Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle’s review of Jingled > Likes and Comments

I hope this turn into your next 5 star read💜💜

Thank you for this review—truly. It’s rare to feel so thoroughly seen as a writer, and your words did just that. I don’t often respond to reviews, even though I cherish every single one. It usually feels a bit intrusive, like I’m trying to put my thumb on the scale. But this time, I couldn’t resist. Your review was just too thoughtful, too incisive, too good not to acknowledge. I hope you’ll forgive the indulgence.

You captured exactly what I hoped Jingled would be for readers—not just a dystopian holiday satire, but a story rooted in emotional truth. Matt’s anxiety, Grant’s steadiness, Elise’s sharp-edged loyalty—they’re all drawn from something deeply personal, messy, and real. And yes, it was deeply important to portray a queer relationship that wasn’t centered on betrayal, trauma, or tragedy. So many stories about gay men seem to come with an expiration date or an embedded punishment, as if happiness is something we’re not meant to sustain. I wanted Matt and Grant’s relationship to reflect my own—and those of so many others I know: complicated, resilient, and above all, worth preserving.

You also nailed the larger themes: the creeping dread beneath the glitter, the weaponization of nostalgia and propaganda, the numbing power of a culture that sells comfort as control. When you described it as “the Scooby gang solving capitalist mind control with sarcasm and seasonal depression,” I laughed out loud. And then I nodded. That’s it. That’s the rot beneath the tinsel.

One of the things I love most about reading thoughtful reviews is discovering the meanings readers pull from the story—especially the ones I didn’t consciously plant. You were right to call out Matt’s realization that he was, in some ways, complicit in the crisis. That’s a thread I find painfully relevant. In a world shaped by algorithm-curated feeds and increasingly isolated political echo chambers, I often feel like I’m both part of the problem and mourning the consequences at the same time.

More than a commentary on right versus wrong in the broader culture war, I wanted this book to explore what happens in the quiet spaces—how it all plays out in our personal relationships, in our families, in the choices we make to stay close or pull away.

So again, thank you for reading it so deeply. For me, the question that lingers long after the lights come down:

Might we all be suffering from Christmas Syndrome?

Evan wrote: "Thank you for this review—truly. It’s rare to feel so thoroughly seen as a writer, and your words did just that. I don’t often respond to reviews, even though I cherish every single one. It usually..."

Evan, thank YOU for leaving that comment! It means a lot that the weird little heart of my review found its way to you, especially since Jingled hit me like a peppermint-scented existential crisis in the best way. You wrote something sharp, funny, and quietly devastating... the kind of story that lingers like glitter you can’t vacuum up.

Also, “the rot beneath the tinsel”? Sir. That line is going to live in my head rent-free next to Matt’s vape and Elise’s emotional triage. Can’t wait to see what kind of festive nightmare you unleash next.

➦Paulette & Her Sexy Alphas wrote: "I hope this turn into your next 5 star read💜💜"

Thanks so much! It got real close, definitely keeping an eye out for the next one though!