notlikethebeer's review against another edition
5.0
Not the typical Christmas read, but an incredibly important one. Dealing with issues from homelessness to domestic violence to asylum seekers, this is thought-provoking and crucial. Particularly poignant to read today, on such a dark day.
readsbyross's review against another edition
4.0
If I had to pick my favourites, it would be Juno's, Lisa Williamson's, Non's & Holly's of course! A wonderful collection of home-themed short stories! Definitely recommend:)
liz14's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
denaiir's review against another edition
2.0
So not the book I wanted for Christmas...
Those stories are about home, and some of them are beautiful, but so depressing!! I see people in the reviews mention that the collection is heartwarming, but it's definitely not. It's dark sometimes, it's depressing sometimes, and it has very little Christmas spirit. So if you are looking for stories set in winter, perfect. If you are looking for a cosy fluffy read for Christmas, look for something else.
Home and Away by Benjamin Zephaniah - no rating, I don't like poetry
I didn't even realize it was a poem at first, thought it was a song introducing the first story and skipped it
Ghost of Christmas Past by Non Pratt - 3/5
This one is about a boy who has moved out of his house and is trying to adjust to his new life. He reminded me a lot of my husband so I instantly loved him. It was a sweet story and the girl he meets was cute.
If Only in my Dreams by Marcus Sedgwick - 1/5
I found this extremely depressing, it made me feel claustrophobic and I have no idea what it is doing in this collection.
Family You Choose by Cat Clarke - 3/5 stars
An ok tale about a girl spending Christmas at a friend's place and being enchanted at how different people are. I enjoyed the characters but I probably won't remember it in a few months
The Associates by Kevin Brooks - 1/5 stars
Another one that was dull, the characters not interesting, and that I couldn't wait to finish
The Afterschool Club by Holly Bourne - 2/5 stars
Again, what the hell is this story doing in a Christmas book? It's about 2 very different teens who spend time together after school. Very uninteresting, the characters were unlikable too.
Homo for Christmas by Juno Dawson - 4/5 stars
I liked this story because the character really had his own voice and I loved the ending, made me shed a tear or two. It's about a boy who is coming back to his mum's on Christmas break and has to come out, super sweet.
Amir and George by Sita Brahmachari - 2.5/5 stars
A very good story about being a refugee and trying to make people understand how difficult it is. However, not Christmassy at all, too bad. I loved the main character, Amir, and his story was really sad. Made me want to donate to charity but not really a cosy read.
The Letter by Tracy Darnton - 1/5 stars
Boring, I had already forgotten about that one and had to start re-reading it. The main character is unlikable again and it is so depressing...
Claws by Tom Becker - 3/5 stars
Meh, it was a good story but again, why put something so depressing in a Christmas-themed book?? It's a horror story about children who figure out that a girl who died a century ago might not be completely gone. They really have to re-brand this book because I would probably have liked that story way more if it wasn't supposed to be A CHRISTMAS BOOK!
Christmas, Take Two by Katy Cannon - 3.5/5 stars
A good story about a girl who has to spend Christmas at her dad's new house with his new family. She feels unwelcome until she realizes that maybe she's the one who chose to stay on the sidelines. It felt way more Christmassy than the other ones. There was a little bit of romance which was cute if not riveting. Not super interesting but sweet.
When Daddy Comes Home by Melvin Burgess - 1/5 stars
I hated the writing style and it took me forever to understand what was going on, really didn't like that. It's a story about a guy who breaks in into a security office to right a wrong committed by a politician, with SF elements. Again, what the hell is this story doing in this book?
The Bluebird by Julie Mayhew - 1.5/5 stars
This is a story written like a fairy tale, very flowery style in a kind of magical realism way, but there was no point to the story and I really didn't like either the writing style or the plot (if any).
Routes and Wings by Lisa Williamson - 5/5 stars
Loved this one about a girl who is in dire need of help but feels quite ahsamed about it and doesn't know who to turn to. It was wintery if not very Christmassy, the character was complex and endearing, the writing style was pleasant and I loved the ending. Perfect finale, I'm glad I didn't give up and finished this book! It made me smile and shed a few tears.
