The Joy of Christmas Book Tag

It's finally Christmas Eve people! Today, I thought I would do the Christmas Book Tag. This lovely tag was created by YouTuber Samantha from the channel Novels and Nonsense and you can watch her original video here.

Let's begin!

Anticipation: The Christmas excitement is real, what book release(s) are you most anticipating?

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. This will be the first book in the a new Shadowhunter series called Dark Artifices and is coming out early March 2016. I love the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series, also by Clare, and I can't wait to dive back in the Shadowhunter world.

Christmas Songs & Carols: What book or author can you not help but sing it's praises?

I'm going with Gregory Maguire. He writes mainly adult fairytale retellings and his prose is both descriptive and lyrical, making his stories poetic despite their often dark themes. I read two of his books including Wicked, the book which inspired the musical, and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, which is a Cinderella retelling from the POV of one of her 'ugly' stepsisters. I would absolutely recommend this author and these two books to everyone. I'm hoping to read more of his books in the coming year.  

Gingerbread Houses: What book or series has wonderful world building?

The Lunar Chronicles, by Marissa Meyer, has one of the most unique and best described fictional universe I've come across. It is set in an distant future in a world where androids, advanced technologies and cities on the moon are absolutely normal. Meyer does a great job bringing this universe to life with her vivid descriptions and beautiful prose. As someone who normally don't enjoy sci-fi, I found myself falling in love with this love within the first few chapters of the first book and it's now a fictional universe I'll be revisiting from time to time. 

A Christmas Carol: Favorite classic or one that you want to read

My favorite classic is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. I haven't read it in years but I recently bought a new edition of the book and hope to read it very soon.

Christmas Sweets: What book would you love to receive for Christmas?

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. I recently bought Throne of Glass and am planning to buy the other books in the series before I finally start it. The plan is to marathon the whole thing before the next book comes out. I honestly don't know what took me so long to get into this series, lol.

Candles in the Window: What book gives you that warm fuzzy feeling ?

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The illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone definitely gives me those warm fuzzy feelings. Not only is Harry Potter my book of choice for Christmas, but the illustrated version also brings everything I love about this book to life through an even more magical experience. I'm glad I kept this book for Christmas and I have a feeling I might be taking it out of my bookshelf next Christmas too. 

Christmas Trees & Decorations: What are some of your favorite book covers?

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I really love the cover of the illustrated edition of Harry Potter. It really conveys the magic concealed between the pages of the book. Another cover I really love is that of the Puffin Chalk edition of Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. All the books in this edition are equally stunning but my favorite is definitely this one. 

Christmas Joy: What are some of your favorite things about Christmas and/or some of your favorite Christmas memories?

I have two favorite Christmas memories. The first one was when I was eleven. That Christmas morning, I opened my presents to discover my first Harry Potter book. Even now, as I remember that day, I can still feel how magical it was to open the book for the first time. That Christmas morning was magical and because of it, I'll always associate Harry Potter with Christmas. 

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My second favorite memory was of my trip to Hong Kong last year to spend Christmas there with my family. On the night before Christmas, we went to watch The Nutcracker performed by the Hong Kong Ballet. It was my first time watching ballet performed in an actual theater and by a professional dance company. We just don't have these things here in Mauritius. I loved every moment of it. The ballet itself was amazing, of course. But what made that evening so special was also the beauty of the actual theater and the mere fact that I was there. I kept glancing at the ceiling and the people sitting around me, almost giddy at the realization that this was actually happening. I suppose there are much grander theaters elsewhere but for me, that night, that was truly the most beautiful of places. 

If you enjoyed this tag, consider yourself tagged and...

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Cover art by Of Stacks and Cups via Pagemodo

'Tis The Season Book Tag!

Christmas is fast approaching guys! So today, I thought I would do a Christmassy book tag. The 'Tis The Season Book Tag was created by BookTuber Richard Denney and I do recommend you check out his channel because his videos are always hilarious and painfully on point. You can watch his original video here.

Before we start, I'd like to remind you that I am currently hosting a Christmas Giveaway, which you can enter for a chance to win any free book of your choice. Click here to check out this giveaway ^^

Okay, let's start!

1. Do you have a favorite winter read?

I don't have a specific title but I really enjoy children books in winter. I guess it's because of the warm memories attached to many of these books, especially my Enid Blyton books. Plus. with their wickedly good descriptions of food and candy, these books are perfect to be enjoyed with some biscuits and tea while it's cold and windy outside.

2. Find a book with blue on the cover!

My pick for this one is The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton. Although there is nothing particularly Christmassy about this book, I do associate it with the holiday season because it was last December, while I was in Hong Kong with my family, that I read it. It was raining outside and we were stuck at the hotel and to pass the time, I began to read this book. It took me the whole trip to get through it so now I associate it to that December spent in Hong Kong.

3. Find a book you’d use as the star on a Christmas tree!

Without question, the pick for this one has to be my bind-up edition of His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. It has tiny silver stars strewn across the cover and is simply stunning on my shelf. It's also one of the books I've been most anticipating to read this Christmas and so far I'm really enjoying it. 

