Sunday Salon/Sunday Post - December 29, 2024: Just Cheese.

For those of you following along, last week at work was not as bad as it could have been, and this week is on track to be tolerable. Sometimes that's as good as it gets ;) The family has tried to get me to participate in all the things, but I'm a homebody with less free time than the rest of them. It's going okay. Christmas Eve they really wanted to go out ice skating like they did the night before Thanksgiving, but someone accidentally asked my opinion, so we stayed home, made personal pizzas, decorated cookies, and played family edition Cards Against Humanity. It was fun, and we all enjoyed ourselves. For New Years' Eve, one of the kids said they wanted to stay home, so I grabbed onto that. LOL I have to work during the day, but I'll give the kids my credit card to go get whatever appetizer ingredients they want, and we can stream a ball-drop from somewhere, play some more family games, and try to stay up until 2025. They both have the option of inviting a friend or two over, but I refuse to say I'm hosting a party. We're hanging low-key, and others may join us.

In the meantime, I'm posting my last Sunday Salon and Sunday Post for 2024, with Readerbuzz and Caffeinated Reviewer. Hope you'll play along and visit some of the other great sites that post regularly.

What I'm reading this week:

As intended,  I finished December Dread (4 stars) and This Book Won't Burn (5 stars) last week, and have now started A Grandmother Starts the Story (my last review book on kindle from 2023) and Love and Death in the Sunshine State (a print review book which is a bit older, but I received in a pile quite a while ago).

Three Good Things:

1. As I stated already last week, my kids are truly amazing. They really whipped the holidays into shape this year. I got more gifts than the last two years, and I highly suspect the kids were behind this. Of course, it isn't all about the gifts, but it sure is nice to feel noticed and appreciated. 
2. I got out and did things this week! Really, I prefer to be home, but it seems to make everyone else happy when I get out and visibly enjoy life. Friday was a work bestie's last day at the job, so we went to the bar across the parking lot for a bit after work, then hubby and I joined a couple other local adults for dinner. Last night, I went with hubby to his high school band reunion. Several of the band kids didn't necessarily want to re-visit people they'd graduated with, but definitely their band friends. So, they set up a multiple-year band kid reunion. It was fun.
3. I finished two of my holiday Lego sets already! I got three all together, and so far I finished the exclusive set-with-purchase bookshelf/reading nook that I may have started my shopping in November to make sure I got. I gifted the rest of the 'required' order to get my bookshelf, and gave it to the kids to wrap for me. I got it put together and displayed on my book shelf yesterday. They also picked out one of the three-in-one sets for me (the unicorn/seahorse/peacock), and I put the peacock together on Christmas Day. I still have the Wildflower Bouquet (and the Bonsai tree I got last year) to put together when I have a day to chill.
   

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. I've got a few holiday gifts still to put into use - my jelly-fish lamp will be displayed where my actual fish tank used to be in the dining room, and my new jeans need to be washed before I'll wear them. Hopefully I can wrap up these two tasks today and get to enjoying all my new goodies.
2. My daughter said she actually wants to make New Years' resolutions, so I think I'll try to see what I have around to make that an activity for all of us on New Years' Eve or New Years' Day. Vision board stuff, or the giant post-it note paper, or containers and slips to add to it. I dunno - I'll think of something that I most likely already have the crafty stuff for so we can make it fun.
3. I actually want to finish the last two books I'm reading. I will not meet my Goodreads goal (gonna adjust that down for next year), but in the short-term I should be able to finish up these last two.

December Dread - Book Review

December Dread by Jess Lourey
Publication: November 26, 2024
Pages: 268 pages
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ☆☆☆☆
Sweet Spark: Mira James and Mrs. Berns are sure to be an epic ongoing mystery-solving duo.

While this is apparently the eighth book in the Murder by Month Romcom Mystery series, I was originally looking for a holiday time/theme book, so it was my first read. It read fine as a stand-alone. Some other reviewers mentioned that previous books in the series took place where Mira and Mrs. Berns live, instead of Mira's hometown, which may have helped, as the characters were all new.

