December 25, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of A Happy Christmas Ceilidh

Book cover for A Happy Christmas Ceilidh by Zoe Tasia. Image on cover is a drawing of a snowperson that’s doing a handstand outside in the snow beside some fir trees. Its stick arms are leaning down to touch the snow and its scarf is falling down onto the snow. Title: A Happy Christmas Ceilidh (The Shrouded Isle)

Author: Zoe Tasia

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: December 1 or 23, 2022

Genres: Fantasy, Holiday, Romance, Contemporary

Length: 82 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 3 stars

Blurb:

It’s their first winter holiday together on the Shrouded Isle…
American widow Becca, her two daughters, and her Scottish boyfriend, Greg, are looking forward to celebrating.But trouble comes…
As an elf on the shelf moves of its own volition, a snowman attracts too much attention, and an elderly neighbor is in dire need of Christmas cheer.To make matters worse…
Becca and Greg find perfect gifts for each other. Unfortunately, neither can afford the price.Hilarity ensues as they struggle to find solutions for their problems. A Happy Christmas Ceilidh is a heart-warming tale about what happens when love brings a family and a community together.Content Warning: References to the main character being widowed and raising two kids on her own.

Review:

Nobody should be alone for the holidays.

This novella had a wonderful sense of community. That is to say, the characters genuinely cared about their neighbours and went out of their way to not only ensure that everyone’s needs were taken care of but that many of their wants were as well. This is one of those things I love about Christmas-themed stories given how warm and fuzzy it makes me feel to hear about everyone being treated with kindness, inclusion, and compassion. After all, isn’t that what Christmas is all about?

I found it a little confusing to jump among multiple narrators while reading this, especially given the subplots that only some narrators were interested in exploring. No sooner did I adjust to one perspective than someone else would show up in the following chapter to talk about something that may or may not be related to what had just happened. As much as I wanted to give one a higher rating, these issues were an obstacle to doing so.

With that being said, the fantasy subplot was subtle during most of this piece and fit the characters and setting well. There’s something amusing about needing to figure out if something otherworldly is actually happening or if the characters are somehow misinterpreting uncommon but plausible events. As much as I’d love to dive into this subject even more deeply, it’s best for other readers to discover for themselves what was really going on here.

A Happy Christmas Ceilidh was full of holiday cheer. 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Science Fiction and Fantasy

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

December 23, 2025 · 1:00 am

Top Ten Tuesday: Winter Solstice Bookish Wishes


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

The text of this image has a dark blue background and the phrase “happy winter solstice” written in a cursive yellow font. In the centre of the image, a sprig of golden and blue berries is covered in snow and includes some dead twigs that are still attached to the recenlty living portions of this plant. Happy belated Winter Solstice to everyone who celebrated it a few days ago!

Here are my Winter Solstice bookish wishes for 2026.

1. Better ways to learn about upcoming nonfiction titles.

Goodreads sometimes mentions them, but there are no dedicated lists for new nonfiction there from what I can find. If you know of a site that remains up-to-date on this, please share.

2. Library access for everyone.

One of the things that surprised me when I started to get to know other Top Ten Tuesday bloggers is that free public libraries don’t exist in some countries and are maybe only available in big cities in others. I think everyone should have access to free books no matter where you live.

3. More novels about older protagonists  

When I say older, I mean senior citizen age. Even though I’m a long way from reaching that label, I enjoy reading about the lives of people who aren’t your typically 18-30 year old protagonists. There’s so much more to life than being a teenager or young adult, and it’s not explored enough in my opinion.

4. More short stories and novellas 

I know I’ve mentioned my love of shorter form literature in previous bookish wishes posts, but this is my comfort zone at the moment.

5. A good cup of tea

So much in life can be made just an little easier with a good cup of tea.

6. New books from all of our favourite authors.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

51 Comments

Filed under Blog Hops

Tagged as

December 18, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of A Very Uncanny Christmas

Book cover for A Very Uncanny Christmas - A Jack Hansard Short Story by Georgina Jeffery. Image on cover is a drawing of four small bottles of potions, one purple, one pink, one red and one white, left by a brick fireplace. In the centre of the display of potions is a light blue glowing potion in a glass jar that’s attached to a large red container. Title: A Very Uncanny Christmas – A Jack Hansard Short Story

Author: Georgina Jeffery

Publisher:

Publication Date: December 18, 2024

Genres: Fantasy, Holiday, Contemporary

Length: 74 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

When Jack Hansard, Purveyor of Occult Goods, takes a break from hawking dodgy potions and broken magic charms to go home for Christmas, he expects to suffer through a painfully normal family reunion. However, it soon become obvious his family is under some kind of Christmas everybody is being too nice.

Then there’s the freak snow, and the weird knitted jumpers, and the elf that little Nicky swears he saw poisoning the mince pies. Whatever’s going on, it’s something that lurks beyond the ordinary.

Jack must face sinister singalongs, enchanted toys, and possibly even Santa Claus himself to get to the bottom of the mystery and save Christmas . . .

. . . Or at least, save his family from Christmas.

Funny urban fantasy with a magic(ish) salesman, a Welsh coblyn, and a misguided Christmas spirit. A Very Uncanny Christmas is a standalone short story in The Jack Hansard Series that can be read on its own.

Review:

There’s something to be said for being a good sport about things one doesn’t quite understand, but there’s also something to be said for being honest.

Jack’s grumpy attitude and vivid descriptions of the things that irritated him amused me. Honestly, I agreed with the many of the points he made about subjects like the commercialization of the holidays or how much pressure can be placed upon someone, whether purposefully or inadvertently, to pretend to enjoy traditions that they at best don’t personally glean any meaning or joy from and at worst might even be a little painful for them for various reasons.  He had the freedom to voice these complaints openly and straightforwardly without anyone trying to silence him which I was intrigued by as this often hasn’t been my experience as a woman in similar situations. This is not to say I think that being grumpy is generally the best course of action, only that it was interesting to meet a character who could so plainly say what he truly thought.

I would have liked to see more time spent on resolving the main conflict in this novella. So many pages were used to build up the tension that I felt a little let down by how it was wrapped up in the end due to how quickly it happened and how many questions I still had about the characters and how magic worked in this universe. While this was still very much a standalone read, I would have happily gone with a higher rating if the conflict had been given more even pacing.

There was a subplot quietly weaving its way through this tale that piqued my interest. As it gradually grew louder, I appreciated the deeper levels of meaning that could be found in a house that was decorated a little too cheerfully and in stacks of presents that overwhelmed the protagonist. Not everyone’s experience of the holidays is the same, so what appears perfectly normal to one family may have a completely different meaning to another. I’m dancing around this topic because I think it’s best for other readers to pick up on the clues for themselves, but I liked the way the author used common Christmas tropes to get his point across.

A Very Uncanny Christmas was full of surprises.

4 Comments

Filed under Science Fiction and Fantasy

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

December 17, 2025 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Something I Wish I Were Better At Doing

Hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

Click here to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question and here to see the full list of topics for the year.

A light orange sign that says “new skills training”. Just so you all know, I’ve been having trouble leaving comments on some WordPress blogs recently. They ask me to log in even though I’m already logged in, and then when I leave my comment it never appears on the post. If I don’t comment on your post, I am not ignoring you.

Now onto today’s topic.

I wish I were better at starting and  keeping conversations going with people I’ve either just met or don’t know much about.

As someone who is shy and introverted with a splash of social anxiety to add another layer of difficulty to it all, I still do not always know what to say to enrich a conversation.

I worry about accidentally hurting someone’s feelings by mentioning something that is a sensitive topic for them.

If I’m talking to someone I already know, I can easily steer the conversation away from topics I know are tricky for them and to things I know will make their faces light up with joy.

With a stranger or acquaintance, you can’t possibly know in advance where all of their sore spots are even if you try to avoid the most obvious topics that should be handled delicately if at all.

I’m also uninterested in stuff like sports, fashion, or celebrity gossip that many people use as icebreakers. So you can ask me about that sportsball game or which actors are secretly dating if you wish to…but I won’t have a solitary clue what you’re talking about and so will just be smiling and nodding along without anything new to add to whatever just happened.

This is something I’ve gradually gotten better at over the years, but it’s still not easy for me to come up with general interest topics that are inoffensive and interesting but that I also know enough about to keep talking about.

Thank goodness for books is all I can say. Without them and the interesting ideas they contain, whether they’re science facts or cool plot twists in fictional tales,  I truly would be permanently stumped.

 

12 Comments

Filed under Blog Hops

Tagged as , , , , ,

December 16, 2025 · 1:00 am

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Winter 2025-2026 to-Read List


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

 

A sprig of holly lying on an opened hardcover book that itself is lying on some rough rocks at the beach on a sunny day. Just so you all know, I’ve been having trouble leaving comments on some WordPress blogs recently. They ask me to log in even though I’m already logged in, and then when I leave my comment it never appears on the post. If I don’t comment on your post, I am not ignoring you.

The photo I included in this post made me chuckle because the beaches in Ontario are often inaccessible in the winter.

