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Winter Magic
***Pre-order Abi's latest adventures, EVERDARK and THE CRACKLEDAWN DRAGON, out in 2021!***
A beautiful and classic anthology of frosty, magical short stories from acclaimed children’s writers.
The Dreamsnatcher’s Abi Elphinstone heads up this gorgeous collection of wintery stories, featuring snow queens, frost fairs, snow dragons and pied pipers . . . from classic children’s writers Michelle Magorian, Geraldine McCaughrean, Jamila Gavin, Berlie Doherty, Katherine Woodfine, Piers Torday, Lauren St John, Amy Alward, Michelle Harrison and Emma Carroll.
‘Captures all the excitement of the season’ The Guardian
An unmissable, enchanting treat of a collection that will be enjoyed for years to come, by readers of all ages.
Also by Abi Elphinstone:
The Dreamsnatcher
The Shadow Keeper
The Night Spinner
Sky Song
Everdark (World Book Day)
Rumblestar
Jungledrop
The Crackledawn Dragon (coming 13 May 2021)
A beautiful and classic anthology of frosty, magical short stories from acclaimed children’s writers.
The Dreamsnatcher’s Abi Elphinstone heads up this gorgeous collection of wintery stories, featuring snow queens, frost fairs, snow dragons and pied pipers . . . from classic children’s writers Michelle Magorian, Geraldine McCaughrean, Jamila Gavin, Berlie Doherty, Katherine Woodfine, Piers Torday, Lauren St John, Amy Alward, Michelle Harrison and Emma Carroll.
‘Captures all the excitement of the season’ The Guardian
An unmissable, enchanting treat of a collection that will be enjoyed for years to come, by readers of all ages.
Also by Abi Elphinstone:
The Dreamsnatcher
The Shadow Keeper
The Night Spinner
Sky Song
Everdark (World Book Day)
Rumblestar
Jungledrop
The Crackledawn Dragon (coming 13 May 2021)
400 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2016
41 people are currently reading
1057 people want to read
About the author
Abi Elphinstone
27 books437 followersAbi Elphinstone grew up in Scotland where she spent most of her childhood building dens, hiding in tree houses and running wild across highland glens. After being coaxed out of her tree house, she studied English at Bristol University and then worked as a teacher.
THE DREAMSNATCHER is her debut novel for 8-12 years (published by Simon & Schuster in 2015). THE SHADOW KEEPER is her second children's book (published by Simon & Schuster in 2016).
When she's not writing, Abi volunteers for Beanstalk, teaches creative writing workshops in schools and travels the world looking for her next story. Her latest adventure involved living with the Kazakh Eagle Hunters in Mongolia…
THE DREAMSNATCHER is her debut novel for 8-12 years (published by Simon & Schuster in 2015). THE SHADOW KEEPER is her second children's book (published by Simon & Schuster in 2016).
When she's not writing, Abi volunteers for Beanstalk, teaches creative writing workshops in schools and travels the world looking for her next story. Her latest adventure involved living with the Kazakh Eagle Hunters in Mongolia…
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
November 19, 2016
‘Winter is a season that sparkles with magic and transforms our ordinary world into a glittering kingdom: rooftops covered in snow, lakes glazed with ice and windows frosted white. It is a time of year that invites exploration and whispers of adventure. And at the heart of it all there is a sense of longing – for snowflakes, stockings and sledging, of course – but also, for stories.’ – Abi Elphinstone
Winter Magic is a wonderfully festive collection of short stories, and one poem, curated by Abi Elphinstone and featuring ten other excellent writers. Adventures in the snow, glittering trees, frost-covered villages, dark nights, hot chocolate and gingerbread, magic, friendship – all these things come together in this collection of stories to create a true delight that isn’t just for Christmas.
A Night at the Frost Fair by Emma Carroll – 4/5 stars. Such a lovely little story. I adore Emma Carroll’s novels and this short story did not disappoint either.
The Magic of Midwinter by Amy Alward – 3.5/5 stars
The Voice in the Snow by Michelle Harrison – 5/5 stars. LOVED IT. How Michelle Harrison created such a complex and emotive story in forty pages is beyond me; the magic, the atmosphere, and the lyrical writing were superb.
The Cold-Hearted by Geraldine McCaughrean – 4/5 stars. Unexpectedly good.
Casse-Noisette by Katherine Woodfine – 5/5 stars. Ballet, imperial Russia, winter, Christmas, magic of all kinds, warmth. I adored this story; there’s something about Russia, winter, and ballet that evokes a powerful feeling of excitement and nostalgia within me, and this tale was no different. It is a perfect Christmas story that completely transports you to the rehearsals and opening night of The Nutcracker, so many Christmases ago.
Someone Like the Snow Queen by Berlie Doherty – 4/5 stars. A story with a very important and heart-warming message.
The Room with the Mountain View by Lauren St John – 3/5 stars
Snow by Michelle Magorian – 4/5 stars. Snow is the only poem in the collection and it is pure childhood nostalgia.
Into the Mountain by Jamila Gavin – 4/5 stars
The Wishing Book by Piers Torday – 3.5/5 stars
The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone – 4/5 stars. A dragon made of snow, a sausage dog called Herbert, and a girl with hair as white as snowdrops. Abi Elphinstone’s The Snow Dragon finishes this delightful collection with as much magic as she introduced it with.
‘Be content. Be watchful. Be brave.’ He glanced towards the kennel and the snow around his big, dark eyes gathered into wrinkles. ‘And never stop believing in miracles.’
December 10, 2020
Very cute and very atmospheric! Perfect for cozy reading with a candle and a blanket 🖤❄️
January 9, 2022
"Зимова магія" це збірка оповідань з різдвяною атмосферою. Два оповідання мені дуже сподобались, інші були посередніми, але ще два були якісь жахливі. Я розумію що ця книга дитяча, але не придумати нічого нового і цікавого, а переписати "Снігову Королеву" кожен може.
January 25, 2022
Ratings by individual stories:
A Night at the Frost Fair - 4
The Magic of Midwinter - 3
The Voice in the Snow - DNF
The Cold-Hearted - 2
Casse-Noisette - 3
Someone Like the Snow Queen - 4
The Room with the Mountain View - 4
Snow - Poem, No Rating
Into the Mountain - 3
The Wishing Book - 3
The Snow Dragon - 3
*these ratings are generous and objective, seeing as this wasn’t my favorite short story collection.
A Night at the Frost Fair - 4
The Magic of Midwinter - 3
The Voice in the Snow - DNF
The Cold-Hearted - 2
Casse-Noisette - 3
Someone Like the Snow Queen - 4
The Room with the Mountain View - 4
Snow - Poem, No Rating
Into the Mountain - 3
The Wishing Book - 3
The Snow Dragon - 3
*these ratings are generous and objective, seeing as this wasn’t my favorite short story collection.
December 9, 2016
Winter Magic is an anthology of short stories all revolving around the winter season, written by a number of children's authors. The collection was curated by Abi Elphinstone, who also has a story of her own within the book, alongside ten other authors. The author that drew me to the book initially was Emma Carroll, who is my favourite middle grade author, and her story within definitely didn't disappoint. Although going in knowing only the one author, I've come away wanting to read the entire works of all the authors inside!
Captivating from the very introduction, Winter Magic is the kind of book that's great to dip in and out of, enveloping you in warm winter fuzzies with every page you turn. Naturally, with a collection of short stories like this, certain stories are going to be favoured over others and below I'm sharing with you my favourite five stories from within the book.
