Stephanie S. (skywriter319) -
Three famous and accomplished YA writers write three slightly interconnecting Christmas romance novellas that make for a feel-good read in the month of December, curled up next to the fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate beside you, marshmallows melting on the top.
Maureen Johnsons story, The Jubilee Express, was my favorite of the three. In the story, the unfortunately named Jubilees plans to spend Christmas with her overachieving boyfriend get tossed aside for a blizzard-stranded train and a sweet guy she meets in the town shes stranded in. Jubilees voice is that perfect level of wryness that makes for scads of laughter while also moving the plot right along. Its incredible how much character development occurs within a hundred or so pages, but Noahs jerky personality and Stuarts genuine nice-guy charm gradually reveal themselves to provide a thoroughly satisfying conclusion.
Too often YA romances are predictable: you know who the MC is going to end up with practically the first time the love interest appears in the story. Me, I like romances that surprise me, which the one in John Greens A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle managed to do, much to my delight. I was a little underwhelmed by the gag-humor anticsthe sliding car, the bully chase, etc.and instead focused my attention on how wonderfully subtly Tobins own little Christmas miracle develops. Its treat enough to make tolerable the wade through the occasionally ridiculous scenarios that Tobin and his friends have to wade through in order to deliver Twister to the cheerleaders in the middle of a snowstorm.
I was least in like with the final story, The Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle. As mentioned before, the stories in LET IT SNOW are slightly interconnected, and so the glimpses I got of the two main characters prior to reading this story just didnt gel with the way they were presented in Pigs. Addie is definitely self-involved (and could her friends tell her that more often?), and so at times I found myself questioning why a guy as apparently wonderful as Jeb couldve fallen for her, as well as wanting to smack her. However, she also undergoes growth in the storyalbeit in a sudden revelation from the heavens kind of mannerso alls well that ends well, I suppose.
Overall, LET IT SNOW is a wonderful addition to the avid YA readers already bursting book collection. You really cant go wrong with any of these authors, especially when they write a light-hearted holiday read.
Maureen Johnsons story, The Jubilee Express, was my favorite of the three. In the story, the unfortunately named Jubilees plans to spend Christmas with her overachieving boyfriend get tossed aside for a blizzard-stranded train and a sweet guy she meets in the town shes stranded in. Jubilees voice is that perfect level of wryness that makes for scads of laughter while also moving the plot right along. Its incredible how much character development occurs within a hundred or so pages, but Noahs jerky personality and Stuarts genuine nice-guy charm gradually reveal themselves to provide a thoroughly satisfying conclusion.
Too often YA romances are predictable: you know who the MC is going to end up with practically the first time the love interest appears in the story. Me, I like romances that surprise me, which the one in John Greens A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle managed to do, much to my delight. I was a little underwhelmed by the gag-humor anticsthe sliding car, the bully chase, etc.and instead focused my attention on how wonderfully subtly Tobins own little Christmas miracle develops. Its treat enough to make tolerable the wade through the occasionally ridiculous scenarios that Tobin and his friends have to wade through in order to deliver Twister to the cheerleaders in the middle of a snowstorm.
I was least in like with the final story, The Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle. As mentioned before, the stories in LET IT SNOW are slightly interconnected, and so the glimpses I got of the two main characters prior to reading this story just didnt gel with the way they were presented in Pigs. Addie is definitely self-involved (and could her friends tell her that more often?), and so at times I found myself questioning why a guy as apparently wonderful as Jeb couldve fallen for her, as well as wanting to smack her. However, she also undergoes growth in the storyalbeit in a sudden revelation from the heavens kind of mannerso alls well that ends well, I suppose.
Overall, LET IT SNOW is a wonderful addition to the avid YA readers already bursting book collection. You really cant go wrong with any of these authors, especially when they write a light-hearted holiday read.
Amy T. reviewed Let It Snow: The Jubilee Express / A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle / The Patron Saint of Pigs on
such a great book! I adored all of the writer's works and how they made it all fit together made me soo happy (:
Kristin D. (kdurham2813) reviewed Let It Snow: The Jubilee Express / A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle / The Patron Saint of Pigs on + 753 more book reviews
Three short stories that are sweetly linked and I loved them all individually and together! Having each story told from a different character allowed each author to use their own distinctive voices, but as their characters make big appearances in each other's stories it linked them so geniusly.
