You can't go wrong with a collection of short stories and overall I'd say this one hit the mark. There were some stand out ones (killer Christmas trees) and one or two slightly less so but I felt the whole collection was pretty strong. Mostly a bit creepy and definitely worth a go.

If you're looking for a quick read this is definitely one to pick up. It's got a bit of creepiness but also a bit of feel good which I wasn't expecting considering the rest of the stories but worth reading.

Thought this book was a fun twist on Christmas whether that was through the eyes of toys for tots or Santa being targeted. Had a good quick fun read with this book.

I could not wait until Christmas with this one. It's a nice collection of macabre Christmas stories. Not for anyone who loves the Hallmark version of the holidays. High quality stories all the way through!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this free e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is about Christmas, and the author highlights various incidents that occurred with different people during the Christmas holidays. Some chapters truly amazed me, and the overall message of the book is meaningful. I liked it and enjoyed reading it. The first chapter was somewhat similar to Toy Story, but the others were exceptionally good, conveying powerful messages about warmth and mental health.

I really enjoyed these (very) short stories. A great mix of heartwarming, gruesome and funny, perfect for Christmas reading!

This is not your A-Typical festive read, with snow and a bit of romance. It’s not even a festive crime thriller. This is 12 brutal short stories with a Christmas theme to them. Each different from the last. It’s a quick read with thought provoking themes.

Entertaining, yes - I like the take on Christmas not only being a shiny, bright celebration but also a time when darkness looms and loneliness encroaches. The stories are neither hit nor miss, only one (the naughty elves in the building) was developed in such a way I was thoroughly enjoying myself.

📚 Book Review 📚

12 Days:Unconventional Christmas Stories is an anthology of 12 short, easy to read horror tales set at Christmas time.

Each is a tale intended to chill. My favourites were definitely the macabre Covid Christmas and Winter Break. These take of the murderous Christmas trees was also good.

These are easy stories to pick up and read and in my opinion, are good for an alternative festive read. There is a lot of variety in the stories.

I’d like to thank Victory Editing, NetGalley and the author for the arc and the fantastic opportunity, in exchange for my honest feedback 😊

Book released on 15th November 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3 "if Charlie Brown were a grown man" stars !!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Victory Editing Netgalley Coop. This was released November 2024. I am providing an honest review.

This is an interesting array of vignettes. Mr. Pierce writes each story from his experience whether it be his imagination, his struggles, his troubles, his melancholy or his will to be alive. I can tell through his stories that he has accumulated wisdoms, appreciated blessings and wants to contribute and live in a more just and compassionate world. I applaud him for this and wish him the best on his life journey. He is the kind of dude I would love to listen to Sufjan Stevens and Nick Drake and Nick Cave with and drink a cider or two and philosophize and chat.

The collection is greater than the sum of its parts. The writing appears rushed and amateurish which actually achieve a kind of nostalgia and atmosphere. These stories are either darkly humorous or full of internal anguish that is manifested in external horror and sometimes all three.
Individually they range from two stars to four stars. I will list my three favorites and a little tidbit...

Bronze-Scene from a Coffee Shop at Christmas...a trialogue between Christmas Past, Present and Future....Trump, Taylor and Mariah are mentioned in passing...what's not to like ? (3.5 stars)

Silver-Upon a Winter's Eve....a very dark and funny story of longstanding feud between Santa and (o i cant mention who...will be a spoiler)...(4 stars)

Gold-Don't Let Go....a despairing and suicidal man is saved by a snowflake at Christmas...absolutely heartbreaking....(4 stars)

Mr. Pierce... I wish you and your family a merry little christmas....never let the little candle go out inside of you.....

Thank you to NetGalley and victory editing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

12 days is a collection of 12 very short christmassy stories. I found these very hit and miss I wouldn't say any were particularly a stand out. The themes and atmospheres varied quite a lot. Some were more horror and gory whilst others made me laugh.

