I received this book for free from my own shelves in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: my own shelves
The Witch's Christmas Catastrophe
by
Kristen Painter
It is part of the Nocturne Falls #16.5 series and is a cozy mystery, paranormal romance in a Kindle edition on November 30, 2024 and has 138 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Blood Rights, Flesh and Blood, Bad Blood, Out for Blood, Last Blood, House of the Rising Sun, City of Eternal Night, Garden of Dreams and Desires, Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case, All Fired Up, "Prologue to The Vampire's Mail Order Bride", The Vampire's Mail Order Bride, The Werewolf Meets His Match, The Gargoyle Gets His Girl, The Professor Woos the Witch, The Vampire's Fake Fiancée, The Shifter Romances the Writer, "The Witch's Halloween Hero", The Dragon Finds Forever, The Vampire's Accidental Wife, The Reaper Rescues the Genie, The Detective Wins The Witch, The Vampire's Priceless Treasure, The Werewolf Dates the Deputy, "When Birdie Babysat Spider", Miss Frost Ices the Imp, Miss Frost Saves the Sandman, Miss Frost Cracks a Caper, Miss Frost Braves the Blizzard, "The Werewolf's Christmas Wish", The Vampire's Cursed Kiss, Her First Taste of Fire, The Trouble With Witches, Moody and the Beast, The Vampire's Sunny Sweetheart, Miss Frost Chills the Cheater, Lost in Las Vegas, Wrapped Up in Christmas, Mystified in Music City, Sucks To Be Me, A Sky Full of Stars, Suck It Up Buttercup, The Forgettable Miss French, Sucker Punch, The Suck Stops Here, Nixed in New Orleans, Miss Frost Says I Do and Spider Too, Death Dates the Oracle, The Siren Saves the Billionaire
A novella, 16.5? in the Nocturne Falls cozy, romantic, paranormal mystery series and revolving around a town, a safe haven, for supernaturals. The couple focus is on Holly Winters and Demetrius Voss.
My Take
Well, the setting is wonderful, and I want to sit in front of that fire. But, there is a distinct lack of show in The Witch’s Christmas Catastrophe. Nor is it believable in Holly’s approach to the catastrophe. It could be so disastrous but they don’t approach other witches until way later. What??? If it could be that dangerous, why wouldn’t they be alerting every witch in town?
There’s a time conflict between that barrier the Winters family erected in return for Voss favors. At first it sounds like a recent construction and then it sounds like it was done years and years ago — “something that threatened . . . the magic her family had protected for generations”, and then it bounces back again. It really was done relatively recently with permission granted by Holly’s father.
I wish that there had been more interaction between the cats, as they get to know each other.
Painter uses a third person dual protagonist point-of-view from the perspectives of Holly and Demetrius, so we know what they’re each thinking and experiencing.
There’s quite a bit of chat about the magic in, around, and below the town as well as the worry about the new intrusive magic.
Holly and Demetrius both have character arc growths with Holly gaining confidence and Demetrius realizing true happiness.
On the whole, I found the story boring and had a hard time getting through it. I suspect Painter was on contract and needed a Christmas novella. Quick.
The Story
Demetrius needs to be alone with his feelings and retreats to the family manor outside Nocturne Falls. Arrival there is not meant to be and he’s forced to take refuge with a friendly witch.
Luckily, since an interference appears in the all-important magical barrier. A threat that could imperil the town of Nocturne Falls.
The Characters
Holly Winters is an unmarried witch who is not confident in her family inheritance of magic. Hexi is her cat. She lives with her parents who have gone to Oregon to visit her married brother for Christmas.
Demetrius Voss is a centuries-old born, daywalking vampire whose family has a house, Voss Manor, up in the mountains of Nocturne Falls. Moonshadow is his easygoing silver cat. Esme is the mean girl with whom he broke up.
Nocturne Falls is . . .
. . . a haven for supernaturals where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year. Alice Bishop is a centuries-old witch who set a spell to protect Nocturne Falls and who lives with the Ellinghams who own the town. Elenora Ellingham is the family matriarch.
Flavia Heath owns The Enchanted Apothecary and is the coven membership liaison. Mattie Sharpe makes honey. Bridget Merrow, a werewolf, owns Howler’s. Charisma Williams, a witch, is a life coach. Two new witches have moved to Nocturne Falls: Morgana and Neeva.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a colorful graphic with a log cabin wall with a fire in the stone fireplace with garland framing the mantel and candles and cats atop it and a couple of red Christmas stockings hanging below. There’s a red-curtained window on the left and a Christmas tree on the right. In front of the fireplace is a low, round wood pedestal table holding two red cups of hot chocolate with marshmallows and peppermint sticks. On the left is the brown-haired Holly in a green turtleneck and jeans sitting on the floor and holding a purple-wrapped gift, glancing over to the right where the dark-haired Demetrius stands, in a black crew-neck and pants, holding an armful of wood. Lower to the right is the series logo of a grinning pumpkin atop a wooden sign with the series info. At the top is the title in white. At the bottom is an info blurb and the author’s name in white.
The title truly is about The Witch’s Christmas Catastrophe.
