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Lucky Girl
Lucky Girl, How I Became A Horror Writer is a story told across Christmases, rooted in loneliness, horror, and the ever-lurking presence of Krampus written by World Fantasy and Shirley Jackson Award-winning author M. Rickert.
“Smooth and ruthless, Lucky Girl is M. Rickert at her ice-cold best.”―Laird Barron
Ro, a struggling writer, knows all too well the pain and solitude that holiday festivities can awaken. When she meets four people at the local diner―all of them strangers and as lonely as Ro is―she invites them to an impromptu Christmas dinner. And when that party seems in danger of an early end, she suggests they each tell a ghost story. One that’s seasonally appropriate.
But Ro will come to learn that the horrors hidden in a Christmas tale―or one’s past―can never be tamed once unleashed.
“Smooth and ruthless, Lucky Girl is M. Rickert at her ice-cold best.”―Laird Barron
Ro, a struggling writer, knows all too well the pain and solitude that holiday festivities can awaken. When she meets four people at the local diner―all of them strangers and as lonely as Ro is―she invites them to an impromptu Christmas dinner. And when that party seems in danger of an early end, she suggests they each tell a ghost story. One that’s seasonally appropriate.
But Ro will come to learn that the horrors hidden in a Christmas tale―or one’s past―can never be tamed once unleashed.
108 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 367 reviews
May 8, 2022
A Christmas read? A Halloween read? A misleading synopsis? What is it?
Ro meets a few individuals at a diner that is about to shutter its doors. They end up sitting together and commiserating.
Next thing you know, Ro has them over at her apartment for a Christmas dinner. They decide to tell scary stories. Years later, will the stories come back to haunt them?
This is a novella, and I loved the idea of it. However, it wasn’t scary. It was only mildly interesting, and I’ll forget about it before the next time snow blows a big white load on the green grass.
Thank you to Tor for a widget of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 9/13/22.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
Ro meets a few individuals at a diner that is about to shutter its doors. They end up sitting together and commiserating.
Next thing you know, Ro has them over at her apartment for a Christmas dinner. They decide to tell scary stories. Years later, will the stories come back to haunt them?
This is a novella, and I loved the idea of it. However, it wasn’t scary. It was only mildly interesting, and I’ll forget about it before the next time snow blows a big white load on the green grass.
Thank you to Tor for a widget of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 9/13/22.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
May 1, 2022
We joined each other for Christmas dinner. "We weren't really friends, just people who had formed a union out of loneliness." "I wasn't sure I liked any of them, but they had gotten me through an unbearable day and for that, I was grateful." "I harbored a secret hope we would form the sort of intense, almost-familial union I'd seen in friendships depicted in movies...That Christmas, after the delicate bubble of conviviality we created over dinner...All I wanted was to get through the night."
An after-dinner lull in conversation led to the suggestion, by struggling writer and dinner host Roanoke (Ro), why not tell ghost stories? "Don't ring the round silver bell etched around the perimeter with holly...if you ring it monsters come." Who are these monsters? A ghost tale of Krampus, ugly frightening creatures...crude depictions on stone walls...Krampus in all their grotesquerie..." Now add a Christmas reunion in a haunted house on a snowy night....
"Lucky Girl: How I Became a Horror Writer: A Krampus Story" by Mary Rickert is a novella of Christmas gatherings by five lonely souls, imagining thoughts of Krampus lurking in the shadows. A one-sitting horror-lite read.
Thank you Tordot.com and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
An after-dinner lull in conversation led to the suggestion, by struggling writer and dinner host Roanoke (Ro), why not tell ghost stories? "Don't ring the round silver bell etched around the perimeter with holly...if you ring it monsters come." Who are these monsters? A ghost tale of Krampus, ugly frightening creatures...crude depictions on stone walls...Krampus in all their grotesquerie..." Now add a Christmas reunion in a haunted house on a snowy night....
"Lucky Girl: How I Became a Horror Writer: A Krampus Story" by Mary Rickert is a novella of Christmas gatherings by five lonely souls, imagining thoughts of Krampus lurking in the shadows. A one-sitting horror-lite read.
Thank you Tordot.com and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 10, 2022
well, that was disappointing.. seriously - that's it? it's a quick read for sure but i don't recommend this one unfortunately. onto the next! thank you Tordotcom for an advanced copy of this book!
August 24, 2022
Gracias Macmillan-Tor por el ejemplar digital que recibí a cambio de una reseña honesta.
Me divertí mucho con esta nouvelle, aunque no fue perfecta en absoluto. Es muy corta, y tiene sus momentos espeluznantes. Aunque creo que esperaba algo más, más centrado en Krampus y todo el folclore navideño relacionado al terror. El principal problema de este libro es que trata de cubrir muchos temas, pero no resuelve nada, todo está un poco desordenado.
Me divertí mucho con esta nouvelle, aunque no fue perfecta en absoluto. Es muy corta, y tiene sus momentos espeluznantes. Aunque creo que esperaba algo más, más centrado en Krampus y todo el folclore navideño relacionado al terror. El principal problema de este libro es que trata de cubrir muchos temas, pero no resuelve nada, todo está un poco desordenado.
September 2, 2022
Review coming soon.
October 12, 2022
Video: https://youtu.be/GW9fZye3H2w
This wasn't earth-shattering, or even truly scary. But it was a fairly enjoyable, creepy novella.
Perhaps a bit too short, but the sort of thing you could easily read in one sitting while cuddled up with a blanket and cup of tea on a fall evening. I'm not sure there's a lot I can say without spoilers, but the setup of Lucky Girl is this...
A woman is telling a story that begins when she was a recent college graduate- impoverished and lonely with a traumatic past, trying to make it as a horror writer. She ends up meeting three other lonely people and they decide to get together for Christmas, exchange inexpensive gifts, and tell scary stories. Stories that might come back to haunt them years later...
