Top Ten Books Bridget Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing This Year

 

For future Top Ten Tuesday topics & info on how to participate, click here!

1. Ex-Purgatory – Peter Clines. I reread 14 recently and it’s sooo good. So I’m really excited to see what else Peter Clines has written! He also has a new book, The Fold, coming out next year that I’m excited to see too! 

2. The Martian – Andy Weir. Left alone on Mars, astronaut Mark Watney doesn’t even have a way to signal Earth that he’s alive—not that he’ll survive long enough for a rescue to arrive. He’s refusing to give up, but will he be able to overcome the impossible odds that are stacked against him? 

3. Area X: The Southern Reach Trilogy:Annhiliation; Authority; Acceptance – Jeff VanderMeer. This kind of counts as 3, but they’re all in one hardcover edition so I’m counting it as a single book. The Southern Reach trilogy tells the story of Area X, a remote area that has been cut off from the rest of the continent for the past several decades. No one who explores the area survives. 

4. Station Eleven – Emily St. John Mandel. Station Eleven sounds quite a bit like The Stand: a decade and a half after a pandemic flu kills a large portion of the country’s population, a traveling acting troupe arrives in a small town under the stringent control of a violent prophet. 

5. The Paying Guests – Sarah Waters. I’ve heard so many great things about this book! Looking forward to reading it soon (even if I don’t get it for Christmas)! 

6. The Magician King and The Magician’s Land – Lev Grossman. Again counting these two books as one because I have lots of books on my list and since they’re two parts of the same trilogy they kind of count as the same. 

7. Unwind – Neal Shusterman. I’m kind of over the dystopian-YA genre, but Unwind caught my attention. Can anyone tell me if it’s worth the read for someone who is sort of burnt out on YA dystopias? 

8. Middlesex – Jeffrey Eugenides. I’ve read The Marriage Plot and The Virgin Suicides, so now I have to read Middlesex. I’ve heard it’s the best of the three! 

9. Wicked Girls – Alex Marwood. Twenty-five years after they were both charged for murder at the age of eleven, Kirsty and Amber’s paths cross again. Will they be able to hide their secret from their unsuspecting families? 

10. Anathem – Neal Stephenson. Scientists, philosophers, and mathematicians live sequestered in monasteries until they are called back into the world to deal with a crisis of astronomical proportions.

What books do you want Santa to put under your tree this year??

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Hope Santa Brings

 

To learn more about Top Ten Tuesday or see the future topics, click here!

Christmas is tomorrow! Here are some books we hope Santa will leave for us under our tree or in our stocking.

Tahleen's Picks

1. The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays by Ree Drummond. I asked for this for Christmas, though apparently my dad read this and thought anything by Ree. Too bad I already own all of her other books... 

2. Three To Get Lei'd by Jill Marie Landis. I've been waiting to read this one, but I just can't bring myself to actually pay for it. I have a hard time spending money on books as a librarian, especially if I know I'll only read it once.

3. Runner's World Big Book of Marathon and Half Marathon Training by lots of authors. I have started running more and more this past year, and I've found myself wishing I had a big book of running tips and tricks and training info. This looks like it would be pretty much perfect.

4. American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America by Colin Woodard. This is my library's chosen one-town-one-read book (we call it Carlisle Reads), and it actually sound super interesting. It's something I know would take me forever to read though, so I think owning a copy might be the best way to go.

5. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh. I only recently discover this webcomic, but I love what I've seen. I'd be really happy to see this under the tree!

Jen's Picks

1. Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham: Gilmore Girls is one of my all-time favorite shows and I still have not read Lauren Graham's book!

2. Jessica Darling's It List by Megan McCafferty: Love the Jessica Darling series and need to read about her earlier years!

3. Delirium by Lauren Oliver: I've wanted to read this book for such a long time yet I still don't own it!

4. Just One Year by Gayle Forman: Can someone please yell at me until I read this?

5. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: This book isn't out yet until spring 2014 but Santa can work miracles, right?