A NIGHT AT THE FROST FAIR BY EMMA CARROLL
After leaving her Grandma in a care home, and travelling back through a busy London on a winter's night with her family, Maya soon finds herself in a very different kind of busy London... A London from many, many years ago. Having travelled through time with a gift given to her by her Grandma, Maya's world is turned upside down but ultimately changed for the better. A Night at the Frost Fair was a lovely opening to the eleven stories, and such an atmospheric read. Emma Carroll does winter so well.
SOMEONE LIKE THE SNOW QUEEN BY BERLIE DOHERTY
Inspired by the renowned story of the Snow Queen, Orla finds herself on a journey of discovery after allowing her younger brother to fend for himself and ultimately be lead away by the 'Snow Queen'. This is one of those stories that has a strong core and leaves you with a message concluding in a happy ending.
THE ROOM WITH THE MOUNTAIN VIEW BY LAUREN ST JOHN
The Room with the Mountain View is a mystery read that's packed full of adventure and a little reminiscent of the film Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock (as is noted within the story itself).
SNOW BY MICHELLE MAGORIAN
The only poem with this anthology, Snow is definitely one of the pages that wraps you up in those warm winter fuzzies that I mentioned before.
THE SNOW DRAGON BY ABI ELPHINSTONE
On the eve of Christmas, Phoebe is the only child left in a not so nice orphanage, with a rather horrible lady in charge who does nothing but put Phoebe down and belittle her - seriously, this woman is vile! Locked in a dog kennel outside of the orphanage building itself, Phoebe is greeted by a snow dragon who is about to take his annual Christmas Eve flight, and Phoebe is welcomed along for the ride. This story is such a heart warming one and a wonderful ending to the collection as a whole.
There are a variety of themes, other than being centred around winter, running through the stories in Winter Magic and I loved that each story had its own personal message or moral portrayed to the reader. There really is something for everyone in this book - whether you're looking to time travel, play a leading role in the production of The Nutcracker, meet a Snow Queen, fly over land and sea on a Snow Dragon, or be transported back to the nostalgia of childhood and be full of wonder and curiosity as we all are as youngsters.
Winter Magic is one of those charming winter reads that I know I'll return to in the future... And one I also look forward to sharing with my son in a good few years.
Captivating from the very introduction, Winter Magic is the kind of book that's great to dip in and out of, enveloping you in warm winter fuzzies with every page you turn. Naturally, with a collection of short stories like this, certain stories are going to be favoured over others and below I'm sharing with you my favourite five stories from within the book.
A NIGHT AT THE FROST FAIR BY EMMA CARROLL
After leaving her Grandma in a care home, and travelling back through a busy London on a winter's night with her family, Maya soon finds herself in a very different kind of busy London... A London from many, many years ago. Having travelled through time with a gift given to her by her Grandma, Maya's world is turned upside down but ultimately changed for the better. A Night at the Frost Fair was a lovely opening to the eleven stories, and such an atmospheric read. Emma Carroll does winter so well.
SOMEONE LIKE THE SNOW QUEEN BY BERLIE DOHERTY
Inspired by the renowned story of the Snow Queen, Orla finds herself on a journey of discovery after allowing her younger brother to fend for himself and ultimately be lead away by the 'Snow Queen'. This is one of those stories that has a strong core and leaves you with a message concluding in a happy ending.
THE ROOM WITH THE MOUNTAIN VIEW BY LAUREN ST JOHN
The Room with the Mountain View is a mystery read that's packed full of adventure and a little reminiscent of the film Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock (as is noted within the story itself).
SNOW BY MICHELLE MAGORIAN
The only poem with this anthology, Snow is definitely one of the pages that wraps you up in those warm winter fuzzies that I mentioned before.
THE SNOW DRAGON BY ABI ELPHINSTONE
On the eve of Christmas, Phoebe is the only child left in a not so nice orphanage, with a rather horrible lady in charge who does nothing but put Phoebe down and belittle her - seriously, this woman is vile! Locked in a dog kennel outside of the orphanage building itself, Phoebe is greeted by a snow dragon who is about to take his annual Christmas Eve flight, and Phoebe is welcomed along for the ride. This story is such a heart warming one and a wonderful ending to the collection as a whole.
There are a variety of themes, other than being centred around winter, running through the stories in Winter Magic and I loved that each story had its own personal message or moral portrayed to the reader. There really is something for everyone in this book - whether you're looking to time travel, play a leading role in the production of The Nutcracker, meet a Snow Queen, fly over land and sea on a Snow Dragon, or be transported back to the nostalgia of childhood and be full of wonder and curiosity as we all are as youngsters.
Winter Magic is one of those charming winter reads that I know I'll return to in the future... And one I also look forward to sharing with my son in a good few years.
March 19, 2018
I'm kind of happy and disappointed at the same time. First of all, the edition that I read isn't on Goodreads, which is sad, because the cover was gorgeous. And second, in case you didn't know, Winter Magic is a collection of short stories for children between the ages of 8-12 (I think). I read this because hey, it's nearly Christmas, and let's all read children's books at Christmas. I did really like this for the most part, but there were some elements which I found disappointing. Which is generally the case in a collection of short stories.
First there's that small issue - I didn't like all the stories. But I mean, that's pretty normal. I'm not going to like everything. Overall, I think all the stories were really well written. I preferred the magical ones, the delicate, whimsical ones. They made a deeper impression on me. My favourites of the book were The Voice in the Snow by Michelle Harrison and The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone. These two were delightful and well written stories that didn't drag.
But I think the biggest issue I had with this collection was that some of the authors were a bit lazy. I mean, it's not that difficult of a task to write a short story for a collection, but some of them were writing "fanfiction" of their proper books. Or not really - they were writing stories connected to their other books. And although they were wintery, I don't feel like they fitted with the book, which is supposed to be like a completely separate and original selection of stories. I didn't want them to be linked to author's previous works. That being said, I didn't think the "fanfiction" was bad - one was one of my favourite stories in the book. (though I didn't really see how it COULD be connected to a book - which I haven't read so I shouldn't really have an opinion). The other thing I was sad about was that Michelle Magorian, whose story I was looking forwards to reading, only wrote a poem and I thought (though this is only my opinion some people might think it's amazing good on you) it wasn't really that impressive. But then again, I prefer more modern poetry.
However, I thought this was a really nice idea. It was a really great Christmas read that I think is nice to dip in and out of, and the stories are all really different. All of them feel cosy and great to read on a dark night.
First there's that small issue - I didn't like all the stories. But I mean, that's pretty normal. I'm not going to like everything. Overall, I think all the stories were really well written. I preferred the magical ones, the delicate, whimsical ones. They made a deeper impression on me. My favourites of the book were The Voice in the Snow by Michelle Harrison and The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone. These two were delightful and well written stories that didn't drag.
But I think the biggest issue I had with this collection was that some of the authors were a bit lazy. I mean, it's not that difficult of a task to write a short story for a collection, but some of them were writing "fanfiction" of their proper books. Or not really - they were writing stories connected to their other books. And although they were wintery, I don't feel like they fitted with the book, which is supposed to be like a completely separate and original selection of stories. I didn't want them to be linked to author's previous works. That being said, I didn't think the "fanfiction" was bad - one was one of my favourite stories in the book. (though I didn't really see how it COULD be connected to a book - which I haven't read so I shouldn't really have an opinion). The other thing I was sad about was that Michelle Magorian, whose story I was looking forwards to reading, only wrote a poem and I thought (though this is only my opinion some people might think it's amazing good on you)
However, I thought this was a really nice idea. It was a really great Christmas read that I think is nice to dip in and out of, and the stories are all really different. All of them feel cosy and great to read on a dark night.
