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Winner, 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel
Nominee, 2017 Anthony Award for Best Children's/Young Adult Novel
Charity Jones is a 16-year-old engineering genius who's much-bullied for being biracial and a skeptic at her conservative school in Oak County, California. Everything changes when Charity's social worker mother brings home a sweet teen runaway named Aidan to foster for the holidays. Matched in every way, Charity and Aidan quickly fall in love. But it seems he's not the only new arrival: Charity soon finds the brutally slain corpse of her worst bully and she gets hard, haunting evidence that the killer is stalking Oak County. As she and her Skeptics Club investigate this death and others, they find at every turn the mystery only grows darker and more deadly. One thing's for certain: there's a bloody battle coming this holiday season that will change their lives - and human history - forever.
Will they be ready?
Find out this 2016 holiday season how you, Charity, me, everyone...has been Snowed.
Nominee, 2017 Anthony Award for Best Children's/Young Adult Novel
Charity Jones is a 16-year-old engineering genius who's much-bullied for being biracial and a skeptic at her conservative school in Oak County, California. Everything changes when Charity's social worker mother brings home a sweet teen runaway named Aidan to foster for the holidays. Matched in every way, Charity and Aidan quickly fall in love. But it seems he's not the only new arrival: Charity soon finds the brutally slain corpse of her worst bully and she gets hard, haunting evidence that the killer is stalking Oak County. As she and her Skeptics Club investigate this death and others, they find at every turn the mystery only grows darker and more deadly. One thing's for certain: there's a bloody battle coming this holiday season that will change their lives - and human history - forever.
Will they be ready?
Find out this 2016 holiday season how you, Charity, me, everyone...has been Snowed.
262 pages, Paperback
First published November 2, 2016
16 people are currently reading
2072 people want to read
About the author
Maria Alexander
34 books129 followersMaria Alexander is an award-winning author of YA and adult fiction. Her debut novel, MR. WICKER, won the 2014 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. Her debut YA novel, SNOWED, both won the 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel and was nominated for the 2017 Anthony Award for Best Children's/Young Adult Novel.
When she’s not stabbing people with her foil, she’s being outrageously spooky or writing Doctor Who filk. She lives in Los Angeles with two ungrateful cats, a Jewish Christmas caroler, and a purse called Trog.
When she’s not stabbing people with her foil, she’s being outrageously spooky or writing Doctor Who filk. She lives in Los Angeles with two ungrateful cats, a Jewish Christmas caroler, and a purse called Trog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
February 13, 2017
4 rock solid stars.
Justifies the tag of a page turner.
Charity Jones' life was not at all normal. At 16, she's bullied by many people at her school for many reasons. A young boy, Adrian is brought by her parents to their home to stay with them. Charity is pretty upset about it but soon she accepts him and finally falls for him.
But everything's going to be messed up quite soon and you have to be ready to see the tables turn. To see less unexpected from YA novels. You have to hole your breath and let Snowed show you all its trickery.
Intelligent characters are always a fun to watch. This book gives the perfect blend for that.
The cover is somewhat mysterious but don't let it fool you. Inside it, this contains a plenty of things to let you have an adventurous ride.
The best thing about the book apart from the plot line, is the characters. All powerful to the point of intimidating you!
Writing style is what I seek in a young adult novel.
Full of enthusiasm and curiosity.
A plethora of action, romance, humor and fighting with enemies are some treats that ask me to root for this book.
The author's style is promising and I would like to read more of her future works.
Justifies the tag of a page turner.
Charity Jones' life was not at all normal. At 16, she's bullied by many people at her school for many reasons. A young boy, Adrian is brought by her parents to their home to stay with them. Charity is pretty upset about it but soon she accepts him and finally falls for him.
But everything's going to be messed up quite soon and you have to be ready to see the tables turn. To see less unexpected from YA novels. You have to hole your breath and let Snowed show you all its trickery.
Intelligent characters are always a fun to watch. This book gives the perfect blend for that.
The cover is somewhat mysterious but don't let it fool you. Inside it, this contains a plenty of things to let you have an adventurous ride.
The best thing about the book apart from the plot line, is the characters. All powerful to the point of intimidating you!
Writing style is what I seek in a young adult novel.
Full of enthusiasm and curiosity.
A plethora of action, romance, humor and fighting with enemies are some treats that ask me to root for this book.
The author's style is promising and I would like to read more of her future works.
December 24, 2016
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/12/24/...
Snowed is a story about Christmas, but it is definitely not like your usual schmaltzy Christmas book. It stars Charity Jones, a sixteen-year-old biracial student with a natural talent for all things science and engineering. At her high school in a conservative county of California though, this only gets her mercilessly bullied because she is different. Thankfully, for Charity there’s one bright spot in this bleak situation: Aidan, the sweet mild-mannered teen runaway whom her family takes in as a foster child. No one know where Aidan came from, but it is clear that he is running away from something—something terrible.
Still, despite his reluctance to share much about his past, Aidan and Charity wind up hitting it off and they quickly fall in love. Things actually start looking up for Charity, but of course this respite doesn’t last. The community is shaken one day, when the body of Charity’s worst bully is found behind the bleachers, savaged and torn apart. The authorities are quick to suspect a wild animal attack, but Charity isn’t so sure. After all, unbeknownst to the rest of the school, she was actually the first one to find the victim, and there was something strange she saw at the scene…
First, I want to go into the positives of this book, and there are certainly many. Number one is diversity. Kudos to the author for doing her best to include perspectives from all walks of life, even though her approach can be pretty heavy-handed at times, almost like she was making sure to check off all the boxes on a #diversereads checklist. Having main characters that reflect and honor the lives of all people is always wonderful though, and something to be celebrated especially in the young adult genre.
I also liked how Snowed was a Christmas story for those who might be looking for something other than the usual feel-good and campy holiday-themed books that flood the market around this time of the year. Personally, I love the festive atmosphere around Christmastime, but hey, it’s also okay to have a “bah humbug” moment every now and then. If you ever feel the need to take break from the holiday madness and the constant barrage of holiday-themed music and TV hitting you from all directions, then this book is the answer. Forget the warm and fuzzy feelings, because this is one dark book that likely won’t be filling you with the holiday cheer by the time it’s over. On the other hand, how cool is it that we get a story that explores Krampus lore and presents a darker, more sinister side to the figure of Santa Claus?
And now for the things that didn’t work so well for me. The big one was the extreme-to-the-point-of-contrived stereotypes. All the horrible people at school bullying Charity are of course the jock and cheerleader types, all of them white, bible-thumping and gun-happy ignorant rednecks according to our protagonist. The irony is that Charity frequently comes off as even more judgmental and patronizing as the people she rails against. There are also very few responsible and admirable adult characters, which is a pet peeve of mine when it comes to YA. Charity and her friends paint the police as a bunch of incompetent meatheads, while Charity’s parents are portrayed as a couple of dopes in denial, helpless in stopping her deranged psychopath of a brother hurt her and everyone she loves. The teachers are also apparently too busy planning their own holidays (or worrying about new charter schools opening in their county, threatening their precious hegemony) that they can’t be bothered to do anything about serious problems like bullying and death threats to their students.
