Title: Haunters at the Hearth: Eerie Tales for Christmas Nights Writer: Various edited by Tanya Kirk Publishing House: British Library (Tales of the Weird) Date of Publication: October 2022 Rating: 5 stars ”There was a little snow on the ground, and the church clock had just struck midnight. Hampstead in the night of winter for…
Category: Seasons and Books
Ghosts of Christmas Past
Title: Ghosts of Christmas Past Writer: Various edited by Tim Martin Publishing House: John Murray Date of Publication: October 19th 2017 Rating: 5 stars ”And what a long night it is, out there beyond the warm rooms and the firelight. Don’t worry about the noises. Ignore the moving shapes. It’s time to step out. Turn…
Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season
Τitle: Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season Writer: Various Publishing House: British Library Publishing Date of Publication: October 13th 2022 Rating: 4 stars ”To me, it’s the one time you are really a child at heart, however old you may be. It’s a time of lovely, darling surprises, of, for once, reaping the benefit…
Mortal Echoes: Encounters With the End
Title: Mortal Echoes: Encounters with the End Writer: Various, edited by Greg Buzwell Publishing House: British Library Publishing Date of Publication: August 1st 2019 Rating: 5 stars ” ‘ You’re not really dying, are you?’ ” asked Amanda. ” ‘I have the doctor’s permission to live till Tuesday,” said Laura. ” Strange Even in the…
Midwinter Folk Tales
Title: Midwinter Folk Tales Writer: Taffy Thomas Publishing House: The History Press Date of Publication: February 1st 2015 (first published October 15th 2014) Rating: 5 stars ‘’Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and a talk beside the fore, it is the time for…
Imbolc: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Brigid’s Day
Title: Imbolc: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Brigid’s Day Writer: Carl F. Neal Publishing House: Llewellyn Publications Date of Publication: December 8th 2015 Rating: 4 stars ‘’When the dark days of winter seem to have gone on forever, the first sign of spring refreshes our souls. It is a promise that winter will not last…
The Haunting Season: Ghostly Tales for Long Winter Nights
Title: The Haunting Season Writer: Various Publishing House: Sphere Date of Publication: October 21st 2021 Rating: 5 stars ‘’He stared down at the trees, feeling a kind of vertigo that was not quite fear. The unearthly light – the dark shapes against the moon-drenched sky – the clarity of outline, the density of the shadows…He…
Murder After Christmas
Title: Murder After Christmas Writer: Rupert Latimer Publishing House: British Library Crime Classics Date of Publication: October 10th 2021 (first published 1944) Rating: 5 stars ‘’Anyway, Christmas is a time for forgetting the past and burying hatchets, isn’t it?’’ ‘’What about after Christmas’’, said Frank. ‘’Now you’re making difficulties’’, said Rhoda.’’ The arrival of Uncle…
Crimson Snow
Title: Crimson Snow: Winter Mysteries Writer: Various, edited by Martin Edwards Publishing House: British Library Crime Classics Date of Publication: November 10th 2016 Rating: 5 stars ‘’But seated in the holly-decked apartment before a noble fire which roared bravely up the wide chimney we cared nothing for the frozen world out of doors. We laughed…
Τhe Christmas Egg
Title: The Christmas Egg Writer: Mary Kelly Publishing House: British Library Crime Classics Date of Publication: October 10th 2019 (first published 1958) Rating: 5 stars ‘’Princess Karukhina once had been used to lying in a carved bed inlaid with mother-of-pearl, between silk sheets changed daily, covered with down quilts and white urs. The walls of…
A Surprise for Christmas
Title: A Surprise for Christmas Writer: Various, edited by Martin Edwards Publishing House: British Library Crime Classics Date of Publication: October 10th 2020 Rating: 5 stars ‘’It was Christmas Eve and nearly five of the clock, but an afternoon less like the traditional ideas of the seasons would be hard to imagine. True, a little…
Stories for Christmas
Title: Stories for Christmas Writer: Various, illustrated by Bernadette Watts Publishing House: NorthSouth Books Date of Publication: September 14th 2021 Rating: 5 stars ‘’High in the sky, higher than you could ever see, the snowflakes gathered. They came together in huge crowds, whispering all the time about the journey they would soon make to earth….
The Toys’ Christmas
Title: The Toys’ Christmas Writer: Claire Clément, illustrated by Geneviève Godbout Publishing House: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books Date of Publication: November 9th 2021 Rating: 5 stars ‘’Soon, Fanfan and Mr Long Ears reach a clearing filled with other toys. There are grumpy -looking bears, smiling dolls, friendly hippos, little clowns and even unicorns! The oldest…
A Very Russian Christmas
Title: A Very Russian Christmas Writer: Various Publishing House: New Vessel Press Date of Publication: September 26th 2016 Rating: 5 stars ‘’A frosty day. From the window, one can see the fluffy white snow covering the streets, the roofs of homes, and the trees. An early twilight. The sky is turning blue.’’ Lida and I…
Chill Tidings
Title: Chill Tidings Writer: Various, edited by Tanya Kirk Publishing House: British Library Publishing Date of Publication: October 16th 2020 Rating: 5 stars ‘’At the edge of the dark sky, sprinkled with stars, a faint band of cold light heralded the rising moon. How different from the grey light of dawn, that ushers in the…
The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories
Title: The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories Writer: Various edited by Jessica Harrison Publishing House: Penguin Classics Date of Publication: October 29th 2020 Rating: 4 stars ‘’First, heavy, blinding snow that falls slowly from above. Then it turns to rain, forming a light wintery mist over the streets of Paris. Garlands of holly and mistletoe…
Α Very Scandinavian Christmas
Title: A Very Scandinavian Christmas Writer: Various Publishing House: New Vessel Press Date of Publication: September 17th 2019 Rating: 5 stars ‘’He saw a lowly stable behind a steep rock wall, and in the open doorway a few shepherds kneeling. Within the stable, he saw a young mother on her knees before a little child,…
A Very Irish Christmas
Title: A Very Irish Christmas Writer: Various Publishing House: New Vessel Press Date of Publication: September 14th 2021 Rating: 5 stars ‘’ “But me,” was all that she said, and rubbed a dear space in the condensation on the glass as she tried to recompose in her head the dissonant notes that rose at intervals…
Christmas Stories
Title: Christmas Stories Writer: Various edited by Diana Secker Tesdell Publishing House: Everyman’s Library Date of Publication: October 30th 2007 Rating: 5 stars ‘’The last day before Christmas had passed. A wintry, clear night came. The stars peeped out. The crescent moon rose majestically in the sky to give light to good people and all…
Christmas Is Coming: Traditions from Around the World
Title: Christmas Is Coming: Traditions from Around the World (original title: dą święta! O Bożym Narodzeniu, Mikołaju i tradycjach świątecznych na świecie) Writer: Monika Utnik-Strugala, illustrated by Ewa Poklewska-Koziello Publishing House: NorthSouth Books Date of Publication: September 14th 2021 (first published 2019) Rating: 5 stars ‘’Can you imagine the winter without Christmas?It’s one of the…
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