The Christmas Tag!

 

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Hey everyone! It’s time for a Christmas themed tag! Since I celebrate Christmas, these are the kind of posts I do this time of year. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, you do you! I wasn’t tagged for this, I just saw it floating around on the internet. Let’s get started!

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The Christmas Book Tag

1. What is your favorite Christmas film?

I love Frosty The Snowman, How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Home Alone. Those are just my top three. There are so many amazing Christmas movies!

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 2. Have You Ever Had A White Christmas?

Only once that I can remember. Even then it wasn’t really a white Christmas. It just snowed a bit. Where I live, it doesn’t snow a whole lot so white Christmas’ don’t really happen.

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3. Where Do You Usually Spend Your Holiday?

Christmas Eve is normally at home with the family I live with or extended family. Christmas has always been at my Grandma’s house. Sometimes there’s gatherings with family before or after Christmas. It really depends on what’s going on.

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What Is Your Favorite Christmas Song?

This shouldn’t be a question! One of my favorite songs is Winter Wonderland.

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 Do You Open Any Christmas Presents On Christmas Eve?

We get to open 1-3 presents and then the rest are saved for Christmas.

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Can You Name All Of Santa’s Reindeer?

Nope… Rudolph, Vixen, Blitzen, Dasher, Dancer, Comet and Cupid. I looked it up and I only missed two!

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What Christmas Traditions Are You Looking Forward To This Year?

Today I will be going to my Grandmas for a small gathering. We have brunch, open presents and stockings. It’s a fun time and very relaxed. On Christmas Eve we normally just stay home but this year we had people over. That might be a new tradition!

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Is Your Christmas Tree Real Or Fake?

Ours is real. It’s the biggest one we’ve gotten. I’ve never had a fake tree but  I know people who always have one.

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Be Honest, Do You Like Giving Or Receiving Gifts Better?

I enjoy both but it’s satisfying to buy a gift for someone and see their reaction to it.

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What’s The Best Christmas Gift You Ever Received?

I honestly have no idea. I can’t remember most of the gifts I received. That doesn’t mean they weren’t amazing, I just can’t remember small specific things like that.

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What’s Your Dream Place To Visit For The Holiday Season?

Disneyland, London, New York and Hogwarts. A wide variety of course 🙂

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Are You A Pro Present Wrapper Or Do You Fail Miserably?

I consider myself not too bad but other people’s skills blow me away. For the very few gifts I bought, I decided to just use gift bags this year.

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Most Memorable Christmas Moment?

My first Christmas was probably pretty memorable. Every Christmas is memorable for me in its own way.

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What Made You Realize The Truth About Santa?

Truth? What truth? I’m just kidding. My parents kept it going for a very long time. The kids at school ruined it for me. I was in denial until a few years ago. I’m still a teenager so that was when I was a child.

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What Makes The  Holidays Special For You?

Spending time with family! There’s some family that I don’t get to see much so the holidays are the only time I can do that.

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I tag anyone who needs a last-minute post! Since it’s Christmas today, nobody will be doing this anymore. Merry Christmas, and if you don’t celebrate, Happy Holidays!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more tags!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

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Book Review|Are We There Yet-David Levithan

Hey everyone! It’s the beginning of the work week! I’m still in school and am on winter break. No stress for a bit. Today I am going to finally be doing a review of Are We There Yet By David Levithan. It’s not a well-known book but is still in the teen genre. Let me know if you’ve read the book or plan to after reading this review!

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“Although it is such a singular word, there are many variations of alone. There is the alone of an empty beach at twilight. There is the alone of an empty hotel room. There is the alone of being caught in a throng of people. There is the alone of missing a particular person. And there is the alone of being with a particular person and realizing you are still alone.”  