Windy days are common here in Southern Ontario, and in the winter all of that wind can blow freezing water up the shore and onto any sidewalks or piers nearby.

So not only it is well below freezing for us then, the land next to our lakes is often coated in a thick layer of ice that can be incredibly slippery and dangerous.

I’m glad that people in some other parts of the world can take leisurely strolls next to their lakes or oceans in the winter without possibly slipping straight into the freezing water, though. It must be lovely, and I mean that sincerely if also slightly humorously.

With that mental image  firmly in place, here are some books I’m looking forward to checking out this winter.

 

Book cover for “Is This a Cry for Help?” By Emily Austin. Image on cover is a drawing of two pale legs sticking out from behind a gigantic stack of books.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily R. Austin

Publication Date: January 13

Why I’m Interested: Book bans are something I’m always curious to read about, especially from the perspective of a librarian who is fighting them.

 

Book cover for How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days: Tales from Hawthorne Cottage by Jessie Sylva. Image on cover shows flowers growing around a golden mirror or some other similar round object.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days: Tales from Hawthorne Cottage by Jessie Sylva

Publication Date: January 20

Why I’m Interested: Honestly, the title is what drew me to this one. I love puns and cozy speculative fiction.

 

 

Book cover for Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett. Image on cover shows a drawing of cats of various colours sitting in a large wooden piece of furniture that looks like it may have originally been built to hold china instead. It has little windows and recesses to put your valuables, like cats for example. Ha!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

Publication Date: February 3

Why I’m Interested: Animal rescue is one of those topics that will draw my attention to all sorts of different books. There’s nothing like reading about an abandoned animal finding a happy new home.

 

Book cover for The Daughter Who Remains by Nnedi Okorafor. Image on cover is a drawing of a black woman being enveloped in a yellow-green mist as she holds both arms up and embraces whatever is happening to her. There also appears to be a snake writhing near her neck for reasons I do not know as I haven’t read this book yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  The Daughter Who Remains by Nnedi Okorafor

Publication Date: February 17

Why I’m Interested: It will hopefully encourage me to finally begin this trilogy. I’m generally a fan of Ms. Okorafor’s work and the afro-futurism genre as a whole.

 

Book cover for Onward: 16 Climate Fiction Short Stories to Inspire Hope by Erin Entrada Kelly. Image on cover is a drawing of a sandglass-shaped hole in a cave that opens to show the viewer a bird sitting on a ledge in the cave looking down at a serene pool of water in the forest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Onward: 16 Climate Fiction Short Stories to Inspire Hope by Erin Entrada Kelly

Publication Date: February 24

Why I’m Interested: To be honest, climate change is not looking good at the moment. I worry about what the future may hold as the Earth continues to warm up. My fingers are crossed that this book will imagine some cleaner, cooler futures for us all.

 

74 Comments

Filed under Blog Hops

Tagged as ,

December 14, 2025 · 3:31 pm

Long and Short Review’s 2025 Winter Blogfest is Open for Submissions

A dark blue banner with white snowflakes gently falling from the top portion of it. The blue gradually grows lighter, too, as your eye scans to the bottom of the banner. The text reads” Long and Short Reviews Winter Blogfest. A Prize on Every Post. December 22-26, 2025.”

 

I know some of my readers are also authors, so I must let you all know that Long and Short Reviews is currently accepting submissions from authors who want to write a guest post for them over the holidays.

The two most important things you’ll need to participate are:

1)  a prize to give to one of the people who comments on your post.

Previous participants have often chosen prizes like free ebooks or print copies of one of their books, bookmarks, mugs, jewelry, gift certificates to an online bookstore, etc. You decide what sort of prize you’d like to offer, and this is otherwise a completely free opportunity to meet new fans and network with other authors, and  maybe find a few great new books for your own TBR pile.

2) a 250-500 word guest blog post on any winter or winter-holiday themed topic.

In previous years, authors have shared true stories, fictional stories, recipes, poems, memories, or other snapshots of Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Christmas, the Winter Solstice, other holidays from this time of the year, or winter in general.

The deadline is December 19, but there is a participation cap of 50 guest authors so submissions may close before then.

Everyone is welcomed at the Winter Blogfest, and all of the posts for it will be published between December 22 and 26.

 

Click on the first link in this post for more information and to sign up.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Writing

Tagged as , , , , ,

December 11, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of A Visit from Naughty Claus

Title: A Visit from Naughty Claus (‘twere the Night After Christmas)Book cover for A Visit from Naughty Claus Author: RyFT Brand (Robert F Thompson). Image on cover shows a drawing of a scary looking man with a large nose rubbing something long and stick-shaped with a cloth.

