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

My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by Stephanie Perkins, Holly Black, Ally Carter, Matt de la Pena, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor, and Kiersten White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Pub. Date: October 14th 2014 
Pages: 320

Short Sweet Synopsis: Twelve holiday love stories by twelve spectacular young adult authors.

My True Love Gave to Me is filled with enchanting holiday stories that I couldn't put down. It is a mix of genres, so if you aren't a fan of fantasy or paranormal then you probably will not like all the stories; same goes if you don't like realistic fiction. Luckily for me I'm an eclectic reader and My True Love Gave to Me featured many of my favorite authors. As the title indicates, these are all love stories; if you aren't looking for cozy holiday romance stories then this is not the book for you. Not all of the stories are light, some of them are pretty dark featuring some big issues, but all of the stories leave you with that warm holiday feeling. Yes, that sounds like complete Cheez Whiz, but it is the best way I know how to describe how I felt after reading My True Love Gave to Me.

I started My True Love Gave to Me because I wanted more Rainbow Rowell, she is my new favorite author, and kept reading because each story hooked me immediately. That is what blew me away most about this collection, I have a hard time picking a favorite story. Instead of there being only a few standout stories, every mini world felt special. I fell in love with all of them and was sad to move on so soon.

My True Love Gave to Me is a must listen for audiobook fans as it is performed by some of my favorite narrators. The audiobook had a particularly special meaning for me because reading holiday stories out loud used to be a family tradition. 

My True Love Gave to Me was one of my favorite books I read in 2014. I was going to post a different review today, but I wanted to make sure I shared this book that is so special to me. I loved this book so much that I purchased it for my permanent collection. I can't wait to read My True Love Game to Me again next year!

Review: "Every Day" by David Levithan

Every Day by David Levithan
Pub. Date: August 28th 2012
Pages: 336
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Short and Sweet Synopsis:  The story of a 16 who wakes up in a different body of a random 16 year old everyday.

I just finished "Every Day" and LOVED IT! I'm sure there are other people at my library who can attest to the fact I hunted them down and went a little fan girl trying to express their need to read the book immediately. While "Every Day" didn't take me long to read, I found myself thinking about some of the situations that the main character was put in.

"Every Day" is hard to describe, but I think realistic fantasy sums it up. While it has fantastical elements, the main character waking up in a new body every morning, the story still deals with real issues. It felt like the characters were regular people in our world dealing with both normal and paranormal issues.

"Every Day" has a unique plot and great characters that will keep readers of all ages up all night frantically reading to find out what will happen next!

Review of "Will Grayson, Will Grayson"

"Will Grayson, Will Grayson"
John Green & David Levithan


5

Pub. Date: April 6, 2010
Pages: 304

Synopsis: One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical. Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them legions of faithful fans.

I have read a couple other books by John Green, so I knew "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" would be a winner. I have to say, the book was better than I imagined, and it ended up being one of my favorite books I read in 2011. I loved the idea of two complete strangers randomly coming across each other on a failed night out. Both Will Graysons need each other, even if they don't know it. I loved how different each Will Grayson was; they each had unique voices due to having two authors with unique writing styles. If the Will Graysons weren't enough, flamboyant Tiny will capture your heart. Even though the book is about both Will Graysons, Tiny steals the show. At times he may seem like a pretty frustrating friend, everything he does is meant with the best intentions for Will Grayson.

"Will Grayson, Will Grayson" is hilarious, heart-warming, and heart breaking all at the same time. I love how this book can balance the ridiculous of Tiny's life story told through a musical with the difficult story of growing up gay and an honest look at the ups and downs of true friendship. This book may not be for all readers, due to its intimate look at gay relationships, this may make some readers uncomfortable. It also does contain mature language and there is a scene in a porn store, but this does not mean the book is crude or filth; it is honest without being ashamed to show its true colors.

My favorite part of the entire book is the end. It is kind of ridiculous, kind of cheesy, but also wonderfully, fantastically heartwarming. If some people were to read only parts of this book and sneer at it due to some content, they would miss the amazing story behind it all. After reading "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" I will have to read more by both David Levithan and John Green. The only other book I have read by Levithan is "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist", which was awesome as well!

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