I love me a good scare... And this was a chiller of a story. A group of people were stranded in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve. And strange things happened. They decided to join a strange couple on their RV... Soon stores about worst winters were told when they realized it was not serendipity but something else was at play. They had something in common.

My first book by George Bastianelli and I have to the say the author can give me a good scare. My love for horror got a spark up with this book. I relished the slow build of the dark threatening atmosphere. I could feel the noose tightening up... Oh, can the author write horror...

Cute looking snowmen came alive, deaths occurred. Supernatural forces were at play. The author's hand wrote some darn good scenes. Creepily suspenseful... The second half of the book got the heart pounding and adrenaline flowing...

After reading this book, I was thankful that it never snows in my end of the globe... 😂 😂 Gregory Bastianelli made sure I never long to build a snowman. Who knows when it would come alive?!! Do you?

Not anything like I was expecting. The first half of the book was interesting and kept me entertained. But that’s where the entertainment stopped. This one was not scary whatsoever. The storyline and characters were well thought out and put together but after the halfway point the book just fell apart for me. I would definitely pass on this one.

Warning! This is not the type of book you start reading at night before you go to bed. It starts off creepy and then it totally derails from there. If I could have read this with one eye closed I would have. If you enjoy spine tingling thrillers don't pass up this winner of a book. You won't be disappointed. Happy reading!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

A bunch of people travelling separately are stranded by a snowstorm in New Hampshire. To make matters worse, it's Christmas eve. They are all trying to get home for Christmas but the snow is coming down to heavy for them to move, plus they are stuck behind a snow plough but the driver is no where to be seen. They all eventually end up together in a RV owned by a strange old couple. They deci6to pass the time by telling the story of their worst winter. It's not long before they all realise they are not strangers but that they all have a connection in common. And things go from bad to worse.

This ook was ot what I expected it to be. My thoughts from reading the blurb was it's about a psycho who's killing people who were stuck in a b,izzard. But it's more a supernatural/horror story. The story is told from multiple points of view. The story gets more interesting in the second half when two of them leave the comfort of the RV in search of help. I don't want to say anymore or I will spoil it for you.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Flame Tree Press and the author Gregory Bastianelli for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly am batting 1000 with some of my holiday reads this December and I must say Snowball knocked it out of the park! The book opens with a snowplow driver on a desolate highway on Christmas Eve in the middle of a blizzard lamenting the fact that he should have retired BEFORE the holidays. Suddenly he is stuck in the middle of storm and his accident leads others to pile up behind him. The only problem is no one can find the driver, only his snowplow and a seat covered with blood.

Over the next few chapters, Bastianelli introduces the reader to other other people crazy enough to be traveling in the middle of a blizzard on Christmas Eve and their reasoning for making such a questionable decision. You have a young couple in love, an elderly couple in an RV whom I never trusted for a minute because I've read Doctor Sleep, a single business man, a husband and wife duo, a trucker, a mother and her two young children and college friends. One by one they each encounter their own perils as they try to determine what is going on and find their way home. Without giving away anything more, I'll just add that if you love horror, snowy settings, and action then immediately add this book to your TBR.

While I didn't love all of the characters in Bastianelli's novel, I was interested in all of them which is rare when I don't feel a connection. I was seriously curious about what was going on and couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what happened next. Also I won't lie - from the beginning I wanted some of these people to die. And not only do we have the blizzard itself, the individuals also have to deal with snowmen with teeth, scary Christmas legends, a man with a ice hooks and a few other surprises. As Snowball plays out, the reader starts making sense of what is happening and it's one twisted ride!