Mira is a great unexpected heroine who is just living her life, but apparently keep stumbling onto murders which generally progresses to her being caught in the evil crosshairs of a murderer. Mrs. Berns seems to not necessarily value her own safety, and a friend with a target on her back is fine. She leaves where they live to join Mira in her hometown as she ends up seeking the Candy Cane Killer.

The book was quite enjoyable, and I laughed out loud at a few parts, like her extra 'assignment' in her PI class, and some of her adventures as a fictional character on a dating site as they tried to lure the killer. And Mrs. Berns is the sort of old lady that I hope to someday be. The story earned 4 out of 5 stars and was a great cozy, midwest mystery. 

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my electronic copy of the book. Receiving the book for free did not influence my opinions or my review. 

Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - December 22: Merry Merry, Happy Happy

I'm enjoying a tiny bit of holiday time with family today. Unfortunately, my work schedule gives me Christmas Eve & Christmas Day and then New Years Day off (from an office Monday - Friday schedule). Oh, but I worked yesterday to try and get stuff a lil manageable for due dates with only three working days next week. Ugh. Luckily I don't hate what I do. I think tomorrow will literally be the worst - we'll have a Monday of intakes after two days off, and a Friday of sends since we need to send stuff due Dec 23, Dec 24, and Dec 25. Oh well.

I'm taking a break from the chaos to join in for Sunday Post with the Caffeinated Reviewer, and Sunday Salon with Readerbuzz. 

What I'm reading this week:

I'm really enjoying December Dread and This Book Won't Burn. Also a great mix for me - a cozy killer mystery as I go to sleep, and a rage-inducing social justice story the rest of the time. Life is good.

Three Good Things:

1. My kids are awesome. There is no way I'll get all the things I want to done in time for their Christmas, but they'll be fine. They're actually my biggest helps, too.
2. Two days off this week - obvs!
3. Plans this weekend. Hubs and I are going out with another couple on Friday, and then Saturday is his high school band reunion. Should be fun!

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. I'm really hoping to get the wrapping done during the day on Christmas Eve instead of late into the evening. 
2. Still to come today, I'll get some cookies baked after our family trip to the mall. I give the kids money to get presents for hubs and I, and then hubs and I just hang out in a bar or the food court and let them loose to shop. I'm also planning to do several loads of laundry so we're good for the week. Then, cookies. But not staying up too late since I have work in the morning.
3. I want to finish the two books I'm reading this week so I can start new ones. I won't make my Goodreads goal for the year, but I'm fine with that. Just want to finish these two and maybe one more before New Years :)

Sunday Salon/Sunday Post - December 15, 2024: You Will Be Found

Wrapping up my third Michigan Thespian Festival (as a chaperone). This was easily the most emotional, as my daughter is a senior, which made it a definitive festival for her as well. All the high schoolers have the opportunity to meet lots of other thespian high schoolers from Michigan, see a couple shows produced by Michigan high schools live on stage, take lots of fun workshops about acting, dancing, singing, and technical theatre stuff (lights, sound, makeup, costumes), compete for ratings called 'Thespys' (if they are inducted to the Thespian Society), and meet colleges and compete for scholarships (for the high school seniors - $41 MILLION dollars in scholarships were offered/awarded). If it sounds like a lot for two days, that's because it is. We were in Lansing all day Friday and yesterday, and we got back on our school bus late last night, so today has been a day of rest. I wish every high school extra-curricular had a festival as awesome as this is.

It has taken me all day to get to my computer, but I'm chiming in for Sunday Salon with Readerbuzz and Sunday Post with Caffeinated Reviewer. 

What I'm reading this week:

I just got my holiday review up for Christmas with the Queen (4 stars), and finished Side Effects are Minimal (5 star review coming soon on Books I Think You Should Read). I just started December Dread by Jess Lourey on my kindle, and my print copy of This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed. This Book is an ARC, but not on my review list, so I suspect I won it from the library? So far they're both enjoyable.