August 15, 2024
7.0/10
A Night At The Frost Fair - Emma Carroll - 6.8/10
This opening story from Emma Carroll sets the atmosphere of the book up nicely with a very interesting premise and fun a fun time travel element. Story was executed fairly well although very predictable story.
The Magic Of Midwinter - Amy Alward - 4.6/10
A somewhat fun story with pretty lackluster writing and unispired characters, not a very unique premise but somewhat entertaining nevertheless.
The Voice In The Snow - Michelle Harrison - 9.1/10
For me this was by the far the best story in the collection, a much darker atmosphere with a compelling, emotional story, fascinating characters and a true sense of suspense throughout, a couple of genuinely chilling scenes, whilst still fitting the winter theme. Great writing by Harrison.
The Cold-Hearted - Geraldine McCaughrean - 8.2/10
Another standout in the collection. An extremely unique and whimsical story with very engaging writing. A truly interesting story that is unlike anything else I've read.
Casse-Noisette - Katherine Woodfine - 5.9/10
An interesting setting with the Russian ballet school, and I appreciate the historic accuracy to the story, however pretty average writing and a distinct lack of a real plot.
Someone Like The Snow Queen - Berlie Doherty - 7.1/10
A very fun story with real emotion packed in, engaging writing from Doherty makes it an enjoyable story, not that much depth.
The Room With The Mountain View - Lauren St John - 8.3/10
A really exciting and compelling short story with plenty of comedy along with mystery. Good protaganist and side characters alongside an engaging murder-mystery plot.
Snow - Michelle Magorian - N/A
Short poem about winter - not really any substance.
Into The Mountain - Jamila Gavin - 6.0/10
A different take on the story of the Pied Piper, another whimsical story. Decent writing, not the most compelling plot.
The Wishing Book - Piers Torday - 7.5/10
A really interesting idea with a really interesting main character. Fun story with a great ending. Decent writing too.
The Snow Dragon - Abi Elphinstone - 6.9/10
Fantastic writing as always from Abi Elphinstone. Gives you a clear winter atmosphere more than any other story. Very cliché characters and story however still entertaining. Good ending to the collection.
Overall, Winter Magic is a fun and easy-to-read collection with that cosy winter feel. There are different atmospheres and well as quality from story to story, as all short story collection include. Certainly and enjoyable read.
A Night At The Frost Fair - Emma Carroll - 6.8/10
This opening story from Emma Carroll sets the atmosphere of the book up nicely with a very interesting premise and fun a fun time travel element. Story was executed fairly well although very predictable story.
The Magic Of Midwinter - Amy Alward - 4.6/10
A somewhat fun story with pretty lackluster writing and unispired characters, not a very unique premise but somewhat entertaining nevertheless.
The Voice In The Snow - Michelle Harrison - 9.1/10
For me this was by the far the best story in the collection, a much darker atmosphere with a compelling, emotional story, fascinating characters and a true sense of suspense throughout, a couple of genuinely chilling scenes, whilst still fitting the winter theme. Great writing by Harrison.
The Cold-Hearted - Geraldine McCaughrean - 8.2/10
Another standout in the collection. An extremely unique and whimsical story with very engaging writing. A truly interesting story that is unlike anything else I've read.
Casse-Noisette - Katherine Woodfine - 5.9/10
An interesting setting with the Russian ballet school, and I appreciate the historic accuracy to the story, however pretty average writing and a distinct lack of a real plot.
Someone Like The Snow Queen - Berlie Doherty - 7.1/10
A very fun story with real emotion packed in, engaging writing from Doherty makes it an enjoyable story, not that much depth.
The Room With The Mountain View - Lauren St John - 8.3/10
A really exciting and compelling short story with plenty of comedy along with mystery. Good protaganist and side characters alongside an engaging murder-mystery plot.
Snow - Michelle Magorian - N/A
Short poem about winter - not really any substance.
Into The Mountain - Jamila Gavin - 6.0/10
A different take on the story of the Pied Piper, another whimsical story. Decent writing, not the most compelling plot.
The Wishing Book - Piers Torday - 7.5/10
A really interesting idea with a really interesting main character. Fun story with a great ending. Decent writing too.
The Snow Dragon - Abi Elphinstone - 6.9/10
Fantastic writing as always from Abi Elphinstone. Gives you a clear winter atmosphere more than any other story. Very cliché characters and story however still entertaining. Good ending to the collection.
Overall, Winter Magic is a fun and easy-to-read collection with that cosy winter feel. There are different atmospheres and well as quality from story to story, as all short story collection include. Certainly and enjoyable read.
December 6, 2020
A Night at the Frost Fair by Emma Carroll - 4/5 Stars
The Magic of Midwinter by Amy Alward - 4/5 Stars
The Voice in the Snow by Michelle Harrison - 5/5 Stars
The Cold-Hearted by Geraldine McCaughrean - 2/5 Stars
Casse-Noisette by Katherine Woodfine - 4/5 Stars
Someone Like the Snow Queen by Berlin Doherty - 3/5 Stars
The Room With the Mountain View by Lauren St John - 4.5/5 Stars
Snow by Michelle Magorian - 3/5 Stars
Into the Mountain by Jamila Gavin - 3/5 Stars
The Wishing Book by Piers Torday - 3/5 Stars
The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone - 3.5/5 Stars
The Magic of Midwinter by Amy Alward - 4/5 Stars
The Voice in the Snow by Michelle Harrison - 5/5 Stars
The Cold-Hearted by Geraldine McCaughrean - 2/5 Stars
Casse-Noisette by Katherine Woodfine - 4/5 Stars
Someone Like the Snow Queen by Berlin Doherty - 3/5 Stars
The Room With the Mountain View by Lauren St John - 4.5/5 Stars
Snow by Michelle Magorian - 3/5 Stars
Into the Mountain by Jamila Gavin - 3/5 Stars
The Wishing Book by Piers Torday - 3/5 Stars
The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone - 3.5/5 Stars
December 27, 2021
(3.5 stars out of 5)
January 22, 2018
3½-4 stars.
January 11, 2020
A night at the frost fair by Emma Carroll | 3 stars
This is my second dive into Carroll's works since I read her collection of short stories, Into the Woods, of which I liked but didnt woo me. This short story was a sweet one (literally.. cough cough "gingerbread" ) but still not enough to entice me much to pick up more of her work.
The magic of midwinter by Amy Alward | 4 stars
This was very enchanting. The goal was simple but unique enough for me to enjoy. I did find it had a strange blend of modern and fairy tale magic that didn't quite work and also felt a bit confusing in tone. To me it felt like it wasn't sure if it wanted to me middle grade or YA, but regardless it was enjoyable. I'm not sure I'd personally be interested in checking out the rest of the books that this mini story is inspired from though (the potion diaries). I'm rather content with just this snippet of the world and the characters. I don't feel like it would spoil anything, but would give you a taste to see if you're interested in carrying on with that world.
The voice in the snow by Michelle Harrison | 5 stars
I recently read A pinch of magic by this author and absolutely adored it, so when I recognised her name, I was very excited to dive into this world. I love the way this was told, sort of past, present, past, present but it gives you a chance to work out how it connects, rather that thrusting all the information and names at you at once.
I had intended to check out more from her anyway, so I would definitely check out The Other Alice, which is the world this short story is set in. Another unique story I fully enjoyed. It was very creative!
