Holiday Mini Reviews Pt. 2: Krampus & Ghosts of Christmas Past

HOLIDAY MINI REVIEWS PT. 2

KRAMPUS: THE YULE LORD by Brom:
In a small hollow in Boone County, West Virginia, struggling songwriter Jesse Walker is about to have his life change before his eyes. Christmas Eve is supposed to be a time spent with loved ones, however, Jesse has recently separated from his wife. He finds himself witnessing a strange spectacle: seven devilish figures chasing a man in a red suit toward a sleigh and eight reindeer. Moments after the sleigh takes off into the clouds, Jesse finds a large magical sack that will thrust Jesse into the clutches of the terrifying Yule Lord, Krampus. The lines of good and evil quickly become blurred as Jesse fights to save his life and his family.

I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with KRAMPUS, but found myself pleasantly surprised with the level of creativity within this book. I was expecting something that solely focused on Krampus, but in reality was more about Jesse. There is a lot of drama in this story and it reminded me a bit of a television show with the overall plot. I think I would have enjoyed a bit more of a look into the mythology surrounding Krampus, but overall this one made for a great seasonal pick! 3.5 ⭐️ 

GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST edited by Tim Martin:
A present containing a monstrous secret. An uninvited guest haunting a Christmas party. A shadow that slips across the floor by firelight. A festive entertainment ends in darkness and screams. Who knows what haunts the night at Christmas time? GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS past is a collection of seasonal stories that bring together ghosts and horrors with a mixture of classic and modern experiences at the holiday.

I absolutely enjoyed reading one of these stories a night leading up to Christmas. As with any short story collection there are some misses, but for me the successful tales outweighed those I found a bit boring. Standout stories for me were DINNER FOR ONE, SOMEONE IN THE LIFT, THE VISITING STAR, and THE LADY AND THE FOX. 4⭐️

KRAMPUS: Amazon | Book Depository

GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST: Amazon | Book Depository

Disclosure: What Jess Reads is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way influences my opinion of the above book.