| Title | : | All I Want for Christmas |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0593179838 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780593179833 |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 240 |
| Publication | : | First published November 1, 2020 |
Bailey Briggs is counting down the days to Christmas: she lives for holiday music, baking cookies, going on snowy sleigh rides, and wearing her light-up reindeer ears to work at Winslow's bookstore. But all she really wants this year is the one thing she doesn't have: someone special to kiss under the mistletoe. And she's 100 percent certain that that someone isn't Jacob Marley--athlete, player, and of questionable taste in girlfriends--and that Charlie, the mysterious stranger with the British accent, is the romantic lead of her dreams. Is she right? This will be a December to remember, filled with real-life Christmas magic . . . and, if she stays on Santa's nice list, a wish that just might come true.
All I Want for Christmas Reviews
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So... this was cute, festive, adorable, but maid for younger audience, in my opinion.
The trope in this book is love triangle, so keep that in mind.
Our main character is in love with Christmas, loves everything Christmassy over the top, and her appreciation reminded me of my own.
God, I really want to believe my life is the one from Hallmark movies as well.
There are Christmas references through the whole story, and that was my favourite aspect.
My second one was the family portrait, and the third one was one of two love interests.
If you ask me, it was clear as day who she should end up with.
Also, that big revelation, I kind of saw it, or should I say, it did cross my mind.
However, I still enjoyed it.
I would recommend this one to younger readers and those who enjoy younger ya characters. -
Well that was a lot of Christmas sweetness. Like, lots. 🎅🎄
I am not the target audience for this but I can see that it might be popular with NZ Year 8/9 students looking for a feel good Christmas romance. However, I think the main character's voice wasn't quite right. She was a teenager but spoke and acted more like an 11 or 12 year old. I definitely enjoyed the Christmas vibe though and am feeling a lot more festive. There is a recipe for sugar biscuits in the novel that I will make with my daughter later today. 🍪🍪🍪 -
Thank you to Netgalley and Underlined Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was pitched as a Hallmark movie in book form, it delivered, and that's great.
Except for the part where I hate Hallmark movies.
Bailey loves Christmas. In fact, you could say that she's obsessed with it. Everything from the holiday cheer to the ugly sweaters brings her joy, but what she really wants in her life is Christmas magic, specifically, the enchantment of love, and a kiss under the mistletoe.
I love rom-coms as much as the next hopeless romantic (probably even more), but this book is where I draw the line (I mean, I have to have some standards). From the very beginning, the main character, Bailey, is made out to be a total Mary Sue. She loves spreading holiday cheer, is totally responsible, and always has good intentions. There is no depth to her character at all, and no development over the course of the story. That is just a small thing, however, which I can easily ignore. My biggest issue with this book stems from the romance itself, or should I say, the love-triangle.
I strongly dislike love-triangles. I went into this book expecting a cute, holiday-themed romance, where instead, I got Bailey trying to decide "which boy she should pick". What made everything much worse for me was the way in which the love-triangle was "resolved". It was really unsatisfying and made me feel like I had wasted my time (which I probably did.)
So yeah. I like romance, but not like this.
Overall, I would recommend this book to others who would rather read a Hallmark movie than watch it. -
All I Want For Christmas is such a feel good read! My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. The storyline is sweet and the characters are adorable. I adored Bailey's outlook on Christmas as it very much matches my own :) I loved the baking exchange with all the neighbors and the cookie descriptions had my mouth watering ... nice touch adding a recipe in the book too! And a Christmas tree farm!!! I've always wanted to visit one. I had a fresh fir candle burning while reading the book ... talk about perfection.
A cute and quick YA that will leave you feeling the Christmas spirit ... and of course, love!
Ps. I believe in Santa Claus!!! -
This book made my heart so happy! Witty and warm, it made me long to crank up the Christmas tunes and rummage about for some cocoa! And the romance— the romance! I’ve swooned!
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Welp... that was the oatmeal raisin cookie of endings.
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This was just ridiculous and she's so rude. She literally judges a guy based on his looks and said his acne was unattractive. She's a snob too who has a lot of pride and Prejudice against the guy. And she got jealous when he showed interest to other girls when she was having a crush on another guy?!