This novella is a bit creepy, though much of the time it was more sad than anything else. There is a great deal of loss and tragic violence. And for a horror writer, the narrator is unbelievably dense at times. If you're looking for something on the darker side for the holidays, with a side of Christmas horror a la Krampus among other things, give this a try! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
This wasn't earth-shattering, or even truly scary. But it was a fairly enjoyable, creepy novella.
Perhaps a bit too short, but the sort of thing you could easily read in one sitting while cuddled up with a blanket and cup of tea on a fall evening. I'm not sure there's a lot I can say without spoilers, but the setup of Lucky Girl is this...
A woman is telling a story that begins when she was a recent college graduate- impoverished and lonely with a traumatic past, trying to make it as a horror writer. She ends up meeting three other lonely people and they decide to get together for Christmas, exchange inexpensive gifts, and tell scary stories. Stories that might come back to haunt them years later...
This novella is a bit creepy, though much of the time it was more sad than anything else. There is a great deal of loss and tragic violence. And for a horror writer, the narrator is unbelievably dense at times. If you're looking for something on the darker side for the holidays, with a side of Christmas horror a la Krampus among other things, give this a try! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
November 20, 2022
3.0 stars
I loved Christmas themed horror so I was excited for this novella. The story is more cozy than scary, which is fine. However the narrative itself was too short and too small. I wanted to love this one but it needed more punch.
I loved Christmas themed horror so I was excited for this novella. The story is more cozy than scary, which is fine. However the narrative itself was too short and too small. I wanted to love this one but it needed more punch.
November 16, 2022
LUCKY GIRL/ HOW I BECAME A HORROR WRITER:A KRAMPUS STORY by M. Rickert
Publication: 9/13/2022 by Macmillan-Tor / Forge
112 pages
A Christmas time horror novella written by Multi-Award Winning writer M. (Mary) Rickert…. that can easily be joyfully devoured in one sitting. I would suggest by a roaring fire with rain pelting the windows, while flashing bolts of lightening enhance the mood.
The main protagonist and storyteller is an aspiring horror writer named Ro (named by her history teacher father after of his favorite historical mysteries … “Roanoke” ). We later learn her back story and source of the book title. While a teenager she snuck out of the house on Christmas to meet an unknown admirer who left a message to meet him at a certain time and place …. only to be stood up. When she dejectedly returned home, she discovered her home to be a smoldering pile of debris. Her whole family was murdered as a result of a home invasion. Hence, somewhat ironically she was referred to as that “Lucky Girl”. She always wondered if her being lured from her home was a coincidence or somehow a sinister premeditated occurrence.
The tale opens in a “hole in the wall” diner on campus of UWM. Five lonely recent graduates, who have not left campus, find themselves independently picking at the unspectacular “special” Thanksgiving plate. They all find the nerve to strike up a conversation
amongst themselves. Ro… our aspiring writer, manages the courage to suggest they all meet at her modest college apartment for a Christmas gathering…. so they could be lonely together.
At an awkward lull in the “party, Ro suggests they all tell a “ghost story” Ro tells a rather inane little tale … not even spooky. Of the four other guests, The gregarious Grayson spins a horrifying tale populated by evil Krampus with the resultant mayhem effecting his family and staff ( Grayson readily admits that he has lived a privileged life filled with wealth and opportunities. ) He encounters Krampus in all their grotesqueries, with fiendish fangs, brutal horns, long drooping tongues … dripping saliva. He ponders whether this might have simply been a nightmare … rather than fact . Keith, Lena, and Adrienne also attempt a tale …. but all harken back to Grayson’s story …. which somehow seems to have a kernel of truth. Before they all depart, they pick names for next years “get together”. It is decided they will each bring a gift worth no more than five dollars …. and it should actually be stolen and not bought.
Years pass… and Ro is now a successful horror writer, having turned Grayson’s tale into her first, debut novel. Ro actually fits the part …. having turned herself into a goth with black leather vests and pants to match her dyed Joan Jett black hair. In the mail she receives a rather formal invitation for a Christmas gathering at Grayson’s mansion. In attendance will be Adrienne, and Keith, but not Lena… who actually was the wife of Keith. Apparently she has died in a recent horrible auto accident.
M Richert spins a fittingly horrific tale as events of past and present collide in an inexplicable manner with escalating tension and dread …. resulting in another Christmas spoiled by Krampus …. and revealing true monsters.. capable of exerting devastating horror. Real life plausible horror is always worse than mythic horror. Are there more psychopaths than sociopaths which we encounter in everyday life?
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/ Forge Books for supplying an Uncorrected Proof
In exchange for an honest review.
Publication: 9/13/2022 by Macmillan-Tor / Forge
112 pages
A Christmas time horror novella written by Multi-Award Winning writer M. (Mary) Rickert…. that can easily be joyfully devoured in one sitting. I would suggest by a roaring fire with rain pelting the windows, while flashing bolts of lightening enhance the mood.
The main protagonist and storyteller is an aspiring horror writer named Ro (named by her history teacher father after of his favorite historical mysteries … “Roanoke” ). We later learn her back story and source of the book title. While a teenager she snuck out of the house on Christmas to meet an unknown admirer who left a message to meet him at a certain time and place …. only to be stood up. When she dejectedly returned home, she discovered her home to be a smoldering pile of debris. Her whole family was murdered as a result of a home invasion. Hence, somewhat ironically she was referred to as that “Lucky Girl”. She always wondered if her being lured from her home was a coincidence or somehow a sinister premeditated occurrence.
The tale opens in a “hole in the wall” diner on campus of UWM. Five lonely recent graduates, who have not left campus, find themselves independently picking at the unspectacular “special” Thanksgiving plate. They all find the nerve to strike up a conversation
amongst themselves. Ro… our aspiring writer, manages the courage to suggest they all meet at her modest college apartment for a Christmas gathering…. so they could be lonely together.
At an awkward lull in the “party, Ro suggests they all tell a “ghost story” Ro tells a rather inane little tale … not even spooky. Of the four other guests, The gregarious Grayson spins a horrifying tale populated by evil Krampus with the resultant mayhem effecting his family and staff ( Grayson readily admits that he has lived a privileged life filled with wealth and opportunities. ) He encounters Krampus in all their grotesqueries, with fiendish fangs, brutal horns, long drooping tongues … dripping saliva. He ponders whether this might have simply been a nightmare … rather than fact . Keith, Lena, and Adrienne also attempt a tale …. but all harken back to Grayson’s story …. which somehow seems to have a kernel of truth. Before they all depart, they pick names for next years “get together”. It is decided they will each bring a gift worth no more than five dollars …. and it should actually be stolen and not bought.
Years pass… and Ro is now a successful horror writer, having turned Grayson’s tale into her first, debut novel. Ro actually fits the part …. having turned herself into a goth with black leather vests and pants to match her dyed Joan Jett black hair. In the mail she receives a rather formal invitation for a Christmas gathering at Grayson’s mansion. In attendance will be Adrienne, and Keith, but not Lena… who actually was the wife of Keith. Apparently she has died in a recent horrible auto accident.
M Richert spins a fittingly horrific tale as events of past and present collide in an inexplicable manner with escalating tension and dread …. resulting in another Christmas spoiled by Krampus …. and revealing true monsters.. capable of exerting devastating horror. Real life plausible horror is always worse than mythic horror. Are there more psychopaths than sociopaths which we encounter in everyday life?
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/ Forge Books for supplying an Uncorrected Proof
In exchange for an honest review.
May 6, 2022
"Don’t you realize that evil people are fully capable of doing good things? I mean, how do you think they hide in plain sight? They wear a mask of normal.”
It’s no secret that I don’t like Christmas. People just know not to invite me to any holiday whatever because I’ll always say no. There’s just something about a holly jolly holiday that makes me feel so eww. And then Krampus makes an appearance and changes my mood.
Every time a bell rings, Krampus becomes the beast of nightmares!
This was an interesting tale of when the past comes back to haunt you. It was a book that wouldn't let go of my attention even though some parts were slower than I liked them to be. Let me tell you, the parts that got me excited were disturbing and eerie. Eerie enough to give you goosebumps. What really got me was the end. I actually screamed because I didn't see that end coming. It messed me up and I loved it.
Lucky Girl was a decent story. Parts were slow but those last thirtyish pages made me gasp in the best horror-filled way. M. Rickert knew how to capture their audience and make them second guess everything. She got me good and I'll never forget how this book ended. It was marvelous.
It’s no secret that I don’t like Christmas. People just know not to invite me to any holiday whatever because I’ll always say no. There’s just something about a holly jolly holiday that makes me feel so eww. And then Krampus makes an appearance and changes my mood.
Every time a bell rings, Krampus becomes the beast of nightmares!
This was an interesting tale of when the past comes back to haunt you. It was a book that wouldn't let go of my attention even though some parts were slower than I liked them to be. Let me tell you, the parts that got me excited were disturbing and eerie. Eerie enough to give you goosebumps. What really got me was the end. I actually screamed because I didn't see that end coming. It messed me up and I loved it.
Lucky Girl was a decent story. Parts were slow but those last thirtyish pages made me gasp in the best horror-filled way. M. Rickert knew how to capture their audience and make them second guess everything. She got me good and I'll never forget how this book ended. It was marvelous.
June 28, 2022
Ro is not much of a Christmas celebration kinda gal. She meets some new pals and decides to offer up a Christmas get to together at her place and when things drag a little she has a really fun idea. Ro suggests they make up ghost stories and tell them and the party does become a lot livelier. Time moves on and the friends go their own way. Opportunities do come up for them to reconnect in interesting ways.
This is a short story/novella and I read it in one afternoon as an escape from heavier reads. I enjoyed it for that and it fits a reading challenge I have going. It was good entertainment and the ending was a bit of a surprise, so hooray for that!
I can recommend it for light afternoon reading. Bedtime, not so much. It is not all that scary but does offer up a nice creep factor. Many thanks to the publisher and NG for an ARC to read for review. The author won a Shirley Jackson award! Good enough for me!
This is a short story/novella and I read it in one afternoon as an escape from heavier reads. I enjoyed it for that and it fits a reading challenge I have going. It was good entertainment and the ending was a bit of a surprise, so hooray for that!
I can recommend it for light afternoon reading. Bedtime, not so much. It is not all that scary but does offer up a nice creep factor. Many thanks to the publisher and NG for an ARC to read for review. The author won a Shirley Jackson award! Good enough for me!
May 30, 2022
Lucky Girl is a horror Christmas novella that centers around an aspiring horror writer named Ro and her group of ‘friends’ connected by shared loneliness to get through Christmas with an impromptu holiday dinner and gift exchange. The story spans many years and takes lots of twists and turns.
Thoughts: I’m pretty easy to please with horror novellas.All I want is to be shocked and entertained and this book succeeded in doing both. I didn’t want to give much away in my overview of the synopsis and going in blind with this one is certainly going to be your best bet. Really packs a punch for a short read! With everything it had going on, it felt much longer than it was but didn’t convolute the plot, each layer just added more and more depth to Ro’s story. For a Krampus story, there wasn’t as much Krampus as I would’ve liked but I loooved that ending! Overall a really fun read and I think any fan of horror will enjoy it! Perfect for when you get sick of all of the holiday cheer and need to darken things up a bit 😂
Favorite Quote:
“There are all kinds of ghosts. We talk most about the ones that appear in the dark, less about those who never leave at all but follow a person everywhere she goes.”
Thoughts: I’m pretty easy to please with horror novellas.All I want is to be shocked and entertained and this book succeeded in doing both. I didn’t want to give much away in my overview of the synopsis and going in blind with this one is certainly going to be your best bet. Really packs a punch for a short read! With everything it had going on, it felt much longer than it was but didn’t convolute the plot, each layer just added more and more depth to Ro’s story. For a Krampus story, there wasn’t as much Krampus as I would’ve liked but I loooved that ending! Overall a really fun read and I think any fan of horror will enjoy it! Perfect for when you get sick of all of the holiday cheer and need to darken things up a bit 😂
Favorite Quote:
“There are all kinds of ghosts. We talk most about the ones that appear in the dark, less about those who never leave at all but follow a person everywhere she goes.”
December 22, 2023
While pieces of this short novella are moderately clever; the desired outcome and effect is lacking for me. The use of Krampus here is just to sell a few more books. Krampus (as a character, monster, myth, etc) is not really relevant in the end. So I was quite disappointed; given the title of the book, to find this out.
Some good writing mechanisms used a few clever metaphors. But that just can’t make up for feeling like Krampus was plopped on the page just because he’s more interesting or horrific and was easily marketed.
Some good writing mechanisms used a few clever metaphors. But that just can’t make up for feeling like Krampus was plopped on the page just because he’s more interesting or horrific and was easily marketed.
September 14, 2022
While there were parts of this novella that I enjoyed, overall the structure of this story did not work for me.
We start out at Ro's house where she is hosting an impromptu Christmas party with four people she recently met at local diner. At the party, they all take turns telling ghost stories to pass the time.
I genuinely liked the main ghost story and wish it would have been fleshed out more and been the main focus of the novella. The main character was interesting and I really liked reading about her backstory. The rest of the characters didn't feel as fully developed though.
My main issue with the structure was how we would have these big jumps in time thought out the novella. It was too much for such a short book. There wasn't any time to sink into the horror of the story. Also, the ending was a bit abrupt. If there had been more time focused on the details of the ending, I think this would have been a stronger story.
I did enjoy M. Rickert's writing style and thought there were some great atmospheric moments, so I would like to pick up whatever the author writes next.
*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tordotcom for a digital arc. My opinions are my own.
We start out at Ro's house where she is hosting an impromptu Christmas party with four people she recently met at local diner. At the party, they all take turns telling ghost stories to pass the time.
I genuinely liked the main ghost story and wish it would have been fleshed out more and been the main focus of the novella. The main character was interesting and I really liked reading about her backstory. The rest of the characters didn't feel as fully developed though.
My main issue with the structure was how we would have these big jumps in time thought out the novella. It was too much for such a short book. There wasn't any time to sink into the horror of the story. Also, the ending was a bit abrupt. If there had been more time focused on the details of the ending, I think this would have been a stronger story.
I did enjoy M. Rickert's writing style and thought there were some great atmospheric moments, so I would like to pick up whatever the author writes next.
*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tordotcom for a digital arc. My opinions are my own.
November 16, 2022
LUCKY GIRL/ HOW I BECAME A HORROR WRITER:A KRAMPUS STORY by M. Rickert
Publication: 9/13/2022 by Macmillan-Tor / Forge
112 pages
A Christmas time horror novella written by Multi-Award Winning writer M. (Mary) Rickert…. that can easily be joyfully devoured in one sitting. I would suggest by a roaring fire with rain pelting the windows, while flashing bolts of lightening enhance the mood.
The main protagonist and storyteller is an aspiring horror writer named Ro (named by her history teacher father after of his favorite historical mysteries … “Roanoke” ). We later learn her back story and source of the book title. While a teenager she snuck out of the house on Christmas to meet an unknown admirer who left a message to meet him at a certain time and place …. only to be stood up. When she dejectedly returned home, she discovered her home to be a smoldering pile of debris. Her whole family was murdered as a result of a home invasion. Hence, somewhat ironically she was referred to as that “Lucky Girl”. She always wondered if her being lured from her home was a coincidence or somehow a sinister premeditated occurrence.
The tale opens in a “hole in the wall” diner on campus of UWM. Five lonely recent graduates, who have not left campus, find themselves independently picking at the unspectacular “special” Thanksgiving plate. They all find the nerve to strike up a conversation
amongst themselves. Ro… our aspiring writer, manages the courage to suggest they all meet at her modest college apartment for a Christmas gathering…. so they could be lonely together.
At an awkward lull in the “party, Ro suggests they all tell a “ghost story” Ro tells a rather inane little tale … not even spooky. Of the four other guests, The gregarious Grayson spins a horrifying tale populated by evil Krampus with the resultant mayhem effecting his family and staff ( Grayson readily admits that he has lived a privileged life filled with wealth and opportunities. ) He encounters Krampus in all their grotesqueries, with fiendish fangs, brutal horns, long drooping tongues … dripping saliva. He ponders whether this might have simply been a nightmare … rather than fact . Keith, Lena, and Adrienne also attempt a tale …. but all harken back to Grayson’s story …. which somehow seems to have a kernel of truth. Before they all depart, they pick names for next years “get together”. It is decided they will each bring a gift worth no more than five dollars …. and it should actually be stolen and not bought.
Years pass… and Ro is now a successful horror writer, having turned Grayson’s tale into her first, debut novel. Ro actually fits the part …. having turned herself into a goth with black leather vests and pants to match her dyed Joan Jett black hair. In the mail she receives a rather formal invitation for a Christmas gathering at Grayson’s mansion. In attendance will be Adrienne, and Keith, but not Lena… who actually was the wife of Keith. Apparently she has died in a recent horrible auto accident.
