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A review by denaiir
I'll Be Home for Christmas by Holly Bourne
2.0
So not the book I wanted for Christmas...
Those stories are about home, and some of them are beautiful, but so depressing!! I see people in the reviews mention that the collection is heartwarming, but it's definitely not. It's dark sometimes, it's depressing sometimes, and it has very little Christmas spirit. So if you are looking for stories set in winter, perfect. If you are looking for a cosy fluffy read for Christmas, look for something else.
Home and Away by Benjamin Zephaniah - no rating, I don't like poetry
I didn't even realize it was a poem at first, thought it was a song introducing the first story and skipped it
Ghost of Christmas Past by Non Pratt - 3/5
This one is about a boy who has moved out of his house and is trying to adjust to his new life. He reminded me a lot of my husband so I instantly loved him. It was a sweet story and the girl he meets was cute.
If Only in my Dreams by Marcus Sedgwick - 1/5
I found this extremely depressing, it made me feel claustrophobic and I have no idea what it is doing in this collection.
Family You Choose by Cat Clarke - 3/5 stars
An ok tale about a girl spending Christmas at a friend's place and being enchanted at how different people are. I enjoyed the characters but I probably won't remember it in a few months
The Associates by Kevin Brooks - 1/5 stars
Another one that was dull, the characters not interesting, and that I couldn't wait to finish
The Afterschool Club by Holly Bourne - 2/5 stars
Again, what the hell is this story doing in a Christmas book? It's about 2 very different teens who spend time together after school. Very uninteresting, the characters were unlikable too.
Homo for Christmas by Juno Dawson - 4/5 stars
I liked this story because the character really had his own voice and I loved the ending, made me shed a tear or two. It's about a boy who is coming back to his mum's on Christmas break and has to come out, super sweet.
Amir and George by Sita Brahmachari - 2.5/5 stars
A very good story about being a refugee and trying to make people understand how difficult it is. However, not Christmassy at all, too bad. I loved the main character, Amir, and his story was really sad. Made me want to donate to charity but not really a cosy read.
The Letter by Tracy Darnton - 1/5 stars
Boring, I had already forgotten about that one and had to start re-reading it. The main character is unlikable again and it is so depressing...
Claws by Tom Becker - 3/5 stars
Meh, it was a good story but again, why put something so depressing in a Christmas-themed book?? It's a horror story about children who figure out that a girl who died a century ago might not be completely gone. They really have to re-brand this book because I would probably have liked that story way more if it wasn't supposed to be A CHRISTMAS BOOK!
Christmas, Take Two by Katy Cannon - 3.5/5 stars
A good story about a girl who has to spend Christmas at her dad's new house with his new family. She feels unwelcome until she realizes that maybe she's the one who chose to stay on the sidelines. It felt way more Christmassy than the other ones. There was a little bit of romance which was cute if not riveting. Not super interesting but sweet.
When Daddy Comes Home by Melvin Burgess - 1/5 stars
I hated the writing style and it took me forever to understand what was going on, really didn't like that. It's a story about a guy who breaks in into a security office to right a wrong committed by a politician, with SF elements. Again, what the hell is this story doing in this book?
The Bluebird by Julie Mayhew - 1.5/5 stars
This is a story written like a fairy tale, very flowery style in a kind of magical realism way, but there was no point to the story and I really didn't like either the writing style or the plot (if any).
Routes and Wings by Lisa Williamson - 5/5 stars
Loved this one about a girl who is in dire need of help but feels quite ahsamed about it and doesn't know who to turn to. It was wintery if not very Christmassy, the character was complex and endearing, the writing style was pleasant and I loved the ending. Perfect finale, I'm glad I didn't give up and finished this book! It made me smile and shed a few tears.
Those stories are about home, and some of them are beautiful, but so depressing!! I see people in the reviews mention that the collection is heartwarming, but it's definitely not. It's dark sometimes, it's depressing sometimes, and it has very little Christmas spirit. So if you are looking for stories set in winter, perfect. If you are looking for a cosy fluffy read for Christmas, look for something else.
Home and Away by Benjamin Zephaniah - no rating, I don't like poetry
I didn't even realize it was a poem at first, thought it was a song introducing the first story and skipped it
Ghost of Christmas Past by Non Pratt - 3/5
This one is about a boy who has moved out of his house and is trying to adjust to his new life. He reminded me a lot of my husband so I instantly loved him. It was a sweet story and the girl he meets was cute.
If Only in my Dreams by Marcus Sedgwick - 1/5
I found this extremely depressing, it made me feel claustrophobic and I have no idea what it is doing in this collection.
Family You Choose by Cat Clarke - 3/5 stars
An ok tale about a girl spending Christmas at a friend's place and being enchanted at how different people are. I enjoyed the characters but I probably won't remember it in a few months
The Associates by Kevin Brooks - 1/5 stars
Another one that was dull, the characters not interesting, and that I couldn't wait to finish
The Afterschool Club by Holly Bourne - 2/5 stars
Again, what the hell is this story doing in a Christmas book? It's about 2 very different teens who spend time together after school. Very uninteresting, the characters were unlikable too.
Homo for Christmas by Juno Dawson - 4/5 stars
I liked this story because the character really had his own voice and I loved the ending, made me shed a tear or two. It's about a boy who is coming back to his mum's on Christmas break and has to come out, super sweet.
Amir and George by Sita Brahmachari - 2.5/5 stars
A very good story about being a refugee and trying to make people understand how difficult it is. However, not Christmassy at all, too bad. I loved the main character, Amir, and his story was really sad. Made me want to donate to charity but not really a cosy read.
The Letter by Tracy Darnton - 1/5 stars
Boring, I had already forgotten about that one and had to start re-reading it. The main character is unlikable again and it is so depressing...
Claws by Tom Becker - 3/5 stars
Meh, it was a good story but again, why put something so depressing in a Christmas-themed book?? It's a horror story about children who figure out that a girl who died a century ago might not be completely gone. They really have to re-brand this book because I would probably have liked that story way more if it wasn't supposed to be A CHRISTMAS BOOK!
Christmas, Take Two by Katy Cannon - 3.5/5 stars
A good story about a girl who has to spend Christmas at her dad's new house with his new family. She feels unwelcome until she realizes that maybe she's the one who chose to stay on the sidelines. It felt way more Christmassy than the other ones. There was a little bit of romance which was cute if not riveting. Not super interesting but sweet.
When Daddy Comes Home by Melvin Burgess - 1/5 stars
I hated the writing style and it took me forever to understand what was going on, really didn't like that. It's a story about a guy who breaks in into a security office to right a wrong committed by a politician, with SF elements. Again, what the hell is this story doing in this book?
The Bluebird by Julie Mayhew - 1.5/5 stars
This is a story written like a fairy tale, very flowery style in a kind of magical realism way, but there was no point to the story and I really didn't like either the writing style or the plot (if any).
Routes and Wings by Lisa Williamson - 5/5 stars
Loved this one about a girl who is in dire need of help but feels quite ahsamed about it and doesn't know who to turn to. It was wintery if not very Christmassy, the character was complex and endearing, the writing style was pleasant and I loved the ending. Perfect finale, I'm glad I didn't give up and finished this book! It made me smile and shed a few tears.