The cold-hearted by Geraldine McCaughrean | 3 stars
I'm not really sure what to think of this one. Once we got going I was enjoying it more, but I felt I was left with a strange, lack lustred feeling after it.
Casse-Noisette by Katherine Woodfine | 3 stars
It gave me Angelina Ballerina nostalgia. It was such a lovely story. At first I thought the ballet theme may be tedious for me as I have no interest in it, but the story alongside it went beautifully well and I felt like I understood our main character bargaining and making promises to herself in the ways she did.
Someone like the snow queen by Berlie Doherty | 3.5 stars
I adore the original story of the snow queen. It's haunting, eery and creepy and this one brought those feelings to life again. I felt like how our main character would feel, like this was such a surreal experience. The story beneath was lovely, and although I imagine it would have delivered more depth had it been a longer story, it managed to get the main themes across and didn't feel too rushed.
The room with the mountain view by Lauren St John | 3 stars
It all seemed a bit far fetched when adults got involved. It felt like it was supposed to make it believable that wouldn't happen. I only pick on this because this was one of the most "real life" winter stories in this collection and so the inconsistency of that made it stick out. Besides this, it was a fun story of mystery and adventure!
Snow by Michelle Magorian | 3 stars
I didn't realise this would be a poem. It was sweet, but very short. I don't have much to say on this one.
Into the mountain by Jamila Gavin | 4 stars
The Pied Piper has always been a story that fills me with unease, but intrigue. This inspired story was fantastic, and was interesting that it took it from the perspective of children left behind and expanded on that. It was a great read.
The wishing book by Piers Torday | 3.5 stars
Kind go gave me Gwendy's Box vibes. This was such a weird story. I didn't really like our main character and then end I wasn't keen on either, but the story itself was so unique and I really enjoyed it.
The snow dragon by Abi Elphinstone | 3 stars
I was a little disappointed by this one cause I really wanted to read more from Abi Elphinstone, since reading her world book day book. But this one felt a little... pathetic for me. I feel so bad saying that as it's such a harsh word but it's the only way I can describe it. The story was sweet enough but it was a bit irritating. I will still continue my interest in the series I'm interested by her though.
This is perhaps a bit of a weird point to make, but I feel an itch to say that I couldn't help but notice quite a few of the stories had a child who's parent had passed away. I totally get that it's too include children who have suffered loss and I'm all for but I guess I felt like it was a bit too raw, having lost my mum last summer. It's one of those odd things I'm finding so much of late, movies, books, etc... when I'm not searching for that. Whenever I hear what sounds like it, it makes me catch my breath and feel ill and I guess I just wanted to mention thay because right now, it's going to be something that alters my thoughts on such things.
Overall, this was a lovely wintery read and has got me excited about some other authors. I wish I read it just before Christmas as that seemed to be the central theme, rather than winter in general, but it was a lovely collection of stories, for the most part, regardless.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
This is my second dive into Carroll's works since I read her collection of short stories, Into the Woods, of which I liked but didnt woo me. This short story was a sweet one (literally.. cough cough "gingerbread" ) but still not enough to entice me much to pick up more of her work.
The magic of midwinter by Amy Alward | 4 stars
This was very enchanting. The goal was simple but unique enough for me to enjoy. I did find it had a strange blend of modern and fairy tale magic that didn't quite work and also felt a bit confusing in tone. To me it felt like it wasn't sure if it wanted to me middle grade or YA, but regardless it was enjoyable. I'm not sure I'd personally be interested in checking out the rest of the books that this mini story is inspired from though (the potion diaries). I'm rather content with just this snippet of the world and the characters. I don't feel like it would spoil anything, but would give you a taste to see if you're interested in carrying on with that world.
The voice in the snow by Michelle Harrison | 5 stars
I recently read A pinch of magic by this author and absolutely adored it, so when I recognised her name, I was very excited to dive into this world. I love the way this was told, sort of past, present, past, present but it gives you a chance to work out how it connects, rather that thrusting all the information and names at you at once.
I had intended to check out more from her anyway, so I would definitely check out The Other Alice, which is the world this short story is set in. Another unique story I fully enjoyed. It was very creative!
The cold-hearted by Geraldine McCaughrean | 3 stars
I'm not really sure what to think of this one. Once we got going I was enjoying it more, but I felt I was left with a strange, lack lustred feeling after it.
Casse-Noisette by Katherine Woodfine | 3 stars
It gave me Angelina Ballerina nostalgia. It was such a lovely story. At first I thought the ballet theme may be tedious for me as I have no interest in it, but the story alongside it went beautifully well and I felt like I understood our main character bargaining and making promises to herself in the ways she did.
Someone like the snow queen by Berlie Doherty | 3.5 stars
I adore the original story of the snow queen. It's haunting, eery and creepy and this one brought those feelings to life again. I felt like how our main character would feel, like this was such a surreal experience. The story beneath was lovely, and although I imagine it would have delivered more depth had it been a longer story, it managed to get the main themes across and didn't feel too rushed.
The room with the mountain view by Lauren St John | 3 stars
It all seemed a bit far fetched when adults got involved. It felt like it was supposed to make it believable that wouldn't happen. I only pick on this because this was one of the most "real life" winter stories in this collection and so the inconsistency of that made it stick out. Besides this, it was a fun story of mystery and adventure!
Snow by Michelle Magorian | 3 stars
I didn't realise this would be a poem. It was sweet, but very short. I don't have much to say on this one.
Into the mountain by Jamila Gavin | 4 stars
The Pied Piper has always been a story that fills me with unease, but intrigue. This inspired story was fantastic, and was interesting that it took it from the perspective of children left behind and expanded on that. It was a great read.
The wishing book by Piers Torday | 3.5 stars
Kind go gave me Gwendy's Box vibes. This was such a weird story. I didn't really like our main character and then end I wasn't keen on either, but the story itself was so unique and I really enjoyed it.
The snow dragon by Abi Elphinstone | 3 stars
I was a little disappointed by this one cause I really wanted to read more from Abi Elphinstone, since reading her world book day book. But this one felt a little... pathetic for me. I feel so bad saying that as it's such a harsh word but it's the only way I can describe it. The story was sweet enough but it was a bit irritating. I will still continue my interest in the series I'm interested by her though.
This is perhaps a bit of a weird point to make, but I feel an itch to say that I couldn't help but notice quite a few of the stories had a child who's parent had passed away. I totally get that it's too include children who have suffered loss and I'm all for but I guess I felt like it was a bit too raw, having lost my mum last summer. It's one of those odd things I'm finding so much of late, movies, books, etc... when I'm not searching for that. Whenever I hear what sounds like it, it makes me catch my breath and feel ill and I guess I just wanted to mention thay because right now, it's going to be something that alters my thoughts on such things.
Overall, this was a lovely wintery read and has got me excited about some other authors. I wish I read it just before Christmas as that seemed to be the central theme, rather than winter in general, but it was a lovely collection of stories, for the most part, regardless.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
January 27, 2023
3.5 stars, rounding down to 3. My favorite story was by Michelle Harrison, but it is so clearly taken from a separate book, it was a bit jarring in context to the other stories in this collection. Beyond that one story, I quite liked "Into the Mountain" by Jamila Gavin and the poem, "Snow", by Michelle Magorian.
Some stories are whimsical, a few had rather dark themes, a few made me laugh, and the last two were rather absurd in their own ways. I'm happy I read this in winter, and I would definitely recommend this to any middle grade readers. For adults, this definitely has less overall appeal, but I enjoyed it.
