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My True Love Gave to Me features 12 short stories from familiar YA authors in genres ranging from contemporary to fantasy. I found many stories here to be hit or miss (a good deal of them don’t even happen at Christmas). While I definitely wouldn’t recommend every story here, there are a few gems that could put you in the mood for the holidays, no matter how you choose to celebrate. A few of my favorites were It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown; Welcome to Christmas, CA; and Star of Bethlehem.
Midnights, by Rainbow Rowell
A boy remembers the past four New Year’s Eves — from his sophomore year of high school to the present day — and what happened as the clock struck midnight. This year, after he left for college, everything from his hometown seemed to have changed. Will his annual New Year’s Eve party with old friends be any different, and if so, will he finally get that kiss?
Rated: Mild, for one use of moderate language and 3 uses of the name of Deity. A character arrives to the party drunk. Characters kiss.
The Lady and The Fox, by Kelly Link
With her mother in prison for life, Miranda’s gotten used to spending every Christmas at her godmother’s estate. Then one year, Miranda notices a man outside watching their elaborate party through the window. When she goes to investigate, she finds herself caught up in the mystery of the stranger’s identity. Why does he never come inside, and why does he only seems to make a yearly appearance on Christmas?
Rated: Moderate. Sexual content includes a few sexual references, inappropriate touching, and a joke about orgies. Characters kiss with tongue. An adult gives a child a joint, and several family members are recurringly drunk. There is one use of mild language.
Angels in the Snow, by Matt de la Peña
With no money for a flight home, a boy finds himself cat-sitting at his friend’s apartment in New York. Thick snow is falling outside, food is scarce, and with no one to spend Christmas with, he has little to look forward to this holiday season… Until he meets a girl in the same apartment complex who finds herself snowed in too.
Rated: Moderate, for 2 uses of strong profanity, 6 uses of moderate language, and 5 uses of mild language. Characters frequently drink, experience hangovers, and reference past drunk incidents. Sexual content includes kissing and partial undressing.
Polaris Is Where You’ll Find Me, by Jenny Han
Santa’s adopted daughter is having a mini prom with the elves at the North Pole, but being the only human girl present makes it hard to be in the celebrating mood. Christmas is coming, and the only thing she wants is the one thing she knows she can never have.
Rated: None.
It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown, by Stephanie Perkins
Though her family celebrates Hanukkah and money is scarce this year, a girl is determined to make the season special by surprising her mom with a last-minute Christmas tree. With the help of the boy from the tree lot, she should have just enough time to make their cramped apartment feel like a home.
Rated: Mild, for 3 uses of moderate language, 7 uses of mild language, and 3 uses of the name of Deity. Someone jokingly asks if a character was a wiccan for celebrating solstice rather than Christmas.
Your Temporary Santa, by David Levithan
A boy dresses up as Santa to keep the magic alive for his boyfriend’s little sister.
Rated: Moderate, for 3 uses of strong profanity, 2 uses of moderate language, and 2 uses of mild language. Two boys lie in bed together and kiss. A joke is made about sexual favors.
Krampuslauf, by Holly Black
When a girl crosses paths with the Krampus — the anthropomorphic half-man, half-goat from Austrian legend — she unthinkingly invites him to a party she’s planning, wondering all the while if she’s made a dangerous mistake.
Rated: Moderate. There are 4 uses of moderate language, 3 uses of mild language, and at least 1 use of the name of Deity. Characters attend a celebration for the demon Krampus. Characters sneak in booze to the party’s secret location, resulting in underage drinking and many drunk characters, including the main character. There is also talk early on about bringing drugs to the party. Sexual content includes a character cheating on their girlfriend and friends making out and later seen leaving the bedroom in their underwear.
What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth?, by Gayle Forman
Two characters far from home and alone during the holidays end up finding themselves while also finding each other.
Rated: Moderate, for one variation of strong profanity, 4 uses of moderate language, 9 uses of mild language, and 3 uses of the name of Deity. A joke is made about mating rituals and orgies. Characters kiss.
Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus, by Myra McEntire
Vaughn has been roped into helping with a local church’s Christmas pageant as part of his community service. Amid holiday mayhem and production disasters, there’s Gracie — the pastor’s reserved daughter. Even though they seem like opposites, Gracie seems to see the good in him, and it’s her faith in him that makes him wish for a fresh start.
Rated: Mild, for six uses of mild language and one use of moderate language.
Welcome to Christmas, CA, by Kiersten White
A girl trapped in a small town begrudgingly works at her mom’s Christmas-themed diner. Christmas is just another day to her — especially where she lives in her tiny, just-a-roadside-attraction town that celebrates Christmas 365 days a year — but when a new cook joins the staff, she learns to see Christmas (and the people around her) in a new light.
Rated: Moderate, for one variation on strong language. A character gives the middle finger. A woman finds out she’s pregnant with her abusive boyfriend’s baby.
Star of Bethlehem, by Ally Carter
A pop star longing for a normal Christmas makes a spur-of-the-moment switch with a complete stranger at the airport. Soon, she finds herself in the country, with a family she can only wish truly was her own.
Rated: None.
The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer, by Laini Taylor
For single ladies on an island that’s almost impossible to leave, December 1 through December 24 is courting time. Suitors leave gifts on the porches of their intended brides. After the last day, the island hosts a ball where girls find out the identity of their betrothed and seal the marriage with a dance. But what if you don’t want to marry? And what if your suitor is a dangerous man who won’t take no for an answer?
Rated: Moderate, for darker themes. A cruel man seeks a wife to fill the role of his servant. He is threatening and stalkerish, and the main character constantly lives with a sense of fear and abuse. One scene between two characters feels sensual without giving any real descriptions.
Overall Rating: Moderate
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