What are you hoping Santa leaves under your tree or in your stocking?! Raise your hand if you'll probably be buying these yourself with gift cards you get from Christmas because the Santas in your life are too scared to go into the bookstore on your behalf??

Holiday Shenanigans - Favorite Movies To Watch During The Holidays

Today we are chatting about our favorite movies to watch during the holidays! There's nothing I (Jamie) love more than staying in on a cold December night with our tree all lit up, some cocoa in my hand and a Christmas movie!

Tahleen's Picks:

 

I've got to watch A Christmas Story every year, even if it isn't until the 24-hour marathon on TV. But seriously, I could watch this any time of the year.

I'm also a big fan of Elf, which is an annual must-watch, and all those Rankin-Bass claymation masterpieces. Oh, and White Christmas.

Lori's Picks:

 

There are SO many great movies this time of year!  I have to watch the old versions of Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Charlie Brown Christmas.  I always try (and usually succeed) to watch The Muppets Christmas Carol and It's a Wonderful Life.  A recent favorite is The Bishop's Wife.  My mom and I also love watching the first Harry Potter movie (and sometimes wind up watching more than the first one...)

Jamie's Picks:

I watch A LOT of Christmas-y movies during the holidays but my 4 favorites that get watched EVERY YEAR are Love Actually, Elf, Home Alone and How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Watching How The Grinch Stole Christmas is even more important to me now because I used to watch it with my mom every year before she passed away in 2006.

Julia's Picks:

 

Usually what I try to do is just catch the specials as they air on TV, but the movies I go out of my way to watch yearly are The Muppet Christmas Carol and Love Actually. I've already watched Love Actually this year! But apparently I am also behind the times and there are a few Christmas Movie Classics that I have yet to see, Christmas Vacation being the main one and I guess Elf being the other. So this year those two are on my watch list. I also try to catch A Christmas Story on Christmas Eve when it is on marathon, It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas (which I saw this year in the theater!), and any of the awesome animated movies!

Jana's Picks:

I always watch The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. It's definitely one of my favorites, because it has Henry Winkler in it! I love The Fonz, not gonna lie. I also love The Santa Claus, The Holiday, and I just watched A Princess for Christmas last night and really loved it! Can you believe I have never seen Love Actually, White Christmas, or It's a Wonderful Life? Seeing as how I am a Christmas movie connoisseur, that should change this year.

 

What about you guys? Are any of your favorites on our list? What movies are on your list of movies you love during the holiday season? We want some recs!

Tahleen gets ready for Hallmark Christmas

Hi! It's Tahleen.

Sooooo please don't hate me for this, but I'm getting excited about Christmas. JUST A LITTLE. Stop scowling.

Deal with it.

I can't help it! I've been watching the Hallmark Channel and during every episode of Cedar Cove, they have a little promo letting us all know IT'S COMING. Starting November 2, The Hallmark Christmas movies are coming. And they are starting with a Thanksgiving movie, so there.

This got me to thinking about how Debbie Macomber, author of the Cedar Cove books, constantly has her stuff turned into these made-for-TV movies. And how often, the movies are wayyy better. Sorry, Macomber lovers.

I do read my annual Christmas story by her, maybe even a few, because the stories are HEARTWARMING. But her writing is ...not my favorite. That's why I am super happy every time I see Hallmark is turning another one of her books to an easily digestible, 90-minute nugget of Christmas fuzzies. And why I was really happy Cedar Cove became a series. She just has this knack of creating a great foundation, then Hallmark takes over the rest of the character development and story etc. I don't know what it is, but it works.

And soon, I will be checking out our Christmas collection at the library, currently hidden away in a secret cabinet, looking for other books that will make me happy it's one of my favorite times of the year again.

Are there any movies you like better than the books they were based on? Or do you have any favorite Christmas/Thanksgiving/Hannukah/whatever holiday coming up?

Jana recommends: Quick and Cute Christmas Reads

Hi all! I think you'll probably agree that this time of year is amazingly insane and busy. Of course, it's in a good way... but I have found myself struggling with getting any reading done! I have been reading the same book since Thanksgiving night. How do you guys do it?!

