I promised myself that I wouldn't buy too many new maternity clothes this time around. I bought a lot during my first pregnancy because I was working and I am just not one of those women who can make their non-pregnancy clothes work for them while pregnant, nor did I want to.
Luckily, I held on to my favourite pieces and I'm fortunate enough to have generous friends lend me some extra items. Other than a new pair of plum-coloured skinny jeans, and a few basic t-shirts and tanks, I haven't had to buy anything else.
It also helps that my 'signature look' is pretty simple: leggings/skinny jeans, t-shirt/tanktop and a cardigan. It's rare you'll see me in anything else. Okay, let's be honest, this is my signature look even when I'm not pregnant! But still, this combination is one I find to be the most comfortable and the easiest to keep casual or dress up for the evening. Change up the footwear, add or subtract a statement necklace and add some fun to the look with the perfect patterned cardigan.
My signature look lets me run after a toddler all day, but with a few switches, can take me into the evening for a night out with the girls or on a date with my husband. And the cardigan is a pregnant woman's best friend! Layered over your basics, it's my go-to wardrobe staple, and the item I own the most of in my closet. So when I saw this particular one from PinkBlush, I knew I needed it! What can I say, I love me a pretty cardigan!
Hey friends! It's been two months since Allison, Becky, and I shared our most favourite reads with you all, so grab your notepads/phones/open up Goodreads, because this post is full of great book recommendations for yourself and for your loved ones on your Christmas shopping lists! We've been reading up a storm and as a result, have read some really wonderful books.
*****
BRIE
I’ve read a good chunk of books in the last two months – 10 to be
exact, but barely a handful stand out as really great reads. Such is the life
of a reader though! Thankfully, the books I loved, I really, really loved.
Favourites: When we last caught up, I mentioned I had just started One True
Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and you guys, what an amazing book! I pretty much
recommend it to everyone I talk to (and I even made my mom read it while she
was visiting), so if you haven’t yet, this is one bandwagon you need to hop on
ASAP. Immediately after One True Loves, I read After I Do by the same author
and while it’s completely different, I loved it too. Now I’m on a mission to
read the rest of her books. Happiness for Beginners was my most recent read and
it’s now competing with One True Loves for my favourite book of the year.
Another feel-good, easy read, but deeper than your average chick-lit. And if
you’re in the mood for a twisted, psychological mystery, then All is Not
Forgotten is a great read, but fair warning that the content is pretty graphic.
Looking
Forward To: My reading has slowed down considerably
the past few weeks, most likely because my energy is pretty low as I prepare
for baby to make its debut in just over a month. I’ve made it my mission to try
and finish off the year with light, easy, Christmas themed reads. I never read
seasonal books, but I felt it was time, and after Alison recommended the Winter
Street trilogy by Elin Hilderbrand, I put them all on hold at the library. I’m halfway
through the first book and it’s exactly what I was hoping to read to round out
the year.
*****
BECKY
I think the last couple months were a reading record for me. I read eight, almost nine, books since we last caught up two months ago. My grand total for the year is sitting at 32! I've read some pretty great books but some were just meh, like The Girls and Miss Peregrine's. What is it about over-hyped books being totally mediocre?
Favourites: It's so hard to choose my favourite but I'm going to have to say Forever, Interrupted. I think Taylor Jenkins Reid has become my new favourite author. However, you should know by now that I can't say no to a good memoir written by a strong female which is why I also really loved both Amy Schumer's and Bif Naked's memoirs. I'm just on the last few pages of Bif's book but knew I'd love it to the end based on her recent book tour where she read some passages with such animation. I'm reading the book with her voice in my head which makes it even more fantastic.
Looking Forward To: I was thrilled when I found both Forever, Interrupted and another TJR book, After I Do at the used bookstore. I've heard After I Do is even better than Forever, Interrupted and I can't wait to devour it. I also can't wait to get my hands on Anna Kendrick's new book Scrappy Little Nobody and Lauren Graham's book, Talking As Fast As I Can, because it's Gilmore Girls month!
