• Cover image for post about two christmas romances travel
    book review,  Books

    Two Christmas Romances (That Will Scratch Your Travel Itch)

      Now that November and NaNoWriMo are behind me, I’m playing catchup on the backlog of AMAZING book ARCs I have.  I really struggled this fall reading Christmas stories before the Christmas season, but now that I’m digging into them, I’m sorry I waited. I’ve got two Christmas romances for you that have the comforting, heartwarming feeling of a Hallmark move AND, with their travel themes, just may scratch that travel itch you’ve got. Sarah Morgan’s One More for Christmas takes us to Scotland, and Sandy Barker’s The Christmas Swap main characters travel to Melbourne, Australia, to Penham, England, AND Breckenridge, Colorado. Many thanks to the publishers for providing me advance…

  • Crafty McCrafterson,  Lifestyle

    Driver Survival Gift Basket

    I’m bringing back an older post because I love this one so much – this “driver survival” gift basket kit combines practical with thoughtful and always goes over well, particularly with new drivers! “What do you want for Christmas?” I inquired. “Uh, I dunno – sweatpants?” he responded. I was the third person who had received this response, too. sighs I’m sure everyone has THAT person. The one who is impossible to shop for. And sure, I could purchase another gift card but I can hear my dad grousing that “It’s better anyway because they can pick out what they want” is the lazy way out (because they could just…

  • book review,  Books

    The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas – Book Blitz and Giveaway

    The temperature has dropped enough here in Texas to let me consider putting up my Christmas tree a few days early! And that also means I can happily start sharing Christmas romance novels here on the blog! What better way to kick off the holiday book season than with an anthology headlined by a favorite, author Jodi Thomas, in The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas. So pour yourself a cup of cocoa, read on to learn more about this lovely collection of stories, and enter the giveaway for a chance to win your own copy!!! Many thanks to Lone Star Book Blog Tours for inviting me to participate in this Book…

  • image of five christmas romances
    book review,  Books

    Five Christmas Romances to Curl Up with this December

    Confession: I find it difficult to get into Christmas novels when it’s (1) not even Thanksgiving and (2) it’s still 97º here in Texas. I was naughty. I waited until closer to Thanksgiving to begin to read these five lovely, uplifting Christmas romances and then share them with YOU in December, when you’re REALLY in the Christmas spirit. Except that this year has been more disorganized than most, so I’m even later getting this out. Which, really, should be perfect timing, actually. You’ve probably knocked out most of your list over Black Friday and Cyber Monday (well done, you)! Now, you’re looking for something to curl up with while you…

  • countdown
    Crafty McCrafterson

    DIY: Easy Christmas Countdown Chain

    Kids love to count down the days until Christmas! There are many ways to do it, too. Perhaps you have an advent calendar (for which I JUST bought goodies to fill ours – a few hours after it should have been opened, but hey, no judgment, right?).  I needed something the kids can keep up with – one that reflects the passage of time and got the kids excited to see the days getting closer – and one that they would do themselves because I have enough on my plate –  so I made a Christmas countdown chain, and it is so easy, it’s almost ridiculous. Each evening, your kids tear one…

  • book review,  Books

    Book Blog Tour: A Texas Kind of Christmas by Jodi Thomas, Celia Bonaduce, and Rachael Miles

    I’m a sucker for anthologies, particularly historical fiction, and A Texas Kind of Christmas did not disappoint! Take a closer look at this trio of stories from authors Jodi Thomas, Celia Bonaduce, and Rachel Miles – and check out our giveaway at the end! I was provided a copy of the book for review purposes; all thoughts, opinions (and typos!) are my own. A TEXAS KIND OF CHRISTMAS   byJODI THOMAS,  Celia Bonaduce, & Rachael Miles Genre: Historical Fiction / Anthology / Holiday RomancePublisher: Kensington BooksPublication Date: October 29, 2019Number of Pages: 336 pages Scroll down for the giveaway for A Texas Kind of Christmas! It’s Christmas Eve, 1859, and everyone who’s…

  • christmas on the coast
    book review,  Books

    Book Review: Christmas on the Coast

    You’re probably thinking: “Hey, it’s January and Christmas is over. So what’s up with Christmas on the Coast?” Admittedly, I received this book when I was looking for Christmas stories to review and it slipped through the cracks. But honestly? I’m glad it did, because this book isn’t as much a Christmas story – it’s part of the setting, sure – as much as it is a wonderful work of historical fiction. This is a book to be read any time of year. Curious? Read on!     Confession time: with the chaos of Christmas, I got behind on some of my reading and this book sadly was put by…

  • traveling
    Crafty McCrafterson,  Lifestyle,  Random Shit

    Gift Ideas for your Traveling Guy

    This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertisers. Product was provided for client review; however all opinions are mine alone. #WorldsSmartestToothbrush #PhilipsSonicare #OprahsFavoriteThings #CollectiveBias If your husband is like mine, he is notoriously difficult to buy for. I think his favorite gift I’ve ever got for him is when I paid for the annual fee on his Platinum American Express card! Because he travels so often, he doesn’t want a bunch of junk weighing him down. My guy is a bit of a minimalist: he isn’t one for the latest trends, and while he appreciates great technology, he is not a tech geek (like me). He…

  • dying for christmas
    book review,  Books

    Book Review: Dying for Christmas

      I’ll be reading a lot of “feel-good” Christmas tales, but I acknowledge that those aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. With that in mind, I’m bringing you something vastly different today. Because although Tammy Cohen’s Dying For Christmas  is set over the Christmas holidays, there is nothing merry and bright about it. Curious? Check it out:   Review of Dying For Christmas   I may have mentioned that this is NOT your typical Christmas tale. In fact, it’s not a Christmas tale at all, so let’s get that out of the way right now. I think the phrase used in the synopsis – “most disturbing psychological thriller yet” – is…

  • Santa-tale
    book review,  Books

    Book Review: A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

    I’ve read and reviewed plenty of stories so far that were set in Christmas, but only a few that were about Christmas itself – and none for kids. That was a situation that was more than rectified by Matt Haig’s book, A Boy Called Christmas – easily my favorite of this season. This story will delight both kids and adults alike.   Title: A Boy Called Christmas  Author: Matt Haig   Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers   Release Date: November 1, 2016   Pages: 224   Synopsis Before there was Santa Claus, there was a young boy who believed in the impossible. Eleven-year-old Nikolas–nicknamed “Christmas”–has received only one toy in his life: a doll carved out of a…