Twelve Days of Christmas: Gift Books: For Adults Who Like...

On the 11th day of Christmas...we are almost to the end! And you're kind of cutting it close to have something under the tree for them to open. So, maybe consider the Kindle/Nook version? Or a gift certificate for the book? Or hope 2 day shipping really comes through for you!

More books for adults today, this time for fans of all those cable TV channels/shows:


For fans of Food Network:
Relish—Knisley (HS-adult)
Yes, Chef—Samuelsson (HS-adult)

For fans of Hoarders:
Coming Clean: a memoir—Miller (HS-adult)

For fans of DIY:
Tao of Martha—Lancaster
For fans of Downton Abbey:
While We Were Watching Downton Abbey—Wax



And remember, if you want a link to the entire list, see this post.

Happy Reading! And Gifting!

Twelve Days of Christmas: Gift Books for Adults Who Like...

On the 8th day of Christmas, we continue with gift ideas for adults (and of course, teens, depending on their reading level/interests/age).

Today, I'm highlighting books for those who enjoy theater, TV, & movies. Sure you could just get them a gift card to Netflix, Fandango, or Hulu, but many of the great movies/TV shows/Broadway productions out there are originally based on books.

Here's some of my favorites from this year, or rather, from TV/movies that were released this year or announced this year that they were coming soon:


Little Bit Wicked—Chenowith
Book Thief—Zusak (7th-adult)
Divergent—Roth (7th-adult)
Secret Life of Walter Mitty—Thurber
Monuments of Men—Edsel
Orange is the New Black—Kerman  



And remember, if you want a link to the entire list, see this post.

Happy Reading! And Gifting!

Holiday Gift Ideas: Yes, Chef (Samuelsson)

Title: Yes, Chef
Author: Samuelsson
Genre: Biography/Autobiography, Non-Fiction, Cooking
Pages: 319
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I can't let the kids' books have all the fun. I am a big fan of biographies...and the Food Network...and I'm sure that many of you are looking for gifts for grownups on your list, so I'm posting a review of one of my favorite autobiographies of this year.

Marcus Samuelsson is known to many for his world-famous cooking and restaurants. He is a regular on the Food Network, and won Bravo TV's Top Chef Masters in 2010.

This memoir reads like a great story, but also feels like you are sitting down to dinner with a friend and listening to their stories. I was captivated throughout (and just a little hungry when I was done reading it).

An excellent choice for the foodie on your list, especially if they already have enough cook books, this is also a good title for anyone aspiring to be a chef.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

It is no secret that I am a fan of all things Wimpy Kid. 

It is also not a secret that Thanksgiving is not my favorite holiday.  And I would rather do almost anything than watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on television each year.  I'm sure that there is no childhood trauma of being attacked by a large balloon or anything, but parades just aren't my thing.

Well, I have just found out that there will be a new balloon in this year's Macy's parade...a Wimpy Kid balloon!  Darn it, now I might have to watch. 

But I did discover that the parade website has cartoon images of some of the balloons, and the Wimpy Kid balloon is one of them.  So visit the Macy's parade website and get a sneak peak, and then tune into the parade to see the real thing!

Have a wonderful holiday!

Review: Premiere: On the Runway (Carlson)

Title: Premiere: On the Runway
Author: Carlson
Genre: Fiction, Fashion, Sisters
Pages: 204
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Paige and Erin Forrester have been given the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to host their own fashion reality show on television. Unfortunately, Erin would rather be behind the camera than appearing on it. Luckily, her beautiful sister Paige is a natural at fashion and at hosting. Erin will get to work on the crew and act as chaperone/moral compass to her older sister. A guest spot on a catty teen reality series provides a chance for the sisters to debut their show, but does not go as planned and leaves the possibility of the show in jeopardy.
If you are a fan of fashion or reality television, this will be one you won't want to miss. Not published until June, Mrs. Yusko has an advance copy of this title which is clearly the first in a new series. Will be great summer reading!