A Very Scary Christmas

Scareville #4

by John Ward

Christmas is the most magical time of the year. Between the decorations, the movies, and the fun family traditions, you can truly feel the Christmas spirit. While visiting a local Christmas store, things seem to take a terrifying turn when Kelsey notices the store owner, Madame Trudeau, performing a strange ritual over the trio of elf dolls her younger brother Colby picked out.Strange and chilling occurrences lead Kelsey to believe the dolls can come to life. What’s scarier than a creepy doll? How about three vengeful elf dolls?

Genres: Horror, Christmas, Middle Grade

138 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 21, 2023

Reviews

[Brendon Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic middle grade horror story this is. It's a perfect story for Christmas time as basically every chapter has some type of Christmas activity occurring and its snow filled landscape brings the season to the pages.

3 little Elve ornaments are brought to life however they dont bring any Christmas cheer this season. The Christmas spirit is long gone from their hearts and they seek revenge on poor Kelsey. Can she and her brother survive there onslaught whilst her parents dont believe a word of her pleas for help?

In the vein of Goosebumps and just as good as anything RL Stine has written. Perfect for the season if you have a pre teen or just love reading some middle grade.

[Trisha Tropiano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read A Very Scary Christmas by John Ward with my 10 year old, and we had an absolute blast reading this together! I asked her what her rating was, and she said 10 stars. I told her that it was only out of 5, and she said “I know! 10 stars!” 😂

She wrote her own little review:
“This book was awesome! I loved how creepy the elves were, and the description of their elf voices. My favourite elf was Alfie, he was the most evil! I can’t wait to start Welcome to Scareville with my Mom.”

Overall, we both really enjoyed this middle-grade horror - the characters were relatable, the elves just creepy enough, and the ending was perfect!

[Madison Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This book brought back so many nostalgic memories of my Goosebumps era. I loved this book so much. It was a short, fun/scary Christmas read. If you haven’t read anything by John Ward, I highly recommend his books! Also if you reach out to him, he is the kindest soul. I cannot wait to read the rest of his books!!”

[Graveyardreads Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little holiday cheer for everyone. I purposely choose this just to get into that holiday spirit.

🌲

Christmas is always a wonderful time for the Carrow family. Putting up decorations, watching Christmas movies, and of course... shopping.
During a stop at the local flea market, Kelsey and her brother Colby sees an old woman who sells everything Christmas.
Colby sets his eye on a trio of elves in a box, ready to take home with him. Once arriving home with the now purchased elves, Kelsey senses a strange feeling over her brothers new toys. Something not right, something sinister...

John Ward's Scareville books are always a treat and enjoyable to read. This story alone gives off the certain imaginative and spooky feel to it. A must-read for anyone afraid of dolls. Hey, you have to face your fears somehow, right? The nostalgic references were a nice addition to the story. Classic Christmas movies and characters. The reference that I most enjoyed was the description of Western New York. As a native of Buffalo, NY, it brought a smile to my face. BTW, Go Bills! 🏈

Ward's Scareville books are always a treat and enjoyable for anyone. I hope John Ward truly has success with this series.
Rating 5 stars 🌟

[Megan Wintrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh alas I finally have it! I can't wait for the 5th one already! 😂

I always get the fuzzies when I read the prologue each time!!

Kelsey and Colby along with their mother go to a Christmas Flea Market... In which they meet Madam Trudeau. Colby picks out these three Christmas elves called Alfie, Charlie and Ernie.

When the Elves get to their new home things go wrong... Very wrong for the Carrow family, in particular Kelsey.

What's going on with the Elves? Has it got something to do with the creepy Madam Trudeau?

I really loved this! I was hooked yet again like I was with the last 3! Can't wait until the 5th one comes out!

Well done John 👏

[Angel Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

John continues his Scareville series with a Christmas-themed story. All I can say is, there is nothing scarier than elves coming alive and threatening you. A story where Christmas might be the scariest time of the year.

