It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is:
Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings Me
Heartless by Marissa Meyer
This book has been on my TBR since it was first released, and yet, I still haven’t gotten it. I love Alice in Wonderland, so I have a really good feeling about this book!
The Fever Code by James Dashner
Despite my feelings about the fate of certain characters in The Death Cure, I really do love The Maze Runner series. The Kill Order was such a letdown for me as a prequel, but I’m really hoping to get some actual answers in The Fever Code!
Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
I’ve heard so many wonderful things about this beautiful book! I’ve heard it has excellent representation, and the whole story is just really good.
The Midnight Dance by Nikki Katz
While I have heard some mixed things about this book, I still really want to read it for myself. The book is mysterious and about ballet, which are 2 of my favorite things for books. Plus, look at that absolutely gorgeous cover!
The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer
I admit, part of the reason I want to read this is because of my love for Twilight. I’m really curious to see how a spy/thriller book by Stephenie Meyer is!
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
This is another book that I’ve heard so many good things about The premise of Caraval is so intriguing, and I really want to read this one!
Ringer by Lauren Oliver
Replica was one of my favorite books that I read this year, so I’m super eager to get my hands on the sequel! I love how creative this story is, and I can’t wait to read how things end!
The Color Project by Sierra Abrams
So many people love this book! I’ve heard it’s so cute, emotional, and well written. I really want to read this book!
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
I love John Green’s books, and I’ve been hearing really good things about his newest one. I really can’t wait to read this book, either!
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Everyone has been buzzing about this book lately! I just recently heard about it, but from what I’ve heard, it’s really good. Plus, it takes place in Cleveland, Ohio, and I actually live in Northeast Ohio, too, so it’s always fun to read about places you’ve seen/know of!
There’s my Top Ten Tuesday! And yes, I do realize it’s Wednesday. The past few days I’ve been busy getting school work done for winter break, and I just haven’t had the time to adequately blog. The good news though, is that I’m officially on winter break, so yay! I’ll actually [hopefully] have time to do things now!
Thanks for reading! What books do you hope Santa will bring?
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Hello, and welcome back to Movie Monday! Movie Monday is a feature on my blog where I compare and discuss books and their movie or television adaptation!
Today I’m discussing the 2004 movie, Christmas with the Kranks based off the book, Skipping Christmas by John Grisham.
Hello everyone! I can hardly believe that Christmas Eve is next week!! Who’s all ready for Christmas?! 🙋♀️ Today it’s another installment of Countdown to Christmas! Countdown to Christmas is a weekly feature where I recommend a different Christmas-y book each week to read this holiday season.
This week’s book is Ex-mas by Kate Brian.
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?
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Ex-mas is such a fun and adventurous holiday read. It’s filled with romance, goofy little brothers, and a road trip! It has everything that makes a short and sweet YA novel. More people need to read it! If you’re looking for a Christmas themed book to read the week of Christmas, Ex-mas is a great choice!
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Title: Journey Back to Christmas by Leigh Duncan
Pages: 154
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Time Travel, Romance
Published by: Hallmark Publishing (Oct. 17, 2017)
Summary
Treat yourself to ebooks inspired by Hallmark Christmas movies. Enjoy a heartwarming, feel-good story…and find out what happens after the movie ends.
WWII is finally over, but Hanna’s husband, Chet, didn’t return home. She puts on a brave smile during the day while nursing her hospital patients, but at night, she grieves the loss of her love.
Then the Christmas Comet appears for the first time in over seventy years, and Hanna’s caught in a snowstorm and knocked unconscious. She wakes up in modern times, and much to her confusion, her small town has changed. A local cop takes pity on her and invites her to stay with his family over the holiday.
As she searches for her place in this familiar yet different town, Hanna discovers that even small acts of kindness impact lives…and that the true meaning of Christmas is timeless. Now, she hopes to find her way back to her own time…and this year’s comet may lead her to a Christmas miracle.
What I Thought
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley!*
I’m obsessed with Hallmark Christmas movies. Like, they’re pretty much the only thing I’ve watched since November 1st! 😂 So, when I saw there were books inspired by Hallmark movies, I had to check them out! Journey Back to Christmas was my favorite Hallmark premiere last year, so I was very intrigued to check out the book.