In fact, the narrative tries very hard to make you think that Charity and her little “enlightened” group are the only ones capable of getting anything done. Not only was this unrealistic, it just made Charity and all her friends intensely unlikable. Furthermore, Charity also can’t help but remind readers every other chapter that she’s into science, robotics and technology (yet apparently not computer savvy enough to prevent her own email account from getting hacked). I agree we need to encourage girls and young women to enter and succeed in the STEM fields, but there’s no subtlety at all in the way the author is trying to prop up her protagonist as a poster child for the cause.
Finally, I didn’t like the romance. In my opinion, the instalove and Charity’s dramatics actually undermined a lot of what the story was trying to achieve, removing some of Aidan’s mystique. After knowing him for little more than a week, Charity professes to love Aidan so much that she can’t live without him, that she “dies every minute” they’re not together, or that losing him would be like the worst thing that’s ever happened to her (even worse than when Grandma Jones passed away!) In retrospect, the overwrought and sentimental adolescent language probably didn’t help either.
That said, overall I had a good time with Snowed. Ultimately it’s a book with some great ideas but which might be lacking in polish when it comes to execution, though it’s nonetheless impressive especially since we’re talking about a book from a small indie publishing house. Admittedly the story could have been streamlined to bring the horror aspects and Krampus plotline to the forefront while toning down the exposition and romance, but I also have to give it credit for its diverse cast of main characters and the fact that it also explores difficult topics, including a few that don’t get talked about much, like the emotional struggles that families of incarcerated teens go through (and I actually wish this had been given more attention in the book). All told, an interesting read that offers something a little different for the holidays.
Snowed is a story about Christmas, but it is definitely not like your usual schmaltzy Christmas book. It stars Charity Jones, a sixteen-year-old biracial student with a natural talent for all things science and engineering. At her high school in a conservative county of California though, this only gets her mercilessly bullied because she is different. Thankfully, for Charity there’s one bright spot in this bleak situation: Aidan, the sweet mild-mannered teen runaway whom her family takes in as a foster child. No one know where Aidan came from, but it is clear that he is running away from something—something terrible.
Still, despite his reluctance to share much about his past, Aidan and Charity wind up hitting it off and they quickly fall in love. Things actually start looking up for Charity, but of course this respite doesn’t last. The community is shaken one day, when the body of Charity’s worst bully is found behind the bleachers, savaged and torn apart. The authorities are quick to suspect a wild animal attack, but Charity isn’t so sure. After all, unbeknownst to the rest of the school, she was actually the first one to find the victim, and there was something strange she saw at the scene…
First, I want to go into the positives of this book, and there are certainly many. Number one is diversity. Kudos to the author for doing her best to include perspectives from all walks of life, even though her approach can be pretty heavy-handed at times, almost like she was making sure to check off all the boxes on a #diversereads checklist. Having main characters that reflect and honor the lives of all people is always wonderful though, and something to be celebrated especially in the young adult genre.
I also liked how Snowed was a Christmas story for those who might be looking for something other than the usual feel-good and campy holiday-themed books that flood the market around this time of the year. Personally, I love the festive atmosphere around Christmastime, but hey, it’s also okay to have a “bah humbug” moment every now and then. If you ever feel the need to take break from the holiday madness and the constant barrage of holiday-themed music and TV hitting you from all directions, then this book is the answer. Forget the warm and fuzzy feelings, because this is one dark book that likely won’t be filling you with the holiday cheer by the time it’s over. On the other hand, how cool is it that we get a story that explores Krampus lore and presents a darker, more sinister side to the figure of Santa Claus?
And now for the things that didn’t work so well for me. The big one was the extreme-to-the-point-of-contrived stereotypes. All the horrible people at school bullying Charity are of course the jock and cheerleader types, all of them white, bible-thumping and gun-happy ignorant rednecks according to our protagonist. The irony is that Charity frequently comes off as even more judgmental and patronizing as the people she rails against. There are also very few responsible and admirable adult characters, which is a pet peeve of mine when it comes to YA. Charity and her friends paint the police as a bunch of incompetent meatheads, while Charity’s parents are portrayed as a couple of dopes in denial, helpless in stopping her deranged psychopath of a brother hurt her and everyone she loves. The teachers are also apparently too busy planning their own holidays (or worrying about new charter schools opening in their county, threatening their precious hegemony) that they can’t be bothered to do anything about serious problems like bullying and death threats to their students.
In fact, the narrative tries very hard to make you think that Charity and her little “enlightened” group are the only ones capable of getting anything done. Not only was this unrealistic, it just made Charity and all her friends intensely unlikable. Furthermore, Charity also can’t help but remind readers every other chapter that she’s into science, robotics and technology (yet apparently not computer savvy enough to prevent her own email account from getting hacked). I agree we need to encourage girls and young women to enter and succeed in the STEM fields, but there’s no subtlety at all in the way the author is trying to prop up her protagonist as a poster child for the cause.
Finally, I didn’t like the romance. In my opinion, the instalove and Charity’s dramatics actually undermined a lot of what the story was trying to achieve, removing some of Aidan’s mystique. After knowing him for little more than a week, Charity professes to love Aidan so much that she can’t live without him, that she “dies every minute” they’re not together, or that losing him would be like the worst thing that’s ever happened to her (even worse than when Grandma Jones passed away!) In retrospect, the overwrought and sentimental adolescent language probably didn’t help either.
That said, overall I had a good time with Snowed. Ultimately it’s a book with some great ideas but which might be lacking in polish when it comes to execution, though it’s nonetheless impressive especially since we’re talking about a book from a small indie publishing house. Admittedly the story could have been streamlined to bring the horror aspects and Krampus plotline to the forefront while toning down the exposition and romance, but I also have to give it credit for its diverse cast of main characters and the fact that it also explores difficult topics, including a few that don’t get talked about much, like the emotional struggles that families of incarcerated teens go through (and I actually wish this had been given more attention in the book). All told, an interesting read that offers something a little different for the holidays.
December 5, 2016
After quite a bit of thinking, I'm giving this book 4/5 instead of 3/5 because even though there were parts of it that really bothered me (more coming up on that soon), I have to give credit for it being a very diverse, horror-filled Christmas tale. Charity Jones is a 16 year old attending school in California. Her mother is an attorney/social worker, her father, a weapons engineer, and her brother, a punk. Charity has an eclectic group of friends and she herself is bi-racial. One day she comes home from a particularly hard day at school to find her mom has brought home a stray foster child - a dashing, yet odd and backward, Aidan. Little is known about Aidan other than his father is a very dangerous man and is out to locate him and bring him back home. Suddenly a bully at Charity's school is brutally murdered and Charity and her friends find themselves right in the middle of this zany and sometimes terrifying Christmas caper.
First, let's look at the things I liked about this book. Somewhere within the past two years I've become obsessed with Krampus. Perhaps it's because Halloween and Christmas run neck-and-neck for my favorite holiday and Krampus kind of combines them both. Needless to say, this book takes the Krampus legend and greatly expounds on it. Secondly, the diversity in this book is great. We have geeks and nerds, Asians, bi-racial families and LGBT characters. Friendship really is at the root of this book and it's great to see such a wide variety of individuals. Finally, the book is fast-paced. You run into villains and heroes every time you turn around and for a while, you are trying to figure out who is who.
Now on to what drove me crazy. INSTA-LOVE. I know this is a young adult book and I guess some writers feel there has to be a love element to keep teens interested. Personally I don't think that is the case but either way, Charity and Aidan are madly in love before the reader is about 40% into the book. Now while the relationship between them drives a lot of the other things that happen in the book, I found it annoying nonetheless. Also, although I applaud the diversity in this book, I almost feel like at times it's thrown in the reader's face. Almost like there was a checklist of races and cultures which the author wanted to mention and as she was writing, she mentally checked them off.
