Christmas is here but the Winchester witches aren’t exactly teeming with good cheer. Well, they are, but it’s not the sort of Christmas cheer Aunt Tillie wants waiting for her under this year’s tree.
When Aunt Tillie finds out her great-nieces want to separate for Christmas Day – forgoing the family’s annual tradition – she decides to teach them a little lesson. Of course, since she’s Aunt Tillie, her dose of retribution comes in the form of her favorite holiday Christmas stories.
For Bay and Landon, that means they’re shoved into A Witchmas Carol, one of Aunt Tillie’s favorite tales. That should mean hugs and happiness, right? Yeah, try toil and trouble instead.
Bay and Landon have to work their way through memories of the past, guilt over the present and absolute terror when facing their future if they expect to come out the other side. To escape, they have to figure out exactly what Aunt Tillie wants… and she’s got a few tricks up her sleeve.
So, it’s that time of the year. Things are about to get merry… and maybe a little messy… for the Winchesters. There’s no better time to hitch a ride on the mayhem sleigh.
A Witchmas Carol is a fantasy set in the Wicked Witches of the Midwest World. It falls between A Witch Before Dying and All My Witches in the timeline.
When I was a kid, I was torn between whether or not I was going to grow up and be the Incredible Hulk or Wonder Woman. I flirted with being a Jedi Knight for awhile, but I wasn't up for the intense travel associated with the gig. In my teens, I settled on being a writer -- although I had no idea the effort that would entail. Not only am I a writer now, but I'm a writer in several different mediums. I'm a longtime newspaper reporter, an avid reader and a voracious science fiction fanatic.
Aunt Tillie is pissed off. How dare her great nieces think they can spend Christmas Day away from the family?! Christmas Day is for spending with Family, whether you like them or not. This witch will cast a spell and teach her great nieces what Christmas is all about, at least in her book.
Favourite Aunt Tillie quote: “Christmas isn’t about getting things. It’s about giving things too. That’s the most important thing to remember. You need to give what you can and be gracious about what’s given to you. Then, when you’re done with that, you can smite your enemies with a clear conscience. Everyone clear? Okay, fasten your combat helmets and get ready. We’re not done tonight until Margaret Little is in tears. Only then can we have our cookies” Aunt Tillie while on babysitting duty on Christmas Eve.
Some things I liked: -It’s Christmas time and this is a spin on A Christmas Carol. -Aunt Tillie’s character: while she’s her usual crotchety, demanding, spoiled self, her softer side is also revealed. She misses her sister and husband at Christmas. We also see that her generosity really knows no bounds when it comes to family. That doesn’t mean she won’t curse them into story books if she thinks they deserve it. -Landon’s character and past are further explored. One minor complaint I have in general about Amanda’s books is that the back story of the male MCs need more fleshing out. In this one we get a more substantial look at Landon’s past.
Something I Didn’t like: -The ‘fantasy’ stories are usually a bit shorter but I wouldn’t have minded digging more into Thistle’s and Clove’s Christmas Eve adventures.
This was a hit for me. There was Christmas cheer mixed in with Winchester snark and mayhem. A wonderful addition to the Wicked Witches of the Midwest collection.
This is book 11.5 (fits between books 11 and 12) of the twin book series Wicked Witches of the Midwest series by Amanda M Lee.
“If this family didn’t have snark we’d have nothing to say to one another,” Clove noted.
“Good morning, sunshine,” I drawled. “Welcome to another titillating round of ‘Where am I now?’”
Aunt Tillie shook her head. “We’re right where we’re supposed to be.” “And where is that?” “Where is not the right question. When is the right question.”
I scalded Aunt Tillie with a dirty look. She was busy entertaining the Pope, but she kept staring in our direction to see what was happening. She was having a fine time being queen of the loony bin.
