Review: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by Stephanie Perkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Overall, I'm impressed. I usually don't like story collections by different authors because of the uneveness, but these stories were all romantic, magical stories about the holidays. Loved the diversity, gentle hints of romance, and overall wistfulness of the good things of winter. I could see some of these being used in class even.

Midnights by Rainbow Rowell. 5/5.
The perfect New Year's Eve story about two best friends and coming home for the holidays during college freshmen year. I'm so jealous of this kind of young love.

The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link. 1/5.
I just wanted this to be over. I almost stopped listening.

Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Pena. 4/5.
He's a darn good short story writer, too. Shy is a college sophomore in NYC who is catsitting for his boss and trying not to starve over the holidays. When the upstairs neighbor visits and says her shower is broken, it's fate, right? They are opposites and eventually drag out each other's lifestories. Shy is a sweetheart.

Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han. 5/5.
Short, short story about a Korean girl who is raised by Santa at the North Pole! Seriously adorable and Elf-ish. Did you know Santa loves Wham!?

It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins. 5/5.
Marigold is stalking the boy from the Xmas tree lot by her house because she wants his voice for the cartoon is she making. And, um, he's cute. She bargains for a tree, even when she can't afford it, and he graciously volunteers to deliver it to her apartment. And the loooove begins there! They are perfect for each other and make each other happy. Awwwww.

Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan. 4/5.
The not named main character will do just about anything for his new boyfriend, including dressing up as Santa and visiting his house late one night. The younger sister still believes, and the brother wants to keep Christmas magic in the house. Not as much romance in this story as there is family drama. There's a lot of innuendo going on--and I liked it.

Krampuslauf by Holly Black. 4/5.
Teenage girl meets a real magical creature (goat legs!) in November celebratin Krampuslauf, and invites him to her grandma's trailer for New Year's Eve. Let the magical fun begin! Good mix of magic/fairy creatures into the real world.

What the hell have you done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman. 5/5.
Once again, Forman nails my thought process. I swear her characters might be based on my brain. Sophie, a Jewish city girl, is a freshman at a hick college and she's having a difficult time fitting in, but the dark and handsome Russell helps make her feel welcome.

Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntire. 5/5.
Bad boy Vaughn is doing community service by helping with a church Xmas pageant that is being held at a Western bar. It's not being held in the church because Vaughn accidentally burnt it down! He's in love with the pastor's daughter (of course) and the two of them flirt and have fun. He's not as bad as his reputation and she's not as good as her's, so they are perfect together!

Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White. 5/5.
Who doesn't want a new diner cook that can make people happy by the food he cooks?

Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter. 3/5.
Pop star switches places with a Swedish girl named Hulda and learns to love a hick place in Oklahoma. This story has been told before, but it was still enjoyable.

The Girl Who Wore the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. 4/5.
A little bit of weirdness in this one that reminded me of selkies and an old Irish song about a woman who hastes to wed a sailor so she can send him off to sea to be alone.




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