Belle Payton

It seems like the twins' Christmas break can't get any worse: Ava can't join the basketball team and Alex isn't allowed to throw an ugly sweater party, but even worse, they aren't traveling back east over break and there is no snow in Texas!

'Tis the Off-Season

Heaven Adore

I absolutely love how short this book is, yet it feels like a lot happened. Alex was worried about not being able to host a Christmas party would be "the end of her social status," Ava was upset that her parents wouldn't let her do basketball in the winter season, and for an unexpected reason, their Uncle Scott comes over for a stay.

One thing that bugged me so much was how concerned Alex was about if she could like Corey, the guy who broke up with her new best friend Lindsey for obvious reasons. She kept going back and forth between "should I talk to Lindsey about it or not?" That constant back and forth thought got on my nerves and I kept thinking that if she'd just talked to Lindsey, she wouldn't have to worry anymore. But of course, girls do like the suspense in that kind of drama. 

On the other hand, I was bugged with Ava's attitude regarding her parents not letting her try-out for basketball. Her parents downright had good intentions and perfect reasoning, but do you know that she had the nerve to talk negatively about her mother to her dad? "See, I have a feeling this is not your decision and that it's coming mostly from Mom," said Ava. No child should talk about their parents like that as it sounds quite disrespectful, even if they'll never know you said it. So, that just kind of ticked me off.

Now, enough with the negativity. Although I lowered my rating from the first time I read it, it was still a cute, festive read. Although there was no snow, the book itself felt like a cozy night in which you drink hot chocolate and sit by the fireplace.

'Tis the Off-Season

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