You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

Have you made your Christmas list yet? Here's your chance.

Make a list of 5 items you'd like Santa to bring you. Throw it in a randomizer and read book based on results. This randomizer is a simple tool. https://wheelofnames.com/

For example, on my list, I have Books (of course), Clothes, Vacation, Knife set, & Lamp. The randomizer picked Clothes. From that, I could read a book with Clothes in the title, a book that starts with the letter C or written by an author whose name starts with C, or a book showing someone wearing fine clothes, ragged clothes, no clothes?

Perhaps Murder at Queen's Landing might be the ticket, with a woman fully clothed in period clothing.


Think outside the box.

General Rules:

1. The book may be in any format - paperback, ebook, audiobook.
2. The book may be combined with the Year Long Challenge and the Group Themed Read.
3. The book must be started and read between December 1 - 31, 2024 (based on your local time zone).
4. The challenge is for one book. You may read more books if you chose but you need only report one.
5. The book must be 175 pages or more determined by the issue you read.
In the case of ebooks & audiobooks, the ebook edition must be at least 200 pages and the audiobook must be a minimum of 6 hours long.

Reporting:

List your WoF name, link to the book you read and tell us which item Santa is bringing you, and how your book connects to that item. Also give us a small blurb of what you thought about the book.

I'm posting this early, because once the annual challenge is posted, you will be wanting to gopher for that.

Fun! Thanks, Janice.

Super fun! I put Coffee, Perfume, a trip to the Balearic Islands, baking lessons, and a new tennis bag as my five. Perfume was my randomized choice.....
will choose from:
Perfume: In Search of Your Signature Scent
The Secret of Scent: Adventures in Perfume and the Science of Smell
The Perfume Lover: A Personal History of Scent
all on my TBR!

Thanks for posting this early, Janice.

Ok - I put down, books, vacation, body creams, gardening tools and workout clothes. The wheel spun and I ended up with workout clothes - 0ff to gopher!

After doing a little gophering I am going to read The Weight of It All by N.R. Walker. It's about an overweight guy who decides to join a gym after his boyfriend breaks up with him for gaining weight (jerk) and of course romance follows. And there's a bonus Christmas novella that goes with the story A Very Henry Christmas.

What a fun challenge!!

On my list is

A cooling throw blanket
Wax melts
A reading chair for our mountain place
Spices
Bubble bath stuff

I will randomize later and then gopher. We’ve been driving all day so my brain is mush.

This was fun! Definitely a great challenge for this time of year.

My five were trip to the beach, perfume, books, lamp, and new slippers. I got slippers.

So, I chose a book with footwear on the cover. I chose Nantucket Sisters because there are flip flops (footwear) on the cover and it follows the beach theme. (I grew up in the very south of Florida and have been homesick for Christmas Lights in Palm Trees and boat parades.)

Sounds great! I want books, vacations, yarn, movies, clothes. And I got books in the randomizer. I will give this one a thought.

Wow, you posted it so early. That's awesome! I want a trip to Belfast, a book, homemade gluten-free bread, Irish salmon, stationery with stars on it.

I put the list in the randomizer and I got stationery with stars on it.
I might read:
The Map of Salt and Stars
The Calculating Stars
Chain-Gang All-Stars

Funny how everyone has books on their list. (Not) But I didn't expect vacations. Lets take our books and go on vacation.

Lately I think of vacations every single day of my life. I'll have to do something about it.

Sandra wrote: "Lately I think of vacations every single day of my life. I'll have to do something about it."

I've booked Becker's Cabins in Jasper for June. It's only a few days, but it won't be the ordeal of dealing with airports.

Janice, I also noticed how many of us had a vacation on our wedding list. I also have it.

Ok, what I would love for Christmas:
house cleaner
vacation
wedding band
ear buds
back door

And the winner was... wedding band. So, some background info on the wedding band - It's not like Santa Baby where I want a ring, lol. I actually have a wedding band, but it is a replacement band for my original band that I lost at an airport when my brother passed away. There is a very specific band that I would like to get because it would be more meaningful and sentimental than my replacement band.

So, I am going to read either a book with a ring on the cover or something that has to do with romance, marriage, or a wedding. Something like that. I'll take a peek to see what I have soon.

Oh, I just realized that the band I want is special because it is made using sand from the beach where we got married. (My daughter collected some sand and gave it to us in a decorative jar, so it is actually from the day we got married as well.) With this in mind, since it is a beach sand wedding band, could I use a cover that shows beach sand? Or link it to that?

Sandra wrote: "Lately I think of vacations every single day of my life. I'll have to do something about it."

I feel the same, Sandra. We've had some weekends away and trips to visit family, but no real vacation in a long time. I need a good, long getaway.

Lots of possibilities there, Kristie. I think a beach scene with sand would work.

Janice wrote: "Lots of possibilities there, Kristie. I think a beach scene with sand would work."

Thanks, Janice. Yes, lots of options.

Kristie wrote: "Oh, I just realized that the band I want is special because it is made using sand from the beach where we got married. (My daughter collected some sand and gave it to us in a decorative jar, so it ..."