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My Rating: 4 Stars
Genre Young Adult (Middle Grade too) | Christmas Romance
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS is the CUTEST Christmas book I’ve ever read. It’s also my first of the season so HOORAY for that! Anyway, this book seems to be geared for the young adult crowd and I agree BUT I think a YOUNGER bunch in the group would be the best fit for this one. It’s very cutsie, cozy, and sweet. If I had to describe the perfect age range this novel, I would actually say 12-14. So maybe it’s more middle grade than anything. IDK! It’s hard to say because the characters are older in the story but it’s also a very PURE if you get my drift. No sex, maybe two scenes with kissing, and that’s it. Regardless of the age range, I really enjoyed this one. I am a big Christmas lover, and this book had the best descriptions of Christmas and all the traditions that go with it throughout the novel. You can’t read this one without getting a few Christmas tunes stuck in your head. And the COOKIES they talk about? Made me drool! I enjoyed it a lot.
If you enjoy reading Holiday themed novels in the months leading up to Christmas, then I do recommend this one even though it’s on the sweeter side. Sometimes you just need a book that isn’t all about sex and relationships, and instead, one that really depicts sweet kids doing the nicest things out of the goodness of their hearts, and POSSIBLY falling in love in the process.
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ -
If twilight was a hallmark movie it’d be this book. It was cringe but entertaining 4.5 stars
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This was a delightful holiday tale with nods to 'It's a Wonderful Life' and 'A Christmas Carol.' Bailey's wish is to have a kiss under the mistletoe this Christmas. She unexpectedly finds herself with not one, but two prospects: Jacob and Charlie. She has been crushing on Jacob for years, but he can be kind of a goofball. Does he really "like, like" her? Does she need to ask him to DTR? Then there's Charlie. He is so cute and has a British accent. On top of that he keeps popping up just when she needs rescuing. Which boy is the one for her? Will you agree with her decision? This is very G-rated and filled with holiday traditions like cookie swaps, trips to the mall, holiday giving, and even a trip to a Christmas tree farm. I loved it!
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Super cute and helped me get a little more into the holiday spirit.
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☆ 1/5
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This was a super charming, sweet YA holiday love story set in a small town featuring Bailey, a young teen girl that just wants her own Hallmark movie style romance. I loved that Bailey works in a bookstore and prides herself on being able to recommend the perfect book to patrons. The librarian part of me connected deeply to this aspect of the story and was also totally there for all the classic holiday traditions, from sledding, skating, cookie swaps and the perfect mall Santa.
What Bailey doesn't bargain on is falling for two boys but which one is the right one? Highly recommended if you're in the mood for a light Christmas story full of the perfect amount of holiday magic. Great on audio narrated by Emma Galvin and each chapter is named after a classic Christmas song which I thought was a fun touch! -
Really cute book (I listened to audio, & narrator did a great job!) This is like a Hallmark movie made for the teen/YA crowd, but my old(ish) self loved it, too! A rom-com with a just a smidge of magic! A very lovely, mostly uplifting story!
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Such a cute little Christmas story! All the YA Christmas loving feelings. ADORABLE, truly. (Totally making my sister read it too)
While not CF, it was on the clean side. (There was one word used that I personally wasn’t a fan of, but it only happened once)
Overall I really enjoyed it! It was a fast read and had a sweet ending.
4/5 stars! -
All I Want for Christmas was nearly everything I was looking for in a Christmas-themed YA rom-com.
For starters, Bailey Briggs, our leading teen girl, is so much like me it’s crazy! She’s a hopeless romantic, cute & quirky, a passionate lover of and believer in Christmas, and undeniably bookish. I especially loved the fact that she worked at a bookstore, because I can totally relate (I mean, libraries aren’t that much different from bookstores, are they?)
I also completely adored the holiday aspect of it, as it made it a perfect book to read to transition me into the Christmas spirit. This book has gingerbread cookie decorating, tree farm visits, holiday parties, winter snowstorms, and so much more!
However, my favorite part about this book was all the cute little subtle touches the author added, including, but not limited to:
- Snapchat filters
- A MC w/ two siblings (an older brother & younger sister)
- Texting excerpts with emojis (not Apple’s version, but close enough!)