Hello! It’s time for another holiday book tag! I was tagged by Jenn @ Jenniely for the Bookish Naughty List book tag. 😁 So, let’s decide if I deserve to go on the the naughty list this year!
Received an ARC and not reviewed it ✅
Hasn’t everyone done this? 🙈 Especially with things like NetGalley, it’s so easy to receive an ARC, and not get around to reviewing it. I plan on finishing them all someday…I JUST NEED MORE TIME!
Have less than 60% feedback rating on NetGalley
My feedback rating is currently at 75%, which actually isn’t too bad, and better than I thought!
Rated a book on goodreads and promised a full review was to come on your blog (and never did) ✅
Bahahaha this is every book reviewer’s biggest lie. 😭 I have good intentions, guys! I really do!
Folded down the page of a book
I try to keep my books looking extra nice, so I don’t intentionally fold pages.
Accidentally spilled on a book ✅
Is this for this year? Or ever? I’ve done fairly well this year at not spilling on my books. Like I said, I try to be careful…that being said, I’ve had my fair share of splashes of tea on my books throughout the years. And, one time I spilled a giant glob of applesauce on my favorite book when I was, like, 10. It traumatized me. 😭
DNF a book this year
Not this year!
Bought a book purely because it was pretty with no intention of reading it ✅
Well, I’d like to say I intend on reading every book I get. When I actually will get to it, however, is another thing. 🙈
Read whilst you were meant to be doing something else (like homework) ✅✅✅
All. The. Time! I admit, I put off so many things to read.
Skim read a book ✅
I don’t do this too often, but if I’m not feeling the book, and I’m too close to the end to DNF it, I’ll skim it. 🙈
Completely missed your Goodreads goal
I think I’m going to reach my goal! I’ve read 48 of 52 books, and I don’t think that’s too crazy for me to accomplish in 15 days. I’m still holding out hope!
Borrowed a book and not returned it
Nope! 🙅♀️ It drives me crazy, when people don’t return my books, so I always make it a point to return borrowed books promptly. Library books, though, I always return them…I don’t always return them quite as promptly. 🙈
Broke a book buying ban ✅
Shh…Don’t we all? . 🙈😜
Started a review, left it for ages then forgot what the book was about ✅
This one’s for you The Graveyard Book! I remember the main premise, and that I enjoyed the book, but I don’t remember enough specific details to write a review for it anymore. I still have the review in my drafts, but unless I reread it, it’s never going to get a review. 😭
Wrote in a book you were reading
Unless you count the Bible, which I’m not, because that’s different, I don’t write in books.🙅♀️
Finished a book and not added it to your Goodreads
I haven’t done this either! I gotta reach that Goodreads goal! 😅
So, out of 15 things, I’ve been naughty for 8 of them. I guess that makes me on the bookish naughty list! 😭🙈😂
Are YOU on the bookish naughty list? I’d love to see your answers!
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Hello! It has been snowing so much the past few days. Where I live, it has been transformed into a winter wonderland. So, when I came across this little passage from Anne of Green Gables, it reminded me of how magical snow truly can be!
Christmas morning broke on a beautiful white world. It had been a very mild December and people had looked forward to a green Christmas; but just enough snow fell softly in the night to transfigure Avonlea. Anne peeped out from her frosted gable window with delighted eyes. The firs in the Haunted Wood were all feathery and wonderful; the birches and wild cherry trees were outlined in pearl; the plowed fields were stretches of snowy dimples; and there was a crisp tang in the air that was glorious. Anne ran downstairs singing until her voice reechoed through Green Gables.
“Merry Christmas, Marilla! Merry Christmas, Matthew! Isn’t it a lovely Christmas? I’m so glad it’s white. Any other kind of Christmas doesn’t seem real, does it?”
~ L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Are you dreaming of a white Christmas this year?
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Hello everyone! This year, I participated in The Broke & the Bookish Secret Santa! This is an annual event, but this year was my first time doing it. Well, my package arrived the other day, and Y’ALL, my Secret Santa, who it turns out is Nicole from Nicole’s Novel Reads, spoiled me so! So, today, I’m going to share with you all what I received!

