This Winter Solstice Anthology was really fun. There were stories touching on Winter Solstice and Holiday lore and traditions from many different cultures, which was my favorite aspect of the book. While I really enjoyed the dark and spooky stories, learning about the different cultures and traditions and things that go bump in the night made this book even more enjoyable. I also really enjoyed the small blurb that each author included at the end of the story. Those were great. This is definitely one of my favorite Anthologies that I have read. And it is perfect for the spooky lover during Christmas. The cover art is also beautiful.
As with all anthologies, some stories were better than others. But the overwhelming majority of these were excellent. My favorites were:
Return to Bear Creek Lodge, by Tananarive Due (duh). Her impeccable ability to drag you into a story and its characters while unleashing the scary and uncanny shines bright in this story. I would love to read a longer book involving these characters. I would also like to read anything she ever writes, including her grocery list.
The Ghost of Christmases Past, by Richard Kadrey. This was a well written story with a perfect twisty ending that I did not see coming.
Sow-Na, by Josh Malerman. This story takes place in the snowy woods of Finland. It was fever dreamy and eerie and very atmospheric.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

☠️Book Review☠️
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Summary: The winter solstice is celebrated as a time of joy around the world—yet the long nights also conjure a darker tradition of ghouls, hauntings, and visitations. This anthology of all-new stories invites you to huddle around the fire and revel in the unholy, the dangerous, the horrific aspects of a
time when families and friends come
together—for better and for worse.

From the eerie Austrian Schnabelperchten to the skeletal Welsh Mari Lwyd, by way of ravenous golems, uncanny neighbors, and unwelcome visitors, Christmas and Other Horrors captures the heart and horror of the festive season.

Because the weather outside is frightful, but the fire inside is hungry…
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My Thoughts: this book was out of this world and so creepy! I loved some of these stories more than others- the first two and Stephen Graham Jones were my absolute favorite! I also really enjoyed one about a demon/ferret in the woods. Overall some really cool and unique international creepy holiday traditions that were so much fun! It was really refreshing to read a holiday book that isn’t a romance ! Highly recommend this one for the horror fans in your life. Special thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the advance copy!
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QOTD- what is a holiday tradition that your family has ?!
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A hit for me! I am usually not a big fan of holiday stories, but I enjoyed these! Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy!

3.5 stars

Christmas and Other Horrors, edited by Ellen Datlow  is an anthology of short stories by various authors, with themes surrounding the winter solstice.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Titan and of course the authors, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
 

My Synopsis and Opinions:
These short stories, by a number of well-known authors, are all centered around the Christmas season (the winter solstice) ...but they are all horror-based, and cover myths from around the world.  These are the darker aspects of the season...ghosts, devils, mythology, and family shenanigans.

As always, I will rate/review each story individually.  Let's begin.


The Importance of a Tidy Home by Christopher Golden … A delightful tale on the Schnabelperchten folklore of Austria, where these bird-like creatures enter your home on January 5th of every year to make sure you have dusted.  If your home is not clean, you probably won't survive their visit.  Freddy is homeless.  Absolutely loved it!  5 stars

The Ones He Takes by Benjamin Percy … In Minnesota, Santa may take a naughty boy so that he has help to build his toys.  There is no escape.  Good short story. 3 stars

His Castle by Alma Katsu … In Wales, a man and his wife are on holidays, when the revelers knock on their door with a horse head on a stick, demanding drinks.  Knowing the custom of Mari Lwyd (the grey mare), the couple let them in, but the revelers are in for a surprise.  This one seemed to miss the mark for me. 2 stars

The Mawkin Field by Terry Dowling … In Australia, a man sees a working fridge in the middle of a field, and starts visiting the field for a beer and a chat with the brother and sister who own the field, and who tell him about their missing father, and the scarecrow.  This was okay.  3 stars

The Blessing of the Waters by Nick Mamatas … In New York, the Greek community would toss a cross in the Long Island Sound and a child would dive in to retrieve it, which blessed the waters.  The priests brother-in-law escapes prison and insists that they do this again.  This was great!  Loved the characters.  5 stars

Dry and Ready by Glen Hirshberg … In Washington, a Jewish family have their own holiday tradition.  Mother, daughter, and grand-daughter leave notes in the mouths of the creatures that the patriarch had made in a garden.  No one really wants to do this, but what happens if they don't?  This was somewhat disturbing, and I didn't like any of the characters.  The plot had merit though.  3 stars 

Last Drinks at Bondi Beach by Garth Nix … Sydney Australia gets a lot of visitors around Christmas....they may not be safe near the water.  This one was short, but somehow missing something.  2 stars

Return to Bear Creek Lodge by Tananarive Due  … 14 year old Johnny didn't want to return to the lodge where his grandmother had burned him, but she is dying, and his mom says there'll be money for his college fund.  But Johnny's nightmares have never left him, and his uncle knows more than he is saying.  This was quite good! 4 stars

The Ghost of Christmases Past by Richard Kadrey … Laura is terrified of the Christmas child-eaters, as she saw her brother eaten by one many years ago.  She now takes extreme measures around Christmas, but she's in for a surprise.  Absolutely loved that twist! 5 stars

