Ok so I accidentally finished this in one sitting. There are definitely twists and turns and the protagonist is complex! I hated her initially and then was on her side and then things got weird. This book gets more wild as you read.

This is definitely a fun one for year round despite the holiday cover and I’ll be scratching my head at this one for a bit.

I wish I had liked the protagonist more but I think I’m meant to slightly dislike her. I’m impressed with the emotions the author was able to illicit from me with this one.

Thank you for this treat! I received an eARC and am leaving this honest feedback voluntarily.

I always enjoy Sarah Bonner books. Her latest, How to Slay at Christmas was very good. It’s out soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC.

Jessica Williams loves Christmas. She also casually offs bad people (mostly men) on her Naughty List who destroy her festive spirit by being awful human beings. To avoid detection, she travels a lot. This year she is Mrs Claus at the Ellsbury Christmas Market grotto, where she makes friends with Fearne, Hanna and Lena. But is letting her guard down a good idea? Soon the bodies pile up and suspicions are raised. Who is the person looking into Jessica's background and what are their motives?

Fearne Dixon hates Christmas. For years she has been assisting her annoying husband Sebastian in running the Christmas Market but she's really an author of regency romances, and - her real passion and moneymaker - erotica that she writes under a pen name as Sebastian would never stand for it. Is this Christmas the one where she finally snaps?

What a wonderful addition to the How to Slay series this is! The first book How to Slay at Work was a sensation, the second, How to Slay on Holiday, not quite as good, but this one is fantastic again. Both Jessica and Fearne get a POV, the writing style is easy to follow and I read the book in a day.

I loved all the side characters, from Fearne's daughter Immy to young homeless Lena, to Hanna Jakkinen and brother Alvi from Finland who is an animal rescuer. Even Sebastian redeems himself at the end, and Fearne's nemesis Effing Erin Effing Winters is easy to hate. There is plenty of dark humour and I loved the twist at the end. It looks like the best people in the book are the killers! Highly recommended and I can see this book in a lot of Christmas stockings this year! Read if you like subversive humour and vigilante violence that comes with a dash of festive hot chocolate (with Baileys) and Bratwurst.

How to Slay at Christmas- Sarah Bonner
She has done it again. The queen of dark comedy thriller is back and this time she's a festive Slay Qwueen.
Jessica is a firm believer in justice being served but as we all know that is not always how things work out. Karma doesn't always get them....but Jessica does....
Jessica, while taking on her yearly role of Mrs Claus, serves up milk and cookies with a side of vigilante justice. Who will end up on her naughty list this year? And will her naughty past catch up with her? Will Jessica finally hang up her knives and settle down to a normal life?

This is the second novel that I have read by the wonderful @sarahbonner101 and I am hooked. I absolutely love her style of writing. Murder and dark comedy perfectly balanced. It's not often I find myself on the side of a serial killer in thriller novels but Bonner makes it so hard to dislike our femme fatal Jessica. And has she met her match, in every sense of the word, when she happens upon a handsome stranger in her new town?
Flew through it. Enjoyed every minute of it. Love, love, loved it. Has me already excited for the festive season. 🤣🧑‍🎄🙈🫢
Thank you as always to @netgalley for the wonderful ARC.
Thank you also to @theboldbookclub who's books never disappoint. Honoured to get to read and review them.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, the author and NetGalley for a pre-approved DRC in return for an honest review

Well, looks like Im going to have to break a habit of a lifetime and read a Christmas book outside of December!

I've never read anything by this author before, but after finding out that this book is quite similar to 'Happy Bloody Christmas' by Jo Middleton (which was a delicious Christmas treat in 2024!) I am hoping that I will love Sarah Bonner's book just as much! Apparently both are great for readers who, like me, like their festive fiction dark, hilarious and just a little bit twisted. This is the third in the murderous 'How to slay' series and promises just as much sublime dark humour as the first two, If this book lives up to expections I will definitely be reading the others. Oh and if Sarah Bonner puts out another festive offering, I will endeavor to read that as well...in December!

#HowtoSlayatChristmas #NetGalley

Just brilliant!!
Another crazy read from this fabulous author.
Hilarious, dark and twisty.
My life was on hold this weekend as i just couldn't put it down.
A big five stars from me.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.