Fun Friday Reads: Mele Kalikimaka

Christmas in Hawaii? Yes, please!

Taylor Bennett is an awesome teen writer who published her first book at seventeen. Her books, The Tradewind Series, is all set in Hawaii. The three-book set follows friends Olivia, Jazz, and Brander. Right in the middle of the three books is this fun little Christmas novella called, Mele Kalikimaka. It’s the perfect, short and sweet kind of story that will definitely get you in the mood for Christmas.

Right after moving to Hawaii following her mother’s death, Olivia becomes friends with Jazz and Brander. Now, Olivia is facing her first Christmas without her mom. She throws herself into Christmas preparations, trying to make the holiday special for her little sister and her best friend, Jazz, who has never had a traditional Christmas. But when a special ornament is broken, it feels like Christmas will never be the same. As Olivia scrambles with all that she’s planned, she may discover a few things along the way that can’t be wrapped.

Olivia’s story reminds us all of what is important during this season. The way she works with her friends and family to make Christmas special for them all is sweet and fun to see. Olivia is a fun character. She works through some really tough emotions as she also tries to make the holiday merry and bright for her family and friends who have troubles of their own. You might even get a few ideas for gifts and special Christmas foods. And the recipe in the back of the book sounds super yummy, so don’t forget to check that out.

You don’t have to have read the other books in the series to enjoy Mele Kalikimaka. Taylor does a good job of including enough details so you aren’t lost, so don’t let that stop you from enjoying this great story. Check it out today, and don’t forget to subscribe and leave a comment for a chance to win some great bookish prizes this month.