*****
ALLISON
12 books in 2 months? Whoa. I've been adverse to reading lately (hello all the made-for-tv holiday movies!) so I was a bit surprised to see the tally at 12. The good news, for me, is that I didn't dislike anything I've read recently. Some were just ok but unlike the summer, none were bad. You can follow along with everything I'm reading and what's on my list on Goodreads.
Favourites: surprise, surprise; I can't pick just one favourite. I had written a sentence stating that It Ends With Us was my favourite (and it was REALLY good) but I also loved The Velvet Hours. You know how much I adore historical fiction. The Velvet Hours is based on the real life story of coutesan Marthe de Florian who deserted her Paris apartment in World War Two and its contents discovered, completely untouched for decades, in 2010. This is a fascinating story, easy to follow, and very captivating. I didn't like how abruptly it ended but after some research I understand why. It Ends With Us: I didn't love how young the main character was but other than that, I really enjoyed the story line that featured a strong-willed female lead.
Looking forward to: the third book in Elin Hilderbrand's Winter series: Winter Storms. This is last book in the series (the first two, which came out in 2014 and 2015, were great) and I'm equally looking forward to reading about how the Quinn family's story ends and sad there won't be another one next year. With my overwhelming adoration of made-for-tv Christmas movies I'm not-so-secretly hoping the trio of novels is made into a trio of movies. If you're looking for something light-hearted and seasonally appropriate I would recommend Hilderbrand's Winter Street Triology.
I feel like the love for pumpkin flavoured goodies dies out sooner in Canada than in the States since our Thanksgiving happens so much earlier. When does "all things pumpkin" come to an end? End of November? After Christmas? I really don't know, but in case your still in the mood for some yummy pumpkin infused recipes, I've got you covered. This past month I made over a handful of different pumpkin recipes and today I'm sharing the best of the best with you. (If you want some actual meal recipe ideas, then be sure to check out last month's Pinterest roundup!).
You know what I find interesting (and frustrating) about Pinterest? The fact that a recipe can be pinned hundreds of thousands of times, yet there are no comments on the pin itself, and the blog post sharing said recipe has minimal to no comments on it as well. I for one, like to see what people have to say about a recipe: what worked for them,what substitutes did they make, did they love it...etc. This is why trying recipes on Pinterest are so hit and miss!
Thoughts: Anyway, thankfully, despite the lack of comments on this one, it was a winner. I made these for Thanksgiving dinner, and while my two younger nephews aren't a fan of pumpkin based desserts, it just meant the adults got to indulge in more! I made them the night before and didn't put the whipped cream on them until we were ready to eat them. I would recommend eating them within a day or two of making since the pastry does start to dry out, but they were still delicious!
Verdict: I loved the two-bite, cuteness factor. Although, I'm pretty sure I ate WAY more of these little bites than I would have of regular pumpkin pie. Thanksgiving dinner calories don't count, right?
Thoughts: I wanted something my husband could throw in his lunch for a snack, and something I could grab on my way out the door. These were both delicious and filling. The pumpkin flavour is not strong in them at all - I would probably use pumpkin pie spice next time to amp it up, but otherwise, these would be a great year round muffin to make!
Verdict: These were a big hit with both myself and my husband. Even my toddler, who is funny about muffins, would eat about half of one before declaring "I'm done!". I think the chocolate chips helped.
Thoughts: The texture and chewiness was so different than your average cookie, but my husband and I loved that about them! I'd probably try and cut down the sugar next time I make them, but they were still really yummy. The dough is definitely a bit odd to work with, and make sure you listen and chill your dough for the recommended amount of time! I ended up pressing my chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies before baking as it just seemed easier this way than trying to mix them into the sticky dough. (These got eaten up before I thought to take a photo!)
Verdict: I really, really loved these cookies. And my toddler ate them too, so that's always a win! They reminded me of a nice, chewy molasses cookie, but with a slight pumpkin flavour.
