Let It Snow: Three Holiday Stories Paperback – September 30, 2014

(Originally posted at That Artsy Reader Girl. I bought my copy from a seller other than Amazon.)I love Christmas romances that aren't sad. The back of this book sounded happy to me, so I decided it was worth a shot, even though I don't like the idea of short stories. I like to read a book that is one big story. Not three little ones. Needless to say, this book was a gamble. JACKPOT!! Halleluiah! I LOVED IT! Gush, gush, gush. Ok, on to the review. (Clearly I don't read enough books that cause happiness to gush out of me. I'm not crazy, I promise.) Oh, and wanna know what else is fun? These three stories are all intermingled. I didn't realize this until I started in on story #2. They all take place on and around Christmas Eve in Gracetown, NC during the biggest blizzard in the last 50 years. Each story discusses different characters, who end up all being connected. I loved all of them, and want to go find everyone at The Waffle House in Gracetown now.The first story is called The Jubilee Express, by Maureen Johnson. I'd never read anything by her, and pretty much adore her now. Not many authors make me love them in roughly 100 pages, but I'm about to go buy more of her books! Anyway, there's a girl named Jubilee (she was named after a building in a very expensive Santa village! Hahah!) who finds herself on a train to Florida because her parents decided to be crazy this year. A big snowstorm causes the train to stop in a small town, where she finds some interesting people (and some sweet ones) in the Waffle House. Her Christmas plans end up needing a slight alteration, but I doubt anyone would feel that she suffered as a result! I loved this story. Jubilee is hilarious. The thoughts running through her head had me laughing out loud. I loved the main guy in this story too. He is so sweet and sensitive. I'm not giving away more of the plot, because you just need to read it. That is all.The second story is called A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle, by John Green. Oh my. It's hilarious. The main guy, Tobin, has two friends named JP (my favorite character, because he is amazing) and the Duke (Angie). While watching Bond movies, they get a call on Christmas Eve to hightail it to the Waffle House to see 14 stranded cheerleaders from the same train Jubliee was on, hanging out and being cheerleadery. Their journey to this Waffle House (in the middle of a blizzard) is priceless. It includes a lost wheel, some scary twins, a Twister mat sled, and a dangerous beer keg. I died of laughter. And of course, it turns out to be an adorable story. I want to meet JP. The things he says are hilarious, plus he was wearing Tobin's dad's baby blue ski suit for the entire story because he thought it would make him look like a hardcore skier, just back from the slopes. Gotta impress those cheerleaders! Oh, good stuff, Mr. John Green.The last story is called The Patron Saint of Pigs, by Lauren Myracle. This was a very "meh" read for me. Luckily it was the last story, because I don't think I would have continued with the book if it had been the first. It's all about this girl named Addie, who I didn't care for much, who cheated on her boyfriend a week before Christmas, dumped him, and now wants him back. She spends a lot of time whining about her situation, even though it's her fault. And she spends a lot of time being mad at him for not responding to her latest apology e-mail with open arms. She CHEATED on him. Why does she expect a happy ending to this? The story also involves a little old lady who thinks she's an angel, and a quest to acquire a little teacup pig that is to be her friend's Christmas present. It was just weird, and a pretty weak way to end the book. The first two stories were brilliant, and long-lasting loves for me. This story really fell flat, and pales in comparison. The ending was also pretty cliche and unrealistic. I can look past this story, though, and rate this book 5 stars for the other two. If we factor in my rating for this one, the book would probably get a 3.5.I definitely see myself re-reading the first two stories a lot. They are so sweet and Christmasy, not to mention a quick dose of the Holiday spirit. I was delighted to find them.