Our Recent Unpleasantness by Stephen Graham Jones … A nightly dog-walk has Jenner seeing a strange sight or two.  This was really out-there.   3 stars

All the Pretty People by Nadia Bulkin  … A Christmas party where people are airing their grievances with each other brings back memories, fears, guilt, and a bit of hatred.  Interesting.  4 stars

Löyly Sow-na by Josh Malerman … A man travels to Finland to meet his girlfriends father, and has some strange experiences in the sauna.  Apparently the wood demons demand the truth!  Really good.  5 stars

Cold by Cassandra Khaw …  The apocalypse has arrived, and there is only un-ending winter.  This was okay.  3 stars

Gravé of Small Birds by Kaaron Warren … Jackie, a very vain woman, lost on a cooking show, but felt she should have won.  She is invited to an island to work in a prestigious hotel, where they have a rather bizarre beauty contest each Christmas.  Again, Jackie is sure she is a shoe-in.  This was really good!  5 stars

The Visitation by Jeffrey Ford … The moral obligation to help anyone who knocks on your door from the day before to the day after Christmas is questionable.  Loved it!  5 stars

The Lord of Misrule by M. Rickert … A child haunts a woman.  Difficult to like a story with such unlikable characters.  2 stars

No Light, No Light by Gemma Files … A man visits Iceland as part of a science team.  A little too much mythology, climate change and historic details for me. I was skimming. 1 star

After Words by John Langan … A couple discuss the man's first teenage love, amid a bit of confusion.  This was a bit of erotic fun as the last story, and really good.  5 stars


Overall, there were a surprising number of 4 and 5 star stories in this collection. However, the entire collection seemed really long, and I didn't feel that a lot of them were actually horror, although a couple could be sci-fi.  Anyway, as in any anthology, you take the good with the less than good.

This is a great collection of stories from the authors who know how to write horror. I will recommend this to everyone that is a fan of the genre or a reader who is curious about the genre. Love this so much that I asked for the hardcover for Christmas to add to my collection. Thank you to Titan and Netgalley

Christmas and Other Horrors edited by Ellen Datlow and featuring stories by authors such as Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu and Josh Malerman is the perfect reading material to bridge the gap between Halloween and Christmas, especially for readers who do not like their festive reading to be too cute or cosy.
There is a great variety in the stories being told, but my particular favourites were those inspired by traditional yuletide and solstice mythology and customs such as The Importance of a Tidy Home by Christopher Golden which opens the book and really sets the tone with an air of genuinely unsettling menace, His Castle by Alma Katsu which draws on the Welsh custom of Mari Lwyd and Grave of Small Birds by Kaaron Warren which is inspired by the ancient Irish monument of Newgrange with a nod to Hitchcock's The Birds. Children are not safe from the horrors either- they may be stolen to work in Santa's factory according to Benjamin Percy or follow in the steps of Hansel and Gretel in Richard Kadrey's Ghost's of Christmas Past or even cause chaos as the Lord of Misrule .
This is a collection that offers something for almost every fan of the horror genre and while no collection as diverse as this will be universally loved since people will always prefer some stories to others , it is a really strong anthology and one that horror fans should definitely pick up.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Looking for a Christmasy horror read this holiday season? Christmas and Other Horrors has you covered!

Like most anthologies, I took my time on this one. As usual with short story collections, there were many I loved, and some I liked but I really enjoyed the collection overall and didn’t find myself skimming over like I sometimes do with anthologies. There were several from some of my favorite horror authors and a few new authors for me to look into which I look forward to. It’s definitely perfect to snuggle in and get cozy with. Thanks to Titan Books for my eARC!

There is so much more to Christmas tradition than the old man with the beard who breaks into your house every December 24th. As any fan of "A Christmas Carole" knows, there are ghosts,spirits, and a dark side to this every so bright holiday.
Christmas and Other Horrors: An Anthology of Solstice Horror addresses the darker side that some of us love.
It seems every nationality and religion has a tale that offers caution to keep you on the moral path. But what if these old tales and urban myths were true? What would that be like?
Well,read these amazing stories and find out.
I only give a brief review of a few stories here, but each are equally amazing and well written.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A TIDY HOME Christopher Golden

In Salisbury there is lore about a creature, demon, called The Schnabelperchten. On the Epiphany they visit homes to see if all is in order for the new year. If so, a gift of coins is left. If not...unspeakable horror will befall those who call the dwelling home.
I was unaware of this folklore and honestly wish I still was. This is insanely scary and I think I'm going home to start cleaning...while there's time.

The Ones He Takes
Terry Dowling

Where exactly does Santa get those little people who build everything? And what happens if you are just a little naughty before Christmas?
Dowling answers that in a way that will make goosebumps appear on your skin as a cold shiver runs up your spine.

His Castle
Alma Katsu
Not so much a Christmas tale as a cautionary tale of the greed of the wealthy.  A quote from this story says it all:  the wealthy have long claimed land as their right and privilege, and the poor have suffered for it.
Excellent.