- Bailey teaching her parents TikTok dances
- Mentions of both ACT & SAT
- Bailey having two jobs (bookstore and babysitting)
- Referencing other books like Trials of Apollo instead of HP & JKR
- Jacob having mild acne (which is UNHEARD of in love interests!)
- Bailey’s chem teacher wearing an “Oh Chemistree” sweater
- The inclusion of a full recipe for “Mom’s Spritz Cookies”
- Mentions of Christmas Vacation (one of my favorite holiday movies!)
- Saying APUSH instead of AP history
- Bitmoji mentions
… and so many more I’m probably forgetting!
That being said, even with all of the modern-day references thrown in, this read very much like an early 2000s YA mass-market romance book (Simon Romantic Comedies, anyone?), which isn’t too much of a problem for me, as I love those books to death, except that there wasn’t any discernible diversity (body, sexuality, gender, race, religion, disability, or otherwise) in either the main or side characters, which is something that I feel like would have easily enhanced my appreciation and enjoyment of the book.
Also, while I really enjoyed the suspense of not knowing who Bailey would ultimately pick (even though I had my suspicions!), there was a plot twist directly relating to this at the very end that I wasn’t expecting (those who have already read this know EXACTLY what I'm talking about hahaha). In all honesty, what bothered me the most about it was not actually the reveal itself (which I thought was really unique and fun!), but that since it happened within the last few pages, it could’ve maybe been explained a little better?
Other than that, however, I found All I Want for Christmas to be a charming, wholesome book that warmed my heart in the best way possible. Like its eponymous song title, this is a story full of Christmas magic, holiday cheer, corny moments, and just the perfect amount of swoonworthy moments. Highly recommended for fans of Aimee Friedman (A Novel Idea, Snow in Love), Shani Petroff (My New Crush Gave to Me), and anyone else in the mood for a fluffy YA rom-com to curl up with for the holidays! -
Full Review on The Candid Cover
3.5 Stars
All I Want for Christmas by Wendy Loggia is a book I had been eagerly anticipating since I can’t resist books with Hallmark movie vibes. I loved all the festive activities throughout the book and the main character’s love for all things Christmas. However, I found that the characters are underdeveloped, and the ending feels rushed. But because this is meant to be a short and sweet read, I was willing to overlook this and ultimately enjoyed the story.
This book tells the story of Bailey, who has one wish for Christmas: a kiss under the mistletoe. But as it turns out, she has two contenders this year, an athlete and a stranger with a British accent, and she must decide which one she wants to end up with. This book is so cute and contains many Christmas activities including skating and a cookie swap, which I thought was such a cool idea. It is the perfect read to get you in the holiday spirit, especially younger YA readers.
❀ INTERESTING MAIN CHARACTER
Bailey is an interesting character, and she is a Christmas enthusiast. It is easy to feel her love for the holidays and Christmas magic and believe in it too, as a reader. She also works in a bookstore, and I loved this setting. However, because the book is so short, Bailey feels a little underdeveloped, and I would have liked to see more depth to her character.
❀ ENDING IS RUSHED
While this book is cute and upbeat, I had a couple issues with some of its elements. Much of this is my fault because I’m not the biggest fan of love triangles. Sometimes I am willing to overlook them, but in this case I didn’t feel like the love triangle was effective. I didn’t feel much chemistry with either of the boys, and like Bailey, they are both lacking development. I also found the ending of this book a little odd. It feels rushed, and it seems like a quick and convenient way to tie up the love triangle. This didn’t completely ruin the story for me, but I definitely feel like the resolution could have been better executed.
❀ FUN AND FESTIVE
All I Want for Christmas by Wendy Loggia is a fun and festive read that is sure to get you excited for the holidays. I enjoyed all the Christmas activities throughout the book and the main character’s passion for the holiday season. However, I was disappointed in the lack of development in each of the characters and the resolution of the book. That being said, this is still such an entertaining read that fans of Hallmark movies are sure to love. -
This book was the Christmas spark of joy I needed in my life.
If you’re looking for some Christmas magic that will leave you feeling like a happy melted pile of gooey holiday cheer, then this is the book for you.
I read this book with my mom because we were both in dire need of some Christmas cheer. After we read a little bit she said to me “this is you!” So much of Bailey’s inner monologue and describing her love of Christmas is 100% me. Seeing myself within pages of a book is such a wonderful surprise.
