Review of Wicked Witches of the Midwest Christmas Shorts #15BooksForChristmas #ChristmasReadingChallenge

It’s Christmas, Winchester style and I loved it. These Wicked Witches of the Midwest shorts are usually entertaining and provide a glimpse back in time when the main characters were children and the adult supporting characters, a little more spry. They’re also told from perspectives other than Bay’s. She’s the star of the regular series so it’s fun to get the POVs of other series favourites. These two Christmas novellas are told from Aunt Tillie’s perspective.

As the stories are told in the past, before significant others were introduced, the focus of the stories is on the Winchester family and their interactions.

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Tillie Winchester is annoyed with the world – what else is new, right? – and she’s fraying under the pressure. Her nieces believe she’s a bad influence on the youngest Winchester generation – especially an acerbic Thistle – and they want her to set a good example.

That’s not easy when she’s fighting with her arch nemesis and trying to convince Bay, Clove and Thistle they didn’t really discover a dead body at the annual tree-lighting ceremony.

Between a baking contest she’s determined to win, Thistle’s deteriorating attitude, Clove’s penchant for crying whenever the mood strikes and Chief Terry’s suspicious nature as the fearsome foursome investigate a possible crime, Aunt Tillie has her hands full.

It’s Christmas, though, the most magical time of the year, and Tillie is determined to solve every problem – er, maybe make a few worse for Margaret Little if the opportunity arises – and deliver a happy yuletide extravaganza for her family.

Buckle up and put on your combat helmet, because Tillie plans on plowing her way to happiness … and she doesn’t care who gets in her path along the way.

Review of Merry Witchmas by Amanda M. Lee

In Merry Witchmas, Bay and her cousins, Clove and Thistle, are determined to solve the mystery of the ‘disappearing’ body. Aunt Tillie eventually agrees to help them, if they provide some baking support!

Favourite parts: There’s a little twist that makes Maragaret, almost seem nice… not really but there’s an attempt!

Aunt Tillie helping the pre-teen Bay, Clove and Thistle with their investigations. So maybe there’s some breaking and entering… but it’s still funny when Officer Terry gets involved!

Discussions about the Christmas goodies being prepared made my mouth water.

Not so fave: Sometimes the girls act or speak more maturely than the preteens they’re supposed to be.

Overall this is a cute novella starring precocious youngsters, a cunning great aunt and lots of Christmas cheer.

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Fourteen years ago, Christmas hit Walkerville with a bang. Or, rather, a big ball of fire.

When a local group home for orphaned children goes up in smoke right before the holidays, Tillie Winchester volunteers her family to take in some kids – even though her arch nemesis Margaret Little is dead-set against it. Of course, that’s part of the appeal for Tillie so she’s considering it a win.

Three boys – all of them with a little attitude – have no idea what to expect from the Winchester household. No matter what, Tillie is sure they’re about to get more than they bargained for. In short order, they’re welcomed into the family at the same time the town is on edge due to a second fire.

Tillie is determined to prove the boys are innocent while also finding them a forever home … even if she has to take on a local judge and declare all out war to do it.

So, hang your stockings by the fire and sit back for another Christmas with the Winchesters. You’ll never be the same again.

Review of How Aunt Tillie Stole Christmas by Amanda M. Lee

In this novella, which is still set back in time, we meet slightly older, teenaged Bay, Clove and Thistle. Again the story is told from Aunt Tillie’s perspective. I love that the sense of her the reader gets from the regular series is perfectly mirrored in the tales told in her POV.

When young boys need a temporary home for Christmas, Aunt Tillie not so altruistically charges in to save the day. After all, her main motive is to show up and disagree with town busybody, Margaret Little. That said, the true heart of the Winchesters shines through when they meet their houseguests and decide they want to find them the Christmas gift that will last a lifetime.

The teens and their great aunt team up to buy presents, dig into the past, scare a deadbeat dad, bully a judge and just get into a whole lot of mischief to do a whole lot of good. They have to ‘steal’ a few items to ultimately save Christmas!

Favourite parts: Seeing Aunt Tillie’s sweet side. (It’s well hidden but it’s there).

Teenaged Bay spouting off town regulations to the town council.

Not so fave: would have liked a little more closure on the firebug issue.

Although this is a novella, there was enough meat to get into. Finding out more about the boys and how they’d be able to get a happy ending was well-covered.

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Both stories are fun fillers for series regulars but because they are set back in time and contain their own main storylines, they’re also perfect for new readers or anyone looking for a quick, festive, witchy read!