The Villain Who Saved Christmas

by C.B. Cook

A superhero Christmas short story.

This may be Becca's last Christmas, and all she wants is a white Christmas. But with no snow in the forecast, her brother and sister know that might not happen... until they get the idea to track down supervillain Hypothermia for help. With his ice powers, he could create a white Christmas for their sister. There’s only one problem—they have to find him first. Can they discover where Hypothermia is hiding and convince him to make it snow?

Genres: Christmas, Superheroes, Short Stories, Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary

15 pages

Published December 24, 2018

About the author

C.B. Cook is just a girl trying to find out where her King is guiding her, while writing the stories of the people she creates, the worlds she wants to live in, and the adventures she dreams about. Also known as a mysterious creature called an "author". She's a Christian, a college student, and a home school graduate dedicated to changing others' lives through the power of the written word.

Reviews

[Deborah O'Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read December 2022

Still such a good short story! ^_^

(Original review, 2018)

Aww! That was so much fun! ^_^ The Villain Who Saved Christmas is an utterly charming Christmas short story featuring superheroes. IT’S AWESOME AND PRECIOUS AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH. <3 *hugs story forever*

Two children hoping for a white Christmas for their little sister who thinks it will be her last Christmas decide to track down a supervillain with ice powers to see if he can help.

I loved the Christmas setting and the superhero, Reflex, and supervillain, Hypothermia—and how they have their own histories and stories going on that we get a glimpse of in this little tale. I liked both of them a lot, which made it interesting to read because you’re kind of rooting for both sides. :D

My favorite character was Scott—what a great name for a supervillain. XD His parts were so fun and cool—no pun intended. Okay, fine, pun intended. :P (The ice cream!) You’ll just have to read it to find out if an (admittedly minor) supervillain’s heart can melt enough to help some kids. ;)

It’s really hard to talk much about such a short story without giving anything away, but it was well-written and funny and there were also feels. I loved the conclusion and the unexpected wrapup bit at the end!

It’s an adorable, super quick read, and just the thing for superhero fans to read for Christmas!

(I was given a free e-ARC of this short story by the author and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are entirely my own.)

[Jes Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet (and slightly sad) short story about a family willing to do whatever it took to give a sick little girl a white Christmas. I always love stories that show a glimpse of light even in a villain, especially as the die-hard superhero fan I am. It's a quick read that makes one think of a half hour Christmas special.

I received a copy of this book from the author, but the views and opinions are my own.

[C.B. Cook]

I just finished my (possibly) final round of edits! I'm looking for more reviewers! If you'd be interested in reviewing this book on or near the release date (December 24th), I'd love your help! You can sign up to review or participate in the release through this form. I need as much help and as many reviewers as I can get! :D

[Liz F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet story! Not exactly what I expected, but I ended up enjoying it very much. ;)
This author is probably my favorite in the superhero genre. Her stories are always the greatest and this one was no different! :D

I recommend for all ages and people who love to read a good Christmas or superhero story! :D
5 stars.

I received a free copy in exchange for a honest review. A positive review was not required.

[Lilian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story was so sweet! I love simple and sweet stories like this- I enjoyed reading about Kristen and Daniel so much, and little Becca really tore at my heart. I felt like Poppy being a reporter was a bit unexpected, but definitely an interesting twist!

I would certainly recommend this short story to anyone who's interested in superpower stories.

[R.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this short story!! I've never read anything about superheroes so it was all new to me, but I did really like it!

The characters were great and I really liked Hyperthermia (aka, Scott)!

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Merie Shen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an adorably sweet Christmas story! A little girl with cancer wishes for a white Christmas, and she's convinced only a supervillain with icy powers can make it happen. So her sister and brother set off to find Hypothermia, in hopes of letting it snow one last time for little Becca.

Scott (Hypothermia) is a perfect example of the classic villain-turned-hero-on-Christmas-Eve. I liked him. He was fun.
And Becca's siblings were sweet too-- to go off and ask a villain to make it snow for their sister is not... ordinary. ANYWAY, I loved this short story and am going to treasure it for Christmases to come! Five stars, a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream!

*I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. A positive review was not requires; all opinions expressed are my own.*

[anika · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a sweet little story!! And kinda sad, too. I took off a star and a half just cause there were some times where the dialogue was cheesy, and it was very unrealistic. But overall it was sweet and I enjoyed it!

[. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: rtc



is this idia cause i need some blaze stuff xD

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know, I know. Christmas has already passed (or we still have a whole year yet - you choose), but I'm reviewing an Xmas novella! Been sick kinda pushes everything off, so, sorry. He's a bit more Christmas.

this novella is, like, fifteen pages and is thus super short. But it was still good! I didn't feel rushed at all (though it still felt short), and we got the tinniest smidge of baaaaackstory for our villain!

