Month: May 2023

2023 Christmas in July Event Info & Sign-ups

Posted May 30, 2023 by Jana in Blog Event / 0 Comments

Hi everyone! Santa is on the beach sipping fruit punch and working on his tan, so he has enlisted his helpers once again to help spread a little Christmas cheer this summer! Please read this post carefully!

Below you will find all event info, including the rules for the exchange, sign up directions, and a questionnaire so the person shopping for you can get to know you better.

THE DETAILS:

  • Sign-ups will close at 11:59 PM EDT on June 18th and I will be sending matches out on June 19th.
  • This event is open to residents of the USA ONLY. I ran a week-long poll on Twitter asking if people would like me to come up with an option for international participants, but interest was so low that I couldn’t. #TBTBSanta will be back to sign up for this October, and will be open internationally like always.
  • You must be 18 years old or older to participate.
  • Please only sign up if you are committed to sending your gift(s) so they arrive on time.
  • What you sign up to send is what you will receive. I will be grouping people up based on gift option and monetary tier so that everything is fair.
  • Shipping does not count towards the monetary value of the gift.
  • Due to lack of interest in the lowest monetary tiers for both gift types the last two years in a row, they have been discontinued.
  • Please note that this is not a swap. The person who will be sending to you is not the same person you will be sending to.
  • I can’t ensure that you will not be assigned to send someone you’ve sent to before, or someone you’ve been paired with in other swaps/gift-giving events.
  • The event hashtag is #GiftmasInJuly. Please use it lots because the friendships that form around events like these are the best!
  • If you and I don’t know each other, please reach out to me and introduce yourself. Follow me on Twitter so you can keep up with event updates. I like to know the people who are participating!
  • I will not be putting a cap on the number of people who can participate.

If you have any questions or concerns before or during this process, please reach out! You can simply write to ChristmasInJulyExchange@gmail.com and I’ll get back you as soon as possible.

GIFT OPTIONS AND MONETARY TIERS:

Sprinkle: A sprinkling of gifts that arrive randomly throughout the month! This option includes both digital items (ebooks, audiobooks, PDF craft patterns, gift cards, etc.) and physical items shipped directly from retailers. Please ensure you reveal yourself in some way (a snail mail card, email, e-gift note, etc.) when you’re finished sending gifts so your recipient knows they have gotten everything and who to thank!

  • Sprinkle 1: $20-$25 (excluding any shipping costs) Due to lack of interest, this option has been closed.
  • Sprinkle 2: $30+ (excluding any shipping costs)

Curated Box: This gift is a traditional, curated box (like TBTBSanta). You put together a physical box of goodies (along with a note to reveal yourself), preferably wrapped, and send it directly to your recipient.

  • Box 1: $20-$25 (excluding any shipping costs)
  • Box 2: $30+ (excluding any shipping costs)

Both gift options are wonderful and have their own perks, so choose whichever one works best for you!

SIGNING UP:

Please send the following completed questionnaire to ChristmasInJulyExchange@gmail.com. The more detailed you are, the easier it will be for your Santa to spoil you! Please do not send your answers as an attachment. Instead, please paste your answers directly into the body of your sign-up email. If you send in an incomplete questionnaire, I will reply and ask you to re-submit.

1. Gift Option and Monetary Tier Selection:

b. Sprinkle 2: $30+ (excluding any shipping costs)
c. Curated Box 1: $20-$25 (excluding any shipping costs)
d Curated Box 2: $30+ (excluding any shipping costs)

2. Do you live in the USA?
Yes
No

3. Are you 18 years old or older?
Yes
No

4. Name and mailing address:

5. Email address (This is where your digital gifts will be sent. If you have signed up for a curated box and would rather not receive digital items, you may type N/A here. Sometimes people enjoy sending ebooks in addition to the curated box, though, so you might want to include an email address anyway.):

6. Twitter handle (If you’re not active, don’t plan to be active, or will be more active somewhere else, please explain that here so your Santa knows where to watch for you.):

7. Where else can you be found online? (Blog, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, etc.):

8. Your wish list(s) (Please provide links to any wish lists you have. These wish lists must remain exclusive to the Christmas In July Gift Exchange until you’ve received your gifts, or you run the risk of receiving duplicate items. Santas should not feel obligated to return anything if they discover that items from this exclusive list were purchased for them by someone else, and will be advised to send the duplicate item anyway.)

