It's a chance to share news: a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books,
and share what's coming up on your blog in the week ahead.
T H E W E E K I N R E V I E W
Christmas is now less than a week away. Can someone please explain how that happened?? I've kinda sorta finalized my Christmas Day menu. But I still have a gift or two to buy and some wrapping to do. So there's that. How about you?
On the plus side, I'm off all week! 😀 A couple weeks ago, on a particularly stressful day at the office, I decided I was done. And I needed a break pronto. So right then and there I sent an email stating I was taking off the week of Christmas. Having that to look forward to made the last two weeks a lot easier to bear.
I finally caught a Christmas movie! It starred Nick Bateman and if you don't know who that is, what are you doing with your life? LOL It was super cute and I enjoyed ogling him for two hours. 😍
Friday night we had dinner out - one of the handful of times we've eaten in a restaurant in the past (almost) two years. We planned on getting take-out but then saw the restaurant was less than half full so we decided to stay. Weird how that feels so illicit now. After dinner we went to see a local Christmas light display. This particular one is always voted one of the best in the city. The time and effort the homeowner must put into the display is impressive. All the lights are synched with the music and it's really something to behold.
We're bypassing the 80's and going back to 1973 for this week's holiday music fix. Enjoy Elton John's Step Into Christmas!
O N T H E B L O G
Tuesday, December 14
Thursday, December 16
W H A T I R E A D
Forever Wild by K.A. Tucker - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Sleigh Bells Ring by RaeAnne Thayne - ⭐⭐⭐.5
C U R R E N T L Y R E A D I N G
The Becoming (The Dragon Heart Legacy #2) by Nora Roberts
My Beautiful Neighbor by Piper Rayne
N E W A D D I T I O N S
eBooks
Charmed by the Bartender by Piper Rayne
Wild Side by Mari Carr
Southern Charmer by Jessica Peterson
T O T A L L Y R A N D O M
HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?
I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT!
See there was a time warp or something and most of December just... disappeared? Only thing I can think of. :) This month has FLOWN. I can't believe Christmas is this next weekend either.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for taking the week off. It's so much more enjoyable without work lol. I always try to take time off around this time of year too. And yay for Elton John. Love his stuff.
It does feel weird eating out, doesn't it? We've done it a bit but yeah it's weird how you feel faintly guilty lol or afraid you'll get Covid!
Love that random. :)
Your time warp theory sounds plausible at this point! LOL
DeleteThis week off has been divine!
I don't know how it's already Christmas week! This is going to be a whirlwind week for sure. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteHard to believe we're down to just a handful of days!
DeleteTanya I just realized that Chris Bateman is first a model with a super cute dog on Instagram!!! Not it seems he is an actor too and I totally get why you were ogling him for two hours :-))))) I hope you have a great break!
ReplyDeleteI think he even has a separate IG account for his dog. Or at least he used to.
DeleteYears and years ago he was tapped to play the main character in the movie for CoHo's Ugly Love. They even released a trailer. But then the deal fell through and it never happened.
*googles Nick Bateman* But in truth, I have no idea what I am doing with my life. Enjoy your week off. I am jealous of all people who were lucky enough to get those days. I will be working IN THE OFFICE. I am not familiar with that Elton John song. How is that?
ReplyDeleteUgh, lame about having to be in-office this week.
DeleteI'm surprised you don't know the EJ song. It's pretty standard fare around the holidays and seems to get plenty of radio play.
Ooh, one of my favorite Christmas songs! Even though I started my Christmas shopping super early, I still have a few things to get, and then have to wrap everything!
ReplyDeleteThankfully I love to gift wrap so I never mind that part. :)
DeleteNick Bateman is so cute! I wish I had this channel available.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of GAC before this movie, but it was super cute. :)
DeleteI love Elton John!! And Nick Bateman!
ReplyDeleteWe've had Elton John tickets since early 2020 and the show keeps getting postponed. Now it's set for April 2022. We'll have to see how things are looking then and decide if we're comfortable going.
