December 10th, 2020
Hi Readers!
I remember reading this a few years ago way back in 2013. The recent Netflix adaptation had me wanting to read it again.
What Is It About?
Dash isn’t a fan of Christmas and this year he thinks he’s escaped it, telling both his divorced parents who don’t speak to each other he’s spending Christmas with the other. A few days before the big day, he’s browsing the shelves of The Strand when he sees a moleskin journal and inside, a dare from Lily, who is a Christmas enthusiast.
What Did I Think?
This is kind of a scrooge x Christmas elf love story. Dash being the scrooge and Lily being the elf. Dash had almost succeded in escaping Christmas this holiday season until Lily has him on a scavenger hunt all through a very festive New York City. Forcing him the visit all the holiday hotspots.
I don’t think I enjoyed this as much as I did the first time I read it. It was a while ago so I can’t really remember, but seeing as my copy had an awful lot of index tabs marking off favourite moments, I’d say I enjoyed it quite a lot.
This time around though, I had a few issues with it. Firstly, this book has one of my pet peeves which is teenage characters who just aren’t teenagers. Yes there’s the angst, but that’s it. Doesn’t really make either of the characters very likeable or relatable, so I struggled to connect to them.
I think the reason I loved it so much as a teenager was because I wanted what happens to Dash and Lily to happen to me. I wanted to go to a bookstore and find a notebook with a dare written by a cute stranger who just happened to be my age. It sounds like the ultimate romantic adventure.
I was also admittedly quite pretentious as a teenager and that’s probably why this book spoke to me. Dash especially. A book where the characters Christmas wish is for the English Oxford Dictionary? As a teenager I ‘totally got it’ but now I just rolled my eyes.
If you love the idea of Christmas in New York, this is the book for you. Through Dash and Lily you visit the most festive places and you definitely feel the holiday bustle I think we’ll all be missing this year. It’s a fun story, just a bit obnoxious for my liking.
Comfort Reads 
I watched the Netflix series and I have to agree with you about the characters not being believable teenagers. I’m a teacher so I’m very critical about these things. But I enjoyed the plot and over all theme. I’m curious to read the book now to see how close the TV series follows the story.
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