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Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite
Valerie Allen’s Holiday Prankster is a short story that follows Alissa and her boyfriend, Randy, as they head to a holiday dinner with his family. It’s the first time she’ll be meeting them, and she’s nervous because it’s important. On the way over, she becomes slightly more worried when he tells her an infamous tale that still embarrasses him now when it comes up at every single family gathering. The narrative moves between the present and flashes back to Randy’s memory as he’s explaining it to her. When they finally gather around the table, the traditions, chatter, and anticipation all settle in like familiar holiday background noise. Everything builds toward the arrival of the dessert. But what are the black things in the rice pudding?
Holiday Prankster by Valerie Allen is a quick, light, and fun read. The writing is relaxed and conversational, feeling almost like I was right there at the table, eating with them. I also appreciated that the characters talk and act like real people. Randy’s family’s love of pranking elicited thoughts of my favorite Christmas movie, Home Alone. I think that movie came to mind because this book is all about teasing and silly moments that culminate in something bigger. I enjoyed the humor and how it reminds readers that old childhood memories can stick with us longer than we think (or want them to, sometimes). The ending was unexpected and had me laughing out loud. It’s a short story full of charm that is easy to visualize. I could also see it becoming a book series. I highly recommend it.
