My True Love Gave to Me Mini Review: Star of Bethlehem

Book Title: My True Love Gave to Me

Editor: Stephanie Perkins

Story Title: "Star of Bethlehem"

Story Author: Ally Carter

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: "Star of Bethlehem"

I'm not a huge fan of Ally Carter's, and I'll admit that when I was in high school, I wasn't reading her books. At this point in my life, I've only read Ally's short story for My True Love Gave to Me, "Star of Bethlehem" and her novel, All Fall Down. I'm definitely a fan, and I plan on reading more of her work, especially after reading this story. 

What really shocked me about "Star of Bethlehem" is how well-written it is. I'll admit that when I think of Ally Carter, I think of books written for younger teenagers, but this one really suited me, a twenty-six-year-old adult. I loved the pacing of the story, and the narration. I also really liked the narrator's voice. Everything about how Ms. Carter executed this story was just flawless.

I also loved the plot of Ms. Carter's story. Hulda is a teenager from Iceland who just wants to travel to New York to see the boyfriend that she loves, not Ethan, the boyfriend that her parents chose for her. In the spur of the moment, a famous teenager named Lydia exchanges tickets with Hulda and abandons her duties for the time being. 

I really thought that "Star of Bethlehem" was a pretty good story. I loved the plot with a runaway teenager, and I loved reading about Lydia dealing with everything that was meant for Hulda. It's a cute story that fans of contemporary YA fans will like, even if it does have an unrealistic Hannah Montana feel to it. 

Ally Carter is the New York Times bestselling author of the Gallagher Girls series, the Heist Society series, and her newest, Embassy Row series. She grew up on a ranch in Oklahoma.