Mistletoe & Magic: A YA Books Central Holiday Anthology

by Melissa A. Craven, C.J. Redwine, Michelle MacQueen

YA Books Central presents 12 heartwarming, bone-chilling, and magically enchanting stories from the award-winning, New York Times & USA Today Bestselling authors of the YABC Staff.
YABooksCentral.com is one of the leading children’s and adolescent literature sites on the web today. With much love, our staff of volunteers bring our readers this collection of YA stories representing the genres we love at the most wonderful time of the year.

From Contemporary Romance to Horror, Sci-Fi, Dragons and Fantasy, this exclusive collection of complete Holiday stories offers something for every YA book lover this holiday season.
One click now to get into the holiday spirit!

The K Word: Peyton
A Contemporary Romance by Award Winning and Amazon Bestselling author, Melissa A. Craven (YABC Indie Manager & Staff Reviewer)
A Christmas Eve party just might be the night Peyton and Cameron find themselves under the mistletoe and out of excuses.

The K Word: Cameron
A Contemporary Romance by USA Today and Amazon Bestselling author, Michelle MacQueen (YABC Assistant Indie Manager & Staff Reviewer)

A Christmas Eve party could ruin everything when a cruel joke crushes Peyton. And the only way to make her see just how beautiful she is might be to reveal the feelings Cam has tried so hard to hide.


Skywatchers
A Sci-Fi Story by L.J. Higgins (YABC Staff Reviewer)
With airships descending from the heavens, can Kylah survive Christmas Eve?

The Uninvited Guest: A Ravenspire short story
A fairytale retelling by NY Times Bestseller, C.J. Redwine (YABC Director & Staff Reviewer)
An old enemy. A new curse. And one chance to save her kingdom.

After Checkmate
A Contemporary Romance by Award winning, USA Today & Amazon Bestselling author, Amalie Jahn (YABC Staff Reviewer)
Sometimes you find love where you least expect it.

In the Valley of Stars
A Magical Realism Story by Kayla King (YABC Blog Manager & Staff Reviewer)
Begin with a wish: For family. For love. For light.

Unexpected Christmas
An Urban Fantasy by USA Today and Amazon Bestselling author, Bethany Wicker
What happens when vampires invite werewolves over for Christmas?

Young Saint Nick
A Sci-Fi story by Award Winning and Amazon Bestselling author, Angela Blount (YABC Staff Reviewer)
A futuristic retelling of a story credited to the Greek historical figure of Saint Nicholas (who was the basis for the traditional model of Santa Claus.)

Hearts & Homes
A Contemporary Romance by Beth Rodgers (YABC Staff Reviewer)
Join Cassie as she learns that home is where the heart is through experiences with holiday fun, new friends, and rewarding work.

Choices: A Joshua's Island Christmas
A Middle Grade contemporary fiction by Award Winning author, Patrick Hodges (YABC Staff Reviewer)
What do you get the perfect girl for Christmas?

Krampusnacht
A HolidayHorror Story by Stephanie Augustine (YABC Staff Reviewer)
“Have you been naughty? Or have you been nice? Let Krampus be the judge!”

A Shot of Christmas Magic
An Urban Fantasy by Award Winning author, Kim Baccellia (YABC Staff Reviewer)
A mysterious stranger makes wishes come true and injects some magic into an otherwise dreary holiday.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

449 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2018

About the author

Melissa A. Craven (the "A" stands for Ann—in case you were wondering) was born near Atlanta, Georgia, but moved to Cleveland, Ohio at the age of seventeen. She still thinks of Cleveland as home, so it was only natural for Emerge to take place there.
Today, she is back in Atlanta—for some reason she can't seem to stay away from the ungodly heat that makes her long for things like "lake effect snow" and wind that will knock you flat.
Melissa decided a long time ago that the “life checklist” everyone else was clutching so tightly in their fists, just wasn’t for her. She does everything backwards because she is weird like that, but then, she is an artist and artists are notoriously "unique" and "quirky."
She is an avid student of art and design, and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of West Georgia in 2009. She worked as an interior designer for several years, but she's always thought she might like to be a writer when she grows up.
In her spare time, if she has any, she enjoys shopping for derelict furniture she refinishes to exercise the interior design part of her brain.

Reviews

[C.J.]