9. Discuss your digital preferences. (Do you have an e-reader? Which one? Would you enjoy getting an audiobook credit? Do you want any online subscriptions or gift memberships? If you would rather not receive digital gifts or would prefer to only receive digital gifts, please note that here.)

10. How do you practice self care?

11. What do you collect?

12. What are some of your favorite book genres/authors?

13. What won’t you read?

14. What fandoms do you belong to?

15. What are you always in need of?

16. What are your favorite things? (colors, patterns, fragrances, animals, hobbies, TV shows, movies, music, hobbies, foods/treats, etc.)

17. Do you have any allergies? What can’t you receive? (If you signed up for a curated box, this would be a great place to mention whether or not you would be ok receiving homemade food items.):

18. Share anything else your Santa needs to know about you. The more the better!

19. Please provide the contact information (twitter handle and/or email) of 1-2 buddies that your sender can contact with questions about you or information they need relayed to you. (This person does not need to know you well, they just need to be willing to be the go-between between you and the person sending to you. If you have nobody to ask, please post to the event hashtag and ask for a volunteer. If that idea makes you feel too anxious, you may put me down as your buddy and include either my twitter handle or the event email address. You don’t even have to ask me first.)

20. If you would like to sign up to receive an email notification when future Christmas in July sign-ups go live (always in May/June), please type out your preferred email address here.: (I will scan and remove duplicates from this list before emailing, so if you’re not sure whether or not you already signed up for this list it’s ok! You can ask me to remove you from this list at any point if you decide you no longer want to receive this notification, and I will promptly remove you.)

THINGS TO DO:

  • Ensure all gifts arrive to your recipient by July 31st. Use your best judgment for shipping dates, as there is no mailing deadline.
  • Once you’ve sent all of your gifts and revealed yourself (either through a gift note or a letter in the curated box you mailed), please fill out this form. If you signed up for any of the Sprinkle tiers, you can wait to fill this out as late as July 31st. Include any info you think would be helpful for me if I need to jump in and help, should any problems arise. I don’t need an itemized list or a bunch of order information unless you want to send it to me. I’m not here to monitor or judge what you send. I’m just here to make sure everything runs smoothly and be the go-between if we run into any issues. If you’re sending a curated box, a tracking number is all I need from you. Shipping delays and lost mail are not your fault. A tracking number proves you did all you could. :) If you’d rather email me a picture of your tracking number, please still fill out this form and specify you emailed me so I’ve got a record and know where to look.
  • Once you receive ALL your Christmas in July gifts, please fill out this form!
  • On August 1st, if you have not received all your gifts or know who your Santa is, please email me and I will investigate. Please understand that I will try my very best to work it out, but there is only so much I can do if someone decided to be selfish.
  • Be sure to thank your Santa in some way, whether through social media or email. Some people choose to send snail mail thank you cards, which is lovely but not required. If you have issues with the items in your gift, promptly thank your Santa and then reach out to me for help. People who do not thank their Santas will be asked to not participate in future Santa events that I host.
  • Please utilize the event hashtag #GiftmasInJuly to ask questions, post hints, share in your shopping/gifting/receiving/sending process! Show us what you got! This makes the event so much fun!

Please, please reach out to me if you need anything. I am more than happy to help you. If something comes up that causes you to be late, please email me and let me know. I don’t need to know the details if it’s personal, but communication is super important in an exchange like this. I will always be empathetic, understanding, and respectful of your privacy. If I have to chase you down to find out why your recipient did not receive what you agreed to send them, I will ask you to not sign up again (for both Christmas In July and TBTBSanta). Please don’t make me do that, because it probably causes me more pain than it does you. Exceptions will always be made if something catastrophic occurs, so if that happens please just talk to me when you are able.

