A Midnight Christmas
by Sereyna Vale
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5
Spice Level: 🌶️ 0/5 — No Spice
Vibe: 🎭 Mysterious • 🌀 Chaotic • 🎄 Christmas Atmosphere
⚠️ Trigger Warnings
Missing Peson
Confusing or Unreliable Memories
Hidden Secrets
Deception & Concealment
🎄 About the Story
Rowena returns to Hallow-Mere, a city filled with mysteries, to spend Christmas with her sister. She already plans to leave as soon as the holidays are over. After all, something seems to be pushing her away rather than giving her a reason to stay… or so she thinks.
But what secrets does Hallow-Mere hold, and what will Rowena discover along the way?
Some mysteries are better experienced firsthand. 🎄✨
💭 My Reading Experience
Have you ever finished a book and wondered whether you accidentally skipped a few chapters? Well, that was me reading A Midnight Christmas!
The story was chaotic, but enjoyable. The events follow one another, yet I often felt as though I had stepped into the middle of something that had already happened. I found myself wondering whether I was missing important information or whether there was a previous book I needed to read first.
So, what did I do? I read the novella twice in a row! Yes, twice! 😂 I genuinely thought I might have overlooked something during my first read.
When I was almost finished with my second read, I decided to contact the author directly. I wanted to know whether A Midnight Christmas was a standalone story or whether I needed to read another book first.
💌 A Little Chat with the Author
Sereyna Vale kindly explained that A Midnight Christmas is a standalone novella and the first installment of this particular story. There was no previous book I needed to read.
She explained that, because this is a novella rather than a full-length novel, the story is intentionally condensed. Some mysteries and unanswered questions were deliberately left open, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions.
Interestingly, she also shared that these lingering questions had inspired her to start planning a second installment.
And that changed my perspective!
Once I understood what Sereyna was trying to achieve, I found her approach to storytelling fantastic. I could appreciate her intention to leave readers guessing and allow them to draw their own conclusions.
However, the story didn't become any less chaotic just because I understood the author's intention! 😂
When I told Sereyna that I had already read the novella twice because I thought I had missed parts of the story, she admitted that knowing she had kept me guessing through two readings had given her a little chuckle.
Well, Sereyna, you certainly got me questioning things!
I genuinely enjoyed this little exchange with the author. It gave me a better understanding of her creative choices and reminded me that sometimes, understanding an author's intentions can change how we look at a story, even when our overall reading experience remains the same.
⭐ My Final Thoughts
I enjoyed A Midnight Christmas, but unfortunately, it wasn't a wow read for me.
The story kept me questioning things, and it was only towards the end that I began to understand the events a little better. Even after reading it twice, I was still left with questions.
Now that I understand the author's intention, I can appreciate the idea behind leaving certain things unexplained. However, understanding the intention doesn't necessarily mean that the storytelling worked perfectly for me as a reader.
I would have appreciated a little more clarity along the way, even in a condensed story like this one.
That said, I found the author's approach to storytelling fascinating once I understood what she was trying to achieve. I'm also curious to see whether the planned second installment will answer some of the questions left behind by this novella.
If you enjoy stories that leave you questioning what you've read and don't mind being left with unanswered questions, A Midnight Christmas might be worth exploring.
A chaotic but intriguing read that left me questioning things, even after two readings! 🎄📚