Now that Halloween is over, it's time to focus on what's really important—Christmas.  Just kidding!  I love Thanksgiving and would never skip over it.  Even when my family begs to start decorating early, I refuse to put up my Christmas tree before Thanksgiving is over.  It's not too early, however, to start planning holiday outings, which is why I agreed to post about The Forgotten Carols today.

I'd never heard of The Forgotten Carols until 1994, when my college boyfriend (now husband) organized a trip to see the production in Provo, Utah.  At the time, the show was only a few years old, and most of the parts were played by Michael McLean, the well-known musician who developed the presentation. The two of us, along with a group of our friends, had a great time watching The Forgotten Carols together.  While I don't remember the details of the show now, I do recall enjoying the experience and feeling a sweet spirit of friendship and holiday cheer that added to the joy of the Christmas season for all of us that year.  A couple decades later, the show is in its 28th year of consecutive performances.  According to a press release, The Forgotten Carols has been "reimagined" this year.  In it, McLean is quoted as saying, "Fans will hear the same songs, see the same characters, but experience the story in a completely new way!"

Needless to say, when I was offered complimentary tickets to an upcoming performance of The Forgotten Carols here in Arizona in exchange for posting this promotional piece, I jumped at the chance.  I can't wait to re-experience the show and all the nostalgia that I'm sure will be part of it.

If you haven't heard of The Forgotten Carols, it's a warm, inspiring musical stage presentation that tells the story of Connie Lou, a hardened nurse who hasn't laughed or cried in three decades.  When she begins working with an elderly homeless man who's struggling with dementia, her life begins to change.  She is especially intrigued when the man, Uncle John, begins telling her the Christmas story through the eyes of his "friends"—the innkeeper, Handel, a shepherd, etc.  Although Uncle John can't possibly have been alive for over 2000 years, Connie Lou finds herself reluctantly caught up in his tale.  As she listens to him, her heart—and her life—is changed as the old man reminds her what Christmas is really about.



If you live in Utah, Idaho, or Arizona and are looking for a fun, family-friendly activity to touch your own heart, definitely consider attending a performance near you.  Click here for show and ticketing information.

Would you prefer to attend the show for free?  Of course you would!  Enter to win four tickets to the performance by using the Rafflecopter widget below.  Maybe I'll see you at the Tempe show on December 13 :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend.  Despite a little drama from an unhappy author, mine was peaceful and uplifting.  I especially love it when my church's General Conference falls on Easter—not only do we get to attend church in our pajamas (no need to buy Easter finery—score!), but we get to hear inspired sermons about the importance of Jesus Christ and all He did for us.  All this emphasis on the Savior does my soul good.  If you missed Conference or are curious what it's all about, visit LDS.org.

In between watching Conference, playing Easter Bunny, baking cinnamon rolls, and cleaning up dog poo, I also chose a winner for the giveaway sponsored by Book Buckles that has been running here at BBB.  Actually, let me clarify:  when I say I chose the winner, I mean that I let Random.org or Rafflecopter.com (the latter in this case) choose.  Winners are never based on the entrant's identity or the cleverness of their comments or flattering words about BBB (not that that should stop you ...)—it's completely random.  That's the fairest way I can think of to run contests.

So, who did Rafflecopter select this time?  It's none other than:

A couple weeks ago, the Top Ten Tuesday topic was books on my Spring TBR list.  Today's isn't much different, but that's okay.  I love TBR lists in any form.  Book recommendations come at me all the time from all kinds of sources, so I'm happy to share them with you.  I love seeing yours as well. Joining the fun is simple:  click on over to The Broke and the Bookish for instructions, then create a TTT list on your blog, and share it with the rest of us.  Easy peasy.

This week's topic:  Top Ten Books You Recently Added to Your TBR List



1.  The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury—I just finished a Christian novel about a sin eater in Appalachia and found the idea fascinating.  This YA book continues the theme, but in a completely different way.  It will be interesting to compare/contrast the two stories.


