Restricted Section Book Club discussion

This is the conclusion/wrap up thread for My True Love Gave to Me!

Which story was your OVERALL favorite? What was your favorite story by an author you'd never heard of before? Stand-out moments? Favorite characters? Least favorite story?

Hope everyone has a lovely holiday season, and enjoyed this book!

Favorite overall was "Welcome to Christmas, CA." Favorite by an author I hadn't heard of before was "The Lady and the Fox."

My favorite all over story was Midnight, which is a bit unfair because I already love Rainbow Rowell. But I just love the dialog and the relationships that she creates between her characters.

My favorite story that I haven't heard of the author before was either Kelly Link's The Lady and the Fox or Matt de la Pena's Angels in the Snow.

One of my favorite stand out moments is how even in just a short story Stephanie Perkins can still get your gut to drop in excitement from the relationship building.

My least favorite story was either The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer or Star of Bethlehem.

Also did anyone get the UK edition of the book? I saw it in someone's booktube video and knew I had to get it. It's so gorgeous!!!

From fave to least fave:
1. Welcome to Christmas, CA (5 stars)
2. It's a Yuletide miracle, Charlie Brown (5 stars)
3. Angels in the Snow (4 stars)
4. Krampuslauf (4 stars)
5. Midnights (4 stars)
6. What the hell have you done, Sophie Roth? (3 stars)
7. Polaris is where you'll find me (3 stars)
8. Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus (3 stars)
9. Your temporary Santa (3 stars)
10. The lady and the Fox (2 stars)
11. Star of Bethlehem (1 star)
12. The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer (DNF)

Not surprised I loved the Stephanie Perkins story "It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown!", but very surprised about "Welcome to Christmas, CA" because she's a new author for me. Will be picking up a book of her soon.

My least fave were the last two, I didn't even finish the "TGWWTD", maybe I'm just not in the mood for a confusing story. Also, I felt "Star of Bethlehem" was missing something critical... like a plot.

My favorite was either It's a Yuletide miracle, Charlie Brown or The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer. Those are the two that I still want to read more of. My least favorites were Angels in the Snow and Star of Bethlehem.

Finally got around to doing the write-up!
Overall Favorite: It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown

Favorite by an Author You've Never Read/Heard of: Krampuslauf

Stand-out Moments: from Your Temporary Santa, "He says presents aren't important, but I think they are- not because of how much they cost, but for the opportunity they provide to say 'I understand you.'"

Favorite Characters: Mags, Maria, almost everyone from Krampuslauf.

Least Favorite Story: Star of Bethlehem and Beer Buckets & Baby Jesus- I'm shocked that Beer Buckets was so well-received here.

I literallycan't pick a favorite. I liked too many! I I loved Midnight. And I fresking loved your temporary Santa. So much.


But I hated The Lady and The Fox Coat. It had way too much issues, but that's just my opinion. Overall..great book!

"Welcome To Christmas, CA" was my overall favourite and I'd never heard of Kiersten White before. The characters in "Krampuslauf" seemed a bit more fleshed out than some of the other stories. Least favourite was probably "Star Of Bethlehem" or "Polaris Is Where You'll Find Me"

As I've written mini-reviews of all the stories, I don't want to flood you with information! So I've just got my top 3 and bottom 3.

Top 3:
1. It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown
2. Midnights
3. What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth?

Bottom 3:
10. Angels in the Snow
11. Your Temporary Santa
12. Star of Bethlehem

I didn't really pay attention to who wrote which story but I was unsurprised that my favourite authors wrote my favourite stories. Overall a really cute and interesting book. Such a perfect Christmas read!

Also, yes, Cat! The UK edition is so, so gorgeous. Especially with its pink-edged pages. So glad we got the nicer copy for once!

My overall favorite was "The Lady and the Fox" which sort of surprised me. I usually lean toward authors who were already favorites of mine before I read the book when I read compilations and Kelly Link was not an author I'd even heard of before.

My stand-out moments were discovering Kelly Link and Laini Taylor as authors. I wasn't quite expecting what I got from either of their stories and they were a very pleasant surprise.

My least favorite story was definitely Star of Bethlehem. I had issues with minor things in some of the other stories but this was the only story that I truly disliked. It felt like I was reading someone's unfinished story that they hadn't fleshed out at all yet. Everything was too quick too predictable.