Author: RyFT Brand (Robert F Thompson)

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: December 1, 2011

Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary, Holiday

Length: 3 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

Bad kids get coal; really bad kids get a visit from Naughty Claus. Free until December the thirty-first—Happy Holidays!
Can’t seem to stay off the naughty list? Does your behavior make the bad kids cry? Do you cheer when you find a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking? If so you’d better forget watching out and just start running, because Naughty Clause is coming to town. A Visit from Naughty Claus, a dark and dreary tale of Christmas woe in verse that follows the fateful Christmas night when a boy who just couldn’t behave gets his just deserts, and it ain’t Christmas pudding with a sprig of holly in it either. Ready to start behaving?

Content Warning: a terrible tantrum and an even worse consequence for that tantrum.

Review:

Christmas comes in many forms.

This poem is so short that my review of it may very well end up having more words in it than the poem itself! It’s a riff of The Night Before Christmas, but the point of it can still be made if there are any readers who aren’t already familiar with the original. I enjoy seeing how modern authors reinterpret old classics and thought this was a realistic take on what Christmas can be like for some families who aren’t exactly picture perfect.

The beginning explained how the narrator’s family was attempting to deal with a child who seemed to be keen to destroy Christmas for everyone in that household. I say attempting because the parents were trying but didn’t seem to have the gumption to really put their feet down and get their child to stop destroying presents and ruining the house. As I was reading, I wondered if the youngster had been spoiled during his short lifetime or if he had something going on with his mental or physical health that was contributing to these tantrums. Yes, I know I’m probably wildly overthinking this, but it was interesting to come up with various theories about what was going on with him.

As for the ending? Well, you’ll have to discover that for yourselves. It made me wish Mr.  Thompson would reappear on the literary scene and write a sequel to this short, funny piece. There was more he could do with it, and I would have found it amusing to find out what happened next. In the meantime, I’ll just have to use my imagination and encourage all of my readers to check out this playful piece of poetry as Christmas looms nearer.

A Visit from Naughty Claus made me chuckle.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Science Fiction and Fantasy

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

December 10, 2025 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: 10 Gifts for People Who Love The Outdoors

Hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

Click here to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question and here to see the full list of topics for the year.

Two gifts, one the size of a hardback novel and the other the size of a large adult human hand, are wrapped in white paper. They both have red ribbons tied around them and greenery tucked inside of the ribbon next to the wrapping paper. I am not very talented at making generic present suggestions because so much of what goes into gift buying for me are the specific personality traits and interests of the recipients.

Some people would love tickets to a baseball game or a lightweight kettle they can bring with them on backcountry hiking trips, for example, while others might find it exciting to get a gift card to a beloved local coffee shop or a new book from their favourite author.

The last time we had this prompt, I talked about what to buy for minimalists who don’t want a lot of stuff they then have to dust or look after.

This year I’m going to give some gift ideas for nature lovers as I happen to be one of those folks who loves spending time outdoors surrounded by plants and (docile) wildlife.

Closeup photo of a small tree branch covered in a heavy layer of wet snow. 1) Their favourite sunscreen, bug spray, anti-itch cream, or lotion.

Obviously, check ahead of time to see which products they prefer and if they’re comfortable with this, but I love getting practical gifts like this.

2) A subscription to a weather app

You do not want to be wandering out into the forest and possibly out of communication range if tornadoes, thunderstorms, or blizzards are in the forecast!

3) Shelf-stable snacks

Dried fruit or vegetables, crackers, trail mix, dried meat,  ingredients for s’mores, and similar items  are much appreciated after working up an appetite outdoors.

4) A new water bottle 

Make it something sturdy that won’t shatter into a thousand pieces if it is accidentally dropped.

5) A gift card to their favourite grocery store or outdoorsy store

This is such a flexible idea that can work for people of any age or fitness level. I like outdoor picnics, for example, and would be thrilled to splurge on a few fancy food options if I had a gift card to a grocery store. Someone who hikes out in the wilderness for days on end might prefer to use their gift card towards new hiking boots,  a tent, or a million other options you can find that you didn’t know existed at stores that specialize in hiking, camping, rock climbing, and other outdoor activities.

6) Companionship

If you’re able to, offer to go with them on one of their adventures. Some types of outdoor activities are simply not safe to do alone at all, and most of them are much more fun with a friend or a group of people.

7) A sun hat

My dad bought me a great new sun hat  last spring. I was able to get so much use out of it this year, and it’s a good idea to use multiple layers of protection against the sun on a bright or hot day.