2.  Something by Kristin Hannah—I just finished Hannah's newest novel, The Nightingale, which I enjoyed.  I'm looking for something else by her.  Any recommendations?  I already have Fly Away, so I'll probably start with it.


3.  Kick Back by Chelsea Cain—I try to avoid the type of "gory thrillers" Cain writes, but I got totally sucked into One Kick.  The novel features Kick Lannigan, who was famously kidnapped as a child.  Now a tough, paranoid adult, she's roped into helping find children missing in the Portland, Oregon, area.  As gruesome as the book is, it's also a compelling, adrenaline-rush of a read.  I'm anxiously awaiting the publication of Kick Back, the next installment in the series.


4.  Mind of Winter by Laura Kasischke—This one has been getting so-so reviews, but I'm still intrigued by the premise.  A couple adopts a little girl from a Siberian orphanage.  A short time later, in the middle of a blizzard, the child is acting mysteriously and her mother begins to wonder just what she's brought home.


5.  One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis—My kids' elementary school has a homegrown reading program that requires lots of volunteers, of which I am one.  Because of that, I spend a couple of hours each week at the school library.  As you can imagine, the topic of books often comes up among the volunteers, teachers, librarians, etc.  During one such conversation, one of the librarians mentioned how much this book kept her guessing.  I like a good psychological thriller, so I stuck One Step Too Far on ye olde TBR list pile mountain mountain chain.



6.  The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths—I need to stop perusing Kay's Reading Life because Kay's always got great-looking recommendations.  My TBR mountain chain can't take it!  She loves Griffith's series about a forensic archaeologist who helps to solve mysteries.  The Crossing Places is the first installment.


7.  Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner—Bookbub.com recently published a Top Ten list of their favorite WWII novels.  The Nightingale is among their selections, as is this novel about an American scholar interviewing an elderly woman who has dark secrets connected to the war.  Not the most original premise in the world, but one that always manages to hook me nonetheless!


8.  Fig by Sarah Elizabeth Schantz—I noticed this YA novel while perusing Scholastic's catalogs on Edelweiss.  It's about a girl dealing with her mother's schizophrenia and her own emotional/mental issues.


9.  Fifth Avenue Fidos by Holly Schindler—I always enjoy Schindler's books, so I'm looking forward to reading her first new adult novel.  Fifth Avenue Fidos is a fun love story about two lost souls—and their dogs.  Sounds super cute.


10.  All About Aussies: The Australian Shepherd From A to Z by Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor—Speaking of poochies ... The breeder from whom we bought Rory, our Aussie puppy, really recommended this book as a great guide to the breed.  Unfortunately, it's out of print.  None of the libraries in my area have it, nor can I find a copy online for less than $30.  Boo hoo.  I really want to read it.

So, there you have it, ten books I've recently added to my TBR list.  How about you?  Have you gotten any good recs lately?  Any great titles I should be snatching up?  Leave me a comment and I'll be happy to stop by your blog to check out your list.

Oh, and before you go, don't forget to enter my giveaway for a $20 Barnes & Noble gift card and two Book Buckles.  A winner will be chosen (randomly, via Rafflecopter) on Easter Sunday, so don't miss your chance to win!

*All images from Barnes & Noble or author websites

No, I haven't been living under a rock.  Yes, I do know we're already 1/4 of the way through 2015.  I'm still celebrating the new year.  Why?  Because I finally finished reviewing all the books I read last year.  So, yay for me!  Now, I can move on and start talking about what I've read in the last three months.  Which still means writing 30+ reviews.  Yikes.  I'll catch up eventually, right?

Since we're partying it up here at BBB today, I thought I'd do something a little different.  As much as I love writing book reviews, I also really enjoy trying out new, bookish products.  A few weeks ago, Jennifer at Book Buckles contacted me about giving the product she, her sister, and her mom invented a whirl.  I enthusiastically agreed.