This is a perfect read for someone want to jazz up their winter months with blood, horror and an action-packed thrill ride. I really have no complaints about the book whatsoever except for the stupid lovebirds which are so in love it is clouding their common sense. There is no insta-love and the romance is extremely minimal so if those things bug you, pick up this book anyway because they won't are barely present. I loved Snowball and Bastianelli is an author to watch!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Tapping out at 25%.
I'm never a fan of DNFing, but this one just never sucked me in. The opening chapter is great, builds suspense and a great WTF moment, but then we get 8 or 9 chapters introducing us to people I just can't care about. When stuck in a snow storm on a highway - which I've experienced a few times unfortunately - you work to conserve resources and heat. You don't typically act in completely odd ways and not at all how people would act. Having sex in a car and falling asleep? Nope. Just won't happen for a variety of reasons.
Wish this one clicked - just didn't.

Netgalley forces us to leave a rating - so I'll be putting this at two stars here, as I don't think it warrants a 1 star.

A mixed bag for me this one.

It started off well with the setting up of the premise, the stories of each of the trapped travellers and the claustrophobic setting. I enjoyed it for a while but then it started to spiral into a silly gore fest and slowed down before a very strange ending.

Not for me, but I will be interested to read other reviews to see what I'm missing!

Dark fairy tale

A group of strangers in eight vehicles are on a desolate stretch of a turnpike on Christmas Eve in New Hampshire. They don't realize there is a tenuous thread that connects them AND that they are no longer in New Hampshire.

Impossible, bizarre things start happening and people start dying.

I was expecting more of a straight horror tale in this book but got a fairytale - not a bunnies and rainbows fairytale but more of a dark Grimms type fairytale. It was okay for reading once but not a story I will re-read.

I received this book from Flame Tree Press through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

5 Stars!

Flame Tree Press has become my go to publisher for horror with many of my favorites having their books published with this great publisher. Sometimes, however, a new name comes along and a trusted publisher behind that name gives it a gravitas it may not otherwise have. This was the case with Snowball by Gregory Bastianelli and I was happy to give the novel by a new author (at least to me) a read.

Everyone thought they could beat the storm and make it home for Christmas. That was how the group of motorists found themselves stranded on the highway in a blizzard that came on much quicker than anticipated. Now they knew that their Christmas plans may be ruined but also that they would have to struggle to survive the elements that many of them were unprepared for. If it was only the storm that was stalking them in the night, they may have had a chance.

A group of the stranded travelers get together in a motorhome and begin to exchange tales of their worst holiday stories. Once it becomes apparent that the storm may be worse than first thought, and also getting creeped out by one traveler who foretold doom, a group of them decide to brave the storm and head for a cabin they had spied nearby in search for help. Little do they know that the denizens of the cabin are well aware of their plight. In fact, they are responsible for the storm and the dangers it holds. Thinking the cabin may hold assistance for their plight, they find themselves in a deadly struggle to emerge back into the storm alive.

Snowball starts out with a bang when a killer snowman attacks a mired snowplow. Bastianelli uses that as a tease, though, as the character and narrative development kicks in. Even with the storm and the danger it holds raging, the novel becomes almost idyllic for a little while as the stranded motorists begin to come together and their stories entwine. There is still some light horror here dished out as a harbinger of what it to come but the novel almost becomes a holiday novel for a while. It is too good to last and the terror kicks back in as the storm becomes more oppressive. Bastianelli has set the reader up, made the reader care, and suddenly comes in for a fierce, violent assault.

The payoff in this novel is a very good one. After Bastianelli gets the reader to care about the characters, he puts aside the eggnog and begins pouring blood over the pages. The ending stanza of the novel is quick and violent but also steeped in twisted Christmas imagery. This was very good horror as I have come to expect from this publisher. Snowball is the first novel that I have read from Bastianelli but it is not going to be the last. He proves in this novel that he not only has the writing ability to craft a strong story that can draw the reader into his world but that he also has a keen sense of horror and knows when to hit the accelerator and when to ease off. The pacing in this novel is excellent and even the calmer passages were not boring in the least. I cared about what was going to happen and was shocked and scared along with the characters as the story unfolds. Snowball is not a themed novel that relies upon that trick to find an audience. It is a very good horror novel and one that can be enjoyed any time of the year. The first five-star read of the year.

