Customer Reviews

Secret Santa

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a mom who bought this book for my 6th grader's stocking. The book store had it on the table with all the other holiday classics, yet its new (10/07). They had it right though--this is sure to withstand the test of time to become a holiday favorite. It's fun santa cover made it an eye-catcher and who doesn't like secret santas for a storyline? It's all about relationships, just what kids this age are getting into. I was surprised the content was so captivating, it really held my interest. Meant for teens and tweens, I couldn't put it down either!! the ending is quite exraordinary--the last line a little grown-up, but very appropriate for the storyline. I really think kids from middle school thru 10th grade, the grade level most of the characters are in would enjoy this book. A perfect stocking stuffer. Pick one up for your favorite tween or teen! A great holiday book, but probably a fun summer read as well when dreams of romance under the mistletoe, bright lights against winter snow and cups of cocoa with minimarshies abound!!

3/5

First of all, this is a girly Christmas story. It's a little immature, childish, and exaggerated. There are way too many exclamation points used, for instance. I read it several years ago, and I enjoyed it. It's full of fluff and not a whole lot of substance other than cute romance. I know this, but I still mostly enjoyed it.

It jumps around to several different points of view. And it's centered around a secret Santa thing their school is doing. (Do schools actually do this kind of thing? I feel like most people wouldn't have the money for it, which sucks, but it would be awesome.)

There's Noelle, who likes Charlie but is Ryan, his younger brother's, secret Santa. She's a very crappy Santa to Ryan, but things work out. There's Lily, Noelle's best friend, who's just recently been cheated on by her then-boyfriend, Jason, and has now decided to take a break from relationships. She gets Connor, and ends up getting what his best friend, Simon, likes. And there's Celia, who's just moved here and ended up hanging around with the popular girls, Amber and Shawna, but who is not very materialistic and doesn't know how to get closer to Noelle and Lily and away from Amber and Shawna. She gets Jake, who she's been crushing on, while Froggy, her nerdy lab partner who is crushing on her, gets her. Shawna gets Dennis because Amber decides they need older boyfriends, but she likes Connor, her actual boyfriend. Amber chooses Charlie, wanting to steal him from his girlfriend. (Does that sound complicated? It wasn't, in the book. Sorry, if it is.)

Those are the main characters, but there are also a few smaller roles thrown in. Like Mindy, the gossip. And David, Froggy's best friend, who goes for what he wants despite the rejections he receives.

Quite a bit happens, plot wise. As in, several of the characters have to do some growing to get what they want. And there are a lot of mess ups and complications with the presents and relationships.

Despite the over-exaggerated way of the book, it was still good. What I was expecting from a short, girly book, really. It was fun. I liked Celia and Froggy most; I liked her predicament with wanting to be away from the popular, mean girls and be friends with the nice girls, and Froggy was adorable. But I like the nerdy types, so I'm partial to him. Lily and Simon I liked second most, after them. I wasn't a big fan of Noelle and Charlie and Ryan, mostly because I didn't like what Noelle was doing. That was just stupid and not okay. Amber I did not, as I was supposed to. Most of the others were mostly just okay, I guess. But I did like the variety of characters that are shown.

I don't know why, but I like these kinds of books. I've read some of James' other books, and liked them about the same as I did this one. Despite the not great, over-exaggerated writing, I do enjoy them, quite a bit. They're just romantic, fluffy, and good.

It's Christmas time and North Ridge High School has decided to take this as an opportunity to do a school-wide Secret Santa.

Best friends Noelle Kramer and Lily Norris are indifferent about this idea. Noelle takes it as a chance to finally connect and tell her longtime crush/next door neighbor, Charlie Grant, that they are meant to be together. Lily wants nothing to do with love or romance, since just before school started her boyfriend, Jason, decided to dump her for another girl.

Celia Armstrong is the new kid in town, but once she moved in she instantly became popular when Amber Davenport and Shawna Westin decided to befriend her. Unfortunately, Celia never wanted to be popular. She would rather have friends that didn't judge what she wore or made her do things she never wanted to do. Just like Noelle, Celia saw Secret Santa as the perfect opportunity to tell her crush, Jake Morrisey, that she really liked him. Even though she surprisingly picked his name out of the bag, she knew Amber and Shawna wouldn't approve of him.

Amber and Shawna both have boyfriends already, but the one bad thing about them is that their boyfriends aren't seniors. Shawna is fine with her boyfriend, but Amber wants to be able to snag an upperclassman.

All five girls have their own motives, but will they end up with what they wanted? Tis the season to be... confused!