That is so cool, Kristie.

Janice wrote: "Sandra wrote: "Lately I think of vacations every single day of my life. I'll have to do something about it."

I've booked Becker's Cabins in Jasper for June. It's only a few days, but it won't be t..."

Sounds great, Janice. I agree that using airports sounds less and less appealing to me. I don't know if we were just unlucky, but we had some kind of problem with our flights in our last 3 or 4 trips. Once we ended staying in the airport for 20 hours. And last June our return flight was cancelled and we were rescheduled for 48 hours later. It was not that bad since we were in Montevideo and just stayed in my mom's home (crowded, but the kids were happy). We were 6 so it was difficult to reschedule a big group. I was the only adult, so no way we were coming back in two groups. But we are a big family, so we always travel in big groups. I think we are again going this summer for a whole month, since it was a great experience for the kids, but I noticed that I am already planning for all the worst things to happen during the trip...

Also, when I think on vacation for my christmas list I'm mostly thinking in doing something by myself. I feel terrible saying this, but for the last two decades my vacations have been with kids. I need at least 2 or 3 days when I don't have to worry about making plans, or meals, or whatever. I just want to sleep at 2 pm and have lunch at 4 am if I feel like it.

Kristie wrote: "Oh, I just realized that the band I want is special because it is made using sand from the beach where we got married. (My daughter collected some sand and gave it to us in a decorative jar, so it ..."

This is so sweet, Kristie.

Sandra wrote: "Kristie wrote: "Oh, I just realized that the band I want is special because it is made using sand from the beach where we got married. (My daughter collected some sand and gave it to us in a decora..."

Jayme wrote: "Kristie wrote: "Oh, I just realized that the band I want is special because it is made using sand from the beach where we got married. (My daughter collected some sand and gave it to us in a decora..."

Thanks, ladies. I loved the idea when I saw it. It is basically a metal frame and the center is filled with resin that has the sand mixed in. It ends up looking something like this, except we got married in Bermuda so the sand is more pink.

Beautiful!

We went to Bermuda a few years ago and I also brought some sand from the Horseshoe Bay.

Sandra, I've definitely had issues with flights too, but my vacation mishaps have all been hotel related lately. We had that one Christmas the year before last where we lost electricity in the hotel (no lights, heat, hot water...) and when it finally came back on the pipes had frozen and they burst flooding the lobby and laving us without water. This last trip, the air conditioning was broken the whole time we were there. It was over 80℉ and stuffy in our room, which makes it difficult to sleep or even get comfortable.

I think a vacation alone sounds lovely. Often as wives and mothers, women are always "on." Taking a little time to yourself to relax and recharge is a great idea. I understand just wanting to do what you want to do for a little while and not having to worry about anyone else's needs or wants for a short time.

Sandra wrote: "Beautiful!

We went to Bermuda a few years ago and I also brought some sand from the Horseshoe Bay."

We visited Horseshoe Bay as well. We got married on Warwick Long Bay Beach. It was more secluded. Beautiful island.

I remember those vacation when the hotel's lobby flooded!

I got "books" in the randomizer, and I've decided to focus on physical books I own. I might go with In Cold Blood, since it is the book in my physical bookshelf I have owned the longest, or La ciudad y los perros which is the last book in Spanish I have unread in my bookshelf.

I love the Randomizer challenges!

I chose a watch, fabric, ironing board (the nice ones I like a really expensive!), a trip to Virginia to visit the grandkids, and books.

And I got books, which is always awesome. I'll have to think of an "outside of the box" connection. Maybe double vowels.

I love those bands. They are very pretty, and what a great idea.

Stunning, Kristie.

Amazing, Kristie! Those bands sound just beautiful, and remaking them with sand from the beach is genius.

Thanks, ladies 😊

My wish list:

Travel - visit grandson
Dress - for the summer here
Jewellery - Pandora Charm
Books - voucher
Floor cleaner - for hard flooring.

The randomiser came up with jewellery. So thinking of reading a book with the name of a gemstone in title. Will have to look through my TBR.

I put in:

coat
trip
games
planner stuff
wine

Got Games. Might do Drop Shot which seems to start with tennis and end up with a murder in Philly which will help with the annual challenge badge I am trying to finish!

My choices were books, boots, purse, jewelry, hat
I got boots from my randomizer.
I think I will read a book with a word in the title that has a vowel doubled.

Good choices Beth & Katrisa.

I like that you've chosen the double vowel word in the title, Katrisa. We have books about books in the annual challenge and this gives you something different to consider. I wouldn't have any trouble filling that prompt since I have a few books about books.

I chose Books, Plants, Travel, Classes/School, and Baking, and the winner is always Books!!! :D

I chose books, holidays, jewellery, gadgets and a cashmere - winner is holidays!

Lots of choices with that Nistha.

I put in-

book
coffee
travel
animals
food

Coffee won!

YLTO! Challenge
Winter Boots
Winter Gloves
Audiobooks
Audible Credits
"Starry Night" Diamond Art Kit

✔️Winter Boots=Iced 14 Dec