It was a good triller to read in December. I was not able to follow the advent writing of this book of one chapter a day. I wanted to finish it in less time. Overall a great read.

Book Review: Xmas Break by JE Rowney

I had the pleasure of reading Xmas Break by JE Rowney during the Advent season this past December, and it turned out to be a delightful choice for a holiday read. The book is a perfect blend of suspense, family drama, and festive spirit, making it an enjoyable read that kept me hooked from beginning to end.

The story revolves around two sisters who have grown apart due to misunderstandings and misplaced beliefs. What I appreciated most about the book was how it kept me guessing, particularly when it came to identifying the real villain behind the turmoil in their relationship. Rowney does a fantastic job of weaving in suspense and intrigue, keeping the reader on their toes, wondering who could really be responsible for the family rift.

At its heart, the book is about reconciliation and the strength of family bonds, with the underlying theme that blood is thicker than water. It’s a testament to the importance of family, as the sisters are ultimately brought back together after a pivotal incident during Christmas. This event acts as a catalyst for healing, bringing them closer despite all that had driven them apart in the past.

What I loved about Xmas Break is how accessible it is—easy to read and enjoyable, perfect for a cozy holiday read. It has a bit of everything: a bit of mystery, a dash of family drama, and a heartwarming message about forgiveness and the power of love.

XMas Break was a fun read. It's set on Christmas Eve and focusing on the two sisters who try to come together after a long period of estrangement for some holiday cheer. The absolute best part of it was the concept of reading it as an advent calendar- a chapter a day leading up to Christmas. This made the experience so fun!

"Xmas Break: A Christmas Thriller" by J.E. Rowney is a novella with 25 chapters that can be read on the run-up to Christmas, as mentioned in the author's note. I thought this was a neat tie-in to the holiday, but I do not have that kind of will-power so I devoured this book in one sitting. While the writing was a bit clunky, I found this book did deliver on it's promise to be thrilling. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this fast-paced Christmas thriller novella, estranged sisters Isla and Clara reunite for a holiday at a luxury mountain retreat alongside their husbands, James and Greg. What begins as an uneasy family gathering quickly spirals into suspense as a raging snowstorm traps them together in a remote, festively decorated cabin. Mysterious photographs of an unknown couple, rising tensions between Clara and Greg, and a sudden power outage set the stage for dark secrets to unravel. As the blizzard outside intensifies, so does the sense of danger inside, with ominous hints of greed, betrayal, and survival looming large over this holiday reunion.

Thoughts: J.E. Rowney's Xmas Break offers an engaging blend of festive thrills and psychological tension in a compact novella format, making it a quick read at under 200 pages. The concept of 25 chapters, reminiscent of an advent calendar, adds a clever holiday twist, though many readers may find themselves devouring the story in one sitting. While the plot follows some predictable thriller tropes, it compensates with its atmospheric wintery setting and nods to Stephen King's The Shining and Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

The story builds suspense effectively, with subtle humor scattered amidst the darkness. The characters, particularly Isla, can be frustrating at times, but their dynamics keep the narrative engaging. Though the writing starts off a bit stiff, it gains momentum as the story progresses, culminating in a satisfyingly dramatic conclusion. For readers seeking a light, entertaining Christmas-themed thriller, Xmas Break delivers the perfect blend of chills and holiday cheer.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy of X-Mas Break!
While I loved the setting of this book, I think the pacing was too slow and I just could not connect with the characters at all. It all seemed too far fetched and I don’t think the conclusion was very exciting or suspenseful. It all came together almost too “neat” which some people like but not for me. Also the end dragged. 2 different chapters of happy endings where I was expecting something to happen.
Some might love this short Christmas thriller but for me it was just boring.

I loved the advent writing of this book and only reading one chapter a day throughout December it gave me something to look forward to each day and I really enjoyed the story too! Great thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair and frank review.

Unfortunately, for me, this was not a well written book at all. The plot was ridiculous as were the characters. I’m sorry to say there were no redeeming qualities to this book.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and I feel like I was more brutally honest in my online reviews and am trying to keep this review positive.

So here it is:
Perfect for those looking to dip their toes into the thriller genre.
Not great for those like me who have read multiple thrillers because let's just say it becomes very obvious what is going on which made it hard to appreciate the book.

If you would like to read the full review you can find it on my blog https://booklovereviewer.blogspot.com/2025/01/xmas-break-by-j-e-rowney.html

⭐️3
💧1

I have to say that this book started out incredibly well. The writing was suspenseful and tense. I was looking for little crumbs to follow and ready to tease apart a family mystery and decide who was good and who was a villain. But then it just...fizzled. The action itself was gripping, but the underlying plot was dull. SO, it was a good time but lacked a lot of depth. It is short, so would make a great fireside read for a night.

Thanks you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest review. This was a great, short Christmas thriller. It kept my attention and I didn't want to put it down. It was perfect to get into the holiday spirit. While there were a few weird aspects of the story i overall enjoyed it and would recommend it to others.

This one unfortunately didn’t do it for me. It was a quick read but I just didn’t care about anyone in it and the twists, while not something I predicted, didn’t wow me.

It was an engaging Christmas-time thriller. Not the best thriller that I've ever read, not the worse.

This story follows Isla and her husband as she spends the holidays with her estranged sister and her husband in an isolated cabin. A massive snowstorm starts the night they arrive and things start to turn dark. I enjoyed this book, it was a quick read that was fast paced and kept me guessing. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a fun and fast holiday thriller.

A great, creepy Christmas read if you want something more scary than sweet. I could feel the chill in the air while reading this compulsive book.

This was a quick fun Christmas read. I loved the Advent concept of this book so I did as intended and read one chapter a day (although it was hard to stop at times!) and finished it up on Christmas Day. I enjoyed the characters and the mystery in the beginning however, I did figure out whodunit before the reveal. I would read other titles by this author.

I loved the writing style and advent chapter idea. While it was a creative idea, I was hoping for more.

I enjoyed this book, I really liked that the setting was isolated. It was a little predictable but it was an enjoyable festive thriller and I would recommend.

This quick read did give something different this holiday season. During the holidays, I am used to see romance novels being prompted and raved about but not so much thrillers. This was a quick easy read that was mysterious but did not give a WOW factor. The ending didn't shock me but mainly confused me because it did make sense leading up to it. Regardless of the ending, I enjoyed this read & loved the dexription of the Christmas decorations! Regardless of the length or plot line, this story was enjoyable nonetheless. My rating is a 3.5

Xmas Break is a quick paced thriller that I couldn't put down. There is no way I could have spread this out at a chapter a day and winter is the perfect time to pick this one up.

Set in a smart home during a heavy snow storm estranged sisters Isla and Clara and their husbands sit down to a Christmas Eve meal. Tensions run high from the first page and I was gripped by the intrigue of what had happened in the past by the end of the first chapter.

I loved the pace of this book and felt that the story flew as it developed. I would have like to see some of the plot points that were mentioned fleshed out a little more but it's not always possible in a novella.

An easy, atmospheric winter read I'd recommend to thriller readers with a few hours to cosy up and enjoy.