Would you look at that...it's the final week of the year! I can't believe the year is over in just a few days; it doesn't even feel real but I've already said that many times. The last week of the year is honestly one of my favorites because it feels like an eternal weekend. I worked yesterday and today, and I'll work on Monday so I have some semblance of a routine, but I could hardly call it actual work.

This week feels like a time to reset, to relax, and to unwind. It's time to reflect, indulge, read and watch movies. It's like a cozy and cold summer vacation and it brings me so much joy.

It also weirdly makes me sad, because it means the best months of the year are over and I have to wait so long for September again. Christmas Day is more depressing than anything because the Christmas season is over; I felt like that when I was a kid and I feel like it now.

I don't want to dwell on the sadness so let's get into the last roundup of 2024! 

Merry Christmas! I hope you are all enjoying the day with your loved ones, or spending it however brings you a speck of joy. 

If you're looking for a cozy, romantic and fun book to jump into it to keep the Christmas spirit alive, I have the perfect book for you...Christmas is All Around by Martha Waters. It was released earlier this fall and I had an ARC of it, that I, of course, just finished a few weeks ago.

I've loved all the Christmas books I read this year but this one was particularly fun to dive into it.

We survived the week after Thanksgiving, and we're one step closer to Christmas! Happy December everyone, I hope you had a nice holiday & eased back into the week. I tried my best but then Tuesday, a bad commute kind of ruined it for me. 

I ended up working from home on Wednesday because it was my mom's birthday & it was the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting which was going to really mess up my commute (I don't think it would've been possible for me to even get home) so it's been a quieter week on my end.

This weekend will be spent, as always, getting my life together. Last week was so incredible, I got so much done and I want to keep that train moving. I also need to finish up getting my last few Christmas gifts....

Let's get into the roundup! 

Fallon Ballard is one of my favorite authors; her books are always interesting, funny, fresh and romantic. They are quintessential rom-com but feel slightly less corny than some others that I've read. She's an excellent writer, does the right amount of spice and really just delivers on all accounts.

I received an ARC of her latest novel, , All I Want Is You, and when I realized it was a holiday rom-com, I was thrilled. When I realized it was a second chance romance with a splash of enemies to lovers, I was even more excited. When I realized it was about two exes who are both writers, I was officially sold. 

This was a hard book to put down; I ended up reading more than half of it in one sitting, something I haven't done in a while.

All I Want Is You was the perfect romance novel; it made me laugh, it made me cry and it made me want to text my ex or download Hinge.

 Happy official Christmas season everyone! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and are indulging in a few Black Friday sales. I've been off from work all week and it's been gloriously long; it truly feels like I haven't been at work in a month and that's how I know I needed a real break.

I had tons of doctor's appointments, got a haircut and even saw Wicked which was probably one of the best movies I've ever seen in my entire life. Thanksgiving was low key with lots of food and some family at my mom's house. 

I didn't get home till almost 10 PM which is a bit nuts, and then I got a horrible night's sleep. I've been sleeping so bad lately, I don't know what's going on. I need to figure it out because I got 3 hours of sleep last night...and then left the house at 5:45 to go to Target to get the Taylor Swift Eras Tour Book & Anthology Vinyl... which I did successfully. My Target was so organized and there was a small line of 10ish people when the store opened at 6 AM; employees guided us to the towers of books & vinyls, ensured we were only taking the allotted amount and then sent us on our way. I was in and out within 5 minutes, and then back to sleep by 6:45. 

Today, I'll be relaxing, maybe run a few errands, and doing some  things around the house. Earlier this week I rounded up a bunch of Black Friday sales from my favorite retailers and brands, so definitely check that out if you're feeling up for some shopping.

Now, let's get into the roundup.

 Let the season of holiday books commence! I had a bunch of ARCs on my Kindle from NetGalley and finally decided to round them all up and see what I wanted to crack open next.

The winner of the first book of the season was Jenny Bayliss' latest Kiss Me at Christmas. I've previously read Jenny Bayliss "Meet Me Under the Mistletoe" in 2022 and it was definitely not my favorite Christmas read....but, Kiss Me at Christmas was the complete opposite. 

I really loved this book; it was truly beautiful and encompassed so much about the Christmas spirit. It was a delight to read and made me really happy.

 This was another long week that was weird; on Tuesday, it felt like Friday, on Wednesday it felt like Thursday...ever since election day it feels like the week between Christmas & New Year's. Time doesn't feel real but I'm going to need it to start acting like it. 

As we head into this weekend, I have my sister's engagement dinner with her friends which will be really nice, and then I'm planning on doing a lot of nothing. I have all of next week off before Thanksgiving, and I cannot wait. I have a lot of appointments but I also have some plans to get my life together. It's that time of year when I feel the need to deep clean my life from the inside out, and it feels so good.

Next week is also my birthday and I haven't really thought too much about it...I feel like I'm floating and I need to ground myself and get serious about my life.

Ok, let's get into the roundup.

 Dove Pond is one of my favorite book series I've ever read; it is like a cozy night on the couch with a Barefoot Dreams blanket, Gilmore Girls on the TV and a cup of tea. I've talked about it so much on the blog over the years and with every book Karen Hawkins releases, I fall deeper in love with the characters, the town, and the Dove sisters.

This summer, another Dove Pond book was released and of course, I pre-ordered and immediately started reading when it was delivered to my Kindle. However, unlike the other Dove Pond books, "The Bookshop of Hidden Dreams" took me a little longer to finish. While it gave me all the Dove Pond vibes, and I liked Tay Dove's secret Dove sister gift, it left a little to be desired.

It was definitely my least favorite Dove Pond book but it's essential to the series and I need another book ASAP.