Tag Archives: Novella

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. 

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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.

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November 20, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of Hearth Stories, Winter Solstice 2023

Book cover for Hearth Stories, Winter Solstice 2023 by Sarah Jackson, Adriana C. Grigore,  Em Harriett, Alicia Adams, Catherine Yeates, Akis Linardos, Jennifer Shelby, Katherine B. Randall, Emily Yu, & A.P. Howell. Image on cover is a drawing of a dandelion that has fully turned from yellow to white and is ready for all of its seeds to be blown away. Title: Hearth Stories, Winter Solstice 2023

Author: Sarah Jackson, Adriana C. Grigore,  Em Harriett, Alicia Adams, Catherine Yeates, Akis Linardos, Jennifer Shelby, Katherine B. Randall, Emily Yu, & A.P. Howell

Publisher: Hearth Stories

Publication Date: December 21, 2023

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, LGBTQ+, Historical, Contemporary

Length: 128 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the publisher.

Rating: 5 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.

Content Warning: Brief references to domestic violence, broken bones (not from domestic violence), blood, loss of bladder function, climate change, and mild household injuries.

Review:

Nature is for everyone.

“Dandelion” was a heartwarming tale about a tiny, human-like creature who helped an injured duck. The kind and brave protagonist, Dandy, made me smile. I also appreciated how much this felt like a traditional fable with its straightforward descriptions of the setting and characters and gentle tone. As much as I’d like to go into greater detail here, it’s better for other readers to get to know Dandy for themselves and be surprised by the wholesome plot twists along the way.

Magic wasn’t something everyone was capable of doing, so the fact that Naomi could do it was meaningful. “Primeval” followed her as she adjusted to yet another school and tried to figure out how to cast spells. The world building in this entire collection was well done, but this piece in particular stood out to me due to how many layers of meaning the author was able to squeeze into a short story. Honestly, this felt like it could be the first chapter of a novel or the first instalment of a long series due to how much I learned about Naomi as well as how many future conflicts and moments of pure joy were just barely hinted at.

While I didn’t necessarily connect with every tale in this collection on a personal level, this is my own shortcoming as all of them were well written. Style is such a subjective topic that I can’t possibly take off any stars due to this, but I did want to mention it in case other readers have similar experiences. Yes, the themes remained the same from beginning to end as far as the magic of forests and the importance of looking after nature goes, but the writing styles varied so much that in my opinion there should be something here for many different types of readers.

There was kindness woven into every moment of Ginny’s life in “The Second Form of Ginny Elder.” She was a senior citizen living with a few physical disabilities who looked after every sick or injured animal who showed up in her garden. Her sweet personality made me adore her immediately, especially once the narrator shared a little bit about her tragic backstory, and my feelings for her only grew warmer and deeper as I saw how careful she was to look after all of her charges. There was a beautiful twist to this tale that I didn’t see coming but that fit Ginny’s personality and history perfectly. Do keep an eye out for it as you read!

Hearth Stories, Winter Solstice 2023 made me yearn for cozy winter days spent tucked into warm blankets while reading.

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October 30, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of I Found the Boogeyman Under My Brother’s Crib

Book cover for I Found the Boogeyman under My Brother’s Crib by Ben Farthing. Image on cover shows two glowing red eyes underneath a crib at night. It has a sinister vibe to it. Title: I Found the Boogeyman under My Brother’s Crib

Author: Ben Farthing

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: September 24, 2024

Genres: Horror, Contemporary

Length: 112 pages

Source: I borrowed it from the library.

Rating: 2 Stars

Blurb:

How do you protect your family from an urban legend?

Rachel hears a stranger laugh in her baby brother’s nursery.

She races in to see a dark figure slip beneath the crib, disappearing into an eerie reflection of her brother’s room.

Mom and Dad don’t believe her. They accuse Rachel of making excuses for breaking their strict rules about healthy sleep.

But Rachel knows what she saw.

The Boogeyman wants her baby brother.

The Boogeyman wants to drag him away into his eerie realm beneath the crib.

Rachel’s not going to let that happen.

I Found the Boogeyman Under My Brother’s Crib is a tale of urban legends, liminal spaces, and things that go bump in the night, from Ben Farthing, the “King of Creepy” (MJ Mars, author of The Suffering).

Content Warning: Kidnapping and child abuse.

Review:

Nobody can get away with being naughty forever.

The narrator captured the frustration of being a sixteen-year-old who doesn’t always feel like adults are listening to her well. While my parents were thankfully nothing like Rachel’s, just about every teenager at least occasionally has a conversation with their parents that doesn’t make sense. Sometimes you grow up and understand the adult perspective better, but not all parents make the sorts of decisions that are in their children’s best interests and that can be seen from another perspective in five, ten, or twenty years.