For my post today, I thought it would be fun to highlight a few of the quickies I've read recently that were adorable, and will also help with getting you in the Christmas spirit. Definitely try to squish in a little "me time" for these ones! Several of them have been, or will be featured in my 25-day event: A Bookish Little Christmas with That Artsy Reader Girl. Feel free to jump over there and see all the Christmas-ness that's going on! 

Snowed over by Angie Stanton

This novella is amazing, and I stumbled upon it by pure coincidence. It's all about a girl and a guy who need to get home for Christmas. They get put together by mutual friends from college, because they are both headed to the same place. During the drive, a blizzard forces their car off the road and they end up spending the holiday in an abandoned cabin. It's so romantic, and so sweet. PLUS it's new adult! I'm over the moon with this book, and for only $2.99, why would you even think about passing it up? :)

Check out my full review.
buy it, or add it to goodreads.

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

I know that pretty much anyone in the entire world knows about this one, but I just barely read it last year... so maybe I'm not the only one behind the times. This book has three short stories in it, and all of them are pretty darn amazing. Plus, they all end up tying in to one another. John's and Maureen's were my favorites. 

Check out my full review.

buy it, or add it to goodreads.

The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman by Louise Plummer

This book had been out of print for a while, and I am SO glad it is back! More people need to read this! Kate is bookish and hilarious, and I really ate this book up. She describes this book better than I can, so here you go! 

"I’m Kate Bjorkman. I don’t like romance novels. They’re full of three-paragraph kisses describing people’s tongues and spittle. But what do you do if you’ve lived a real romance with a great-looking guy (Richard) and he loves you as much as you love him? I know what I did. I wrote this romance novel about myself, using the Romance Writer’s Phrase Book. I also used stuff my English teacher taught me about writing. He said a story must have conflict. No problem there. My life was one big conflict last Christmas. I didn’t make anything up. This is the honest truth and I want truth even in romance. I’m betting you’ll want the same."

I really, really loved this one. Check out my full review, and either buy it, or add it to goodreads! 

So, there you have it: three of my very favorite Christmas stories! If you're looking for many more, and you're on a budget I've got an awesome list of free and cheap Christmas reads that I'm sure will brighten your holiday season. Merry Christmas!

Oh, P.S. While you're here... how on earth do you juggle the holidays with reading? It's my favorite time of year to read, and I have no time at all! 

Tahleen reviews: "Let It Snow" by 3 awesome YA authors

I know it's a little late for this, but I DID finish the book on Christmas, which was my goal all along.

Title: Let It Snow

Authors: Maureen Johnson, John Green and Lauren Myracle

Publisher: Speak, 2008

Where I got it: The library!

Rating: ★★★★

Let It Snow is made up of three novellas written by three different authors, all big names in the YA book world. And let me tell you, it's for a reason. Each holiday romance takes place mostly in Gracetown on Christmas Eve during one of the biggest snowstorms of the decade. Though all are focused on different characters, in the end they all come together, and along the way characters and events are intertwined in a way that always made me excited to recognize a name or realize how everything was fitting together.

The first was Maureen Johnson's "Jubilee Express," which tells the sweet story of a girl who, despite all signs pointing the other way, thinks she's in a perfect relationship with a perfect guy. But when her parents land in jail and she ends up stranded in a small town, will she be able to see she deserves better? Despite how well-written this is, I didn't find too much that made it stand out for me. It was funny and touching, but it was pretty predictable with no real twists. (Except for the beginning.)

The next story, John Green's "The Cheertastic Christmas Miracle," definitely reminded me that I totally need to read more John Green, and own more of his stuff. He creates the best, quirkiest, most likable characters I've encountered in a while. Here, he picks up the story of a secondary character in Johnson's story and continues to write a cute little romance between old friends (which is one of my favorite kinds) written in a completely believable teen male voice. The situations he creates for his characters are so wacky and unexpected that he completely won me over. I give his story 5 stars, for sure, and this was by far my favorite of the three.