David Levithan

# of Pages: 215

Genre: Young Adult/Family

My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Publication: March 13th, 2007

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A Bit of A Summary:

Are We There Yet is a story about two brothers named Danny and Elijah. Danny is 23 years old and has a job. He’s hardworking and successful. Elijah is 16 and still in High School. He’s penniless and has drug issues. They have a strained relationship. When their parents send them off on a trip to Italy, they’re forced to spend countless hours together. When Elijah meets Julia, Danny is cast off, and the brothers are separated once again. Julia’s unsure about her feelings and Danny is forced to make a decision. He can either honor his relationship with his brother or follow his heart. Read the book to find out what he chooses!

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Cons:

There are some using and mentions of drugs in this book. If that bugs you, steer clear. It’s overall plot is a bit dry. The story is told from a third person point of view. It’s interesting but doesn’t always do the story its justice. There isn’t much of a back story on any of the characters but you get to learn a bit about them.

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Overall:

Are We There Yet is a quick read. I enjoyed the setting and the descriptions of Italy and it’s attractions.  It’s not my favorite book but is definitely worth a try.

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That’s a wrap! What did you think about this style of book reviewing? Let me know!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more book reviews!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

 

 

 

Where Have I Been?

Hey everyone! This is just a post to check in and tell you what’s going on. I deeply apologize for not blogging much for the past several months. I have been very busy with school, family and figuring some things out. Hopefully I can find a solid schedule as soon as possible. I miss blogging so much and hope you guys haven’t forgotten about me!

See you soon!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

 

WWW Wednesday (#24)

Hey everyone! Just a quick little thing before I begin this post. I am closing in on 200 WordPress followers. A few days ago I asked you guys to give me some questions. Y0u can find that here. I just wanted to mention this so I could have a good sized Q&A post for you guys. Thanks!

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Today is Wednesday and that means it’s time for WWW Wednesday. This meme is currently hosted by the wonderful @Sam. Go check out her blog if you haven’t already! To participate in this meme, all you have to do is answer three questions:

What did you recently read?

What are you currently reading?

What are you going to read?

Without further ado, here we go!!

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Recently Read:

This was an amazing book! I will be doing a review ASAP 😀

This was a great book. It’s a Tween book but I’ll probably still do a review since it was very good.

This was a fast yet satisfying read!

Currently Reading:

This is a pretty good book so far. I didn’t like the format at first but now I’m starting to enjoy it.

Going to Read:

That’s it so far!

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That’s a wrap! How was your reading this week? Link your WWW or let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for next week’s WWW Wednesday!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

Book Review|Half Brother

Hey everyone! Welcome to Monday. I know most people dread Mondays. If I wasn’t on summer break, I would be dreading it too. Hang in there! Today I am going to be doing a book review. I will be reviewing Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel. I finished this book a while ago but am just know doing a review. Without further ado, here we go!

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Title: Half Brother

Author: Kenneth Oppel

# of pages: 375

Genre: Fiction, Animals

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Goodreads Rating: 4/5 stars

Amazon Rating: 4.7/5 stars

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Amazon Summary:

“For thirteen years, Ben Tomlin was an only child. But all that changes when his mother brings home Zan–an eight-day-old chimpanzee. Ben’s father, a renowned behavioral scientist, has uprooted the family to pursue his latest research project: a high-profile experiment to determine whether chimps can acquire advanced language skills. Ben’s parents tell him to treat Zan like a little brother. Ben reluctantly agrees. At least now he’s not the only one his father’s going to scrutinize.
It isn’t long before Ben is Zan’s favorite, and Ben starts to see Zan as more than just an experiment. His father disagrees. Soon Ben is forced to make a critical choice between what he is told to believe and what he knows to be true–between obeying his father or protecting his brother from an unimaginable fate.”

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Critic Reviews (Credit Given):

“Set in the simpler time of the early ’70s, this well-plotted novel weaves together themes of animal rights, family issues and the cost of animal research….There are no easy answers, just a thoughtful portrayal of real people grappling with tough questions.” – Kirkus

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“Half Brother is highly recommended for all YA collections….a funny and exceptional story” – VOYA.