I would like to thank Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for this review copy. Snowball is scheduled for release on January 16, 2020.

Snow Ball By Gregory Bastianelli
I will start this review by saying this isnt my usual type of book to read. I really enjoyed the first half. Once I got about half way I had to tell myself to let my imagination go for a while, and that did help, once I did this I felt invested in the story again.
I think if you like this genre, then you will enjoy this book.

After reading this book, I will never look at a snowman the same way ever again. :)

A group of motorists become stranded on a desolate stretch of highway during a blizzard. The snow and cold conditions are dangerous enough....but then they realize there is something lurking in the snow. Something dark. Something dangerous...... Gregory Bastianelli brings horror to Christmastime with this eerie tale! Awesomely creepy read!!

I love a good scare...and this book delivered! I kept imagining myself in the same situation. It would be terrifying to be stranded....but stranded with a malevolent being toying with your life? That adds a whole new dimension to things. The story builds revealing a bit more about what's actually going on...but just a bit at a time. The ending was great! This would be a perfect book for a horror lover to read while it's snowing outside. Unfortunately, here in NC this year, no snow yet. So I had to enjoy a snow-free experience...but still enjoyed the story!

This is the first book I've read by this author. I will definitely be reading more. Very entertaining and creepy read! Loved it!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. And no....I do not want to build a snowman. Nope, nope, nope.**

I'm so pleased I was given the opportunity to read this book. It was unusual, quirky and weirdly addictive!

A group of motorists making their way home for the Christmas festivities are stranded on a deserted highway by a fierce blizzard. As the storm rages on and the snow deepens, it becomes obvious they wont be rescued any time soon. Taking refuge in an old couple's RV with access to food and drink, they plan on sitting tight and waiting it out. To pass the time they recount stories of their worst winter memories and realise they may not have ended up stranded by chance — they all have a connection in common.

Seeing a light glowing in the distance from the window of the RV, they decide they must attempt to reach it if they're to stand any chance of survival. But what they find isn't what they expected and their situation just got a whole lot worse!

This book is my first Top Rated Read of 2020. The story is highly original with well-developed characters. It has an eeriness about it that keeps the reader engaged and voraciously devouring pages. Tension builds as hopelessness sets in. It's wonderfully creepy and atmospheric; a story of survival in the most bizarre set of circumstances.

A Christmas eve blizzard wreaks havoc and a group of random strangers are trapped in their cars. Nothing is what it seems in this book. A new author for me and boy does he have an imagination. Dark, scary and utterly compelling. I read this book in one sitting, with all the lights on and snuggled under my duvet. Eight random strangers all have something in common but what? And who is pulling the strings? Tension and suspense which gave me chills. Creepy and as for the killers definitely not what I was expecting. This is the first time I have read this author and it will not be the Last. Horror at its best. I want more now, a very happy reader. Highly highly recommended for all readers of this genre.
I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

On Christmas eve during a severe snowstorm a group of motorists all get stuck on the highway, but as they come together to help survive the storm they begin to learn that there's something from their pasts that connects them and maybe it won't be so easy to leave.

I enjoyed this book, and definitely had fun reading it but I did have some problems with the pacing. The first 50% of this book revolves around learning who all the characters are and getting their stories and I struggled with this half. When we get to the second half though the book takes on a whole new turn, it instantly becomes more of a fast-paced horror novel.

This was an intriguing, fun read which i'd recommend to anyone in want of a Christmas horror but i'm afraid it wasn't a total winner for me.

In Snowball, an upcoming holiday horror/thriller from author Gregory Bastianelli, the ghosts of winters past come out to play when a group of weary travelers find themselves snowbound on Christmas Eve. The only problem is: the road they thought they were traveling has just taken them somewhere very different than they expected, and there are no gifts waiting on the other side of the blizzard for this unlucky caravan.

