A review by clem_mathieu
Snow in Love by Aimee Friedman, Nic Stone, Melissa de la Cruz
3.0
This, like a few other YA Christmas anthologies was pretty enjoyable and cute.
Snow and Mistletoe by Kasie West --> 4,5 stars
This is the kind of stories where you know the end almost from the beginning but that you enjoy anyway. I loved how we got to see another side of the main character and the love interest. The road trip and friendship aspects were spot on too. The ending was a bit rushed but I was smiling the entire time I was reading this story.
Working in a Winter Wonderland by Aimee Friedman --> 2,5 stars
This one is tricky because there were so much left unsaid or only mentioned once which doesn't work for me in a short story. If you don't have enough space to explain something, just don't mention it. I thought the romance was cute but rushed and it came out of absolutely nowhere. The main character was cynical and naive and there was one character I absolutely hated. This character was mean, entitled and there wasn't a single scene of his I enjoyed. I felt a bit like the author tried to cramp a lot of stereotypes into a short story and it didn't impress me.
The Magi's Gift by Melissa de la Cruz --> 2 stars
First, the thing I loved the most in this story was the two main characters' relationship. There were cute and dedicated and communicated well with each other. However, I hated the girl's friends and felt like the guy got the worst end of the stick at the end of the story. Again, I felt like this story based itself a lot on a lot of stereotypes without challenging them and the girl's motivations seemed very shallow.
Grounded by Nic Stone --> 4 stars
This story was very different from any short story I've read before. Not because the two main characters are black, not because it's a f/f relationship and not even because there are text messages in the story. It was different because it dealt with the subject of coming out without revolving around it. The main plot centers around a scavenger hunt between two old friends. It explored the topics of race, wealth and sexuality without being heavy. It was super cute and I felt like I was in that airport too.
Snow and Mistletoe by Kasie West --> 4,5 stars
This is the kind of stories where you know the end almost from the beginning but that you enjoy anyway. I loved how we got to see another side of the main character and the love interest. The road trip and friendship aspects were spot on too. The ending was a bit rushed but I was smiling the entire time I was reading this story.
Working in a Winter Wonderland by Aimee Friedman --> 2,5 stars
This one is tricky because there were so much left unsaid or only mentioned once which doesn't work for me in a short story. If you don't have enough space to explain something, just don't mention it. I thought the romance was cute but rushed and it came out of absolutely nowhere. The main character was cynical and naive and there was one character I absolutely hated. This character was mean, entitled and there wasn't a single scene of his I enjoyed. I felt a bit like the author tried to cramp a lot of stereotypes into a short story and it didn't impress me.
The Magi's Gift by Melissa de la Cruz --> 2 stars
First, the thing I loved the most in this story was the two main characters' relationship. There were cute and dedicated and communicated well with each other. However, I hated the girl's friends and felt like the guy got the worst end of the stick at the end of the story. Again, I felt like this story based itself a lot on a lot of stereotypes without challenging them and the girl's motivations seemed very shallow.
Grounded by Nic Stone --> 4 stars
This story was very different from any short story I've read before. Not because the two main characters are black, not because it's a f/f relationship and not even because there are text messages in the story. It was different because it dealt with the subject of coming out without revolving around it. The main plot centers around a scavenger hunt between two old friends. It explored the topics of race, wealth and sexuality without being heavy. It was super cute and I felt like I was in that airport too.