Three Good Things:

1. I think I got most of my holiday shopping - INCLUDING stocking stuffers - done on my extra day off on Thursday. I had taken Thursday and Friday off for the ThesFest, then only needed Friday, so I did my errands/laundry/tasks on Thursday so I didn't really 'miss' anything while I was gone Friday and Saturday. It worked out really well. 
2. We're moving desks this week! It's supposed to be Tuesday and Wednesday. While I'm fine where I'm at, a change sounds kind of fun. I think the re-organization that is motivating the moves is going to end poorly, I'm not a decision-maker and just along for the ride.
3. Hubs just got me a new Grinch outfit! It's spirit week at work this week, and while I have a pair of Grinch PJ pants, Monday is holiday PJ day, and Tuesday is Grinch or Santa day... Now I can use both! ;) My new outfit is black sweatpants that say 'Grinchy' on them with a picture of the green guy. I also got the matching cropped shirt (which will be layered on this ole body). Unfortunately, we saw the matching zip-up hoodie on the way out. Grr.....

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. While most of my holiday cards are well on their way, I still have a few addresses I asked for and received via Facebook after most of the cards were mailed. I need to sit down and address that last dozen or so and get them on their way.
2. I would LOVE to start wrapping instead of waiting til the last minute. My 13-year-old has also offered to help, if I can sort out some things that aren't his. Hahahaha,,,
3. As you saw in my 'good things,' I think my shopping is done. I really need to sort through it all and see that both kids' piles are equitable, and the amount of goodies I got for stockings will fit the bill. Circling back, this would be much easier if I had cleaned my office as I stated I planned to months ago. But here we are, in a very messy office now with piles of packages added to the mix.

Christmas with the Queen - Book Review

Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb
Publication: November 19, 2024
Pages: 384 pages
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ☆☆☆☆
Sweet Spark: Olive and Jack's love story was a slow burn, but the surrounding details were delightful and made the wait enjoyable.

The story starts out in 1952 with Olive trying to advance her reporting career despite the reluctance of the male-dominated BBC to have anything of importance reported by a woman. Jack is excited to leave the toxic kitchen he's been working in for a short assignment in the Sandringham royal kitchen during the new queen's holiday stay.

Fast forward a bit, and Olive and Jack end up seeing each other over the holidays during good career developments for both of them. They got along fine when they ran with the same social group of singles years ago, and getting reacquainted is a pleasant surprise for them both, even if it is just for a few minutes.

Both their lives continue to progress, with Queen Elizabeth II's life and reign an influential event that continues to affect both of them. The descriptions of the settings where the story takes place and the other people in both their lives are charming and a fun escape to read about. The book also included a few quotes from the queen's Christmas speeches over the years, which were intriguing and reinforced the historic part of this pleasant fiction. 

Overall, it was quite nice to read about the early years of Elizabeth II's monarchy, her life with her husband (sorry, forgot his title right now) and their children. The Christmas details and descriptions made the story a fun holiday read as well. The book earned 4 out of 5 stars and would be great for anyone who likes British royalty stories, 1950s fiction, and modest love stories. 

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my electronic copy of this book. Receiving this book for free did not influence my review.

 

Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Love - Book Review

Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Love by Robert Marro Jr.
Publication: November 5, 2024
Pages: 368 pages
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ☆☆☆☆
Sweet Spark: Could Scrooge really just have happily ever after once Marley and the ghosts left? Or did he truly have the change of heart to want to fix what he'd messed up in his previously miserly life?

I meant to watch the 1950s movie that this continuation was based off, but never quite got to it (I'm way more of a reader than a watcher...). With that said, my very general knowledge of A Christmas Carol was plenty to be familiar with the characters in this great follow-up. 

We've got Scrooge and Cratchitts, but several years have passed. There's a whole new generation of Cratchitts, and good ole Bob's son is at risk of being just as greedy as Scrooge was back in the day. Luckily, Scrooge's heart is truly changed, and he wants to prevent this path for his now-close friend's family. In familiarizing himself with their situation, he also encounters his previous love, Alyce, who left him for his selfish, greedy ways. Because, of course he does!

Scrooge knows that being blustery and trying to prove to everyone how he has changed will never work - it would only show him to be eternally selfish and look like he only changed for them to appreciate it. And that's not what happened. 

The lessons that Scrooge learned from Marley go on to benefit several groups that Scrooge finds it within his power to influence. 