Those stories are about home, and some of them are beautiful, but so depressing!! I see people in the reviews mention that the collection is heartwarming, but it's definitely not. It's dark sometimes, it's depressing sometimes, and it has very little Christmas spirit. So if you are looking for stories set in winter, perfect. If you are looking for a cosy fluffy read for Christmas, look for something else.
Home and Away by Benjamin Zephaniah - no rating, I don't like poetry
I didn't even realize it was a poem at first, thought it was a song introducing the first story and skipped it
Ghost of Christmas Past by Non Pratt - 3/5
This one is about a boy who has moved out of his house and is trying to adjust to his new life. He reminded me a lot of my husband so I instantly loved him. It was a sweet story and the girl he meets was cute.
If Only in my Dreams by Marcus Sedgwick - 1/5
I found this extremely depressing, it made me feel claustrophobic and I have no idea what it is doing in this collection.
Family You Choose by Cat Clarke - 3/5 stars
An ok tale about a girl spending Christmas at a friend's place and being enchanted at how different people are. I enjoyed the characters but I probably won't remember it in a few months
The Associates by Kevin Brooks - 1/5 stars
Another one that was dull, the characters not interesting, and that I couldn't wait to finish
The Afterschool Club by Holly Bourne - 2/5 stars
Again, what the hell is this story doing in a Christmas book? It's about 2 very different teens who spend time together after school. Very uninteresting, the characters were unlikable too.
Homo for Christmas by Juno Dawson - 4/5 stars
I liked this story because the character really had his own voice and I loved the ending, made me shed a tear or two. It's about a boy who is coming back to his mum's on Christmas break and has to come out, super sweet.
Amir and George by Sita Brahmachari - 2.5/5 stars
A very good story about being a refugee and trying to make people understand how difficult it is. However, not Christmassy at all, too bad. I loved the main character, Amir, and his story was really sad. Made me want to donate to charity but not really a cosy read.
The Letter by Tracy Darnton - 1/5 stars
Boring, I had already forgotten about that one and had to start re-reading it. The main character is unlikable again and it is so depressing...
Claws by Tom Becker - 3/5 stars
Meh, it was a good story but again, why put something so depressing in a Christmas-themed book?? It's a horror story about children who figure out that a girl who died a century ago might not be completely gone. They really have to re-brand this book because I would probably have liked that story way more if it wasn't supposed to be A CHRISTMAS BOOK!
Christmas, Take Two by Katy Cannon - 3.5/5 stars
A good story about a girl who has to spend Christmas at her dad's new house with his new family. She feels unwelcome until she realizes that maybe she's the one who chose to stay on the sidelines. It felt way more Christmassy than the other ones. There was a little bit of romance which was cute if not riveting. Not super interesting but sweet.
When Daddy Comes Home by Melvin Burgess - 1/5 stars
I hated the writing style and it took me forever to understand what was going on, really didn't like that. It's a story about a guy who breaks in into a security office to right a wrong committed by a politician, with SF elements. Again, what the hell is this story doing in this book?
The Bluebird by Julie Mayhew - 1.5/5 stars
This is a story written like a fairy tale, very flowery style in a kind of magical realism way, but there was no point to the story and I really didn't like either the writing style or the plot (if any).
Routes and Wings by Lisa Williamson - 5/5 stars
Loved this one about a girl who is in dire need of help but feels quite ahsamed about it and doesn't know who to turn to. It was wintery if not very Christmassy, the character was complex and endearing, the writing style was pleasant and I loved the ending. Perfect finale, I'm glad I didn't give up and finished this book! It made me smile and shed a few tears.
tinareynolds's review against another edition
3.0
Bleak. A mixed bag. I liked most of the stories although not all - a few duff ones. I wasn't expecting so many of the stories to be so depressing but most of them were very well written.
paperbackd's review against another edition
4.0
Fourteen British YA authors share their stories on the theme of home at Christmastime in this anthology to raise money for Crisis, the national homelessness charity.