The first story takes you on a train trip to the North Carolina setting and while introduces the reader to the upcoming characters still has a plot of its own. The following stories take their characters on rides, but still includes the previous characters - how they did this I have no idea and I want to know!!
I would love to have another set of stories like this with Christmas at the center or not - wouldn't matter to me!
The first story takes you on a train trip to the North Carolina setting and while introduces the reader to the upcoming characters still has a plot of its own. The following stories take their characters on rides, but still includes the previous characters - how they did this I have no idea and I want to know!!
I would love to have another set of stories like this with Christmas at the center or not - wouldn't matter to me!
Santina D. (santinam) reviewed Let It Snow: The Jubilee Express / A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle / The Patron Saint of Pigs on + 2 more book reviews
This was a fun read, it's a sweet, sort of romantic comedy - best enjoyed by teenagers.
Jennifer W. (GeniusJen) reviewed Let It Snow: The Jubilee Express / A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle / The Patron Saint of Pigs on + 5322 more book reviews
Reviewed by Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen for TeensReadToo.com
I'm a sucker for romance any time of the year, but something about the holiday season makes me want to curl up in a nice blanket, drink hot chocolate, and read love stories. LET IT SNOW is the perfect holiday read.
Maureen Johnson starts things off with THE JUBILEE EXPRESS, in which Jubliee (no, not a stripper, but named for a piece in her mother's collection of the Flobie Santa Village) finds herself stranded on a train in Gracetown in a huge snowstorm. A trip to the Waffle House introduces her to Stuart and friendship, or maybe something more, starts to form.
In A CHEERTASTIC CHRISTMAS MIRACLE, author John Green hilariously describes the mission of three friends to get to the Waffle House where a group of cheerleaders are stranded and wanting to play Twister.
And Lauren Myracle's THE PATRON SAINT OF PIGS shows that lost love can be found again with the help of Starbucks, angels, and even a pig.
Each story stands well on its own, but it was nice to have a common thread throughout. I loved how the authors found ways to connect all three stories. Characters you meet in the beginning show up later on, and places like Starbucks and the Waffle House are important to all three tales. The only thing I didn't like was that they were all short stories - I could have kept reading about each of the characters!
LET IT SNOW is a great, warm, fuzzy read for the holidays, so grab some hot chocolate and curl up because you won't want to stop reading until you're finished and happily sighing.
I'm a sucker for romance any time of the year, but something about the holiday season makes me want to curl up in a nice blanket, drink hot chocolate, and read love stories. LET IT SNOW is the perfect holiday read.
Maureen Johnson starts things off with THE JUBILEE EXPRESS, in which Jubliee (no, not a stripper, but named for a piece in her mother's collection of the Flobie Santa Village) finds herself stranded on a train in Gracetown in a huge snowstorm. A trip to the Waffle House introduces her to Stuart and friendship, or maybe something more, starts to form.
In A CHEERTASTIC CHRISTMAS MIRACLE, author John Green hilariously describes the mission of three friends to get to the Waffle House where a group of cheerleaders are stranded and wanting to play Twister.
And Lauren Myracle's THE PATRON SAINT OF PIGS shows that lost love can be found again with the help of Starbucks, angels, and even a pig.
Each story stands well on its own, but it was nice to have a common thread throughout. I loved how the authors found ways to connect all three stories. Characters you meet in the beginning show up later on, and places like Starbucks and the Waffle House are important to all three tales. The only thing I didn't like was that they were all short stories - I could have kept reading about each of the characters!
LET IT SNOW is a great, warm, fuzzy read for the holidays, so grab some hot chocolate and curl up because you won't want to stop reading until you're finished and happily sighing.
Stef S. (bookgoddessme) reviewed Let It Snow: The Jubilee Express / A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle / The Patron Saint of Pigs on + 106 more book reviews
Very cute, quick read to raise your holiday spirits. More suited for teens and young adults in my opinion.I absolutely loved the format of how one story flowed into the next even though they were penned by three different authors. Very sweet, recommend.
