Half-Life
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Lucid narratives of family dramas, global warming, and conversations with Death make a riveting new...
Short Cuts (1993)
8.0
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Movie Watch
Many loosely connected characters cross paths in this film, based on the stories of Raymond Carver....
Treasure Planet (2002)
7.8
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Movie Watch
The legendary "loot of a thousand worlds" inspires an intergalactic treasure hunt when 15-year-old...
Just Between Us: Grandmother & Granddaughter: A No-Stress, No-Rules Journal
Book
From the mother-daughter team that created Just Between Us: Mother & Daughter comes a new keepsake...
My Talking Avatar
Social Networking and Education
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The ultimate Avatar Movie Maker! Awesome features: * Create a cast of avatar characters for your...
Hazel (1853 KP) rated My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Winter Romances in Books
Dec 7, 2018
With 25th December fast approaching, what better book to read than one full of Christmas stories? <i>My True Love Gave To Me </i>is a selection of twelve winter romances (twelve stories, twelve days of Christmas…) by a handful of well-known authors of young adult literature. Stephanie Perkins, author of <i>Anna and the French Kiss</i>, is the editor of this festive volume and also includes her own short story along with Holly Black, Ally Carter, Gayle Forman and Rainbow Rowell, to name a few.
Aimed at teenaged girls or young adults, the stories focus on characters between the ages of 15 and 19, usually in a contemporary setting. Some are written as romances that just so happen to occur at Christmas time, whereas others use Christmas as a main focal point. Naturally there are a couple of tales that are pure fantasy with magic, Santa and elves, but they all involve romance.
What is great about incorporating twelve authors into one book is the various ideas about what Christmas means to different people. For some it is about family whereas other’s it is about the birth of Jesus. Authors also explore the difficulties some people face as well as what people who do not celebrate do. The stories are diverse including characters from all types of background – race, religion and sexuality.
My favourite story from this selection was by David Levithan. Unlike most of the others, it was not a story about falling in love. The main character already had a boyfriend who he (yes, HE) loved. The tale focused on what people do for love as well as keeping the magic of Christmas alive for others.
For those wanting to read something festive, this is the book for you. Its short stories let you dip in and out during this busy period meaning you can enjoy both reading and celebrating at the same time.
London Tales (Short Stories #2)
8.0
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This collection of eleven tales offers dramatic pinpricks in the rich tapestry of London’s...
Short Stories Historical Fiction
ClareR (5726 KP) rated Roar: A Story for Every Woman in Books
Nov 13, 2019
I think that these stories have a bit of something for everyone. I didn’t enjoy all of them, but I did have my favourites: The Woman Who Grew Wings is about a woman who flees her country with her family to live in the West, and the negative attitudes of the other mothers at the school gates (they’re not nice people) - this brought me to tears actually. The Woman Who Was Swallowed Up by the Floor and Who Met Lots of Other Women Down There Too - because who HASN’T had this happen to them at least once in their lives?! The Woman Who Ate Photographs was another tear jerker about how visual prompts (the photos) can bring back feelings connected to smell, touch, and the memories of our children before they grew into hairy teenagers (this one did for me, I’m afraid!).
I think all of these stories will resonate with someone.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book to read and review.
