Seasonal Event: December Reads

[ Sophie hanging out in her new Gingerbread House + lights ]

Happy Holiiiiidays~!

It's December! I started my previous entry like this! Wow my memory blows! Anyway, I normally have some sort of weird theme in December. In 2010 I read The Hunger Games along with a bunch of other dystopia. I think in 2011 I read Anna and the French Kiss. It's always something random! I'm trying (key word trying) to stay within the spirit of Christmas this year. Sorta.

→ Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan (re-read, tradition)

→ The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

→ Winter's Kiss by Catherine Hapka

→ The Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano

→ Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (re-read)

→ I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella (re-read)

→ The Rosemary Spell by Virigina Zimmerman

→ A Christmas Gift by Stella Wilkinson

→ Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses by Jenny Hale

→ The Magician's Nephew: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

→ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (audio)

REALISTICALLY I know I'm not going to get through ALL of these books. Or hell, even ONE of them. But I figure I'd give it a shot anyway. Trying is better than you know... not.

A few are re-reads and a few are books I've had on my TBR wish list (does anyone else do that?!) for awhile now so I figure why not. December only comes once a year!

Is there a book you re-read every holiday season? Or is there one you're hoping to cross off your TBR?

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Happy Holidays~!

Whoooo it's December!

Anyone else wonder why they call it the happiest time of the year when it's probably accurately more like the most stressful time of the year?!

This year I'm spending the holidays with Nick and his family. His tradition? A real Christmas tree. Which is currently sitting pretty with its app controlled blinking lights behind me. That's causing me a crap ton of allergies. And the house doesn't even have a ridiculously overbearing scent of pine. I feel lied to. Also it requires to be watered. And it leaks sap. But it doesn't shed like my mom always told me it would! It's pretty cool. Totally different. But pretty cool (see Nick setting it up above).

To get in a more festive mood, I dyed my hair a color I've never tried before... Teal. Well it's more Turquoise but I love how it turned out! Besides, I needed a change. Also, I got that dress off Amazon for like $15. I'm in love with it!

Got my gifts from my Secret Santa too~! I'm so excited to open them! But I'm waiting until Christmas. Like I do every year. I also mailed out my SS gift yesterday! Wish I had taken a picture of it. I put a lottttttt of effort into it. Also, Nick did a good job with picking the packaging box. So cute that he helped me every step of the way and he got really into it too.

So SS, my boyfriend picked out all the quirky chocolates for you and the pretty box it's coming in!

Also I think it's worth it to mention that after TWELVE YEARS I finally got my white Christmas tree with its pastel glitter ornaments. 

But then Sophie stole it.

It's okay, we'll share.

How are your holidays going so far?!

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☃ Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Wishing all of you a happy holiday and a Merry Christmas! I hope your holiday season is filled with love, happiness, life long memories and lots of books! (:

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Review: No Mistletoe Required by Jeanette Murray

No Mistletoe Required by Jeanette Murray
Release Date: November 5th, 2012 by Carina Press
Details: ebook
Genre: Contemporary > Chick Lit
Source: NetGalley (Thank you NetGalley & Carina Press!)
Summary:

Dan Beckins isn't sure how he let his best friend con him into volunteering to build Santa's Winter Wonderland at the local hospital. He's got no problems with charity work, but anything Christmas-related is off-limits ever since he lost his parents on Christmas Day years ago. The only bright spot is working with smoking-hot Anna Smith.

Anna Smith loves Christmas and volunteering at the hospital is one of her yearly highlights. She had leukemia as a teen and then a breast cancer scare in her mid-twenties, and is now operating under a self-imposed rule that she can't have a relationship until the doctors give her a clean bill of health.

A little fling might be permissible, though, and sexy lawyer-turned-carpenter Dan seems like the perfect candidate. But when chemistry flares and the two start forming a real connection, will Anna run away before like turns to love?

Amazon || Goodreads || B&N

No Mistletoe Required is a relativity short read. It's almost about as long as a novella. 

It follows Dan who's all bah humbug about the holidays which is pretty justified when you learn why. I'd be pretty torn up about it too but I don't know if I would go as far as ignoring Christmas! It also follows Anna who basks in the holiday spirit. But she's bah humbug about relationships when it comes to her "deadline" for also a pretty justified reason when you learn why.

(I think the blurb is a bit spolier-y, when I read it I had no idea what it was about really so everything was a surprise)

Both Dan and Anna have their secrets and their baggage and they both seem to be pretty determined to get the other person to let it go (except for the part where Anna won't tell Dan her secret which was pretty unfair... if you ask me) and move on with their lives.

Unfortunately there isn't much more I can say about this read. It was a nice holiday read to get you in the spirit!

And okay, I read it awhile ago so I besides the basics, I don't remember much else :P but hey, at least I'm being honest! 

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☃ Merry Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas Eve!

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday! 

I'm hoping to pop open this Cupcake wine later tonight!

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