Overall, I'm glad I read "Snowed." As I mentioned, there just aren't a lot of decent horror/fantasy Christmas reads and this one definitely fits that bill. If you are interested in that type of read, I would recommend picking this up. However, if you really can't stand insta-love, then this is probably not the book for you and you'll have to decide if the good I mentioned outweigh it enough for you to give it a chance.
First, let's look at the things I liked about this book. Somewhere within the past two years I've become obsessed with Krampus. Perhaps it's because Halloween and Christmas run neck-and-neck for my favorite holiday and Krampus kind of combines them both. Needless to say, this book takes the Krampus legend and greatly expounds on it. Secondly, the diversity in this book is great. We have geeks and nerds, Asians, bi-racial families and LGBT characters. Friendship really is at the root of this book and it's great to see such a wide variety of individuals. Finally, the book is fast-paced. You run into villains and heroes every time you turn around and for a while, you are trying to figure out who is who.
Now on to what drove me crazy. INSTA-LOVE. I know this is a young adult book and I guess some writers feel there has to be a love element to keep teens interested. Personally I don't think that is the case but either way, Charity and Aidan are madly in love before the reader is about 40% into the book. Now while the relationship between them drives a lot of the other things that happen in the book, I found it annoying nonetheless. Also, although I applaud the diversity in this book, I almost feel like at times it's thrown in the reader's face. Almost like there was a checklist of races and cultures which the author wanted to mention and as she was writing, she mentally checked them off.
Overall, I'm glad I read "Snowed." As I mentioned, there just aren't a lot of decent horror/fantasy Christmas reads and this one definitely fits that bill. If you are interested in that type of read, I would recommend picking this up. However, if you really can't stand insta-love, then this is probably not the book for you and you'll have to decide if the good I mentioned outweigh it enough for you to give it a chance.
October 13, 2016
Maria Alexander has written a top-notch YA novel. The book's heroine, Charity Jones, is an intrepid, fierce 16-year-old who, at the beginning of the tale, is coping with an increasingly troubled family life and prejudicial backlash at school because of her skepticism about God. Although the story seems a bit emphatic in a vague, anti-christian way, the message is quickly dropped as it develops from a teen-angst tale into a taut monster mystery. The story is smart and polished. It takes a popular myth and blends it with its less savory origins, then plops the whole thing down into the middle of Smalltown U.S.A. "Snowed" is a Christmas story that fuses adventure with soft horror in a way that reminds one of the movie "Gremlins". Extremely readable, Alexander's writing promises some great novels to come for young adult readers who like gothic, fantasy and soft horror.
November 1, 2016
Disclaimer: The author and I share a publisher, and I helped proofread this novel before publication.
If I had not been reading this novel on an expensive electronic device, I’d have thrown it across the room when I got to the ending. But not because it was a bad book. On the contrary, this book was such a fun adventure that the cliffhanger ending made me want to lose my mind. I did, however, accost the author to find out whether a sequel was forthcoming. Good news! One is definitely in the works.
Because of the way schedules work in the publishing world, I read Snowed during the heat of summer. However, Alexander’s words transported me to the holiday season with little effort. I follow the author on social media, so I was spoiled a bit for this novel based on hints she’d provided on research she did for this story. But rather than being any sort of let-down, any predictions that I made and the big reveals in the book were a ton of fun to reach.
One of my favorite things about this book was the nontraditional setting. Most “California” books take place in such locales as hip San Francisco or sunny Los Angeles, familiar from so much of popular culture. Temperate, conservative northern California is a departure from the norm. But what I appreciate the most is that Alexander doesn’t set the novel here just for something different. The setting becomes a character in itself regarding both the winter weather and the mindset of the people around the main character, Charity Jones. Points should also be given for a diverse main character, because once again, there’s no feeling that the author made this decision just to be different. Charity’s entire character has been shaped by this aspect of her being, but it always comes off as realistic rather than an insertion of authorial voice.
As a point of view character, Charity drew me in immediately. One of the things I liked best about her was that she was the hero of her own story but still maintained some flaws that made her a realistic character. She gets a little preachy about things she’s passionate about, but it’s a good example of what makes her a whole person rather than a plastic, predictable YA fantasy heroine.
At times, the text message conversations between characters felt a little contrived or cliché because of the abbreviated language used. However, I may have felt this way due to my limited experience with or exposure to the young adult genre, and with teenagers in general. More importantly, the friendships and other relationships between the teenage characters rang very true, and included depth not often attributed to characters who are not yet adults.
Overall, this was a great fantasy novel that features a villain not often explored in speculative fiction, either adult or YA. The modern ways in which the villain is fought are imaginative and delightfully unexpected.
If I had not been reading this novel on an expensive electronic device, I’d have thrown it across the room when I got to the ending. But not because it was a bad book. On the contrary, this book was such a fun adventure that the cliffhanger ending made me want to lose my mind. I did, however, accost the author to find out whether a sequel was forthcoming. Good news! One is definitely in the works.
Because of the way schedules work in the publishing world, I read Snowed during the heat of summer. However, Alexander’s words transported me to the holiday season with little effort. I follow the author on social media, so I was spoiled a bit for this novel based on hints she’d provided on research she did for this story. But rather than being any sort of let-down, any predictions that I made and the big reveals in the book were a ton of fun to reach.
One of my favorite things about this book was the nontraditional setting. Most “California” books take place in such locales as hip San Francisco or sunny Los Angeles, familiar from so much of popular culture. Temperate, conservative northern California is a departure from the norm. But what I appreciate the most is that Alexander doesn’t set the novel here just for something different. The setting becomes a character in itself regarding both the winter weather and the mindset of the people around the main character, Charity Jones. Points should also be given for a diverse main character, because once again, there’s no feeling that the author made this decision just to be different. Charity’s entire character has been shaped by this aspect of her being, but it always comes off as realistic rather than an insertion of authorial voice.
As a point of view character, Charity drew me in immediately. One of the things I liked best about her was that she was the hero of her own story but still maintained some flaws that made her a realistic character. She gets a little preachy about things she’s passionate about, but it’s a good example of what makes her a whole person rather than a plastic, predictable YA fantasy heroine.
At times, the text message conversations between characters felt a little contrived or cliché because of the abbreviated language used. However, I may have felt this way due to my limited experience with or exposure to the young adult genre, and with teenagers in general. More importantly, the friendships and other relationships between the teenage characters rang very true, and included depth not often attributed to characters who are not yet adults.
Overall, this was a great fantasy novel that features a villain not often explored in speculative fiction, either adult or YA. The modern ways in which the villain is fought are imaginative and delightfully unexpected.
November 23, 2016
I just couldn't. There are so many things that kept throwing me off of this one that I really couldn't find a reediming quality for it.
- Charity is bullied to the point of protesters outside her club and death threats to her mobile. But no one does nothing. Except teachers with some verbal amonestations and some kind of apk that stops hate mail.
- new guy on the block. Only it is in tbe same house. Polite and nice. with a dark past. No one knows where he comes from because he isn't telling, but that doesn't stop the parents of Charity to bring him home. Riiiiight.
And, of course, instalove. Because... why not?
- no chemistry between any character. Plain and boring. Nothing to see there. The plot... looking for an assassin. A monster assassin. In a patrol. Yes. Right.
