Denise

This is the first collection of short stories (at least that I can remember) that I've read. All of these stories are holiday stories, so they will get you into the holiday season that is soon approaching (boy has this year gone by fast). While these are basically all YA stories, they are all quite different as some have a touch of the supernatural and others will make you feel all warm and fuzzy. Some of these stories just were not my cup of tea but there were some that I loved and didn't want to end. My favorite story in this book was Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Peña. Overall my rating for the book is 3.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the galley. My reviews of each of the stories are after the break:

Midnights by Rainbow Rowell

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review:

This is the perfect story to read if you want a nice sweet and fluffy read about love, friendship, and New Years. While I liked Mags I spent the story wishing she'd have more self confidence. I loved Noel's humor and it was what made this story really shine for me. This was a good length for the topic that it covered. If it had been longer I think it might have dragged on a bit.

The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link

Rating: 3 stars

Review:

This was really confusing when I first started it. It felt like I had jumped in the middle of a book. The more that I read, the clearer the story became. I liked following Miranda but was really unclear on why her mother ended up where she did. Once Fenny was introduced in to the story I started to become more interested in the story. There is definitely some sort of supernatural angle to this story and at times I liked it but towards the end it was a bit odd. I really enjoyed the relationship between Miranda and Fenny and that is what really kept me in this story.

Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Peña

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

When I first started this story I didn't think that I was going to like it. The more I read about Shy and his backstory the more I started to love this story. Shy has some hardship in his past and is still dealing with some issues. He meets Haley when he gets snowed-in and they surprisingly hit it off. I loved the dynamic between Shy and Haley and loved how they grew into a friendship that had potential to be more. I could seriously see this being a full length book with all of Shy's backstory. I really wanted this to be longer, but that is probably because I liked it so much.

Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han

Rating: 2 stars

Review:

I feel like this story might have been too short. It took me a little while to get into this, mostly because it felt like I was dropped in the middle of a story, and once I was interested the story was over. Natalie was a bit too naive for me. I didn't like how the elves treated her and pitied her for being human. I can't help but think that this does remind me of a certain Christmas movie that I love.

It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review:

This started off a bit awkward and Marigold just seemed really creepy at first. Once I got over the initial creepiness, I really warmed up to the story. Even though both Marigold and North had their own issues this could be pretty sweet and fluffy at times. I loved the banter between North and Marigold.

Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan

Rating: 3 stars

Review:

I really loved the humor in this story. I was constantly laughing while reading this. I was a bit confused by how series it got towards the end because it was so different from the tone of the rest of the story and it felt like it came out of nowhere. Maybe the author wanted to pack more emotion or grit into the story but to me humor was fine for a story of that length.

Krampuslauf by Holly Black

Rating: 2.5 stars

Review:

I don't quite know what to make of this story. It started off where everything was relatively normal and then supernatural elements were introduced and everything went wild. The story just didn't click with me. I'm not sure if it is the length I didn't like, the supernatural stuff, or the characters. The most I can really say is that the story was just odd.

What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review:

Once again, a sweet and fluffy story and I really liked it. I loved the humor in the story, especially the banter between Sophie and Russell. I liked that even though the story could be light at times, that both Sophie and Russell had depth to them. They both have their issues and are going through things but for each of them spending time with the other helps them put things into perspective. I enjoyed this story and wouldn't have minded for it to have been longer.

Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntire

Rating: 3 stars

Review:

At first I felt that the author was trying too hard to make this humorous but then the more that I read it the funnier things became. I really enjoyed that both Vaughn and Gracie have more to them then just how they are perceived by others. I enjoyed how Vaughn, after seemingly ruining everything, ends up make up for it and saving the day.

Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kierstan White

Rating: 4stars

Review:

This story made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Maria can't stand living in Christmas, CA. She is saving her money so she can leave. Once Ben comes to town to work at the diner Maria's mother runs, everything starts to get a little better (even if Maria doesn't want to admit it). Maria could be a bit cranky at times but you could understand why she would be cranky. Ben really stirred things up not only for her but also for the rest of town. I loved how everyone started to change and where they all ended up at the end. If you want warm and fuzzy, this is the story for you.

Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter

Rating: 3 stars

Review:

I started this off being really annoyed with Hulda but once the story really concentrated on Lydia I really started to get into the story. You don't find out what Lydia is running from until the end of the story. I really liked how Ethan's family embraced Lydia and tried to make her feel as though she was a part of the family. The ending was really cute and a perfect ending to a nice fluffy story.

The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review:

The thing about this story is that the holiday theme doesn't overpower the story. This one really concentrated on the supernatural elements. I found the world building in this story was done surprisingly well for a short story and would have loved to see what Laini Taylor could have made of this world if this would have been a full length book. Neve was a compelling character for me and I just loved reading about her and the Dreamer.