This novella would have benefited from more character and plot development. The premise was strong in the beginning but later scenes didn’t build on it in the ways I hoped they would. It petered out instead of explaining why the characters behaved the way they did and what the boogeyman was truly capable of which was disappointing to me. I had been anticipating this novella all autumn due to how much I enjoy this series in general and expected to give it a much higher rating than I ultimately did.

With that being said, I thought the ideas in this tale were interesting ones and could see how they may have been meant to fit together. It was interesting to learn the historical context of the boogeyman in this universe and what people hoped would happen when they talked about him. There was a twist involving this antagonist that was fun and would have encouraged me to go for a higher rating if it had been given more time to develop.

This is part of the I Found series that can be read in any order.

I Found the Boogeyman under My Brother’s Crib had a creative premise.

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September 25, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of The Trail of Lady Shajarah 

Book cover for The Trail of Lady Shajarah  by Dal Cecil Runo. Image on cover shows a woman wearing a long, flowing white dress and veil walking on a dusty and deserted desert road on a sunny day. There are a few scraggly bushes growing on the side of the road but otherwise not any other signs of life. There is a mountain ridge in the distance. Title: The Trail of Lady Shajarah

Author: Dal Cecil Runo

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: July 23, 2025

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical

Length: 50 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

When Kideh Shajarah wakes to find her husband Naseem gone, she sets out alone across a vast and unfamiliar world. She searches in port towns and distant cities, meeting strangers who offer help and questions she cannot answer. With each step, the silence around Naseem’s disappearance grows heavier, and Kideh must face the uncertain path ahead, carrying the weight of loss she isn’t ready to name.

Content Warning: Earthquake and infertility.

Review:

Love is eternal.

Naseem and Kideh had a warm, loving relationship that was heartwarming to read about. This is common in the romance genre, of course, but this wasn’t exactly a romance which made those moments even more special. It’s not every day that characters in other genres have happy relationships to rely on during tough times. Honestly, I wish it happened more often as it was a refreshing change from the types of conflict between spouses that are often written about instead. Bravo to the author for pushing back against this trope and writing something a little out of the ordinary.

The vague ending made me feel as though I’d missed something important. This is something I’m saying as a reader who generally enjoys stories that can be interpreted in multiple ways. In this case, though I did find myself wishing for a more straightforward explanation of what was happening and whether or not Kideh’s journey was going to be a success. It was described so poetically that the plot was affected negatively in my opinion. I would have happily given a higher rating if this was not the case as the beginning was something that immediately pulled me into this character’s quest.

Some of my favorite passages were the ones that described the mythology that was building up around Kideh’s identity and what the people she met in cities and out in the desert believed she was doing. How one describes themself isn’t always the same as how someone else would describe them, so it’s fascinating to compare the two and see what they do and do not have in common. While I can’t go into a lot of detail on this topic for spoiler reasons, definitely pay close attention to these passages when you read them as they contain all sorts of important information about her character development later on.

The Trail of Lady Shajarah was interesting.

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September 18, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of Loving Safoa

Title: Loving Safora Book cover for Loving Safoa by Liza Wemakor. Image on cover shows a drawing of two black women embracing each other romantically with one of their hands lovingly placed on the other one’s cheek. The former is wearing a red hat and red dress.

Publisher: Liza Wemakor

Publication Date: February 6, 2024

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Romance, LGBTQ+, Contemporary

Length: 103 pages

Source: I borrowed it from the library.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

When schoolteacher Cynthia gets a tattoo at a block party in 1991 Flatbush, she doesn’t realize she’s embarking on a life-changing romance with an immortal Ghanaian vampire. Cynthia’s affair with Safoa weaves together stories from nineteenth century Ghana, late twentieth century New York and a near future reality in Maryland that defies the utopian/dystopian binary.

Content Warning: References to racism, sexism, and homophobia.

Review:

Sometimes danger can be a little cozy.

This is a good example of how to blend romance into the horror and dark fantasy genres. Without Cynthia and Safoa’s relationship, none of the other storylines would have gelled together due to how important it was for these two particular characters to thrive together and explore their world as a team. While I can’t go into a lot of detail about why this is so without wandering into spoiler territory, pay attention to their early conversations in particular in order to understand why this is so. There were some wonderful moments of foreshadowing in those scenes that paid off beautifully later on.

I would have loved to see more world building in this novella. There were references to multiple unusual events in Safoa’s life that were either only briefly explained or not explained at all. While I’m not the sort of person who needs everything to be spelled out directly, there was so much more space here for plot and character development if those scenes had been given time to fully develop. The glimpses of the world building that were included were well done, and I would have happily chosen a much higher rating if this had not been an issue for me as a reader.

The ending resolved the most important conflicts nicely. I especially liked how it described the fate of a child who was introduced about three-quarters of the way through this piece as her dilemma had sparked my curiosity about what might happen to her next. Yes, I know that’s vague, but there were many things about this character that I was glad I didn’t have any advanced warning about. Being surprised can be a good thing!