SECRET SANTA will put you in the Christmas spirit, even if it is only October. A quick and quirky read, Sabrina James makes you guess throughout the entire book on how the events will turn out. The perfect stocking stuffer and/or a book you can read by the fire with loads of hot chocolate nearby.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

Its Christmas in Manhattan and North Ridge High has decided to go a different route with a game of Secret Santa. Who will end up together? Find out yourself!

I really liked this book and would definitely recommend. It just has a bunch of high school students trying to figure out the secret Santa gifts, "Presents? Kisses? Maybe both!"

Noelle Kramer and Lilly Norris have been best friends their whole lives. They stick together through this adventure. Noelle had a crush on Charlie Grant, her neighbor, for as long as she can remember, but what will happen when his little brother comes into the picture? Lilly has yet to get over her last boyfriend, but who knows what this game will do for her?

Celia Armstrong, also known as "beach girl," just moved in and hangs around with the "popular girls," but would rather be with Noelle and Lilly. You'll be surprised at who she ends up with!

This book makes you guess who will end up together, but don't get confused! Sabrina James made this book suitable for almost any age, by making it something to relate to. It is a quick read, but still a great book.

If there's one thing living just a stone's throw away from Manhattan has instilled in North Ridge High School students, it's to expect a white Christmas, full of hot chocolate, holiday light displays, and, this year, something completely unexpected...a Secret Santa event.

Noelle Kramer has lived next-door to Charlie Grant for almost an entire decade, and, with each passing year, her infatuation with him as grown and grown. Unfortunately, as a lowly sophomore, Charlie, one of the hottest senior's at North Ridge, seems to be oblivious to Noelle's affections; or to the fact that she is completely willing and able to hold the title of being his girlfriend for all eternity. Pulling his name from the Secret Santa sack will give her the perfect opportunity to prove her love for him.

Noelle's best friend, Lily Norris, on the other hand, has had it with love. After having her boyfriend cheat on her over the summer while he was working as a camp counselor, Lily has had enough of guys, and simply wants to enjoy the holidays - boyfriend free. But with the stress of attempting to choose the perfect gifts for her Secret Santa, Lily just knows that the holidays are going to be one blunder after another.

Celia "Beach Girl" Armstrong, never thought she would find herself thrust into the middle of a cold climate like New York, after spending her entire life lounging under the sunny skies of California. But, now that she's here, she knows that she'd better make the best of it. And, after falling in with the "girls about town," Amber Davenport and Shawna Westin, Celia thinks that she'll be able to make a splash at North Ridge. Ad she does. Unfortunately, it's not the kind of splash she was craving. Hanging with Amber and Shawna is fun, but it's totally not her style; she'd much rather be palling around with Noelle and Lily. Luckily, she draws the name of her uber-crush from the Secret Santa pouch and thinks that, perhaps, her Christmas wish of having a boyfriend will come true. But when her gifts go over less-than-perfect, she begins to contemplate whether she'll ever truly survive in the chilly New York climate.

If there's one thing I can't resist around the holidays, it's a Christmas story to put me in the spirit. Sabrina James' SECRET SANTA is the ideal place to turn. James has turned the popular school activity of playing Secret Santa into a fun holiday romp that leaves both the reader and the characters in a state of confusion, as they attempt to identify each and every Secret Santa. While every character is to-die-for, I couldn't help but find myself truly adoring Celia and Shawna. The fact that they both play puppets to Amber's puppet-master was irritating, but they both had such shining personalities that came through in each and every scene they appeared in. I will admit that the amount of characters - there are over ten - were slightly hard to keep track of in the beginning, as the book wore on, everyone's personalities began to shine as bright as Christmas lights, making it simple to differentiate one character from another. And the fact that James incorporated a little charity work - in the form of Toys for Tots - only made me love the story more. This is one holiday gem that won't stay a SECRET for long!

Erika Sorocco

Freelance Reviewer

This was the first book that I read by the author Sabrina James and I really liked how the author switched between multiple different characters. This type of writing is not for everybody because I have read books that switch characters and I am completely confused what is going on with the plot. But not with this author, she did a really good job. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to snuggle to a good winter read.

I picked this up not even realizing it was a Young Adult book. I really enjoyed reading it. It was a great way to kick start the holidays.

I am a librarian, and I sponsor a book club for 7th and 8th graders at my school. We ordered this book for our December selection. They really loved the book!

My daughter loved this book so much that she read it again! Just today we bought her the next Sabrina James book, "Be Mine" and she cant wait to read it! Its a great book for teens and tweens! My daughter and I both recomend this great read!

While this book is very predictable, it was still very cute and heart warming. So if you want something that will lift your spirits and make you smile then chose this book.