4. Pick one fictional place that would be perfect for a winter vacation!

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Hogsmeade, hands down! Okay, any place in the Harry Potter universe would work too but I feel Hogsmeade is really the best place to pick because of all the amazing shops you could visit there. Like Honeydukes?! 

5. Pick one fictional character you’d take with you on your winter vacation! 

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I would pick the Weasley twins, again from the HP universe. No one knows how to have fun better than these two. Now just imagine a trip to Hogsmeade with them. Imagine the snowball fights! Yep, the Weasley twins would definitely be my vacation buddies.

6. Name one book on your wish list this year!

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The Marvels by Brian Selznick. This book not only looks gorgeous but it also sounds like it's going to be a beautiful read. It's a little pricey though, being in hardback and having illustrations for almost half of it. I might buy it as a little end of year treat to myself. We'll see :)

7. Favorite holiday drink, treat, & movie?

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I don't have a specific favorite holiday drink but my favorite Christmas treat has to be cookies. I think no other treat says Christmas more than some cute cookies. My favorite Christmas movie is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Also, while I'm not usually a fan of romantic movies, there is something about the holiday season which just make me want to watch something sweet and romantic. So, if I had to pick a second movie, it would be Love Actually ^^ 

And that's it for this tag guys. If you enjoyed it, consider yourself tagged! If ever you do the tag, feel free to send me a link to your blog post or video. 

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Cover art by Of Stacks and Cups via Pagemodo

Christmas Giveaway Hop: Enter to win a book of your choice!

Christmas is almost here guys ^^ Enter today's Christmas giveaway for a chance to win any book of your choice! Once you've entered the giveaway, check out the list of the other blogs hosting Christmas giveaways as part of this hop for more chances to win other cool stuff. Good luck everyone!

• I'll be giving away one book worth $12 or less to one of you. 
• This giveaway is open internationally, so long the Book Depository ships to your country.
• The giveaway will last until the 24th of December.
• Once the giveaway ends, I will randomly choose a winner and email them to let them know they won and see which book they wish to receive.

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Now you can hop on to the other blogs participating in this Giveaway Hop by clicking on any of the following links. Good luck ^^

Gift ideas for book lovers

Hi guys! Have you done with your Christmas shopping yet? If you're still figuring out what to get your friends and relatives, this post might give you some ideas. Whether it's to find something sweet for the book lovers in your life, or to simply treat yourself to a little bookish goody, you'll here find some fun gift ideas that will certainly please book lovers.

To make things easier for you, I've added links to the different stores and products mentioned here. 

Please also note that this month I'm also hosting a Christmas Giveaway Hop. If you want to participate, you can click here to sign up in the hop :)

Bookish jewelry

I'm a huge fan of those, especially since you can find them for pretty cheap if you know where to look for. Ebay offers a wide range of necklaces and other jewelry inspired by popular fandoms like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, The Hunger Games, among others. 

Etsy stores also offer really beautiful necklaces and jewelry designed after your favorite books. Novel Reveries, which featured on my blog in a past giveaway post, makes jewelry with miniature book charms. She sells custom versions of her bracelets and necklaces, meaning you get to choose which book(s) you want her to make miniatures of. 

Links:

So many books so little time necklace

Harry Potter charm bracelet

Hermione's Time Turner necklace

Alice in Wonderland charm bracelet

Bookish accessories

From scarves, to leggings, hats and dresses, there are tons of fashion accessories inspired by well loved books. My sister and I own Gryffindor and Slytherin scarves. These make great gifts for Harry Potter fans, especially in this winter season. 

The Etsy store Novel Reveries goes one step further and offers gorgeous upcycled bags which actually look like books. This Jane Eyre one has to be my favorite.

Links:

Jane Eyre upcycled book purse

Gryffindor accessories

Bookmarks

Some book lovers enjoy collecting bookmarks and there is a variety of types you get to choose from if you want to give them one as a gift. The magnetic ones are among my favorites. Not only are they super cute, but they also won't fall through your book even if you put it in a bag or something. 

The metal bookmarks also make really nice gifts. They look classy and some even come with a little hole where you can add a charm to it to customize it to your liking.

Links:

Game of Thrones magnetic bookmarks

Alice in Wonderland metal bookmark

Bookish candles

I don't know about you, but I just love candles. Light up one and your room instantly looks a little more magical. Etsy stores such as From The Page and blabla offer a wide range of pretty candles inspired by fictional worlds and characters. From Peeta's cakes to Christmas at Hogwarts, you're sure to find something for your bookish friends.

Links:

Peeta's Cakes candle

Christmas at Hogwarts

Gift cards

You want to give your friend a book but aren't sure that they have or haven't read? Simply give them a gift card and let them choose. You're basically giving them free reign to indulge in some extra book shopping and trust me, they'll love you for it. You can give them a gift card to either their favorite bookstore or to websites you know they like to buy books.

Links:

Amazon Gift Cards

I hope this post has given you some ideas on what to get your bookish loved ones this year. Enjoy your Christmas shopping!

