Welcome to Day 7 of #12booksofchristmas! In case you have missed any of the previous posts, they are listed below:

• Day One - Jingle all The Way by Debbie Macomber
• Day Two - The White Priory Murders by Carter Dickson
• Day Three - Upon a Frosted Star by M.A. Kuzniar
• Day Four - Christmas at the Little Waffle Shack by Helen Rolfe
• Day Five - How Winston Delivered Christmas by Alex T. Smith
• Day Six - The Night before Christmas by Alex Pine

#12booksofchristmas has been a wee bit of a rollercoaster this year. In an ideal situation, I would love all of my books picked, typed up, pictures taken and social media posts set up. I start seeking out titles in January, (You'd better believe I am treating myself, post Christmas, to some more lovely Christmas reads!) But in blogger reality, or Coffeebooksandcake reality, I was not as organised as I normally am and reading right up to the wire!

And so, I present you with a book I finished last night, just in time for #12booksofchristmas. Much like How Winston Delivered Christmas this was a book I had not planned to read, and just like Winston...I loved it. Let's get started shall we.

The Plot

At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, 5 year old Finn Albedo is found frozen in the city park standing on a pedestal of ice. His heart is beating, he is smiling serenely, but no-one can wake him.

Finn's big sister Bianca suspects that the beautiful, sparkling book Finn got from the library has something to do with it, but the book has vanished. Does the tall, mysterious stranger who first discovered Finn know more than they will admit?

Each day, more children are found frozen and Bianca realises she's running out of time. Her quest to discover the truth and rescue her little brother hurls her into a fantastical winter wonderland, full of beauty and danger, where all is not as it seems.

My Thoughts

One of the many wonderful things about reading a children's book is the nostalgia it throws up. I am of an age, ahem, where I am lucky enough to remember white Christmases. We lived down a long lane in the middle of the country in a 200 year old house with no central heating and I remember clearly being snowed in. We could see 'Jack Frost' on the windows with swirling patterns and intricate design. We would get changed under the covers because it was cold outside of the bed clothes and would wear at least 2 pairs of socks. A fire would be light and sweet tea would be made.

Today we are seeing less white Christmases, although we have just enjoyed the first proper snowfall and the magic it has brought to our village. I love the snow, I don't like driving in it, but I love the quiet it brings, how it makes everything muffled and the fairy-lights twinkle just that bit brighter.

Essentially this is what this book is about. It is loosley based on The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson. Finn is found frozen on a plinth in a park on the 1st of December. His sister Bianca is suspicious of the tall, strange man, who raised the alarm and follows him. A mysterious silver book, a visit to a fantastical winter wonderland where the children reside with no memory of their lives at home.

The books conveys an important message for all. I don't want a world where my nieces and nephews never get to experience the magic of snow and winter.

Throughout the book is beautifully illustrated by Penny Neville-Lee and this brings even more wonder to the story.

This is a gem of a book, one that I am delighted to tell you about today. It reads like a beautiful fairy-tale befitting of Mr Andersen, has a great adventure, beautiful imagery and would be a lovely gift to give to a child. I love a new book discovery!

I'll be back tomorrow with a book that is a homage to Agatha Christie, have a great day.