GIFT GIVING GUIDELINES:

Please keep in mind that ARCs, promotional swag, and shipping DO NOT count towards the monetary value of the gift.

Due to allergies and other health concerns, please do not send homemade food items unless your recipient mentions that they would like them. Pre-packaged, store-bought foods are encouraged! Please just make sure that they are wrapped/sealed in their original wrapping/packaging from the manufacturer. Sprinkling candy into the box like confetti is fine, it just needs to be individually wrapped to protect the health of your recipient.

Be thoughtful! Don’t just throw something together from the donation pile in your home. Send something you would be happy to receive if you were your recipient. You don’t have to stick to a person’s wish list, but please pay attention to their questionnaire answers and send them things you genuinely think they would like. Please do not use this event as an opportunity to promote yourself, your book, your business, etc. The gift you give should focus on your recipient and their interests, and not on you.

Have so much fun shopping and spreading some holiday magic this summer!
Any questions? Ask in a comment below so my answers to you can help others who might be wondering the same thing. :)

Top Ten Turn-offs When it Comes to Books

Posted May 29, 2023 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 14 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! Today’s topic, Things That Make Me Instantly NOT Want to Read a Book, is the opposite of last week’s topic and I thought it would be fun to do them back-to-back like this. What are some of your dealbreakers or turn-offs when deciding whether or not to read/finish a book? Maybe it’s a genre you don’t like, an author who has burned you in the past, trigger warnings, subject matter, writing style, etc. You can also include reasons you might DNF a book, which I’m including in my list as well. Don’t feel like you have to name author names or book titles unless you want to! I’m going to keep this general because I never want to hurt feelings!

1. Certain trigger warnings. 
I find myself looking for trigger warnings a lot more than I used to because I keep accidentally stumbling upon upsetting content in books I never would have expected to see that kind of content in. Animal abuse/death is probably my biggest dealbreaker, but there’s several others that I just won’t read.

2. If a book is described as heartbreaking, heart-wrenching, or heartrending.
Leave my heart alone! Oh, and “harrowing” and “tear-jerker” aren’t great for me either!

3. First-person present-tense.
It’s my absolutely least favorite, but I’ll do it for a story that sounds too hard to pass up or is written by an author I really love.

4. Enemies to lovers trope. 
Ok, so this one isn’t always the case and is not a true dealbreaker for me. I’ll read enemies to lovers if it includes another trope I love, like fake dating or forced proximity. I’ll also read this trope if it’s by an author I love, or if I can tell it’s not going to be a book filled with toxic hatred. I can’t stand it when characters spend the bulk of the book being mean to or yelling at each other.

5. Sad subject matter with no hope.
This one has evolved for me a little. I used to shy away from all sad books (and I still do with most contemporary fiction), but then I fell in love with historical fiction (mostly WWII). Many, if not all, WWII fiction novels have sad moments. It’s the lack of hope and the lack of goodness in a sad story that will make me set it aside. If there’s no good characters, no light moments, and no hopeful messages then there’s nothing for me to take away from the story and what’s the point of that?

6. Inaccuracy/lack of research.
If a place I’ve been to is incorrectly described, a historical period was clearly not researched, or an aspect of a culture or religion that I’m a part of is inaccurately portrayed then I usually won’t finish the book.

7. Too many pop culture references. 
Books don’t age well when these are included too often, and it pulls me out of the story!

8. Curse words from this world in fictitious worlds. 
If I’m reading a fantasy or sci-fi novel that does not take place on Earth (or on the Earth we all know), it irks me to no end when the author has the characters throwing around f-bombs. But then again, I also cringe when I read made-up curse words that substitute for ours. lol. So maybe there’s no hope for me!

9. Excessive character descriptions.
Yes. He’s hot. She’s hot. His eyes are green like the forest, like the grass, like an emerald, like the skin of a watermelon. I get tired of it!

10. Ugly covers. 
This isn’t a dealbreaker for me, but it’s definitely a speed bump. I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover (and I’ve read amazing books with ugly covers), but there are SO many books out there with beautiful covers and I absolutely know that I will always pick those up first in a bookstore.