Becca, Kristen and Daniel's sister, is dying. She wants a white Christmas. Kristen and Daniel go and find a ice-powered supervillain. I really liked Kristen and Daniel. They're both still kids (preschool and middleschool, methinks) and they ACTED like kids without being annoying. Amazing, right? I also loved Scott (though let's be fair, ever since I first watched Ant-Man, I've always loved the name); he was easy to understand and, tbh, pretty sweet. <3 Poppy was minorly annoying, though.

Overall, the story was super sweet, but not over-the-top. While it IS an Xmas story, it could easily be read winter (or year) round.

[Ellen Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this beautiful, short story. It was well-written, was free of typos and silly grammatical errors, and heart-touching. The superpeople had interesting names, and I liked that they both did what was right. It is a perfect story to read for Christmas, and I'm sure kids will love it. By the way, I adore the cover.

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy to read and review. 💕

[Amelie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a precious Christmas story! Hypothermia/Scott, who has a deceptively grumpy exterior and a fondness for ice cream, is such a loveable character, and I found myself wanting to know more about him. And this story so beautifully illustrates selflessness and childlike innocence at Christmastime.

The main thing that isn't my favorite about this story is the kids' mention of lying to their parents about their whereabouts. I’m just really tired of this in fiction because, more often than not, everything turns out just fine for fictional kids, and it sets a horrible example for real kids to follow.

The reader is required to suspend his or her disbelief quite a bit. (For example, an adult takes her two young cousins to find a supervillain, and a superhero lets a criminal have a second chance because “he’s a good man deep down."). But I’m perfectly willing to suspend my disbelief because this is such a sweet story where selflessness shines.

I would love to read more about all these characters! I can tell that Scott especially has a deep backstory just waiting to be mined. If you love superhero stories and precious Christmas tales, definitely look into "The Villain Who Saved Christmas."

Content: none really. Very, very mild superhero violence (brief hand-to-hand combat). A girl has cancer (but her symptoms aren’t described beyond the fact that she has no hair).

[Jemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet short story with some new superheroes :)

[Ashley Raye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a sad story, but even though there were things to be sad about, there was also joy. Delight in the small moments because sometimes you won't get them again. Joy can be found even amidst the depressing moments. I loved this story and wished it was just a little bit longer.

[Nadine Keels · Rating 4 out of 5]

This coming Christmas may be the last one for young Becca. She wants a white Christmas, but there's no snow in the forecast. So Becca's brother and sister decide to track down a supervillain, Hypothermia, to enlist his help in The Villain Who Saved Christmas by author C.B. Cook.

First cool thing I noticed when I started reading? The disclaimer on the copyright page. "Unfortunately, this is a work of fiction... All superpowers are fictitious. If you or someone you know has superpowers, please contact the author."

Then comes a short and sweet story of Christmassy warmth, chill, and sci-fi power-wielding that feels more like holiday magic in this case. I appreciate that the characters have their share of obstacles to overcome and that the story doesn't forget it's about a villain, not a hero.

Quite a worthwhile read for a burst of Christmas.

[Karis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awww... Rtc

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superheroes and Christmas, does it get any better!? The Villain Who Saved Christmas was a sad yet sweet short story. Although it wasn't IDIA related, the characters were still special. I'd be quite happy to read more about them in the future. ;)

Merry Christmas, everyone!

[Merenwen Inglorion · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully paced short story, just the thing to read when you’re in the mood for something short and sweet but not Hallmark sweet.

Even though the plot was fairly serious (a girl with cancer wishes for a white Christmas, and so her siblings actively seek out a supervillain with ice powers), I was chuckling most of the time. The children’s determination, the supervillain’s humanity, and the general coolness (I’M SORRY OKAY EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO BE MAKING PUNS I DIDN’T WANT TO BE LEFT OUT. :P) of the portrayal of superpowers in everyday life were amazing.

[Joseph Leskey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is very short, but that doesn't stop the elements of its composition from being pretty flawless. It boasts a good (though naturally not labyrinthine) plot, talented writing, well-developed and enjoyable characters, and a fine overall quality and depth. Furthermore, it's just kind of nice, if you know what I mean.

I really can't say much more without the aid of good ol' irrelevancy, so, instead of spouting intellectual nonsense involving topical comparisons with hypothetical sea monkeys, I shall conclude. And my conclusion is this: read the thing one of these days, okay? Okay. Good. That's settled. Oh, and I forgot to mention that this author is fantastic at writing superpowers, just so you know.

And now for the IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for a review, and I have crafted this review with honesty and my own opinions. I was not required to do otherwise.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmm... pondering what I just read. That was such a neat story. I’m not a big fan of short stories just because they don’t have enough time to grow in the plot and have enough of a back story. They’re really shallow. That being said, C.B. Cook did an excellent job with staying to the plot and keeping the story short and sweet. I had nothing wrong with the story besides the fact that it was just too short.

I loved the characters and the hint of unselfishness I saw in them. They were very thoughtful and they gave of themselves to help others. That’s actually quite a meaningful lesson to learn.

A quick, simple read that will lighten your day and make your Christmas whiter—or brighter, I mean.

*I received a copy from the author in exchange for my honest review*

[Jenelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

d'awww, that was cute