Nope.
Sorry.
Big nope.
- Charity is bullied to the point of protesters outside her club and death threats to her mobile. But no one does nothing. Except teachers with some verbal amonestations and some kind of apk that stops hate mail.
- new guy on the block. Only it is in tbe same house. Polite and nice. with a dark past. No one knows where he comes from because he isn't telling, but that doesn't stop the parents of Charity to bring him home. Riiiiight.
And, of course, instalove. Because... why not?
- no chemistry between any character. Plain and boring. Nothing to see there. The plot... looking for an assassin. A monster assassin. In a patrol. Yes. Right.
Nope.
Sorry.
Big nope.
February 10, 2017
2.5 Stars
Full Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has in no way influenced my review.*
No preamble, I'm just going to jump right into this review with some lists.
Things I Liked:
- It was a Christmas-themed fantasy. There aren't a lot of those.
- It had a unique and dark take on the legends of Santa and Krampus.
Things I Disliked:
- Stereotypes galore. The jocks were stupid and mean. The artsy girl had purple hair. The band geeks and smart people played D&D. You get the drift.
- Charity was one of the most unlikable protagonists I've ever read about. She kept talking about how judgmental and prejudiced all the other people were, but she was just as judgmental and prejudiced, only about different things. She said people who believe in God are gullible. She lumped every athletic person, except Ricardo, together and just constantly insulted and stereotyped them. She didn't want to be seen with Aidan in the beginning because she thought he was weird. At first I thought maybe she was made unlikable on purpose so that she could grow over the course of the book, but, other than her opinion toward Aidan, she didn't seem to change.
- I'm all for diversity in books, so it was great that Charity was atheist and biracial, but it was like the author wanted to make sure no one ever forgot those things for even 60 seconds. For example, any time the word God or Devil or Heaven or Hell was mentioned, even in a casual way in common phrases, anytime Charity happened to see someone praying or hear someone mention prayer, etc., she made sure to remind the reader yet again how she didn't believe in those things. It doesn't matter what religion or non-religion or ethnicity or anything the character is, I'm happy to read about it as it pertains to the story and affects the character, but I don't want forced reminders on every other page.
- On a similar note, she was into engineering and science, which was also great, but the way it was written it was like all science all the time to the point that you would think she'd break out in hives if she were even in the same room as a colored pencil or anything related to any other type of interest. It just felt like another exaggerated stereotype.
- Speaking of exaggerated, that also describes a lot of the characters' behaviors and things that happened.
- Instalove. "You mean more to me than my entire life and I would die for you" within a week of meeting type instalove.
So overall this was a great idea for a story involving the Santa and Krampus legends, and it was great that there was diversity, but the stereotypes, the exaggeration, and judgmental protagonist made it ultimately not work for me.
Recommended For:
Young adult readers looking for a darkish Christmas-themed fantasy book who don't mind the issues I pointed out in my review.
Original Review @Metaphors and Moonlight
Full Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has in no way influenced my review.*
No preamble, I'm just going to jump right into this review with some lists.
Things I Liked:
- It was a Christmas-themed fantasy. There aren't a lot of those.
- It had a unique and dark take on the legends of Santa and Krampus.
Things I Disliked:
- Stereotypes galore. The jocks were stupid and mean. The artsy girl had purple hair. The band geeks and smart people played D&D. You get the drift.
- Charity was one of the most unlikable protagonists I've ever read about. She kept talking about how judgmental and prejudiced all the other people were, but she was just as judgmental and prejudiced, only about different things. She said people who believe in God are gullible. She lumped every athletic person, except Ricardo, together and just constantly insulted and stereotyped them. She didn't want to be seen with Aidan in the beginning because she thought he was weird. At first I thought maybe she was made unlikable on purpose so that she could grow over the course of the book, but, other than her opinion toward Aidan, she didn't seem to change.
- I'm all for diversity in books, so it was great that Charity was atheist and biracial, but it was like the author wanted to make sure no one ever forgot those things for even 60 seconds. For example, any time the word God or Devil or Heaven or Hell was mentioned, even in a casual way in common phrases, anytime Charity happened to see someone praying or hear someone mention prayer, etc., she made sure to remind the reader yet again how she didn't believe in those things. It doesn't matter what religion or non-religion or ethnicity or anything the character is, I'm happy to read about it as it pertains to the story and affects the character, but I don't want forced reminders on every other page.
- On a similar note, she was into engineering and science, which was also great, but the way it was written it was like all science all the time to the point that you would think she'd break out in hives if she were even in the same room as a colored pencil or anything related to any other type of interest. It just felt like another exaggerated stereotype.
- Speaking of exaggerated, that also describes a lot of the characters' behaviors and things that happened.
- Instalove. "You mean more to me than my entire life and I would die for you" within a week of meeting type instalove.
So overall this was a great idea for a story involving the Santa and Krampus legends, and it was great that there was diversity, but the stereotypes, the exaggeration, and judgmental protagonist made it ultimately not work for me.
Recommended For:
Young adult readers looking for a darkish Christmas-themed fantasy book who don't mind the issues I pointed out in my review.
Original Review @Metaphors and Moonlight
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2016
Sixteen-year-old Charity Jones is a genius. She is also the victim of bullies for her smarts, her weight, her biracial heritage, and her skepticism which doesn’t play well in this small Conservative Christian town and school. After a particularly rough day, she is furious to discover that her liberal parents have brought a young seemingly homeless boy, Aiden, to move in with them. However, he quickly wins her trust and then her heart.
Then she learns who his father is and why he has run away. And why they are all now in danger from someone just about everyone loves but who is not who they think he is. Aiden is his heir and he will destroy anyone who gets in his way or, perhaps, just for fun. Fortunately, he can only leave his home on one day of the year; unfortunately he has lots of minions willing to do the dirty work for him. And if they fail, well, that one day is fast approaching. Ho ho ho no!
When I first saw Snowed by author Maria Alexander on Netgalley, I wasn’t interested. The cover didn’t grab me, I had never heard of the publisher Raw Dog Screaming Press (although, if this is typical of their offerings, I’ll be looking to get more from them in the future), and I’m not really much of a horror fan. Still, it was the time of year when I’m looking for new and original Christmas tales to entertain me through the season and I decided what the heck, it’s short so I’ll give it a try.
I started it at bedtime figuring if nothing else, it might put me to sleep. – Big mistake. All night, it was just one more chapter, one more page, one more paragraph. I finished it just as the sun was coming up. Turns out, Snowed is one heck of a page-turner with some great YA characters you will definitely want to root for or against and one very very evil villain. There’s plenty of action, a bit of romance, teenaged angst, and even some humour to break up the tension.
So if you’ve already had it up to here with Christmas muzak at the mall, schmaltzy Christmas tv shows, just all around Christmas cheer, maybe what you need is some Christmas horror. On the downside, after immersing yourself in the story, the cliffhanger ending may seem like one giant humbug (but don’t do anything to your ipad to get yourself on the naughty list because there is a sequel coming). Be warned, however, after reading Snowed, you may never look at Christmas or good ol’ Saint Nick the same way again.
Thanks to Netgalley and Raw Dog Screaming Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Then she learns who his father is and why he has run away. And why they are all now in danger from someone just about everyone loves but who is not who they think he is. Aiden is his heir and he will destroy anyone who gets in his way or, perhaps, just for fun. Fortunately, he can only leave his home on one day of the year; unfortunately he has lots of minions willing to do the dirty work for him. And if they fail, well, that one day is fast approaching. Ho ho ho no!