Holiday planning - 2✨
You - 2.5✨
Covid Christmas - 3.5✨
Oh! Tannenbaum - 4✨
Upon a winter's eve - 2✨
Scene from a coffee shop at Christmas - 2✨
The Christmas creeps - 1.5✨
Nightcap - 3.5✨
Don't let go - 4✨
Winter break - 3✨
Final exam - 4✨
This is an American Christmas - 4.5✨

Average of 3.04/5 rounded down to 3✨

Very quick read if you're looking for something short and christmassy

If you are looking for Christmas stories with an edge.....you found it. Each story contains some Christmas twists and turns and even some upside downs, but they were all enjoyable. I'm not a Hallmark movie fan, so these were a great find for me. Recommended to those who would like to see if there is another side to the holiday.

I flew through the first half of the book but the second half dragged and I kinda skimmed because I couldn't care any less.

Stories 1, 4 and 6 were my faves.

Well, this was certainly an unconventional collection of short Christmas Stories! And I loved them. Between talking toys, killer trees, exams, teacher parties, and more, these 12 stories are not your average sweet Hallmark stories.

I loved pretty much every story in this book. The stories were short and well edited. From the very first page, the introduction, the author had a distinct and hilarious voice. As someone who is not big on Christmas, I can see myself reading these stories every year.
My favourite stories were, Final Exam, Winter Break, and The Christmas Creeps.

The collection was very unique, and each story had its own distinct voice that stood out from the other stories. This is a great read for adults who want a fun, unconventional, and non-PC time. This is definitely not for children, but I think teenagers would be fine reading it.
I look forward to owning a physical copy of this book, and reading more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for the Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is an interesting collection of Christmas themed short stories.
The stories are very short, just a few pages each, and very different in tone, from horrific to lightheaded.
They were a bit unequal but I had a nice time overall. I especially liked COVID Christmas.

This was a strong Holiday collection of stories, it had that element that I was looking for from the description. It had that element that I was looking and enjoyed each of the stories going through this book. It was everything that I wanted and enjoyed the different genres in this collection.

🎄🎄🎄

Interesting collection of Christmas-themed stories. The narration wasn't really my kind of thing... also, most stories were too short to develop a coherent plot and I didn't find the dark atmosphere I expected looking on the cover. Anyway it was a bit chaotic, easy to read, and quite creepy, while did a great job at setting Christmas mood and surprised with unusal pows and turns. The books communicates and interracts with its reader and it was an original and unique experience I loved.

12 Days: Unconventional Christmas Stories was an interesting read. The quality between stories varied quite a bit, but there was a lot of promise in the stories that I enjoyed most: Covid Christmas and Don't Let Go. They are well written and emotionally evocative.

There were also a few stories that I enjoyed most of the way through, but let me down in the end. A good amount of them featured social commentary, which in general is a good thing, but instead of relying on the reading comprehension of their audience Pierce repeats the message ad nauseum, which felt too heavy-handed for me. For example I would have scored the Scene from a Coffee Shop at Christmas a lot higher if it were 4-5 sentences shorter.

Story 1: 1/5
Story 2: 2.5/5
Story 3: 4/5 clever
Story 4: 3.5/5
Story 5: 1.5/5
Story 6: 2.5/5
Story 7: 2/5 cheap punchline
Story 8: 3/5
Story 9: 4.5/5 emotionally impactful
Story 10: 3/5
Story 11: 3.5/5
Story 12: 3/5
Average: 2.8/5

This collection might be for you if you are looking to read a variety of Christmas stories, and you don't mind pointed social commentary and a lot of fourth wall breaking.

My thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for a copy of. “ 12 Days:Unconventional Christmas Stories “ for an honest review.

As with most short stories they are a bit hit and miss , but i must admit I enjoyed most of the , certainly “ unconventional “ Christmas stories in this book .It was a definite antidote for the schmaltzy Christmas films I’ve been overdosing on recently.
A humorous read for anyone who isn’t easily offended !

This short story collection features 12 unique, unconventional Christmas stories. While some are humorous and lighthearted, others are murderous and horrific! But one thing's for sure...you will have a jolly time!

And what a jolly good time I had!! My favorite stories were the killer Christmas trees and coffee with ghosts. The ones about winter break and final exams were awesome as well. Thank you for all the laughs and smiles while reading this collection!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the opportunity to review an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion.