Today I am participating in the Joy of Christmas book tag that was created by Samantha at Novels and Nonsense. I stumbled across the tag when a google search led me to Erin's post at The Book Nut.
Let's jump into these 8 questions!
1. Anticipation
The Christmas excitement is real, what book release(s) are you most anticipating?
Oh I have a blog post dedicated to this question! Spoiler alert: there are 36 on my list as of right now.
2. Christmas songs & carols
What book or author can you not help but sing it’s praises?
Author: Ooh that's tough. Right now I'd say it's a toss up between Kristin Turnage and Samantha Lovelock.
Book: Dirt Queen by Nora Blake.
3. Gingerbread houses
What book or series has wonderful world building?
I go back and forth between the Southern series by Natasha Madison and the Greene Family series by Piper Rayne. Both are small town settings, and I'd love to visit both locations. You know if they were real.
4. A Christmas Carol
Favorite classic or one that you want to read?
One that I want to read, but am intimidated by, is Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. I absolutely LOVED the movies, and I'm worried that this will be a situation where I enjoy the movies more than the books.
5. Christmas sweets
What book would you love to receive for Christmas?
I'd be pretty darn happy with any book, but I'm really wanting to add The Ravenhood trilogy to my bookshelf. Yes I've read it, and thoroughly enjoyed it, and now I want a physical copy of the books.
6. Candles in the Window
What book gives you that warm fuzzy feeling?
This book by Jonny Sun is one of the few books that I will re-read. The first time I read this book it was an instantaneous 5 star read. I frequently recommend it, and cannot get enough of it. Highly suggest checking it out.
A second choice is Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster by Michelle Nelson Schmidt. Yes, this is a picture book. Yes, the target audience is children. BUT even as an adult this book touched my soul, and it is another I recommend. Many of us still deal with those what if moments, and this just shows how to put a different perspective on those moments.
7. Christmas Trees & Decoration
What are some of your favorite book covers?
I'll answer this based solely on books that I read or added to my TBR in 2021.
8. Christmas Joy
What are some of your favorite things about Christmas and/or some of your favorite Christmas memories?
Christmas is all about time with family. Whether it is just our family of 6, or time spent with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, it all comes down to family.
Favorite memory: baking cookies with my mom, grandma, and aunts. I'll never forget the year that our bowl of gingerbread dough smashed to the ground. That lead to Grandma calling Grandpa for a recipe, and my aunt and I running to the grocery store to pick up the needed ingredients. That is also the year that I fell in love with my Grandma's oatmeal snowmen cookies. They take a while to decorate, but they are so worth it!
Favorite memory: baking cookies with my mom, grandma, and aunts. I'll never forget the year that our bowl of gingerbread dough smashed to the ground. That lead to Grandma calling Grandpa for a recipe, and my aunt and I running to the grocery store to pick up the needed ingredients. That is also the year that I fell in love with my Grandma's oatmeal snowmen cookies. They take a while to decorate, but they are so worth it!
Hope you are enjoying your holiday season. How would you answer these questions?
Laura