I wrote a short holiday story in the Ravenspire world for my readers. You get to see Kol, Lorelai, Ari, and Sebastian again, along with the birth of the heroine of a later book as well as an introduction to the villain of that book. Enjoy! :)

[Chris Haught]

So far I've only read the story by Angela N. Blount, titled "Young Saint Nicholas". I picked this up as this author is a friend of mine, and I am a huge fan of her work. Yes, I know I just said she was a friend so there might be some bias, but trust me this lady can write compelling stories. I've read everything she has published (and even one that hasn't ;)) and I'd be a fan even if I hadn't met her on Goodreads.

That said, this particular story is wonderful. It's quite different from other work Blount has published, but it doesn't suffer for that. This is a story of a future otherworld version of Saint Nick. I understand that it is a glimpse into his world and that there is much more to come later. As a taste, this was fantastic. It was enough to enjoy for the moment, yet make certain that I will scoop up any further stories or novels set in this world.

It didn't feel overly "YA"ish, though it would certainly appeal to a young crowd. It didn't feel exclusive to that audience though, which is a good quality of well written YA. A good story is a good story, regardless of genre. Angela N. Blount has hammered home that theory with each work of hers that I've read, and I'd be excited to try anything she puts out there in the future (pun was intended).

For the rest of the book, I will give it a shot. I'm not familiar with any of the other authors, but if this story is indication, it's a quality anthology.

[Angela Blount]

I have a short-story contribution to this anthology called Young Saint Nick. It's a futuristic retelling of one of the stories surrounding the historical figure of Saint Nicholas, involving a few side characters from my sci-fi series. I love them dearly, and I hope you will, too! ^_^

[Coco.V]

💝FREE on Amazon today (12/20/2018)!💝

[Cecily Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful collection of short stories, perfect for quick reads in-between everything that has to be done during this busy time of year.

[Melanie Hooyenga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told in both perspectives, The K-Word is a sweet story of two lifelong friends who have, unbeknownst to the other, fallen for each other. It will warm your heart on a cold, snowy night and make you long for the day when you first fell in love.

The K Word: Cam, by Michelle MacQueen
Cameron is so focused on his dreams of being an Olympic runner that he barely has time for a social life or even friends—except Peyton, the one person who always knows how to make him happy. She’s the most important person in his world and his changing feelings for her has him terrified he’ll screw things up and lose her forever.

The K Word: Peyton, by Melissa A. Craven
Peyton is a confident, charismatic girl who doesn’t seem bothered by the fat jokes whispered about her, but deep down she wonders if her weight is why Cameron has never made a move. A friend’s Christmas Eve party seems like the perfect chance to tell the other how they feel—but what if it ruins their friendship?

Hearts & Homes, by Beth Rodgers
Cassie spends her Christmas break volunteering with an organization like Habitat for Humanity, building homes in Florida. Having just ended a relationship, she’s in no mood for cocky, handsome Cole, but with a little help from the Christmas spirit, he works his way into her heart.

I haven’t read the other stories yet, but if they’re as good as these, I know I’m in for more than a little holiday cheer!

[Brittany Piazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cool concept for a holiday story.
I had the absolute pleasure of reading Krampsnacht! What a unique and fascinating spin on a holiday short story.
I'm not usually one for horror, but Stephanie's writing pulled me in so completely that I just wanted to see how it ended, regardless of how creepy it was.
It was easy to follow with no confusion about the characters or settings. Short stories can be iffy sometimes and it takes a really talented author to be able to pull one off successfully.

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads)]

Sigh. I should just stop trying to read anthologies.

I moderately enjoyed Skywatchers, The Uninvited Guest and After Checkmate (pretty sure Amalie Jahn is the reason I picked up this anthology in the first place...). Most of the others I ended up skipping because they seemed cheesy, or trying too hard to be politically correct (I'm all for being anti fat-shaming, but if it's the *only* thing going on in a story I just get bored), or overly weird and/or boring.

[Beverly McClure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spending Christmas Eve alone at the airport is not the best way to start the holiday. But, through no fault of her own, that is what Tiffany Lake is doing. In Author Kim Baccellia’s short story, A SHOT OF CHRISTMAS MAGIC, one of the delightful tales in MISTLETOE & MAGIC: A YA BOOKS CENTRAL HOLIDAY ANTHOLOGY, the worst storm of the century has hit Southern California, delaying air flights and stranding people. Tiffany’s family is skiing in Utah, and she is supposed to join them, which is impossible. She has no choice but to wait.