On the whole, I’m not a fan of anthologies. I find that they’re usually a bit of a mixed bag of good, bad and unremarkable. There’s sometimes one or two gems that make the collection worth reading, but they’re peppered between stories that are a chore to get through. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that I genuinely enjoyed every story in I’ll Be Home for Christmas. Christmas might have been and gone, but only a few pages into this anthology, and I felt myself swept up in holiday nostalgia.
Non Pratt and Julie Mayhew’s stories were my standout favourites, and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from both authors. Cat Clarke, Juno Dawson and Katy Cannon’s stories were also well worth reading. Marcus Sedgwick’s piece - an eerie mystery set on a space station - and Tom Becker’s - a spine-tingling horror story - were the most memorable, but while both were gorgeously written and technically in keeping with the theme, the stark difference between these two stories and the contemporary pieces written by the rest of the authors made them feel a little out of place.
Nevertheless, I’ll Be Home for Christmas is probably the strongest collection of short stories I’ve ever read, and it’s introduced me to several UKYA authors whose works have found their way to the top of my to-read list. I’m definitely looking forward to Stripes’ upcoming anthology of BAME authors, A Change Is Gonna Come.
Publisher: Stripes
Rating: 4 stars | ★★★★✰
Review cross-posted to Paperback'd Reviews
On the whole, I’m not a fan of anthologies. I find that they’re usually a bit of a mixed bag of good, bad and unremarkable. There’s sometimes one or two gems that make the collection worth reading, but they’re peppered between stories that are a chore to get through. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that I genuinely enjoyed every story in I’ll Be Home for Christmas. Christmas might have been and gone, but only a few pages into this anthology, and I felt myself swept up in holiday nostalgia.
Non Pratt and Julie Mayhew’s stories were my standout favourites, and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from both authors. Cat Clarke, Juno Dawson and Katy Cannon’s stories were also well worth reading. Marcus Sedgwick’s piece - an eerie mystery set on a space station - and Tom Becker’s - a spine-tingling horror story - were the most memorable, but while both were gorgeously written and technically in keeping with the theme, the stark difference between these two stories and the contemporary pieces written by the rest of the authors made them feel a little out of place.
Nevertheless, I’ll Be Home for Christmas is probably the strongest collection of short stories I’ve ever read, and it’s introduced me to several UKYA authors whose works have found their way to the top of my to-read list. I’m definitely looking forward to Stripes’ upcoming anthology of BAME authors, A Change Is Gonna Come.
Publisher: Stripes
Rating: 4 stars | ★★★★✰
Review cross-posted to Paperback'd Reviews
soodleth's review against another edition
3.0
This book was enjoyable and had more of a variety of stories than I’d expected. I knew a few of the authors beforehand but others I’d only heard of.
There was quite a mixed bag and while there were some I enjoyed more than others I wouldn’t rate this book that highly. It was fine. Not bad and a nice festive read which is a bit darker than you’d expect at times, but probably not one is reread in its entirety again.
Tom Becker’s horror was amazing and I really enjoyed the dinner party story. The astronaut story was horrifying - I think for my sanity I shall avoid it. The refugee boy’s story was great and I enjoyed the one about the homeless girl who took the bus.
The book did make me stop and think about my own family and how we celebrate Christmas.
Note: I currently don’t have the book with me and can’t check titles or who wrote what so that’s why I’m so vague.
It was published in 2016 and £1 of each copy goes to Crisis.
There was quite a mixed bag and while there were some I enjoyed more than others I wouldn’t rate this book that highly. It was fine. Not bad and a nice festive read which is a bit darker than you’d expect at times, but probably not one is reread in its entirety again.
Tom Becker’s horror was amazing and I really enjoyed the dinner party story. The astronaut story was horrifying - I think for my sanity I shall avoid it. The refugee boy’s story was great and I enjoyed the one about the homeless girl who took the bus.
The book did make me stop and think about my own family and how we celebrate Christmas.
Note: I currently don’t have the book with me and can’t check titles or who wrote what so that’s why I’m so vague.
It was published in 2016 and £1 of each copy goes to Crisis.
amie_fox's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
readingsar's review against another edition
4.0
Some of the stories I liked more than others but some (e.g. Cat Clarke's) I absolutely LOVED and this was the perfect seasonal read 😊