Thoughts: Okay, this one is a little self-promotion here because this is a recipe I posted the other week, but seriously, if you missed it, you need to make this one! It's the perfect holiday snack, whether it's for Friday movie night or a party. It's easy, delicious and a great way to have your pumpkin pie spice without using any actual pumpkin.
Verdict: Obviously, make it!!
Over to you:
Pumpkin desserts: love 'em or hate 'em? Favourite pumpkin snack/dessert? Share your recipe in the comments!
I always try to be mindful of what products I'm putting onto my body. I know there's always room for improvement, and I'm definitely not perfect, but when I'm pregnant, nourishing my body and skin with natural, chemical-free products is extremely important to me. I'm no longer only taking care of myself, I also have an unborn child I have to think about as well. So when Skinny & Co. Coconut Oil offered to send me some of their 100% raw, alkaline coconut oil products to test out, it seemed like fate. I was in need of something to help moisturize my body, especially my ever-expanding belly, that was not only safe, but also natural.
Their products all contain five ingredients or less, are non-toxic, and edible. Each oil is made in small batches, and the company is family owned and run, and Skinny & Co. sources 100% of their coconut oil from their own factory, and they hand pick all of their pesticide free coconuts from the jungles of Vietnam. Luke and Matt, the brothers behind Skinny & Co have a pretty inspiring story on how a childhood diagnosis led to a lifestyle of holistic living and later on, travel adventures, which opened their eyes to healthy foods around the world. You can read their story HERE.
I'll be honest, I have never used coconut oil for anything other than cooking and oil pulling. I'm well aware that coconut oil can also be used for many other things, I just had never gotten around to utilizing it in other ways. I also wanted to really give these products a chance before reviewing them, so please note that I've now been using the following products from Skinny & Co. every single day for over a month.
In my sample box, I received:
Body Butter (coconut oil/organic almond oil/essential oils)
I'm a sucker for great packaging so I was delighted when I opened my box. I love the little glass jars, and the helpful cards included to remind you what to use each on. There was even a card included on uses for 'Mommy & Baby'. I never would have thought to use the plain coconut oil as nipple cream during breastfeeding or for a diaper rash. When I was nursing Sully, I would have used this all the time, so I am saving some for when the new baby comes!
I think one of my biggest misconceptions when it comes to using coconut oil on my body is that it's going to be super greasy, but over the past month, I didn't find that at all. There are definitely lotions and creams out there that are way worse for that. I do find that my face is naturally oily enough during pregnancy that I don't need to moisturize it too much, so I used a pea drop size of the facial oil or coconut oil at bedtime after cleansing my face. I am no monogamist when it comes to washing my face though - I like to jump around from different techniques and products (a rotation of Norwex cloths, face wash and disposable wipes - I know, I know - I never said I was perfect!). But, one thing I did do routinely was use the facial oil to remove my eye makeup. You guys - how have I never done this before?! I just applied a small amount of the oil over my eyelids and wiped with a cloth! No burning or itching and it removes mascara so well!
I keep the sugar scrub jar in the shower and I use it for shaving my legs and my armpits. It smells heavenly and makes shaving so pleasant. Usually, after I shave my legs (without coconut oil), they are tight and it burns when I applied any type of moisturizer. Not with coconut oil though. Sometimes I applied nothing after shaving with the sugar scrub, and other times I applied the body butter, and my legs are so much happier, and smoother! And when I'm not in the mood to shave my legs (which is more often than not lately since bending down to do so while pregnant isn't fun or easy), I just use the sugar scrub as an exfoliator.
Hands down though, my favourite product of the bunch is the body butter. I use it every single day, usually twice, on my belly, chest and hips and it alleviates any itchiness and tightness I feel in those areas as my body continues to grow. Plus, it smells wonderful thanks to the addition of the essential oils, but it's not overpowering at all. I also love that a little coconut oil goes a long way so the jars have lasted me well over a month now.
If you're interested in trying out any of Skinny & Co.'s products (they have many other products not included in this post as well!), you can use code SKINNYCO15 to receive 15% off your order! I think the pedicure kit would make an awesome Christmas gift or stocking stuff!