Some stories are whimsical, a few had rather dark themes, a few made me laugh, and the last two were rather absurd in their own ways. I'm happy I read this in winter, and I would definitely recommend this to any middle grade readers. For adults, this definitely has less overall appeal, but I enjoyed it.
January 23, 2018
This book is just pure magic. Pure winter magic. The title really doesn't lie, and I gotta admit this was a cover buy. Plus it sounded intriguing and I was in the mood for novellas. AND MAN I AM SO GLAD I BOUGHT IT. ITS SO MAGICAL AND THESE AUTHORS ARE GREAT AND JUST YAY! There's magic, snow, cold, winter, friendship and warmth in these stories.
December 19, 2018
A gorgeous chocolate box of a book, filled with stories to delight and enchant you. Fantastic authors have contributed to this anthology and I was captivated by every tale, encountering the Pied Piper and the Snow Queen and getting to know many other characters that I had not met before. Perfect for curling up on the sofa with.
March 6, 2022
The only story I actually liked in this collection was Emma Carroll’s. I was excited for Michelle Harrison’s story as well as Abi Elphinstone but wasn’t a fan.
Out of all authors included here I’d previously only read Harrison’s pinch of Magic series. I’d check out more from Carroll but nothing noteworthy for me in any of the other stories here.
Out of all authors included here I’d previously only read Harrison’s pinch of Magic series. I’d check out more from Carroll but nothing noteworthy for me in any of the other stories here.
November 16, 2019
This was the last of my 12 books bought for me last Christmas by my beautiful and talented daughter. I thoroughly enjoyed my year of books. Thank you for the gift of reading and of Christmas magic!
xxx
xxx
February 7, 2021
En af de bedste novellesamlinger jeg nogensinde har læst, den var så magiske, fuld følelser og en fornøjelse at læse, jeg ville bare gerne have mere. Fuld af vinter, magi, magiske væsner, jul og eventyr.
January 21, 2018
A really lovely collection of short stories! A couple in particular were just so good!
November 15, 2018
My thoughts on the stories varied a lot, but overall the stories ranged from the bad side to the good side of average - not perfect, but not terrible either.
January 1, 2024
Mam wrazenie ze nie bylam do konca grupa docelowa wiec to nie bardzo dla mnie, aczkolwiek historyjki nawet przyjemne
December 19, 2020
Most of the stories were 3-4 stars in this book. My favourite story was by Katherine Woodfine about a nutcracker and made my heart sing. Highly recommend if you want a cosy winter read
December 31, 2022
Poprostu spoczko. Confort book
March 13, 2017
What a fantastic collection! Every single story wasn't a 5-star read, but overall this is a wonderfully curated anthology I know I will revisit in the future. I may not read it straight through again, but it would be fun to dip in and out of during the winter/Christmas season.
This experience has made me want to fit more short stories into my reading routine and reminded me that shorter works can be satisfying in their own right. I was always hesitant in the past, feeling there wasn't enough to them to get invested in the story, but this experience has proved me wrong. It's also made me want to read most of the other books by the featured authors. As enjoyable as this was, it was a bit dangerous for my TBR!
This experience has made me want to fit more short stories into my reading routine and reminded me that shorter works can be satisfying in their own right. I was always hesitant in the past, feeling there wasn't enough to them to get invested in the story, but this experience has proved me wrong. It's also made me want to read most of the other books by the featured authors. As enjoyable as this was, it was a bit dangerous for my TBR!
January 21, 2024
I was beyond excited to read this book when I first saw it...especially with that cover! I went in fully expecting this to be filled with whimsical, imaginative wintry tales. Stories of make-believe and childlike wonder that remind you of entering a wardrobe and being transported to a different world like Narnia. Filled with beautiful descriptions of cold, snowy winters and a special kind of magic that can only be found in fairy tales. The point is: I had really high expectations for this. These are some of my favorite types of stories to read, and especially with winter as the overarching theme, I was ready to be immersed in these stories. Alas... this short story collection is really weird, and overall I did not like most of these stories at all.
It started off strong! I really enjoyed the first two stories a lot. But after that point, save Casse Noisette which I quite liked, these stories just got more and more bizarre and I kept wondering, What the...?. For a short story collection titled "Winter Magic" you'd think it would be filled with fun, delightful stories. But oh is that so not the case... I don't think I've ever been so let down. Let's break it down:
DISCLAIMER: Seeing as this is technically middle grade, I want to note that there will be the occasional strong language in my review
A Night at the Frost Fair ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Awww! Touching and kind of sad time travel story.
The Magic of Midwinter ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one was SO imaginative and so much fun!
The Voice in the Snow ⭐️⭐️
This is where these stories started to feel out of left field. This one reads like a Brother's Grimm tale, which is fine... but there is absolutely no theme of winter in this story. Unless it just so happens to take place in the wintertime and it just mentions it briefly once or something, which... not good enough for me, sorry. This story just didn't feel like it belonged.
The Cold-Hearted ⭐️
... What the fuck did I just read? No, seriously, what kind of xenophobic nightmare did I just read?
Casse Noisette ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Really sweet story—no notes!
Someone Like the Snow Queen ⭐️
Okay, this one. THIS ONE TAKES THE CAKE. My hatred for this story deserves its own essay.
The main takeaway from this is that the main character suuuuuuucks. Seriously, she's awful. She's left to babysit her little brother, so she leaves him outside like a dog?? While she neglects her responsibilities and hangs out with her friends all day? When asked by one of her friends whether her brother will be okay, she just annoyedly responds, Pfft, whatever, he'll be fine. Like, GIRL. You are the worst older sibling EVER. You would think this would be the behavior of a ten-year old. But no. This girl is thirteen. Yes, teens are angsty. Yes, they're still learning and developing. But I don't care. Thirteen is old enough for you to know that you can't just leave younger children unattended by themselves in the front yard.
Also... he's only five.
She's doing this to a fucking five-year old.
CALL CPS ON THIS GIRL'S ASS.
And then she has the audacity to act surprised when he goes missing. Like, What? I didn't properly supervise him, left him to fend for himself outside while I selfishly went off to play with my friends and he's just... gone??" Crazy, I know!
At one point, she hears from another source that they saw her little brother walking away with the Snow Queen, and our protagonist wonders to herself, Why does that woman make him happy... he used to be happy with me.
Girl, because you NEGLECTED HIM. Are you stupid??
And it turns out... THE SNOW QUEEN IS NOT THE VILLAIN. She basically IS CPS because she takes in all of the abandoned, forgotten children who are left out on doorsteps—like our protagonist's little brother. And our CPS Snow Queen fully puts our protagonist in her place, telling her essentially, Yeah, you cared so much about him that you left him outside?
WHERE IS THE LIE. She's literally just spitting facts. So really, who's the reeeeal villain here? I'm thinking it's our stupid protagonist!
No, but seriously. I can't believe it took a snow queen kidnapping her brother and straight-up telling her, Yo, look after your brother. You can't just leave him outside It's one of those things where you didn't think you'd HAVE to lecture someone on this and turn it into a whole-ass teachable moment because, well, it's just common sense. Yet here we are...
In short: This is the stupidest short story I've ever read. I've never wanted more to hurl a book at a wall.
The Room With the Mountain View ⭐️⭐️
Where to begin...
—A teacher flat-out leaves a disabled student in a wheelchair unattended, after which said student almost goes careening off the side of a cliff.
—Weirdly racist at times
—The twist... I'm not even going to spoil it, but just know that it's bizarre.
The overall pacing and twists and turns this story takes feels almost like taking a walk through Willy Wonka's factory. At one point I just asked myself, What is happening right now...