What is this cool, new product, you ask?  Book Buckles are fabric bookmarks that attach to your book using a belt-like D-ring system.  It's a secure way to mark your place.  Available in bright patterns, with a fun charm attached, they're also super cute.  You can customize your Book Buckles by choosing size, fabric designs and charms.  Prices run from $4.99 (sale items) to $8.99.  Shipping is always free.

Using a Book Buckle is pretty simple, although I did have to watch this video a few times (I'm slow like that):

 

So, what did I think of Book Buckles?  It's an innovative product for people who not only love books, but also using pretty bookmarks.  If you've ever purchased a bookmark with a fluffy tassle or a shiny charm just to have it fall apart after a couple uses, you'll appreciate how well made these bookmarks are.  If you get frustrated by paper versions that flutter out of your book, get lost, or bend/fray after a short amount of time, you'll like the security and permanence of a Book Buckle.

Personally, while I love the concept of this product, it's a little too complicated/fussy for me.  I gave up on fancy bookmarks awhile ago and now just use those I grab for free at bookstores or receive from authors/publicists as swag.  For me, $8.99 is spendy, even for a bookmark that will likely last years.  The ladies at Book Buckles were kind enough to send me three different bookmarks for free (Thank you!) and I'll definitely enjoy using them.  I just don't think it's a product I would buy on my own.  However, because of the cuteness factor, I can see myself buying them as gifts for other people, either to give along with a special book or on their own as stocking stuffers, Easter basket fillers (hint, hint), or as part of a book lover's bundle.

So, what do you think?  Are Book Buckles a good idea?  Something you would use?  Would you like to try them out for yourself?  The generous ladies who make Book Buckles are offering a great prize to one lucky BBB reader:  a $20 Barnes&Noble gift card, plus two Book Buckles (one small, one large) that you can customize with your choice of fabric and charm.  Nice!  All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  The giveaway is open to those with U.S. mailing addresses only.  You have until midnight on Easter Sunday (April 5) to enter.  Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Since I know you're all dying to know if you won the $25 Amazon gift card I had up for grabs, I'll

get right to it: If you are Sarah (of Sarah's YA Blog), then you're the lucky winner! Congratulations! Since this is an actual gift card, not just a code, I'll need your mailing address so I can send it off to you. Email me at blogginboutbooksATgmailDOTcom and I'll pop it in the mail.

Thanks to all who entered and especially for your wonderful book recommendations. Getting all these wonderful suggestions makes me feel like I won something :) I didn't want to forget any of them, so I made a list, which I will use whenever I'm looking for a good book to read. Here it is (alphabetized by author's last name - because I'm just anal like that). Oh! And I crossed out the titles I've already read. Okay, here it is for real:

• Abu-Jaber, Diana. Birds of Paradise. (Julie @Read Handed)


• Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. Purple Hibiscus. (Shelley @Book Clutter)


• Bick, Ilsa J. Ashes. (Cialana @Muggle-Born.net)


• Bradley, Alan. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. (Nancy @Desperate for a Good Read)


• Bradshaw, Jessica. Hazy Shade of Winter. (Will I Stay Mormon?)


• Cashore, Kristin. Bitterblue. (Melissa @The Book Nut)


• Cass, Kiera. The Selection. (Tara @Taming the Bookshelf and Malvina Beatrice)


• Chima, Cindy Williams. The Demon King. (Rita @Rita's World)


• Creagh, Kelly. Nevermore. (Sarah @Sarah's YA Blog)


• Creech, Sharon. Walk Two Moons. (Trish @A Bushel and a Peck)


• Crowley, Cath. Graffiti Moon. (Kara)


• Diamant, Anita. The Red Tent. (Michemily @Circles and Dots and Other Distractions)


• Dumas, Alexandre. The Count of Monte Cristo. (Linda)


• Ford, Jamie. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. (Gayle @Glimpses)


• Goss, Theodora. The Thorn and the Blossom: A Two-Sided Love Story. (Melvina Beatrice)


• Hale, Shannon. Austenland. (Pam @A Cookbook Blog)


• Hillenbrand, Lauren. Unbroken. (Sheri @The Kersey Family)


• Hull, Helen R. Heat Lightning. (Kathy @A Year of Actually Reading My Own Books)


• Ibbotson, Eva. A Song for Summer. (Cindy @Being Cindy)


• James, E.L. Fifty Shades of Grey. (Veronika)


• Jio, Sarah. The Violets of March. (Susan @The Book Bag)


• Lord, Cynthia. Rules. (Laura H.)


