December is my favoritest month of the year - it's the bestest month because it has my birthday (which was on the 14th) AND Christmas :-)

Weekly Book Chat {The Merry Christmas Edition}

From TGIF Reads
Q. Dear Santa: Which books made it to your Christmas wish list this year?

I've already shared the 10 Books I Hope Santa Brings {My Winter 2011/2012 Reading List}, but my top 2 are Anna Dressed in Blood, Kendare Blake & The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, Michelle Hodkin.

From Pen to Paper
Q. Friday Recommends - Pick a book that you've read, and have enjoyed enough to recommend to other readers.
I wanted to highlight a book I haven't mentioned before, and one read pre-blogging. So Ravens, George Dawes Green. Loved the plot - family who wins millions is threatened by an opportunist who basically moves in with them and tells them his friend will kill their family members if they don't give him half the money. I thought the main characters were well developed - although I didn't get a clear feel for the son, who I think would have more ... feelings since he's a 10 year old boy - but overall I would recommend this book as an interesting read.

From Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.
Q. If you had to spend eternity inside the pages of a book which book would you choose and why?

It would have to be in the pages of a historical fiction novel like Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart, Sarah MacLean (one of Favorite Reads of Summer 2011) - because in those types of books, everything works out in the end.

Interesting Bookish Stuff Seen Recently

What should come first - the movie or the book? (via Book Bob). My opinion - I don't really care as I don't tend to do both. If I watch the movie - I'm usually not looking to read the book after; similarly, if I read the book, I usually don't care to watch the movie ESPECIALLY if it follows the book closely, like Game of Thrones. I know ... I have peculiar ideas :-)

Audiobooks: Where to start? (via Nerfreader). Suggestions for interesting audiobooks for newbies - like me!

Netiquette: Rating Systems (via Five Alarm Book Reviews). My opinion ... Yes - all you people who rate books before you've read them - like on Goodreads when you rate a book 5 stars "because you can't wait to read it." Or you give a book 1 star on Amazon because you had bad customer service or based on the book description - STOP! Just STOP!!!

Seven Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2012 and
Fired Up: The Year's Best Science Fiction, Fantasy (by Lev Grossman @ Time and @ NPR). Yes I might be doing a wee bit of internet stalking of Mr. Grossman online having just read The Magicians & The Magician King.