Snow ⭐️⭐️
This was... fine? It was just the most generic snow poem you could've written. Of all the poems in all of humanity that have ever been written about snow—and there's a lot of 'em!—this one delivered absolutely nothing new or groundbreaking. It's... it's a poem about snow. That's it. I don't know what else to say.
Into the Mountain ⭐️⭐️
For some reason, I didn't really have much to say on this one. It was also an odd story, but thankfully not offensively so.
The Wishing Book ⭐️
This one felt toooo elementary. Like, this is a short story but I could see it being a children's picture book in the same vain as something like Harold and the Purple Crayon. It's the kind of children's book logic where things get blown out of proportion to an absurd degree. The main character starts out wanting to make one or two things disappear with the help of a magic sketchbook. And then it becomes "anything that even slightly displeases or inconveniences her." The living room curtains don't close all the way? Disappear! A whole-ass church because she found the service boring? Bye bye, religious institution! A HOSPITAL. A hospital full of the sick, elderly, and dying because she finds hospitals scary.
So she gradually draws things out of existence until there's literally nothing left of the world except for a blank, white void. Then she sees her grandmother who originally gifted her the sketchbook, who then proceeds to solve this problem by sketching her into the book where everything else is, and... that becomes the new "world"? So... does the other blank world still exist? Did grandmother just create a multiverse?? I just—the ending of this was trippy, and I don't fully understand the moral of this story.
The Snow Dragon
I'm gonna be honest, I didn't fully finish this one. At this point, I have fatigue from making it to the end of this book.
* * *
So there you have it. Those are my in-depth thoughts on this short story collection that I thought for sure I would love but turned out to be all-around deeply disappointing, considering that I rated most of the stories in this book two starts or lower. *womp womp*
... Anyone want my copy?
It started off strong! I really enjoyed the first two stories a lot. But after that point, save Casse Noisette which I quite liked, these stories just got more and more bizarre and I kept wondering, What the...?. For a short story collection titled "Winter Magic" you'd think it would be filled with fun, delightful stories. But oh is that so not the case... I don't think I've ever been so let down. Let's break it down:
DISCLAIMER: Seeing as this is technically middle grade, I want to note that there will be the occasional strong language in my review
A Night at the Frost Fair ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Awww! Touching and kind of sad time travel story.
The Magic of Midwinter ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one was SO imaginative and so much fun!
The Voice in the Snow ⭐️⭐️
This is where these stories started to feel out of left field. This one reads like a Brother's Grimm tale, which is fine... but there is absolutely no theme of winter in this story. Unless it just so happens to take place in the wintertime and it just mentions it briefly once or something, which... not good enough for me, sorry. This story just didn't feel like it belonged.
The Cold-Hearted ⭐️
... What the fuck did I just read? No, seriously, what kind of xenophobic nightmare did I just read?
Casse Noisette ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Really sweet story—no notes!
Someone Like the Snow Queen ⭐️
Okay, this one. THIS ONE TAKES THE CAKE. My hatred for this story deserves its own essay.
The main takeaway from this is that the main character suuuuuuucks. Seriously, she's awful. She's left to babysit her little brother, so she leaves him outside like a dog?? While she neglects her responsibilities and hangs out with her friends all day? When asked by one of her friends whether her brother will be okay, she just annoyedly responds, Pfft, whatever, he'll be fine. Like, GIRL. You are the worst older sibling EVER. You would think this would be the behavior of a ten-year old. But no. This girl is thirteen. Yes, teens are angsty. Yes, they're still learning and developing. But I don't care. Thirteen is old enough for you to know that you can't just leave younger children unattended by themselves in the front yard.
Also... he's only five.
She's doing this to a fucking five-year old.
CALL CPS ON THIS GIRL'S ASS.
And then she has the audacity to act surprised when he goes missing. Like, What? I didn't properly supervise him, left him to fend for himself outside while I selfishly went off to play with my friends and he's just... gone??" Crazy, I know!
At one point, she hears from another source that they saw her little brother walking away with the Snow Queen, and our protagonist wonders to herself, Why does that woman make him happy... he used to be happy with me.
Girl, because you NEGLECTED HIM. Are you stupid??
And it turns out... THE SNOW QUEEN IS NOT THE VILLAIN. She basically IS CPS because she takes in all of the abandoned, forgotten children who are left out on doorsteps—like our protagonist's little brother. And our CPS Snow Queen fully puts our protagonist in her place, telling her essentially, Yeah, you cared so much about him that you left him outside?
WHERE IS THE LIE. She's literally just spitting facts. So really, who's the reeeeal villain here? I'm thinking it's our stupid protagonist!
No, but seriously. I can't believe it took a snow queen kidnapping her brother and straight-up telling her, Yo, look after your brother. You can't just leave him outside It's one of those things where you didn't think you'd HAVE to lecture someone on this and turn it into a whole-ass teachable moment because, well, it's just common sense. Yet here we are...
In short: This is the stupidest short story I've ever read. I've never wanted more to hurl a book at a wall.
The Room With the Mountain View ⭐️⭐️
Where to begin...
—A teacher flat-out leaves a disabled student in a wheelchair unattended, after which said student almost goes careening off the side of a cliff.
—Weirdly racist at times
—The twist... I'm not even going to spoil it, but just know that it's bizarre.
The overall pacing and twists and turns this story takes feels almost like taking a walk through Willy Wonka's factory. At one point I just asked myself, What is happening right now...
Snow ⭐️⭐️
This was... fine? It was just the most generic snow poem you could've written. Of all the poems in all of humanity that have ever been written about snow—and there's a lot of 'em!—this one delivered absolutely nothing new or groundbreaking. It's... it's a poem about snow. That's it. I don't know what else to say.
Into the Mountain ⭐️⭐️
For some reason, I didn't really have much to say on this one. It was also an odd story, but thankfully not offensively so.
The Wishing Book ⭐️
This one felt toooo elementary. Like, this is a short story but I could see it being a children's picture book in the same vain as something like Harold and the Purple Crayon. It's the kind of children's book logic where things get blown out of proportion to an absurd degree. The main character starts out wanting to make one or two things disappear with the help of a magic sketchbook. And then it becomes "anything that even slightly displeases or inconveniences her." The living room curtains don't close all the way? Disappear! A whole-ass church because she found the service boring? Bye bye, religious institution! A HOSPITAL. A hospital full of the sick, elderly, and dying because she finds hospitals scary.
So she gradually draws things out of existence until there's literally nothing left of the world except for a blank, white void. Then she sees her grandmother who originally gifted her the sketchbook, who then proceeds to solve this problem by sketching her into the book where everything else is, and... that becomes the new "world"? So... does the other blank world still exist? Did grandmother just create a multiverse?? I just—the ending of this was trippy, and I don't fully understand the moral of this story.
The Snow Dragon
I'm gonna be honest, I didn't fully finish this one. At this point, I have fatigue from making it to the end of this book.
* * *
So there you have it. Those are my in-depth thoughts on this short story collection that I thought for sure I would love but turned out to be all-around deeply disappointing, considering that I rated most of the stories in this book two starts or lower. *womp womp*
... Anyone want my copy?
