Cover Image: A Midnight Clear

A Midnight Clear

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

A very interesting way of telling Christmas stories. These six novels were not your typical stories, but yet they were quite enjoyable.

A definite must read!

Was this review helpful?

When one says "Christmas anthology," the first image that comes to mind is often that of festive light and Yuletide cheer.

That is not this (brilliant) book bind-up.

The six stories -- well, novellas -- aren't all jolly and bright: no, they're gripping. Magical. Downright miraculous.

With premises as sharp and thrilling as a John Wick flick and creativity that truly knows no bounds, this is everything I've ever wanted (and more) from a pile of holiday stories. This dark-/fantasy-loving heart of mine couldn't gobble up these stories fast enough!

If you're looking for something inventive -- something a little dark, a little twisted, but altogether brilliant -- for your holiday season, stuff your stockings with this book. Trust me -- you won't be disappointed.

Was this review helpful?

It was nice for kids. The names were weird and I couldn't find anything interesting to keep going. Not my cu[p of tea but If you are 9-12 years old, you will love it

Was this review helpful?

An okay anthology, nothing special. These are always a hit or miss for me, so this being just okay is kind of a big deal.

Was this review helpful?

This was a great anthology!

I don't read a lot of anthologies because they tend to have a few stories that are really good and several that are just terrible, but this one I really did enjoy. It's perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit any time of year.

Was this review helpful?

I believe Dauntless was a poor choice as the initial story in this collection. It isn't an accurate representation of the tone or type of stories that follow, and led to me putting the collection aside several times as I tried to force myself to finish reading it.

As a consumer, if I was looking to purchase a collection of short stories, I would have most likely left this book on the shelf after browsing the opening story for an example of the work within. However, I very likely would have proceeded with a purchase if it had been one of the other stories in the collection, for I found them much more enjoyable and targeted towards a different audience.

Was this review helpful?

A very irregular anthology of stories somewhat related to the Winter Holidays.
The works were very different from one another and I think this adds to the heterogeneity of the collection, making it difficult to "grade", but I have decided to give it four stars because the stories I liked I loved, these being the first one, by Sam Hooker (a very clever and funny take on what would happen if you mixed the dark cosmology of Lovecraft with the merry existence of Santa's elves) and the one by Cassondra Windwalker (a short detective-esque story that includes characters that seem to be featured in more works by the author, which left me wanting to know more about them).

All in all, an anthology that takes risks, which is always a good thing kinda irrespective of the results.

Was this review helpful?

This short story collection includes six stories of not-so-merry Yuletide whimsy. A woman so cold she hardens to ice on a winter’s eve. Risen from his grave before his time, a winter god alters the balance between seasons. A wolf’s holiday season is interrupted by a strange curse. From a murder at the Stanley Hotel to demons of Christmas past, present, and future, and a mad elf and Santa’s Candy Court, these authors share their love for winter holidays in this collection of dark winter tales, destined to chill your bones and warm your heart for the Yuletide season.
This was a great switch from the standard holiday romance anthologies that come out for Christmas reads. It was different and I felt different about each story but overall I really liked it. I recommend for anyone looking for something different.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Was this review helpful?

A Midnight Clear by Sam Hooker is a collection of holiday horrors! Some are hilarious horrors, deliciously wicked, and full of the holiday chills! Graves, demons, frozen in ice, and more awesome magical fun! A great imagination in these six stories! They were all five stars! This was a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary.

Was this review helpful?

A Midnight Clear has that dark holiday spirit that adds just a little bit extra with its unique take on the holiday season.

We have six fantastic stories that take a nod from Holiday traditions and adds a special twist. We have a Winter solstice tradition that teaches a little girl the meaning of passing over, a North Pole Lovecraftian Christmas, a housewife/mother finding the true spirit of Christmas, a holiday at the Stanley Hotel, a twisted Christmas Carol and a twist on a wolf legend. Five individual stories that totally knock the socks off of anyone reading them and a few extra nods and surprises to keep the reader entertained.

This book is a bit of a rarity when it comes to anthologies. What you normally get is a mixed bag which you have a few bum notes hit within a collection but this is not what A Midnight Clear stays away from. Every story a winner, every writer is so very much respected and we have a Christmas anthology that should become an eternal holiday treat each and every year which should find its rightful place between Twas The Night Before Christmas and A Christmas Carol.

