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Have yourself a very Merry Witchmas in Holiday Haven, where the magic and mystery of Christmas is snow joke!


Aurora Hart hates everything Christmas, but how could she turn down the opportunity to serve one year of probation in Holiday Haven versus a full sentence for her crimes? Saddled with a talking squirrel roommate, Aurora is doing her best to keep a low profile as she bides her time. Everything is going fine…until Santa’s sleigh gets stolen.

Now, all eyes are on her and the other town Humbugs, and it’s up to Aurora to keep her behind from ending up back in jail. With the help of a very important person from the North Pole, she finds herself hot on the trail of the real culprit. But it will take her having to do something she’s never done before—accepting new friends and their assistance. Only then will Aurora be able to turn not only her own life around but also Christmas for the entire world!

Will Aurora be able to solve the mystery of who stole Santa’s sleigh in time? Or will the culprit get the final sleigh?

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 11, 2020

1175 people are currently reading
1154 people want to read

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Bella Falls

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5 stars
1,021 (41%)
4 stars
794 (32%)
3 stars
535 (21%)
2 stars
105 (4%)
1 star
18 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 333 reviews
Profile Image for Courtney Daniel.
454 reviews25 followers
December 28, 2024
Adorable and super quick read. Recommend if trying to get in reads this year. Main character was great and I want to read more from her world. Love that a squirrel is a character- hope for more pov and not just third person or animal …
Profile Image for Lily (Night Owl Book Cafe).
693 reviews495 followers
December 12, 2023
Cute story. Adored the characters. Loved that it was a mystery without a murder. Loved that it took place in Holiday Haven and gave me all kinds of Christmas vibes.

My only drawback was the insta-love. I could have used a longer tension-filled romance, it didn't need to be so quick and unbelievable.
Profile Image for Angela Griffin.
1,703 reviews5 followers
December 6, 2020
Absolutely charming!

This is a wonderful start to this series, and I love the world these talented authors have created!Rory is great: loyal, caring, and completely unaware of her fine qualities. She deserves a bright future to balance her dim past. Her roommate, Nutty, is an unrepentant scamp and impossible to forget; he, along with Vale, Wyatt, Amos, and Rocky, are Rory's first real friends and the perfect motley crew to help solve the great sleigh shenanigans and rescue Christmas! This story is excellently plotted, whimsical, and clever; I'm rushing to get back to Holiday Haven!
Profile Image for Eden.
2,233 reviews
December 5, 2020
2020 bk 400. I accidently ordered this, lack of sleep, not paying attention and at first I thought, how trite. However, I did come to enjoy this simple holiday tale and wish that the author had spent a little more time on developing the side characters and spending more time on the plot. Will I buy more in this series - I'm not sure, but then I do like fluff at Christmas time to take my mind off of more serious stuff.
Profile Image for Ascher Alchier.
120 reviews11 followers
December 23, 2024
Adorable Magic, witches. shifters, cheating witches, & talking squirrels...I love love loved this! Fire magic, ice magic and finding a family.
Profile Image for Angel (Bookn.All.Night).
1,681 reviews45 followers
November 23, 2020
Oh my cozy Christmas! 🌲☃️ I have a new favorite cozy mystery series! This has everything I love and more ... Christmas, elves, magic, romance, talking squirrel, and mystery...just to start. Mrs. Claus even makes an appearance.

