One Old, One New: The Merry Christmas Edition

One Old, One New features two books - one old, one new, which are connected in some way. Today, I am sharing two books set during the Christmas season. 

All I Want for Christmas
Wendy Loggia
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Underlined
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

This sweet and magical romance about a girl who has just one wish--someone to kiss under the mistletoe--is the perfect holiday escape!

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.

For Bailey, this really was the most wonderful time of the year. From the top of her head to the bottom of her toes, she no holds barred loved Christmas. Bring on the carols, cookie baking, and present wrapping! She was ready and willing to do anything to make Christmas wonderful for every person. But this year, she also wanted something for herself - a Christmas kiss. It never seemed probable before, but with two suitors, it seemed like more of a possibility than ever. 

Straight truth, this book delighted my Hallmarkie heart. It was so sweet, cute, and adorable. I was swept away into all the holiday festivities, and it was a wonderful escape for me. Ice skating, cocoa, cookie swaps, present wrapping -- I loved every second of it! But there was also a very sweet focus on friends, family, kindness, and seeing beyond the surface. I will admit, that this story earned a few extra brownie points near the end. I suspected something, and I was half right, but then Loggia took it a step further and hit me right in the feels. Obviously, I loved what she did there, and my heart pretty much exploded. 

Quick list of likes:

❤️ Sweet Romance

👨‍👩‍👧 Friends and family

🎄 Fun festivities

🐶 A great pup

💋 Kisses

🎁 Presents

🍪 Cookies

📚 Bookstore

This book was a sweet little treat, which more than fulfilled my expectations. It did a great job of lifting my mood, and left me merry, bright, and full of good cheer. 

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review. 

When I was a kid, you never saw any signs of Christmas until Thanksgiving hit. Sometimes it annoys me how loooong the season is these days, but I still love holiday music. I tend towards the traditional song and arrangements more, but I think that has to do with childhood memories more than anything. Below is a list of ten of my favorite holiday songs.  

1. Rocking Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee ** My all-time favorite **
2. The Little Drummer Boy (Peace on Earth) by Bing Crosby & David Bowie
3. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams 
4. The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole 
5. Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives 
6. Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano 
7. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by John Denver and the Muppets  
8. White Christmas by Frank Sinatra & Bing Crosby
9. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Perry Como
10. Christmas Don't Be Late by The Chipmunks

And, well, you were probably already singing this one due to the title of this book. 

 

Ex-Mas
Kate Brian
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Two Exes. One holiday adventure. Merry Ex-Mas?

Seventeen-year-old Lila Beckwith's parents just left for vacation, and Lila's all set to throw the holiday party of the season. But when her Christmas-obsessed little brother, Cooper, discovers that global warming is melting the North Pole, he and his best friend, Tyler, take off on a runaway mission to save Santa. Lila has to get Cooper safely home before her parents get back on Christmas Eve. But the only person who can help her is Tyler's older brother, Beau — a.k.a. Lila's musician, anti-everything ex-boyfriend.

It'll take more than a Christmas miracle for Lila and Beau to overcome their differences and find their fugitive brothers. But could a journey destined for disaster help these polar opposites fall in love...all over again?

When their little brothers run off to save Santa, Lila and Beau are forced to work together to get them home safely. Beau had been Lila's best friend and first love, but all that changed once they started high school. Lila's goal was to be part of the "it" crowd, and she accomplished her goal. But after spending time with Beau, she was starting to question if it had all been worth it. 

This wasn't as Christmasy as I hoped it would be, but it was lots of fun. At first, it felt very Adventures in Babysitting with Lila and Beau racing to try and intercept their brothers, while encountering LOTS of setbacks. Yes, it was all very over the top, but I enjoyed the road trip so much. It wasn't just the shenanigans that delighted me though, it was getting to see Lila and Beau work through their past and realize how much they missed each other. 

I saw a lot of people found Lila annoying, but I think that was the point. She had become this vapid, shallow person, who put way too much importance on appearances and popularity. Being with Beau reminded her of who she used to be and the things that once mattered to her. She came to some realizations as she searched for her brother, and I was really pleased with the growth she experienced. 

This book really hit the spot for me. I was hooked from the very beginning and enjoyed the Amazing Race style road trip I took with these two. It was so cute and adorable, and the ending was like the whipped cream and cherry on top for me too. 

Do you have a favorite holiday song?
Let us know in the comments!