Follow Friday: Holiday Reads

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View and Alison of Alison Can Read, to help gain new followers and make new friends!

Please see here for rules and more details if you're interesting in joining in!

Show us your holiday reads! via Charlie

Now I know for many holiday reads could just be something you plan to read this month, theme'd holiday reads, or something you gravitate towards when the winter winds blow in.

As I'm not strictly a book blog, I have a mixed list. As well as a mixture of the above statement.

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This time of the year makes me want to watch Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Both the 1966 TV special and the (questionable good/bad) 2002 live action version with Jim Carrey.

With that I want to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas. As much as I hate Oogie Boogie. *shudders*

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Mostly I just think of all the Christmas/Holiday specials from TV shows. I know it's dorky and cheesy, but I love stuff like that.

For some reason the third season of Psych comes to mind. They did a themed intro and everything.

I've also added a few quick Christmas reads to my Kindle library.
A Snowy White Christmas by Josie Riviera
Blame the Mistletoe (Love in Montana Book 2) Dani Collins

Top Ten Tuesday: New-to-me Authors 2016

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Where we take part in sharing our top ten of the featured prompt that week. For the list of past topics and future schedule, click here.

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read For The First Time In 2016

Umm err... ugh. It's been a rather uneventful year. All I can think of are re-reads or books for authors I know and like. Aside from that, over half the year was spent working 10+ hours at the office, that only recently changed.

I'm not sure that I've had a top ten new-to-me authors I read for the first time this year, but I will try!

The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata, which I reviewed here.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, technically my "next to read".
Fledgling (Afterlife Book 1) by Katrina Cope, which is what I'm currently reading.
The Accidental Hero (Jack Blank Adventure #1) by Matt Myklusch, which I ended up not finishing.
Temping Fate by Esther M. Friesner, a cute easy read.
And of course, Rainbow Rowell. I read both Eleanor & Park and Fangirl, then promptly fell in love.

I started using Spottoon this year (Android) and started reading a bunch of new comics/manhwa.

Here's a few of my favourites...

Imitation by Kyung-ran Park (Author & Illustrator)
My Beautiful World by Maru (Author & Illustrator)
Dating 101 by Tuna Can (Author & Illustrator)
Romanian Gynmastic Society by Ji-Sang Shin (Author), Ga-yan (Illustrator)

That's ten!

Any good reads this year? New authors that surprised you!

FTW: Find This Week

This is my own version of a "Books/movies/things I've recently acquired" meme. It's not expected to be a regularly scheduled blog entry, only when it's relevant. Please enjoy my play on FTW, "For the win!"

Inspired by related weekly memes that revolve around sharing in your excitement of your newest titles!
Such as; Stacking The Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Mailbox Monday.

"Deals FTW!"


This week has been a little hectic. Every day a new project, decorating stocking, making wreathes, then having to juggle my dryer suddenly not working right in the middle of it. Ugh! This week as been poo!

Hopefully, it hasn't been that way for everyone.

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Still managed to grab some free Kindle books. Sadly there's a few that are no longer free.
Don't forget there's a Top 100 List of Paid and Free Books to check out!

If The Shoe Fits (Once Upon A Romance Book 1) by Laurie LeClair
A Hidden Fire (Elemental Mysteries Book 1) by Elizabeth Hunter
Someone Else's Fairytale (Someone Else's Fairytale #1) by E.M. Tippetts

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Dying for a Living  (Jesse Sullivan #1) by Kory M. Shrum
Kissed (The Thorn Chronicles Book 1) by Kimberly Loth
The Girl In Between (The Girl In Between Book 1) by
Laekan Zea Kemp
Fledgling (Afterlife Book 1) by Katrina Cope
A Love That Never Tires (Linley & Patrick Book 1) by Allyson Jeleyne

Getting Wilde (Immortal Vegas Book 1) by Jenn Stark

Find anything good this week? Read any of these before?
Don't forget to comment and share your two cents!

Follow Friday: Winter World

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View and Alison of Alison Can Read, to help gain new followers and make new friends!

Please see here for rules and more details if you're interesting in joining in!

What is your favorite book with a "winter" world? via Parajunkee

Hmm. To be honest, I'm not really sure.
There are quite 'worlds' fully decided to Winter that come to mind, other than Narnia, but even then it was proven not to be the way the world should be.

When I think of an interesting but also Winter place that I would not only want to visit.. I think of Hogsmeade. As boring and typical of an answer as that might seem.
But I'm also not a big fan of Winter or the cold in general as pretty as it might be. I get over the cold and wet things called "Snow" and his friend "Ice" real quick.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Holiday Gift Guide

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Where we take part in sharing our top ten of the featured prompt that week. For the list of past topics and future schedule, click here.
 

Holiday Gift Guide (IE: Ten books for your dad, Ten books for your sister, etc.)

I'm going to twist this post a big and talk about great finds I made this Christmas season. AKA How to afford Christmas for three kids. Ages, 15, 12, and 5.