• Marchetta, Melina. Saving Francesca. (KT)


• Martin, George R.R. A Game of Thrones. (Lilly and Lisa @Lisa Is Busy Nerding)


• McCallan, Trish. Forged in Fire. (Stephanie)


• Montgomery, L.M. Otherwise Blue Castle. (Pam @A Cookbook Blog)


• Narayan, R.K. The Man Eater of Makgudi. (Mel U @The Reading Life)


• Niffenegger, Audrey. The Time Traveller's Wife. (ohmyklaine @Rowan Reads)


• Pekkanen, Sarah. These Girls. (runner10)


• Penny, Louise. Inspector Chief Gamache series. (Kay @Purple Sage and Scorpions)


• Queen, Stephanie. The Throwbacks. (Stephanie)


• Roth, Veronica. Insurgent. (Karen and Gerard @Grab A Book From Our Stack and Oh! Paper Pages)


• Rothfuss, Patrick. The Name of the Wind. (cjhansen)


• Sepetys, Ruta. Between Shades of Grey. (Sarah @Workaday Reads)


• Shusterman, Neal. Unwind. (Sabrina)


• Smith, Jennifer E. The Statistical Probability of Falling in Love at First Sight. (Kristin and Kara)


• Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. (Cialana @Muggle-Born.net)


• Stefano, Lauren. Fever. (Brandileigh @Blkosiner's Book Blog)


• Sullivan, Michael. Theft of Swords. (KT)


• Waldman, Amy. The Submission. (Lindsey @Literary Lindsey)


• Walls, Jeanette. The Glass Castle. (Sheri @The Kersey Family)


• Watson, S.J. Before I Go to Sleep. (Jessica @The Blue Stocking Society)


• Zusak, Marcus. I Am the Messenger. (Jessica @The Blue Stocking Society)

Thanks for entering, everybody, and thanks for the recommendations!

Yep, it's true. This is my 1000th post here at BBB. I know, I'm kind of blown away, too.

This blog has come a long, long way since the day I created it. It's opened the doors to so many great opportunities - from getting to interview bestselling authors to having portions of my reviews published in magazines and books to just being able to talk shop with other bibliophiles. It's been an amazing trip. I can't wait to see the blog evolve even more between now and my 2000th post!

Because I'm incredibly grateful to all of you for making book blogging so fun and rewarding, I thought I'd host a little giveaway to celebrate this momentuous occasion. What am I offering? How about a $25 Amazon gift card? I wish I could send one to each of you, but, since my last name isn't Trump, I've only got the one. Still, it's a nice little prize, no?

Okay, so, if you're interested in throwing your name in the (proverbial) hat, here's what you do:

1. Leave a comment on this post answering the following question: What one book do I have to read this year? It can be a new release, a classic, whatever. Just give me a good must-read title to add to my always-growing TBR pile. Doing this will earn you one entry. P.S.: If you do not have a public blog, which you update frequently, please leave an email address in your comment so I have a way to contact you.

2. I'm not going to make you follow my blog or Like my page on Facebook or any of that stuff in order to get extra entries (although I would, of course, be honored if you choose to do these things), but I will give you points for spreading the word about this contest. For every method used (Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc.) you will receive one extra entry into the giveaway.

3. That's it! Other deets: The giveaway will run until January 20 at midnight. The contest is open to all of my readers, wherever you happen to live. Good luck!