I’m actually still pretty irritated that I didn’t know about this series while I was reading the twin series Wicked Witches of the Midwest. The only difference in the titles is that this 6-book series adds on “Fantasy” to the “Wicked Witches of the Midwest.” The 6-books of this “fantasy” series just fit in so nicely with the other. So many things said in the other books would have had deeper meaning and would have made sense had I read these.
The characters are all the same in both series and everything. The difference is that in this one, so far all books happenings have been caused by Aunt Tillie. One more difference is that Bay isn’t fighting off paranormal monsters in this series. This series is sorta… more personal, I think. In this series we get to know the characters better.
Ya, we know the Winchesters are all witches, all female, and mostly pretty snarky, but we didn’t know until now that Landon used to see Bay in his dreams when he was a young child. Little Landon used to always dream about who he remembers as being kind of like an angel - the angel had long blond hair that had light shining through like a halo. When little Landon meets current day Bay, he immediately feels connected to her and we find that the angel little Landon has dreamed about is Bay. It’s all very sweet.
We also find that Aunt Tillie is so much more calculating, scheming, and eviler than we once thought. Apparently she’s also really sensitive and is easily butthurt.
But everything works out in the end and that’s what I like.
Next is book 5 of 6: All My Witches. It fits into the twin series right before book 12. Let’s call it book 11.8 of that series since this book I’m reviewing right now I already named 11.5.
Normally I love Aunt Tillie, but here, she was nothing more than a petulant old hag, throwing a tantrum because she doesn't get her own way. Oh yes, nothing would make me want to spend time with my family more than a bitter old woman exacting revenge on me. That's the Christmas spirit! I can't decide which story was worse, this one, or the Twila short.
I loved the book because its a Wicked Witches of the Midwest story (Fantasy, not the main series!), but there were a couple of things that bothered me.
It isn't unusual for new couples to want to spend 1 day of Christmas among themselves. It is healthy and not something that should be reprimanded. I don't mind that Aunt Tillie chews them out for it, as Christmas is so important to her, but I would have preferred if they would have struck a balance: We know it is important for us to forge our own traditions, but we also should have taken into account the family's feelings on this. Completely falling over backwards, saying that it was selfish? I disagree.
Also, none of the couples would have missed the charity event. That part was simply ridiculous!
Finally, I really thought this would be the book that made them realize they met in Camp once. At least Aunt Tillie HAS to be aware of that.
It may read like a lot of misgivings, but in the end it was a cute book and another good edition to the WWotMW series
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I didn’t even bother finishing this one. Don’t get me wrong, I love Amanda Lee and her books but I hate Aunt Tillie! I’m so tired of her antics. And I’m sure there was some heartwarming lesson at the end of this story but I couldn’t get past a group of grown women throwing a temper tantrum because their children were growing up and living their own lives. Naturally, Aunt Tillie’s style is to kidnap people and force them to see things her way no matter what anyone wants.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I love the snark of this writer. But she has made my husband look at me like I am losing my mind. Giggling to myself is just not normal. But who wants normal when you are spending time in the Winchester World. Past, present and future laughs abound when Aunt Tillie decides the girls and their men need another lesson. It's a Tillie holiday for one and all.
Cute Christmas story. Aunt Tilly is such a hoot. Landon and Bay are cute together. I just wish it has Thistle's and Clove's story. A must read for the holiday season. I love the story and Amanda Lee's imagination she kept me chuckling and smiling threw the whole book. Can't Waite for more of the Winchester witches
Aunt Tilley could destroy Christmas. I had read some delightful tales but they were wiped out. I read the whole story to be sure could be justified in my opinion. I should have quit a head of time. Aunt Tilley is dangerous.
When the girls Bay, Thistle and Clove announce their plan to spend Christmas alone with their partners Aunt Tillie decides they need a lesson in the true meaning of Christmas. So she pulls another one of her spells and send the three couples into her version of Christmas stories. Bay and Landon end up in Tillie's version of a Christmas Carol, they immediately realise how much their decision to spend Christmas alone has hurt Tillie and apologise but it's not that easy Tillie will not release them from the spell till she feels they have truly learned their lesson. Another issue is the fact that Thistle, Marcus, Clove and Sam are not with them but are facing their own challenge leaves Bay feeling very uneasy over what Tillie has planned. A great fanciful Christmas story and I really loved when we come to the future part of the story and Tillie let's her imagination run wild.
