hannuhreads's profile picture

hannuhreads 's review for:

All I Want for Christmas by Wendy Loggia
2.0

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.