I have read at least 4 or 5 books from Freida. Some are good some are mehh.
Unfortunately this one is a meh for me.
I find the story rather foolish, it didn't give me the creep as other claimed nor i see the point of the story.
I would rather like to see Freida write complex stories with depth. She can write good story, we all know what. This is just a disappointment in my opinión.
Despite all that, the narrator is very good, I enjoyed her performance, I would like to listen to more of her works.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I love this author. And I feel like she always does a great job. There was a good twist, but I still feel like it’s all a little short. I probably only give it 2 stars if I was reading it.

This book was a very quick and easy listen, full of twist and turns! I think the narrator did an amazing job bringing this book to life.
My only complaint is that is too short, but still perfect to transition from Halloween to Christmas time!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for my ALC in exchange for my honest review.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

This book was short, sweet, and to the point! I really enjoyed the narration and it was a very quick and easy listen! The story was the perfect short Christmas tale of a couple spending their first Christmas together while struggling to make ends meet. I really like the twist at the end and feel like many others will too. If you like psychological thrillers, give this read a chance!

This was a very impactful novella. Even though it was short, it certainly packed a punch. I will be thinking of this for days to come.

I haven't read a lot of short stories, especially thrillers, but I was really impressed by this one. It has a simpler plot that Freida McFadden's other books due to the length, but it still managed to completely surprise me! Stella is a newly married waitress who is short on money and presents. At closing time on Christmas Eve, she receives an offer she can't refuse from a customer who is so still and quiet that at first she appears to be dead.
Alyson Krawchuck was the perfect narrator for this story, Stella's personality really shone through and she kept me enthralled until the last word!

I have to admit that when I saw this book was by Freida McFaddon I jumped on it without really looking into the specifics. I mean it's by Freida McFadden, say no more. So I began listening to the audiobook in my car and I couldn't help but chuckle as I listened to this short amusing story.
Stella a waitress at a Stevie's Diner and is counting down the minutes before they close so that she can join her husband Justin and celebrate Christmas Eve. It's their first Christmas together as a married couple, but money is tight and she hasn't been able to get him anything. But before she leaves she needs to get this last customer out the door.
I thought Alyson Krawchuck did an amazing job bringing this story to life. Her voice was a perfect fit for Stella's snarky and humorous attitude, and Helga's accent was impeccable.
This short story was fun and entertaining, I especially loved Stella and Justin's banter over the gifts, but the twist at the end was so unexpected and true to McFadden's style. Only complaint was that I wish it was longer.

The Gift is a gripping Christmas-themed thriller inspired by the classic O. Henry tale, The Gift of the Magi.
Fast, dark, short Christmas novella. I went for a walk and started listening, and it was a perfect length for what it wanted to tell us. It is entertaining, a bit teachable, and most of all, I enjoyed the story and Alyson Krawchuk's voice, which did a perfect job of narrating this novella.
💫Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley for this Audiobook ARC that I enjoyed very much for an honest review.

Defiantly wanted more! This would be an awesome novel!

The Gift
By: Freida McFadden
Narrated by: Alyson Krawchuk
Length: 1 hr and 4 mins
Release date: 11-07-23

3/5

Thank you Dreamscape Select for the advanced listening copy!

Stella Hansen just wants to get her husband a nice gift for their first year together. When a mysterious pawn shop owner comes into Stella's diner on Christmas Eve, Stella is intrigued by the offer she is given. She can get her husband a gift, but at what cost?

This was a wild and fast ride. Going in, I didn't know this was a novella so my expectations and reality were entirely different. This was Freida's best writing in my opinion, though I was definitely intrigued start to finish. My first thought after this ended was "what did I just read?" For such a short story, there were tons of twists and turns. If you have 30 minutes this is worth a listen, but don't go out of your way to pick this one up.

Short story with a fun idea. I had an idea of how it was all going to work out but missed one part. It was a quick entertaining listen.

This was a very classic Fredia McFadden. I like the narrator, but sometimes McFadden falls short for me. The story was obviously a short story, but I didn't feel any connection to the characters whatsoever.

I rarely read the description of Freida McFadden books; I prefer to go in and be completely surprised, knowing I will enjoy it. When this started out, I immediately recognized the Gift of the Magi but once the twists and turns came, the similarities stopped and I was engrossed in the story. Then it just ended. This was so short! I wish it had been a little longer. Yes, the full story is told in that time but I was really enjoying where it was going and wanted a little bit more. It’s a great, albeit twisted, Christmas read.
.