8) Camera accessories 

My phone takes pretty great photos, but there are so many accessories that serious photographers could use to take even better ones.

9) Stories

Is it really a campfire or a bonfire if nobody has any stories to tell? I’d argue no. The more stories everyone shows up with, the better. They can be from fiction or nonfiction books as well as from real life.

10) A small first aid kit

Obviously, I hope that no one ever needs to use it, but I always carry some basic supplies with me if I’m going anywhere other than downtown Toronto. It has come in handy once or twice, too!

10 Comments

Filed under Blog Hops

Tagged as , ,

December 9, 2025 · 1:00 am

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set in Snowy Places


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Five deciduous trees that have lost all of their autumn leaves and now have every single one of their branches coated in snow. They look like someone sprinkled powdered sugar on them. The sky behind them is light blue, there are fir trees in the distance, and the ground is blanketed in fresh, white snow. I’ve read the first eight of these, and the rest are still on my TBR list. Snowy settings can be so interesting to read about, although I only enjoy heavy snowfalls in real life when I can stay home and don’t have to shovel snow or drive in it.

(Making snow people can be fun, though!)

1. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

2. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

3. Little Women (Little Women, #1) by Louisa May Alcott (some scenes were quite snowy, but not all of them).

4. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1) by C.S. Lewis

5. The Long Winter (Little House, #6) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

6. White Fang by Jack London

7. The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen

8. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

9. Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson

10. Northern Lights (His Dark Materials, #1) by Philip Pullman

11. Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata

12. The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1) by Katherine Arden

58 Comments

Filed under Blog Hops

Tagged as

December 4, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of Hearth Stories, Winter Solstice 2024

Book cover for Hearth Stories, Winter Solstice 2024 by LM Zaerr, Alicia Adam’s, Coll Marshall, Sarah Connell, Michael M. Jones, A. Katherine Black, and Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Image on cover shows a teardrop-shaped leaf that has no color left in it. Some red and orange flowers have been embroidered onto it which makes me think the leaf was probably created by a human, too, as something this thin and translucent would crumble if someone actually tried to embroider it. Title: Hearth Stories, Winter Solstice 2024, Book 3

Author: LM Zaerr, Alicia Adam’s, Coll Marshall, Sarah Connell, Michael M. Jones, A. Katherine Black, and Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

Publisher: Hearth Stories

Publication Date: December 21, 2024

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Historical

Length: 44 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the publisher.

Rating: 4 Stars

Blurb:

Hearth Stories is a speculative fiction magazine focused on cozy fantasy stories. Each issue features a letter from the editor, author bios and interviews, and wonderful stories focused on family, home life, connection, and the natural world.

This issue features the following stories:

The Portal Makers of Thistleton Fair by LM Zaerr

Out of the Rain by Alicia Adams

Enough by Coll Marshall

The Hermit, the Inkeeper, and Clem by Sarah Connell

An Encounter in Spice and Thyme by Michael M. Jones

Dig and the Dragon by A. Katherine Black

The Lady of Shallot by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Content Warning: Serious illness.

Review:

A simple life is a happy life.

“Out of the Rain” explored the lives of an elderly couple who were no longer able to physically keep up with their farm work or housework. It can be difficult for people who have been independent for decades to admit they need some help now, and I enjoyed the way the narrator explored the many different emotions that can be stirred up in this stage of life. I also enjoyed the fact that this was a homage to a much older story. There’s something to be said for breathing new life in such things by updating them in various ways, and it’s something that makes me smile every time I come across it.

Halreth and his fellow villagers were under the influence of a dangerous spell that compelled them to chop down a forest in “Enough.” The parable here was easy to uncover and I did find myself wishing the author had trusted his readers a little more to understand what he was saying without repeated his points so many times, but I thought it was interesting to explore the protagonist’s reaction to the spell when compared to his many happy memories of visiting the forest when he needed new herbs to treat his sick or injured neighbours. To be fair, some readers may need the level of repetition that was included here, so don’t let my mixed emotions about it prevent you from trying it yourself.

The unique way “An Encounter in Spice and Thyme” was framed made me want to read a sequel to this piece. Most authors would have written it from the perspective of Melanie as she tried to help her sick grandmother rather than the point of view of the owner of the magic shop. While this did mean that the reader doesn’t get to know as many details about this illness and its treatment as we normally would, it also opened up the door to explore the conflicts and themes as Layla observed them and tried to figure out how much help she ought to offer to someone who was brand new to the world of using spells in baking and didn’t know where to begin.

Hearth Stories, Winter Solstice 2024 was overflowing with love and respect for the natural world.

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorised

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,