When I first saw Snowed by author Maria Alexander on Netgalley, I wasn’t interested. The cover didn’t grab me, I had never heard of the publisher Raw Dog Screaming Press (although, if this is typical of their offerings, I’ll be looking to get more from them in the future), and I’m not really much of a horror fan. Still, it was the time of year when I’m looking for new and original Christmas tales to entertain me through the season and I decided what the heck, it’s short so I’ll give it a try.
I started it at bedtime figuring if nothing else, it might put me to sleep. – Big mistake. All night, it was just one more chapter, one more page, one more paragraph. I finished it just as the sun was coming up. Turns out, Snowed is one heck of a page-turner with some great YA characters you will definitely want to root for or against and one very very evil villain. There’s plenty of action, a bit of romance, teenaged angst, and even some humour to break up the tension.
So if you’ve already had it up to here with Christmas muzak at the mall, schmaltzy Christmas tv shows, just all around Christmas cheer, maybe what you need is some Christmas horror. On the downside, after immersing yourself in the story, the cliffhanger ending may seem like one giant humbug (but don’t do anything to your ipad to get yourself on the naughty list because there is a sequel coming). Be warned, however, after reading Snowed, you may never look at Christmas or good ol’ Saint Nick the same way again.
Thanks to Netgalley and Raw Dog Screaming Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
November 14, 2016
I didn't know that much about this book when I started reading, so I was in for a surprise when I found out who Aidan really was and what family he came from.
Charity Jones is not your typical teenager girl - she's a science genius and popular target for bullying at her school. However, when her mother brings home Aidan, a homeless boy, everything changes. The self-conscious girl can't believe there's actually someone interested in her, and soon she experiences her first true love. However, a happy end is not meant to be. First, there's Charity's brother, a drug dealer and overall mean character, who blames Charity and Aidan for his failures. But even more dangerous is the evil father Aidan fled from - and who is determined to bring his son home. Also, Aidan seems to have some secrets of his own, and when a monster starts terrorizing the neighborhood which shares the same startling blue eyes as Aidan, Charity doesn't know whom to trust any longer. With the help of her equally misfit friends, she is determined to solve the puzzle, unaware of the deadly danger they get themselves in.
* the following may contain spoilers *
I really really loved the outcome of the plot, as I had no idea about Aidan's origin, which features one of my favorite evil creatures. I also liked the concept of the 'split personality' of Aidan's father, making him the perfect yin and yang of Christmas.
The one thing I would criticize about this book was the writing style. While it seems to fit the way teenagers think and talk perfectly (I guess), it slightly got on my nerves sometimes. However, I hope this will not label the book as YA only, as the plot itself should please older readers as well.
The ending - clever idea to stop when it was the most exciting and only add a final, more comforting chapter after the epilogue - may hint at a sequel, but not necessarily so. I'd definitely appreciate to read more about Charity and Aidan. However, a kind of prequel explaining the details of Aidan's background and the reasons for his father's turn to evil would be even better.
A somewhat different and therefore recommended read for the season...
(I chose to read this book - all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased)
Charity Jones is not your typical teenager girl - she's a science genius and popular target for bullying at her school. However, when her mother brings home Aidan, a homeless boy, everything changes. The self-conscious girl can't believe there's actually someone interested in her, and soon she experiences her first true love. However, a happy end is not meant to be. First, there's Charity's brother, a drug dealer and overall mean character, who blames Charity and Aidan for his failures. But even more dangerous is the evil father Aidan fled from - and who is determined to bring his son home. Also, Aidan seems to have some secrets of his own, and when a monster starts terrorizing the neighborhood which shares the same startling blue eyes as Aidan, Charity doesn't know whom to trust any longer. With the help of her equally misfit friends, she is determined to solve the puzzle, unaware of the deadly danger they get themselves in.
* the following may contain spoilers *
I really really loved the outcome of the plot, as I had no idea about Aidan's origin, which features one of my favorite evil creatures. I also liked the concept of the 'split personality' of Aidan's father, making him the perfect yin and yang of Christmas.
The one thing I would criticize about this book was the writing style. While it seems to fit the way teenagers think and talk perfectly (I guess), it slightly got on my nerves sometimes. However, I hope this will not label the book as YA only, as the plot itself should please older readers as well.
The ending - clever idea to stop when it was the most exciting and only add a final, more comforting chapter after the epilogue - may hint at a sequel, but not necessarily so. I'd definitely appreciate to read more about Charity and Aidan. However, a kind of prequel explaining the details of Aidan's background and the reasons for his father's turn to evil would be even better.
A somewhat different and therefore recommended read for the season...
(I chose to read this book - all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased)
October 20, 2016
it was a light and fun read. i was in one of my reading slumps and with the help of this book was able to overcome it. there is a lot going on this book and it is completely filled with adventure and there is also a cute romance between the main character.
you can definately try out this book you wont be dissapointed.
read my full review on my blog
https://thebookwormsociety.wordpress....
you can definately try out this book you wont be dissapointed.
read my full review on my blog
https://thebookwormsociety.wordpress....
December 14, 2016
I’ll admit, I chose this book based on the cover. Well, I received a free review copy from LibraryThing, but my request was because of the cover art. It is eerie and wonderful.
I am not a huge fantasy fan, but I could not put this book down. Charity, the main character, was someone I could relate to, even though I am not a STEM person or a skeptical. I was bullied for being different back in high school. I am unfamiliar with Krampus, having only just learned about him last year thanks to American Dad, and I thought the way Maria Alexander retold his story, and Santa’s, was quite interesting. The ending was a disappointment. I’m all for cliff-hangers, but I think I would have preferred the author to stop at the end of the final chapter and not added an epilogue. There is a LOT of cussing, so if you’re put off by swearing, this might be hard to read. I’m not typically a fan of swearing, but it does make the characters more believable.
I am not a huge fantasy fan, but I could not put this book down. Charity, the main character, was someone I could relate to, even though I am not a STEM person or a skeptical. I was bullied for being different back in high school. I am unfamiliar with Krampus, having only just learned about him last year thanks to American Dad, and I thought the way Maria Alexander retold his story, and Santa’s, was quite interesting. The ending was a disappointment. I’m all for cliff-hangers, but I think I would have preferred the author to stop at the end of the final chapter and not added an epilogue. There is a LOT of cussing, so if you’re put off by swearing, this might be hard to read. I’m not typically a fan of swearing, but it does make the characters more believable.
October 14, 2016
This was entirely not what I expected--in a good way. It started out much like many other YA novels, then took a sharp turn and never looked back. I loved that Charity is smart and clever and bi-racial and all the things heroines usually aren't. She falls in love, but it doesn't make her IQ drop in the process. The mythological aspect with Aiden is awesome and unique. I don't like cliff-hangers, but the epilogue kept it from being too much of one. Things are in motion for the next book, not just stalled in a heart-pounding moment. I also really liked Charity's friends--they are just an awesome group of people. Really enjoyable and a fun, exciting read.
December 14, 2016
If you like your YA supernatural fantasies a little on the dark side, "Snowed" is a great read. A smart, capable heroine mixed with teenaged romance and a touch of horror... plus it's a Christmas book! This beauty uses her brains, not brawn, to defeat the beast. Without giving too much away, it was fun to see one of my favorite holiday characters make an appearance in a totally new, original take on his mythology. Very inventive, clever, and fun.
