Title: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday StoriesAuthor: A Bunch of Various Authors
Genre: Christmas / Romance
Publisher: MacMillan's Children
Published: October 9th 2014
Page Number: 359
Rating: 3.75/5
Summary:
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ...This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays.
Review:
Midnights by Rainbow Rowell - 5/5
I absolutely loved this short story by Rainbow Rowell which follows a girl called Mags over the period of 3 New Years parties. Each year is different and the ending is super cute. Rainbow Rowell really captured my attention and wrote great, flawed characters.
“You’re a kaleidoscope. You change every time I look away.”
The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link - 1/5
I just did not like this short story at all. The beginning was a little all over the place and the writing didn't do anything for me. Maybe having Rainbow Rowell start the collection was a really bad idea.
Angels in the Snow by Matt De La Pena - 5/5
I absolutely adored this short story. It was great with it following a guy named Shy because men do have slightly different thoughts to women. I also loved how it wasn't exactly a happy-ish ending. It was a mutual ending that fitted the story very well.
“The feeling it gave me was an odd combination of weightless self-pity and excitement. I understood my life was meaningless, and this knowledge freed me up to accomplish absolutely anything.”
Polaris is where you'll find me by Jenny Han - 4/5
I was so surprised that I enjoyed this short story because it was about Elves. I don't have anything against Elves, but I didn't think it'd work, but it definitely did. The characters were great and very life like. The only negatives were the fact that Flynn could touch Natalie's cheek when she was standing up. Can Elves even reach that far? and the ending was so abrupt. But it was still super cute!
"When I think back on it, I realize it was the first time I ever got to introduce myself. I'd known everyone at the North Pole since I was a baby, and they all called me Natty, because that was what Santa called me. It was my first time being Natalie."
It's a Yuletide miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins - 4/5
I really did love this short story. Stephanie can create some of the best characters ever and she did with Marigold and North. I loved how witty and awkward and fresh they were. It was a little weird with the situation, but all I could while I read it was smile.
"Until tomorrow, Marigold Moon." And he kissed her one last time.
Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan - 0/5
I decided not to read this short story because the past two books I've read by David Levithan I've hated. Detested. That's not to say that you guys wouldn't like the story because it does sound interesting and it is about a gay couple.
Krampuslauf by Holly Black - 0/5
This short story by Holly Black didn't appeal to me at all. I wish it did, because I'm sure Holly Black has a great writing style, but when I think of Holly Black writing a book I think of Faeries and Vampires, not two humans falling in love.
What The Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth by Gayle Forman - 3.5/5
I really enjoyed this cute story. It was warm, fuzzy and super cute. I love Gayle Forman's writing and the characters Sophie and Russell were perfect together. I got butterflies in my stomach. I did take over an hour to read this because I haven't read anything is about 2 weeks.
Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McIntire - 4/5
AHHH! I loved this short story so much. I was expecting it to be a 2 or 3 star rating, but I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the story. Prankster and the priest's daughter as a pair? You'd never see it, but it was all about forgiving and family and it was the perfect read.
Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White - 3/5
I very much liked this story, but it was also a little generic and predictable. The girl felt like she "lost" her mother when she met Rick, but it turns out that they wanted better for her. I've read it over and over again, but I still enjoyed it.
“But people don't need to remember how it felt to be happy and safe in the past. They need to have hope that they can get there again in the future.”
Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter - 4/5
I really really enjoyed this short story. I've heard a lot of mixed feelings about Ally's writing style, but I liked it. The characters were great, the writing was great and the whole premise was great. It was just a cute, quick read.
“I sang because that is what I do when I am happy and when I'm sad. I sang because it is who I am when I am being the best possible version of me.”
The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor - 3/5
This story was definitely a little different, but the writing was so unique, beautiful. I enjoyed the characters a lot and it ended up as a well done Christmas Day read (It's near 1am here on the 25th).
“She wanted to be free, and if she could never be free, at least she wanted to be brave - brave enough not to sell herself, no matter what the payment, or the cost of refusing.”
I just did not like this short story at all. The beginning was a little all over the place and the writing didn't do anything for me. Maybe having Rainbow Rowell start the collection was a really bad idea.
Angels in the Snow by Matt De La Pena - 5/5
I absolutely adored this short story. It was great with it following a guy named Shy because men do have slightly different thoughts to women. I also loved how it wasn't exactly a happy-ish ending. It was a mutual ending that fitted the story very well.
“The feeling it gave me was an odd combination of weightless self-pity and excitement. I understood my life was meaningless, and this knowledge freed me up to accomplish absolutely anything.”
Polaris is where you'll find me by Jenny Han - 4/5
I was so surprised that I enjoyed this short story because it was about Elves. I don't have anything against Elves, but I didn't think it'd work, but it definitely did. The characters were great and very life like. The only negatives were the fact that Flynn could touch Natalie's cheek when she was standing up. Can Elves even reach that far? and the ending was so abrupt. But it was still super cute!
"When I think back on it, I realize it was the first time I ever got to introduce myself. I'd known everyone at the North Pole since I was a baby, and they all called me Natty, because that was what Santa called me. It was my first time being Natalie."
It's a Yuletide miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins - 4/5
I really did love this short story. Stephanie can create some of the best characters ever and she did with Marigold and North. I loved how witty and awkward and fresh they were. It was a little weird with the situation, but all I could while I read it was smile.
"Until tomorrow, Marigold Moon." And he kissed her one last time.
Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan - 0/5
I decided not to read this short story because the past two books I've read by David Levithan I've hated. Detested. That's not to say that you guys wouldn't like the story because it does sound interesting and it is about a gay couple.
Krampuslauf by Holly Black - 0/5
This short story by Holly Black didn't appeal to me at all. I wish it did, because I'm sure Holly Black has a great writing style, but when I think of Holly Black writing a book I think of Faeries and Vampires, not two humans falling in love.
What The Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth by Gayle Forman - 3.5/5
I really enjoyed this cute story. It was warm, fuzzy and super cute. I love Gayle Forman's writing and the characters Sophie and Russell were perfect together. I got butterflies in my stomach. I did take over an hour to read this because I haven't read anything is about 2 weeks.
Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McIntire - 4/5
AHHH! I loved this short story so much. I was expecting it to be a 2 or 3 star rating, but I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the story. Prankster and the priest's daughter as a pair? You'd never see it, but it was all about forgiving and family and it was the perfect read.
Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White - 3/5
I very much liked this story, but it was also a little generic and predictable. The girl felt like she "lost" her mother when she met Rick, but it turns out that they wanted better for her. I've read it over and over again, but I still enjoyed it.
“But people don't need to remember how it felt to be happy and safe in the past. They need to have hope that they can get there again in the future.”
Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter - 4/5
I really really enjoyed this short story. I've heard a lot of mixed feelings about Ally's writing style, but I liked it. The characters were great, the writing was great and the whole premise was great. It was just a cute, quick read.
“I sang because that is what I do when I am happy and when I'm sad. I sang because it is who I am when I am being the best possible version of me.”
The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor - 3/5
This story was definitely a little different, but the writing was so unique, beautiful. I enjoyed the characters a lot and it ended up as a well done Christmas Day read (It's near 1am here on the 25th).
“She wanted to be free, and if she could never be free, at least she wanted to be brave - brave enough not to sell herself, no matter what the payment, or the cost of refusing.”
If you could pick any of your favourite authors to appear in a book like this, who would you choose and why? (pick no more than eight)
Ps, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
