The Winter of Candy Canes

This is the third book in the Sweet Seasons series and it's written for the teen audience (but you don't have to be a teen to enjoy it!). I haven't read the first two books in the series but I really felt like this could be read as a stand alone and I didn't feel weird jumping in without reading the other two first. Candace gets hired to work at The Zone once again as a seasonal employee. This time she is given the dangerous job of being Santa's elf. What's so dangerous about that? Plenty. But in the midst of the usual teen concerns of earning extra spending money and what to get her boyfriend (and other friends) for Christmas, Candace learns how to look beyond herself and what she sees is quite eye-opening. Working at The Zone has broadened her friendships and in looking for just the right gifts for them she finds out what life is really like for one friend in particular. Candace has a big heart and she's more than willing to do what it takes to make a difference for her friend. Also, Candace is the leader for a bible study group and is extremely nervous about it, especially when Joy, the holier-than-thou girl, tests her limits. Candace will probably remember this Christmas season for a long time. I enjoyed The Winter of Candy Canes and will gladly let my daughter read it and the rest of the series. It was a light, fun read full of action, age-appropriate romance, and spiritual growth. I like that Candace was her own person and didn't form herself around her boyfriend. She's a down-to-earth kind of girl, not a drama queen (although her best friend is one...they make a great pair!). I also appreciated the various roles Candace played. From home life, to student, to bible study leader, to employee, to friend, to girlfriend. She handled them all very well and showed that teens don't have to have 'tudes. She didn't come across as some perfect, unattainable character. She's the kind of girl you want your daughter to be...and to be friends with.

When I first started reading The Winter of Candy Canes, this being my first Sweet Seasons book, I thought it would be a super quick read and something I could speed-read my way through. I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would! Candace is a fun, interesting character, and someone I would definitely have identified with as a teen. Well, except that I didn't start dating until I was in my 20's and wasn't near as independent as she is. I think she's someone I would have liked to be more like, though. ;-) She has the coolest job ever - she works at a theme park! In this book, the park has a Christmas theme and Candace is one of Santa's elves. Sounds fun, doesn't it? She thinks so, too, and can't understand why there are so many ominous looks or why she gets hazard pay. But she'll soon find out why the job is considered hazardous... The author has worked at both Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland, so she totally knows her stuff when it comes to amusement parks! This made Candace's adventures at the theme park completely engrossing to me - it made me wish I had had such a cool job when I was a teenager! The Winter of Candy Canes is a light, enjoyable read, and one I would definitely recommend for young teen girls. Although it takes place during Christmastime, it's a book that can be enjoyed anytime. The fact that this series is seasonal just adds to the fun. I'm interested enough to want to read the first two books in this series and see what I missed! :-)

The Winter of Candy Canes by Debbie Vigiue is the third book in the Sweet Seasons series starring teenager Candace Thompson. Candy is back working in The Zone, the local amusement park, as one of Santa's elf, a job so terrifying, she'll receive hazard pay. Candy has become a legend at the part after being chased by a crazed killer in The Summer of Cotton Candy and then saving the park from saboteurs in The Fall of Candy Corn. As usual, Candy quickly ends up in the Hospital Zone after a death-defying encounter with vicious children. All of Candy's crew has also returned: Tamara, her obscenely wealthy best friend; Kurt, her not-so-perfect boyfriend, and Josh, her best guy friend who everyone else (including the reader) realizes is Candy's true perfect match, plus the rest of the quirky Zone workers. I really like this Christian YA series. Candy feels so true to life. She's trying to be faithful, and even though she sometimes fails, her huge heart touches everyone around her. A lot of other YA books on the market are a bit dark in their interpretation of teens. I like that Vigiue keeps this fairly light. Even though some of the characters face some serious issues, Candy's biggest worry is having to wear her leg brace to the winter dance. This book doesn't have the hilarious Scooby-Doo-esque mystery the previous book did, and it's obvious Vigiue is gearing up for a more serious final book to end the series. Candy is maturing and growing throughout the series, and she's truly discovering her talents and what that means for her future. I am definitely looking forward to The Spring of Candy Apples!

Reading this yummy book is an enjoyably sweet treat. It's book three of the Sweet Seasons Novel series, but it can be easily read and appreciated on its own. The story grabs the heart of teens as two high school teenagers, Candice and Tamara--best friends solve problems as only teens can. The characters are slightly flawed and therefore, quite believable. The protagonist is the leader of a Bible study at her church. There's school, parents, part-time jobs, and shopping that fill their busy schedules. Boys play a prominent part in their lives, but it's clean--no sex is even hinted. The author has teen dialogue down pat. Parents, teachers, and employers are respected; how refreshing! There's a bit of romance, a time of tension between two opposing viewpoints, a sad scene that causes the need for a tissue, and a delightful ending. The real meaning of Christmas is covered. If you have a teenager or know one, this teen fiction is a good idea for them! I'm passing my copy along to my granddaughter.