Title: The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily
Author: Rachel Cohn, David Levithan
Publisher: Knopf BFYR
Pub Date: October 18, 2016
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 215
Source: Library
Genre(s): YA, Contemporary, Romance, Holidays (Christmas)
Rating: ★★★
Goodreads || Buy on Amazon

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

Dash and Lily have had a tough year since they first fell in love among the shelves of their favorite bookstore. Lily’s beloved grandfather suffered a heart attack, and his difficult road to recovery has taken a major toll on her typically sunny disposition.

With only twelve days left until Christmas—Lily’s favorite time of the year—Dash, Lily’s brother Langston, and their closest friends must take Manhattan by storm to help Lily recapture the unique holiday magic of a glittering, snow-covered New York City in December.

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My review:

“Sometimes you make plans. Sometimes plans make themselves.”

Maybe I missed out on the magic because I didn’t read Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. Or maybe this book just isn’t good.

From what I gather, Lily used to be an optimistic and whimsical person. I’m sad to report that she is neither of those things in this book. It really made her unlikable. She had very valid reasons to feel the way that she did but her constant angst and negativity did not bode well with me. Keep in mind that this was my first time “meeting” her character and she did not make a good first impression. On the other hand, Dash seemed kind and quirky enough. Lily’s treatment toward him made me resent her even more, and I hate hating on girls, so it really bothered me that I couldn’t find any redeemable qualities in her. I really didn’t care for any of the other characters either. They all seemed like fluff. Underdeveloped fluff. Who are they and why are they important to the story? I’m practically cringing at how hateful I sound. I’m a Grinch. Sorry.

So why did I read this book? It was almost Christmas. This was new to the library and miraculously available for hold straight away. The first book was not available, but I figured that this was more of a companion novel rather than a sequel. I guess I was wrong. I was really excited about reading a holiday-themed book because I’ve never done that before… at least not during the actual holiday. I wanted to feel joy and whimsy and Christmas spirit. Unfortunately, I got none of that out of this book. On a side note, I normally like reading about dysfunctional families (I mean, hey, we all have them) but the family members in this book just reminded me why family gatherings always suck.

In conclusion, I am disappointed. The writing was fine. The book is short and fast-paced. The characters are whiny and filled with teen angst. There was not enough Christmas cheer. Where’s Elf when you need him?!

It simply wasn’t my cup of tea, but if you’re a previous fan of Dash & Lily, I’m sure you will appreciate this story a lot more than I did. I hope you enjoy it.