December 31, 2018
A collection of wintery short stories, this book is perfect to read in the cold winter months! There are elves to a snow dragon to a wishing book - the pages are brimming with magic and I enjoyed the majority of the stories inside. Here's a breakdown of the eleven short stories and my ratings for each:
• A Night at the Frost Fair by Emma Carroll 4☆
• The Magic of Midwinter by Amy Alward 4☆
• The Voice in the Snow by Michelle Harrison 3☆
• The Cold-Hearted by Geraldine McCaughrean 2☆
• Casse-Noisette by Katherine Woodfine 4☆
• Someone Like the Snow Queen by Berlin Doherty 3☆
• The Room With the Mountain View by Lauren St John 2☆
• Snow by Michelle Magorian 3☆
• Into the Mountain by Jamila Gavin 3☆
• The Wishing Book by Piers Torday 4☆
• The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone 3☆
There are some serious winter vibes in this book and a whole heap of magic to get you into the spirit of the season. My favourite stories were probably A Night at the Frost Fair and The Magic of Midwinter - it's a book that starts off strong for sure!
• A Night at the Frost Fair by Emma Carroll 4☆
• The Magic of Midwinter by Amy Alward 4☆
• The Voice in the Snow by Michelle Harrison 3☆
• The Cold-Hearted by Geraldine McCaughrean 2☆
• Casse-Noisette by Katherine Woodfine 4☆
• Someone Like the Snow Queen by Berlin Doherty 3☆
• The Room With the Mountain View by Lauren St John 2☆
• Snow by Michelle Magorian 3☆
• Into the Mountain by Jamila Gavin 3☆
• The Wishing Book by Piers Torday 4☆
• The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone 3☆
There are some serious winter vibes in this book and a whole heap of magic to get you into the spirit of the season. My favourite stories were probably A Night at the Frost Fair and The Magic of Midwinter - it's a book that starts off strong for sure!
December 31, 2016
A lovely, wintery collection of short stories from some wonderful MG voices. These all have something to recommend them, but the stories that have particularly stayed with me are Piers Torday's creepy exploration of why you should be grateful for what you already have, Abi Elphinstone's beautiful Matilda-with-ice-dragons, and Katherine Woodfine's lovely Nutcracker origin story. 8+
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
December 31, 2021
4,5/5 ⭐️
All the stories are so lovely and sweet. They cuddle you.
All the stories are so lovely and sweet. They cuddle you.
February 7, 2020
Really beautiful and magical. Introduced me to some authors I hadn’t heard of before this, and want to look into.
January 16, 2018
I will admit that I have mixed feelings about this Anthology. I really enjoyed some of the stories, but I was also really disappointed in others. I was also disappointed that two of the stories in this book where not originals, but stories based off/in the worlds the author had created in their books, meaning that you couldn’t really read them without being spoiled for the books. But, that aside, the rest of the book was pretty enjoyable. I really liked that this was a winter Anthology, not a Christmas one, but it still had 3 or 4 stories that where set at Christmas. It truly held the essence of winter. If you don’t want a in your face, full on, Christmas read, but still want a bit of festivity in your life, give this collection a go.
4 out of 5
A Night At The Frost Fair by Emma Carroll
What a good story to open on. I really enjoyed it. even though it was kind of weird. I really enjoyed the wintery feel of this story. the whole story had a magical air to it which was really enjoyable. Although the actual magical element of the story wasn’t actually explained, I still found it really enjoyable. I liked the fact the story came full circle. A really sweet story to start with.
4.5 out of 5
The Magic Of Midwinter by Amy Alward
Okay, not going to lie, I skipped this story. but I had good reason too. I read about three pages of it and then realised that it is a story set in the world form Alward’s Potion Diaries series, and features all the characters….I am reading this series and I have only read the first book at the moment and I can’t find anywhere online that tells me where this novella fits into the main story. so I decided that it was probably best to not read this one now, but to come back to it once I am up to date with the series. (But FYI, if you haven’t read the books, from what I read of this story, I think that you will still be able to enjoy it)
The Voice In The Snow by Michelle Harrison
Don’t hate me, but I skipped this one as well. Like the previous story, this was set in the same world as the authors already published book. In this case, The Other Alice. Which is on to read list. And I really didn’t want to risk spoiling anything for myself. Again, I will come back to this story eventually, once I have read the book from which it is set.
(these are the only two that I skipped. All other stories are original’s written for this anthology)
The Cold-Hearted by Geraldine McCaughrean
Well that was kind of cult-y…it was super weird and kind of creepy. I honestly don’t know how I feel about it. It was just kind of fucked up and really dark and strange and, I don’t know. It just didn’t feel magical or anything, it just felt very creepy. And I hate the ending, because nothing was resolved and, urgh, I don’t know how I feel about it.
2 out of 5
Casse-Noisette by Katherine Woodfine
I really liked this story. It was magical and Christmassy and frankly, beautiful. I loved the idea of music transporting you to places, even just inside your own mind. This is such a true fact of life and I think that it was explored beautifully here. I also loved that this story was very loosely based of true events/people. This whole story was just so beautiful and has now made me really want to watch the nut cracker (and I am not a ballet kind of person). I really enjoyed it
4.5 out of 5
Someone Like The Snow Queen by Berlie Doherty
I’m not sure how I feel about this one. I found it kind of boring and predictable. Straight from the off, you kind of knee what was going to happen. Everything just felt a bit played out. I don’t know, I just wasn’t the biggest fan of the story. I found the story boring and the characters irritating. It was actually a shame that I didn’t enjoy this one more as it was the one that I was looking forward to most. But, I spouse that’s the way it goes.
2 out of 5
The Room With The Mountain View by Lauren St John
I actually quiet liked this story as well. It was kind of a murder mystery story, but middle grade. It had skiing, mountains, circus performers, huskies and a mystery. What more is there to say. I liked it. it was fun and easy, with a, kind of expected, twist. But it was enjoyable. i will admit, I am still very curious about what was buried (why was that not explained when everything else was? Lol), but it was still a good little read. I am intrigued by Lauren St John now.
4 out of 5
Snow by Michelle Magorian
This was a sweet enough poem, but it didn’t pack much of a punch. It was very middle grade. Like, lower end. I mean, it wasn’t bad, I just wasn’t brilliant. A bit under whelming.
3 out of 5
Into The Mountain by Jamila Gavin
What an interesting take on the tale of the Pied Piper. I quiet liked this, I only wish that it was longer. This had the potential to be a truly incredible story, but being a short story, it didn’t meet its potential. It was still really good though. it was a pretty dark story, but it was interesting and familiar yet also new, which I loved. it was pretty good, but it could have been brilliant if it was longer. There was just too much depth to this story for it to work as a short story. and a lot was left kind of unexplained. But, this was one of my favourites from this book.
4.5 out of 5
The Wishing Book by Piers Torday
What the ever loving fluff was that? that has got to be one of the strangest short stories that I have ever read. it was seriously messed up and just plain weird. I didn’t like it. I really didn’t like it. which is really annoying, since it was actually set at Christmas and could have been a nice, happy Christmas story, but now, it was fucked up and strange and I have no idea what I just read.
1 out of 5
The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone
That was a good story to end on. It had serious Matilda vibes, but I really liked it. it was magical and deep and full of miracles. It was the perfect little Christmas story. it had dragons, dancing Dash Hounds, and a little girl with hair as white as snowdrops and eyes as large and round as puddles. A beautiful story and a brilliant end to this anthology.
4.5 out of 5
4 out of 5
A Night At The Frost Fair by Emma Carroll
What a good story to open on. I really enjoyed it. even though it was kind of weird. I really enjoyed the wintery feel of this story. the whole story had a magical air to it which was really enjoyable. Although the actual magical element of the story wasn’t actually explained, I still found it really enjoyable. I liked the fact the story came full circle. A really sweet story to start with.
