Stephanie S. (skywriter319) - , reviewed on 12/29/2010 + 784 more book reviews

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.

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