Thanks Dreamscape for the gifted audiobook! The audio production itself was very well done and I love Alyson Krawchuk as a narrator; she absolutely nailed it!

As far as the actual story, it was pretty weird even for Freida (spoken as a very big Freida fan). Even though I knew the audiobook was only about an hour long, I still was hoping for a little more storyline.

I'll still read everything she writes!

If you need a VERY quick and crazy Christmas thriller, this may be for you!

Inspired by Edgar Allen Pope’s The Gift of the Magi this is a thriller short story that gripped me from the first words. I listened to the audio of this book and the narration is perfect.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape select for the audio version of this book to listen and review.

This is becoming a new Christmas tradition, last year I read the book, then got wrapped up in all the McFans' delight in discovering the Ironic references and learned about The Gift Of The Magi. It was an absolute delight to revisit this story as an audiobook.

This is a novelette, make an hour to sit and relax and enjoy this enchanting Christmas thriller tonight.

Stella is working the late shift in a diner on Christmas Eve, this is Stella and her husband's first married Christmas. They are struggling financially and she's been working so hard she hasn't bought him a present yet.

She meets a mysterious stranger who promises the perfect gift, if Stella is prepared to pay the price.

Inspired by O.Henry's The Gift Of The Magi, Freida McFadden mixes in her thriller magic, and things gets a big creepy, think The Twilight Zone or Tales Of The Unexpected.

For such a short story Freida creates great characters, before the short sharp shocks hit you, then the aftershocks and the big surprises. There's plenty of sharp humour, this is just a wonderful short treat.

I haven't read many short thrillers (Peter Swanson, CJ Tudor, Edgar Allen Poe) but this is up there with the very best.
Show Quoted Content
This is a novelette, make an hour to sit and relax and enjoy this enchanting Christmas thriller tonight.

Stella is working the late shift in a diner on Christmas Eve, this is Stella and her husband's first married Christmas. They are struggling financially and she's been working so hard she hasn't bought him a present yet.

She meets a mysterious stranger who promises the perfect gift, if Stella is prepared to pay the price.

Inspired by O.Henry's The Gift Of The Magi, Freida McFadden mixes in her thriller magic, and things gets a big creepy, think The Twilight Zone or Tales Of The Unexpected.

For such a short story Freida creates great characters, before the short sharp shocks hit you, then the aftershocks and the big surprises. There's plenty of sharp humour, this is just a wonderful short treat.

I haven't read many short thrillers (Peter Swanson, CJ Tudor, Edgar Allen Poe) but this is up there with the very best.

Freida, please, please, please write more seasonal shorts and make my Christmas dreams come true!

Happy Christmas everyone!

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Select

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the audiobook of The Gift by Freida McFadden narrated by Alyson Krawchuk.

This story was great! I loved the humor and Alanis references!! I did not expect the twist at all! Would definitely recommend!!!

While I’ve loved a couple of Freida’s other books this one fell flat to me. The story takes place Christmas Eve Stella is working her second job, had been on her feet for 12 hours, and can’t wait to go home to her husband for their first Christmas as a married couple. But then her husband sends a text saying they should exchange their gifts TONIGHT. Stella doesn’t have a gift for her husband as they are barely scraping by and hadn’t planned on getting him a gift. Stella is approached by a customer to meet her at her shop to find a perfect gift and make a trade. I can’t spoil the rest but it wasn’t what I was expecting and I wanted more from this author.

This book is a very short novelette, the entire thing is so ominous and creepy. you're put straight into the thrill from chapter one! The voices of each character are all very distinct and covey each individual personality well!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Hollywood Upstairs Publishing and Dreamscape Select for gifting me an audio ARC of this short story by Freida McFadden and perfectly narrated by Alyson Krawchuk - 4.5 stars!

Stella is broke, even though she's working two jobs while her husband is in school. It's Christmas Eve and it will be their first Christmas together. She's desperate to find a memorable gift for him. So when a pawn store owner offers her a trade, she can't refuse.

Inspired by the class O. Henry tale, The Gift of the Magi, this is a creepy story that McFadden fans will love. I thought I knew where this would go, but the end left me shivering! Behind the thriller, some good messages in here as well.

