Yule: Tales for the Winter Solstice

by River Eno, LCW Allinghan (editor), Susan Tulio (editor)

During the cold winter months, we mirror the Earth as she lies quiet, waiting for the return of warm days. We gather around yule fires and perform rituals to lure back the sun. Drinking wassail, singing songs and exchanging gifts, some of us tell stories of the longest night.

Stories of new love and old magick.

Stories of the Holly King and his fight for the season.

Of death and lives well lived.

Of succumbing to the most feral parts of ourselves.

Of the Wild Hunt, and the wrath of Perchta.

And of fey magicks and sacrifices made for love.

Light a candle and bundle up. Within these pages you will find what you need for a hale and hearty Yule, a reconciliation with the shadows and a joyful return to the light.

Genres: Short Stories

136 pages, Paperback

Published November 28, 2023

Reviews

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of short stories immerses the reader in what represents, for me at least, the most beautiful time of the year: Winter.
Cold windy nights, warmed by delicious foods, beverages and company, snowy days, folktales and lots of Magick can be found in here, as each and every story introduces us to unique characters and traditions, some of which long forgotten.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Naito Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Yule: Tales for the Winter Solstice" caught my attention on BookSirens and lingered on my To-be-read list for a while. While initially hesitant due to its classification as a spiritual book, I was intrigued by the promise of pagan stories offering a different perspective on events. To my delight, the collection proved to be more focused on the themes of love and the beauty of nature rather than religion.

Among the stories, "The Wild Hunt" and "The Longest Winter's Night" stood out as personal favorites, along with "By the Blades of Grass and Knife," despite some areas that could benefit from editing. These tales delve into rich lore and effectively represent pagan deities, showcasing the authors' thorough research into pagan culture and mythology.

What I appreciated most about this collection was its authentic portrayal of pagan traditions, which stirred a range of emotions within me, from primal tension to a deep appreciation for the beauty of nature. Reading these stories reminded me of humanity's connection to the natural world and even moved me to tears at times.

Overall, "Yule: Tales for the Winter Solstice" offers a refreshing and thought-provoking exploration of pagan themes. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking to broaden their understanding of the world around us and to experience the magic and wonder of nature through captivating storytelling.

[William Donahue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll read anything put out by Spec Pub, because I know it will be uniformly excellent. This collection is no exception. Each story plucks a different thread about the special magic (and magick) of the cold, quiet winter months—hands down, my favorite time of year. These stories hit the mark: entertaining, well written, atmospheric, and revelatory.

[Cassia Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was recommended this anthology by someone who knew I enjoyed reading about pagan traditions. This collection has seven tales about pagan beliefs centred around the winter solstice.

The introduction is lovely. In-between the stories are details of rites and rituals such as traditional yule gifts, instructions on how to make a wreath or a yule log, which is a very nice touch, giving the reader a hands-on experience if they wish.

Some stories are much more polished than others but, as a whole, this small collection of tales is sure to appeal to those who’d love to learn more about pagan traditions in general and yuletide in particular.

[Gina Zappa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. That being said, let's get into it. I am a sucker for anything and everything anthology/short story collection, so I was excited to read this. Every story did a great job of settling you into the sights, sounds and feelings of the winter season. There's folktales and magic, there's even traditions! This was an all around win.

[Amethyst Arcana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a collection of pagan-flavored short stories to celebrate themes of Yule and the mid-winter season. There are about 8 stories total, all of different lengths and by different authors. Each story brings its own flair to the central theme, with some having a modern setting while others have a more medieval or fantasy-esque setting. The aspect of this collection that stands out the most is that it’s inherently Pagan with not a hint of Christmas in sight.

In the variety there’s something for everyone, and each story is well-written, well-paced, and enjoyable to read. The story that stood out to me the most was a piece titled By the Blades of Grass and Knife by JM Cyrus which carries a mysterious, Pagan, and medieval atmosphere throughout.

A quick and enjoyable read, it’s a great addition to your Yule and mid-winter celebrations. It left me reflecting on the season a bit differently than before, which is something I appreciate.

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting or as diverse in the way I’d hoped for, yet each story was exquisitely written, bringing a mythic experience to the season. The voices of the characters were distinctive and vibrant; bringing a human and not so human shape to many a legend. If you enjoy myths taking on a personal character and seeing what they bring to holidays, this is an eloquent expression of such tales.

[Grey M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little book full of new and interesting Yule stories. Also with nice inserts containing Yule traditions one can engage in.

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Marija P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a nice collection of short stories. If you're a fan of folk tales, this is for you. As the title says, the leitmotif is winter solstice and I'm a bit sad that I'm reading this book in March.
Considering the fact that this is a collection of stories written by many authors, I expected to stuggle with adjusting to different writing styles. But that wasn't the case. The writing styles go well together.

I received an ARC for free and I'm leaving this review voluntary.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty nice book filled with short stories about Yule stories and traditions. Definitely more of a Winter read but I did enjoy this.

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

[Joan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to all the authors involved with this book.

It's a quick palette cleanser after reading a large book or at least one that's really intense. I enjoyed the twelve stories in this collection. My favorite time of year is my birthday, which happens to be on Dec 21st.