I didn't know that much about this book when I started reading, so I was in for a surprise when I found out who Aidan really was and what family he came from.

Charity Jones is not your typical teenager girl - she's a science genius and popular target for bullying at her school. However, when her mother brings home Aidan, a homeless boy, everything changes. The self-conscious girl can't believe there's actually someone interested in her, and soon she experiences her first true love. However, a happy end is not meant to be. First, there's Charity's brother, a drug dealer and overall mean character, who blames Charity and Aidan for his failures. But even more dangerous is the evil father Aidan fled from - and who is determined to bring his son home. Also, Aidan seems to have some secrets of his own, and when a monster starts terrorizing the neighborhood which shares the same startling blue eyes as Aidan, Charity doesn't know whom to trust any longer. With the help of her equally misfit friends, she is determined to solve the puzzle, unaware of the deadly danger they get themselves in.

* the following may contain spoilers *
I really really loved the outcome of the plot, as I had no idea about Aidan's origin, which features one of my favorite evil creatures. I also liked the concept of the 'split personality' of Aidan's father, making him the perfect yin and yang of Christmas.

The one thing I would criticize about this book was the writing style. While it seems to fit the way teenagers think and talk perfectly (I guess), it slightly got on my nerves sometimes. However, I hope this will not label the book as YA only, as the plot itself should please older readers as well.

The ending - clever idea to stop when it was the most exciting and only add a final, more comforting chapter after the epilogue - may hint at a sequel, but not necessarily so. I'd definitely appreciate to read more about Charity and Aidan. However, a kind of prequel explaining the details of Aidan's background and the reasons for his father's turn to evil would be even better.

A somewhat different and therefore recommended read for the season...

(I chose to read this book - all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased) ( )