North Pole High: Beginnings by Candace Jane Kringle

Title: North Pole High: Beginnings
Author: Candace Jane Kringle
Format: ebook
Pub. Date: December 16th 2012
Source: Smashwords

★★★★★

4.5 stars, rounded up.

In the novel North Pole High, readers are introduced to several vibrant, wonderful characters that live on the North Pole alongside the title heroine (and teen daughter of Santa) Candycane Claus. In North Pole High: Beginnings, the author tells the backstories of moody rebel love interest Rudy Tutti, the magically talented personal chef to St. Nick, Chefy, and the adoring love story of how Santa found his missus.

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4.5 stars, rounded up.

This novella is the perfect companion to North Pole High. It contains just as much humor, sass, and holiday fun-timery, just in a compact fun little ebook.

+It's no secret, as my followers know, that Candace Jane Kringle's humor is right up my alley. It's juvenile with more subtle humor for adults. It's vividly described to the point where I would LOVE to visit this rendition of everyone's favorite toy factory. I thought that maybe my love of the novel had to do with my pre-Christmas spirit. But I read this novella in February, and it made me smile just as much.

+Believe it or not, this book answered a lot of questions that were in the back of my mind while reading the original novel. Why was Rudy in trouble so much, and for that matter, what was the real reason for him traveling to the North Pole? Why the hell was Chefy seven feet tall if he's a penguin? (Keep in mind that I didn't question why there was a penguin chef. It's like asking why Spongebob takes showers underwater... Sometimes it's better to just let things go and give into whimsy) And most important of all, how on earth did Santa and Mrs. Claus meet, and did it explain his harsh protection of his teen daughter? Read this book, and more will be revealed.

+At the end of this series of short stories, there's a few tasty little bonus Christmas treats for the reader. The first is a top five playlist of the best Christmas songs for the season according to one Candycane Claus. There's also a Jeopardy-style Santa trivia which was easy to flip through on my Kindle. And last but certainly not last, the first two chapters of the aforementioned novel, North Pole High are included if you have not already read it.

I think that this short ebook is a great read-along to have after reading North Pole High. However, I definitely would recommend reading the novel first. If not, you may be a bit confused or even off-put. If you HAVE read the book, please read this. It'll make the ho-ho-holiday spirit at NPH (North Pole High that is, not Neil Patrick Harris), all the more merry and bright.

There are a few quotes that I absolutely loved in this story that give a good glimpse at the humor within:

-Somehow my tracks kept showing up on his, as if my footprints had been left on his soles merely by past association.

-He'd kept saying "North", and I'd assumed I'd wake up one day in Forks, with vampires for neighbors.

-My dad's optimism flowed like fairy piss.

Thanks so much to Candace Jane Kringle for offering this for free on Smashwords during the holidays.

You can also find my review of North Pole High on this blog, here. *Side note that in no way changes my review: I just realized that my review of North Pole High is quoted in the "Buzz" section of this ebook. I am kind of fangirling about this.*