February 19, 2017
Holy cr@p.
Seriously.
I am an avid reader of Young Adult fiction, and have been for years. Snowed is one of the best modern YA books I've ever read, period. I literally could not put it down: I stayed up reading until 5:00 a.m. because I was so drawn into the world and the plot.
[DISCLAIMER: I know the author personally. This has not influenced my review.]
Snowed is written from the first-person point of view of our main character, Charity Jones. Charity is simply wonderful. For one thing, she's real: she's a bit on the chubby side, doesn't think of herself as pretty, curses her hair regularly, and such. She's also absurdly smart--as in "she can build working robots" smart--and she suffers a lot at school because of that, because of her drug-dealing brother Charles, because she's biracial, and because she's a skeptical atheist whom some of the most ultra-religious students enjoy tormenting. (This book came out last year, but the bullying aspect now seems more timely than ever.) Charity is far from perfect and she makes mistakes, but she's brave, funny, a self-proclaimed geek, and she has a good heart to go with her brilliance. It's no wonder that the mysterious Aidan MacNichol falls for her.
This book has plenty of romance, but Aidan is more than just Charity's love interest: he's a huge part of the mystery at the heart of Snowed. He's vague about where he comes from and why he ran, and while his old-fashioned speech and mannerisms are charming they don't really fit in anywhere. Charles resentfully views Aidan as competition for his family, and that conflict escalates horribly as Charity and Aidan grow closer. But beyond that, Aidan seems to know things no one can know, and do things no one should be able to do. Something strange is happening, and Charity's skeptical radar is pinging like mad while her common sense wars with her feelings. (Ugh. My review is not doing this book justice. I don't write nearly as well.)
On top of everything else, Charity's worst bully turns up torn to pieces behind the bleachers. The stakes are genuine and serious. Snowed is a marvelous blend of mystery, romance, dark fantasy, thriller, and yes, a Christmas story. If you can't imagine that as a successful combination, trust me: you are in for a real treat.
I tend to be a bit kind in my reviews in general. This is emphatically not such a review. If you liked Twilight and its ilk, you will love Snowed; if you hated Twilight and wished it had been better written, you will adore Snowed. I cannot wait for the sequel.
Seriously.
I am an avid reader of Young Adult fiction, and have been for years. Snowed is one of the best modern YA books I've ever read, period. I literally could not put it down: I stayed up reading until 5:00 a.m. because I was so drawn into the world and the plot.
[DISCLAIMER: I know the author personally. This has not influenced my review.]
Snowed is written from the first-person point of view of our main character, Charity Jones. Charity is simply wonderful. For one thing, she's real: she's a bit on the chubby side, doesn't think of herself as pretty, curses her hair regularly, and such. She's also absurdly smart--as in "she can build working robots" smart--and she suffers a lot at school because of that, because of her drug-dealing brother Charles, because she's biracial, and because she's a skeptical atheist whom some of the most ultra-religious students enjoy tormenting. (This book came out last year, but the bullying aspect now seems more timely than ever.) Charity is far from perfect and she makes mistakes, but she's brave, funny, a self-proclaimed geek, and she has a good heart to go with her brilliance. It's no wonder that the mysterious Aidan MacNichol falls for her.
This book has plenty of romance, but Aidan is more than just Charity's love interest: he's a huge part of the mystery at the heart of Snowed. He's vague about where he comes from and why he ran, and while his old-fashioned speech and mannerisms are charming they don't really fit in anywhere. Charles resentfully views Aidan as competition for his family, and that conflict escalates horribly as Charity and Aidan grow closer. But beyond that, Aidan seems to know things no one can know, and do things no one should be able to do. Something strange is happening, and Charity's skeptical radar is pinging like mad while her common sense wars with her feelings. (Ugh. My review is not doing this book justice. I don't write nearly as well.)
On top of everything else, Charity's worst bully turns up torn to pieces behind the bleachers. The stakes are genuine and serious. Snowed is a marvelous blend of mystery, romance, dark fantasy, thriller, and yes, a Christmas story. If you can't imagine that as a successful combination, trust me: you are in for a real treat.
I tend to be a bit kind in my reviews in general. This is emphatically not such a review. If you liked Twilight and its ilk, you will love Snowed; if you hated Twilight and wished it had been better written, you will adore Snowed. I cannot wait for the sequel.
September 23, 2018
I really had no idea what to expect when I was given this book, but I'm so glad I finally got around to reading it because it was a cool mixture of mythology, adventure, and creativity. This was a great suspenseful read- so sad it only took me two days to read though. Anyway, I can't wait to get my hands on the second :)
September 22, 2018
Non-stop thrills!
Christmas will never look the same again! A girl in high school and her friends have to protect their loved ones from the most unexpected monster ever!
Christmas will never look the same again! A girl in high school and her friends have to protect their loved ones from the most unexpected monster ever!
January 13, 2017
16-year-old Charity Jones has had it tough her whole life, she’s an outsider, not just because she's bi-racial, but she's also way above average in intelligence, pretty much a death sentence if you’re trying to be popular. When her family picks up and leaves the suburbs of Los Angeles for the suburbs of Sacramento, a hotbed of conservatism, this fish out of water is dumped from the frying pan into the fire!
When Charity starts a support group for people that question God, her popularity which was already on the lowest level of the totem pole sinks even lower and she becomes the easy target for bullies.
Charity’s life becomes even more complicated when her mother brings home, Adian, a runaway with a mysterious past and when one of her tormentors end up dead and in a particularly brutal way, what comes to light will have Charity questioning even more than the existence of God.
This book is amazing, it’s so difficult to categorize! It’s a murder mystery, a paranormal adventure, a scary monster story and a study in dysfunctional family dynamics. So many teenagers will relate to different parts of this book because so many issues relevant to teenagers are touched upon.
Snowed is definitely for the older teenager because some weighty issues are dealt with in this well-told novel and there is language. Although this book has holiday elements in it, Snowed can truly be read and enjoyed at any time of the year.
If you want to be that “cool” parent give Snowed as a gift to your teenager. I can definitely see this book as the start of an awesome series featuring Charity and her close-knit group of monster hunters.
I received this book through Net Galley.
When Charity starts a support group for people that question God, her popularity which was already on the lowest level of the totem pole sinks even lower and she becomes the easy target for bullies.
Charity’s life becomes even more complicated when her mother brings home, Adian, a runaway with a mysterious past and when one of her tormentors end up dead and in a particularly brutal way, what comes to light will have Charity questioning even more than the existence of God.
This book is amazing, it’s so difficult to categorize! It’s a murder mystery, a paranormal adventure, a scary monster story and a study in dysfunctional family dynamics. So many teenagers will relate to different parts of this book because so many issues relevant to teenagers are touched upon.
Snowed is definitely for the older teenager because some weighty issues are dealt with in this well-told novel and there is language. Although this book has holiday elements in it, Snowed can truly be read and enjoyed at any time of the year.
If you want to be that “cool” parent give Snowed as a gift to your teenager. I can definitely see this book as the start of an awesome series featuring Charity and her close-knit group of monster hunters.
I received this book through Net Galley.
