Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, but the warmth of young love just might melt the ice in this novel of interwoven narratives, Black joy, and cozy, sparkling romance—by the same unbeatable team of authors who wrote the New York Times bestseller Blackout!
As the city grinds to a halt, twelve teens band together to help a friend pull off the most epic apology of her life. But will they be able to make it happen, in spite of the storm?
No one is prepared for this whiteout. But then, we can’t always prepare for the magical moments that change everything.
From the bestselling, award-winning, all-star authors who brought us Blackout—Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon—comes another novel of Black teen love, each relationship within as unique and sparkling as Southern snowflakes.
This year, I started very late with listening to or reading Christmas stories. Nevertheless, thanks to this book, I immediately got into the right spirit. After listening to Whiteout by these many talented writers I wouldn’t have needed another one. Several anthological chapters circle around one big romantic gesture. In them, the authors tells many shorter, but no less authentic and entertaining love stories. We follow the protagonists around the same hours and for only a short amount of time. But these chapters suffice to get to know them and fall in love with them.
To have two characters meet and fall head over heels for each other would be doable in such a short time. Nonetheless, I am glad that the authors decided against the love-at-first-sight pattern. Instead, they brought us into already existing relationships recently challenged. Through foremost one point of view, we witness their eventual happy ending (for now). Sometimes, we get comments from both involved parties, which makes the story even more enjoyable. First crushes, love angles, second chances, friends-to-lovers… The authors chose some of my favorite tropes. Moreover, they filled them with beautiful characters.
More than on the romantic level, the authors create a Christmassy setting. The impending snow chaos challenges all the characters on another level. This anthology’s authors also make cultural differences a theme around the holidays, which I loved! The difficulties in each respective relationship are thought through and not based on sole miscommunication. Instead, the characters talk through their insecurities, deficiencies, and feelings. I enjoyed each of their conversations, the funny and the deep ones alike. The stories wonderfully balanced a Christmassy, cheerful, romantic atmosphere with honest and emotional moments.
In conclusion…
Set within the framework of one big romantic gesture, the authors tell us many shorter but no less authentic and moving love stories. They chose some of my favorite tropes and thoroughly engaged with their characters’ feelings and insecurities. I enjoyed every single of these stories and was put in the perfect Christmas mood.
The authors:
DHONIELLE CLAYTON is a New York Times bestselling author of The Conjureverse series, The Belles series, Shattered Midnight, co-author of Blackout, Whiteout, The Rumor Game, and of the Tiny Pretty Things duology, a Netflix original series. She hails from the Washington, D.C. suburbs on the Maryland side. She taught secondary school for several years, and is a former elementary and middle school librarian. She is COO of the non-profit We Need Diverse Books. She is the President and founder of Cake Creative and Electric Postcard Entertainment, IP story companies creating diverse books for all ages where she’s concepted and sold over 55 books, including the Tristan Strong series, Promise Boys, Love Radio, the Love Sugar Magic series, and more. She’s an avid traveler, and always on the hunt for magic and mischief. Source
NIC STONE is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of William C. Morris Award finalist Dear Martin, Dear Justyce, Odd One Out, Jackpot, and Clean Getaway, and the Shuri novel series with Marvel Comics. Source
ANGIE THOMAS’s award-winning, acclaimed debut novel, The Hate U Give, is a #1 New York Times bestseller and major motion picture from Fox 2000. She is also the author of On the Come Up and Concrete Rose. Source
ASHLEY WOODFOLK worked in children’s book publishing before becoming an author full-time. Her novels include the highly-acclaimed The Beauty that Remains and When You Were Everything. Source
NICOLA YOON is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Instructions for Dancing; Everything, Everything; and The Sun Is Also a Star. She is a National Book Award finalist, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book recipient, and a Coretta Scott King New Talent Award winner. Two of her novels have been made into major motion pictures. She’s also copublisher of Joy Revolution, a Penguin Random House young adult imprint dedicated to love stories starring people of color. Source