The last story of the three is Lauren Myracle's "The Patron Saint of Pigs," which brings all three stories together. The mysterious Jeb, briefly mentioned in the other two stories, finally gets his own fleshed out. Told from the perspective of his slightly self-absorbed sort-of-ex-girlfriend Addie, we see how one person's obliviousness and selfishness can completely backfire for everyone involved, and how it can be fixed with some effort, and the arrival of a teeny tiny piggy. (You will want a teacup piggy after reading this, just fair warning.) All of the characters in Myracle's contribution have multiple sides and are people I can see existing in real life; they're all flawed and try to fix things that go wrong because of their personalities. Plus, this story tied them all together in the end, much like the Christmas pageant in Love Actually brought all those characters and their stories together in that lovely Christmas movie (which you should watch if you haven't yet).

All in all, John Green carried this one for me. I did enjoy the other two stories, but they completely pale in comparison to Green's story and writing. It was a nice Christmasy read, and I'm glad I found the time to finish it before December 25 ended.

Regarding Jana and "The Perfect Christmas"

Title and author: The Perfect Christmas, by Debbie Macomber

Publishing info: Mira, 2009

How I got this book: Haha. Last November my mom had Swine Flu, so I became “Mom” to my family during the very end of the final semester of my senior year in college. I was so busy and stressed with turning in my senior project, writing papers, studying for finals, and working retail during the holiday season, that being a full-time mom as well almost pushed me over the edge.  My mom felt bad for me and bought me this book to cheer me up during the stressful time. Needless to say, I was too busy to get around to it!

Why I read this book: I really love a good sappy Christmas romance during the holidays. I always have to read at least one!

Stars: 3

I really do love this time of year, and I love taking in as much sweet stuff as possible, both by way of mouth (unfortunately) and by way of entertainment! I watch Christmas movies all month, make Christmas cookies and fudge, design Christmassy jewelry, and listen to the Carpenters wish their darlings a merry Christmas. Finally, I’m guilty of hunting down the cutest Christmas romances all year and saving them for after Thanksgiving. This kind of book follows the same formula that all other Christmas romances follow. The people are sweeter than candy canes, merrier than the elves, and jollier than Saint Nick himself. And of course… there’s the woman going through her quarter-life crisis, hoping for a boyfriend for Christmas, followed by a bun in the oven and a white-picket fence. I’m typically not a sappy person, but for some reason I enjoy this during the holidays! Here’s a synopsis for you that I snagged from Goodreads:

“What would make your Christmas perfect?

For Cassie Beaumont, it's meeting her perfect match. Cassie, at thirty-three, wants a husband and kids, and so far, nothing's worked. Not blind dates, not the Internet and certainly not leaving love to chance.
What's left? A professional matchmaker. He's Simon Dodson, and he's very choosy about the clients he takes on. Cassie finds Simon a difficult, acerbic know-it-all, and she's astonished when he accepts her as a client.

Claiming he has her perfect mate in mind, Simon assigns her three tasks to complete before she meets him. Three tasks that are all about Christmas: being a charity bell ringer, dressing up as Santa's elf at a children's party, and preparing a traditional turkey dinner for her neighbors (whom she happens to dislike). Despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie does it all—and she's finally ready to meet her match.

But just like the perfect Christmas gift, he turns out to be a wonderful surprise!”

Haha. Doesn’t that synopsis just make you smile? I knew that, ultimately, the entire book would be pure, predictable, fluff. But it was extremely sweet, and I did really enjoy it! I got pretty tired of listening to Cassie complain for the first 30 or so pages, but it got so much better once she was done introducing us to her predicament and venting about it. I adored Simon’s character. He was the scrooge of the book, who did not believe in love even though his profession was to help others find it. He was hard, cold, and not very likable at first. I loved the banter he and Cassie shared back and forth. As Cassie goes through the process of completing her three tasks, she experiences some funny things and also some heartwarming things. You grow to like her, and her totally awesome brother (I’d date him!). It does have a very sweet ending, and everyone is overflowing with happiness and the spirit of Christmas. I could have used some more content, and a few twists, but I think that might be asking for too much.