Loving Safora was creative.

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July 17, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of Child of the Sea

Book cover for Child of the Sea by Elvira Dahl. Image on cover shows a young child with wet hair swimming in the ocean on an overcast day. The scene is grey and looks cold. Title: Child of the Sea

Author: Elvira Dahl

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: August 15, 2022

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Contemporary

Length: 53 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

I’d had the dream for as long as I could remember: I’m standing on the edge of the jetty, under a steel gray sky, looking out over the inlet. Watching the waves crash against the shallow reef out in the bay. There’s a large, submerged rock in that spot, and in my dream, someone is standing out there, waist-deep in the water. A dark silhouette perfectly still among the waves. I know it’s watching me. It’s been watching me since I was a kid.” When Vendela arrives at her seaside childhood home to look after it while her mother’s away, she realizes that something’s not right – with the place, with her mom, even with herself. She makes a series of chilling discoveries that make her question everything. What do the recurring nightmares mean? Where has her mother gone? And who is the creature from the bay that’s haunted Vendela all her life? Child of the Sea is a dark fantasy/mystery story inspired by tales from nordic folklore.

Content Warning: Excema, drowning, and a brief reference to a possible rape. I will not go into detail about these topics in my review.

Review:

The ocean is full of mysteries.

I try to prioritize reviewing books that match the seasons, but that’s a little more difficult in the middle of summer given how much less common it is for the speculative fiction I typically read to be set on a warm, sunny day when the world often feels cheerful. There are exceptions, of course, and I was pleased to discover that this was one of them. While it isn’t set during summer, the beach is one of the most summer-friendly settings and the sound of crashing waves is something that makes just about any scene better in my opinion. The setting continued to surprise me as I kept reading, eager to find out exactly what it was about Vendela’s visit to her childhood home that was so unnerving for her.

It would have been helpful to have more context clues about which Nordic myth was being referenced in this tale. While I have a theory about which one it might have been, not knowing for sure was distracting and a little disappointing given how important this information was for understanding the cliffhanger ending that otherwise didn’t quite make sense for me as a reader. As much as i wanted to select a higher rating, this issue prevented me from doing so.

While there were definitely horror elements in the storyline, this was not at all gory or gross. Instead, it built up suspense and dread as Vendela discovered layer upon layer of things that weren’t quite right about her mother’s habits, life, and normally messy seaside cottage. This is the sort of horror I am drawn to because of how many parallels I can make between it and real life, say, when one visits a place they once knew intimately that has changed so much it feels slightly wrong even if you can’t necessarily put your finger on why you’re feeling that emotion at first. Maybe it’s too quiet, for example, or there are other details about it that are slightly but also jarringly different from previous memories of it.

Child of the Sea was intriguing.

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July 10, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of The Merlin

Book cover for The Merlin by Benjamin Parsons. Image on cover shows a drawing of a shirtless white man sitting on a rock. There is a hawk just about to land on his outstretched hand, and he is looking thoughtfully at the bird. The bird’s wings are still outstretched as it flies the last few inches to the human. Title: The Merlin

Author: Benjamin Parsons

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: January 9, 2023

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Historical

Length: 58 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

Down-to-earth falconer Rowland is determined to marry his childhood sweetheart Rowena, just when her life is turned upside down by bereavement, illness and debt. A strange old jeweller forges the perfect engagement ring for the proposal, but Rowland refuses to pay the unusual price the jeweller demands. From that moment on, Rowland is drawn further and further into the realm of the supernatural, as everything he loves slips away from him. Part of the collection The Green Man and Other Stories.

Content Warning: Life-threatening illness and death. I will not discuss these themes in my review.

Review:

Everything has a price.

The most memorable scenes for me were the ones that took place when the jeweller was creating the special ring and then negotiating the price of it with Rowland. This happened early on in the storyline, so I feel comfortable talking about it in more depth here. There were so many magical  moments in those scenes that made me perk up and wonder where the plot might evolve from there. It was also interesting to see some of the protagonist’s personality quirks emerge during the course of that day as this was an excellent opportunity to show what he was like when he felt negative emotions like boredom or frustration. Wondering what the jeweller was up to also piqued my interest as the effort he put into creating the ring didn’t quite match what the protagonist or I knew about how jewelry is made.

I would have liked to see more character development for Rowland. Normally, I’d expect the protagonist in a tale like this one to have some glaring personality flaw that overshadowed his or her common sense at least on occasion, but this wasn’t what happened. Yes, Rowland could be a little too stubborn at times, but he had a good heart and was genuinely trying to do the right thing not only for himself but also for everyone around him even if his choices didn’t always create the desired effects. The ending didn’t quite sit right with me because of how much I liked Rowland. If there was a lesson to be learned here, I struggled to know what it might be as those scenes felt more like something that would occur in real life than in the fantasy genre.

