Chasing The Monster – A Book Review

For me, Christmas is a time of joy, love, and laughter with my family and closest friends. My favorite holiday is Christmas Vacation to the islands of Italy and Switzerland. We have fond memories of pulling out our carpet and tumbling down snow mountains, driving across country roads, and getting into those houses that we had always dreamt about as children. This year I want to share some travel tips with you for planning your own Christmas Vacation.

If you have never been on a christmas vacation, then you should know that the city of Tuscany in Italy is a wonderful place to visit. My aunt and uncle live there and every year they plan a short getaway that takes us to the Italian countryside. As an adult, I always think that it would be nice to spend my own holiday at my aunt’s beautiful home, but I know that it is too expensive. So this year I decided to book a vacation that would include me going to my aunt and uncle’s home in Tuscany.

As a Christmas vacation, my plan was to spend one night in my aunt and uncle’s beautiful home and then my short story “A Christmas Vacation in Tuscany.” I have always wanted to write a short story that would take place in Italy, so this was a wonderful chance for me to do just that. I spent two days driving up and down the beautiful streets of Tuscany and stopping in small towns along the way. I met some wonderful people and had a chance to explore some of the most famous churches and cathedrals in Tuscany. I am excited to share this amazing experience with you.

My short story begins in November, with the arrival of winter. My aunt calls me and says that she is having trouble getting to sleep because of all of the snow that is coming down outside her house. She wants to leave town and takes the car for the winter so she can drive around on her own. I want to help her out but I have to warn her that the roads are actually dangerous and snow is the fastest moving kind of material there is. The next morning she calls again, requesting that I go with her that day so that she can “see how snowy it is outside.”

That afternoon, we begin our short story adventure. Aunt Martha makes her way into the house through the front entrance before knocking on the front door. When she knocks, however, the snow starts to fly right off the porch and onto the floor. This frightens her and she storms off in frustration while I help her put the snow away with some help from my father.

We return to the Christening, where my mother and grandmother prepare for their upcoming Christmas vacation. Everyone seems to be in the holiday spirit as everyone opens gifts and places new ornaments on the tree. Grandma tries to cheer me up by telling me she remembers when she was a little girl, she used to dream about leaving her old childhood home and living the wonderful life she now calls home. I try to laugh, but I can’t help feeling tears welling up in my eyes. My grandmother has always told me that she always dreamed about leaving her old home and beginning a new life in a new place. So even though I am sitting here thinking about leaving my Christening party, I can’t help but think of how lucky I am to live in a place where Christmas is still celebrated as long as people like Audrey Griswold do.

It is a Wonderful Life with Audrey Griswold, written by Audrey Yanez. This Christmas Vacation book continues the tradition started with Audrey’s first novel Chasing The Monster. This time, the author switches gears and tells a different kind of Christmas story in pursuit of Audrey’s dreams. And it’s a journey that takes all of us down paths we’ve never traveled before in pursuit of having our own Christening party.

If you haven’t read the book, or haven’t heard of it, I encourage you to do so. You’ll be glad you did. Chasing The Monster will make your next christmas vacation truly special and the hunt for Audrey Griswold house christmas lights will be easier than ever.