Kim Baccellia has written a story that will bring tears to your eyes and a smile to your lips. Tiffany is disappointed, yes. It’s the holiday break from college, and she’s stuck. Even Christmas music cannot cheer her up. Then life takes an unexpected twist in the form of Cooper, six-foot plus tall, athletic, and a smile like no other. Sometimes when life seems the darkest, a sparkle of light shines through.

The author has created characters that seem so real I could feel Tiffany’s pain and disappointment for not being with her family at Christmas. And Cooper is just the kind of guy that I’d like to meet if I was having a crisis. There is a lot more to him than his magnetic smile. I believe that A SHOT OF CHRISTMAS MAGIC is a magical story that will bring a good dose of the spirit of Christmas and love of family to you, not only on Christmas, but for the whole year. This is a beautiful story to share with others, even those who may not believe in magic. After reading Ms. Baccellia’s work, they may change their mind.

I’m now reading the other stories in the anthology and discovering that each of them is special, with its own magical touch. A lovely way to celebrate the holiday. I recommend this book for a nice, quiet evening of meeting some interesting characters in each story. Happy Reading.

[Holley Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kayla King’s “In the Valley of Stars” does exactly what a short story should: drops you into a world, helps you navigate through it, and leads to an appropriately satisfying conclusion. But what I loved most about the story was the possibility of more. The introduction to these magical characters, set in the Louisiana bayou, is an inviting and wonderful tale, and it hints at a larger, more complex story at work. I was struck by the originality of the foundling magic, which is more than spells and hexes; it’s a connection to people, and time, and the world at large, and the limitations of it are clear, and plays well into the storyline. So does the theme of longing, and the characters who want for something may not get exactly what they wish, but just what they need and never thought to ask for. I also liked the mostly female cast of characters, which is always surprising, and always welcome. I hope to see more works featuring these characters from this author!

[Patience · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book. All of the stories are great. Melissa A. Craven starts the book off in a lovely fashion, drawing you in with a story that so many teenage girls (actually, women in general) can relate to. However, I admit my favorite story was "Young Saint Nick," by Angela N. Blount. I love her clever futuristic spin on such a typically classic Saint Nick. The tale of young Saint Nick and his friends is honestly a much more interesting version in spite of the struggle seen in the story. The story shows the value of real friendship and sacrifice. Beautiful story, beautiful book altogether.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this review and more on my blog.The Book Return Blog
Cute Christmas anthology of various genres from my fellow YA Book Central reviewers. I discovered some great new authors and got into the holiday spirit.

A few of my favorites were:

'After Checkmate' by Amalie Jahn

'Young Saint Nick' by Angela Blount, and

'Choices' by Patrick Hodges

 

 This review was originally posted on The Book return...

[Danielle Stark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young Saint Nick-
I thought this was a really fun to read short story with distinct and engaging characters, living in a well thought out world.
I don’t read a lot of short stories, so I was worried I wouldn’t feel satisfied, but the author did a great job of giving the story closure with potential to learn more about this interesting world and it’s inhabitants!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not gonna lie, the main reason I read this book was for the Ravenspire story, which was definitely my favorite, but I really enjoyed the rest of the stories and will definitely be checking out the authors other works.

[Ester · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored these stories!!! Especially C.J. Redwine’s story! I love Ravenspire so much and seeing the characters come together. Especially, my favorite Sebastian!😍 It was absolutely beautiful!! Plus, I had the chance to read from Authors that I haven’t read from and that was exciting!

[Tenna Chatman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the stories were delightful

I really enjoyed the upbeat, delightful stories, which most of them were. But not all. Some were dark. I loved the upbeat ones that had life lessons.

[Patrick Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant composition of Christmas-related stories by a group of fantastic authors!

[LooseBoots · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read skywatchers in this anthology and it was an awesome short story. Looking forward to the full series.

[Stacy Kersteter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.

To be honest, I bought this book mainly for the Ravenspire story, which was good! But the rest was just... blah...

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This anthology really fell short for a Christmas story. I picked this up for CJ Redwine and there was maybe 2 other stories that I loved.

[Cassey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few hits, a few misses, but mostly an enjoyable collection.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very short stories

Mixed bag of short stories. A few are like prologues to future books. If you like short works you may find a few you like.