When my package arrived I was SO excited! I had to drop everything and open it!
The first thing I saw when I opened my package was a card, but I decided to save that until the end. I decided I wanted to open my gifts and then meet my Secret Santa. So, first I opened the present on the top.
What could it be?
It was a book sleeve! I’d been wanting a book sleeve for some time now, but I just never bought myself one. Not only that, but it was The Nutcracker themed! I mentioned that I loved ballet and Christmas, and I love how Nicole thought to combine those two loves together for my book sleeve!
Then, my next gift was:
The cutest Anne of Green Gables bookmarks! I’m so obsessed with how adorable and perfect they are!
My next present was tasty hot cocoa!
I love drinking hot cocoa – especially at Christmas time, so I’m so excited to try out these flavors!
Then I got to my first book!
It was Delirium Stories! I love Lauren Oliver’s books, and her Delirium series. I’ve read all of them but the last one and the short stories. So this was SO exciting to receive!
Then it was book #2!
I got The Start of You and Me! I’ve never read Emery Lord’s books before, but I’ve heard really good things about them. So, I’m really looking forward to reading this one!
THEN, there was book #3!!
Nicole gave me an ARC of Hiddensee! I had actually never heard of this book, but I am so, so intrigued. It’s from the author of Wicked and it’s based around The Nutcracker!! I am planning on reading this book very, very soon!
My cat, Bella, also appreciated all of Nicole’s gorgeous wrapping paper. 😉 Although, for real, I really was in love with her wrapping paper! All of it was so fun and festive! 🙂
Then, I got a FOURTH (!!) book!
It was Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell!! This book has been on my TBR for so long now. I’ve heard so many amazing things about this book, and I am just so, so excited that I finally own it and I can read it now!
And then there was one gift left:
And it was adorable and cozy pairs of socks!
I absolutely love soft and fuzzy socks! Plus, pink, especially light pink like that, is my favorite color. I can’t wait to show these socks off on Instagram for #SockSunday, too!
Here’s Nicole’s adorable card she sent me:
And then, just when I was already overwhelmed with gratitude for all the lovely presents Nicole sent me, she told me on Twitter that one more thing was on the way!
It arrived the next day:
And it was:
An Anne of Green Gables coloring book!!
I love to color, and I didn’t even mention it in my #TBTBSanta letter, and so I was SO pleasantly surprised to receive this beautiful coloring book!
I just want to say thank you so, SO much to Nicole! She was the best Secret Santa I could have asked for, and she truly exceeded all my expectations. It is so evident how much time and thought she put in to each present, and I am so appreciative!
Thanks so much for reading!
Did you participate in The Broke & The Bookish Secret Santa?
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Hey everyone! I’m so excited to finally share my TBR for the Holiday Adventure-A-Thon, hosted by Novel Thoughts! The readathon starts tomorrow, the 13th, and runs through Christmas Eve, the 24th. This is a super fun, “choose your own adventure” style readathon.
To get all the details, be sure to check them out here!
Okay, so I’ve decided to join Team Holiday Penguin!
Here’s my route and anticipated TBR:
Now, I’d love to read a different book for each challenge, but I know there’s no way I can read 7 books in less than two weeks – especially so close to Christmas! So, I’ve had to double up on some challenges, but that’s okay.
Presents | Santa
My mom bought me The Dogs of Christmas at a library book sale, so while it wasn’t a Christmas present, I still consider it a present. Plus, that pop of red also perfectly fits for the Santa challenge.
Wonder | Cookies
The Afterlife of Holly Chase is a retelling of sorts of A Christmas Carol, so that fits perfectly for the Wonder challenge. I’m pretty sure I’ll be fulfilling the cookies challenge during all these books, because Christmas cookies are life!
Nice
My sister has been wanting me to read Fire and Ice for so long now! I need to read this book for my sister…it can be my Christmas gift to her. 😉
Jingle Bells
I’m not 100% sure if this is the book I will use for this challenge, but I was struggling to find a book with the word “silver” in the title. So, this book is tentative, but we shall see!
Penguin
The Christmas Hope is going to be such a tearjerker, but also a Christmasy, contemporary read. I’m really looking forward to reading this one.
