Top Ten Tuesday – Christmas Cover Love
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is a Christmas Freebie so I decided it would be fun to share some festive Christmas-themed book covers that have caught my eye. I’ve been having a little trouble getting into the Christmas spirit this year so this topic came along at just the right time. Some of these caught my eye because they immediately made me think of my beloved Hallmark holiday films, which I actually haven’t started watching yet and really need to get going on. Others caught my eye because they have dogs on them and are just adorable, and still others caught my eye because of their vibrant red and green color schemes. And the Grinch of course is a perennial favorite primarily because of the nostalgia factor. It’s also kind of funny that Debbie Macomber’s covers feature so prominently because as much as I adore the covers, I’ve never actually read one of her holiday novels. I’ve only read some from her Cedar Cove series.
(As a side note, apologies for being somewhat absent the past week on my own blog and when it comes to blog hopping. A big work deadline that normally takes place on November 30th was extended to the end of this week because of COVID and we’re way behind because, even with the extension, we’ve had trouble getting what we need from our clients. Hopefully I’ll be back on track once we get through the deadline).
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10 Christmas Book Covers I Love
1. TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS by Debbie Macomber
2. BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE by Susan May Warren
3. CHRISTMAS CHARMS by Teri Wilson
4. HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS by Dr. Seuss
5. IN A HOLIDAZE by Christina Lauren
6. LET IT SNOW by Debbie Macomber
7. JINGLE ALL THE WAY by Debbie Macomber
8. ROYAL HOLIDAY by Jasmine Guillory
9. THE CHRISTMAS SISTERS by Sarah Morgan
10. ALASKAN HOLIDAY by Debbie Macomber
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What kind of holiday covers do you enjoy?
Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Books I Want to Re-Read
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is Books I Want to Read Again. This topic is a little challenging in the sense that I don’t typically re-read many books. If I was going to re-read though, these titles would be at the top of my list. I’d mainly be interested in revisiting them to see if I have the same or a greater appreciation of them a second time around or if the magic is gone after a single reading.
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10 Books I Want to Re-Read
(in no particular order)
THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah
THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morganstern
THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE by C.S. Lewis
THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL by Anne Frank
WUTHERING HEIGHTS by Emily Bronte
SONG OF SOLOMON by Toni Morrison
FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC by V.C. Andrews
THE LORDS OF DISCIPLINE by Pat Conroy
THE WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY by Katherine Arden
SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS (His most popular ones)
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Do you ever re-read books? What are some you would like to re-read?
Review: HOW TO FAIL AT FLIRTING by Denise Williams
How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams Also by this author: The Fastest Way To Fall
Published by BERKLEY on December 1, 2020
Genres: Romance, Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 336
Source: Netgalley
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
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FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams is exactly the kind of read I have been craving this year. It’s that perfect blend of rom-com fun and weightier, more dramatic moments that makes for such a satisfying multi-layered read.
How to Fail at Flirting follows Naya Turner, an education professor at a local university who finds her job in jeopardy because of possible budget cuts. Since she left an abusive relationship, Naya has 100% thrown herself into her work, so she is devastated to hear her job may be in trouble. In need of a distraction, Naya lets her friends convince her she needs to get out into the world of dating again. Naya’s looking for a no-strings hookup but instead, she meets Jake, a man that she really just clicks with. Everything about him seems perfect, that is until she finds out what he does for a living and that it could directly impact her own career in a negative way. Can Naya and Jake find a way to overcome their conflict or is their relationship doomed before it ever gets started?
I really loved and admired Naya so much. She’s smart, sassy, passionate about her teaching career, and she’s also brave and resilient. After learning about her horrible experiences at the hands of an abusive ex, I was rooting so hard for her to find true happiness. I wanted her to go to that bar, have a blast completing every item on the hilarious list of dating dares her friends had given her, and then find a wonderful man who appreciates her for the strong woman she is.
I also adored Jake, the man Naya meets at the bar. Jake is handsome, eloquent, kind, and he has a great sense of humor. He has also recently gotten out of a bad relationship, so he’s a little reluctant about putting himself out there in the dating pool as well, that is until he meets Naya and can’t deny his attraction to her. I loved watching their relationship slowly develop and was heartbroken as soon as I realized there was a real possibility that his job might prevent them from finding happiness together.
The twist with Jake’s job possibly threatening Naya’s job made what was already a compelling read truly unputdownable. I just had to know if Jake and Naya were going to get a happy ending. If you enjoy stories that feature loveable characters with undeniable chemistry whose happy ending is threatened by unforeseen circumstances, How to Fail at Flirting is a must-read.
About Denise Williams
Denise Williams wrote her first book in the 2nd grade. I Hate You and its sequel, I Still Hate You, featured a tough, funny heroine, a quirky hero, witty banter, and a dragon. Minus the dragons, these are still the books she likes to write. After penning those early works, she finished second grade and eventually earned a PhD.
A diversity trainer and co-creator of a women’s empowerment group, she is dedicated to developing flawed, multidimensional characters who struggle with those issues impacting real women. After growing up a military brat around the world and across the country, Denise now lives in Iowa with her husband, son, and two ornery shih-tzus who think they own the house.
Denise was a 2019 Romance Writers of America ® Golden Heart Finalist and How to Fail at Flirting is her debut novel.