Weekly Mews: Christmas Loot & A Happy New Year (Vote in my January TBR List Poll!)

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by the wonderful Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking to Stacking the Shelves hosted by the great Team Tynga's Reviews and Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently. As well as Book Photo Sunday, hosted by the sweet Ronyell of Rabbit Ears Book Blog in which participants post photos of their own books.

Happy New Year! I hope 2018 has gotten off a great start for you all. Mouse ended up staying up the entire night, her first time watching the ball drop at midnight. In past years, we have celebrated East Coast time (9 p.m. our time), and been well asleep by midnight. You can bet she slept in late the morning after. New Year's Eve night, we stayed up and played Just Dance, enjoyed chocolate fudge sundaes, banged our pots and pans at the stroke of midnight, and toasted in the new year with apple cranberry sparkling cider. Did you do anything special to bring in the new year?

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New to My Shelves: 

Books Mouse Received for Christmas:

Thelma the Unicorn by Aaron Blabey

A Bad Kitty Christmas by Nick Bruel

Hats Off to You! by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Dog On a Frog? by Kes and Claire Gray and Jim Field

Farm Animals

The Shy Little Kitten

The Poky Little Puppy

When I Grow Up: Sally Ride

Teensy Weensy Animals

Cinderella in the City

Katie Fry Private Eye: The Lost Kitten

A Unicorn Named Sparkle by Amy Young

Mama, Will I Be Yours Forever by Anna Pignataro

Ladybug Girl Says Goodnight by David Samon and Jacky Davis

Ladybug Girl Ready for Snow by David Samon and Jacky Davis

Emma is on the Air: Big News! by Ida Siegal

Nancy Clancy: Soccer Mania by Jane O'Conner, illustrated by Robin Press Glasser

Books my husband received for Christmas:

The Disneyland Encyclopedia: The Unofficial, Unauthorized, 

and Unprecedented History of Every Land, Attraction, Restaurant, Shop, 

and Major Event in the Original Magic Kingdom by Chris Strodder

Significant Zero: Heroes, Villians, And The Fight For Art and Soul in Video Games by Walt Williams

Disney War by James B. Stewart

Marvel: The Characters and Their Universe

Book I Received For Christmas:

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

TV Series I Received For Christmas:

The Magicians, Seasons 1 & 2

Doctor Who, Season 8

Christmas Gift Card Purchases:

Bedtime for Batman by Ethen Beavers

The Thank You Book by Mo Willems

You by Sandra Magsamen

In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek, illustrated by Christine Roussey

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie Dao

Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks

Recent E-Book Purchases (sale!):

Snap Judgment by Marcia Clark
The Witch's Market by Mingmei Yip

White Hot by Ilona Andrews

Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

What I Am Reading: I am racing through Betrayed by Karen E. Olson at the moment, and expect to finish this weekend. It's the third book in her Black Hat Thriller series, and it has me on the edge of my seat. I am also now all caught up for the Les Misérables read-along. I have a feeling my problem will be not jumping too far ahead given how short the chapters have been so far.

What I Am Listening To: I haven't yet jumped back into The Couple Next Door since I left off before the holidays, but I plan to do that Monday on my short commute to work. I am anxious to dive back in. It's very good so far.

What I Am Watching: This week my daughter has been in control of the television. We recently watched Radio Rebel, Labyrinth, The Great Fairy Rescue, Pirate Fairy, Secret of the Wings, and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. We have plans to see Coco today. I hear it's really good.

What I Am Worried About: My mom has her second surgery the end of this coming week. Please keep her in your prayers and thoughts.

What I Am Looking Forward To: I am also look forward to the new year, sort of. On the global front, I have big concerns, but in my personal life, I am looking forward to seeing what the new year holds. I got started on my bullet journal (bujo, I guess it's called for short?), and am looking forward to applying that to my life. I had a little too much fun putting it together, although it's nothing fancy. I used a smaller journal than I probably should have, but it was one I had handy. Do any of you bullet journal? How is it working for you?

What I Am Grateful For:  My mom's help and presence these past three weeks. My daughter's cheerful spirit. Good books and cuddles from my cat.

This Week In Reading Mews:

• Books Read in 2017
• 2017 First Sentences of Books Read
• 2017 Last Sentences of Books Read (*Spoiler Warning*)
• 2017: A Year in Review
• Tuesday Favorites: Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward to In 2018
• 2018 Witches and Witchcraft Reading Challenge
• 2018 Discussion Post Challenges & A Les Misérables Read-Along
• Where Is Your Bookmark? (Betrayed & 50/50: The Best and Worst Reads of December)

Tell me about what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? How was your week? Do you have anything planned for this coming week?

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Thank you for helping me decide what book from my TBR collection I should read next:

My TBR List is a meme hosted by the awesome Michelle at Because Reading. It’s a fun way to choose a book from your TBR pile to read. The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books I am considering reading and take a poll as to which you think I should read. I will read the winner that month, and my review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise). 

Are you ready to help me decide what to read next? This is my third year participating in My TBR List, and I am excited to see which books you choose for me this year. All three of this month's TBR selections are on my list for the #COYER Winter Switch Challenge. I am in the mood for a fantasy novel and thought these three sounded especially good. Magic, the fae and dragons? Who can resist? How to choose?!

 Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely, #1) by Melissa Marr

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries. Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty - especially if they learn of her Sight - and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens. 

Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer. 

Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention. But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost — regardless of her plans or desires. 

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything. 

Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning twenty-first-century faery tale. [Goodreads Summary]

 Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #1) by Ilona Andrews

On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, "normal" is a bit of a stretch for Dina.
And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything. [Goodreads Summary]

His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire #1) by Naomi Novik

Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors ride mighty fighting dragons, bred for size or speed. When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes the precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Captain Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future – and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire. [Goodreads Summary]

Have you read any of these? Which one do you think I should lose myself in this month? 

Thank you for voting! I hope you all have a wonderful January and Happy Reading!

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© 2018, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.