If you're a horror fan or just a lover of the darker side of Christmas, do your self a favor and drop everything to go get this anthology. You can thank me later.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

I’m so happy I went ahead and bought this. I originally saw that this anthology had Tananarive Due in it and I really enjoy her writing . I also really enjoy an anthology so this was right up my alley . This has 17 different stories by 17 different authors. Each story is centered around winter/the holidays in some way . Some stories are folk lore or made up original stories .Though I did enjoy some stories more than others I would say other all this was a very good book overall. I would love to see this again but with more horror elements.

Christmas, Solstice and Chanukah all get treated to a touch of the macabre in this holiday collection. I enjoyed all of them but The Importance of a Tidy Home by Christopher Golden was my favorite.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC .
My opinions are my own.

A great collection of horror stories centered around Christmas/winter themes. Perfect for those that want to read something a little darker in the wintertime.

a collection of dark stories based around the winter solstice and christmas, and based on folklore, mythology and nearly forgotten traditions from around the world. as with all short story collections, some are gems and some miss the mark a little. overall it's a strong anthology & perfect for those who don't want a cringey christmas book (me) but instead want gothic, nightmarish & slightly festive tales.


thanks to netgalley for an arc of this book.

Here's a decent collection of tales centered around various celebrations that occur at the closing of the year. There's nothing too gory here, though the creepiness feeling is strong. All stories are enjoyable; some far more memorable than others. With tales set all over the globe, I really loved the international feel to this one. Recommended to anyone who loves to see a good celebration ruined by a demon or two.

This is the perfect read for the run up to Christmas. I really enjoyed the fact that each story was based on a different Christmas tradition or story from cultures all around the world. Some stories were stronger than others but I feel like that is the joy about an anthology of short stories, if you didn't enjoy one story there will be another you love. I'm definitely going to look up a few of the authors I enjoyed to read their other works. Overall a great read and great to have something different to the usual Christmas romances we get at this time of year.

I love Christmas centered horror and this one didn't disappoint! Plus it's full of all the new upcoming horror writers that I currently enjoy. A definite win-win. I loved this.

Christmas and horror are an unlikely fun mix to curl up with as the weather turns colder.
The short stories in this anthology are perfect for a grown up bedtime story. Well.... Some of them are. I found the stories to be hit and miss in how enjoyable and interesting they were.
For me the first story was the best (keep your house clean) and they went down hill from there in their enjoyment, but not their creepiness.
Not bad, just lacking. I think I prefer longer stories.
Grab this book, a blanket for a cozy, but spooky seasonal read.

I am not a big anthology reader, but I love horror and Christmas is my favorite time of the year, so I couldn't skip the latest stories collection edited by Ellen Datlow "Christmas and Other Horrors".
The title is already badass and I enjoyed the majority of the stories included in this collection. I particularly enjoyed those that originated from folklore or traditions, here are my favorites:
- The Importance of a Tidy Home, by Christopher Golden (my number 1)
- Return to Bear Creek Lodge, by Tananarive Due
- All the Pretty People, by Nadia Bulkin
- After Words, by John Langan
I would recommend this for horror lovers and readers who enjoy short stories!
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

* I'd like to thank Titan Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Horror and Christmas are two of my favorite things so I was so excited for this collection and overall it didn't disappoint! It's hard for every story in an anthology to be a hit, but I liked the vast majority of them. And a few of them were so good I didn't want them to end! There's a great mix of authors (some I'm very familiar with and others I'd never heard of, which is ideal in a collection like this), as well as a great range of subjects covered (I'm glad we get so much more than just Santa!). It's a perfect book for horror fans to easily dip in and out of throughout December.

I felt like this book had a perfect pace. They also had a really good mix of authors. It was nice being able to pick one up and put one down without them all feeling overbearingly long. It's also nice that it follows the solstice and not just Christmas don't let go of the other Horrors. This was a really fun book 10 out of 10 do recommend

Christmas and Other Horrors is an eclectic short story anthology that touches on many different holiday rituals and traditions found around the world. For me this was a delight because I often say in my reviews how thankful I am to journey around the world through fiction. I learn so much!

With stories written by several incredible writers: Alma Katsu, Garth Nix, Stephen Graham Jones and Cassandra Khaw, I found myself enthralled, unsettled and even terrified. The subjects range from surviving nightmarish creatures who exact a hefty price if they find that your home isn’t tidy enough to the lingering damage caused by generational trauma to the horrifying consequences of gazing at a neighbor’s window on the night of the Winter Solstice.

A small detraction from the wonderful stories was the writers’ commentary accompanying each one, I felt like it took away from the other worldliness of the stories to have the authors immediately explain their writing process at the end of it in italics. I would have preferred this to be in an Epilogue or Footnotes section that I could read when I was finished.

I was drawn into this collection by two of my favorite authors: Alma Katsu and Stephen Graham Jones, and while the other authors' stories were fantastic, theirs were definitely my favorites.

“Our Recent Unpleasantness,” by Stephen Graham Jones was the story that left me the most unnerved, while “The Mawkin Field,” by Terry Dowling was beautifully written, but had me feeling more perturbed than frightened.

Overall this is a great holiday collection for horror lovers so definitely get your hands on it!