Can I just disappear to Holiday Haven now please? Time to binge read the other 4 books👋...🤣
Profile Image for Amy the book-bat.
2,378 reviews
December 19, 2021
I love that this cozy mystery didn't have a murder in it. That is kind of refreshing. I enjoyed the paranormal aspects and the setting being near the North Pole at Christmastime. I also liked that the "bonus short story" picked up immediately where the novel ended. As in within minutes. It could easily been a continuation of the novel and not a separate story. I will definitely look for more in this series.
Profile Image for David Navratil.
347 reviews4 followers
November 30, 2021
This was suggested by a member of the cozy mystery group on Goodreads! 250 Pages holiday theme and magic throughout the book.
Someone has stolen Santa's sleigh, no Christmas for kids if the mystery is not solved and only 3 days til Christmas. Takes place up at the North Pole.
The characters are good including the talking squirrel, lots of dialog in the book and there is a romance starting up with Aurora (Main character) and a wood carver (Both characters have past incidences they want to hide).
Author even threw in some recipes at the end of the book .
Can't tell much more without spoilers! Try it - David N.
Profile Image for Kelly.
258 reviews
December 30, 2024
There's something about a cozy mystery that always puts me in a good mood, and this one was no exception. As soon as I discovered it was part of my Audible subscription, I couldn't wait to dive in. The added bonus of it being a Christmas-themed cozy mystery made it even more appealing. The story was a delightful blend of charm and intrigue, capturing the essence of a cozy read perfectly. It delivered everything I was hoping for—warmth, a sprinkle of suspense, and a heartwarming atmosphere. I’m excited to continue this charming cozy series!
Profile Image for Shannon .
2,399 reviews160 followers
December 31, 2021
Sleigh Spells
Winter Witches of Holiday Haven, Book 1

I Picked Up This Book Because: #BlameItOnLitsy

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Scribd
Dates Read: 12/20/21 - 12/20/21
Stars: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Johanna Parker

The Characters:

Aurora Hart:

The Story:

Review to come.

The Random Thoughts:
Profile Image for Donna.
1,626 reviews34 followers
December 29, 2020
I loved so much about this book. The town of Holiday Haven has so many wonderful characters from shifters to elves and talking squirrels. I loved that Clara Claus was such a central character to the story. The Humbugs were my personal favorites. I love that they enjoy living in this holiday filled town but act so grumpy. Overall, a wonderful cozy mystery that fit the season perfectly.
Profile Image for JoAn.
2,469 reviews1 follower
December 14, 2022
This was a quick but enjoyable holiday paranormal cozy mystery. Santa's missing sleigh, magic that doesn't always work and a touch of romance was an entertaining read that will help to get a reader into the holiday spirits.
6 reviews1 follower
December 13, 2020
Great paranormal selection that I couldn't put down.

I'm normally not a novella reader because I like characters that are fleshed out but all the selections in this collection were page turners. I could hardly read fast enough to find out what happens next!
Profile Image for Carol Evans.
1,431 reviews38 followers
November 12, 2021
Mystery, magic, and romance at Christmas – Sleigh Spells is such a fun, sugary book. Aurora has a bit of a history, but serving probation in Holiday Haven has given her a fresh start. I love Holiday Haven. It’s one of the towns near the North Pole and it is all about Christmas, even more so when the holiday is just days away. Then Santa’s sleigh goes missing and none other than Mrs. Claus asks Aurora to investigate.

Aurora is a witch, but wary of her magic — ice and especially fire can cause plenty of damage. She makes several new friends, most of whom are a little magical. My personal favorite is Nutty, her roommate who is a talking squirrel and also on probation, for stealing nuts of course. She also has a potential love interest. It’s nice to see Aurora have a group of people she can rely on for help, it’s something she hasn’t had before in her life.

The mystery is cute, even though we’re pretty sure early on who the thief is. The fun is seeing Aurora and her gang solve it and figure out how to prove it.

Sleigh Bells was a perfect book to read with a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream.
Profile Image for Shawna Shaheen.
332 reviews25 followers
December 20, 2021
This book is book 1. This is a cute series.15 different books in series and different Authors. This one is about a witch Aurioa that has lost her powers. She had a parole officer Noelle give her a place to work. Yuletide Yummies. A bakeshop. Wren the owner seemed kinda offish. She had elves working for her. One Half elf and half Witch Vale that worked for Wren befriended Auroia. Rory had a difficult life and she really did not like Christmas or sweets or have much friends. But Vale started introducing her to people in the North Pole district and she started getting out of her shell. She even met a handsome guy named Wyatt. I Love all different characters that Bella has in this series. Sharpshifters, witches, vampires, elves, Mrs. Santa Claus, talking Squirrel. I usually don't like books like these. But actually they are fun to read. With magical and fantasy. I will keep on reading these books
Profile Image for Rebecca.
1,780 reviews17 followers
December 18, 2022
This was the cutest winter cozy mystery! I loved that the North Pole is a safe haven for all magical creatures and beings! This had Santa, Mrs Claus, elves, a talking squirrel named Nutty and an elemental who’s punishment was being sent to the North Pole to work at a bakery for community service after her fire power causes chaos. Aurora just wants to do her time and then leave. But when Santa’s sleigh goes missing she’s the first suspect. Aurora must clear her name and find out the real story thief. This book was the cutest quickest read! I’m so excited to read the others in the series!
Profile Image for Bree.
500 reviews49 followers
November 12, 2021
super cute!

