Watching: The Christmas Calendar

I just got done watching probably one of the cutest and most romantic Christmas movies I’ve watched. It has everything I love about a good romantic Christmas movie magic, curiosity, adorable moments, and absolute wonder. Christmas is the most magical time of the year. Falling in love during that time sounds like another kind of magic.

Emily receives a Christmas Calendar with little notes from a secret admirer. The whole town gets involved as each day the mystery unravels itself and everyone is wondering who is the guy? Overall, the concept is adorable. Who wouldn’t want to be wooed in such a creative and romantic way.

All the while a new baker comes to town and enters competition with Emily and sparks start to fly. It awoke the part of me that deeply desires to love and be loved. When the two were baking together and having a great time I wondered what I’d be like to have that one day with the person I spend my life with. I’m barely decent at baking so It’d be messier and more about figuring it out together, but I love that idea more.

Watching this I just felt that something in me light up that loves to love and deeply wants to spend my life having fun and learning and growing together with someone I love and who feels every ounce of that love for me as well. Something gentle and soft and kind. Something peaceful. Something I’ve tasted before and fell way too short.

Love is at the beating heart of what Christmas is to me. Love for your family. For your neighbors. Love for the people you work with. Love for those you like and those you don’t. And yes romantic love too.

This romantic little story does what every good Christmas film should, it inspires hope. It gives you all the warm and fuzzy feelings about what could and will be. One day, it’s fun to think about, what a Christmas would look like beside the guy that holds my heart. So I hold hope in my heart for that one day and all the one days that will come after.

What I also loved about the film was the mischievous actions from some of the characters that added a little spice and hilarity to the film. Some people live to cause chaos and having those chinks in the film was a lot of fun.

Thank you all for reading! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below!

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–Till next time!

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The Winter Bookish Bingo Update

In December, I joined Winter Bookish Bingo hosted by Pretty Deadly Blog to add a little spice to my reading life. So far, I haven’t gotten a bingo, but I am well on my way to one soon! 

Here is my somewhat ugly bingo card:

 This is a bit of a mess, but it’s my mess and I am proud of all the reading I have done these past two months. 

Here are the books I read to complete these challenges: 

Banned Book: Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks

2017 debut: The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti

Romance: Venom by Fiona Paul

Not Ya: Armor for Orchids 

Free space: relaxing freedom happiness! 

Survival: Incarceron by Cathrine Fisher 

LGBT: Tricks by Ellen Hopkins 

Nature on cover: A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Unreliable Narrator: Dorothy Must Die: Stories

Projected books to achieve bingo: 

Crime: The Diviners by Libba Bray

Twitter poll: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Set Abroad: The Sacrifice by Indrajit Garai

Blue Cover: Frozen by Melissa De La Cruz & Michael Johnston

Hopefully I can read these books throughout the rest of the month and receive a bingo. Then, in February, I may be able to make more then one! 

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed. Let me know if you are also participating in winter bookish bingo and let me know how far along you are. 

-Till next time!

My Bookish Christmas List

Christmas is almost upon us and I couldn’t be more excited!! As a bookworm, there are so many things that I look forward to during this time of year. But as a person, I can’t wait to spend this season laughing and enjoying life with my family! 

I do have a few bookish things I wish Santa would bring me during this lovely season and I can’t wait to share this list with all of you. 

Here is my bookish Christmas list!

1. This list would not be true to life if books were not on the top slot. So, of course as a lover of books I can never get too many of them. I have way too many books on my wishlist, but a few I am most looking forward to are: The Wrath and the Dawn, The Raven Boys, Six of Crows, Roseblood, and A Court of Thorns & Roses.  

2. Books on Writing, or specifically “On Writing” by Stephen King. 

There are so many great books on writing out there, but I have had my eye out for Stephen King’s for a long time. I have read some quotes from it and I read up on how Stephen King came to be a writer and I believe that his book on writing would really speak to me as an aspiring author. 
3. Bookish Mugs! I am absolutely obsessed with bookish mugs. There are so many of them that are absolutely gorgeous and so true to everything that I am passionate about. I just want a beautiful mug to drink coffee, tea, and water. I want one to eat soup out of. Even a mug to put ice cream in. I desire a bookish mug and I desire one now. Some of my favorite designs are from Evie Bookish so I hope you check out her shop here.

All her designs are beautiful. I don’t know how to choose one from the other. One day, I will own one of these mugs. 
4. BookMarks! I do not have many bookmarks and I need to collect some. Right now I only have a few paper bookmarks and one plastic one and I feel like I am in need of an upgrade. 

This Harry Potter bookmark is super cool and even though I have only read the first book (I’m sorry)  I hope to read the books in a binge from first to last in the future (maybe including Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) 

5. A Book Review Journal, I would love to have a small journal to jot down my thoughts on books I read so I can have clarity of thought when writing a review. It would also be nice just for the memories of the many thoughts and feelings I had while reading.

Check out this bookish journal here.
What is on your bookish wish list? Are there any books your hoping to have Santa bring? 

Let me know your thoughts. Thank you for reading. 

-Till next time!

Winter Bookish Bingo!

I was looking around the blogging-sphere and I stumbled upon Winter Bookish Bingo! A reading challenge began by Pretty Deadly Blog.

Here is how it works: 

• Every new season has a new bingo card. This one is for books read in the months of December, January, and February.
• The object is to get as many BINGOs as possible (five across, up and down, or diagonal)
• One square per book
• You do not have to review these books, or even have a blog, this is simply for books read during the allotted months
• At the end of February there will be an international giveaway for all participants. The more BINGOs you get, the more entries you get in the giveaway!
• TO SIGN UP CHECK OUT THE POST HERE!