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* “Deftly integrating family dynamics, animal-rights issues, and the painful lessons of growing up, Half Brother draws readers in from the beginning and doesn’t let go. The carefully crafted characters will be an easy connection for teens and the interpretation of the animal-testing controversies of the 1970s will provide an alternate viewpoint for animal-book lovers.” – SLJ, starred review

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My Thoughts:

This was a great book. I took half a star off because it’s very similar to another book. Half Brother is about a boy named Ben Tomlin. When his mom brings home a chimpanzee from a zoo, Ben doesn’t like him at all. As Ben gets to know the chimp later named Zan, he falls in love. Unfortunately, Zan is part of animal testing. He is to be treated like a human and to learn sign language. Zan feels like more than a test subject to Ben. His dad feels otherwise. Ben’s dad feels that he is getting to close with Zan and tries to separate them and ruin their close relationship. Ben is outraged. His dad is rough and mean to Zan. To him he’s a chimp. To Ben, he’s family. I wouldn’t recommend this book if you can’t handle some harsh moments. This was a great read and really opened my eyes to how terrible animal testing really is.

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That’s a wrap! Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If you haven’t, did this review make you want to? Let me know!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more book reviews!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

Book Review: Bloomability by Sharon Cheech

Hey everyone! It’s time for another Book Review! This is a Young Teen book. This one is for Grades 3-7 or ages 7-13. I am over 13 though so the age ranges don’t really matter. Let’s jump right in 😀

Name: Bloomability

Author: Sharon Chreech

# of pages: 273

My Rating: 5.5/5 stars

Goodreads Rating: 4.1/5 stars

Amazon Rating: 4.6/5 stars

Amazon Summary:

Kidnapped!

The kidnappers are actually her Aunt Sandy and Uncle Max, but that doesn’t matter to Domenica Santolina Doone, better known as Dinnie. She feels as if she’s being taken out of the country against her will. Certainly no one asked her opinion. Dinnie is used to change-with her family constantly moving from state to state while her father searches for one new “opportunity” after another. But when her aunt and uncle whisk her away to an international school in Lugano, Switzerland, Dinnie feels that this might be one “opportunity”that isn’t right for her.

Suddenly Dinnie’s surrounded by kids from many different cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs. Home, and her first life, seem so far away. Can she adapt to a new country, a new home, and new friends? Or will it just be easier to close herself off-just survive-and never realize all the “bloomabilities” that are possible?

My Thoughts:

This is such an amazing book! Once again, Sharon Chreech has wowed me again. Her characters like Dinny and Aunt Sandy are so lovable and seemingly real! I recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure, friendship, family. I really fell in love with Dinny and how much she cared for her friends.

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That’s a wrap!

Stay tuned for more book reviews and Thanks for reading 🙂

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

 

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Hey everyone!! Whether you celebrate this commercial holiday or not, Happy Valentines Day! Even if you don’t celebrate, make sure to show your loved ones how much you care about them. Maybe even get your husband or wife something nice. Either way, I hope you have a great day 🙂

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi everyone!! For some, today is Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving! For others, it’s Thursday. Fox59 posted a list of facts titled “Thanksgiving by the numbers…” I 100% give them the credit for these surprising facts.

2 — The ranking of Thanksgiving on the list of America’s favorite holidays. Christmas is No. 1.
2 — The maximum number of days the U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests keeping a fresh turkey before cooking it.

2.5 — The number in miles of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade available for public viewing.

4 — Americans celebrate Thanksgiving every year on the fourth Thursday of November.

5-5.5 — The number of hours it takes to cook a stuffed 22- to 24-pound turkey in an oven set to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

11-12 — The number of hours it takes to thaw a frozen 22- to 24-pound turkey in cold water. Compare that with the 5½ to six days it takes to thaw in the refrigerator.