This was such a fun and lighthearted story that often had me giggling out loud. Truly a wonderful holiday read. -
Wasn’t a big fan of the “weird” twist at the end, but the Christmas vibes are 10/10!
The story and characters felt a little simplistic at times, but I still did enjoy the book. It’s such a cute Christmas story! -
3.5 ⭐️
I love almost every book that's about Christmas and this was no exception! This was an adorable and fluffy contemporary romance that's so perfect for the holiday season.
Bailey loved everything having to do with Christmas, and this year she’s hoping to capture the magic of the holiday and have the perfect kiss under the mistletoe. Things get complicated when not one, but two swoon-worthy boys take her on adorable winter dates.
The whole book was just so sweet, it made me want to curl up by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate and not move an inch until I finished the story! It was so bingeable and is definitely an easy one-sitting read. The ending was a bit cliche and predictable but I think it wrapped everything up well and connected the whole story. This read just like a tween/teen Hallmark movie and it really captured all of the magic of Christmas.
Reading this was like eating my favorite Christmas cookies; sugary, cozy and full of happiness. -
Това е книга, която носи много топлина, вкус на сладки, аромат на лате с маршмелоу и тонове нелепи ситуации. Но всичко е точно таково, каквото трябва да бъде, когато си на 16. Признавам си, че първоначално бях впечатлена от корицата, но малко скептична за съдържанието. Истината обаче е, че историята ме погълна и я прочетох за няколко часа, а така не исках да свършва.
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Cute YA read
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Excellent book to read this time of year! Teens and adults are sure to love this new book. What is there not to love about friendship, family traditions, cookie parties, sledding and romance. It's not the descriptive hot romance you might read about in an adult fiction book but the fun, friendly type that teens in high school experience. Very enjoyable read!
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2.5 stars
Unsure how to rate this one, so let’s just lay it all out there.
This story is about 16-year-old Bailey; she just wants to be kissed under the mistletoe. She wants that hallmark Christmas love. This book follows her story as she tries to find that perfect guy to kiss.
Pros:
This book oozed Christmas vibe. Hallmark Christmas movies were mentioned. Ice skating, baking Christmas cookies, gingerbread house decorating, Christmas tree lots. ugly Christmas sweater competitions, Christmas music. So much Christmas. I live for that. It felt so cozy. It was so descriptive, and it gave me the BEST Christmas feelings. All of THIS made me want to rate it at 5 stars because it was so Christmasy that it made my heart sing.
Cons:
With that said- Bailey is extremely immature at points (which makes sense because she is literally a child). She drove me a bit bonkers sometimes. She was rude and a little bit of a judgy pants in the beginning. Also- its important to note that I am a grown woman reading a yfiction, I realize this. Bailey is just extra. Defensive. Dramatic. Hypocritical. And a bit superficial. But she’s a child. I get it.. So I don’t want to knock the story too harshly for this, because kids are kids not adults, amiright?
But still. I seriously frown upon her hypocrisy with the guy she likes (accusing him of liking multiple girls when she likes multiple guys herself.) Bottom line. Bailey needs to be alone. Bailey does not deserve a relationship when she is acting like a child. Bailey needs to go home and watch hallmark Christmas movies. Go directly to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. This made me want to rate the book a 2.
Also. Near the ending - there’s a bit of a moral dilemma thrown in ...... oh my. I’m just too grown up for this book, guys. I tried. I really tried. HOWEVER. There was a huge plot twist at the very end that I did not see coming. Mind blown a bit. I can’t explain it without spoiling the entire thing, but wowza. I don’t think I can even say it was a normal plot twist. It was a fall-off-my-chair, what-in-tarnation plot twist. A what-is-my-life plot twist. I digress.
All things considered- taking away 2 stars for Bailey’s nonsense that she never fully corrects and addresses, in my opinion. We needed a voice of reason here!!! And even her mother told her how high school is the time to “not limit yourself to one boy” because highschool is like a “boy buffet”. Oh sweet Jesus. Somebody, help. SOS. Taking away .5 stars for that advice alone. So that leaves us at a 2.5.
