. Thick, black smoke rolls over the ceiling, snaking down the walls. My throat burns. Too much smoke. Too much heat. Too much pain. Not this. Anything but this. This isn’t real. Leave!

“Mama!” The girl is a tiny form. Orange flames lick along the wood floor, racing to gobble her up.

“Sadie!”  Fear roots me to the floor.

A roaring leviathan of fire crouches over Sadie, its hands reaching out, plucking at her hair. “Mama!”

I run. Into the flames. Agony sears my flesh. Skin blisters, cracking open, yellow fat beneath. Flames punch down my throat, claw at my eyes. Fire eating me alive. No breath. No strength.

“Sadie.” My lip splits, blood runs, and my body slows.

. . . life's seconds numbering, tick, tick, tick, tick . . .

A burst of strength and I am free. And she is before me, her little arms lifted, begging me to hold her. I gather her up, her body solid and real. Relief. Joy.

Pop! Like a bubble, she bursts. Gone. I hold nothing.

“No!”

Water rushes over me, slapping into the flames. The air crackles and spits. And then all is silent but for my sobs. 

Gone. Gone. Gone.

Upon the floor, a thick swath of blackened wood forms the letter V. My f*cking clue.

Back in the corridor I stand, whole and untouched, and utterly empty.