March 20, 2017
Title: Snowed
Author: Maria Alexander
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Review:
I have to say, this book was hilariously wonderful to read during the holidays. It was so different and fun compared to the other "typical" Christmas novels that come out around that time. It's got the perfect mix of paranormal and teenage cynicism, and Charity and her Skeptics Club are exactly the people you want in this situation. The plot itself was filled with twists and turns, right when you think you had the entire thing figured out, turns out that what you thought was actually completely wrong. The pros are countless in this book; strong female characters, a diverse cast, a complete plot twisting adventure. There are a few cons, just a few reasons why it didn't get a completely 5 star rating from me. At times, it felt like the relationship between Charity and Aiden was a little rushed, some of the events felt out of pace for the rest of the book.
Overall, it was a book a thoroughly enjoyed by an author who's just an absolutely amazing person. If you haven't read her other books, then make sure you check out her website and links down below.
Author: Maria Alexander
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Review:
I have to say, this book was hilariously wonderful to read during the holidays. It was so different and fun compared to the other "typical" Christmas novels that come out around that time. It's got the perfect mix of paranormal and teenage cynicism, and Charity and her Skeptics Club are exactly the people you want in this situation. The plot itself was filled with twists and turns, right when you think you had the entire thing figured out, turns out that what you thought was actually completely wrong. The pros are countless in this book; strong female characters, a diverse cast, a complete plot twisting adventure. There are a few cons, just a few reasons why it didn't get a completely 5 star rating from me. At times, it felt like the relationship between Charity and Aiden was a little rushed, some of the events felt out of pace for the rest of the book.
Overall, it was a book a thoroughly enjoyed by an author who's just an absolutely amazing person. If you haven't read her other books, then make sure you check out her website and links down below.
January 15, 2017
Snowed is a rather different kind of holiday read.. If you prefer teen-angst and monsters to just another feel-good Christmas story, this is probably what you are looking for.
It wasn’t really my cup of tea, but since it’s a short story I was able to finish it quite easily. Even though the real crazy, horror stuff is saved for the second half, it was the first part that I found hard to believe. The main character is supposed to be an incredibly smart girl, but she comes across so young and naïve – and how could she not see there was something fishy going on?! It also annoyed me to no end that she is so gullible and judgemental of others, which are two things that she likes to accuse everyone else of (over and over). It was mainly the lead character that brought the story down for me. The other characters are far more likeable and the story is also perfectly creepy. Since it’s pretty short, I would say to give it a chance if you are intrigued by the synopsis!
I received an advance reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
It wasn’t really my cup of tea, but since it’s a short story I was able to finish it quite easily. Even though the real crazy, horror stuff is saved for the second half, it was the first part that I found hard to believe. The main character is supposed to be an incredibly smart girl, but she comes across so young and naïve – and how could she not see there was something fishy going on?! It also annoyed me to no end that she is so gullible and judgemental of others, which are two things that she likes to accuse everyone else of (over and over). It was mainly the lead character that brought the story down for me. The other characters are far more likeable and the story is also perfectly creepy. Since it’s pretty short, I would say to give it a chance if you are intrigued by the synopsis!
I received an advance reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
October 17, 2018
I received an ARC of this novel. I have to say the cover art is beautiful and intriguing. It draws you in. However what the cover art does inspire differs dramatically from the novel itself.
I wanted to like this book. However the character's themselves are completely unlikeable. The main character is a complete self centered, egotistical, narcissist. I couldn't stand her at all. The book strongly stereotypes different kinds of people. It is extremely biased. To the point it is actually offensive.
It wasn't well thought out or delivered. It was jumbled together. The story was so outlandish at times. Like the author forgot to set the scene. I just can't with this book.
There are just too many things wrong with it.
I wanted to like this book. However the character's themselves are completely unlikeable. The main character is a complete self centered, egotistical, narcissist. I couldn't stand her at all. The book strongly stereotypes different kinds of people. It is extremely biased. To the point it is actually offensive.
It wasn't well thought out or delivered. It was jumbled together. The story was so outlandish at times. Like the author forgot to set the scene. I just can't with this book.
There are just too many things wrong with it.
January 5, 2018
Sixteen-year-old Charity Jones is bullied for being bi-racial and a skeptic. When her mother brings home a teen runaway, and her worst enemy becomes brutally slain, her life doesn’t begin to change as much as a battle wages for her fight.
It is very easy to understand why Alexander’s YA novel is nominated for so many awards. She has the ability to carry both the YA market and an adult audience along on a supernatural fantasy. Her surprise ending comes as a mixed surprise, yet she’s satisficed readers and set herself up nicely to write a sequel. -Review can be found at Le Coeur de l'Artiste http://www.djadamson.com/le-coeur-de-...
It is very easy to understand why Alexander’s YA novel is nominated for so many awards. She has the ability to carry both the YA market and an adult audience along on a supernatural fantasy. Her surprise ending comes as a mixed surprise, yet she’s satisficed readers and set herself up nicely to write a sequel. -Review can be found at Le Coeur de l'Artiste http://www.djadamson.com/le-coeur-de-...
February 6, 2017
What a delightfully, refreshing winter read! Especially as I'm currently encased in Pittsburgh's chilled embrace...
SNOWED quickly swept me up in a storm of strong characters, mythological fantasies, and a romance that balanced out the horror of Krampus...and growing up. Charity Jones is a fantastically brilliant character and her wit and charm proved both intoxicating and inspiring. I look forward to seeing what she (and Alexander) do next, and as I quite literally couldn't put this book down, it has my highest recommendation.
SNOWED quickly swept me up in a storm of strong characters, mythological fantasies, and a romance that balanced out the horror of Krampus...and growing up. Charity Jones is a fantastically brilliant character and her wit and charm proved both intoxicating and inspiring. I look forward to seeing what she (and Alexander) do next, and as I quite literally couldn't put this book down, it has my highest recommendation.
October 19, 2018
I really enjoyed this book, so much so, that I plan to read the next book! I liked how the protagonist, Charity, was a biracial female math and engineering genius. It was refreshing to read a story about an unapologetically authentic teen girl who was logical, scientific, skeptical, and good at math and robotics. It was so cool to read about her robots.
The story opened with the protagonist trying to start a school club for skeptics and atheists, which did not go over well with her very Christian peers who harassed her about it. I liked how the author described the unpopularity of the club by showing readers that the flyer about it was torn down, but flyers for Bible study on the school's board remained in place. It was excellent showing rather than just telling readers that it was unpopular.
I liked Aidan, the hero of the story, and Charity's new friend, the artist whose name currently escapes me. Who knew that imagining hearing the tune to Carol of the Bells hummed by someone could be so sinister? I enjoyed reading about beloved elements and characters of Christmas...twisted into something more.... I can't wait to read the next one. It will be a great choice on a cold winter's night leading up to the holiday and an excellent change of pace from the Hallmark Channel's Christmas movies that I will be watching, too.
For the record, there were scenes of violence toward pet dogs and wild animals. I'm the kind of person who changes the TV channel when the ASPCA commercials come on because they upset me so much. It wasn't what I would call graphic, but when I got to the worst of those scenes, I was kinda like, 'oh no, what have I gotten myself into'...as I braced myself for the worst. Charity is awesome, though. Unfortunately, some characters lost their pets in an unpleasant way. Just an FYI for sensitive readers or those who might have just lost an animal companion. It was unexpected, but not excessive, and these scenes were in character with what was going on in the story. It wasn't the main part of the story, just a component that helped illustrate the severity of what was going on...and created suspense regarding what might be coming next to the town's residents.