What are some of your turn-offs or dealbreakers when it comes to books?

Top Ten Things That Make Me Want to Learn More About a Book

Posted May 22, 2023 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 16 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic, Things That Make Me Instantly Want to Read a Book, can be interpreted in a couple different ways. First, you can take this in a situational direction. For example, a rainy day, a day at the pool or beach, or a snowstorm are all situations where I’d instantly grab a book for some relaxing reading time. Or you can think of a book’s attributes that would immediately draw you in, such as a trope you love, your favorite author’s new release, or a setting you’re excited about.

I’ve chosen to tweak this topic a little and share things about a book’s cover and back cover that would grab me and make me want to learn more about it. If I’m in a bookstore or browsing for books online in places like  Goodreads, Amazon, Netgalley, or Edelweiss the following ten things will ultimately pique my interest and prompt me to investigate.

1. The cover or title indicates that it’s most likely an adult fantasy romance. 
I find these to be so hard to find! I have a few favorites, but I’m always on the lookout for more.

2. Colorful book cover.
I love bright, colorful covers and find my eye always zeroing in on them when I’m perusing bookshelves.

3. An author I love has blurbed the book.
If I’m looking through books and spot a small quote on the cover from an author I love endorsing that book, I’ll be interested right away.

4. The title indicates that there’s traveling involved.
Or really, if the book is set in a location I’d like to be.

5. The title is punny. 
I love a good pun, so if I see one in a title I’m going to want to know why it’s there!

6. Pretty dresses. 
So many amazing historical romances feature the heroine on the cover in an opulent gown. I always need to take a more in-depth look at a book if I see a dress I like!

7. It’s written by an author I’ve never heard of.
I am always looking to discover new authors!

8. It’s written by an author I love.
But I also get so excited when I see than an author I love has a new book!

9. Sparkles!
If a cover has any glitter or sparkles or foil accents on it, I turn into a barracuda who will grab it immediately.

10. Christmas
I’d be kidding myself if I didn’t include this one. We all know I love Christmas, so if I see a book whose cover is decorated for Christmas or whose title guarantees festive cheer I’m going to take a look. Guaranteed.

What about a book makes you pick it up to learn more?

Famous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson | Book Review

Posted May 18, 2023 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 3 Comments

Famous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson | Book ReviewFamous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson
Published by Thomas Nelson on May 16, 2023
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction
Pages: 320
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

From Park Avenue to the Parks Department—the world’s most beloved social media star is about to get a rude awakening.

With her millions of followers, Cat Cranwell is adored around the world. But when an app partnership goes very, very wrong, Cat suddenly finds herself shunned from the community that not only fed her soul all these years but paid her bills. When Cat’s closest living relative, Uncle Terry, offers her a position on his staff at a small national park in Montana to get away from the city, Cat hesitantly accepts the opportunity.

What she doesn’t realize is that as the new social media strategist her goal is to save Kannery National Park from being absorbed into Glacier National Park by boosting the number of visitors. And at least one of her new colleagues—namely, handsome and rugged ranger Zaiah Hudson—thinks social media is the root of everything that’s wrong with the world. Written with bestselling author Melissa Ferguson’s signature wit and charm, this romantic comedy of opposites attract is full of hilarious romp and a romance that will melt readers’ hearts.

As soon as I read the back cover synopsis for Famous for a Living, I knew it had the potential to be a book I would love. I loved the idea of a heroine who runs away to a small national park and finds love along the way. Outdoorsy settings are some of my favorites, and I was eager to jump in. While I enjoyed parts, Famous for a Living fell short for me and my overall feelings upon finishing were of disappointment.

