Best Christmas Fantasy Books for Adults (2026): 4 Compared

The best christmas fantasy books for adults mix magic and holiday cheer: ghosts, faeries and cozy romance. We compared four Christmas fantasy books by story, pages, publisher and author, using only what each listing publishes.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	The Afterlife of Holly Chase	9.6/10	Buy
2	Midnight at the Christmas Shop	9.5/10	Buy
3	Whims of the Wicked	9.5/10	Buy
4	Little Spooky Coloring Book	9.4/10	Buy

1

The Afterlife of Holly Chase

Cynthia Hand·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A YA reimagining of A Christmas Carol.

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Pros

• 416 pages, longest here
• Reading age 13 years and up
• Reprint edition

Cons

• No warranty is stated
• YA, not adult fantasy
• 2018 publication

2

Midnight at the Christmas Shop

Jenny Colgan·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A cozy Christmas bookshop romance.

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Pros

• 320 pages
• Avon publisher
• 2023 publication

Cons

• No warranty is stated
• No quality standard is stated
• Romance, light fantasy

3

Whims of the Wicked

Rebecca Grey·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A fantasy romance advent calendar.

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Pros

• 24 chapters, advent calendar
• Fantasy romance
• 308 pages

Cons

• No warranty is stated
• No quality standard is stated
• Independently published

4

Little Spooky Coloring Book

Coco Wyo·9.4/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A spooky coloring book for adults and teens.

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Pros

• 40 hand-drawn pages
• Single-sided pages
• 8.5 x 8.5 in

Cons

• Not a novel
• No warranty is stated
• 88 pages, fewest pages here

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More picks to compare

• Zodiac Academy Xmas Special388 pages, 24 chapters, 2026Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 18 October 2026.

How we scored them

Each book gets a score from performance (story and depth), build (edition and print length), value (what the listing includes) and the standard checks. None of the four state a warranty. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best christmas fantasy books for adults

Story

The Afterlife of Holly Chase reimagines A Christmas Carol; Whims of the Wicked is a fantasy romance advent calendar; Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop is a cozy romance; Little Spooky is a coloring book.

Pages

The Afterlife of Holly Chase is 416 pages; Midnight is 320; Whims is 308; Little Spooky is 88. For more fantasy, browse fantasy books.

Publisher

HarperCollins, Avon and two independently published.

Before you buy

• The Afterlife of Holly Chase is listed for readers 13 years and up.
• Little Spooky is a coloring book, not a novel.
• The listings state no warranty for any of the four.
• Whims of the Wicked has 24 chapters for an advent calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is longest?

The Afterlife of Holly Chase: 416 pages.

Which are advent calendars?

Whims of the Wicked: 24 chapters.

Which is a coloring book?

Little Spooky.

Still deciding? Our top pickThe Afterlife of Holly Chase

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Related lists

See every fiction books list and all fantasy books lists.

More lists: browse best fantasy books for adults beginners.