Aurora: Tales of Winter Dreams

by River Eno (Editor), LCW Allingham (Editor)

When the winter solstice tucks the land beneath dark covers, and the frost hovers at the edge of warm beds, it is time to slow, to sleep and to let our minds escape. The dream world in winter can be many things; a place of refuge, of exploration, a fantasy to pursue, or a journey to the truth. The gods speak, the worlds shift, and our imaginations are free to explore all snowy paths. Like the Aurora, it swirls across our sleeping minds, lighting up places we cannot see when awake.

 

Tales of Winter Dreams is a collection of short stories and poems that rest in the scattered, strange, magical myths and folklore of dreams. Pieces of a person can be found and lost, connections to other worlds and other selves float on the edges of slumber, in the long cold nights of winter.

 

With literature dreamed from cultures and traditions from around the world, as well as lessons, lore and rituals to welcome in a season of rest and reverie, this third fiction anthology in the winter lore series is a companion for prophetic projections, cozy contemplations and visions of shadow selves.

 

Dream Well.

108 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 4, 2025

Reviews

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first time I came across the winter lore series was in 2024 when I read "Yule: Tales for the Winter Solstice" that I enjoyed so much, so when I crossed paths with Aurora, I wasn't going to miss that read!

So, in this volume, we have 14 short stories/Poems, all talking about dreams, and each one has the print of its author and the way he/she sees dreams.

To be honest, I didn't enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed Yule, but, there are some stories that I loved very much, the ones where folklore is the main character.

The stories I liked the most are:
- The salt of it, where the main character discovers what love and life is, and the cost of it all.
- Ocean burial, where we're taught that sometimes, we're not running away but simply creating new homes and bridges
- Don't wake up too fast, where we witness the love of grandmother and the cost we're ready to pay for a loved one.
- The dreaming of Dibia Snow, where we're taught about the remembrance of the old ways and how valuable some of our traditions are.

There's one story that left me wondering what it meant, I felt it was kind of amputated: A winter like we dreamt before, I didn't really understand what the author was aiming at, all there was are beautifully but strangely described scents and odors, but I might've missed the point 🤷🏻‍♀️.

This was quite a dreamy book, that I had the pleasure to read, with a hot tea mug and a cozy blanket on a cloudy day.

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

[Luminea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I deeply enjoyed this collection of short stories, poems and lore from a number of different writers around the globe. It also includes a beautiful winter solstice ritual, as well as information about crystals and herbs to enhance sleep, prevent nightmares, and encourage lucid dreaming.

The poems were beautiful and poignant, with images of snow angels in silent cemeteries, frosty skies painted with the aurora borealis, and a freezing winter's night in the silent woods.

I especially enjoyed the short stories, which were all highly unique and filled with lush, evocative, fever dream imagery where colours have scents and rivers flow backwards. I lost myself in these vivid dreamscapes and wanted to keep wandering long after the stories had ended.

𝘈𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘳𝘢: 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 is a book to read in bed on a cold winter's night. Fantasy and folklore lovers will enjoy this enchanting collection. I look forward to reading the other two books in this Winter Lore series.

I received a copy for free from Book Sirens, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[David Carriere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aurora: Tales of Winter Dreams is a beautifully ethereal anthology that invites readers into the quiet, magical spaces of winter slumber. Each story and poem feels like a delicate snowfall sometimes whimsical, sometimes haunting drawing readers into dreamscapes rich with myth, folklore, and introspective wonder. The collection captures the stillness, mystery, and subtle enchantment of winter nights, offering a reflective and immersive reading experience.

[Doreen Fernandes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good mix of stories about the dreariness of winter and morbid dreams. A few of the stories were interesting especially, The Salt of It, Ocean Burial, Cold Soup for the Sleep Collector and A Winter Like We Dreamt before. On the whole a good read