NYC at this time of year is a special treat...plus my November Book Haul Vlog!


  

How are the Holidays Already Here!?


It is December which means....less than a month until 2018!? What??? Where did 2017 go? I feel like I blinked and it was gone. Not only that, but my niece it turning four next week, and again, all I can say is whaaaaaaaaat?

How are your holidays shaping up? Do you still have a lot to do? I'm done shopping (Except for one small thing for my dad) and am just waiting on the mail at this point. Yesterday, I came home to a pile of packages...it was like Christmas come early! ^.~ I still have all the decorating to do, though, but that's always fun!

This month, I really want to read some of the "best books" of 2017 that I missed out on this year. What books do you recommend as Can't Miss?

CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY


I was able to snag tickets to the Broadway production of Once on This Island while it was in previews this past month. It's a revival, and it's FANTASTIC. I went into the show not knowing much--I wanted to be surprised! I knew it was influenced by mythology, has a Romeo and Juliet star-crossed vibe going on, and that Lea Salonga (voice of Princess Jasmine and Mulan; originated the roles of Éponine in Les Misérables and Kim in Miss Saigon, among other things!) was in it.




The entire show was incredible!

And the set???




Yes, that's REAL sand. And there was a real pool of water. And real livestock (a hen, a goat). And it RAINED onstage. Truly an amazing, immersive experience!

Before the show, we wandered around NYC looking at some of the lights and decorations. The Parade was two days away and the world already looked amazing! Here are just a couple of pictures:









NOVEMBER BOOK HAUL!


Here's my haul for October! It's huuuuuuge, oh my goodness. I also bought quite a few signed books, some of which were for the Barnes and Noble Black Friday Special, so I was very grateful to get them!

Here's the video:



Left: My purchases
Middle + Right: For review




MUSIC 🎶

I've been listening a lot to the new albums from Kelly Clarkson ("Meaning of Life") and P!NK ("Beautiful Trauma"). I am especially loving "Beautiful Trauma" and can't stop listening! I just bought two CDs on Black Friday: Kesha's new album "Rainbow" and Lindsey Stirling's "warmer in the Winter," but haven't listened to either yet. I also haven't listened to this year's "Broadway Carols for a Cure" album that I picked up in NYC. So I have a lot to listen to!

I've been listening a LOT to Dear Evan Hansen this week because I just finished reading the coffee table book DEAR EVAN HANSEN: THROUGH THE WINDOW (And will be reviewing it on Broadway World next week!) and have even more appreciation for the show and want to discover more of its secrets. I also listened a lot to The Lion King cast recording (in both English and French...^^;;) a few times because actor Alton Fitzgerald White (Who played Mufasa in the musical for 13 years!) came locally to sing and sign his newly-released memoir.


MOVIES AND TV

We're finished watching Marvel's Inhumans and are catching up on Once Upon a Time. We just saw the Halloween episode, and I loved the cameo with a family dressed as The Incredibles
I went to the theaters this month and saw Thor: Ragnarok, which was AMAZING and worth seeing on the big screen! I haven't been to the movies in several months (possibly since Beauty and the Beast?) so this was a nice treat! I also watched a movie a couple of my co-workers love that was considered to be one of the best animated movies, Your Name, this past week. And, of course, all the Christmas movies on TV right now to get you in the holiday mood!

That was my November.

How was yours???

Here's a look at everything that happened this past month!
 

ONGOING GIVEAWAYS:

*Coming VERY soon!

Check out the December Blog Tour Schedule for more upcoming giveaways!
DECEMBER BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE
(Most blog tour stops feature giveaways as well!)

*EVER THE BRAVE by Erin Summerill  {12/5 Blitz}

 

READING NOW:
{All links to Goodreads!}

Between books! Eep!

PLANNING TO READ IN DECEMBER:


*THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE by Katherine Arden
*A CONJURING OF LIGHT by V.E. Schwab
*THE AFTERLIFE OF HOLLY CHASE by Cynthia Hand
*THE CITY OF BRASS by S.A. Chakrabortty
*BEASTS MADE OF NIGHT by Tochi Onyebuchi
*WORDS IN DEEP BLUE by Cath Crowley
*SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmyn Ward

 
[link to my GoodReads account so you can see my blurb feed as I read]
READ IN NOVEMBER:
{All links to Goodreads!}

TOTAL: 9 novels {Well, two are non-fiction and one is a graphic novel..}

*SNOW AND ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin {MG}
*RENEGADES by Marissa Meyer {YA}
*DEAR MARTIN by Nic Stone {YA}
*MASKED by J.D. Wright {New Adult}
*THE ONCE AND FUTURE QUEEN by Adam P. Knave {Graphic Novel}
*THE 57 BUS by Dashka Slater {YA Non-Fiction}
*LOVE, LIFE AND THE LIST by Kasie West {YA}
*THE FIRST KISS HYPOTHESIS by Christina Mandelski {YA}
*DEAR EVAN HANSEN: THROUGH THE WINDOW by Steven Levenson, Benj Hasek and Justin Paul {Non-Fiction Behind-the-Scenes}


REVIEWED IN NOVEMBER:
{All link to our reviews!}

*SNOW & ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin {MG} [+Design Vlog]
*VICIOUS by V.E. Schwab {Adult}[Spotlight]
*DREADNOUGHT by April Daniels {YA}
*NOT YOUR SIDEKICK by C.B. Lee {YA}
*RENEGADES by Marissa Meyer {YA}
*HEROINE COMPLEX by Sarah Kuhn {Adult}
*MASKED by J.D. Wright {New Adult}
*THE ONCE AND FUTURE QUEEN, Vol. I: Opening Move by Adam P Knave, DJ Kirkbride, and Nickolas Brokenshire {Graphic Novel}
*GREEK GODS: #SquadGoals by Courtney Carbone {MG}
*FATHOMS BELOW by Laura Holt {YA}
*FATHOMS ABOVE by Laura Holt {YA}
*PENELOPE MARCH IS MELTING by Jeffrey Michael Ruby {MG}


REVIEWED AT BROADWAY WORLD...so you may have missed it!

*Check out everything I reviewed at Broadway World this past month in this weekend's wrap-up!

FEATURES IN  NOVEMBER:

*Rounding up all my October 2017 reviews posted over at Broadway World in case you missed seeing them! 
*How are the Holidays Already Here!?...plus my October Book Haul Vlog!
*WILL YOU RISE OR WILL YOU FALL? Schedule of Events!
*Falling for the Bad Guys: The Evolution of Hero Worship
*Interviewing #1 New York Times Best Selling Author Marissa Meyer
*Top 5 Middle-Grade Novels featuring Superheroes! 
*Happy Book Day to RENEGADES by Marissa Meyer! 
*{Mad About Nails} "Super Villain" by JulieG/Jesse's Girl
*{Cover Reveal} LULLABY (The Sand Maiden, Book 1) by L.R.W. Lee, featuring Charlie Bowater's latest artwork!
*{Cover Reveal} RIGHT KISS WRONG GUY by Natalie Decker
*{Guest Post} Laura Holt's Writing Tips *In Honor of Nanowrimo*
*Unboxing the HAVEN Surprise Box from Entangled Teen and Mary Lindsey!
*Top 10 Books on my Winter TBR



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