Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Rating: 3/5

Publication Date: October 1, 2018

Genre: MG Fantasy

Recommended Age: 10+ (death, alcohol, gambling, racial slurs, sexism, misogyny, trigger warnings for domestic violence.)

Publisher: KDP

Pages: 259

Amazon Link

Synopsis: A GRANDFATHER CLOCK. A GLASS LOCKET. A POWERFUL CURSE UNLEASHED ON CHRISTMAS EVE.

Twelve-year-old Kitty Wigeon can't wait for Christmas at St Flurries, a grand old manor house in the countryside, until one chilly night she vanishes without a trace.

One hundred years later… Still grieving over the death of their mother, Kes Bunting and his younger sister Star, are sent to live at St Flurries. They find a house steeped in mystery and brimming with secrets.

Who, or what, is making footprints in the snow?

And what evil force is taking a cold grip on Star?

Wrap up warm as you join Kes, and a cast of eccentric snow creatures, in a race against time to solve a hundred-year-old curse. Will he succeed? Or will the fate of his sister be decided by a shivery kiss from… the Snow Witch?

Review: I thought this book was good. The characters were enjoyable and developed. The world was interesting and intriguing. It would be a good winter read.

However, the writing was a bit weird. The dialogue was off and didn’t flow naturally. The ending was rushed and the pacing was off throughout the book. I also didn’t like that the book used the word gypsy as a slur and that there were so many stereotypes throughout the book. The book seemed to perpetuate myths that the Romani people want to dispel and I feel that the characters that were made out to be these stereotypes could have easily been written otherwise. These can be offensive to people and I wouldn’t want my child to think that all Romani people were evil and/or exotic.

Verdict: I wish it had less slurs, especially for a middle grade book.