*I received the above product in exchange for this post, but as always, all opinions and reviews expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the companies that continue to make this hobby of mine possible!
Do you use coconut oil for uses other than cooking?
I dedicated October to reading just thrillers/mysteries and now that I have that genre out of my system, I'm ready for some more fun, lighter reads to finish off the year! I read 5 books last month and while two fell a bit short, it was a pretty good reading month. I'm also well on my way to possibly hitting 52 books read this year (has never happened!) which pleases me to no end since my original goal was 30. I know it's not about the number of books you read in a given period of time, but ever since I joined Goodreads back in 2012, it's always been a goal of mine to hit 52 books at least one year! Right now I've read 47 books, so I'm confident I will succeed this year.
1. Still Mine by Amy Stuart: This is one of the books that fell short for me. Once again, we have a bit of an unreliable narrator since Clare is running from her past and demons, is a recovering drug and alcohol abuser, and as the reader, we have no idea why she's "on the job" in some small, remote town. But she's there and she's determined to find out what happened to the local girl who has recently gone missing. Overall, this was a pretty "meh" read. I did read it quickly though because there's still an element of "I need to know what happens", but it definitely wasn't suspenseful, at least not until the last few pages. The whole storyline felt weak, and the ending was kind of lame. (2.5/5 stars)
2. Always Watching by Chevy Stevens: This is the story of Nadine, a psychiatrist at a psychiatric hospital, whose past has finally caught up with her. Having spent 8 or so months at the age of 13, living in a spiritual commune (ie. a cult) with her mother and older brother, Nadine has never been able to recall certain events of that time. That is, until she meets patient Heather, a young woman who has recently left the same commune, run by the same man it was back when Nadine was a girl. Treating Heather leads to Nadine finally uncovering truths about her own past on the commune, events she couldn't even recall under intense hypnotherapy sessions years ago. As Nadine starts to put the pieces together, and discovers that the commune has grown larger and more successful, she becomes determined to do anything to stop them from hurting even more innocent victims. I was expecting more of a thriller because this IS Chevy Stevens after all, but I'd say this was more of a psychological mystery...still really good and a page turner, just not as intense as her other books I've read. (3.5/5 stars)
3. All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker:I really liked this book, despite it's graphic content. The premise: what if you could be given a drug immediately following a traumatic event that would erase your memories of it? Would you take it? You'd still know what happened, but you wouldn't be able to remember the actual event. This is the story of a 16 year old girl who is brutally raped in the woods during a party and her parents decide to give her the drug. They feel confident that they don't want their baby girl to have any recollection of this horrible crime and hope by not remembering, she can continue to live her life as a teenager. But maybe not remembering isn't as peaceful as you would hope it would be. How do you get closure then? How do you heal, recover and move on? Does not remembering the actual emotions associated with the event make it easier to accept such a thing happened? And then of course there's the whole question of: if you can't remember what happened, how is that person ever going to be caught and brought to justice? This story is told entirely from the perspective of the psychiatrist treating not just the 16 year old girl, but of her parents too. It was a unique point of view and I felt it worked well in this situation since so much of the story was able to be told through the dialogue of the therapy sessions. Also, the "retired" psych nurse in me enjoyed the memory/memory recovery aspect of the book. The topic is tough though, and revisited over and over so fair warning to those who don't want to read about such a topic. (4/5 stars)
4. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs: This was the pick for last month's A Slice of Brie Book Club, and while I've been wanting to read it for years now, I was left feeling pretty underwhelmed by it. It's a beautiful book, physically, and well written, but the characters and the story really didn't do much for me. I wanted it to be more creepy - I feel like it had all the elements to be so, but it really wasn't. Parts of the story I found confusing (the time-loops and the hallowgasts) and other parts just boring. I really can't see myself finishing off this series, but I will still see the movie once it's out of theatres! (3/5 stars).
