Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving! I'm a day late with this check-in because of the illustrious holiday, but it was such a wonderful holiday this year and I didn't work (Yay!) so it was extra special for me. I haven't had any time to read, as work has been a mess so I may have to be content to just host this time (which I love doing and wouldn't change) and hope to get some Christmas reading in for the reading challenge.
How is your reading going? I hope you're enjoying it. Feel free to update me in the comments or leave a link to an update post.
Giveaways
I was very generously offered two eBook copies of the Christmas horror novella, Twelfth Night Krampus from Erin at Oh, For the Hook of a Book. Although this is horror, it is based on an East European legend (see below).
Author Cat Cavendish praises...
"An adult fairytale well told in the best Grimm tradition. As with the Dark Servant, the author draws on the old German/Austrian/East European traditions of the Santa Claus’s demon helper. In the folk tales, Krampus punishes naughty children. Manochio keeps faith with the tradition but develops it and presents us with a new classic tale for Christmas. Here the equally bloody and demonic Frau Perchta – also hellbent on punishing those who have transgressed in her eyes – finds herself directly competing against Krampus. This is a macabre, dark tale with a timeless quality about it. An atmospheric landscape, complete with Bavarian castle; characters that could have stepped out from your worst nightmares. Loved this. It kept me thoroughly and enjoyably entertained in a dark, scary way. "
Twelfth Krampus Night, Summary
Dark servants clash!
Medieval maiden Beate, who’s grieving over the mysterious evisceration of her best friend, Gisela, must escape a Bavarian castle under siege by sadistic creatures.
Standing in her way—beyond towering walls and crossbow-toting guards—are Saint Nicholas’s demonic helper, Krampus, and Frau Perchta, a belly-slitting hag who prowls the countryside during First Night festivities to punish naughty teens. Beate wants out. Krampus and Frau Perchta want in, determined to breach the castle to snag their prey. Beate has no idea why these monsters want her, but she must use her wits to save herself from horrors both human and inhuman—lest she wind up like Gisela.
For more, here is the Amazon link...
http://www.amazon.com/Twelfth-Krampus-Night-Matt-Manochio-ebook/dp/B01448GASE
My Read-a-Thon Giveaway
YOUR CHOICE OF 3 BOOKS FOR $10 FROM THE BARGAIN BIN AT BETTERWORLDBOOKS.COM
Please enter for the above giveaways in the form below. You will be able to mark your choice of which you want to enter for. This giveaway is only open to read-a-thon participants.
I've been enjoying Lewis Black's "I'm Dreaming of a Black Christmas," as it's a send-up of all the silly things we do during the holidays. I've also got a Mary and Carol Higgins Clark book on deck (The Christmas Thief), and one by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez (The Three Kings)... in between trying to finish up my NaNoWriMo novel! Wish me luck. :)
ReplyDeleteAfter Thanksgiving, I got started on Happy Times in Norway by Sigrid Undset, and I am nearly to done with the first third of the book devoted to Christmas customs. I have learned that Norwegian Christmas festivities traditionally go on for thirteen days! People bake for weeks in advance so they will have enough treats to offer visitors who drop in for coffee . This sounds like my kind of holiday! :) I have also started on a book of Swedish customs, which begin with Saint Lucia day on December 13. It has a recipe for Saint Lucia buns! I hope everyone is enjoying some holiday reading, or planning some.
ReplyDeleteI haven't gotten very far either, honestly most of my reading happened yesterday on the treadmill when I made myself walk until I finished my book! 80 minutes! Wow!
ReplyDeleteI did not do so well with this read-a-thon but at least I managed to get two kid's books read and reviewed.
ReplyDeleteHave really enjoyed the reading, listening, and motivation to get my decorations up! It's been another great readathon, Michelle - TY !
ReplyDeleteGlad your Thxgiving celebration was excellent and time to enjoy it :)
Thanks for hosting this and the lengthier challenge. Now I just need more online time to get them onto pinterest ;)