This book was adorable. Yes I’m calling this book cute and sweet, but those are some of the words I can just describe this charming holiday themed cozy mystery. You instantly are drawn into the characters two that I adored will continue to stick with me, nutty drives me crazy with his cuteness! Amos you beautiful old soul, wraps himself around your heart. We quickly learn what the holiday spirit means to each of these characters and how they branch out to form love and friendships. The setting is wonderful-never have I been to such an enchanting have !
198 reviews
January 9, 2022
Strap yourself in for a completely different mystery. I loved this unique version of a Christmas village filled with more magical beings than just Santa and his elves. I was bewitched by the characters and can’t wait to start the second book in this series. Highly recommend this light and fantansy filled story.
Profile Image for Mystic Forest Crafts.
651 reviews2 followers
November 25, 2023
Pros:

I love that the main character(s) we follow in this story are outsiders and connect through their difference. It seems like most Christmas stories (at least that I’ve tried) have the main character loving the holiday, having this one have to find the spirit was very nice.

I’m not sure if it’s in the print version or just the audio but having two stories in one was a great surprise.

Cons:

Going into this for the mystery only might be disappointing as it's a bit predictable.
Profile Image for Miss W Book Reviews.
1,797 reviews154 followers
November 11, 2020
Sleigh Spells is a fun book in the Winter Witches of Holiday Haven Shared World Series.
Aurora (Her friends call her Rory) is serving out a prison sentence in the North Pole. Only problem is Rory hates Christmas. She is biding her time with her squirrel roomate. She made a new friend and things are going ok until the Santa's Sleigh is stolen.

Rory and her new friend Vale set to find the culprit before she becomes a suspect.

This is a fun well written cozy holiday mystery!

A great read with fun characters.
Profile Image for Angie Knapp.
651 reviews4 followers
December 7, 2021
So cute! Aurora has the BEST roommate. Meeting her was so fun. A witch sent to a magical community after an accident learns about love, support and friendship that are all new to her after years of being treated as an outcast. I am looking forward to future cozy mystery Aurora adventures.
Profile Image for Amber.
1,484 reviews50 followers
December 10, 2021
Such a cute story!!!

I love Cozy Mysteries and this one was sooo cute!! I loved it! I definitely recommend it if you love cozy mysteries, that will give you a great laugh. Plus, there is a squirrel that steals nuts and is on probation lol
Profile Image for Allison Berkowitz.
473 reviews6 followers
September 26, 2022
This was an absolute delight. The feeling of being swept up in a fantastical holiday village, with lovable characters and problems that are extremely low key, brought me so much peace and many smiles ❤️
Profile Image for Jayne.
1,213 reviews11 followers
September 28, 2023
3.5 stars

If you love Christmas mixed with an assortment of misfit supernatural characters, you would enjoy this. It took a while to grow on me, but I finished the book quite keen to continue the series. An easy read to engage your Christmas spirit.
Profile Image for Patricia.
452 reviews12 followers
December 12, 2021
Fun holiday mystery/romance story with a bonus novella.
Profile Image for Hunter Ross.
570 reviews190 followers
January 29, 2023
Very cute and most importantly super-Christmassy. So many "Christmas" books are set at that time but not much else relates to the holiday. Not a brainteaser but fun and everything it promises is delivered (Christmas cute).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 333 reviews

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