17 — Ridges on a 14-ounce can of Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce.

36 — The number of years it took magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale to crusade for an annual Thanksgiving holiday. National and local days of thanksgiving had been celebrated over the years, but President Abraham Lincoln finally proclaimed the fourth Thursday in November Thanksgiving in 1863.

46 million — The estimated number of turkeys eaten in the United States on Thanksgiving 2012.

46.9 million — The estimated number of Americans who will be traveling more than 50 miles for Thanksgiving in 2015, according to AAA.

50 million — The approximate number of people who typically watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television.

68 — The number of years between 1947, the first National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation at the White House, and Thanksgiving 2015.

74 — The number of years between 1941, when Congress decided that the fourth Thursday in November would be observed as Thanksgiving Day and a federal legal holiday, and Thanksgiving 2015.

79 — Percentage of Americans surveyed who said eating Thanksgiving leftovers is more important than eating their regular Thanksgiving meal.

88 — The approximate percentage of Americans who eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day, according to a National Turkey Federation survey.

91 — The number of years between 1924, when the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade took place, and Thanksgiving 2015. It was originally called the Macy’s Christmas Parade.

95 — The number of years between the first NFL Thanksgiving Day games in 1920 and Thanksgiving 2015.

152 — The number of years between October 3, 1863, when Lincoln proclaimed a national annual Thanksgiving Day, and Thanksgiving 2015.

226 — The number of years between 1789, when President George Washington issued a proclamation naming November 26 a day of national thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving 2015.

394 — The number of years between 1621, when the first Thanksgiving was observed in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Thanksgiving 2015. A good harvest led Plymouth Colony Gov. William Bradford to plan a festival to give thanks. Around 90 Native Americans attended.

4,500 — The average number of calories you might consume on Thanksgiving, according to the Calorie Control Council. That’s 3,000 for the meal, and another 1,500 for snacking and nibbling.

100,000-plus — Questions typically answered by the Butterball Turkey hotline every November and December.

135.8 million — Estimated Thanksgiving weekend shoppers in 2015.

237.5 million — The number of turkeys raised in the United States in 2014.

(Source)

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These facts are mindblowing! I am thankful for my family, friends, fellow book bloggers and other bloggers, and so much more 🙂

What are you thankful for?

Thanks for reading! Whether it’s a regular Thursday or Thanksgiving, I hope you have an amazing day!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

Top Ten Tuesday’s: Thanksgiving Freebie

Hi everyone! It’s been at least a week since I’ve participated in Top Ten Tuesday’s. This weekly meme is hosted by the amazing people at The Broke and the Bookish. You should definitely check out their blog! Today’s topic is a Thanksgiving freebie. They gave us many ideas such as authors we are thankful for and fictional families we would want to spend Thanksgiving with. I can’t pick between these two so I will do five of each 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday’s Authors and Fictional Families:

1) J.K. Rowling

Of course this outstanding author is at the top of this list! She wrote the amazing Harry Potter series. I am currently about to start book number 5 and can’t believe how many plot twists and    suspenseful moments there are!

2) John Green

It’s a given that John Green is on this list. I have raved countless times about Paper Towns and The Fault in Our Stars. John Green is definitely an incredible author 🙂

3) James Patterson

His books always make me laugh and smile. His Treasure Hunters series has so much adventure and suspense. The Middle School series features a silly and mischievous boy named Rafe. You should check out his books.

4)Beverly Cleary

She is such an amazing author! I have grown up with Ramona, Beezus, Henry, and more. Her books are an easy and fun read.

5) Suzanne Collins

Suzanne wrote the Hunger Games series. Without her, we wouldn’t be  able to volunteer tribute, have Peeta Bread, and many more puns and references. Mockingjay Part 2 recently came out in theaters. Have you seen it?

