Sunday Post (70) / It's Monday, What Are You Reading

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme now hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

Well it looks like winter is here, sort of. Friday was such a beautiful day and it was nearly 80 outside but then Saturday was so cold and we got the first snow of the season. That makes me worried for what the winter will be like if we are already getting snow in November! I had planned to buy some snow tires for my car before getting some bad news. I need new regular tires and there are some other important repairs that have to be done. All together it is going to be over $3,000. Not sure my car is worth it. Ugh. On the bright side, it is Thanksgiving week so I am thinking of all the things I can be thankful for like my family and a job that I love. I've also been reading some holiday books which helps to lift my spirits.

This Tuesday I will be going on a book shopping trip to Barnes & Noble (for the library) to spend my leftover book budget. Then on Wednesday I'll be heading to my parents' house for Thanksgiving. Since we already celebrated it last weekend it will be a quiet holiday. I'm sure we'll be watching Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life on Black Friday. I'm really looking forward to it. 

So I saw Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I liked the movie but it was definitely very different from the Harry Potter films and even the magic was different. It was interesting to see some of the creatures from the Harry Potter books on screen. My favorite was the niffler. It was adorable though I certainly wouldn't want to have one in my home! The story had some interesting parts but some of the creature sequences were kind of slow and felt dragged out. I kind of wish J.K. Rowling had written a series of books featuring Newt but the movies are the next best thing I guess.

Happy Thanksgiving!


via GIPHY

Last week on my blog:

Top Ten Christmas Movies (post)

Victoria by Daisy Goodwin (review)

Books read:

What Light by Jay Asher

This was a sweet romance and I loved reading about the Christmas tree farm and lot. This was the first book I read for the Ho Ho Ho Readathon. 

Miracle on 5th Avenue by Sarah Morgan

I wanted to read this for the readathon and I liked one of her other Christmas romance novels, Sleigh Bells in the Snow. I liked this book too but something was bugging me while I read and it wasn't till after I finished that I realized it was the heroine. She didn't seem to have any flaws. She came across as this angelic but flat character unlike the hero who had more depth.

A December Bride by Denise Hunter

This has been made into a Hallmark movie which was part of the reason that I read it. The main character, Layla, has to attend the wedding of her cousin to her ex fiance. She is desperate to find someone to go with her when her date gets sick. She ends up going with Seth, the groom's best friend. They have a complicated history but when Layla's cousin (the bride) makes some mean digs, Seth lies and says he and Layla are engaged and things just snowball from there. I liked the story but I thought there were some threads that weren't tied up and the ending was rushed.
  

Sweetshop of Dreams by Jenny Colgan

I loved this book! It did remind me of The Bookshop on the Corner but strangely I liked it more. Probably because I wasn't as big a fan of the romance in that book. I really liked that in addition to Rosie's story we also got to know about her great aunt when she was a young woman during WWII. I ended up buying the sequel. Hopefully it will be as good. The author certainly romanticizes small town life but it is so enjoyable to read about.

Books listened to:

The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan (reread)

Currently reading:

The Gilded Cage by Lucinda Riley

This is an interesting YA gothic mystery about an American teen and her brother who find out that their wealthy British grandfather has died and they are his heirs. Overnight their lives are changed but things are not they seem at Walthingam and something terrible happens. While it is obvious to me who the "bad guy" is early on, it is still an intriguing story and I'm curious to see how Katherine will get herself out of danger.

Currently listening to:

The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan (reread)

On my TBR pile:

Alterations by Stephanie Scott

Spinning Starlight by R.C. Lewis

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

The Mistletoe Secret by Richard Paul Evans

New books received:

Miracle on 5th Avenue by Sarah Morgan (for review)

A Twist in Time by Julie McElwain (for review)

Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop by Jenny Colgan (purchased)

The Mistletoe Secret by Richard Paul Evans (library book)

God Bless Us Every One by Eva Marie Everson (library book)

The Goodbye Bride by Denise Hunter (library book)

Can't Help Falling by Kara Isaac (library book)