DeleteI don't know where this year went. I am glad to have a bunch of projects behind us. I hope this next year is a little more relaxed. I don't think things are going to be good for the next weeks with Omicron and I'm a little worried that we went out even though we were careful and ate in no restaurants. Enjoy your week off and have a very happy holiday!
ReplyDeleteAnne - Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
Omicron is definitely a big factor now. Apparently you're less likely to be hospitalized with it, but it's also way more transmissible. And I see people every single day without masks. Crazy.
DeleteI'm glad to read you got some time off this week. Good for you!
ReplyDeleteI have a pretty busy week ahead of me with my last day at my current job, and all that entails.. and Christmas coming up. We also are in another lockdown since this weekend. I'm glad that I already had all my Christmas gifts.
Enjoy your free time Tanya. Happy reading.
I hope your last week has gone well. I'm sure it has to be emotional!
DeleteWAIT. Nick Bateman was in a CHRISTMAS MOVIE?!?! Why is this the first I'm hearing about this? He's who I picture (no matter the description) when the guy has dark hair in a book. Haha
ReplyDeleteI'm ready gift wise and I just did a lot of my grocery shopping today. I don't know that I'm ever 100% ready for the holidays, though. I hope you have a Merry one!
Yes! Two hours of Nick Bateman on screen. Merry Christmas to me! LOL
DeleteYay for having this week off and for getting to go out and enjoy some Christmas lights. I can't believe we're already here at year's end already. Seriously feels like I blinked and months went by. LMAO at your Totally Random. I love my Hallmark movies but it's so true. I think you could probably make a pretty good drinking game out of them. "Everybody take a shot when it's time for hot cocoa!"
ReplyDeleteLOL Totally agree! I actually saw a Hallmark Bingo card thing recently that was so funny. You got to fill a spot when the hero wore flannel, when someone found the true meaning of Christmas, or when Lacey Chabert was the star. LOL
DeleteYAY for having this whole week off, that is so amazing! And I love Elton John! I saw him when we lived back in Indiana for a few years and then I saw him 10 years ago in Tahoe, he is AMAZING in person!
ReplyDeleteJen @ Star-Crossed Book Blog
How awesome that you've seen him in person! He is an amazing performer. We've had Elton John tickets since early 2020 and the show keeps getting postponed. Now it's set for April 2022. We'll have to see how things are looking then and decide if we're comfortable going.
DeleteYou have to catch up on all those Christmas movies! lol
ReplyDeleteI've been watching 1-2 a week and have 8 left to go.
Enjoy your time time off.
Karen @For What It's Worth
I haven't watched a single one this week! I am a Hallmark channel failure. LOL
DeleteYay for having the week off! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteSame to you, Alison!
DeleteMy block hasn't been impressive which Christmas lights, but there is a block where every house has lit up arches, so it's like 2 blocks of arches. Really pretty.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Tanya!
Oh, that sounds so pretty! Glad you have some nearby to enjoy.
DeleteMerry Christmas, Amber!
I'm so glad you're getting some time off! I still need to watch more Hallmark movies! Christmas is coming so fast!!!
ReplyDeleteYes! How crazy is it that tomorrow is Christmas Eve?! It's come way too fast.
DeleteI can't believe Christmas is upon us. We were supposed to drive to my daughter's tonight but I got stuck at work with stats and then traffic turned into an utter nightmare. Will try to get on the road early tomorrow. Yay for having a week off! Going out to dinner and taking in a light display sounds lovely!
ReplyDeleteI didn't notice the book description for Sleigh Bells Ring talked about a fake dating situation! How strange! Maybe she planned that at first and then changed her mind and the publishing team never corrected? Who knows. I'll have to see if all the descriptions say the same thing. Yep, I agree, the romances were super quick. There was a lot going on.
Enjoy your holiday, Tanya!
Sorry to hear you didn't get to head to your daughter's as planned. Hope you managed an early start this morning!
DeleteI was so surprised by that synopsis! I was like, uh, Tate never proposed a fake dating thing to Annie. What the heck? But yeah, maybe that was the original plan.
Merry Christmas, Rachel! And safe travels!