Bastianelli has assembled an ensemble cast of holiday commuters for his trip to holiday hell—including the quintessential executive, the freshly-engaged college couple, a single mom towing her kids, a trucker, an elderly couple in an RV, and more. Giving unique voices and winter torments to each traveler is something of a specialty for Bastianelli, who manages to create holiday torments that ring true for each passenger—and each reader.

The story’s shtick is in its title, Snowball, a process that starts from something small and builds upon itself, becoming graver through the inertia of its own momentum as it becomes disastrous. It’s a clever pun for the tale’s delicate if unrelenting tension-building arc, which not only connects all the seemingly unrelated travelers, but dooms them to share the same unfortunate fate as the weight of their past indiscretions bears down in an avalanche upon them all. Each of our travelers is on their way to the same frozen end, with some particularly chilling surprises in store for the naughtier on Bastianelli’s list. A word of warning to the reader: don’t get too cozy with any characters you meet on this journey home for the holidays—some don’t last, and most are not what they seem.

At times seeming to borrow heavily from recent holiday horror film Krampus, Snowball brings together contemporary interpretations of some of the darker folktales of the Yuletide, along with modern-day horrors and a sprinkling of Jack the Ripper-esque brutality to tie the festivities together. Whether it's the Scrooge and Marley-like strained (or, I could say, more precisely, chained) business relationship between a twisted toymaker and his former business partner, carnivorous snowmen, a certain birch switch-swishing, children-snatching beasty of legend, or the Iceman, a murderous, ice tong wielding madman, Bastianelli serves up the perfect holiday monster for every reader. (Frankly, there’s a couple travelers that this reader found a mite creepy, too.)

It’s all in good spirit, though, because what would Christmas be without a little bit of fun to brighten revelers’ appreciation of the season? For a holiday that comes only once a year, there’s no time to waste; the game is already afoot.

If you’re looking for something to keep you cozy on cold winter nights, then find something else to read because there are no warm holiday tidings to be found here. But, if you’d prefer to spend the darkest nights of the year shivering as you await the temps to rise and the sun to return, then this is the holiday horror you’ve been waiting for.

A Christmas Eve blizzard wreaks havoc on what at first appears to be a group of random strangers trying to head home for the holiday. An accident on the highway causes the only 8 vehicles with occupants crazy enough to be out in this weather to become stranded. I love Christmas themed horror and anything to do with storms so while I already expected to love this story I was surprised to find myself mostly reading it in bed at night huddled under the blankets so as not to shiver. This book literally made me cold with the descriptive passages of drifting snow, howling winds and freezing temperatures. That's before the icy chill of supernatural horror even began. One would think this would be the worst catastrophe these characters had ever experienced, but no, they each have a ghastly story to share of their worst winter memory that makes being caught in a blizzard seem like a day at the beach.
This is the kind of book that makes me wonder why in the world the movie theaters are so full of reboots, remakes, and stale sequels. Film makers should really pick up a book once in a while. You'll want to turn up your heat before you read this one, and if the kids have built a snowman in your yard close the blinds and pull the shades so it can't see you.

Our initial account is that of a group of travelers who are stuck in the middle of a snow-covered deserted highway. It seems innocuous enough, though discouraging for those stuck. Snowball, however, is one of those books that takes a sharp left turn on you when you aren't expecting it. There's a snowplow up ahead, but where has the driver gone? And why is there blood in the cab?

As the snow deepens and no other help in sight, the motorists start to focus on coming together to combat the feeling of isolation created by the storm. When they congregate with the elderly Volkman's in their RV, weirdly the older gentleman suggests they all share their "worst winter memory", because this is obviously what you should do while trapped in the middle of a snowstorm on Christmas Eve. Mr. Volkman shares a remarkably disturbing Krampus story of his childhood, Francine's account of the killer known as "The Iceman", and in each and every dark story — shared or unshared. These stories, while shockingly horrible, seem entirely unrelated...until they aren't.

