BOOK NOOK: The Winter Spirits

 

"There remained things in the world that you should never invite in. Horned things that walked in the deepest dark of the year." 

The Salt Miracles by Natasha Pulley

Last year I read a fantastic anthology of spooky stories called The Haunting Season, which I enjoyed very much, so I was delighted when the publisher, Little Brown Book Group, sent me an ARC of their follow up title, The Winter Spirits; Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights. I was so excited to read it that I put everything else on hold, curled up under a blanket and lost myself in a dozen chilling winter's tales.  

I have been desperate to share this book on my blog, but I wasn't allowed to mention it until just before publication date.  As I recieved the ARC back at the very beginning of autumn, it has been hard keeping this one to myself, because its just so good! Many of the authors who contributed to the original anthology have also written stories for The Winter Spirits too, so it has the feel of a group of old friends gathering together to celebrate the dark season.  Laura Purcell, Bridget Collins, Kiran Milwood Hargrave, Jess Kidd to name a few, have once again come together to bring about a fabulous anthology of ominous tales that will leave you as chilled as the kiss of first frost. 

The twelve tales are sinister and atmospheric, set mostly in Victorian times when ghost stories were all the rage. In this collection we have table tapping seances, sinister dolls, macabre theatricals and a very disturbing familiar spirit.  Here there are Yuletide balls on snowy nights, the Victorian language of fans takes on a disturbing new meaning, while pagan folklore and ancient spirits come to life, bringing death in their wake. 

There are also stories that have a more gentile feel to them; ones where ghostly happenings are wrapped in Regency gowns and lacy corsets, where a new gown or a pretty accessory for a Christmas party are all tied up in menacing packages. I especially enjoyed these contributions because there is something so thrilling about fine ladies being haunted during the darkest, coldest nights of the year!

Some of my favourite tales were A Double Thread, Widow's Walk, Carol of the Bells and Chains and Ada Lark. I also enjoyed Inferno, which recounts what happens to lecherous men when they encounter a vengeful female spirit! My other favourites include The Salt Miracles and Banished, largely because these are both set in Scotland and based on factual events, which adds greatly to the spooky feel, and also The Gargoyle, which is dripping with Gothic atmosphere and might possibly be the best of a great bunch. 

I have been bursting to blog about this collection of imaginative and grotesque tales for weeks now, and while it isn't out quite yet, I am finally allowed to share it. Lucky for you, you only have a few days to wait until you can get your hands on it!

So if, like me, you enjoy snuggling down on a winters night with a good ghost story, or you enjoyed The Haunting Season, then The Winter Spirits will be right up your street. It is another triumph of an anthology, bringing together chills, thrills, ominous atmosphere and the macabre. If you like to be a little bit spooked during the darker evenings, then I highly recommend this book. It's perfect for a cosy night in, hidden under the duvet, reading by candlelight with a pumpkin spice latte beside you. And if the candles flicker, you'll know you're not alone. Don't get too spooked!

BB Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher for the purposes of review. It is published on October 19th 2023, in hardcover, digital and audio formats and is up for Pre-Order now.