5. The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain: I really enjoyed this book and I devoured it in a few sittings. 25 year old Riley has always believed that her older sister committed suicide when she was a teenager and Riley was only 2. But when her father dies and she is faced with the task of going through his stuff, she discovers that her sister has been alive all this time and is living under a new identity. Riley, desperate to seek out the whole truth and find her sister, also risks exposing family secrets and putting people at risk.
What a crazy situation to be in: both your parents are now dead, and your brother wants nothing to do with the past. And then you find out something that will rock your world: just when you feel like you have almost no family left, you find out that your sister is indeed still alive. Why? How? And where is she? Once we know for sure that Riley's sister, Lisa, is still alive, we get periodic chapters from her point of view, dating back to the time she staged her own suicide. I really enjoyed these chapters and getting to know Lisa and what was going on in her life and how she was dealing with everything that was happening. I was often feeling scared for Lisa and while I hoped that Riley could be reunited with her, I also didn't want anything to jeopardize Lisa's life (or Riley's).
While predictable at times, this was a definite page turner as I needed to know how everything turned out. It wrapped up a bit too neatly, but then again, not everything in life has to be messy, does it? (3.5/5 stars)
The other day, we got to see you on ultrasound again. For no reason other than our doctor said "why not?" since the last time we got to see you was at 19 weeks. And who am I to turn down an opportunity to see you and how much you've grown? Your big brother came with us to the ultrasound and was pretty fascinated by "the baby" on the television screen. He kept saying you were crying, although it looked more like you were sleeping with the odd yawn. We only got a quick glimpse of your face as you had your back to us for the most part. I had to lay on my side for most of the ultrasound since I cannot lay on my back at all without getting short of breath and dizzy to the point where I feel like I'm about to faint.
You're taking up more and more room in my belly so it was hard to see all of you in there, but we did get to see your feet and face, and it was confirmed again that you are in fact a girl. Your daddy and I are still trying to decide on a name for you, although I think I may be close to convincing him of my favourite one. The doctor at the ultrasound clinic said you are growing well and are currently approximately 3.5 lbs, which puts you in the 50th percentile. I do not expect you to be a big baby, especially since your big brother was tiny and skinny and is still a small guy. According to my pregnancy app, this means you are the size of a Florida Pomelo fruit, which of course, I had to google. On other baby sites, at 32 weeks, you are the length and size of a spread out kale leaf.
Your daddy and I wonder everyday what you will look like...will you have white blond hair like your brother? Or will you have red hair like your aunty and cousin? I always imagined I'd have a little red-headed girl one day. Red does run in both sides of the family, so it's not a total long-shot!
This pregnancy is going so much quicker with you than it did with your brother. I'm sure this is because of a few different reasons (the timing of your birth - Christmas always sneaks up on you!, and the fact that I spend the majority of my day running around after your brother), but I still can't believe that I will finally get to meet you in less than 8 weeks now. And as uncomfortable as I am these days, I hope you stay in there until your delivery date!
Even as I sit here typing this, I can see your little jabs and pokes through my belly, and I'm so overcome with gratitude and love that there's this tiny little person growing inside of me, getting ready to join our family and complete us. I didn't know what my life was going to look like at age 33, but I know I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be and I wouldn't want my life to be any other way.
Seven and a half more weeks, Sweet Pea, seven and a half more weeks. I already love you more than you could ever know.
The holidays are upon us, and chances are good that you will attend at least one dinner or party in which you are asked to bring a snack. Or maybe not, but if you're like me, you hate to show up empty handed. While a bottle of wine is always a nice gesture to bring your host, sometimes it's more pleasing to think outside the box and bring something homemade. Or maybe you you just need a really tasty snack in your home that you don't plan on sharing at all. Hey, I'm not judging!
Whatever the case, I've got you covered! I've made this Chex mix recipe several times now, and it's been a big hit with both my own family and the guests receiving it. I'm warning you now, it's hard to stop at just a handful.
The ingredients are simple, and this is the perfect way to infuse some pumpkin spice into your snacks without baking. Whipping up a batch takes no time at all, and I promise you this is a recipe you'll keep coming back to. Throw it in a mason jar, add a ribbon, and you have yourself the perfect hostess gift!
1. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon.
2. In a large microwaveable bowl, combine Chex cereal and chopped pecans.
3. In a microwaveable dish, microwave the butter until melted (approx 30-40 seconds). Then add vanilla extract.
4. Pour butter mixture over the Chex cereal and pecans, then add the brown sugar and spice mixture from step 1. Stir until well coated.
5. Place Chex mix in microwave and microwave on high for one minute increments, stirring after each minute. Repeat approximately 3 - 4 times, until mixture begins to brown.
6. Stir in chopped dried apples, cranberries, and chopped oatmeal cookies. Allow mixture to cool before storing in an airtight container.
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that it's already November. And I know I'm going to have an even harder time of this once December rolls around. Right now, it's hard not to think of everything in terms of baby: 8 weeks (8 weeks!!) until baby comes...8 weeks to get the nursery done, 8 weeks to transition Sully from his crib to a big-boy bed, 8 weeks to get the house tidied up and organized, etc, etc. Oh my goodness, 8 weeks is so short! I know, it doesn't matter what does or doesn't get done, baby will come regardless. But in my dreams, it would be nice if everything that was on my to-do list was crossed off in the next two months!
So November. So far, we're having great weather! A lot of October was cold and gloomy, but other than that one day of snow we had, we haven't gotten anymore and it's been pretty nice out during the days. I also run really hot when I'm pregnant, so my definition of a nice day might not be yours, haha.
I feel like I just did this post, but here's what I'm currently up to!
Thinking about: Baby. I mean, how can I not be? But also thinking about baby and Sully and how life is going to look in 8 short weeks. Even though there's this tiny little being growing inside of me, it's so hard to picture her on the outside. From the constant bathroom trips, to the shortness of breath, to the little pokes and jabs, she never lets me forget she's in there, but I still can't imagine two kids yet. My days are almost solely made up for just me and Sully. He's my little sidekick, my companion, my mini-me. At least until his Dad gets home from work. On one hand, I'm so excited to expand our family and provide a sibling for Sully, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't also terrified. And I'm not scared about having enough love for two children...I already know and believe that that won't be an issue. What worries me is having enough time, patience and energy for both my children. I try not to over think these things because I also know life will just happen and I will just have to take it one day at a time. I expect there to be a transition for Sully, just like there will be for me. 8 weeks, guys, 8 weeks!!
{31 weeks}
Reading: I actually, at this moment, do not have a book on the go. I just finished up The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain, and quite enjoyed it. I'm not sure what I'm in the mood for yet. I would get a started on next month's book for A Slice of Brie book club, but I need to get a copy of it first. I read mostly darker, heavier books in October, and I'm thinking I want to finish off the year with a bunch of light reads. Any suggestions?
Listening to: So the lead singer of Godsmack, Sully Erna, recently released a new solo album. While Jim and I are big fans of Godsmack, I think I love Sully's solo work more...I find his work eliminates the heaviness of a lot of Godsmack songs that I'm not as tolerant to in my older years (haha!). I'm enjoying the whole album, Hometown Life, but I think this fun song is one of my favourites.
Watching: I'm still loving This is Us (although I almost wish I was a season behind so I could binge watch it - waiting a week between episodes is brutal!!), and Jim and I also started watching Kevin Can Wait on TV. We are huge Kevin James fans, and since we loved King of Queens so much, we thought we'd give it a go. It's actually pretty cute and funny if you can get past the laugh track. We also just started Black Mirror on Netflix (2 episodes in) and LOVING it. If you haven't jumped on that band wagon yet, you should! After everyone was raving about it on social media, I jumped on Netflix and was a bit confused at first since season 1 and 2 aren't available on there (except for episode 1 of season 2). But turns out, Netflix bought the show and produced season 3, and since all the episodes are independent of each other (like their own mini-films), it doesn't matter where you start or what order you watch the episodes in. (I through that all in there in case you were confused like me!).
Eating: Um, is this a trick question? Halloween candy, obviously. You guys, I totally bought WAY too much candy this year. Kids seemed to start trick-or-treating later this year, and by the time we got back to the house after we went out, I assumed we'd still get a rush of kids, but we got two! Last year I left a bowl of candy on the front porch, but we were in such a rush to get out the door, I forgot.
Other than that, I'm pretty much just snacking all day long. I don't have the room for meals anymore, so I need to eat less, more frequently.
Wearing: Same old, same old. Leggings/jeggings, tanks/t-shirts and cardigans. It's basically my signature maternity look.
Laughing about:
My sister tagged me in this one because it's so true! (Sorry Mom!)
Looking forward to: We haven't booked anything yet, but we are hoping to escape to the mountains for a few days this month for a little "baby-moon"...although I'm not really sure it's called a baby-moon when you bring your toddler along, haha. Either way, we're hoping to go to Banff since neither of us have spent much time there other than to drive through. It will just be nice to get away from the city, from to-do lists and just be together as a family.
Hello Book Clubbers! Since I'm combining November and December's book, I'm just calling the next book club December Book Club. I was actually surprised by the outcome of the votes for this book - I thought for sure everyone would vote for Elin Hilderbrand given she's a more well-known author - but I'm really excited for our next book! Wrapped Up in You by Carole Matthews sounds super cute and fun and the perfect easy read for this busy time of year. I don't really read holiday themed books, but after researching books to vote on for this month, I think that's all going to change! There were quite a few I came across that I added to my wish-list and also seemed to be readily available at my library.
A Christmas fling, or has Janie found the real thing?
Thirty-something hairdresser Janie Johnson's single status is a constant source of gossip for her friends and clients. So after too many nights in with her cat, a blind date disaster and news that her ex is getting married, Janie realises it's time to do something dramatic with her life. It's time for an adventure!
Leaving winter behind, Janie takes the plunge and books an exotic trip to Africa. Her friends think she's mad and Janie thinks they may very well be right . . . but then she falls head over heels for her tour guide - and fully fledged Maasai Warrior - Dominic. But can Janie now face spending a snowy Christmas back home without him?
Packed with unforgettable characters, romance and laughter, Wrapped Up In You is your very own perfect Christmas Carole!
If you're new to book club, then welcome! You can read more about book club in this post, but here's the gist of it:
Book Club for Wrapped Up in You will be on Wednesday, December 7. My post with review and thoughts, along with some discussion questions, will go live the morning of. This gives you exactly 5 weeks to read the book.
Come visit the post, share your feelings and opinions on the book and participate in the discussion! (Of course, participation isn't mandatory - you're more than welcome to just read along quietly!)
There will be a link-up for bloggers who have written their own review post, or have reviewed the book in another post. You can use this graphic to link back, or grab my button from my side bar. Writing a post is totally optional and not mandatory.
EVERYONE is welcome! You do not have to have a blog to participate. My blog is just the space where I host the book club, but I encourage everyone to join - tell your friends! :)
Most importantly, have fun! There's no pressure or obligation to "sign-up" or "RSVP". You can choose to read the book now, or closer to the date we meet to talk about it. It doesn't matter to me!
For my local friends: there are a few copies available at the Calgary Library. You can also order this book through Chapters right now, but they only have the ebook in stock, or Amazon.
It goes without saying that this will be the last book club of 2016! Thank you for everyone that has supported this little idea of mine by reading along, participating in the discussions and linking up! I've had so much fun this past year and I'm glad I was able to encourage some participation. If there's one thing I love more than reading, it's sharing my love of reading with other book worms :)
On that note, at this time, book club will not be resuming in January (so no vote for a book in December), as I am going to take a month or two (or maybe more) off from it after I have my baby. I still hope to get in reading when I can once baby joins our family, but like a lot of things in life when you have kids, you just never know what's going to happen or how crazy busy things will be! Hopefully we can start up again in the spring! In the meantime, I'm still planning to continue with my book posts where I talk about the books I've been reading, and as well, I share my most favourite reads on Instagram.
Happy reading! If you have any questions, let me know!
