My True Love Gave to Me Mini Review: Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus

Book Title: My True Love Gave to Me

Editor: Stephanie Perkins

Story Title: "Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus"

Story Author: Myra McEntire

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: October 14, 2014
Source: St. Martin's Griffin for Review

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If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins. Whether you enjoy celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or New Year's there's something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love.

Mini Review: "Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus"

Another new-to-me author that I probably wouldn't have discovered if it weren't for St. Martin Griffin's holiday anthology is Myra McEntire. Her story was one that I wanted to read right away because I loved the title! It has me and my weird sense of humor all over it, and I was pleased with this decent short story.

A bad boy falling for the preacher's daughter is a trope I've seen in both YA and Adult Fiction, but Myra McEntire gives it new life in her short story, "Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus." Even though I was familiar with the concept, I loved this story, and I think that many other teens and young adults will, too.

After causing some destruction with the local church, our story's bad boy, Vaughn, is given an ultimatum. He has to help out in the community or else he will have a criminal record. Where does he end up? Right back at the church! He finds himself helping out with the annual Christmas pageant. While doing his community service hours, he meets the preacher's daughter, Gracie, and the two get to know one another.

I was a tad disappointed in this short story, but only because I was expecting a humorous tale about the local bad boy falling for a PK. Instead, I found myself reading a heartwarming tale of a delinquent and a good girl, and it brought a smile to my face. 

Myra McEntire is the author of the Hourglass trilogy, which has been nominated for two RITAs and a YALSA Teen Top Ten, and was chosen as a SIBA Okra Pick. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.