4.5 out of 5
The Magic Of Midwinter by Amy Alward
Okay, not going to lie, I skipped this story. but I had good reason too. I read about three pages of it and then realised that it is a story set in the world form Alward’s Potion Diaries series, and features all the characters….I am reading this series and I have only read the first book at the moment and I can’t find anywhere online that tells me where this novella fits into the main story. so I decided that it was probably best to not read this one now, but to come back to it once I am up to date with the series. (But FYI, if you haven’t read the books, from what I read of this story, I think that you will still be able to enjoy it)
The Voice In The Snow by Michelle Harrison
Don’t hate me, but I skipped this one as well. Like the previous story, this was set in the same world as the authors already published book. In this case, The Other Alice. Which is on to read list. And I really didn’t want to risk spoiling anything for myself. Again, I will come back to this story eventually, once I have read the book from which it is set.
(these are the only two that I skipped. All other stories are original’s written for this anthology)
The Cold-Hearted by Geraldine McCaughrean
Well that was kind of cult-y…it was super weird and kind of creepy. I honestly don’t know how I feel about it. It was just kind of fucked up and really dark and strange and, I don’t know. It just didn’t feel magical or anything, it just felt very creepy. And I hate the ending, because nothing was resolved and, urgh, I don’t know how I feel about it.
2 out of 5
Casse-Noisette by Katherine Woodfine
I really liked this story. It was magical and Christmassy and frankly, beautiful. I loved the idea of music transporting you to places, even just inside your own mind. This is such a true fact of life and I think that it was explored beautifully here. I also loved that this story was very loosely based of true events/people. This whole story was just so beautiful and has now made me really want to watch the nut cracker (and I am not a ballet kind of person). I really enjoyed it
4.5 out of 5
Someone Like The Snow Queen by Berlie Doherty
I’m not sure how I feel about this one. I found it kind of boring and predictable. Straight from the off, you kind of knee what was going to happen. Everything just felt a bit played out. I don’t know, I just wasn’t the biggest fan of the story. I found the story boring and the characters irritating. It was actually a shame that I didn’t enjoy this one more as it was the one that I was looking forward to most. But, I spouse that’s the way it goes.
2 out of 5
The Room With The Mountain View by Lauren St John
I actually quiet liked this story as well. It was kind of a murder mystery story, but middle grade. It had skiing, mountains, circus performers, huskies and a mystery. What more is there to say. I liked it. it was fun and easy, with a, kind of expected, twist. But it was enjoyable. i will admit, I am still very curious about what was buried (why was that not explained when everything else was? Lol), but it was still a good little read. I am intrigued by Lauren St John now.
4 out of 5
Snow by Michelle Magorian
This was a sweet enough poem, but it didn’t pack much of a punch. It was very middle grade. Like, lower end. I mean, it wasn’t bad, I just wasn’t brilliant. A bit under whelming.
3 out of 5
Into The Mountain by Jamila Gavin
What an interesting take on the tale of the Pied Piper. I quiet liked this, I only wish that it was longer. This had the potential to be a truly incredible story, but being a short story, it didn’t meet its potential. It was still really good though. it was a pretty dark story, but it was interesting and familiar yet also new, which I loved. it was pretty good, but it could have been brilliant if it was longer. There was just too much depth to this story for it to work as a short story. and a lot was left kind of unexplained. But, this was one of my favourites from this book.
4.5 out of 5
The Wishing Book by Piers Torday
What the ever loving fluff was that? that has got to be one of the strangest short stories that I have ever read. it was seriously messed up and just plain weird. I didn’t like it. I really didn’t like it. which is really annoying, since it was actually set at Christmas and could have been a nice, happy Christmas story, but now, it was fucked up and strange and I have no idea what I just read.
1 out of 5
The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone
That was a good story to end on. It had serious Matilda vibes, but I really liked it. it was magical and deep and full of miracles. It was the perfect little Christmas story. it had dragons, dancing Dash Hounds, and a little girl with hair as white as snowdrops and eyes as large and round as puddles. A beautiful story and a brilliant end to this anthology.
4.5 out of 5
December 21, 2021
A fascinating collection! I'm rereading my favorites.
A Night at the Frost Fair: Beautiful story about the daughter of Indian immigrants whose grandmother has been put in a home, but manages to give Maya a gift that connects her to her past. I loved it. Beautifully written and suspenseful.
The Magic of Midwinter: This is a short story based on the Potion Diaries books. Nice enough. A little cutesy for my taste.
A Voice in the Snow: one of the stories that irritates me because it can't be clear if it's in the modern times or the past. Main character wears leather boots and a leather jacket, but also there are no cars. It's just... odd. Nice story, though. Beware of cats!
The Cold-Hearted: Set in Scotland! Yay! Weird and odd story that slightly strains against belief. So I didn't like it. Boo.
Casse-Noisette: a fictional look at a little girl named Stana, the first ballerina to dance the part of Clara in the first production of The Nutcracker. I loved it. Woodfine is a beautiful writer and she describes Russia so well. It's enchanting. Highly recommend.
Someone Like the Snow Queen: I really liked this modern retelling of The Snow Queen about a teenager grieving her father. It's very interesting.
A Room with A Mountain View: Charming story about a spoiled rich girl who gets hurt on a school ski strip and through that meets the groundskeeper's daughter, a colorful circus that is visiting, and solves a mystery. I really liked it.
Snow: A poem. It's fine.
Into the Mountain: a tale about the children left behind after the Pied Piper. Beautiful and haunting. I liked it.
The Wishing Book: a clever idea, but when you name your characters Grandma Bike and Grandma Car, you lose my interest. It was odd and I'm not sure I liked it.
The Snow Dragon: one of my new favorites. Phoebe seems invisible at the orphanage, which is very Dickensian, and worries that she'll never have her own adoption day. Until her belief in magic brings a snow dragon. So beautiful.
A Night at the Frost Fair: Beautiful story about the daughter of Indian immigrants whose grandmother has been put in a home, but manages to give Maya a gift that connects her to her past. I loved it. Beautifully written and suspenseful.
The Magic of Midwinter: This is a short story based on the Potion Diaries books. Nice enough. A little cutesy for my taste.
A Voice in the Snow: one of the stories that irritates me because it can't be clear if it's in the modern times or the past. Main character wears leather boots and a leather jacket, but also there are no cars. It's just... odd. Nice story, though. Beware of cats!
The Cold-Hearted: Set in Scotland! Yay! Weird and odd story that slightly strains against belief. So I didn't like it. Boo.
Casse-Noisette: a fictional look at a little girl named Stana, the first ballerina to dance the part of Clara in the first production of The Nutcracker. I loved it. Woodfine is a beautiful writer and she describes Russia so well. It's enchanting. Highly recommend.
Someone Like the Snow Queen: I really liked this modern retelling of The Snow Queen about a teenager grieving her father. It's very interesting.
A Room with A Mountain View: Charming story about a spoiled rich girl who gets hurt on a school ski strip and through that meets the groundskeeper's daughter, a colorful circus that is visiting, and solves a mystery. I really liked it.
Snow: A poem. It's fine.
Into the Mountain: a tale about the children left behind after the Pied Piper. Beautiful and haunting. I liked it.
The Wishing Book: a clever idea, but when you name your characters Grandma Bike and Grandma Car, you lose my interest. It was odd and I'm not sure I liked it.
The Snow Dragon: one of my new favorites. Phoebe seems invisible at the orphanage, which is very Dickensian, and worries that she'll never have her own adoption day. Until her belief in magic brings a snow dragon. So beautiful.
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