I had high hopes for Xmas Break by J.E. Rowney, given its intriguing premise of estranged sisters reuniting in a snowbound mountain retreat, but I found it to be a mixed experience. While the setup and atmosphere were wonderfully tense and the short chapters made it an easy read, the story felt rushed and underdeveloped in places.
The twists were engaging, but some were predictable, and the dialogue occasionally bordered on repetitive. I also couldn't help but notice similarities to other thrillers, like The Shining, which made parts of the story feel less original. That said, the book captures the festive suspense of a holiday thriller well, making it a fun, quick read for the season, even if it left me wanting more depth and complexity overall.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing access to an e-arc for this title.
I was given the heads up about this title from a friend and I'm glad I was. I am rating this 3.5 stars as it was a shorter book with a predictable plot. However, it was a fun time and good festive thriller. I liked the family drama but would have chosen the villain to have been another one of the characters. Who the villain was predictable and the reason why they were the villain was different, but the reactions and realisation by the rest of the characters was not believable to me. The remote snow storm location is always a hit for me and I really enjoyed what makes the house unique too. The writing was pretty good too and I will be looking out for more from this author.

Thank you for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

This book is about two estranged sister connecting over a short Christmas get away. Isla has not been on the best of terms with her sister Clara for some time. At the urging of Islas husband the accept Clara’s invitation for a short weekend get away to celebrate the holiday. When they arrive is apparent not everything is as it seems.

This was a quick paced Christmas themed thriller. I did not see the outcome of this book coming and was pleasantly surprised. The motivation seemed a little weak, so maybe that played a part:

Overall it is a quick read!!

3.5 stars rounded to 4.
This was a short Advent book, and I tried to read a chapter a day, but it just wasn't my thing, so I just jumped in. I was there for it. The suspense was great. Had me on the edge of my seat at times. But it kinda lost me with that underwhelming ending.

I’ve never read a Christmas thriller before so I was immediately intrigued by this book, when I started I assumed I had the twist already picked out but by the time the twist came I was shocked for the fact I felt it was a very weak reasoning behind the twist. Im glad I wasn’t able to pick the twist but at the same point I didn’t like the direction that it went. I did enjoy the little family drama between isla and clara and the tension that came between the two estranged sisters.


*I received a free ARC from NetGalley*

I loved the idea of a advent calendar book! Unfortunately, I’m impatient and read it all in a couple of days!! It was a great thriller set on christmas, two things I love! It’s well written, not too stereotypical, which is usually my issue with a lot of thrillers. Also, that santa claus was HILARIOUS! And I also loved the commentary of the main character who was like « let’s try not to be the dumb main character in a thriller shall we ».

I enjoyed this book! Definitely liked the happy ending. My heart was beating fast and I was very scared at parts, like when Isla was alone in the house with Greg. I’m a big fan of Christmas thrillers and horror and this hit the spot.

It was nice and short, I like the idea of 24 chapters, so that you can read one from December 1st till December 24th counting down to Christmas :)
The idea was gripping, and it was an overall pleasurable read

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers and author for an ARC of Xmas Break:A Christmas Thriller.

I devoured this book in one sitting. There are 25 chapters, one for each day of advent, only if you are able to put the book down after each chapter!!
Nice quick Christmas read with great thriller storyline.

Fun with the advent calender thing but I read it in one sitting. It's enjoyable but nothing that I will remember for long.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this free e-ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

When Isla reluctantly accepts her estranged sister Clara's invitation to spend Christmas at a luxury mountain retreat, she expects awkward family tension – not a fight for survival. As a brutal snowstorm cuts them off from civilization, dark secrets begin to surface. With time running out and nowhere to run, two sisters must put aside years of mistrust to survive the night. But in a house full of lies, how do you know who to trust?

The novella XMAS BREAK is a thrilling and fast-paced read that will leave you pondering your next holiday invitation. Clara and her husband appear to be a well-balanced couple. Clara experiences anxiety about reuniting with her estranged sister after many years. Her husband serves as a calming influence, helping her maintain her composure. They resolve to make the time spent with her sister enjoyable regardless of the circumstances. However, they find themselves in an anxiety-provoking dinner that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the suspenseful atmosphere, I must respectfully express my disappointment with the revelation behind the bizarre occurrences. I found the reasoning behind the twist to be somewhat simplistic and unconvincing. Nonetheless, I acknowledge that this novella offers a thrilling read for the winter season, even though I personally found the conclusion to be overly pleasant for my taste.

I was excited about reading a Christmas novella that is to be read as an advent calendar. One chapter a day lasted about 3 days for me. I enjoyed the fast pace of the book, but the plot and characters fell flat. I unfortunately wanted to read it quickly so I could be done and move on to my next read. I am sure there are people that will love this book and the story, but it was not for me. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

a great Christmas thriller with a plot you can't see coming! I really enjoyed the setting of the book and the characters! Even though this isn't a long book you got to know the characters and got invested into the story.

What a nail-biter! A must-read mystery to read in your coziest Christmas pj's by the fireplace. I devoured this short in one sitting, and you should, too.

I thought this book had great premise and the idea was there. However, the execution to me was too poor. It’s highly predictable highly cheesy the first nine days. If you’re reading at the advent calendar style is so boring. I feel like if you wanna have a book that’s an advent book. It needs to at least be thrilling from the start.

I hope I will be forgiven for not reviewing this book as soon as it was downloaded and I am only 1/2 way through BUT I am reading it chapter by chapter as it was suggested through Christmas day. The story of two estranged sisters with one receiving an offer a Christmas get away to a secluded luxury mountain home. What could go wrong. The story begins with simmering tension and barbed remarks against a Christmas decorated home that seems to good to be true. As storm hits followed by a power outage, the sisters veneer of civility begins to crack. I wake up each morning looking forward to my next installment and I know I will not be disappointed in the outcome.

📚: XMas Break by JE Rowney
⭐️: 2/5 (rounding up on #goodreads)

Isla and Clara. Estranged sisters who haven't spoken in years, when suddenly Clara invites Isla and her husband, James, for a Christmas break getaway at her home in the mountains. Secluded with an impending blizzard, Isla and James get there to find that nothing quite what it seems to be.

The upside to this read was that it was fast paced and a quick novella to read in two sittings. (One if it wasn't for needing to go to sleep last night.) Its pain point is the writing - there's so much telling vs. showing, with my biggest pet peeve when chapters end being like, "...and somehow the night was about to get so much worse." This book states the obvious, making it predictable and repetitive.

Thanks to BooksGoSocial via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. XMas Break is out now.

This one just didn't do it for me. The writing was very repetitive, and I'm not sure any character ever finished a... sentence/thought. There were just so many ellipsis... in... this... book. They drove me nuts. I already have an issue with thriller/suspense books keeping things from the reader to build tension, but this one does it with like, everything? The characters in this one make just the worst decisions every step of the way, and then the motive and turning of the "bad guy" was so far out of left field- it was absurd.

I really wanted to love this one and just didn't.

The concept was amazing and the plot sounded perfect for a creepy Xmas read but I struggled. It's short but felt like it just kept going and yet, nothing happened lol. It wasn't my vibe

Xmas Break intrigued me with the Advent Calendar Style of reading, however for this being a novella, it felt long. I’m not sure that this is fully edited to be ready to go. I wasn’t really drawn in in the way you need to be in for a thriller type story and unfortunately it just didn’t keep my interest.