I found the initial story, "The Jubilee Express" by Maureen Johnson, to be a delightful exploration of new love. The narrative skillfully delved into the complexities of bonding over trauma and relationships where authenticity seems elusive, portraying two relatable, independent, and endearing characters. The balance between humor and cringe-worthy moments was expertly maintained, enhancing the overall charm.Moving to the second story, which revolved around the transformation of friendship into romantic love, I appreciated the well-executed trope. However, I must acknowledge that the character-building and writing had instances of sexist and misogynistic elements, particularly with the focus on cheerleaders and the portrayal of male characters' objectification of women. Despite this, the story imparted a valuable lesson about savoring life's "middles" without fixating on the guarantee of a fairy-tale ending.The final story proved to be a more challenging read due to the initially pitiful and self-centered main character. However, witnessing her redemption arc by the end added depth to the narrative. The writer skillfully manipulated my emotions, instilling a genuine dislike for the character before revealing a satisfying transformation. While the ending felt somewhat rushed, it was nonetheless enjoyable.Though I may not revisit this collection, and the last story left a mixed impression, I appreciated the well-crafted character arcs and the inclusion of various elements, even if occasionally exaggerated.

So this is what it feels like to be in love with a book...Best thing for me about this collection? How all the stories overlap slightly. Characters from the first story show up in the second, characters from the second are in the third etc. The authors have put together their heads and created a world that all of their characters could live in, and I loved it! I also loved getting the chance to read stories by Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle for the first time, it definitely will not be the last time! Now onto the individual stories..Maureen Johnson's, The Jubilee Express starts like a normal day, a girl (Jubilee) waiting at home for her parents to arrive and looking forward to getting to spend the evening with her boyfriend. It quickly steers off course and Jubilee finds herself stuck on a train going nowhere with a group of cheerleaders (she HATES cheerleaders). She makes her way off the train and that's when the adventure really begins...John Green's, A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle also starts like any ordinary winter day. Three friends are enjoying a Bond marathon until they receive a call that they must get down to the Waffle House to partake in the oogling of some cheerleaders. This would just be a typical guys being guys story except one of these three friends happen to be a girl (and she's not in it to oogle any cheerleaders). Their journey through a huge snowstorm to see the cheerleaders ends up stirring up some hidden feelings between two of the friends...Lauren Myracle's, The Patron Saint of Pigs, centers around Addie who, when in a confused and drunken state makes a mistake and because of it loses her boyfriend. She spends some time feeling bad for herself but is forced to get back to the daily grind at Starbucks. Through a series of events she learns a little something about herself...So if I had to choose, I'd pick John Green's story as my favorite. But I like to look at it one big story! This is a great book, especially for this time of year! It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! I think it's a great way to get introduced to some of the biggest names in young adult literature!

Avevo guardato il film di questo libro e personalmente l’ho adorato. La consegna è stata veloce e non ci sono stati problemi materiali a libro.

Servicio 5/5Llego en excelente condiciónEl envío Tardó un poco, tal vez porque lo pedí junto con otros libros, pero todo bien. Bien empacados y protegidosEl libro es entretenido 4/5

The book was in really good condition. It was just like new!!! It was delivered in good conditions!!!LET IT SNOW by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle is a phenomenal book. I absolutely loved it! Each author contributed their own story and was able to intertwine the narratives to make the book feel flawless. Instead of reading three separate stories, they overlapped in many ways from tone, humor, and characters.The three stories, The Jubilee Express, Cheertastic Christmas Miracle and The Patron Saint of Pigs are all humorous and romantic. The three stories could each be read individually without needing the other two, but it is really fun to see the stories overlap and characters return later on.Romance fans who enjoy wrapping up in a cozy blanket and losing themselves in a love story will enjoy this refreshing, intersecting trio of teen lives and loves. Fluffy as new-fallen snow and pretty predictable, LET IT SNOW has believable characters, some heartbreak, and sigh-worthy romance. Each story has its own distinct, realistic voice that everyone will relate to, and the unique format adds interest and will keep you turning the pages as you learn how all the three stories are connected.LET IT SNOW takes us to Christmas eve in the mountains of western North Carolina, where the biggest snowstorm in 50 years is has hit. Three different, intersecting stories have teens navigating deep drifts of snow, rocky relationships, friendships, family, a Waffle House full of cheerleaders, menacing twins out to get them -- and, of course, finding and holding onto true love.❤💙❄️❄️💙❤️

I loved this Christmas trilogy. I may be 57 but wow what a great read. The humour was spot on and the characters were so realistic. I loved how the three stories played together! Wonderfully written and inspirational!

Awesome!