[Short Story Review] Close To You: A Downside Ghosts Holiday Story By Stacia Kane & Zombie Java Eggnog Blend

Title: Close To You: A Downside Ghosts Holiday Story
Series: Downside Ghosts #5.5
Author: Stacia Kane
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication date: October 8th 2013
Page Count: 35 pages
Age Rating: Adult (minor sexual mentions)
How I got my hot little hands on it: Received an ARC to review
Publisher’s page: Close To You: A Downside Ghosts Holiday Story

THE HOLIDAYS ARE HELL

Churchwitch Chess Putnam has seen, and banished, her share of ghosts, but not of the Christmas Past variety–the holiday has been illegal since the Church of Real Truth defeated the undead and took control of the world in 1997. Yet when she and her boyfriend, Terrible, make a trip to an abandoned auto junkyard, they find more than the rusted auto parts and spare tires they’d bargained for. They also run across a creepy Miss Havisham-type hell-bent on reuniting with her long-dead husband just in time for Christmas–even if it means taking Chess and Terrible down with her into the City of Eternity…

If Chess and Terrible don’t manage to keep these ghosts in the past, they won’t have a future…

My Review

Close To You is such an odd combination of creepy and sweet that somehow manages to really work. Chess and Terrible are hunting for auto parts in an old auto graveyard when they come face to face with a creepy/crazy old women with some decidedly macabre holiday plans of her own. At its heart, this is a holiday love story – albeit a love story with murderous ghosts, but still kind of touching in a weird way.

I’ve never read any books in the Downsides Ghosts series, although I’ve always been meaning to (who doesn’t love a tatted up, badass heroine?). I figured this short story was a great way to get a feel for it. It’s unbelievably short, so be aware (only 35 pages), but the storytelling style is so stellar that I find it’s a totally worthwhile read.

This short story is just dripping with voice and style. I love dialogue where you can tell who is talking just from their speech patterns, this is something you don’t see too often, but which it’s obvious that the writer excels in. Having never read the series before, I can tell you that this story stands on its own. Need to know information is given piecemeal along the way and I never felt lost.

I really loved Close To You; it’s short but worth it and I really recommend it. I ‘m absolutely going to have to start reading the Downside Ghosts series – this short story has just whet my appetite for more.

Zombie Java Eggnog Blend – The “creepy Miss Havisham-type” has a veritable shrine to all things Christmas in her home. There’s a Christmas tree, presents, a wreath, and various bric-a-brac. The only thing missing is some good ol’ fashioned eggnog (and a dash or two more of some sanity wouldn’t hurt either).