One of the things I appreciate the most about Mr. Parson’s stories is how willing he is to take risks and bend the rules of the genres he chooses. This means that I’m never quite sure what to expect when I return to his work, whether that’s related to plot twists or which characters might get to live happily ever after among many other subjects. It makes the reading process exciting and is why I keep reviewing him here. He really knows how to keep his audience guessing.

This tale is part of a collection that does not need to be read in any particular order.

The Merlin was thought provoking.

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April 24, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of Heart of Water and Stone

Book cover for Heart of Water and Stone  by EE Ottoman. Image on cover shows some small white wildflowers growing next to stream that has a rocky bed in it and some stones piled beside it, too. The water is rippling slightly as if it’s a somewhat windy - but not stormy - day. Title: Heart of Water and Stone

Author: EE Ottoman

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: March 12, 2025

Genres: Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance, Historical

Length: 68 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

Girin is a troll, content with his simple, quiet life in the forest—a life thrown into chaos when he stumbles across an unconscious human on one of the mountain paths. The human is not an ordinary one either, but a witch—tortured, branded, and mere steps from death when Girin finds him. Unable to leave him there to die alone, Girin takes the human home to nurse him back to health. But he quickly learns that keeping one stubborn human alive is a far more difficult task than he first surmised …

Content Warning: Historical references to slavery, torture, and the belief in witchcraft.

Review:

Goodness comes in many forms.

Trolls aren’t common protagonists in fantasy, so I was excited to meet one here. It’s always nice when authors purposefully seek out themes and types of their genres that are not currently in vogue. Yes, it can be a risk in some cases depending on how audiences react, but I’d argue it’s one worth taking. It’s much more interesting to read tales that flip the reader’s expectations around and play around with who we’re supposed to sympathize with than it is to read one that sticks closely to the tropes. (Not that tropes are bad things, of course! There’s simply something to be said for thinking critically about why specific ones are being used).

I would have liked to see more world building in this piece, especially as it was related to Girin’s communication with the mountain during a point of conflict in one of the later scenes. There were so many things I wanted to know about how their relationship worked and what the mountain might be capable of doing to help him. If this had been explained better, I would have happily gone with a higher rating.

The slow-burn romance worked well for the characters and storyline. Both Girin and Ronan had plenty of reasons to be cautious about falling in love, so it made perfect sense for them to build a strong friendship first. This also meant that the romantic elements of the plot were often overshadowed by the fantasy and adventure themes which was a positive thing to this reader. A dash of this sort of content is plenty for my tastes most of the time.

Heart of Water and Stone made me smile.

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February 27, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of Winter’s Chill

Book cover for Winter’s Chill by J D Savage. Image on cover shows a yellow late 1800s or early 1900s style house with a large porch on the right and a turret on the left. The house is covered in snow as it is the dead of winter.Title: Winter’s Chill

Author: J D Savage

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: January 18, 2025

Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Contemporary

Length: 61 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

Melinda Wilson receives news that her mother has died by suicide. Not believing that her mother committed suicide, she returns to her childhood home along with her best friend Greg Creston. As she digs into her mother’s death, strange things to start happen. As Melinda digs deeper to find the truth she finds her father’s diary. Inside she finds information that would destroy the family name and rock the town to its core. As things get dangerous who will survive winter?

Content Warning: Death. Discussion of suicide as a possible cause of death. Murder. Brief references to blood.

Review:

Winter is full of frights.

The atmosphere was well done. There’s something about old houses that can be a little eerie even if they don’t have anything malevolent hiding in the corner, and this only becomes a stronger feeling when reading about homes that do have a paranormal presence. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the cold areas of the house as that could have easily been explained away by the fact that historical buildings can often be cold and drafty during the winter. To encourage the reader to continue to believe there was a less ordinary explanation for that was a smart decision and one that kept me reading.

This story would have benefited from another round of editing in my opinion. One of the characters was introduced with a last name but later referred to by a  completely different last name. Had he been earlier shown to be a liar, I would have assumed that this was yet another example of him misleading others.  He was always written as a truthful person, though, so I can only assume this was an error and not a hint about his moral character. There were some punctuation errors sprinkled through it as well that I found distracting. As much as I would have liked to choose a higher rating, I wasn’t able to do so due to these issues.

Not everyone is lucky enough to come from an upstanding family, especially when one digs more deeply into their heritage. Some of the most interesting scenes were the ones that explored Melinda’s feelings about the information she discovered about the past and how it could destroy the good name her family had in the community. No one should be held personally responsible for the actions of their ancestors, of course, but there is also something to be said for seeking out the truth and making amends as much as one possible can once they know what really happened.

Winter’s Chill was a scary read for a snowy night.

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