 

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5 Fictional Families I would love to spend Thanksgiving with:

1. The Weasleys!

This is obviously at the top of the list. The Weasleys each have their own unique personality and Mrs. Weasley is so kind and caring. They also all have bright red hair and freckles 😀

2) Miss J and Anna

They aren’t a biological family. Anna is a foster child and Miss J is her foster parent. They have a bond that’s as tight knit like a mother and daughter. These amazing characters are in the book I finished today. I will be reviewing that ASAP.

3) The  O’Briens

The O’Briens consist of Summer and her daughter Ellie. Ellie’s father left quite a while ago. Summer and Ellie have the cutest mother-daughter relationship. They are one of the families in The Swap that I recently reviewed.

4) The Malloys

Not the Malfoys  XD The Malloys are Jack Malloy, his brothers Stryker, Gunner and Jett, and the Captain who is their father. They are a different kind of family but are very close. All of them are super althetic and exercise attics. The Malloys are another family in The Swap.

 

5) The Everdeens

I’m hoping I spelled that correctly.. The Everdeens stick together. Katniss provides food for the family by hunting in an illegal area. I honestly haven’t read the Hunger Games series in a long time.

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Thats all! This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is definitely longer than normal but I enjoyed writing it.

What are you thankful for? Tell me in the comments!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more Top Ten Tuesday’s!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

 

Creative Challenges: Watching Me

Hi everyone! It’s Monday and that means nobody wants to get up. At least it’s Creative Challenge Monday! If you are unfamiliar with this event, go to it’s info page here.

Today’s prompt: “He was always watching me. That dog, always watching me.” That is the first line of your story.

My Story:

He was always watching me. That dog always watching me; Sam Smith thought  to himself as he stared at the small Dalmatian. He had been practicing for his basketball game tomorrow. Getting awfully tired, he turned around and noticed that Dalmatian covered in dirt and watching him. It wasn’t the first time he had encountered the dog. The first time was on a cool Fall day when he had been spending time with his friends Greg and Freddy at Central Park. The Dalmatian had come bounding up to them and started nosing the soccer ball they had been kicking around. Greg and Freddy had loved the dog and thought that he belonged to Sam. Sam thought about that as he sat on the front step of his apartment building.

“Sammy!” His grandma Lisa yelled in delight and Sam sighed. The Dalmatian made a run for it just has Lisa waddled around the corner with her arms full of gifts.

“Hi Grandma.” He muttered as he looked around nonchalantly for the Dalmatian.

“Can yeh help meh with these her gifts sweetie?”

“Yes Grandma Lisa.” Sam sighed again and got up off the step and walked over to help his Grandma. They walked up the stairs to the Smith’s apartment, both with their arms filled with gifts and bags.

“Grandma!” Sam’s sister Jessi exclaimed with delight as Lisa swooped her up in a big hug.

“Hi Sweetie! I’ve brought you and Sammy some gifts.”

“Hi Mom!” Sam and Jessi’s mom came down the hall clutching her round stomach. She’s  8 months pregnant with baby #3; a little boy.

“Hi Darla! How’s the baby doing?”

“He’s been kicking like crazy! Been keeping me up late into the night.”

“I bet he’s going to be a big boy like his big brother.” Grandma Lisa said while smiling warmly at Sam. Sam blushed profusely and excused himself to go take out the trash.  Down the stairs he walked skipping stairs whenever he could. “BANG!” The sound echoed down the alley. Sam wiped his sweaty forehead and glanced at the row of bushes at the end of the alley. No sign of the Dalmatian. Sam ran back up to the apartment to see Jessi unwrapping a new book all about horses with several other gifts piled beside her. Grandma Lisa smiled and his mom smiled as he placed his hand on her stomach. He jumped as the baby’s tiny foot hit his hand. Sitting down on the couch between his mom and Grandma, Sam glanced out the window. Peering up at him was the Dalmatian who seemed to wink at him. Sam grinned and winked back.

Thanks for reading and Stay tuned for more!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