M Richert spins a fittingly horrific tale as events of past and present collide in an inexplicable manner with escalating tension and dread …. resulting in another Christmas spoiled by Krampus …. and revealing true monsters.. capable of exerting devastating horror. Real life plausible horror is always worse than mythic horror. Are there more psychopaths than sociopaths which we encounter in everyday life?
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/ Forge Books for supplying an Uncorrected Proof
In exchange for an honest review.
Publication: 9/13/2022 by Macmillan-Tor / Forge
112 pages
A Christmas time horror novella written by Multi-Award Winning writer M. (Mary) Rickert…. that can easily be joyfully devoured in one sitting. I would suggest by a roaring fire with rain pelting the windows, while flashing bolts of lightening enhance the mood.
The main protagonist and storyteller is an aspiring horror writer named Ro (named by her history teacher father after of his favorite historical mysteries … “Roanoke” ). We later learn her back story and source of the book title. While a teenager she snuck out of the house on Christmas to meet an unknown admirer who left a message to meet him at a certain time and place …. only to be stood up. When she dejectedly returned home, she discovered her home to be a smoldering pile of debris. Her whole family was murdered as a result of a home invasion. Hence, somewhat ironically she was referred to as that “Lucky Girl”. She always wondered if her being lured from her home was a coincidence or somehow a sinister premeditated occurrence.
The tale opens in a “hole in the wall” diner on campus of UWM. Five lonely recent graduates, who have not left campus, find themselves independently picking at the unspectacular “special” Thanksgiving plate. They all find the nerve to strike up a conversation
amongst themselves. Ro… our aspiring writer, manages the courage to suggest they all meet at her modest college apartment for a Christmas gathering…. so they could be lonely together.
At an awkward lull in the “party, Ro suggests they all tell a “ghost story” Ro tells a rather inane little tale … not even spooky. Of the four other guests, The gregarious Grayson spins a horrifying tale populated by evil Krampus with the resultant mayhem effecting his family and staff ( Grayson readily admits that he has lived a privileged life filled with wealth and opportunities. ) He encounters Krampus in all their grotesqueries, with fiendish fangs, brutal horns, long drooping tongues … dripping saliva. He ponders whether this might have simply been a nightmare … rather than fact . Keith, Lena, and Adrienne also attempt a tale …. but all harken back to Grayson’s story …. which somehow seems to have a kernel of truth. Before they all depart, they pick names for next years “get together”. It is decided they will each bring a gift worth no more than five dollars …. and it should actually be stolen and not bought.
Years pass… and Ro is now a successful horror writer, having turned Grayson’s tale into her first, debut novel. Ro actually fits the part …. having turned herself into a goth with black leather vests and pants to match her dyed Joan Jett black hair. In the mail she receives a rather formal invitation for a Christmas gathering at Grayson’s mansion. In attendance will be Adrienne, and Keith, but not Lena… who actually was the wife of Keith. Apparently she has died in a recent horrible auto accident.
M Richert spins a fittingly horrific tale as events of past and present collide in an inexplicable manner with escalating tension and dread …. resulting in another Christmas spoiled by Krampus …. and revealing true monsters.. capable of exerting devastating horror. Real life plausible horror is always worse than mythic horror. Are there more psychopaths than sociopaths which we encounter in everyday life?
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/ Forge Books for supplying an Uncorrected Proof
In exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up to 4!
Normally I absolutely love the novella format and feel like most times it’s done well, giving us enough details and back story without turning into a full-length novel-but this one felt a little choppy to me at times. The author seemed to jump through time extremely quickly (again, I know sometimes this has to happen) but it left me feeling like there were holes in the story and questions left unanswered. I’m definitely not someone who is a harsh critic so the fact that I felt like this really said something.
That all being said-the last 20% or so of this story absolutely shocked me and I enjoyed how the author brought the various fucked up pieces of Ro’s life together. Won’t be a new all-time favorite novella of mine, but definitely a great one to pick up for a quick read during the winter/holidays!
Normally I absolutely love the novella format and feel like most times it’s done well, giving us enough details and back story without turning into a full-length novel-but this one felt a little choppy to me at times. The author seemed to jump through time extremely quickly (again, I know sometimes this has to happen) but it left me feeling like there were holes in the story and questions left unanswered. I’m definitely not someone who is a harsh critic so the fact that I felt like this really said something.
That all being said-the last 20% or so of this story absolutely shocked me and I enjoyed how the author brought the various fucked up pieces of Ro’s life together. Won’t be a new all-time favorite novella of mine, but definitely a great one to pick up for a quick read during the winter/holidays!
May 3, 2022
Este libro parecía que sufría de una crisis de identidad. Así es como lo puedo explicar. La autora empieza con una historia y de un pronto a otro salta a otra sin poder conectarlas bien. El libro tenía una premisa interesante pero… no lo fue para mí.
September 9, 2022
Lucky Girl, How I Became a Horror Writer is both a wonderfully crafted horror tale just in time for a Halloween read, but is also a perfectly written chilling Christmas tale which can be voraciously consumed in one sitting!
When five lonely strangers happen to be in a diner which will soon be closing its doors for good meet and share Thanksgiving together, no one could ever foresee their futures. But as they eat, they decide they will get together again for Christmas dinner. Although they don’t know each other, and have no money, they agree upon picking names and bringing a gift, not worth more than five dollars.
The dinner is held at Ro’s dilapidated apartment with a tree with more branches on it than ornaments. Christmas is not Ro’s favorite time of year. As a struggling writer who has no family, she is a bit uncomfortable at having these strangers see where she lives, but it will take her mind off her problems for a bit.
As with any group of people who hardly know each other, there are awkward silences. That’s when Ro suggests they each tell a ghost story which has a Christmas theme. Everybody does that, right? As they begin their stories, one in particular stands out. It is so haunting that they all seem to feel there could be possible truth in the story. At the end of the evening, they decide they will continue this tradition next Christmas. This time, their gifts must be stolen.