This was a super quick mystery read with all of the true Freida McFadden twists. As usual, I didn’t guess the ending and I loved that.

I'm always thrilled to read a Frieda novel but imagine my surprise when I opened this one to find it's a novella! Of course, I zoomed through it, captivated by the story. Didn't expect that ending so wow!

I have made the claim that Frieda McFadden is becoming one of my favorite authors so I was very excited for The Gift. This was a short story and I really enjoyed it but this is the weakest story of all her books for me so far.

The story follows Stella who is newly married and struggling to pay the bills. She is working her second job on Christmas Eve counting the minutes until she can go home to her husband for their first Christmas together. After hearing that quick summary I want you to remember who the author is so don’t expect a happily ever after.

With no time left to shop and no money, Stella has to take drastic measures to get a gift for her husband. She makes a trade to get what she thinks is a perfect gift. Again this is a short story so there was little time for development. The story was leading us to this gift and when it played out it was definitely a twist I was not expecting.

This story definitely had the I didn’t see it coming twist but overall I just felt it was mostly uneventful. With the story being so short I expected it to be a lot quicker but it seemed to drag to the conclusion. Luckily the conclusion was worth it and payed off.

If you want a different kind of Christmas story then definitely check out The Gift.

The Gift by Freida McFadden
(Narrated by Alyson Krawchuk)

Stella was having two jobs, even on the Christmas Eve, because she needed money for getting Justin - her husband - a Christmas gift. It was important especially for their first Christmas celebrating together as married couple. When Stella was waiting for the customer to leave at the restaurant she was working for, an old woman called Helga who was a pawn shop owner. Helga overheard Stella needed to get a gift and invited her to the shop.

Then a bunch of strange things happened.

Freida never disappointed her readers. Never. Do not try to guess what's going on, because it never worked. I really enjoyed this novella. Short, tense, fast-paced and fun to read. Freida's narrator always successfully presented her story up to another level.

Book Title: The Gift
Author: Freida McFadden
Audiobook Narrator: Alyson Krawchuk
Publisher: Dreamscape Select Hollywood Upstate Press
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: November 7, 2023
My Rating: 4.2 Stars

Stella and her husband Justin will be celebrating their first Christmas. Justin is a law student and although Stella has a degree in early education- it doesn’t pay well so Stella also works in a diner. Although they have no extra funds due to so bills as well as paying college and now law school bills; Stella still wants to give her husband the perfect gift.
Stella and Bessie are working at the diner on Christmas Eve and they are anxious to go home. There is an elderly lady in the corner that they realize that neither of them ever waited on. They approach her to tell her the diner is closing; she tells Stella that she can help her with her need to get her husband a Christmas present. This, of course is not the reaction she was expecting but listens to the woman. The lady’s name is Helga and she hands Stella a business card with the name.-Helga’s Attic’’ with an address. Helga offered to meet Stella at the store and perhaps can work a trade on getting a gift for her husband.

There is no doubt this story is inspired by one of my favorite Christmas stories - O. Henry’s 1905 classic -,"The Gift of the Magi".. However since I am a Freida fan I knew there was going to be something mysteries about this trade.

Yep! Freida never disappoints! 😊
Love narrator Alyson Krawchuk's performance of the characters - I have enjoyed her performance in other Freida stories

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Select and Hollywood Upstairs Press for granting me this audiobook.
Audiobook Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 7, 2023.

The Gift is a very fun short story by beloved author, Freida McFadden. It is a Christmas story and if this doesn't get you in the mood for the season, I'm not sure what will!

I'm not going to say anything at all about the story itself, as it's only 53-pages. I will say, this is my first taste of Freida McFadden's work, but it will not be my last. It's tense, engaging and delightfully devious. I was impressed with how easily McFadden was able to draw me into the story and how much she packed into so few pages.

There are times when short stories can be unsatisfying, but that's not the case here. This was really well done.
Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Select, for providing me with an audiobook to read and review. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.

Another one that is NOT a sweet holiday story. This one is down right creepy!

Stella and her husband are struggling. He is in law school and she is working all the hours It's Christmas Eve and she's working a double at the diner just trying to make ends meet.

She and her coworker realize at closing time that there's a customer who has been there at least an hour that neither of them waited on. They go to tell the elderly woman it's closing time (this part was kinda funny).

The elderly woman hears Stella tell her coworker she cannot really afford a gift for her husband.
And she tells her she has a store where she is sure Stella can find a gift. And she's willing to accept a trade. And this is where things take a turn.

A quick read with a twisty surprise ending!

The audio was engaging and well done.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.