What could probably have been summed up in a much shorter fan-fiction was developed into an enjoyable novel. Scrooge's life and business changed, and so did his whole way of seeing the world. He knows that while something may be right, he can't control or buy everything he wants, even if he's rich enough. The book earned 4 out of 5 stars and was a great progression of a classic holiday story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free copy of this ebook. Receiving the book for free did not influence my opinions or review. 

HoHoHo Holiday Haiku Challenge WINNER!!

Yay! The HoHoHoRAT2024 was so much fun! I saw lots of posts with some great holiday reads - thanks to everyone who participated and shared. 

As an elf, I hosted the Holiday Haiku challenge :) Thanks to those who shared your creative haikus. I gave the list of participant numbers to my husband to pick the lucky winner, and he chose my lucky number, 13!

Congrats to Melissa the Reading Nerd for her winning haiku:

Jesus' Birthday, Hooray!

Such a glorious time of year

I am exhausted

Melissa won a $15 Amazon gift card from me! Congratulations!!

Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - December 1, 2024: Happy December

Wow! Was November over in a blink or what?!? I finished packing the kids' advent jars this morning (but bought the last of the treats yesterday). A four-day weekend sounds cool, til you realize that Thanksgiving Thursday was for family, Friday was more of the same, Saturday was recovering from Thursday & Friday, and now Sunday is everything I should have done for the last three days, plus dreading Monday. Yay?

I'm back for another great Sunday to regroup with Sunday Post with Caffeinated Reviewer and Sunday Salon with Readerbuzz. It's the last couple days of the HoHoHo Holiday Readathon with Caffeinated Reviewer. Join the main challenge, and then there are seven great challenges at different sites for participants to win even more prizes! My challenge is a Holiday Haiku - join the challenge, then come back to enter.

What I'm reading this week:

I finally finished Lightborne: A Novel by Hesse Phillips. It was an enlightening novel about Christopher Marlowe - a playwright contemporary of Shakespeare. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. Watch for my review soon at Books I Think You Should Read. I'm partway through Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Love on my kindle, and deciding on my next print book read... maybe Side Effects are Minimal or Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar. We'll see!

Three Good Things:

1. My sister-in-law's sister read my tarot cards on Friday, and said all good things. I really needed to hear that. I have applied for (IIRC) nine different jobs this year. The first internal application was the most soul-crushing. I applied for a job I'd discussed with my managers before as a natural progression into the part of the job I really like the most. I applied in February, was told by my managers that their approvals were in place and everything was fine... then heard nothing. Two new people were hired to that team in early spring. Last week I got an email from the recruiter that they'd decided to move forward with another candidate. Ya think? Anyway. my reading said I'm doing everything right and my good outcomes are on their way within the next few months.
2. I got the kids' advent jars together in time! I posted a picture of these before, and explained that I fill the small baby food jars with a treat for each day in December. I try to make it stuff the kids will be happy to open, not just the same chocolates already in the candy dish. Today they each opened a mini Funko pop. They both got tiny Disney characters which are part of four-packs they'll see as they open  more jars. None of us is exactly sure when we'll open them each day, as ideally we should all be home to do it. They may send me pictures sometimes instead, as I leave earlier than they're usually awake. We'll make it work.
3. Weird for a good thing, but I think I forgot I hadn't had enough caffeine yesterday. I felt pretty blech all day yesterday, and hubby was blaming the fruit wine from Friday, but then I actually kept feeling worse. I went to bed a little after 6pm and slept til 9 this morningj and woke up realizing I only had one can of soda yesterday. Work and life have had me consuming several times that each day for a while. I think I found the culprit. :eyeroll:

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. A few posts ago I bragged that my holiday cards were designed, ordered, and even delivered! Now I need to address and mail them. I get paid Friday, so that will be my time to get postage. I think I'll look online today for fast & cheap return address labels. I regularly get them from charities, but usually pitch them to reduce clutter...
2. I have yet to pick up one of my old counted cross-stitch kits to work on. It's still on the list.
3. I finished my Cruella & Maleficent Lego BrickHeadz, now I just have my bonsai set left that is not yet assembled. Maybe next weekend? I do like the therapeutic value of Legos. I'm able to forget my worries for a bit while I focus on the directions. I read an article that said things like that (I think their example was knitting) is good for the soul because you're not focused on the stressful things, and then you have something to show for your time and effort...