Hello, everyone! I ran across this Modern Day Christmas Song Book Tag while perusing other blogs. It included one of my favorite Christmas songs, Underneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson, as a prompt. So, I had to complete it! 🙂 Thank you to Elli @ AceReader for creating the tag!

Underneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson

A book you want to find under the Christmas tree this year.

I’m going to cheat a bit on this one and give you some books that I’ve already received for Christmas. 🙂 My wife and I exchanged gifts with my parents early because we’ll be out of town for the holiday. I got a few books that I’m excited to add to my shelves (covers link to Goodreads & titles link to my review):

All the Hidden Paths by Foz Meadows, Traitor of Redwinter by Ed McDonald, Dark Moon, Shallow Sea by David R. Slayton

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Michael Bublé

A book to get in the festive mood.

I’ll occasionally read a Christmas romcom to help get me in the festive spirit, but there’s only one book that is a staple of my winter holiday reading. It brings me back to childhood and makes me ready for the winter holidays in a way no other book can accomplish. That book is The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. It is a magical adventure set in late December, and I’m so excited to be starting this year’s re-read in a couple of days.

Mistletoe by Justin Bieber

A guilty pleasure read.

The last time I answered a prompt about guilty pleasure reads, I answered with some of the raunchy manga I love to read. They feel a bit too guilty for Christmas. lol. So, I’m going to choose some books that I enjoyed this year despite knowing that the writing was pretty subpar. These books were a lot of fun (for me), but they are definitely far from being literary masterpieces (covers link to Goodreads):

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

One More Sleep by Leona Lewis

A book release you’re counting down the days for.

Ahhh!!! There are so many amazing book releases happening in 2024. How am I supposed to just pick a few?! Here’s a smattering of random stuff I’m excited to get my hands on next year (covers link to Goodreads). Luckily I have ARCs of most of them. 🙂

Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender, An Education in Malice by S. T. Gibson, Court of Wanderers by Rin Chupeco, Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland

Christmas Lights by Coldplay

A book cover that looks as pretty as Christmas lights.

I don’t usually make a list of my favorite covers of the year, but this seemed like the perfect spot to do it. I think all five of these are so beautiful and couldn’t pass up getting each of them for my physical bookshelves. Here are my favorites in no particular order (covers link to Goodreads and titles link to my review, if available):

Kit & Basie by Tess Carletta, A Power Unbound by Freya Marske, Dragonfall by L. R. Lam, Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig, Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

There you have it! My take on the Modern Day Christmas Song Book Tag. If you’d like to participate, consider yourself tagged!