Years pass and Ro is now a best-selling horror writer. She receives an invitation by one of these acquaintances from years past to all get together and have Christmas again. She decides to accept the invitation. Ro realizes just how lucky she has become, remembering their first Christmas and the limit of a five-dollar amount for a gift.
But Ro will never be the same after this Christmas. And the reader will be shocked at what we don’t know. And with that I will leave the rest of the stories…both ghost and real for you to separate out and digest on your own!
What I will say is that sometimes when your luck runs out, fear can set in!
Thank you #NetGalley #Tor.com #M.Rickert #LuckyGirl for the advanced copy.
When five lonely strangers happen to be in a diner which will soon be closing its doors for good meet and share Thanksgiving together, no one could ever foresee their futures. But as they eat, they decide they will get together again for Christmas dinner. Although they don’t know each other, and have no money, they agree upon picking names and bringing a gift, not worth more than five dollars.
The dinner is held at Ro’s dilapidated apartment with a tree with more branches on it than ornaments. Christmas is not Ro’s favorite time of year. As a struggling writer who has no family, she is a bit uncomfortable at having these strangers see where she lives, but it will take her mind off her problems for a bit.
As with any group of people who hardly know each other, there are awkward silences. That’s when Ro suggests they each tell a ghost story which has a Christmas theme. Everybody does that, right? As they begin their stories, one in particular stands out. It is so haunting that they all seem to feel there could be possible truth in the story. At the end of the evening, they decide they will continue this tradition next Christmas. This time, their gifts must be stolen.
Years pass and Ro is now a best-selling horror writer. She receives an invitation by one of these acquaintances from years past to all get together and have Christmas again. She decides to accept the invitation. Ro realizes just how lucky she has become, remembering their first Christmas and the limit of a five-dollar amount for a gift.
But Ro will never be the same after this Christmas. And the reader will be shocked at what we don’t know. And with that I will leave the rest of the stories…both ghost and real for you to separate out and digest on your own!
What I will say is that sometimes when your luck runs out, fear can set in!
Thank you #NetGalley #Tor.com #M.Rickert #LuckyGirl for the advanced copy.
July 9, 2022
2.5 stars.
There was a lot about this that just felt muddled and undeveloped. It is a short story and a quick read, but it felt like it needed polishing and tightening. I just didn't find anything special about this. It was fine, but nothing overly intriguing or creepy. There was a good premise, but the execution didn't meet my expectations. The writing was fine and I felt like maybe with a bit of redirection and editing this could have been made into something much more gripping. Instead, something about the character relationships and interactions felt off and the movement of the plot was a bit jerky. It was a disappointing experience, but it was short so I didn't feel the pressure to DNF.
There was a lot about this that just felt muddled and undeveloped. It is a short story and a quick read, but it felt like it needed polishing and tightening. I just didn't find anything special about this. It was fine, but nothing overly intriguing or creepy. There was a good premise, but the execution didn't meet my expectations. The writing was fine and I felt like maybe with a bit of redirection and editing this could have been made into something much more gripping. Instead, something about the character relationships and interactions felt off and the movement of the plot was a bit jerky. It was a disappointing experience, but it was short so I didn't feel the pressure to DNF.
July 8, 2022
Ro is alone and down on her luck one Christmas when she meets four strangers in a diner and impulsively invites them to a holiday dinner. They each tell a Christmas horror story, exchange meager gifts, and go on with their separate lives. Years later, now a successful horror novelist, Ro receives an invitation to a reunion dinner at a beautiful estate for Christmas. All too late, she learns that some stories are terrifying because they’re true. I received an invitation to read a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Macmillan-Tor/Forge. Trigger warnings: character death, parent/sibling death, fires, captivity, stalking, grief, guilt.
I don’t know whether the title of this novella is deliberately misleading or just accidentally, but this is only barely a Krampus story; it’s more like a decoration around the edges than the actual point. It’s also ill-suited to being a novella, since there are the bones of what could be a really good story here, except there’s no time to develop it to any satisfaction. It covers far too much time for the number of pages. Instead, we blow through years with characters we (and the main character) only barely know, and there’s no time to get attached to any of them or have any particular feelings about what happens to them. There are only the vaguest personalities there, most of them leaning into cliché, including the faux-goth horror writer who is our narrator.
All that being said, I liked the story itself. Ro’s grim history with the unsolved murders of her family provide a creepy backdrop, and it was probably my favorite part of the novella, well above anything supernatural. It’s also better developed, though. The Krampus thread is established at the beginning and then barely utilized, despite setting up an interesting point of potential crossover for the two storylines. Instead, it’s almost like two different stories got mashed together to lukewarm effect. I was so far removed from everything that the ending didn’t have much of an impact. Oh, well. Maybe it would make a better movie.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
I don’t know whether the title of this novella is deliberately misleading or just accidentally, but this is only barely a Krampus story; it’s more like a decoration around the edges than the actual point. It’s also ill-suited to being a novella, since there are the bones of what could be a really good story here, except there’s no time to develop it to any satisfaction. It covers far too much time for the number of pages. Instead, we blow through years with characters we (and the main character) only barely know, and there’s no time to get attached to any of them or have any particular feelings about what happens to them. There are only the vaguest personalities there, most of them leaning into cliché, including the faux-goth horror writer who is our narrator.
All that being said, I liked the story itself. Ro’s grim history with the unsolved murders of her family provide a creepy backdrop, and it was probably my favorite part of the novella, well above anything supernatural. It’s also better developed, though. The Krampus thread is established at the beginning and then barely utilized, despite setting up an interesting point of potential crossover for the two storylines. Instead, it’s almost like two different stories got mashed together to lukewarm effect. I was so far removed from everything that the ending didn’t have much of an impact. Oh, well. Maybe it would make a better movie.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
August 3, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this Arc!!!
