Review: Holiday Magick

People don't usually question holiday traditions or their origins, but maybe they should. Over centuries, explanations of how and why holidays exist may have been lost or changed.
Some holiday histories might only be known by a few individuals. Ancient magic spells could have influenced how we celebrate today. Fairies, zombies, or demons may have shaped our holidays.
Consider the following...
Why do people give red roses and cards on Valentine's Day?
Is there more to the story of Purim than is traditionally told?
Why do people wear green on St. Patrick's Day?
What happens to spirits that are captured during the Japanese Doll Festival?
Where does Santa get his helpers?
You may think you know the truth, but you can't be too sure. Goodreads

*Disclaimer: I have two stories in this anthology. They are NOT considered in this review.

I love anthologies. They are a great way to find new favorite authors and get a variety of styles in a single book that you don't have to read cover-to-cover to know how the story ends. In that respect, Holiday Magick is no different than any other.

But I've honestly never read anything quite like this collection. The stories range from completely creepy to lighthearted and funny. Some of the holidays were well known to me, while I'd never heard of others. To that end, the blurbs before each story explaining the traditions were very helpful. I feel like I actually learned something!

 

While I'm not going to review each story individually, I will say that I enjoyed them all. (A rarity in an anthology this diverse) I've found a few new authors-to-watch, and was able to read new work by others that I already admire.

Some of my favorites were: Finding Fire-Trisha J. Wooldridge-A great story from Las Fallas, with elements of danger, love, and a great twist at the end.

The Keeper of the Trees-L.M. Graham-hands down the creepiest Earth Day story I've ever read!

Final Draft-Kate Kaynak-A possible Memorial Day future that no one should forget.

A Land Without Zombies-Nicole Zoltack-What made Christopher Columbus desperate enough to cross the ocean blue?

And The Toy Makers-Jessica Porteous-The most plausible explanation I've ever read on how Santa gets all of his toys.

I highly recommend this collection to all people of all ages. You're sure to find something you like. So, after reading your copy, stop by to let me know which stories were your favorites!

Rating 5/5 stars

YA notes: Mild language in a few stories.