I love this series. It is one of my all time favs (along with Avery Shaw and Aisley Grimlock) and I love Aunt Tillie, but I feel this one just missed the mark. Tillie always finds a way to make it all about herself, but this one put her in a very bad light. She was not just trying to teach them a lesson, she was petty and mean almost to the point of being cruel.
Another reviewer had the same reaction as I did about the camp scene. We know from an earlier book that Landon and Bay met at summer camp so why haven't they made the connection yet? Also, none of them would ever miss a charity event and with Bay running the paper, she would know about it.
I love this series, this review may not sound like it, but I really do. It was cute and entertaining and a good way to learn about Landon's past.
The one thing that bothered me in this, as it has in a couple other books, is the lack of attention to detail, and consistency. In one book it's mentioned that Landon has joined a poker club with C. Terry after moving. Right at the end though, Bay thinks it's a good idea that C. Terry doesn't play poker as he's bad at bluffing....
Its the little things that readers will pick up and can ultimately become a distraction.
Still loved the story and the message behind it all the same. Although I would like to see a little more character growth. I know it's only been a year for them but I would expect a little more personality changes especially from the couples as the spend more time together.
This was probably the best book of the entire series thus far. It's the only book to date that I read all the way through without stopping.
Granted it was a short, lol!
Tillie's character is beyond ridiculous to the point that just reading about what she does and says is annoying. I also think the author believes that men are all without thoughts of their own and women rule them. It's definitely a piece of fiction.
Spoiler for this part, in the last part of Bay's dream they said Thistle has 6 kids and they even go so far as to have Twila count all the toes and fingers but then on the next page its only 5 kids. So that was a major screw up, had to take a star rating off for that.
Although young adults, the girls seem to have forgotten what a family Christmas means...so Aunt Tillie reminds them in her own "special way". At one point in the story, Bay and Landon are looking through Aunt Tillie's book of Christmas tales...and the titles of the stories were absolutely hilarious! Also funny were the little Christmas "witticisms" at the beginning of each chapter told from the point of view of different characters. A fun addition to the series and a good read that I totally enjoyed.
I just can't give this author's books anything less than 5 stars. Aunt Tilly is hilarious and so determined to teach a lesson to those she loves to get what she wants and comes up with the most creative ways to do it. I think I would have to come up with some lessons of my own for the old combat boot, helmet wearing Great Aunt if she were mine. Maybe I would learn a spell to move her special garden on her so she couldn't find it...lol. Knowing her she would figure me out and punish me to smell like bacon...I am anxious to see what Ms Lee's creative mind comes up with next.
This one is from Bay's point of view. Clove is living at the lighthouse with Sam. Thistle thinks their mothers cursed them so they would never be able to cook properly. Thistle, Clove and Bay plan to have Christmas day dinner with their own guys and this upsets Aunt Tillie.
So, as usual, Aunt Tillie is out to teach them a lesson. The story is roughly similar to A Christmas Carol although the future does involve robots working Aunt Tillie's greenhouse. It's a fairly well-done adaptation of the original story.
3 Stars... When Bay, Clove, and Thistle announce they are spending a quiet Christmas day with their boyfriends, Aunt Tillie sets out to teach them a lesson they will never forget... Bay and Landon are cast in her own version of "A Christmas Carol"... Sent into the past, present, and future in order to understand the importance of family and to recognize that Aunt Tillie is ALWAYS right... Told with humor and heart this read was very sweet, however, at times it dragged a bit and was repetitive as well... A nice Christmas story, but certainly not the best one in this series:)
Aunt Tilly is upset when her 3 nieces want to break tradition and start some of their own with their boyfriends. They informed her they were not coming for Christmas so Aunt Tilly but a dream spell on them all to teach them a lesson that families should be together for the holidays. Bay and her boyfriend Landon get spelled into the Christmas Carol retelling. They learn some things about each other on this journey as well as the lesson Aunt Tilly was hoping they would learn. This was a cute Christmas story.