First things first, I'm basically a "demon organizer" or so my friends have call me. It's agree, I'm slightly OCD (about specific things!) and a bit of a control freak when it comes to planning things out. Like Christmas. Because it takes a decent amount of thought, effort, and general planning!
But.. this one in particular, this is the second Christmas with my partner, the first one we'd only been taking a couple of months and didn't make a big deal of it, but this time around it's different. Along with that, children are involved. We have visitation on Christmas this year, FIRST TIME EVER. BIG DEAL ALERT!

Each child has 2-3 major themes/fandom of gifts. With that in mind we made idea lists then searched around for related items of fandoms we picked. We shopped around, both physically and online.
Hit lots of different stores around mid October to mid November. Hit Big Lots, Target, Walmart, Book stores, nerd stores. If we saw something we liked, added it to our "idea list" and then compared prices.

As of about two - three weeks ago we finished with Christmas shopping.
Here's a brief breakdown of the best/biggest presents for everyone!

Please be warned, long winded post.

FTW: Finds This Week

This is my own version of a "Books/movies/things I've recently acquired" meme. It's not expected to be a regularly scheduled blog entry, only when it's relevant. Please enjoy my play on FTW, "For the win!"

Inspired by related weekly memes that revolve around sharing in your excitement of your newest titles!
Such as; Stacking The Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Mailbox Monday.

"Deals FTW!"

Before I divulge into my personal tangents, I recently hopped back on the Free Kindle wagon again. Ugh. I get so backed up on my 'to read' list this way! But don't forget to constantly check out Kindle's Top 100 lists, especially their paid and free list for every genre.

Here's a few that I grabbed.
A Hidden Fire (Elemental Mysteries #1) by Elizabeth Hunte
Discern (Katon University #1) by Andrea Pearson
Fracture (The Machinists #1) by Craig Andrews
Wild-born (PSIONIC Pentalogy #1) by Adrian Howell


Just a little over a month late to talk about, but my birthday is in late October. Like a dope I've only bought a few things here and there for myself, but with that said, some of them are finally in.

That said, I finally bought myself a copy of Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge (Which was featured back in my Bollywood post in 2013, here).

As well as purchasing a Blu ray streaming player.
With the Black Friday sales (online) I scored this normally $120 player for just $31 and some change. Listed for $49.99 (at BestBuy, Wal-mart, and Target) I used a $20 Target gift card I'd received as a gift, as well as my RED card for that extra 5% (which basically covered most of the tax), and free shipping!

I also splurged and bought myself a HotS heroes pack.
Since I already owned some of the heroes, this pack normally costs $4.99, not a huge difference, but it's something. With that purchase I got a Billie mount!

There's also a special "play with friends" event going on, you get rewards in both HotS and Overwatch!
You just have to play 15 games to unlock some rewards and then build up to 30 to unlock much more. (details)
It's going all the way until Jan 4th. Easily said, I've almost got both of them unlocked.
Already got the 15 game reward this week! SEE!

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The last of the holiday presents ARE IN.

Package finally arrived for a DVD purchase of Howl's Moving Castle for an anime lover who knows nothing about Studio Ghibli and that's unacceptable!

She refereed to them as "Ha, Disney is trying to make anime!" *resists unleashing serious knowledge*

What are you, find anything this week? Any good deals worth sharing?!

Top Ten Tuesday: Thankful

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Where we take part in sharing our top ten of the featured prompt that week. For the list of past topics and future schedule, click here.
 

Thanksgiving; Share what you are thankful for!

There are many things I am thankful this year. From my parents, always being there and trying their best to support me. Even if they don't agree with me, they try to trust me to do what I think is best. Who want nothing more than their daughter to succeed in life and be happy.

To my partner, for always standing beside me. Thought all the good and the bullsh*t, still being there trying our hardest to wade through what life throws at us and usually come out stronger on the other end. Also for letting me not only into their life, but sharing it with me. It's a big change for me, feeling included and appreciated.

To all the friends that have been there for me, even if I don't always let them in, understand that I am trying my best and if times are rough, I am there.

Even down to my cats, for always clearly showing so much love and appreciation in their little lives. If you ever doubt a cat loving you, you're doing something wrong. My furballs adore me and there's no doubt in anyone's mind that they do.

I'm thankful for having a roof over my head, as much as I want to move, as much as I'm currently struggling to stay afloat. I have a fridge with food, a bed to crawl into at night, cats who can't wait for me to get up, and a sun to greet me the next morning. A car that runs, a heater that works, clothes to wear, a table to gather around, and appreciation to know what all that really means to me.

To everyone far and near, I hope you know someone out there cares about you and loves you. Even if you don't see it or don't expect it, you are cared for. Please don't forget that.

I hope everyone has a great holiday, that's basis may not be the best, but modern days now promote something different. Gathering of friends, family, and food to share in good and bad times.

And I hope no one is involved in anything too crazy on Black Friday. It's just stuff!