This was such a good Krampus story. I realized, while speaking with a friend, that Christmas horror isn't as well known as I thought. I love the relationship between Christmas and horror particularly by bringing this feverishly happy time of year together with this genre which creates such a disconcerting effect.
This short tale pulled me along and had me leaning into the pages as if I would fall in. Starting with the group of friends brought together by similar states of loneliness during a few holiday seasons seeming easy yet also creepy in a way, along with the story of the main character's past, there was barely time to catch my breath before plummeting into that brilliant ending.
Definitely recommend this for fans of horror!
Out September 13, 2022!
This was such a good Krampus story. I realized, while speaking with a friend, that Christmas horror isn't as well known as I thought. I love the relationship between Christmas and horror particularly by bringing this feverishly happy time of year together with this genre which creates such a disconcerting effect.
This short tale pulled me along and had me leaning into the pages as if I would fall in. Starting with the group of friends brought together by similar states of loneliness during a few holiday seasons seeming easy yet also creepy in a way, along with the story of the main character's past, there was barely time to catch my breath before plummeting into that brilliant ending.
Definitely recommend this for fans of horror!
Out September 13, 2022!
May 30, 2022
Lucky Girl is a horror Christmas novella that centers around an aspiring horror writer named Ro and her group of ‘friends’ connected by shared loneliness to get through Christmas with an impromptu holiday dinner and gift exchange. The story spans many years and takes lots of twists and turns.
Thoughts: I’m pretty easy to please with horror novellas.All I want is to be shocked and entertained and this book succeeded in doing both. I didn’t want to give much away in my overview of the synopsis and going in blind with this one is certainly going to be your best bet. Really packs a punch for a short read! With everything it had going on, it felt much longer than it was but didn’t convolute the plot, each layer just added more and more depth to Ro’s story. For a Krampus story, there wasn’t as much Krampus as I would’ve liked but I loooved that ending! Overall a really fun read and I think any fan of horror will enjoy it! Perfect for when you get sick of all of the holiday cheer and need to darken things up a bit 😂
Favorite Quote:
“There are all kinds of ghosts. We talk most about the ones that appear in the dark, less about those who never leave at all but follow a person everywhere she goes.”
Thoughts: I’m pretty easy to please with horror novellas.All I want is to be shocked and entertained and this book succeeded in doing both. I didn’t want to give much away in my overview of the synopsis and going in blind with this one is certainly going to be your best bet. Really packs a punch for a short read! With everything it had going on, it felt much longer than it was but didn’t convolute the plot, each layer just added more and more depth to Ro’s story. For a Krampus story, there wasn’t as much Krampus as I would’ve liked but I loooved that ending! Overall a really fun read and I think any fan of horror will enjoy it! Perfect for when you get sick of all of the holiday cheer and need to darken things up a bit 😂
Favorite Quote:
“There are all kinds of ghosts. We talk most about the ones that appear in the dark, less about those who never leave at all but follow a person everywhere she goes.”
August 20, 2022
Ro has had a difficult life and faced more tragedy than most people at a young age.
She meets a group of strangers at a diner and they form a bond over their shared loneliness that spans several Christmases.
As the years pass the bond never deepens enough to reveal dangerous secrets until it's too late.
This is a tough one to review, I feel like Ro is the only character I really got to know but I suppose there are reasons for that since we can't be let in on the secrets before she is. The pace was a little slow for such a short book but the payoff at the end was worth it. I would recommend it to readers who like holiday horror but Krampus doesn't make much of an appearance here.
3 out of 5 stars
My thanks to Tor for the invitation to read an advance copy.
She meets a group of strangers at a diner and they form a bond over their shared loneliness that spans several Christmases.
As the years pass the bond never deepens enough to reveal dangerous secrets until it's too late.
This is a tough one to review, I feel like Ro is the only character I really got to know but I suppose there are reasons for that since we can't be let in on the secrets before she is. The pace was a little slow for such a short book but the payoff at the end was worth it. I would recommend it to readers who like holiday horror but Krampus doesn't make much of an appearance here.
3 out of 5 stars
My thanks to Tor for the invitation to read an advance copy.
January 8, 2024
Thank you to Tordotcom for providing me with an e-ARC via NetGalley of Lucky Girl!
It took me fifteen days to read this short novella, so there’s that.
I think the idea/premise was fairly decent? But I was able to put this VERY short novella down and literally had no care to pick it up again. The writing was good! The story/execution just didn’t work for me.
It took me fifteen days to read this short novella, so there’s that.
I think the idea/premise was fairly decent? But I was able to put this VERY short novella down and literally had no care to pick it up again. The writing was good! The story/execution just didn’t work for me.
June 9, 2022
Not really sure how I feel about this one. It was eerie and sometimes uncomfortable which I liked but I feel like I guessed most of it and it took away from the surprise. Still an enjoyable and quick read.
Thank you to the publishers for the gifted review copy!
Thank you to the publishers for the gifted review copy!
September 23, 2022
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I was expecting a horror novel because of the cover, but I was surprised when I found out that it wasn’t really the case. How could I resist Krampus? I admit I was intrigued and quite curious to see how the author would integrate him into the story.
We find a character who is going to get caught up in the past after a horror story exchange. This was an enjoyable novel to read, although I didn’t get hooked as much as I would have liked. It’s a short story, so it’s a quick read.
My English review
I was expecting a horror novel because of the cover, but I was surprised when I found out that it wasn’t really the case. How could I resist Krampus? I admit I was intrigued and quite curious to see how the author would integrate him into the story.
We find a character who is going to get caught up in the past after a horror story exchange. This was an enjoyable novel to read, although I didn’t get hooked as much as I would have liked. It’s a short story, so it’s a quick read.
September 9, 2022
Lucky Girl, How I Became a Horror Writer is both a wonderfully crafted horror tale just in time for a Halloween read, but is also a perfectly written chilling Christmas tale which can be voraciously consumed in one sitting!