Each of the characters has a disquieting history and as they share these events, the emotional depth of each is revealed. You may not like all of the characters, but there's no denying that they are well-formed and thought out. What starts as a leisurely read interspersed with glorious gory bits, Snowball then truly does just that as the momentum builds and all the dots start connecting. A simple stranding in a blizzard turns into something more nefarious and dastardly.

There's a great storyteller feel to Snowball. If it wasn't set in the dead of winter, it would be like sitting around the campfire telling urban legends. However, there is no warmth in Snowball. It's true to its name in many ways. The cold seeps from the pages right into your bones. We've all felt the isolation of a heavy snow when the roads become impassable and a stillness settles over all. Bastianelli captures this feeling and wraps it up with claustrophobia, helplessness, and desperation.

The second half of the book changes from atmospheric and tense to something very different, yet just as fun. Krampus, killer snowmen, an undead toymaker, and a snowglobe might just make this strange and creepy romp the most fun I've had with a book in a long time.

I don't rave about books very often but this was the perfect holiday read for someone who decorates the Christmas tree and then sits down and watches Rare Exports. It was everything that I wanted and expected it to be. For those who like a little holiday irreverence with your horror, Snowball puts the slay in sleigh ride.

The first thing I want to say about Snowball is that it definitely wasn't what I was expecting. From the synopsis and the look of the cover I'd be reading a thriller where some psycho was killing people who had got stuck in a snow storm. What I actually got was a supernatural, weird af, full on horror!
I personally don't find this type of horror scary at all, it just seems ridiculous to me. I much prefer the psychopath slasher type of horror. But that is just my personal opinion and I know there's lots of people out there that would disagree with me. So that being said, it was quite difficult to rate and review the book. I didn't want to rate it low just because it's not something I would love.
What I did really like about the book was the multiple characters and the changing POV that showed the story developing with different characters and how they were experiencing things. I also enjoyed the suspense building aspects where readers are kept waiting for the action to start. I certainly didn't know what was coming or when and I liked that tense feeling. I thought the idea behind the story with all the intricate links between characters and how they all ended up playing a role in getting to the point where they were stuck in the snow and targeted for the attacks was brilliant.
Overall I really wished this was a slasher book. I truly think it would have been scary as hell and a 5 star read based on the writing and the premise. However, it just wasn't my thing and I felt the supernatural elements let it down so I have to rate it as a 3 star.

hristmas isn’t complete without a good horror books and that is exactly what Snowball was!

It’s told in multiple povs from a group of strangers who are stranded on their way home on a isolated highway as it’s snowed so much that even the snow plow is stuck. Strange things start from the very beginning all the way to the end in this story. The strangers all gather in an old couples RV as they seem to have never ending supply of cocoa and a generator for heat.

As the night goes on one of the older ones, I can’t remember which one, decides to ask about their scariest memory of winter. The old guy had one about Krampus, the older lady had one about a serial killer, there was even something about scary snowmen. You kind of wonder what it all has to do with the story but then you find out. It seems like almost everyone in there has had something tragic happen and almost all of them have one person it common.

Two of the guys try to make it to a house and that is when it really gets interesting! It had a hansel and gretel feel to the house and I so wouldn’t have went in, snow storm or no snow storm! 🙂

I really enjoyed this one even if I wasn’t completely fond of any of the characters. There might have been a couple I routed for but all the others it was like who cares. I do know that I will never be able to look at a snowman again without thinking of this book and the evil snowmen in this! It has corrupted my poor mind when it comes to snowmen.

I love a good isolated story and sometimes they are a bit to slow for me but I thought this one had a really good pace to it and was very enjoyable.

I would recommend this to anyone who loves isolated, snowbound stories and horror.

How to know if a Christmas horror book is for me in three easy steps:
1. It’s a Christmas horror book!
2. Include this quote in the first chapter - “The snowman’s head rose, tilted back as its face came into view. Beneath the coal-black eyes and long crooked carrot nose was a black mouth grinning with two rows of sharp teeth.”
3. Actually, I don’t need any additional information. Bah humbug!

“What was your worst winter memory?”