The Card: 

Books I am thinking of reading: 

Not YA: Baggage by S.G. Redling 

White Cover: Schism by Britt Holewinski

Sequel: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

GR Choice Nominee: Storm & Silence by Robert Their

Nature on cover: A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Cover Buy: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher 

Urban Fantasy: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Green Cover: Germ by Robert Liparulo

Blue Cover: Dark Tides by Jennifer Donnelly

Crime: The Diviners by Libba Bray

Sci-Fi: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Sadly, I am kind of all over the place, but I am hoping to knock things out and see what books come into my life after Christmas that I can use to fill more squares.

Are you joining Winter Bookish Bingo? What books would you choose for any of the categories? 

If you are joining, good luck!

-Till next time!

The Jingle Bell Tag

Christmas is my favorite time of year and I am so glad to celebrate my first Christmas blogging about my favorite things of all, books! I am so excited to be tagged by the lovely Heather @ The Sassy Geek to do The Jingle Bell Tag created by Richard @ The Humpo Show! 

“All I Want For Christmas Is You…” | What book do you want to see under the Christmas Tree?

“The Wrath & The Dawn” by Renèe Ahdieh! I have wanted to read this book since the moment I first heard whispers about it. If I got this book for Chrsitmas I would stop everything and read it immediately. I need a fun fantasy in my life!

“Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time…” | What book that you have read this year have you enjoyed the most?

Why must I choose for this question?!?! I have read so many amazing books this year it is so hard to choose! I am going to cheat and choose two, “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern for its gorgeous imagery and sugary intrigue and “The Book Thief” by Marcus Zuzak for making me cry and feel so happy all at once. 

“It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas…” | Which book has most festive look to it?

“Incarceron” by Catherine Fisher the cover is beautiful and although it has nothing to do with Chistmas, the look of it gives me many a Christmas vibe. 

Elf | What book unleashes your inner child?

The Warriors Series. I may not have read very many of them, but just thinking of their cat covers reminds me of elementary school. 

The Grinch | Your favourite villain…

Lord Ido from “Eona” by Alison Goodman I loved how much I was torn between loving and hating this man. He changes so much in Eona.

The Holiday | Name your favourite TWO couples…

Katsa and Po from “Graceling” & Marco and Celia in “The Night Circus”. Katsa and Po have one of the most open and wonderful relationships I have read about. They are so lovely together! Marco and Celia play this long haul dance that has me wanting more from them all the time. 

What book would you like to give as a present to your followers?

A physical copy of “Storm and Silence” by Robert Their. This book is everything to me. It can be read for free off of wattpad but I wish for every booklover to have a paperback copy with all the lovely extras! (I wish I had this too 😦 add this to my book I wish I got for Chistmas section!) this book is hilarious and so so wonderful! 

Thank you so much for reading! If you love Christmas and books consider yourself tagged! This was such a fun post to write! Thank you so much Heather for tagging me! 

-Till next time!

A Christmas Journey to Six Flags

Six flags Magic Mountain was a wonderful winter wonderland of joy today! I had so much fun with my family. (The picture above is my sister Misty on the left and me on the right) 

My mom, dad, sister, and I went on a gorgeous and musical journey to celebrate Christmas together at the place where thrills are King.

We enjoyed the lights, the dancers, and the many spooky coasters that bring out the terror hiding inside your soul. 

My absolute favorite ride is Full Throttle, the world’s largest looping roller coaster! I love how after the ride is over everyone smiles and laughs without fail. It is a ride that somehow brings joy and comradery more than any other ride I have had the pleasure to go on. 

I watched dancing nutcrackers on stilts. Enjoyed snow in snowless California. Ate mint ice cream even though it was cold (or as cold as Califonia can be). Listened to Christmas carols as I left during the night. I ate yummy food and drank delicious coffee. It was lovely. 

I love Six Flags Magic Mountain. The moment I left I realized just how much I needed this outing. I danced. I screamed my lungs out. I sang till I couldn’t sing anymore. I smiled and laughed. I felt free. I felt happy. I felt good about myself and who I am. It was wonderful. It had been a long time since I had truly let loose like that. I think everyone needs to have that feeling, to enjoy time with the people you love the most. 

Sitting in my chair at home my body feels exhausted, my feet sore, my legs begging for me to get to bed, but my heart feels light and warm, the exhaustion taking a back seat to the satisfaction of true joy. I feel content. 

This holiday season, I hope everyone enjoys a time like this. To do something wonderful with loved ones. To let go of your worries for a couple of hours and have fun! 

Have a lovely Christmas Journey, or if you don’t celebrate Christmas, have a lovely (insert occasion here) journey! Laugh, smile, and be merry. Everyone deserves a little happiness and a whole lot of love! 

Merry Christmas season everyone! Have a joyful holiday! 

-Till next time!

Winter Dreams

Fluffy white icicles. 

A warm little fire. 

The glow of a Christmas tree, 

The gift of mystery underneath. 

Smiles, laughter, sweet voices singing. 

The joy of hearing sleigh bells ringing. 

These dreams I have of winters days. 

Giving food to one who needs it most. 

A hug to those you love. 

Caroling on neighbors chilly lawns. 

Lights strung on every corner. 

Eggnog shared with friends. 

Looking out to see not a single phone in sight. 

It’s  when the present is sweeter than the past you’ve left behind. 

These are the dreams I have on winter nights. 

But the truth is not always pretty. 

Souls still live on chilly streets. 

Family arguments that hurt hearts and minds. 

Strangers judge you for a tree put up thanksgiving day. 

Merry Christmas is no more, it’s simply Happy Holiday’s. 

This is the truth I face on winter days. 

When I sleep. I see sweet dreams. Joy and love for all, on winter days.