I thought this was a good quick listen! The Gift tells the story of a woman, Stella, who has no Christmas gift for her husband. She meets Helga at the diner where she works and makes a deal to get a gift for her husband. The story was a bit predictable but I still enjoyed it!

“The Gift” by Freida McFadden is a quick little Christmas story with a good little twist. Was the twist in the story predictable? For me it was a bit predictable, but to other readers it might not be.

Thank you, NetGalley, Dreamscape, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Gift
Freida McFadden
4⭐️

Loved it! McFadden packed so much into this lil Christmas novelette. It was fun, fast and thoroughly creepy! Just when I thought I knew where it was going, hello twist.

The audiobook was fantastic, and I loved Alyson Krawchuck’s narration. I will definitely be looking for more of her work.

Audiobook Pub Date 11/7/23 (book is available now). Definitely add this one to your list! You can easily devour it in under an hour.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

‘The Gift’ is a creepy Christmas read with a dark mood that leaves readers waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Premise - An overworked waitress sells her beautiful hair in this modern twist on ‘The Gift of the Magi,’ but her crap husband doesn’t make a reciprocal sacrifice in this version - at least not willingly.

The premise and the twist on the classic had a lot of promise, but ultimately the off-page climax fell flat to me and I was left wanting more. Still, it’s a quick read and the world building engaged me.

Thanks, NetGalley, Dreamscape, and Hollywood Upstairs, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Stella is broke this Christmas Eve, her first with her husband Justin, and wants to get him the perfect gift. After stopping at a pawn shop to trade for a gift, Stella comes up with the perfect trade.

The Gift is the perfect ode to O. Henry's The Gift Of The Magi, though in true McFadden fashion, she manages to make this not only a thriller but to throw in a bunch of twists that will hit you like a stack of bricks one after the other. The Gift is a short story coming in at 53 pages which makes this such a quick bingeable read. I managed to listen to this one in about 25 minutes. Also, I'm not even going to lie, there was a part in this one right in the beginning that had me laughing hysterically which made me love this story a little bit more. It's super short, sweet and to the point. There's even an epilogue that will have your jaw on the ground like "well shit".
I cant say much without giving too much away so I'll just say read this one. It's fun, short and thrilling. You'll fly through this one. I listened to this one on audio and the narrator Alyson Krawchuk was great! I enjoyed her narration. The Gift is available now on Kindle Unlimited. The audio will be releasing on 11/7 - be sure to check this one out for a quick thrilling Christmas Read.
Huge thank you to NetGalley, Freida McFadden and Dreamscape Select and Hollywood Upstairs Press for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Poor Stella is stuck working a double on Christmas Eve and she is STRESSED about getting the perfect gift for her husband for their first married year. In comes an old kinda creepy lady who gives her a deal that Stella’s hesitant to take.

Freida McFadden tends to be a hit or miss for me but this short story by her is 100% a hit. Even though it was pretty short I was engrossed in it and thought the characters were fleshed out pretty well.

It was predictable but Freida always delivers with her twists. The story was good but the epilogue made it even better. It had me absolutely shook. Perfect read if you’re looking for a quick thriller for this time of the year.

This was a quick cozy little Christmas read with a twist on an old favorite and fun little Easter eggs. Perfect for a one sitting read in front of a twinkling tree.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook. This was a short story, Christmas themed. I don’t know how she does it but she always has the best shocking endings. This was great! Especially if you need something really quick to entertain you.

Stella works two jobs but still can’t afford a Christmas gift for her husband. When an old lady enters the diner where Stella works and offers Stella a trade for a gift, Stella goes to her store. The trade doesn’t go as planned though, and her husband isn’t happy about her sacrifice.
I thought this book was going to be a supernatural story, but it’s a clear cut story of a couple who just doesn’t talk to each other. The was a short story, the audiobook is only about an hour long, yet it still felt too long. It either needed to be shorter or a more fleshed out narrative where readers could’ve been in on the twist.
That being said, while this is not McFadden’s best work, Alyson Krawchuck is an amazing narrator. Krawchuck added depth to the story that I don’t think would have appeared on the page alone.
This is a solid okay book. Not good, not bad, just okay.

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC.

A haunting holiday tale of a women who makes a trade to secure her husband a Christmas gift. She is determined to ensure that their first Christmas as husband and wife goes perfectly. Inspired by the classic tale, Gift of the Magi. This is a short but very captivating read!