After all, there's nothing worse than not one but three elves bent on getting revenge for what they claim is Christmas becoming too commercialized.

Can't wait to read the final book of the series!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh what a scary fun and festive Christmas tale! It is creepy (just look at that cover!) but it has family fun, Christmas spirit and a clever story with a surprising (creepy!) ending. Great holiday reading for the young and the young at heart!

[Mercy Nurse · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Ward does not disappoint with the latest addition to the Scareville series! This was the perfect read to get into the Christmas spirit with everyone’s favorite creepy dolls - Elf on the shelf! While not named directly, it seems a lot of the inspiration for this tale of terror came from these toys that supposedly move around at night while you sleep (oftentimes getting into mischief) and keep an eye on you the days leading up to Christmas to report back to Santa, only with an original and spooky twist! Perfect for kids and adults alike, this feels right at home with the goosebumps books we grew up with. Whether you read for nostalgia or just to get into the holiday swing middle-grade horror style, this title has definitely got you covered.

[Jennifer Fischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable Middle Grade Horror

A Very Scary Christmas is a middle grade horror book reminiscent of Goosebumps. The author did an excellent job of introducing readers to the main character and her family and friends before diving into the creepy elements of the story. I felt like the time spent on character development was really worth it because it provided insight into the relationships between the characters and how much Christmas mattered to them. As far as the scare factor goes, I think that young readers will be appropriately creeped out by the Christmas elves and their antics. This book is thrilling without being too over-the-top scary…10/10 recommend reading it at night by the light of the Christmas tree and/or fireplace.

[Svea Neitzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I finished Scareville: A Very Scary Christmas by John Ward. This book is delightfully creepy! My daughter is 10 and we had so much reading it! The naughty elves are very entertaining and it makes me glad we never did Elf on the Shelf.

My daughter made her own review and I'm posting it for her:

I enjoyed that Colby and Kelsey are close and how realistic they were with their sibling rivalry. Sometimes they fight, making fun of each other, and sometimes they are nice too. I also like that Colby slowly believes Kelsey that the elves are alive because their parents don't believe her. I loved the ending. I can't give it away, but it feels like there should be a sequel. I truly like this book!

[Alix Kampen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elf on the shelf meets The Night of the Living Dummy... As someone who has a crippling fear of haunted dolls, ventriloquist dolls, elves... all that junk... this book definitely was something I enjoyed. It immediately threw me into my childhood of reading and watching Goosebumps. I've seen this series, writen by John, being refered too as the next Goosebumps and I feel very inclined to agree. Going in, I clearly knew it was writen for more of a teebage audience, but as an adult I still loved it. I still got the feeling of dread and at the end I got the chills. Highly recommend!

[Pulp_Fiction_Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is your typical run of the mill haunted doll story. We have a 182 page story and we spend the first 150 pages retreading over the usual tropes of a prank or incident occuring and our protagonist swears it was the elves and not them (rinse and repeat). There are long periods throughout where nothing of note happens and it's rather boring, even when we get to the meat of the story it's basically one scene that even in and of itself is rather tame and lackluster. This book wasn't terrible but it definitely wasn't a fun or scary Christmas tale. 

[Ashley Protus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Very Scary Christmas is a delightfully chilling YA horror story with just the right balance of festive cheer and eerie suspense. It’s a quick read with a strong nostalgic vibe, especially for those who grew up loving scary stories with just enough bite. There’s no gore or harsh language, making it a perfect gateway into the horror genre for middle school readers. I could absolutely see my younger self devouring this and immediately wanting more. Bonus points for making me side-eye every elf decoration in the house. Four out of five stars for this spooky seasonal treat!

[Kendra Raptor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas is the most magical time of the year, especially for the Carrow family. Every year they celebrate by decorating and having fun with family traditions. One tradition is going to the flea market and letting the kids, Kelsey and Colby, pick out a new Christmas decoration. Well, this year, Colby finds some elves in a box.
However, these Elves on a Shelf come with their own games.

