Sunday, December 27, 2015

Guest of the Month Club ~ Holiday Traditions

 
I'm really excited for the second Blogger of the Month, and so I will present to you Pamela!
  Hi! I'm Pamela, and you can find me at my little nook of cyberspaceA Writer's Tales. Thanks to Lizzie, and Em, from …. for coming up with #GotM.

Now, on with the good stuff.
There a lot of things I enjoy about Christmas. But my favorite tradition has always been playing Secret Santa. I mean, having dinner ALWAYS comes first, but that one is a given, so let's just go with Secret Santa.
I love it because it's not just about exchanging gifts. It's the despair of not knowing what on earth to give because 3 times out of 5 –if for example you're playing with your classmates-, you get someone who you have no idea of what he likes.
When we play it that way, the gift exchange usually takes place at a little classroom party, and the best part is when, instead of just giving each other the gifts, we have to go to the front and start describing our person. It's fun for the others to have to guess who is it. When we finally guess right, the person who receives the gift has to describe his person, and so on, and so on, until we've all spoken.
It's nothing out of this world, but it's one of those moments that actually remind me it's Christmas.

You guys know how each year it gets so increasingly difficult to feel festive during the holidays with so much work, and so many things happening. When you're not a kid anymore and the toys stop being a signal it's Christmas, you are confronted with the hard challenge of searching for another meaning to give it.
 
Sure, we all know gifts aren't the most important thing, and blah, blah, blah, but when we were kids, the 'Christmas spirit' was everywhere. Now, we have to find it in the little things, and that's not so bad either. But it's hard.
 
Secret Santa, as silly as it sounds, is one of those little things when everything they say about Christmas is actually true.

Lizzie, again! I hope you all have a great holiday season!


Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday #43: Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
 
This Week's Topic:
Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year
1.
The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds, #1)
Complete The Darkest Minds trilogy, signed from ApollyCon (even if I won't get it until February)
2.
Taken (Taken, #1)
I'm only about 25% in, but it's really interesting and I loved Vengeance Road (I'd also want this one signed from ApollyCon)
3.
Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy, #1)
I tried this one a year or so ago and it didn't click, but I'm willing to try it again since I've heard positive things!
4.
Wicked (A Wicked Saga, #1)
I REALLY liked this one, and I need to add to my JLA collection!
5.
Evertrue (Everneath, #3)
I have the first two, and all I need is this one!
6.
The Cage (The Cage, #1)
I loved this one and just need to add it to my shelves!
7.
Unearthly (Unearthly, #1)
I need to read the last book, Boundless, but I'd love to have the full trilogy!
8.
The Summoning (Darkest Powers, #1)
This one sounds really good, and maybe I'll finally get around to reading it!
9.
The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, #1)
I keep meaning to read this book because I've only heard positive things! Can't wait to read it!
10.
Untamed (Splintered, #3.5)
 I loved the Splintered trilogy, and can't wait to read the epilogue and other short stories!

So there are the books I'd love to wake up on Christmas morning and find under my tree! Some I've read and some I haven't, but either way it'd be adding to my bookshelves!

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday #42: New-To-Me Favorite Authors I Read For The First Time In 2015

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
 
This Week's Topic:
Top Ten New-To-Me Favorite Authors I Read For The First Time In 2015
 
1.
Jodi Meadows
 
2.
Elise Kova
 
3.
Erin Bowman
 
4.
Leigh Bardugo
 
5.
Mindee Arnett
 
6.
Kimberly Derting
 
7.
Morgan Rhodes
 
8.
Elizabeth May
 
I know I only have 8 authors on here, and I read a few other new authors, but they didn't become favorites. I doubt that I'll read any new authors this year, but I plan on reading a ton of new ones next year!

Saturday, December 5, 2015

#RockMyTBR Introduction Post

ROCK (1)

If you didn't already know, Sarah from The YA Book Traveler is hosted a reading challenge for 2016! It's all about reading the books we have sitting on our bookshelves or ereaders that we haven't gotten around to. I know that I am guilty of buying a ton of books, but then not reading them. I was already planning on reading them next year, but Sarah's reading challenge will definitely help keep me motivated!

I decided that since I have so many books that I need to read, why not let other people choose!? There might be a book on my list that is someone's favorite, so why not tell me to read that one!? Here is the list, and new books may be added or removed between now and the end of the reading challenge.

So as you can see, I have quite a few books that I need to get around to, and you can help me choose! You can comment in the comments section, and I'm going to try to make a poll to put in my sidebar so people can vote there too! I can't wait to finally read these books!

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday #41: 2016 Debuts Novels We Are Looking Forward To


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This Week's Topic: 
Top Ten 2016 Debuts Novels I Am Looking Forward To 

1.
Assassin's Heart 

2.
Sword and Verse 

3.
Burning Glass 

4.
The Crown's Game (The Crown's Game, #1) 

5.
Rebel of the Sands 

6.
Revenge and the Wild 

7.
The Girl from Everywhere (The Girl from Everywhere, #1) 

8.
Ivory and Bone 

9.
Into the Dim 

10.
Blackhearts

So here are just ten of the 2016 debuts that I'm looking forward to. I have a lot more, but I thought that I should control myself and not go crazy! I've heard great things about these books and impatiently waiting for them! Not TOO much longer!!