I would love for this author to write a Christmas contemporary romance with grown up characters because I think it would be everything we need in the universe. -
4.5**
I loved this young adult christmas romance! After learning that it was a young adult novel, I was hesitant only because some young adult novels can be a little childish or dumbed down a bit. But this one wasn't at all! It had the perfect amount of young teenage essence.
I liked the main character a lot! Bailey works in a book store over Christmas time (and throughout the year) and is looking for her perfect, almost Hallmark Movie scripted, Christmas romance. She is all about Christmas in every way you can think; movies, cookies, decorations, tree decorating, traditions, mistletoe, gift wrapping, etc. She really made this book festive. While you can tell she is young, she isn't young and foolish, and I really admire and appreciate how the author wrote her character. The pop culture references were a plus, mostly because I'm still young enough to understand and enjoy them.
One random thing about this book that stuck with me was The Cookie Swap. Not anything that happened during it, but how good of an idea that it (pandemic permitting...)! I would love to know my neighbors well enough to do something like that, or maybe have it be a friend thing! Get together, everyone makes their favorite kind of unique Christmas cookie and bring a tin of their own to take home their favorites from other people! Like, I am definitely going to steal this idea in the future because it sounds like so much fun!
The best part of this book for me was the ending. It totally took me by surprise and added an element of Christmas spirit that I really enjoyed.
I would definitely recommend this teenage Christmas romance!
Received an arc from NetGalley for an honest review -
I just found the MC to be super annoying. I really didn't enjoy reading from her perspective at all.
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My favorite Christmas read of the year! I loved Bailey as a character and I related to her SO MUCH. She was basically overflowing with Christmas spirit and cheer. I liked her relationship with her parents and her siblings. Too often in YA the parents are either awful or absent and I liked that her family was healthy. The romance was cute, not my favorite ever but I liked it. I did think the ending came a little out of left field and I wished the book were a little longer but those were my only complaints. I really enjoyed this one.
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3,5*
Това, че давам 3 звезди на книгата не означава, че е лоша. Даже напротив, много е сладка и се чете изключително бързо. Много е приятна, носи коледните емоции със себе си. Просто ми е една идея по-младежка и затова не мога да й дам пълните 5*. Иначе беше много готина сама история, показа вълненията на една млада госпожица, която тепърва й предстои да навлезе в любовния живот, беше много сладко и кокетно.
Със сигурност за по-малката аудитория ще е нещо моного емоционално и впечатляващо. Но както казах, мен също ме грабна и доста бързо я прочетох историята на Бейли. Хареса ми вмъкването на типичните за Коледа ангели, атмосферата в книжарницата, коледните партита в дома на Бейли.....множеството сладки.
Корицата е много готина, адмирации към издателството за труда. Само малко грешки имаше из страниците, това не са го догледали и на места доста странно бяха превели някои думи. Затова 3 звезди са й идеални, като за първа книга от коледния ми маратон, мисля че започна много добре. -
Слагам максимална оценка, защото книгата носи коледен дух и вълшебство. Много приятен тийн роман, героите са 16-годишни. Прилича малко на Холмарските филми и носи празнично настроение.
Бейли, като всички тийнове, мечтае да си намери гадже, което да целуне под имела на Бъдни вечер. Тя обожава Коледните празници и прави всичко, каквото се прави на тях - създава настроение, слага еленски рога, пуловери с коледни мотиви, пие лате с маршмелоу и вярва в чудеса. Внезапно в живота ѝ се появяват две момчета и тя е раздвоена. Прекарва си добре и с двамата, но в същото време знае, че не е редно и скоро ще трябва да избере един от тях. С това ще се сбъдне и мечтата ѝ за коледна целувка.
Романтика, сняг, шейни, ледени пързалки, коледни дръвчета, добри дела, вълшебства и ангели определят книгата като приятна и отморяваща, точно подходяща за предстоящите празници. -
This YA take on It's a Wonderful Life absolutely fulfills the brief for anyone looking for the book version of a Hallmark romance. It's a cute and super quick read with a little bit of Christmas magic. As a minor note, I did appreciate that actual books were mentioned by the bookish heroine, because that doesn't always happen. A bit cheesy and unapologetically Christmassy, this hits the target it's aiming for.
I received this book for free from Underlined via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