This Christmas Eve, during one of the worst snowstorms in New Hampshire’s history, a group of motorists are faced with the nightmares of winters past. Stranded on the highway with the snow building up around their vehicles, these strangers will learn there’s something that connects them. The past is coming back to bite them, possibly literally.

“Everything got screwed up at Christmastime.”

Featuring (amongst other creepies) snowmen, Krampus, a snowglobe and a toy maker who wants to play a game, our unwitting players have the odds stacked against them. Lining up to freeze to death (if something worse doesn’t get them first) …

This is Toby Hodge’s final Christmas with his son, Evan, and his grandkids before he and his wife, Nell, move to Florida. A snowplow driver who’s plowing his final stretch of highway before retirement, Toby is the first person we meet. The first person introduced in a horror story tends to either be the first victim or the main character. I was veering toward ‘hero’ until I learned he was about to retire.

In his late 40’s, Mason Drake is a parole officer. He and his wife, Joy, have been together for over 20 years. They have teenage children, Duncan and Daria. They have been arguing today. Joy got a tad too friendly with a coworker during an office Christmas party. Their arguing and Joy’s indiscretion may not bode well for them.

A trucker, Tucker Jenks had planned on visiting his sister in Cranford, New Jersey on his way to drop off electronics in Manchester before the storm. Trucker’s friend in northern New Hampshire is letting him stay with him instead, if he can make it there. He smokes a joint but he also loved his Nana, so his chances of survival are fair.

Dean Hagen flew in from Alaska after his mother called to tell him his father was in the ICU after slipping on ice and cracking his hip so he gets brownie points for that. However, he’d “been on a consulting assignment for the past two months there, winnowing out the expendable employees at a manufacturing plant.” The Christmas misery he’s dealt to others may attract some bad karma.

Graham Sawyer picked up his best friend, Clark Brooks, at Boston’s Logan airport. Graham’s wife, Natalie, had wanted Clark to take the bus instead and Graham probably should have listened to her. She’s waiting at home for him with their three daughters. Clark is a divorce attorney from Emeryville, California. They have the potential to be this story’s heroes but not all heroes survive.

Kirk Britton and his girlfriend, Sonya Tackett, are college students with one semester left before graduation. They’re on their way to Sonya’s parents’ home for the holidays. Kirk has a surprise planned for Sonya on Christmas morning but given the horror lore surrounding people who have sex, they’re probably both toast.

Shelby Wallace wasn’t supposed to be driving her two children home from their father’s but he’s drunk. Again. So Shelby is driving Luke (8) and Macey (10) home to spend Christmas with her. Shelby is comfortable in her damsel in distress routine and Macey is kinda whingey so I wasn’t overly attached to their survival. However, I liked Luke; he’s determined and willing to do what he can to be brave in really scary situations.

Werner and Francine Volkmann have been around the country in their RV visiting relatives. They planned to see grandchildren in New Hampshire for Christmas but were behind schedule, so they’re joining the other potential popsicles on the highway.

Finally, Lewis Felker spent Christmas Eve freezing outside a department store ringing his Salvation Army bell, collecting donations. Sure, he stole some of the money to finance his alcoholism but in theory all of that alcohol in his bloodstream should keep him slightly warmer than everyone else. He’s also the one who seems to figure out how dire everyone’s situation is first so maybe he has a chance after all.

I had fun reading this book. I expected more bloodshed and less background information about all of the characters although, to be fair, the relevance of the details of their worst winter memories became apparent as the story unfolded. The reasoning behind why this was happening to this specific group of people seemed a bit flimsy to me but the images of those snowmen helped distract me from most of my lingering questions.

“Things aren’t always what they seem to be.”

The two main questions that are still nagging me:
1. Why is a Christmas horror story being released in January?
2. What was inside the box in Tucker’s truck?

“Will Santa still come if we’re not home in time?”

Content warnings include mention of death by suicide and alcoholism.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for the opportunity to read this book.