Sparkling white snowdrifts, beautiful presents wrapped in ribbons, and multicolored lights glittering in the night through the falling snow. A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks. Thanks to three of today’s bestselling teen authors—John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle—the magic of the holidays shines on these hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and breathtaking kisses.
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This collection of novellas (the stories being linked with recurring characters) was getting a lot of attention around the Booktube (Youtube) community, so I figured I'd check it out for the holidays. Not understanding all the hype on this one. It's not terrible, but not stellar either. Plus, the stories did not strike me as especially Christmas-y, sure the plots happen around the holidays and there's a mention of a Christmas tree here and there, but that was about it for the most part.
Story #1 "The Jubilee Express" by Maureen Johnson. Nothing says "We found love in a hopeless place" like a Waffle House romance. My favorite of the three, as far as plot, but even this one had its flaws. The beginning felt like a rambling mess but thankfully it seemed to improve a bit as the story progressed. I ended up being charmed by Stuart.
There is nothing about a bad situation that fourteen hyper cheerleaders can't worsen.
~ "The Jubilee Express"
Story #2 "Cheertastic Christmas Miracle" by John Green. Lotta work just to get to some cheerleaders! I think this was my least favorite of the three. I'm a fan of John Green's Crash Course segments on Youtube... when he's just talking with his audience, I find his thoughts really funny and insightful. This though... eh, I haven't been really rocked by one of his novels yet. This is only the second sample of his writing I've gotten to so far, after TFIOS (which I liked but not loooved).... I found this one to be just pure drivel. He was clearly writing for a specific audience here. I found the humor pretty lame, dialogue trite. Just curious, does he ever write stories without the kid with cancer element?
Story #3: Patron Saint Of Pigs by Lauren Myracle. I was pleasantly surprised to find Brevard, NC (a town very close to where I live) mentioned in her dedication. The story itself wasn't too bad, it had its moments of cuteness, but the girl in the couple was pretty obnoxious and shallow. Even by the end, when she supposedly sees the error of her ways, she didn't win me over.
(show spoiler)
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