This is a not the national park rom-com I was looking for. There’s a little wit and a little romance, but I think it would better serve the author and the book itself if Famous for a Living were marketed as women’s fiction. People looking for a romance will be disappointed. There’s inklings of a romance and some small flirtations here and there, but the romance doesn’t have much of a focus until the last 20ish% of the book. Because of this, I didn’t feel any chemistry with the main couple once they did finally decide to pursue a relationship. There was no time spent developing the romantic aspects of the story or even really allowing the characters time to get to know one another. More focus is placed on Cat’s journey of discovering that there’s more to life than social media, setting your phone aside, and living life in the moment. This is a great lesson to learn, but it’s one I didn’t personally need. I’m not on social media much and have never bought into the idea of influencers, social media celebrities, viral videos, sponsored posts, etc. I just follow my friends. I’ve never felt a person’s follower count determines how important their views and opinions are, and I’m not more likely to believe in something or buy something because a stranger on the Internet told me to. When I was first pitched Famous for a Living, I didn’t realize how much of an emphasis would be placed on social media so that was disappointing. It felt ranty and preachy at times.

I loved the idea of the setting, but I wanted so much more from it. I wanted more descriptions and for the place to feel special. I really liked Mina (Cat’s roommate), but I think she’s the only character I cared about. I appreciated Cat’s willingness to try and find balance in her life, but I didn’t like her from the moment I met her. She is devoted to social media, something that I cannot understand, is completely out of touch with reality, and I feel like she only learned something because she was put in the most ideal situation to do so. She went from being a famous social media influencer to… still being on social media. She’s super insecure and I just never connected with or felt bad for her. Her development throughout the book was weak as well. Zaiah never felt like a main character to me, and his backstory was meh. He’s pretty bland and boring, and faded into the background of the rest of the characters for me. I also didn’t love the writing style. There’s lots of short, choppy sentences and nothing was written in a way that grabbed me and made me want to continue flowing through the pages. Reading this was a chore.

All in all, this was a miss for me. I enjoyed Mina’s character, but other than that I didn’t enjoy Famous for a Living and will not be recommending it as a romance. If you’re looking for a women’s fiction title about an influencer on a journey of self-discovery you might like this, but be prepared to be inundated with a lot talk of social media.

Top Ten Things Getting in the Way of my Reading Time

Posted May 15, 2023 by Jana in About Me, Top Ten Tuesday / 17 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is “Things Getting in the Way of Reading” and was lovingly stolen from A Cocoon of Books during freebie week because I loved the idea so much. I’m never not in the mood to talk about books, but sometimes it’s fun to talk about other things too! So this week I’m sharing ten other things that I take up my time (some of which I enjoy more than others)!

1. Crochet
Last year I taught myself to crochet and started up my own business this year! I make small stuffed toys and sell them, either as ready-to-ship or commissioned pieces. I can make anything in any color(s) of the rainbow! I just set up an Instagram page for my business (@JanasCozyCritters) if you’re interested in taking a look!

2. Video Games
I have a Nintendo Switch and love all my cozy games like Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, Story of Seasons, Dreamlight Valley, Potion Permit, Little Dragons Cafe, Grow: Song of the Evertree, and Mariokart. Let me know if you’re interested in being Switch friends! I could always use people to race with on Mariokart and I love visiting Animal Crossing islands.

3. Cross Stitching
I love working on cross stitch projects!

4. Learning
I love researching things I’m interested in including natural healing, religion, history, art, cryptozoology, and urban myths and legends.

5. Cleaning/Organizing/Redecorating
I love going through stuff to get rid of, re-organizing my stuff, making spreadsheet inventories of my yarn and embroidery floss, and switching up my decor.

6. Shopping
For me, I enjoy shopping even when I’m not spending money. I love building wish lists on Amazon and Etsy. I have fun hunting for books, crochet patterns, decorations, and other fun things I’d like to own someday. I also love running to the craft store for yarn.

7. Chatting
I love sitting around talking or spending time with friends and my mom and sister. Sometimes this is over lunch or just parked in the living room.

8. Baking
I do this more in the fall and winter months than any other time, but I love making yummy treats!

9. Watching Movies & TV
I love binging shows and watching movies.

10. Meditation & Exercise
I don’t love either of these, but they’re good for me. lol.

What takes you away from reading?
What are some of your hobbies? Do we share any?