The Gift Exchange: YA Holiday Anthology.

 

 

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

Thank you to Happily Booked PR, for E ARC in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

 

 RELEASE DATE:NOVEMBER 5,2025

In these ten standalone stories, teens navigate grief, love, friendship, and the surprises that come wrapped in unexpected packages. From a holiday heist to a magical keychain, a storm-delayed reunion to a secret society, each story explores how giving—and receiving—can open hearts and heal old wounds. 

Featured stories “One Perfect Gift” by Caroline Baccene“Cereal Thieves” by Gwen Cole“The First Christmas” by Jessica Daniliuk“The Gift of Christmas Present” by Katie Fitzgerald“Snow People” by Lisa Freeman“Mad-Dashing Through the Snow” by Justine Gunn“Tinsel and Tangled Hearts” by Amy Kelly“When the Snow Settles” by Kate Ormand“Share the Love” by Katherine Rea“Tater Tot” by Desi Snow Whether through new love, chosen family, or long-overdue reconciliation, The Gift Exchange shows that the holidays are less about what’s under the tree and more about the people around it. Perfect for fans of cozy and contemporary romance, found family, and meaningful moments. 

 

 🌷

 
When I heard about The Gift Exchange, I was intrigued, mainly since it features short stories by different authors. I love short stories and even wrote a few myself for a class. However, this was my first holiday short story. I liked how many different authors the anthology featured, and how each of the stories featured had a different take on the holiday season. From the moment I started reading, I found myself engrossed in the story until the end, and then wondering which story I would read next. You couldn’t help but fall in love with each of the stories. 

I loved how different each of the stories were. Some featured more heavy topics, others wrote about true meaning of the holidays and some had me laughing. All these stories will get you into the holiday spirit. Some stories had a slower start than others, but in general, I adore these stories; each of them had its own magic. These are the perfect stories for the holiday season.

The Holiday Hate Off (Hideaway Harbor,#1)

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

 4.5★

 

Thank you to the author,Angela Casella for  E ARC, in exchange for an honest review. 

 

 

 RELEASE DATE:NOVEMBER 4,2025

 

All I want for Christmas is his complete and total destruction.

 
Lucy

 
The only thing standing between me and an idyllic Christmas in Hideaway Harbor is Enzo Cafiero, the hot jerk whose family runs the Italian market next door to the coffee shop where I work. 

He hates me because I convinced his girlfriend to break up with him a few months ago. In my defense, his now-ex ran into the coffee shop sobbing. All I did was make her a latte and validate her feelings.
He didn’t even live here at the time—they were just visiting—but he does live here now. 

He ditched his cushy NYC consulting job so he could save his family business. I’d admire his loyalty if he didn’t seem determined to ruin my Christmas. Because within minutes of his return, we’re trading barbs, destroying each other’s holiday events (RIP Santa Speed Dating), and having price wars.
I loathe him. And, unfortunately, I really want to push him under the mistletoe.

 
Enzo

 
Hideaway Harbor is the last place I want to be. But family means everything to me, so I left the big city to help mine. 

Getting dragged into a full-on holiday feud with the girl next door wasn’t part of the plan, but I’m living for my hate-off with Lucy. 

The truth is, I’d rather argue with her than get along with anyone else.

 

 🌷

 
I adored this book. Lucy and Enzo’s story affected me in so many ways. I couldn’t get enough of the story, and each page made it harder for me to put this book down because I needed to see what was going to happen next. I believe that Lucy felt an attraction towards Enzo from the moment that she met him, she just didn’t want to admit it. I think both did. I enjoyed the banter between the two of them, which had me laughing out loud multiple times while reading it. That was one of my favorite things about this book: the humor, which made the story even more fun to read. I couldn’t help but root for the two of them all the way through the book. 

It didn’t take me long to fall in love with Hideaway Harbor. I loved this small town, and it sounded like just the type of town that I would love to live in. It was one of those books that you feel connected to most of the characters and wonder what they will be up to next. I also loved the way that everybody looked out for one another; it was like they were one big family. It gave me a vibe from Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls, during the holidays. I enjoyed all the conversations between the characters, some of which had me laughing out loud. 

The letters had me smiling. I loved the nicknames that they came up with for each other. I liked the rivalry between Lucy and Enzo and wondered what the two of them would come up with next. Of course, I was curious to see how long it would last. The Holiday Hate Off got me into the mood for holidays, and I'm craving hot chocolate. I'm so glad that I came across this one and cannot wait to see what's in store for us in other stories in Hideaway Harbor.

Some Kind Of Famous.

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

   

4.5★

 

Thank you to publisher,Random House Publishing|Ballantine|Dell for  E ARC via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.  

 

 

 

 

RELEASE DATE:OCTOBER 28,2025 

 

 

It’s been a decade since Merritt Valentine’s peak as a celebrated singer-songwriter… and her subsequent career-ending mental breakdown. Since then, she’s abandoned the glitz of Los Angeles to move in with her sister, Olivia, in the sleepy Colorado ski town of Crested Peak, hoping to heal her lingering emotional wounds of the spotlight. 

Life in Crested Peak would be uncomplicated if not for Merritt’s inconvenient crush on the local contractor and handyman, Nikolaos Petrakis. Niko is disarmingly handsome and too kind-hearted to ever be right for the complex and prickly Merritt. Though tempting, a fling with Niko would only bring the kind of drama Merritt has vowed to leave behind. 

After his last heartbreak, Niko is done dating his fellow townies. Still, he can’t shake his fascination with the brilliant Merritt, even as he heeds their mutual friends’ warnings to steer clear of her chaos. But when Merritt needs help fixing up a house of her own, Niko is glad to be the only man for the job. 

As the two spend more time together, their mutual attraction sparking a deeper connection than either one expects, they’re forced to confront the idea that they may have underestimated each other– and themselves. 

 🌷

 
It didn’t take me long to fall in love with this story. It’s such a heartwarming story that will break your heart multiple times. 

Some Kind Of Famous was the first book that I read by Ava Wilder; the cover and the blurb are what caught my attention. You never know what to expect when it’s a new author. The story blew me away. My only regret is that I didn’t discover Ava earlier. The writing in this book was beautiful and felt almost like the lyrics to me. My eyes were glued to the book, and I only put it down when I had to. This book had a few dull moments; something was always happening. The way that the author described emotions in this story were phenomenal, and I felt every single one of those emotions. 

My favorite was the connection between Niko and Meritt. There were so many heartfelt moments between them, and it seemed that Meritt was the happiest when she was with him. I enjoyed how the author developed the relationship between Niko and Meritt. I was rooting for the two of them all through the book. I hoped that they would find a way to be together and stay together. In general, Niko is the type of guy every girl dreams about; he’s caring and listens. I could go on about what else I loved about him, but I don’t want to give too much away. 

On the other hand, Meritt was a complex character; at first, I had trouble connecting with her. I understood why she acted the way she did, but I didn’t always agree with her actions. However, she grew on me, and she changed a lot from the beginning of the book; her character development was one of my favorites in the book. This was one of the most emotional books that I have read. I am eager to check out rest of Ava Wilder’s books!