This readathon looks like it is going to be so much fun!
Are you participating in The Holiday Adventureathon?
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Hey everyone! Tanya and Kimberly of GirlXOXO are hosting a fun, month long series of their favorites of the year called #AMonthofFaves. There’s new prompts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday all December long. Today’s fave is: Blogger Love Edition!
So, today I’m going to share with you all some of the lovely blogs I follow and adore. I’ve decided to share one of their recent posts that have been my favorite as well!
{Ottavia from Novels and Nonfiction} She recently co-hosted a super fun Thanksgiving themed readathon, and put together a giveaway for it! It was such a blast, and I loved the idea of having a readathon for Thanksgiving break. Plus, she’s got a super cute bunny!
{Jackie from Death At Tsundoku} Jackie also co-hosted the Thanksgiving Readathon! Alongside that, she’s been hosting an Anne of Green Gables read-along, which is such a fun idea!
{Kourtni from Kourtni Reads} I’ve been following Kourtni for a while now, and I always love her posts. She recently shared why she wasn’t doing a TBR for December, and I really loved hearing her thoughts about the freedom of reading what you want.
{Holly from Nut Free Nerd} Holly is another person that I’ve followed for a while now, and I really adore her blog! Her recent post about Taylor Swift and feminism was really interesting, and I really loved the points Holly made.
{Aentee from Read at Midnight} Aentee creates such beautiful graphics, and she always comes up with such creative readathons. An Animal Crossing inspired readathon just started, and I love the thought and effort that she has put into it!
{Jessica from Reading with Jessica} Jessica is so sweet and her blog is just lovely! Today she started a new baking series on her blog, and she’s only one post in, and I’m already hungry!
{Casey from adoptabookaus} I’m pretty sure Casey was one of the first blogs I started following when I first got my blog, and she was one of my first followers! I loved reading her recent post for goals for the end of 2017.
{Lashaan and Trang from Bookidote} Lashaan and Trang’s blog is so much fun! I really love their posts. I especially loved reading Trang’s recent post on why she loves villains!
That’s it for today’s post! I’m sure I’m forgetting someone, though.
Thanks for reading!
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Hello! Aentee from Read at Midnight is hosting the super cute, sure to be fun #ReadersCrossing readathon! I absolutely adored her PokemonGo themed readathon last year, and so when I saw she was hosting one that was Animal Crossing themed, I just knew I had to participate.
The readathon runs from today, December 10th, and goes until December 31st. The challenges are set up like a bingo board.
I’ve decided to base my TBR around Natural – 5 Across. So, here’s my anticipated TBR:
Set in Your Country
For this one, I wanted to read something Christmas-y, so I’ve decided to read The Christmas Hope by Donna VanLiere.
Yellow Cover
This challenge was actually way harder than I anticipated. I’ve been getting into graphic novels more lately, so I’ve decided to give Goldie Vance Volume 1 a try.
A Classic
My goal is to FINALLY FINISH Gone with the Wind! I’ve been reading this book for almost 6 months now, and I really have enjoyed it. The thing is, it is just such a large book, that I tend to get distracted and want to read a million other books. So, I’ll put Gone with the Wind aside for a few days and read another book. Well, it’s time to stop putting this lovely book aside and finish it before 2018!
Animal on the Cover
I’ve decided to read The Dogs of Christmas for this challenge. It sounds like such a fun and Christmas-y book, plus, it fits in with my other readathon I’m planning on participating in, the Holiday Adventure-A-Thon (which, by the way, you can expect my TBR for that readathon later this week)!
Set in the Wilderness
My sister has been hounding me to read book 2 in the Cat Warriors series, Fire and Ice, for so long now! So, I think it’s finally time to read it!
For extra fun for the readathon, you can earn points and keep score. Here’s my camper ID:
My goal is to share a reading update with all of you once a week, so you can see how my progress is coming along. For those updates, I’ll also update my camper ID with my current #ReadersCrossing level!
And there you have it! I’m obsessed with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and so I’m really excited for this readathon.
Let me know if you’re participating in #ReadersCrossing! Are you a fan of Animal Crossing?
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the calico books 