Each story is done in a delicious bite size story full of depth, emotion and nuisance and you are left more satisfied than a Christmas dinner. I am personally will be buying my own copy and I am looking forward to re-reading every holiday season. When there is something as magic as this book put together lovingly with excellent stories and writers, there is no way any holiday season can go wrong. Pure satisfied winner.

Was this review helpful?

Spooky yuletide stories, with varied supernatural and fantasy creature appearances? Yes please! With anthologies, obviously some will strike the reader better than others, but you'll find all of the stories at least enjoyable i hope!

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to the publishers for sharing this one. My apologies, I meant to read and review it earlier, but misplaced it (I mean, it was on my Kindle, but there are a lot of books on there, and when you can't see the covers it's easier to forget about a specific title). I enjoyed some stories more than others, but overall I thought it was a fun holiday collection. My full review appears on Weekend Notes.

Was this review helpful?

An amazing book of short stories for the holiday season. These stories are a little twisted, some may find them very twisted! Very different from the regular cookie cutter Christmas stories. There's six in all and once I started reading, I didn't stop until I'd finished them all. An all nighter which I don't regret!
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. Thank you, Netgalley!
All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

This collection contains six fantasy stories with a seasonal theme – perfect for a little light reading as the cold nights draw in.

Each story is by a different author and has a completely different tone and content. ‘The Dauntless’ crosses Santa’s elves – all candycanes and sprinkles – with Lovecraftian eldritch horrors. ‘Tidings of New Moon’ turns the werewolf legend upside down, as man-wolf Glenn gets bitten by a human and begins… changing. ‘Movin’ On Up’ explores negotiations in Hell, as a group of damned souls fight to drag Cindi down with them. ‘The Poetry of Snow and Stars’ features an unusual death among a group of tourists at a certain ‘Shining’ hotel. ‘Sleep, Sweet Khors’ goes old-school and old gods, as an innocent child attempts to halt death but accidentally halts the changing season instead. Finally, cold-hearted, bitter Crystal is reminded of the true meaning of Christmas in ‘Snow Angel’, as she experiences a lesson that would make Scrooge shiver.

With the variety of stories here, there is a little something for every festive-fantasy taste: some funny moments, some scary moments, some touching moments and even some teaching moments. Each story is well-written and brings something entertaining and creative to the Yuletide table.

So, curl up with a mulled wine, a mince pie and a warm blanket, and enjoy a selection of short, winter-dark treats!


Review by Steph Warren for Bookshine and Readbows blog

Was this review helpful?

A Midnight Clear is a collection of six ‘not-so-merry’ Christmas tales by various writers. As in any collection, I liked some better than others. My favourite is the title story by Sam Hooker which combines a cute portrait of Santa’s North Pole, a mad elf brought up before an elf court, and the horror of HP Lovecraft’s R’yleh. This story, alone, makes the book worth getting. But all of the stories were entertaining and a whole lot of fun to read. If books are part of your Christmas traditions and you are looking for something different or you have a horror fan on your list, I highly recommend this anthology.

<i>Thanks to Negalley and Black Spot Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

Was this review helpful?

I came into the book with no expectations and was thrilled the first story was about Cthulhu!

Elves delivering coal to Cthulhu, a werewolf story, a little Christmas in hell, a mystery happens to some people staying at the infamous Stanley Hotel, some Christmas mythology, and Christmas spirit tree fighting.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed the majority of stories. The last two weren't really my cup of tea but I enjoyed them regardless.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC and Merry Christmas

Was this review helpful?

A Midnight Clear is a collection of six varied stories of dark yuletide cheer. This was a very diverse mix of holiday-themed stories perfect for the season. While they varied in personal ratings, each was well written and matched my desire for a great wintery read. Short story collections are so much fun because the tones and themes can vary greatly from author to author. This perfectly fantastical group of stories did not disappoint!

The Dauntless by Sam Hooker
This one was definitely unexpected. A puzzling story of courtroom justice in...the North Pole? Yes, you read that right. There's a submarine, some elvish killings, and a coal delivery to a Lovecraftian being sleeping away obvious to its Christmas stocking filling up. I probably struggled the most with this one, but Lovecraft has never been my thing. 3 paws up!

Tidings of a New Moon by Alca Leyva
What happens when werewolves are the civilized ones and human bites are to be feared? This was a fun read. I enjoyed seeing the tables flipped. 4 paws up!