A Witchmas Carol was amazing I love how Amanda can turn classic stories around into Witch fantasy tales that fit within her Witches of the Midwest series in a humorous and highly entertaining way.
A Witchmas Carol is a fun story that will certainly get you right into the Christmas Spirit.
Aunt Tillie is at her absolute best in this story teaching the cousins another lesson, this one all about family and Christmas magic.
Cute, quick, easy read. But a little weird. This is another one of those dream things that Aunt Tillie curses the couples into. I loved that maybe finally Terry will get his happy ending. It opened the door for that to happen. I enjoyed seeing Uncle Calvin and Grandma, but the final dream sequence (the future) was just too weird. And there was a mistake. At one point, Thistle had 6 kids, and a little later, she was down to 5. Poor editing on that!
As always an awesome story. If you love the series wicked witches of the Midwest then this is a must read. As with all the stories in this series they are extremely entertaining snarky and fun. You won’t want to miss out on this one. Once again it till he gets her point across in a very entertaining Way. As usual the cousins be clove and this’ll get in trouble again and great aunt Tillie is out to punish them in their dreams. Check it out
Although there were many parts I enjoyed, at times this got tedious and out there. The stretch of the punishments just seemed too long and I got just as tired as Bay and Landon. The message was great. The snarky and sarcasm were saving graces. I just thought Aunt Tillie was beating a dead horse after awhile and I wanted to get on with Christmas present.
This book is a true fantasy to the point of the future being very fantastical. Aunt Tillie believes Christmas is for family. And I think so, too, but a question kept popping up in my mind as I read....What about Landon's, Marcus's, and Sam's families. Wouldn't it have been a great lesson if they all showed up at the Inn as a surprise Christmas? Just a thought. This book was pretty silly, but still highly entertaining.
It wouldn't be Christmas without a good story of these witches. Amanda has given us good cheer indeed. I laughed and smiled my way throughout. This is exactly what you need to put you in the holiday, dare I say, spirit? Enjoy following being scrooged by Tillie. The three witches don't have a chance.
I loved the future. Aunt Tillie is awesome and it was great to see the entertaining mind of Amanda M Lee in creating the future, Star Trek, the pope and a king. Who'd have thunk it?!? Seeing Calvin and grandma and that being part of Aunt Tillie's present just made me smile. Anytime Terry appears just brings the heart in droves!
I normally don’t like reading Xmas stories but Aunt Tillie cracks me up I just had to try. It’s not your normal Xmas story so many laughs and cringes. In the end holidays are to be spent with family or people you care about the most. I recommend this entire series.
Aunt Tillie is at it again. When Bay, Thistle and Clove want to spend quiet Christmases with their boyfriends, Aunt Tillie decides she needs to teach them lessons about family. This is told by Bay and was equal parts touching, snark and light hearted revenge.
When Bay, Clove and Thistle decide they would like to spend Christmas day away from the Inn, Aunt Tillie assigns each of them an appropriate Christmas story/movie. To get out of the story/movie they must each learn a lesson. This story is not new. In the past, they had to work their way through fairy tales to learn a lesson.
My husband doesn't understand my codependency with my family during the Holidays, it was so refreshing to read! Thistles' future had me in stitches, Landon and Bay are so adorable, and Tillie is a riot. Family is always important but more so on the holidays. Thank you Amanda M Lee for another amazing book!!
A great Christmas fantasy! Honestly, this was everything I wanted in a Christmas installment--there was a lot of holiday elements and there was still character development. I loved traveling back in time and visiting both Bay and Landon when they were younger. The scenes in the future were hilarious! I love Chief Terry, and I'm interested to see what will come next there. Can't wait for more!