Throughout December, alongside our usual reviews, we’ll be featuring Winter and Christmas inspired books. Have a look at what we’ve been reading so far…
‘Kitty In The Winter Wild’ by DAVID BRAMHALL (Fantasy Adventure, 2018 | 14+)
Find It At: https://amzn.to/3STOkkz
About: A magician who can’t do magic, a very twiggy sorceress who does it rather well, and a wolf who can use a mobile phone but means to eat our heroine anyway… What begins as a fairly normal journey home from boarding school at Christmas, soon becomes a frightening and strange adventure as Britain is enveloped in the worst winter in living memory. Kitty joins up with her brother and sister but their journey goes completely wrong as roads and railways are blocked, electricity supplies fail and odd things begin to happen. The oddest things of all are some of the friends they meet who seem not to belong to the same century as the children or, indeed, as each other. And the enemies they encounter are the stuff of nightmare, driven by malice as old as the hills from which they come.
‘War On Christmas’ by ELLE CAMPBELL (Romance, 2023)
Find It At: https://amzn.to/40U3Leq
About: Freya Nilsen, the witchy black sheep of her sunshiny family, has one goal: survive the holidays in her hometown of Northview, Wisconsin, then jingle all the way back to her real life in Chicago. And she won’t let Jeremy Kelly, her childhood-best-friend-turned high-school-rival, get in her way. Jeremy, a swoony charmer, is sick of playing it safe. So when his mum invites him home to Northview for Christmas, it’s the perfect opportunity to shake things up. And who better to turn his life upside down like a snow globe than Freya, his darkly compelling childhood neighbour? When Freya and Jeremy reunite, old tensions flare hotter than a solstice bonfire, and in true rival fashion, they embark on a holiday challenge. Freya’s goal? Seduce Jeremy into a fling that ends at Christmas. Jeremy’s? Convince Freya that their deep connection is what they’ve both been missing. Is it all just a sexy game between rivals? Or as the countdown to Christmas begins, will Freya and Jeremy find that a second chance at love is the best gift of all?
‘Happily Ever After?’ by MELISSA JOHN (Romance, 2023)
Find It At: https://amzn.to/3Rhig96
About: Escape to an enchanting winter wonderland at a luxury fairy-tale-themed resort where Cally Jackson and her teen daughter are back for a magical Christmas getaway. With snowflakes falling and lights twinkling, they can’t wait to make all their Christmas wishes come true. Top of Cally’s Christmas list is rekindling her romance with Prince Charming, Korean heartthrob Han Ji-Sung, who captured her heart during her summer holiday. But this time, Cally is young(ish), free, and single, and ready for a second chance at love. The plan is simple: fall back into the arms of her perfect man for a perfect fairy-tale ending. What could possibly go wrong? Can Cally finally find her happily ever after?
‘The Influencer Who Saved Christmas’ by AMY RIPLEY (Teens/Young Adults, 2023)
Find It At: https://amzn.to/3RchABH
About: Zander Maloney is an influencer whose upbringing was challenging. He was taken in by his best friend’s parents, who adopted him. With the world on the edge of economic collapse and the divide between the rich and poor getting wider, Zander wants to use his powers as an Influencer to reach out to wealthy organisations and try to make sure everyone can have a magical Christmas meal. Will his dreams become a reality? Or will people go starving at the most charitable time of the year? Will he face other problems along the way? And does an encounter with a Hotel receptionist kindle any romantic spark?
‘Nochebuena (A Holiday Novella)’ by STEPHANIE SHEA
Find It At: https://amzn.to/49Uf4at
About: Camila Morales is a hopeless romantic. Not that she thinks every couple is meant to be – she is a divorce lawyer, after all. But when her happy, married-thirty-years parents announce their own separation three weeks before Christmas, Cami’s world is turned upside down, especially since she’s been trying to feel her way through her own marital slump for months. Sutton Davies is an imposter. At least, that’s what her therapist says. Or was it that she may have imposter syndrome? Same difference. With a promotion she’s not sure she deserves, a wife who’s definitely too good for her, and a best friend who’s always been in her corner, she should be fine. Perfect, even. But maybe that’s the problem – this unattainable quest for perfection – which is why she’s decided to focus on something she can control. Proving to Cami that this bout of spotty communication and dwindling intimacy is nothing but a blip. Every couple goes through it, right? Will Sutton’s attempts to reconnect over the holidays reignite sparks, or is it all too little too late?
GET IN TOUCH: We are always on the lookout for more self-published books to review! If you have any suggestions or would like us to consider your book for review (Christmas/Winter themed or otherwise), get in touch today at notforvanity@gmail.com!
