I definitely borrowed this book based solely on the presence of a short story by Rainbow Rowell, but I’ve read books by some of these other authors, too — David Levithan and Gayle Forman (Forman’s story in this was one of my favorites). And I know Holly Black’s name (The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, which I will eventually get around to reading, I promise!). Basically, if you like young adult fiction, you’ve probably read at least one of these authors. And you should probably read this, too. Because it’s adorable, even in April.
“I need you to be my person. I need to see you. And hear you. I need you to stay alive. And I need you to stop kissing other people just because they’re standing next to you when the ball drops.”
Composed of twelve stories set during the holidays, My True Love Gave to Me is funny, sweet and occasionally sappy. I do mean the holidays, not just Christmas — although there’s plenty of Christmas. But we also have some about Hanukkah (one of which was adorable) or New Years Eve, and at one point, a Jewish kid dresses up like Santa for his boyfriend’s little sisters. Most of the stories focus on a boy and a girl, but each have their own little twist to the story. It’s definitely a selection of stories that includes a lot of diversity, which is awesome. Best of all, there’s one where a handsome lumberjack who likes NPR comes and organizes a girl’s apartment. It’s basically badkittyuno porn. But I’m sure you can find something for yourself here, too.