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Cover design by Of Stacks of Cups vis Pagemodo

Christmas Giveaway: Enter to win a set of Christmas themed candles!

Hi guys! So December is finally here and with Christmas soon upon us, I have a special giveaway for you today. For this giveaway I'm working with Lorie, the owner of the Etsy store Scentsational Memory. 

Enter today's giveaway to win a set of Christmas themed soy candles! Below you'll find the giveaway, followed by my interview with Lorie.

Please also note that this month I'm also hosting a Christmas Giveaway Hop. If you want to participate, you can click here to sign up in the hop :)

The Giveaway

The winner will get two Christmas candles including:

Christmas Cookies Scented (Santa's Favorite) 4 ounce Soy Candle

Christmas Cookies Scented Santa's Favorite Soy Candle has the aroma of freshly baked, buttery Christmas cookies with frosting. A delicious favorite of Santa's and many others as well!

Christmas Cabin Scented (Christmas Memories) 4 ounce Soy Candle

Christmas Memories Christmas Cabin Scented Soy Candle has a wonderful aroma that is a combination of bayberries, cranberries, cinnamon, and a hint of orange zest. It's a delightful holiday fragrance that helps bring back lovely memories of the holidays past and thoughts of holidays to come.

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

This giveaway is open to the US only and will end on the 20th of December. The winner will be email within the next 48 hours.

Interview with Lorie

Tell us a little about you.

My name is Lorie Feingold, I am 38 years old and live in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.

Tell us about your craft. 

I make hand-poured scented soy wax candles.

How did you start?

I taught myself how to make candles. I wanted to learn a craft that might enable me to work from home while I stay at home with my children. I started making candles about 2-3 years ago and learned by doing a lot of online research and experimenting.

What was the first thing you ever crafted? How was the experience like?

When I was a child I used to do latch hook rugs and make potholders with those looms with the rubber band like pieces. I always enjoyed making crafts and my mother is extremely crafty.

What is the favorite craft you’ve ever made? Can it still be found in your store?

My favorite craft is my Grandma's Yum Yum Jelly Wild Elderberry scented candle and it can be found in my Etsy shop. My Grandmother used to make the most wonderful homemade elderberry jelly which my Grandfather nicknamed "Yum Yum Jelly" and this candle brings back sweet memories.

What is your next project? Are you working on something in particular at the moment?

I am considering adding wax melts and/or tealight sample packs to my Etsy shop within the next year.

Do you have other interests apart from crafting? 

I have a fascination with the paranormal and I really enjoy baking.

What would you say to an aspiring artist or crafter who wishes to commercialize his or her creations? 

I would advise taking time to really learn about the business side of things such as keeping records and taxes.

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Christmas Giveaway Hop Announcement!

Hey guys! I hope you've all been having a great November. Today I'm back with an exciting announcement!  

To celebrate Christmas with all of you, I've decided to host a Christmas Giveaway Hop in December. And of course, my fellow blogger friends are all welcome to join it the fun ^^ 

If this sounds like something you might like to participate in, here's what you might want to know:

The little story behind this Christmas hop...

I've only started blogging in February, so this will be my first time celebrating Christmas with my blogger friends and readers. In a perfect world I would have loved to send gifts to all the new, amazing friends I've made this year on the blogsphere. Since that's a tad difficult though, I thought I would organize a giveaway instead.

Do you want to participate? Here's what you need to do.

Simply send me an email to tell me you want to participate, or add the link to your blog in the link up at the end of the post. You have till the 9th of December to confirm your participation. Check the top section of the right sidebar for my email.

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Things to include in your Christmas Giveaway Hop blog post

1. You need to include the cover picture I've put at the beginning of this post. 
2. You must mention the host of the giveaway and include a link to their blog.
3. Finally, at the end of your post, you must include a list of all the other bloggers participating in the giveaway hop with links to their blogs. You'll find all those links in the link up at the end of this post.  

How long will the giveaway last?

The Christmas Giveaway Hop event will last from the 10th till the 24th of December. I'll be announcing the winner of my giveaway on my blog during the following week. Every blogger to have participated in the event will announce the winner(s) of their giveaways on their blogs and contact them whenever they want during the following days. 

When should I post my giveaway?

The hop will last from the 10th till the 24th of December and you can start your giveaway at any point during that period, so long your giveaway ends on the 24th. I'll personally start mine on the 10th.

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What should I give away ?

If you wish to participate you can choose basically anything you want to give away as a prize. If you have a book blog, it could be a book or any bookish goody like a bookmark or maybe even a bookish jewelry or accessory. Or, you could pick a Christmas themed item. Basically, you can give away anything you want ^^ 

I'll personally be giving away a book of the winner's choice through the Book Depository and you're totally free to copy that idea, hehe!

Should I make my giveaway international or not?

That's entirely up to you. I'll be making mine international but you're free to limit your giveaway to your region only.

And that's about it for this announcement. Please email me or add the link to your blog below if you wish to participate in the hop. Let's all have a great December guys ^^

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