The Joy of Christmas Book Tag 🎄 What I love about the festive season

Hello fellow bookworms 🎄 It’s time for another Tag and of course in honor of December, it had to be a Christmas-themed one! I have done a lot festive Tags already, but then I discovered the Joy of Christmas Tag and I loved the questions! I haven’t been feeling as festive as in previous years (which makes me sad) so I thought this Tag specifically would boost my Christmas spirit 🎄 The Tag was originally crated by Sam @ Sam’s Nonsense and I have linked her video down below for you to check out!

I’m Tagging …

• Kat @ lifeandotherdisasters
• Morgan @ morganisreadingagain
• Sofii @ abookathought
• Sophie @ meandink
• Veronika & Sabrina @ wordyandwhimsical
• … & anyone else who would like to do it 🎄

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

So many books, but here are some 2022 releases I’m excited for! ➽ I never have many December 2021 releases on my TBR, so we’re jumping right into the new year! I’m still searching for 2022 releases to add to my TBR, but there are a lot of books by beloved authors that I have already added. I’m sharing just three of them right now, though there are many more! I’m incredibly excited for These Fleeting Shadows, as I love Kate Alice Marshall’s mystery books, especially as they are all slightly interconnected and play in the same universe! Though I have only read Rachel Lynn Solomon’s Today Tonight Tomorrow (a 2021 fave), I’m very eager to read See You Yesterday, as it features time travel and a college setting 💕 Last but not least, I’m always excited for more Aiden Thomas books (though I have yet to read Lost in the Never Woods) and The Sunbearer Trials looks promising, both in synopsis and cover 🥰

• These Fleeting Shadows (Kate Alice Marshall)
• See You Yesterday (Rachel Lynn Solomon)
• The Sunbearer Trials (Aiden Thomas)

2) Christmas Songs & Carols: What book or author can you not help but sing its praises? 🔔🎧

Matt Haig (Author of Notes on a Nervous Planet) ➽ I feel like I always mention the same authors for prompts like that – like Susan Dennard of Rick Riordan – so today I’m choosing someone new! I immediately knew that I had to pick Matt Haig, as I have loved his books so much and that’s incredible as he writes in so many genres and for so many age groups! I first got into him by reading his Adult nonfiction books, which are a mix of self-help and memoir (Notes on a Nervous Planet, The Comfort Book, Reasons to Stay Alive) 💕 Then I have also enjoyed his newest Adult Fiction book (The Midnight Library) and also his Middle Grade books (A Boy Called Christmas series)! Matt Haig is definitely a versatile author and I cannot wait to make my way through his backlist and also check out all the new releases to come 🥰

Books I’ve Read

• Notes on a Nervous Planet ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The Comfort Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• A Boy Called Christmas ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The Midnight Library ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Reasons to Stay Alive ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Jessica Townsend) ➽ I love many Fantasy books with immersive worlds, but I had to go with Nevermoor, as it’s just so magical and whimsical ✨ This series took me by surprise, as I didn’t anticipate loving it so much! It’s full of wonder, magical hotels and a fierce competition to enter a special society for the most talented. The world has so much going for it and as this is a longer series, I cannot wait to explore all of it! I have only read this first book, but I hope to read the sequel – Wondersmith – this December and then continue with the series next year 🥰

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

A Christmas Carol (yes really) (Charles Dickens) ➽ Confession time: I don’t really have any classics I want to read, I think mandatory school reading has put me off trying to read any that I don’t have to 😅 I’ve only liked two classics that I read on my own. One is Alice Adventure’s in Wonderland and A Christmas Carol, which is my favorite! It’s funny that this is also the name of the prompt 😂 I just truly love A Christmas Carol, it’s not only a great story for the festive season but also relatively easy to read and impactful 💕

5) Christmas Sweets: What book would you love to receive for Christmas 🍬

This year I made a list of books I’d like to receive! ➽ I usually just note down a few books, but this time I wanted to be surprised and to NOT know exactly what books I get for Christmas. Therefore, I created a wishlist for my family to peruse, so they could choose what book they’d like. This way, I won’t know their choice and it’ll be a nice surprise for me on Christmas Day 🎄 There are many books on this list to give a wider selection, so I’ll just mention three! I have mostly new releases by favorite authors (Thirteen Storeys, Daughter of the Deep) and books I have loved, but don’t own a copy of yet (Good Omens, specifically the TV-tie in because I LOVE the show!! Season 2 is currently filiming 💕) on the wishlist, which I think is a nice mix 🥰

• Thirteen Storeys (Jonathan Sims)
• Daughter of the Deep (Rick Riordan)
• Good Omens TV Tie-In (Pratchett & Gaiman)

6) Candles in the Window: What book gives you that warm fuzzy feeling 🕯

The House in the Cerulean Sea (T.J. Klune) ➽ This has quickly become one of my comfort reads, as it’s so cozy and the found family vibes make me so happy! I just read The House in the Cerulean Sea earlier this month and it completely blew me away ❤ (Another 2021 favorite) It’s about rethinking your worldview, finding your way and looking beyond impressions/stereotypes. Though there are also some heavier topics, this book has got so much love and honestly feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket 🥰 I also really like the author’s newest book Under the Whispering Door, though that one deals with grief and is a lot tougher!

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

I choose my top 3 favorite covers from books I read this year! Yes I love illustrated covers, they are always so stunning 🥰

• Dark Waters (Katherine Arden)
• You’ve Reached Sam (Dustin Thao)
• Thirteens (Kate Alice Marshall)

8) Christmas Joy: What are some of your favorite things about Christmas? 🎅

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year! ➽ I generally love winter for its cold weather and the ability to cozy up with a warm drink and blanket inside. Christmas also gives me that cozy, warm feeling and just really gets me. Usually I feel so much wonder and contentment during this time of the year. This year though I have struggled a bit to get into the festive mood as I’m still emotionally burned out from November and always a bit worried. That’s why I’m making a short list of things I love about Christmastime/Winter 🎄

• The decorations and lights everywhere ~ there’s nothing better than going outside when it’s dark and seeing all the lights shine outside and inside the houses ✨
• Cold weather and snow! ~ we got some this year and it’s always so magical to me! [It’s snowing right now as I’m writing this post] ❄
• Cozying up with a blanket, good book and just drinking tea, fruit punch or a hot chocolate 🍵
• Showing appreciation with gifts ~ Gift giving is actually in last place of my love languages, but around Christmas it’s one of my favorite things to do 🎁
• Spending time with family and friends over the holidays 💕
• Watching funny, cheesy Christmas movies that always have these aesthetic festive towns 🎅

Time to boost my Christmas spirit 🎄

What book or author can you not help but sing its praises? What are some of your favorite things about Christmas or Winter? 🎄

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