Movin' on Up by Laura Morrison
In a Dante ordered hell, three inhabitants are given the opportunity for improving their circumstances (or put in time in the gladiator pits). They crawl back up from Hell in a sort of twisted Christmas Carol to show a heaven-bound human the error of her ways in attempting to show that her good deeds actually sent others on their paths downstairs. 3.5 paws up!

The Poetry of Snow and Stars by Cassondra Windwalker
Here we revisit the Stanley hotel and have a murder mystery to go along with it. I enjoyed the main character but it seemed a little too neatly wrapped up to me. There wasn't a lot of mystery, just an ah-ha moment and some romantic pining that felted a little immature. It was just ok for me. 3 paws up!

Sleep, Sweet Khors by Dalena Storm
One of my favorites out of the bunch! Ripe with Slavic mythology, Lisa is devastated at the forthcoming death of her favorite uncle. In an attempt to keep death from coming, she creates a horrible world where death doesn't come and life is stuck in a sort of half death. Its grotesque symbolism about life and death and the inability to halt the progression was well done. It's also a great anecdote on children and explaining death. 5 paws up!

Snow Angel by Seven Jane
Haven't we all tired of the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season? This one follows a wife and mother that is disenchanted by all the errands and to-dos of the season and for whom Christmas has lost its glow. It's a bit heavy and morose but I enjoyed the prose of Snow Angel. It's beautifully written and has wonderful imagery. 4 paws up!

Was this review helpful?

I'm not normally a fan of the horror genre, but I do enjoy some fairy tale horror and horror featuring mermaids (fantasy horror?) so I thought some Christmas horror might be right up my alley. These stories were SO varied there wasn't much of a unifying approach, which I suppose is typical for an anthology, but not being a horror fan in the first place this was just a miss for me.

Was this review helpful?

This book is an anthology of Christmas themed stories that are perfect to read around Christmas. They are darker than most Christmas stories though.

I enjoyed all the stories. I liked the one with the elves at court and the story with the dark take of A Christmas Carol. All in all, all the stories were good.

Would recommend to read around Christmas time if you want something darker to read.

Was this review helpful?

Whimsy! Whimsy! Whimsy!

I adored this collection of six short stories and they are a perfect read for the cold December months. I must be honest, I went into this book purely on its cover and the name and the fact that it was a collection of short stories which is always my favorite genre to read. And once I started the first story by Sam Hooker, I found myself genuinely surprised because it was so unlike any other type of fantasy I have ever read. It is story about the law and order situation in the Elf settlement at the North Pole. It surprised me further when instead of continuing in the fluffy and adorable manner that it started, it managed to take quite a dramatic turn into the sinister. That is the perfect kind of short story I think, which manages to pack in so much in such a compact form and yet manages to leave an impression on the person who is reading it.

The last story about a cynical wife wishing to get rid of Christmas because she no longer enjoys the season was a teeny bit of a letdown, but not by much. Would it be appropriate to say that it felt a bit too fantastical for a fantasy story? And the Christmas reminiscences continued a tad bit too long before we got to the actual meat of the story. Sounds ruthless, doesn’t it? But considering the holiday theme of the book, one mustn't really complain.

And Tidings of a new Moon was bizarre at another level altogether. Its about werewolves. Who live in cities. Who have jobs. Who are essentially humans of our world.

Sleep, Sweet Khors was a sweet story of a young child finding about loss and dealing with it in a way that ends of causing a lot of chaos all around her. Another story reaffirming what I have learnt over and over ever since I had a kid of my own – be careful what you say to your kids, cause you have no idea how they will interpret it and then, worse, act on their misguided beliefs. But I didn’t blame the kid in this story at all – she did what she thought she had to do.

Movin’ on Up is another kind of crazy and certainly a bit too morbid for a Christmas anthology. It makes sense in its execution but I could not understand why the editors chose this volume to include this story. Halloween may have had a better target audience for this little gem. My ratings for this book went down for this book thanks to this one story that shook me up a bit – not to say that the story isn’t well-written because it is.

The poetry of Snow and stars is a mystery. It was alright, although certainly atmospheric.

This book will make a lovely Christmas gift for young adults as well as old adults who like a bit of fantasy and do not mind a bit of morbid humor. I certainly enjoyed it.

Was this review helpful?