This book does not live up to the preceding Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. I’ve listened to the audiobook, and reread the paperback. I’m sure I’ll reread it again in future. The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily, however, is a book I most likely won’t revisit. It’s neither quirky nor charming — the very reasons I enjoy Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. These elements went completely missing in this long-awaited sequel.
THE CHRISTMAS MYSTERY by Jostein Gaarder
It’s Christmas Eve and so the Advent season is practically over. The same goes for The Christmas Mystery. While I’ve owned it for about ten years (probably more), I’ve never actually read it. This year I finally picked it up and used it as an Advent calendar. I must say, I’m glad I did. While I forgot my chocolates half-way through last year, there’s no way I could forget a book.
MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME edited by Stephanie Perkins
As a whole I liked the concept of a collection of short holiday stories. Where My True Love Gave to Me shines is the multiplicity of views. There are stories for Christmas, Hanukkah and Winter Solstice. There are stories about people who subvert heteronormativity. There are stories about people from multicultural and non-White backgrounds.
OUT OF TUNE by Michelle D. Argyle
Out of Tune is the last book I finished reading before the new year, and I am glad that it is also the last one I get to review this year because it’s a good book to remember the end of 2013 by. I thoroughly enjoyed it for the depth it offers alongside the roller…
LET IT SNOW by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle
Even though Let it Snow was published as a single book, it contains three stories told by each of the three authors. In that sense, it’s more like three novellas but with a twist. They’re not entirely stand-alone, even though they could be. One can in good conscience choose to read just one of these stories and forgo the other two but I wouldn’t recommend it. I say, read all three, and be taken in by some Christmas magic! And why pick it up now that the 25th of December has passed? Take it from Mayzie (you’ll meet her in The Patron Saint of Pigs.
