Twice this year I've been in a terrible reading slump and Sara Raasch and this series has fixed me. I stayed up until two am to finish this because I just couldn't stop. I had to see it through. 

As much as I loved the first book, this one might be my favorite. There's just something about Kris and his quest to find somewhere he belongs and feel useful that REALLY hit home with me.  Making sure everyone else in your life is taken care of and always putting yourself on the back burner is just. VERY relatable to me, so I was very excited to see him work things out. 

ALSO. Can we talk about the burden of being the child that parents their parents? Because HOO BOY does Kris go through that, too. It made me tear up quite a few times, seeing him go through that guilt and learning to let his parents go and when to accept help and care from a sibling. Coal does such a great job of stepping up in so many ways in this book, but definitely when it comes to Kris. 

I would be remiss, though, to not tell you how much I adore Loch. Like. SO much. He's a grumpy, secret softie, artist who just wants to do right by his holiday, and his sisters and I knew he would be a favorite as soon as he showed up on the page. He just effortlessly saw Kris and that just!! Gets me.

I hope this series never ends and Raasch just keeps inventing new holidays and their courts and keeps it going. They're just wonderful and charming and all the best things about the holidays wrapped up. and paperback bound.