I am a huge Freida Fan so I was excited to get this audiobook from Netgalley.

The narrator was amazing especially when she did the voice of Helga.

Stella Hansen is broke and it is her first Christmas now that she is married. She wants to be able to give her husband an amazing present. She does a trade with Helga to get the perfect present. Unfortunately, exchanging presents didn't go as she thought.

I loved all the Alanis Morissette references in this as they made me laugh. This is a fast audiobook that is sure to entertain you.

Freida has done it again!

Stella is stuck working a double shift on Christmas Eve. Money’s been tight since her husband had to quit his job to focus on his studies. She’s upset that she didn’t have money or an opportunity to shop for a Christmas present for him. A customer overhears her talking about her husband and offers to help her out. Stella meets the customer at her shop after her shift and they make a deal. Things start feeling worse for Stella when her husband doesn’t like the gift she picked out. This was a twisty, thrilling take on The Gift of the Magi. I enjoyed every bit of it! Alyson Krawchuk (@tnalycat) did a fantastic job narrating the story. Her tone was pleasant and easy to listen to. I will actually be seeking out more books she’s narrated because I enjoyed her style!

Thank you @fmcfaddenauthor, @NetGalley,
And #DreamscapeSelect for the opportunity to listen to this advanced copy for an honest review!

#TheGift #FriedaMcFadden #audiobook #NetGalley #Christmas #PsychologicalThriller #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #TheMidNOCBookClub

Get into the festive spirit with a witty and wicked Christmas romcom thriller with a murderous twist—THE GIFT: A Christmas Thriller Novella. Who better than Freida McFadden to spin a delicious domestic suspense novella?

I loved the audiobook narrated by Alyson Krawchuk for a spine-chilling performance!

It is Christmas Eve, and Stella works at a diner, Stevies, in the Bronx. She has worked double shifts and is ready to go home.

She works two jobs (teacher and waitress) to make ends meet. Her law student husband, Justin, left his job to concentrate on his studies. She is the breadwinner. They have tons of student loans and no money for Christmas gifts.

This is their first Christmas as a married couple, and Stella wants it to be special and memorable. Even though they have no money and barely keep the heat on and rent paid. Justin texted to say he had something special for her, and they would open at midnight when she got home.

She purchased other gifts for her family at the dollar store, but she wanted something special for Justin, and now the time has run out.

It is around 11 pm at the diner on Christmas Eve, cold and snowy. It is time to close when she notices this creepy old lady in a booth. No one has waited on her, and she looks dead.

The old lady overheard Stella and a co-worker's conversation about wanting a gift for her husband. She hands her a business card and says to come by the shop, Helga's Attic. She will find a present for her hubby.

Stella tells her she has no money, but Helga says they can work out a trade, perhaps.

BTW: Stella has beautiful long blonde hair, and her best feature.

It is snowing outside, and Stella walks to the shop on her way home, which is approaching midnight. The shop is creepy, and the necklace from her aunt and uncle she was going to trade for a nice silver chain to go with Justin's pocket watch turns out to be worthless.

Helga says there is one thing she can sacrifice for her husband for this special gift.

Stella is unsure about this but then thinks Justin will appreciate the huge sacrifice she has made for him. It can be something they can remember years later. This is very personal.

However, after the trade is made with the devil she arrives home filled with anticipation knowing Justin will love the gift and excitement of what he got her.

However, things turned out differently than she planned. A nightmare! Justin did not have the gift she expected, and his reaction to her gift was not what Stella had planned. The night turns DEADLY.

After Christmas, Stella goes back to Helga with something else to trade. Helga realizes then she has made a big mistake. You must read to get all the layered juicy details. The twist at the end is so good!

If all you want for Christmas is a little suspense, you got it. With homemade cookies in the oven and hot chocolate in your mug, plenty goes on beneath the surface in this twisty, comic, short Christmas mystery novella.

If you love cozy holiday dark stories, you can be assured Frieda will make your Christmas an entertaining one.

Thanks to Dreamscape Select and NetGalley for an advanced listening audio copy!

Blog Review posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars 🎁
Pub Date: Nov 7, 2023 AUDIOBOOK
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