Book Review: Spirited Christmas

Posted January 12, 2017 by lomeraniel in Audiobooks, Fantasy, Review, Urban Fantasy / 0 Comments

Book Review: Spirited ChristmasSpirited Christmas: A Jonathan Shade Holiday Story by Gary Jonas
Narrator: Joe Hempel
Series: Jonathan Shade
on December 1st 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Format: Audiobook
Goodreads
Overal Rating: four-half-stars

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST
In this short novelette, a little girl hires Jonathan to get rid of a ghost that haunts her family every Christmas. The hauntings have escalated from sightings to full possession. It should be an open-and-shut exorcism, but when Jonathan discovers the truth, it's more than he bargained for...

This audiobook is available for free at SoundCloud.

Due to lack of time I listened to this story just after Christmas, but, even if it is a book set in Christmas, it can be enjoyed at any time of the year.

Jonathan Shade’s services are required by 10 year old Maddie to get rid of the ghost haunting her house. Jonathan thinks it is an easy business but things are never what they look like.

I absolutely loved this little story. Set in Jonathan Shade’s universe, it could be read just by itself. By a couple of details I would place it at the beginning of the series, but it could be read at any point. Esther and Kelly are also in the book, so this is what you would expect from a regular Jonathan Shade book, just a bit shorter. There is a bit less gore and romantic scenes than usual, and a happy ending that will satisfy everybody, so I think it will fit well into the Christmas atmosphere. There were a couples twist in the story that made it even richer.

I missed to be able to play with speed as I normally do with Audible or SmarAudiobook Player, since SoundCloud does not give you the opportunity for it. I tend to get distracted if I feel the narration too slow. Nevertheless I was fine this time, thanks to Joe Hempel’s superb narration. He makes your mind travel to where the events are taking place, and you feel completely immersed in the story. At this point I could not imagine Shade portrayed by another narrator.

I would recommend this novella to all the fans of Jonathan Shade, but also to everyone who wants a Christmas story with a different take.