4/5 - Scareville: A Very Scary Christmas by John Ward is an adventure that would be a great read for YA or lovers of Goosebumbs and Shivers.

[Kate S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

So good!!! I bought this to read to my son who loves Goosebumps, but figured I would read it first. Now I'm not sure I'll let him read it just yet. We have an elf in the house and I don't want him to be terrified of it. But I can't wait to share this with him when he's a little older !

Creepy elves and a poor girl who's parents don't believe her (but in reality, would you?)

[Scott Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas with some scare!

What a fun read! The feeling of the excitement of Christmas with all the lights , decorations and a snow storm make for an excellent Christmas story with some added horror! I always thought those little Christmas elves decorations were had at home when I was a kid looked scary and now I know why! When I was a child we always decked out our house even today I do it in my own home except I don’t have any elves for this exact reason!

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to A Very Scary Christmas while driving to and from family cookie baking today, and it completed the vibe perfectly! John Ward’s Scareville series is a fun nostalgia romp for adults and essential reading on any middle grade horror fan’s shelf.
Also as someone who decided Elf on a Shelf is too creepy to do in my own house, the sinister elves in this book struck a real cord for me!
🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄/ five Christmas trees

[Janelle Halstead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook. Definitely goosebumps vibes. The younger kids will fall in love with the Scareville books. The story and performance was great. I think the only reason it didn’t get a 5 from me is it wasn’t scary to me because I’m older. But kids are definitely going to love his work. Keep writing! Move over R. L. STINE, John Ward has entered the ring.

[Brooke B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Very Scary Christmas brings the magic of the holiday season to life with a chilling twist. I enjoyed the audiobook narration, and the cover art adds to the festive atmosphere. It was a nice change of pace to immerse myself in a Christmas story, even in May. This spooky adventure offers an exciting read perfect for young readers. I'm excited to dive into more Scareville books in the future!

[Brittnee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid story and would be great for kids who show an interest in horror. It’s not gory or graphic and it’s got the perfect amount of scary for anyone that doesn’t want to get too scared. I would honestly love to read this with my future kids one December to put them off of the elf on the shelf.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review for AVery Scary Christmas

I absolutely loved it! Another awesome scary story! John Ward is a master storyteller! This is a must read series! I can’t wait for the next book!

[Tamra Conner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick story.
I was cheering for the family in this and also feeling the frustration from the narrator.
Told very well.
It's Christmas and the Christmas spirit is alive; and that's not the only thing that is.

[Jeff Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Holiday Horror

Though written with young adults in mind (no gore, sex, language), this is a fun, compelling read for anyone. This may prevent the use of Elf on a Shelf for a while.

[Erin Sterett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Scareville Series is so much fun to read, and A Very Scary Christmas was no different. I loved Christmas growing up as a kid, and John does a great job making you feel like you’re there with the kids. Scareville stories always give me such goosebumps vibes and I’m definitely here for it!

[Breanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elves=nope

I wasn't a fan of elves before, but now they will not be in my house ... Ever. This was such an amazing story. It gave me Goosebumps vibes but more grown up and it was such a fun and nostalgic read. I will definitely be grabbing more Scareville books!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 – Creepy Christmas Perfection!
Absolutely loved this! John Ward turns Christmas into something chilling and unforgettable. The atmosphere is eerie, the suspense is real, and I couldn’t put it down. Totally messed with my idea of holiday cheer—in the best way.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one sitting. Not just for kids and young adults. I highly recommend it.

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect middle grade horror! I thought the story was very creative and well written. Even I was creeped out by the elves!

[Danielle Byrnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and entertaining book. It reminds me a little of the goosebumps but way more laid back.

[Logan Bristow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think my favorite one so far. A very addicting story with great characters I didn’t want to put it down.i think it’s Time to tell my son we lost his elf on the shelf.