It was a cute, fast, fluffy read but I love that at Christmastime! Now, it’s not a piece of  literary genius, nor does it have a very original plot. It’s very predictable, and I knew from the very beginning what was going to happen. If you’re looking for a challenge, or looking to be captivated, then this is probably not the book for you. If you’re looking for a quick dose of cute  (and clean) Christmas sappiness, then perhaps you’d take from this book the same thing I did!

Discussion: What makes your Christmas perfect? Do you have special traditions? If you celebrate a different holiday, what makes that one perfect?

As always, happy reading and happy holidays!

** P.S. – Thanks so much to my Secret Santa for the book, Confessions of a Shopaholic and the rainbow pens! I plan to begin that book shortly, and will be reviewing it on here! And those pens… I love them! Definitely the kind of pens I'll enjoy journaling with.  Thanks again, so very much! **

Kimberly Reviews A Christmas Carol

Book: A Christmas Carol

Author: Charles Dickens

Why I read it: I actually read it for the first time several years ago. I inherited a Christmas Village from my Grandparents a few years ago. It’s called the “Dickens Series Village”. It’s based on London during Charles Dickens time, and has buildings that come straight from his novels. I have a whole set of buildings from “A Christmas Carol”, it made me want to read the book. I’d seen various movie adaptations, but I’d never read it. So I did and loved it!

I was trying to decide which book I wanted to review for this week and my Dad started talking about A Christmas Carol. I had put the audio book version on his iPod for him (Jim Dale narrates, BRILLIANT!) and he told me how much he had been enjoying it. Then it clicked! A Christmas Carol is one of my favorites, and this is the perfect time of year to do a review for it! Also in the College Students Goodreads group this is one of our group reads for December.

I think we all know the story of “A Christmas Carol”. We can call someone “Scrooge” and everyone knows what we mean. But for those of you who may not know the story (basically those that live in caves) here is a brief summary.

Crotchety old Ebenezer Scrooge hates just about everything, especially Christmas. But he loves his money. So much that he doesn’t even spend enough money to buy enough coal keep his small business warm enough in the winter. His poor assistant is overworked and underpaid. His heart is just as cold, when he is asked for donations for the poor he replies “Are there no Prisons?... And the Union Workhouses? Are they still in operation?...Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had stopped them in their useful course.” He then outright refuses to give over any of his vast amounts of money. It seems that nothing can change his hard heart. However something truly incredible is about to happen to Scrooge. That night he is visited by his old business partner, Jacob Marley. Who has been dead for 7 years. Marley somberly tells Scrooge that he has been bound with heavy chains because of the life he has lead and Scrooge is well on his way to the same fate.” I wear the chain I forged in life! I made it link by link and yard by yard! I gartered it on of my own free will and by my own free will, I wore it!” Marley tells him that Scrooge will be visited by three ghosts over the next three nights (a variation from the movies). The first two will come at one o’clock in the morning, the final ghost would appear at the stroke of midnight. To Scrooge’s horror Marley’s words come true. Scrooge is forced to relieve his past first, and then view the present day and then finally the future.

This book has always been referred to as a classic and it deserves to be considered one. It tells a wonderful story redemption, forgiveness and of holding on to the things that truly matter most and never losing sight of that.

So… read it! It’s not a long read but I think everyone should read it at least once, especially if you’ve enjoyed the movie versions. As usual a lot of things are changed when a book is made into a movie. If you like audio books you should check this one out! There are two versions, the abridged version is narrated by Patrick Stewart (Professor X, Captain Picard). The unabridged version is narrated by Jim Dale (narrated the Harry Potter books).

Anyone have any particular favorite among the movies? My favorite will always be the 1951 version with Alastair Sim.

Oh and I mentioned above that I have a Christmas Village that is Dickens themed, here's a picture for those interested. (Not the best picture, but it gives you an idea)

I wanted to add a huge thank you to my Secret Santa from the Broke and Bookish! I've already finished "Before I Fall"! Thank you!!!