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Tale of The Winter Lands

By

Must read 🏆

To believe in the magic and goodness of the heart, you only need faith. A must-read for those who still have a child inside them.

I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. My views are not influenced or have any bias for the writer or publisher.


Don't be mislead by the title. I picked up the book thinking that it must a collection of short stories about winter and its many wonders. The book however was nothing like I imagined it to be. It not only speaks of winter and its wonders, but also shares some important lessons about the essence of human goodness.


Many of us in our innocent days of childhood must have written earnest letters to Santa Claus requesting him to bring a special gift. With the passage of time, life starts to erode the dreams and innocence that childhood holds. We become engrossed in the daily affairs and only look forward to excelling in the rat race. This book very subtly yet powerfully emphasizes that there is an innate goodness within each of us if only we would believe in it.


Plot: Victoria is a 26 year old living in New York. She still believes in the goodness of heart and Santa Claus. She even writes letter to him though she never posts them and keeps them hidden fearing being ridiculed by friends and family. Things get interesting when after an enigmatic encounter with Flash on Columbus Day at the ice skating rink she gets invited to her cousin's wedding in Italy. Everything seems to be going smooth and according planned. But things take an unexpected turn when Victoria finds herself in the middle nowhere instead of Europe. She meets special people in Winter Wonder Land and visits new places. The land tests her belief in mankind, yet at the same time rekindles hope in the goodness of human heart.


Little did she expect that she would be entrusted with a task that will test her personality and her spirit. To complete her task she has to prove that the spirit of Christmas which is love and giving is very much alive inside people. The responsibility handed down to her puts her into a fix as she cannot disclose the task to family and friends. The journey to find a man who disappeared twenty years ago leads Victoria to engage in things which she otherwise would have second thoughts in doing. She finds her spirit rise and discovers her true self. At the same time she rekindles past relationships which she thought were dead.


This is a story of love, emotions, family bonding, of giving and receiving, and most of all the true spirit of Christmas.


A beautiful read and highly recommended for anyone who wishes to ride into a magic land where there are people who are pure in heart, where the goodness inside is appreciated and cherished. I felt sad when the book was finished since the crisp writing style and the development of the plot is such that it leaves you wanting to read more. Never a dull moment, but do keep tissues handy if you are soft hearted since many scenes would tug at the strings of your heart. A marvelous read indeed.


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I am open to trying new things. Being a librarian reading keeps me alive and helps me live new lives each time I read.

Things Can Change in a Flash

About the author

JD Bass is a self-published author; Silver Medal winner 2021 International Book Awards Readers' Favorite with her first published book, Tale of The Winter Lands. The author's upbringing in Europe, with delightful Christmas traditions, inspired her to write about kindness, Christmas and its magic. view profile

Published on December 19, 2019

Published by

60000 words

Worked with a Reedsy professional 🏆

Genre: Fantasy

Reviewed by