I received this book from a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
The story opened with the protagonist trying to start a school club for skeptics and atheists, which did not go over well with her very Christian peers who harassed her about it. I liked how the author described the unpopularity of the club by showing readers that the flyer about it was torn down, but flyers for Bible study on the school's board remained in place. It was excellent showing rather than just telling readers that it was unpopular.
I liked Aidan, the hero of the story, and Charity's new friend, the artist whose name currently escapes me. Who knew that imagining hearing the tune to Carol of the Bells hummed by someone could be so sinister? I enjoyed reading about beloved elements and characters of Christmas...twisted into something more.... I can't wait to read the next one. It will be a great choice on a cold winter's night leading up to the holiday and an excellent change of pace from the Hallmark Channel's Christmas movies that I will be watching, too.
For the record, there were scenes of violence toward pet dogs and wild animals. I'm the kind of person who changes the TV channel when the ASPCA commercials come on because they upset me so much. It wasn't what I would call graphic, but when I got to the worst of those scenes, I was kinda like, 'oh no, what have I gotten myself into'...as I braced myself for the worst. Charity is awesome, though. Unfortunately, some characters lost their pets in an unpleasant way. Just an FYI for sensitive readers or those who might have just lost an animal companion. It was unexpected, but not excessive, and these scenes were in character with what was going on in the story. It wasn't the main part of the story, just a component that helped illustrate the severity of what was going on...and created suspense regarding what might be coming next to the town's residents.
I received this book from a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
October 30, 2018
I won an advanced copy of this one, and my first thought was, "Cool cover!" And its a pretty cool story as well. For those of you not familiar with the Krampas myth, the idea is that Santa has an evil counterpoint to punish bad children. Apparently the Germans didn't think getting lumps of coal was good enough to keep their kids in line, so they made up a really creepy boogey man.
In this story, Santa's son runs away from his demented father who is both St.Nicholas and Krampas. Aidan falls in love with an engineering whiz of a teenage girl named Charity, and the two of them have quite a lot standing between them and happiness. For starters there is a monster terrorizing the town that Charity realizes may be more magical than she is prepared to believe in. Not to mention her brother has devolved into a sociopathic terror bent on ruining her life and getting Aidan in trouble with his dad. Charity along with a team of new friends devise a plan to take on Santa and protect Aidan from his fate.
Minor spoiler: Its not a happy ending, but the series isn't over yet! I'm hoping for a Christmas miracle in book 2!! I highly recommend this twist on all the Christmas myths we grew up hearing!
In this story, Santa's son runs away from his demented father who is both St.Nicholas and Krampas. Aidan falls in love with an engineering whiz of a teenage girl named Charity, and the two of them have quite a lot standing between them and happiness. For starters there is a monster terrorizing the town that Charity realizes may be more magical than she is prepared to believe in. Not to mention her brother has devolved into a sociopathic terror bent on ruining her life and getting Aidan in trouble with his dad. Charity along with a team of new friends devise a plan to take on Santa and protect Aidan from his fate.
Minor spoiler: Its not a happy ending, but the series isn't over yet! I'm hoping for a Christmas miracle in book 2!! I highly recommend this twist on all the Christmas myths we grew up hearing!
December 16, 2016
I don't read a lot of YA, although I'm happy to say the number of those titles has been increasing for me every year because there is a lot of wonderful material that even adults will enjoy. Having loved the author's previous book, "Mr. Wicker," I knew I had to check this one out. It's about a biracial teen, Charity, who shares her father's aptitude for engineering. Her parents adopt a new foster brother, Aidan, who is a mystery from the start. Things go down a terrible path when Charity discovers the body of one of her gruesomely murdered classmates, and when she finds out the culprit, as well its connection to Aidan, things start to take a turn for the worse. Given the subject matter and the appearance of a certain memorable mythological figure from Christmas, it would have been very easy for this book to get ridiculous, but the author deftly handles the plot with intrigue and thriller elements that made this book impossible to put down. Maria Alexander's prose is clear and engaging, her characters memorable, and the plot riveting. It's also the perfect time of year to read this book as we're approaching the winter holiday season. I cannot wait for the sequel!
October 18, 2019
The author had so much to work with here - developing the Krampus & St. Nick mythology, the Scooby team of misfits stopping a [redacted] from killing any more animals (or bullies), biracial engineering genius trying to fit in, the unfair distribution of family assets/attention when one of your kids is self destructing delinquent dabbling with violent crime/drugs and the other is a self-starting over-achiever. None of the themes were developed in any depth, sadly, and the love story was awful. It’s sweet that he’s dorky-handsome and speaks like he’s in a Jane Austen novel. He’s a foster kid living in your house, a stranger you’ve known a few days and you LOVE him? You know that your parents wouldn’t approve, for good reason, so you hide the relationship? Girl, I thought you were smart. (And you’re gonna regret straightening your hair someday.)
March 1, 2021
I was searching for an immersive, easy read to help sit out the effects of a COVID vaccination and this looked as if it would do the trick. It started well, with a good central character in Charity, and an engaging enough school, friends and family setting. I enjoyed the references to Doctor Who and Buffy. For me it started to lose it a bit with the romance between Charity and Aidan - conventional tropes about romantic love substituting for character development, yet again. The overall wicked Father Xmas plot was different but never quite convincing and the gang of mates held promise that wasn’t every developed - you ended up with no very clear idea of who they were except that they were brilliant at art, or martial arts, or computer whizzes.
Despite some good things about it, I ended up trudging my way to the end rather than immersed...
Despite some good things about it, I ended up trudging my way to the end rather than immersed...
June 15, 2021
I would call this a YA romance thriller. Charity Jones is a 16-year-old biracial girl whose smarts and willingness to question everything make her a target at her new school. Her dad is an engineer, her mom is a social worker who brings home a mysterious boy, Aidan, to keep until she can figure out his placement. Charity's brother become suspicious of the boy while Charity falls in love with him. A student who bullied Charity is killed at school. Charity teams up with some friends to capture the mysterious beast that killed him. Then strange things start happening around Aidan that puts everyone in danger. This is the first book in a three part series. Not planning on reading them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2022
La descargué un poco por curiosidad y me sorprendió; normalmente no disfruto mucho del YA, pero Alexander ha conseguido que mi adolescente interior se sienta identificada (aunque sea sólo porque mi yo adolescente también era una salida y 100% habría querido enrollarse con el hijo del Krampus). La autora sigue siendo un poco torpe con el tema de la diversidad (se nota que todos los personajes los ha escrito una mujer blanca heterosexual de cincuenta y pico), pero tiene buenas intenciones y ha mejorado, creo, desde Mister Wicker. Es una novela juvenil bastante agradable y muy entretenida, estoy deseando leer la segunda parte.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2016
"He is the claws. The Keeper of sin. A very bad son. We must...please...the father"
Alexander's holiday cheer is smashing. It won't give you a chill of horror, but keeps you rocking in your seat, as you read eagerly to see what will happen next. Take everything you know about the evilness of Santa and place it in a box. "Snowed" has a new twist on the Krampus spirit and to think the REVENGE we'll just have to wait until the snow falls again to find out how it will spill.
Alexander's holiday cheer is smashing. It won't give you a chill of horror, but keeps you rocking in your seat, as you read eagerly to see what will happen next. Take everything you know about the evilness of Santa and place it in a box. "Snowed" has a new twist on the Krampus spirit and to think the REVENGE we'll just have to wait until the snow falls again to find out how it will spill.
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