The Nog ♡ Logs: January 2017

Monday, January 23, 2017

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Just in case you were unaware - I have a mild obsession with the works of Marissa Meyer. Her Lunar Chronicles captivated me from the beginning moments of Cinder and failed to disappoint as it drew its conclusion in Winter. Meyer had me at hello with her dystopianesque Sci-Fy/Fantasy twist on the classic Fairy Tales we've come to love over the ages so when I found out she would be crafting an origin story for the Queen of Hearts, it was a no-brainer - I had to devour it.

And if I'm being purrfectly honest with you, it was delicious...down to that last crumb of rose macaroon.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Published November 8, 2016 by Feiwel & Friends (an imprint of Macmillan)

Hardcover Edition: 452 pages

Goodreads | Amazon

Long before she bellowed those terrifying words, "OFF WITH THIER HEADS!" the Queen of Hearts was just a love sick teenage girl hoping to make her dreams come true.

Heartless drops us off to the Kingdom of Hearts, plump in the middle of an old fashioned, traditional sexist monarchy. Ladies were meant to cinch their corsets, attend proper gatherings, and generally be agreeable. And, Catherine is the luckiest lady of all the kingdom for she's won the affection of the King himself. But, while longing to remain a Lady and stay in the favorable graces of her parents, Cath's heart has another agenda. She's always longed to open a bakery.

Disclaimer - the treats described in this book will leave your mouth watering. Steer clear if you're dieting...unless relentless torture is your sort of thing, or your mind is a steely cage of pure willpower.

Treats aren't the only sweet torture you'll get with Heartless! There's also a mysterious and handsome Court Joker, the cynical hilarity of Cheshire, the jovial yet doltish King of Hearts, a not-quite-mad Hatter, and a ravenous Jabberwock to keep you tearing through the pages.

Meyer beautifully portrays a tale filled to the brim with frustration, forbidden love, quirky riddles, and pure desperation, all while maintaining that captivatingly eccentric aura of the Wonderland we all know and love.

If you've read this or any of Meyer's brainchildren, tell me what you thought in the comments!!!

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Biannual Bibliothon

The Biannual Bibliothon is a Twitter/Instagram and YouTube based Read-A-Thon hosted by MissSassyKassie, emmabooks, Kellys BookSpill, Little Red Reader, sierrareads, The BooktubeGirl, and Brittni’s Book Find. This Read-a-Thon happens two times a year and offers several different reading and video challenges throughout the week!

The Winter Biannual Bibliothon for 2017 is happening the second week of January! It runs from Sunday, January 8, 2017 through Saturday, January 14, 2017.

Source

I have never participated in the Biannual Bibliothon, but though it could be a good way to keep powering through my TBR pile this month!

I have listed the reading challenges for you below. Per the hosts, you are able to use one book to cover two of the reading challenges but not more than that!

1. Read the Group Book: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalo

I actually got this book for Christmas so it’s the perfect opportunity to read it without letting it collect too much dust on my shelf!

2. Throwback Pick: Pick any past Biannual Bibliothon Reading Challenge

Check out their Youtube channel for past events and inspiration!

3. Read a 2016 New Release

4. Read a Book Recommended by a BookTuber

5. Read a Book You Were Really Excited for but Never Picked Up (until now)

6. Read a Re-Telling

Check out these Goodreads lists for some ideas!

7. Read a Diverse Book

Here’s a list from Diversity in YA with some great diverse picks if you need inspiration!

In addition to the reading challenges, the Biannual Bibliothon always comes up with a week’s worth of video challenges! I’m not a content creator on YouTube, but if you are, try your hand at these!

1. Sunday, January 8, 2017: Sh*t People Say hosted by emmabooks

2. Monday, January 9, 2017: Throwback Challenge hosted by sierrareads

3. Tuesday, January 10, 2017: In the Life Of… hosted by Little Red Reader

4. Wednesday, January 11, 2017: Character DIY hosted by Kellys BookSpill

5. Thursday, January 12, 2017: Character LookBook hosted by Brittni’s Book Find

6. Friday, January 13, 2017: Bust-a-Rhyme hosted by The BooktubeGirl

7. Saturday, January 14, 2017: New Year, New Me hosted by MissSassyKassie

Make sure you follow along on Twitter (@BBibliothon) and Instagram (biannualbibliothon) and use the hashtag #biannualbibliothon!

For more information on the challenges, including giveaway details, make sure to check out the Winter Biannual Bibliothon Pre-Liveshow video.

I’ll post my TBR for this Read-a-Thon when it gets a bit closer! Are you planning to participate in the Winter Biannual Bibliothon this year? Let me know in the comments below!!

Bout of Books 18

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2017, Everyone!

Last year was a completely nonexistent year for blogging, but I did have a pretty successful year both in my reading and personal life! I managed to tackle my 2016 Goodreads goal of 50 books and revive my love of reading! After a bit of an inner-struggle, I also decided to leave my job of 7 years and start afresh at a new firm, which has allowed me to reconnect with myself again and really appreciate a healthy, restored work-life-balance!

This year I’m looking to ramp up my reading goal (75 Books!) and what better way to accomplish this but by joining Read-a-Thons throughout the year!! The social media book community is so encouraging, fun, and welcoming, and I just get this warm fuzzy feeling when I’m participating in a Read-a-Thon!

The first Read-a-Thon of the year is Bout of Books!!!! This is the 18^th installment of this Read-a-Thon, and is one of my favorites to participate in due to its low pressure feel. There’s no theme per-say; you’re just encouraged to read more during the week than you would normally. What a great way to hit the ground reading on those 2017 goals, right!?

Okay, the details:

Bout of Books 18 begins January 2, 2017 at 12:01am and goes through January 8, 2017 at 11:59pm in your local time zone. All you have to do to participate is sign up through the Bout of Books blog before Tuesday, January 3, 2017 at 11:59pm CST. There are no rules regarding what you can or can’t read, so put those daunting TBR lists and jars to work or decide based on your mood – the beauty is that anything goes! There are also a couple of challenges, a chance to win a grand prize (only if you’re linked up!), Twitter parties, and so many opportunities to meet new bookish buddies!

Here’s the official Bout of Books blurb, straight from the source!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 2nd and runs through Sunday, January 8th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 18 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

The Twitter Chats are scheduled for Monday, January 2, 2017 at 8:00pm CST and Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 10:00am CST. If you’re doing this Read-a-Thon, I really encourage you to check out at least one of the Twitter Chats! They are so much fun and provide a nice little break from reading to get to know some of the other Bout-of-Bookers! Make sure you’re following @Boutofbooks and using the hashtag #boutofbooks on your post! I’m going to try to make it to both parties this year, so look for me and say hi! I’m @Lightening_Boot.

My Bout of Books 18 TBR: