Amazon UK
Title: Make a Christmas Wish
Author: Julia Williams
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: 1st October 2015
Rating: 4 Stars
 |
| Amazon UK |
A HILARIOUS and JUST-A-LITTLE HEARTBREAKING FESTIVE TREAT for anyone who’s looking for a little bit of MAGIC this CHRISTMAS TIME!
Last Christmas, when Livvy was knocked down in the supermarket car park she certainly wasn’t ready to actually be dead! For months now she’s floated on the edge of the afterlife, generally making a nuisance of herself.
And she’s not ready to go just yet! She’s furious about the new woman in her husband’s life and she’s worried about her beloved son who doesn’t seem to be adjusting to life without her at all.
This Christmas, Livvy is given one last magical chance to make everything right. Will she take it and give her family the perfect Christmas?
I haven't got a clue how to write this review, nor am I positive I know what I feel about the book, which could be a problem. Basically I requested this book from Netgalley because it was written by Julia Williams, and I generally love her books. Had I read the blurb in advance, I may not have requested a copy, as a book about someone who is dead, but not ready to pass on, is not exactly the sort of book I tend to read. In fact I would normally see that and walk in the other direction.
But in a way I am very glad I did read this, and didn't run off, as it was a scarily believable story, written very well with Julia's usual brilliant abilities. It's just some of the subject matter, I spent most of the story, undecided about, due to not having strong personal beliefs in any direction about the after life.
All the way through my brain was protesting saying I'm really not sure about this, but the rest of me kept wanting to continue to read, as I think that the characters Livvy, Emily, Adam and Joe all have got under my skin, and I wanted to know how it would all resolve itself.
Livvy dies after being knocked down by a car, in a supermarket car park, hours after discovering her husband Adam has been having an affair. As we meet her she is just realising that she is dead, but then Malachi, her spirit guide appears, His job is to try to make her see what she needs to do in order to pass over fully into the world of the dead. However it takes a year for her to even be willing to start to listen and begin any part of the process.
Malachi can alter time, so Livvy is shown version of Christmas in the past, present and future (and if this sounds a bit too much like Dickens, trust me its completely different), to try and get Livvy to understand what she needs to do. However Livvy is very strong minded and is a bit of a troublesome spirit.
She starts haunting her family, with interesting results.
It is Joe, her son, that I felt most sorry for. He has Aspergers, and the times we get to see his thoughts are where he writes small logical lists in his notebook, he is torn, between loving his mum, and also liking Emily. He is clearly very loved by everyone and has a great personality, and is an extremely intelligent young man.
By the time the book ended I was getting very emotional at the outcome, which generally only happens to me, when I really liked a book, and on most levels I did really enjoy the story. However being not the most spiritual of people, and fairly sceptical, at times I was finding the book very believable, and others I wasn't sure why I was still reading - but that's just me.
There is a fabulous message in this story, if you just give it a chance to come through.
Thanks to Avon and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.
But in a way I am very glad I did read this, and didn't run off, as it was a scarily believable story, written very well with Julia's usual brilliant abilities. It's just some of the subject matter, I spent most of the story, undecided about, due to not having strong personal beliefs in any direction about the after life.
All the way through my brain was protesting saying I'm really not sure about this, but the rest of me kept wanting to continue to read, as I think that the characters Livvy, Emily, Adam and Joe all have got under my skin, and I wanted to know how it would all resolve itself.
Livvy dies after being knocked down by a car, in a supermarket car park, hours after discovering her husband Adam has been having an affair. As we meet her she is just realising that she is dead, but then Malachi, her spirit guide appears, His job is to try to make her see what she needs to do in order to pass over fully into the world of the dead. However it takes a year for her to even be willing to start to listen and begin any part of the process.
Malachi can alter time, so Livvy is shown version of Christmas in the past, present and future (and if this sounds a bit too much like Dickens, trust me its completely different), to try and get Livvy to understand what she needs to do. However Livvy is very strong minded and is a bit of a troublesome spirit.
She starts haunting her family, with interesting results.
It is Joe, her son, that I felt most sorry for. He has Aspergers, and the times we get to see his thoughts are where he writes small logical lists in his notebook, he is torn, between loving his mum, and also liking Emily. He is clearly very loved by everyone and has a great personality, and is an extremely intelligent young man.
By the time the book ended I was getting very emotional at the outcome, which generally only happens to me, when I really liked a book, and on most levels I did really enjoy the story. However being not the most spiritual of people, and fairly sceptical, at times I was finding the book very believable, and others I wasn't sure why I was still reading - but that's just me.
There is a fabulous message in this story, if you just give it a chance to come through.
Thanks to Avon and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.
I'm not quite ready to think about Christmas yet this year.
ReplyDeleteWith the amount of Christmas books out I don't really have a choice but to start early this year!
DeleteOnce I got my head around the fact the story was written from the POV of a ghost... I really enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteMy problem was I just couldn't get past the ghost thing for long enough, although there were points where I forgot about it.
DeleteI think I would like this story, I'll add it to my wish list. Great review!
ReplyDeleteThanks Suze, I hope you enjoy it if you ever get to it.
DeleteNot sure it would be my sort of thing either but an interesting review. Angela Britnel
ReplyDeleteIt's odd Angela, even after a couple of weeks, I still can't decide if I liked it, but it was a good book.
Delete