Tag: Christmas

#YuletideSpirit Reading Challenge & Readathon!

Published on by Rachelle

On the event announcement post (click on the image above) over at Seasons of Reading, there is a list of the three ways to participate in the Yuletide Spirit Reading Challenge:

  • Challenge – Pick a level
  • Readathon – read as much (or as little) as you want
  • Participate in both!

Reading Challenge Levels:

  • Candy Cane: read 1 book
  • Mistletoe: read 2-4 books
  • Christmas Tree: read 5 or more books

I’m going to try for the “Mistletoe” level, as I’m not sure I’ll be able to finish 5 books. It’s always a busy time of year visiting and spending time with family. However, I do have a decent-sized list of books I want to read in December that are all Christmas-related.

A few of those books will qualify for the Bingo card that I’ll also be trying to complete:

Will you be participating in the Yuletide Spirit reading challenge? Let me know in the comments and be sure to sign up over at Seasons of Reading!

Monday's Minutes

Published on by Rachelle

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
Since today is Christmas, this “Monday’s Minutes” is a little different than usual.  Enjoy!

 
I’m in Arizona and won’t be back until tomorrow.  These are the books I brought with me:
  
  

Happy Jólabókaflóð!!!

Thursday’s Things: The Holidays Edition

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment

Home Alone Gif

‘Tis the Season to be jolly, so here’s a list of Holiday bookish things to help make that happen!

  • Gone Reading Shop – Didn’t find anything in my 2015 Holiday Gift Guide that would make the perfect gift for your favorite reader?  Check out this shop dedicated to reading and book-related products.
  • 36 Best Audiobooks for Your Road Trip and Beyond – Traveling to visit family and friends and need an audiobook?  Check out this list from Book Riot.  I recommend Bird Box by Josh Malerman, and while I haven’t read Landline, Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor and Park and Fangirl are excellent options.
  • Book and Dessert Pairing Guide – These book and dessert pairings would make great and inexpensive gifts.  Instead of just buying a book, make or purchase a snack to go with it.  You could even add tea, coffee, or hot cocoa mix to go with it all, and if you’re really “crafty,” place everything in a basket, wrap it all up, and top it off with a bow.
  • 60 Bookish Films Streaming on Netflix – Are you tired of watching Christmas specials, but sticking your nose in a book would be rude while you’re with family?  Give one of these bookish movies a try (be warned: not all of them are all-ages friendly).
  • 12 Books That Will Lift You Up When You Are Down – Many of us get the Holiday Blues or suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).  While reading isn’t a cure-all, I’ve found it does help to lessen a case of the blahs.  Reading also helps reduce stress, another common problem during this time of year.
  • Project Night Night – Unfortunately, there are a lot of kids out there who are homeless.  This is a great bookish alternative to Toys for Tots.  Consider donating $25 towards a Night Night Package (which contains a security blanket, a children’s book, and a stuffed animal inside a canvas tote bag) or build your own and mail it to one of the donation centers they list.
  • 5 Bookish Charities Santa Claus Approves – If you’re looking for even more bookish charities to support this Holiday season, check out Litha’s list over at Victorian Soul Critiques.
  • Free snowflake patterns inspired by Game of Thrones – Here’s some DIY snowflake decorations.
  • 10 Classic Christmas Carols and the Stories Behind Them
  • Holiday Tradition and a Book – I was a guest blogger over at Michelle’s blog Because Reading is Better than Real Life, and I wrote about A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  Check it out along with the other guest posts throughout December.

The 2015 Book Lovers Holiday Gift Guide

Published on by Rachelle3 Comments

Image: Stephanie Kilgast
Image: Stephanie Kilgast

Several people who love me are having difficulty figuring out what to get me for Christmas.  So, I decided to do another Holiday gift guide for book lovers.  Like last year, it’s my wishlist.  Unlike last year, I have included more comic book stuff and broken up the list by price point as best I can.

I am not in any way affiliated with any of the companies linked to or mentioned here, and I’m not receiving any form of compensation for clicks, sales, or this post.

Gifts $20 and Under

Gifts Under $50

Gifts Under $100

 

The Twelve Books of Christmas Challenge

Published on by Rachelle3 Comments

12 Books of Christmas

Shaina @ Shaina Reads has challenged those of us who wish to participate to read 12 books during the month of December!  I would have posted this earlier, but I refuse to do anything Christmas related, other than stashing away presents for those I love, before Thanksgiving.

The only rule is that the books have to be at least 100 pages in length.  So, I’m making up a rule for myself.  All the books I plan to read for the challenge will be Christmas or Winter related.  Some of the books on my challenge TBR are maybe stretching that a little bit, but it’s my rule, so I can do what I want 🙂  I doubt I’ll be able to read all 12 on the list since a couple of them are door stops, but I’m going to try.

My TBR List

  • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (I read this every year.)
  • A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
  • Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
  • Snowglobe 7 by Mike Tucker
  • The Paris Winter by Imogen Robertson
  • White Fang by Jack London
  • The Winter Freak Show by Daniel Parsons
  • Greenglass House by Kate Milford
  • Around the World with Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis
  • Fire and Ice by Patty Jansen
  • The Girl from Krakow by Alex Rosenberg
  • Ice Demon by Elizabeth Watasin

I have several backups in case any of these wind up being DNFs.

Are you participating in the 12 Books of Christmas challenge?  Even if you’re not, are your December reads Christmas or Winter themed?  What are your favorite Winter books?  Comment below!

Tuesday’s Tunes and Things #4: Christmas

Published on by Rachelle

I’ve been watching all my favorite holiday movies, and reading a couple of my favorite holiday books, while eating popcorn, drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows, and wearing my Hobbit Cardigan, favorite pajamas, and fuzzy socks.  The playlist below is the much shorter version of the Christmas music I love to have on in the background until I get sick of it and take it off my mp3 player until next year.

Christmas Playlist