When five lonely strangers happen to be in a diner which will soon be closing its doors for good meet and share Thanksgiving together, no one could ever foresee their futures. But as they eat, they decide they will get together again for Christmas dinner. Although they don’t know each other, and have no money, they agree upon picking names and bringing a gift, not worth more than five dollars.
The dinner is held at Ro’s dilapidated apartment with a tree with more branches on it than ornaments. Christmas is not Ro’s favorite time of year. As a struggling writer who has no family, she is a bit uncomfortable at having these strangers see where she lives, but it will take her mind off her problems for a bit.
As with any group of people who hardly know each other, there are awkward silences. That’s when Ro suggests they each tell a ghost story which has a Christmas theme. Everybody does that, right? As they begin their stories, one in particular stands out. It is so haunting that they all seem to feel there could be possible truth in the story. At the end of the evening, they decide they will continue this tradition next Christmas. This time, their gifts must be stolen.
Years pass and Ro is now a best-selling horror writer. She receives an invitation by one of these acquaintances from years past to all get together and have Christmas again. She decides to accept the invitation. Ro realizes just how lucky she has become, remembering their first Christmas and the limit of a five-dollar amount for a gift.
But Ro will never be the same after this Christmas. And the reader will be shocked at what we don’t know. And with that I will leave the rest of the stories…both ghost and real for you to separate out and digest on your own!
What I will say is that sometimes when your luck runs out, fear can set in!
Thank you #NetGalley #Tor.com #M.Rickert #LuckyGirl for the advanced copy.
When five lonely strangers happen to be in a diner which will soon be closing its doors for good meet and share Thanksgiving together, no one could ever foresee their futures. But as they eat, they decide they will get together again for Christmas dinner. Although they don’t know each other, and have no money, they agree upon picking names and bringing a gift, not worth more than five dollars.
The dinner is held at Ro’s dilapidated apartment with a tree with more branches on it than ornaments. Christmas is not Ro’s favorite time of year. As a struggling writer who has no family, she is a bit uncomfortable at having these strangers see where she lives, but it will take her mind off her problems for a bit.
As with any group of people who hardly know each other, there are awkward silences. That’s when Ro suggests they each tell a ghost story which has a Christmas theme. Everybody does that, right? As they begin their stories, one in particular stands out. It is so haunting that they all seem to feel there could be possible truth in the story. At the end of the evening, they decide they will continue this tradition next Christmas. This time, their gifts must be stolen.
Years pass and Ro is now a best-selling horror writer. She receives an invitation by one of these acquaintances from years past to all get together and have Christmas again. She decides to accept the invitation. Ro realizes just how lucky she has become, remembering their first Christmas and the limit of a five-dollar amount for a gift.
But Ro will never be the same after this Christmas. And the reader will be shocked at what we don’t know. And with that I will leave the rest of the stories…both ghost and real for you to separate out and digest on your own!
What I will say is that sometimes when your luck runs out, fear can set in!
Thank you #NetGalley #Tor.com #M.Rickert #LuckyGirl for the advanced copy.
September 28, 2022
This is a solid, Christmas time horror story. Ro, short for Roanoke, at 16 lost her family to home invasion while she was away, clandestinely attempting to meet a secret admirer. As the novella begins it's years later, she living with the guilt of the survivor, but she has made tenuous friendships with four others to share Christmas. The connection continues off and on for years, but what can you really know about others? And when they share ghost stories, how much credence should you give to the Krampus story told by Grayson?
Rickert writes exceptional prose and creates characters in shades of melancholy and regret.
Rickert writes exceptional prose and creates characters in shades of melancholy and regret.
September 22, 2022
This is a really fun novella with spooky Christmas vibes. I liked the touch of Krampus and how he was incorporated into the story. This novella essentially consists of two different stories, but the two stories eventually intersect. I don’t want to give too much away but there are some fun twists and an ending that’s open to interpretation. Overall, Lucky Girl is a quick and atmospheric read that I really enjoyed.
July 20, 2022
Well this was a crazy pleasant surprise! I went into this one with low expectations, as I saw the 2015 Krampus movie this past winter and it was an enjoyable but very corny experience, so I had the same expectations here. This was not the slightest bit corny! This is a very quick read at 112 pages (not sure if that is considered a short story or novella!) and was super enjoyable and left me with lots of goosebumps at different moments. The Christmas/winter holiday feel is fantastic and my only regret is not leaving this for December! I thought this writing from this author was excellent and I’m definitely going to seek out more stories from Rickert!
July 1, 2022
A short but sweet little horror story based around Christmas.
Roanoke is a struggling writer, living a lonely and almost puritan life. When she discovers a handful of strangers at the nearby diner, she organizes a Christmas get together. The group tells scary stories and exchanges presents with each other under $5. The group of misfits plan to meet again the year after and forge an unlikely connection. It isn't long before we learn details about the group that make it much more than what it seems. Ro becomes a fairly well known horror writer and the story itself is a play on the author's real writing. I think this would be a great longer novel instead of a novella and recommend to anyone who likes a short creepy story. #LuckyGirl #MaryRickert
#MacmillanTor #Forge #Tordotcom
Roanoke is a struggling writer, living a lonely and almost puritan life. When she discovers a handful of strangers at the nearby diner, she organizes a Christmas get together. The group tells scary stories and exchanges presents with each other under $5. The group of misfits plan to meet again the year after and forge an unlikely connection. It isn't long before we learn details about the group that make it much more than what it seems. Ro becomes a fairly well known horror writer and the story itself is a play on the author's real writing. I think this would be a great longer novel instead of a novella and recommend to anyone who likes a short creepy story. #LuckyGirl #MaryRickert
#MacmillanTor #Forge #Tordotcom
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