Published
by Macmillan Children's Books (2014)
Hardback (UK version)
355 pages
Pre-order your own
Amazon
Book Depository
Ratings
Content: ★★★★
Cover: ★★★★★ (I love both the UK and US covers—that never happens!)
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.
by Macmillan Children's Books (2014)
Hardback (UK version)
355 pages
Pre-order your own
Amazon
Book Depository
Ratings
Content: ★★★★
Cover: ★★★★★ (I love both the UK and US covers—that never happens!)
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.
I don't have much experience reading short stories, but this collection seemed like a great buy. I especially like that it is exposed me to authors I have never read—or even heard of!—before, as well as the 200 or so pages written by many of my favorite authors.
Although I have considered it before, I have never really read anything that correlated with what was happening in my real life—at least not purposely. I was equal parts excited and worried to read Christmas themed stories. I quite enjoyed the variety, but I cared more about the writing and how each story was written.
Here is a little blurb on what I think of each story.
Midnights by Rainbow Rowell: 4/5
Quite a nice start to the collection. Loads of cuteness! It made me want to read all RR books I have yet to read.
The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link: 2/5
I have no idea what this story is about. I have never read anything by Kelly Link, but I did some research about her writing. Apparently she writes Magical Realism, which is evident from what I read, but it did not work in such a short story. She failed to explain how the magical aspect worked. I liked her writing, but the explanation I kept expecting never came.
Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Peña: 4/5
Some people have said it was a bit slow, but I disagree! Very enjoyable, and I can't wait to read something else by him soon.
Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han: 5/5
This was lovely! Perhaps the best by Jenny Han I have ever read. After To All The Boys I've Loved Before, which I really disliked, I didn't think I would be reading anything by her anytime soon, but this made me want to give her another opportunity! I am excited to read Burn for Burn. It wasn't the most original, but <3.
It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins: 5+/5
This story gets all the stars and then some. It is amazing, fantastic, and it makes you want to scream HOLLY F**KING S**T, because how can it just end like that. I need more! Please give me more!
Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan: 3/5
I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I felt no connection to the characters, nor between the two main characters.
Krampuslauf by Holly Black: 3/5
I honestly don't know how I feel about this short story. Although the magic didn't come out of nowhere, it wasn't really explained and didn't totally work with the story. I haven't read anything else by Holly Black, but it sounds from the reviews like this is not her best work.
What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman: 4/5
This was really great! I liked the characters and the story a lot. I haven't read anything by Gayle Forman in what seems like forever, and this made me miss her writing.
Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus Myra McEntire: 2/5
There is nothing wrong with this story, per se, but I just don't think it is for me. It is not something I would have been interested in if it were not in this collection.
Welcome to Christmas, CA Kiersten White: 5/5
I loved this! I've never even heard of Kiersten White before—that is a lie, I just did not know she wrote Mind Games —but I am so looking forward to reading more of her work! I loved the family aspect, and the magical realism. I wish some things had been explained better, but I guess you don't get answers to everything with shot stories.
Star of Bethlehem Ally Carter: 4/5
I think I cried reading this. Or maybe it was "Welcome to Christmas, CA" that made me cry. Regardless, no matter how cheesy it may have been, I truly liked this. I saw the twist coming, but was still a bit surprised by how everything went down.
The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer Laini Taylor: 4/5
I need to read this again when I have more time and can read more carefully. I feel like I missed a lot by feeling the rush to finish the novel already (my flight leaves in a couple hours...). I enjoyed it. I liked the main character, I liked the world building and t was very interesting, but the connection between the two MC could have been so much stronger. I think this short story would have worked so much better as a novel where Laini Taylor could have gone into more detail and built the relationship with more time and space.
I averaged the reviews and got 3.4, but I liked the 5-star ones enough to upgrade it to 4-stars. For my first encounter with a short story collection, I really enjoyed My True Love Gave to Me, though I do think I am more of a full-novel kind of girl. I cannot wait to read more by old and new favorite authors!
Which story did you like the most?
Although I have considered it before, I have never really read anything that correlated with what was happening in my real life—at least not purposely. I was equal parts excited and worried to read Christmas themed stories. I quite enjoyed the variety, but I cared more about the writing and how each story was written.
Here is a little blurb on what I think of each story.
Midnights by Rainbow Rowell: 4/5
Quite a nice start to the collection. Loads of cuteness! It made me want to read all RR books I have yet to read.
The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link: 2/5
I have no idea what this story is about. I have never read anything by Kelly Link, but I did some research about her writing. Apparently she writes Magical Realism, which is evident from what I read, but it did not work in such a short story. She failed to explain how the magical aspect worked. I liked her writing, but the explanation I kept expecting never came.
Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Peña: 4/5
Some people have said it was a bit slow, but I disagree! Very enjoyable, and I can't wait to read something else by him soon.
Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han: 5/5
This was lovely! Perhaps the best by Jenny Han I have ever read. After To All The Boys I've Loved Before, which I really disliked, I didn't think I would be reading anything by her anytime soon, but this made me want to give her another opportunity! I am excited to read Burn for Burn. It wasn't the most original, but <3.
It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins: 5+/5
This story gets all the stars and then some. It is amazing, fantastic, and it makes you want to scream HOLLY F**KING S**T, because how can it just end like that. I need more! Please give me more!
Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan: 3/5
I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I felt no connection to the characters, nor between the two main characters.
Krampuslauf by Holly Black: 3/5
I honestly don't know how I feel about this short story. Although the magic didn't come out of nowhere, it wasn't really explained and didn't totally work with the story. I haven't read anything else by Holly Black, but it sounds from the reviews like this is not her best work.
What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman: 4/5
This was really great! I liked the characters and the story a lot. I haven't read anything by Gayle Forman in what seems like forever, and this made me miss her writing.
Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus Myra McEntire: 2/5
There is nothing wrong with this story, per se, but I just don't think it is for me. It is not something I would have been interested in if it were not in this collection.
Welcome to Christmas, CA Kiersten White: 5/5
I loved this! I've never even heard of Kiersten White before—that is a lie, I just did not know she wrote Mind Games —but I am so looking forward to reading more of her work! I loved the family aspect, and the magical realism. I wish some things had been explained better, but I guess you don't get answers to everything with shot stories.
Star of Bethlehem Ally Carter: 4/5
I think I cried reading this. Or maybe it was "Welcome to Christmas, CA" that made me cry. Regardless, no matter how cheesy it may have been, I truly liked this. I saw the twist coming, but was still a bit surprised by how everything went down.
The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer Laini Taylor: 4/5
I need to read this again when I have more time and can read more carefully. I feel like I missed a lot by feeling the rush to finish the novel already (my flight leaves in a couple hours...). I enjoyed it. I liked the main character, I liked the world building and t was very interesting, but the connection between the two MC could have been so much stronger. I think this short story would have worked so much better as a novel where Laini Taylor could have gone into more detail and built the relationship with more time and space.
I averaged the reviews and got 3.4, but I liked the 5-star ones enough to upgrade it to 4-stars. For my first encounter with a short story collection, I really enjoyed My True Love Gave to Me, though I do think I am more of a full-novel kind of girl. I cannot wait to read more by old and new favorite authors!
Which story did you like the most?