Blog Tour Review with Excerpt: Baking Me Crazy (Donner Bakery #1) by Karla Sorensen

"Friends to lovers at its best-- a sweet indulgence I couldn’t put down!” - R.S. Grey, USA Today Bestselling Author

Baking Me Crazy, the first in the romantic comedy Donner Bakery Series of standalones, from Karla Sorensen is available now!

Book info:

Title:   Baking Me Crazy
Author: Karla Sorensen
Series:  Donner Bakery #1
Genre:  Adult romantic comedy
Release Date:  October 8th, 2019
Publisher:  SmartyPants Romance
Source:  E-galley from Social Butterfly PR which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  4.5 stars

Synopsis:

I'm Levi Buchanan, and until five years ago, I thought the legend of my family's curse was a load of crazy, Southern nonsense.

No curse can make you fall in love at first sight. No curse can force a true, deep, passionate, all-consuming love that will haunt you all the days of your life.

Then I met Jocelyn Abernathy and I realized how completely wrong I was.

The problem is, Jocelyn guards her feelings like well-armed soldier. She's the most beautiful, stubborn, infuriating woman I've ever met. Every time she talks, I want to kiss the living daylights out of her. But I can't.

Because when we met, she didn't need true love. She needed a best friend. And that's what I've been to her... for five years.

But when Jocelyn meets a handsome stranger her first day working at Donner Bakery and she lets him buy her a dill pickle cupcake, I realize with ominous regret that I may have missed my window with my best friend.

If I can't get her to see past our friendship, my new curse may be to watch the love of my life move on with someone else.

'Baking Me Crazy' is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Donner Bakery series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

My Review:

Before this I'd only read a story from this author in the anthology Cocktales, but I really enjoyed it, and so was very excited to get to read this one she wrote in one of my favorite fictional worlds, the Green Valley world from Penny Reid. I really fell in love with the characters in this one. And of course it was so much fun to get our little cameos of Cletus and Jennifer, and even a tiny mention of other characters we know and love, like Ashley for one!  I loved the idea of Levi's family curse for the men to find the one and just know, and it was so heartbreaking for him to have to stand by the sidelines while Joss friend-zoned him and then even decided she was ready to date, but not him.  So much I wanted to smack her for being difficult with Levi when he decided he was ready to tell her and give another shot at winning her over.  That, her reluctance, and her fight on those things are what kept me from giving this 5 stars, because that is one thing that bugs me in a story.  Otherwise, I loved this story and am so excited to be back in the Green Valley world!

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2kwvT7z

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2ku8Pq7

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BakingMeCrazy

Nook: http://bit.ly/2lEMEh0

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lU7066

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2klKiUj

Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/2k0ZaqL

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2ku91Wg

Excerpt:

"Besides, this is my best friend perk. Shouldn't I get perks in baked goods?"

She cut me a look. "You've been getting those perks for two years, Buchanan. Don't even pretend you didn't put on a solid ten pounds that first year I started baking." Quite pointedly, she looked at my stomach, which we both knew was covered in muscle.

“That's rude," I mumbled under my breath. I flexed my bicep. Nero licked my elbow since it was right in front of him. "Yeah, ten pounds in my left arm maybe."

The noise she made roughly translated to you are ridiculous. She made that sound at me a lot. Of course, the sad truth of the matter was that I was ridiculous.

Not once in the past five years had my feelings lessened for her. I had just learned to live with them. In my junior year of undergrad, I was taking a class on brain pathology in injuries, and a man came to talk to us about how he learned to live without his right arm after it was amputated.

He told us about how, even years after he lost his arm, his brain still triggered sensations to the limb that was no longer there. The adult brain, in particular, struggled to reorganize after the loss of a limb, and given that four out of five amputees suffer from phantom pain symptoms, some of which were incredibly debilitating, it was a lesson that stuck with me.

I wasn't fool enough to think that me loving Jocelyn was on par with a man who’d lost his arm, but something about the way he talked plucked at a chord inside me. Sometimes my brain struggled to remember that we were just friends.

She'd never dated, never even hinted that she wanted to. She'd never given me a longing glance. Never stared at my mouth like she wondered what it tasted like.

But my hands never, not once, stopped wanting to reach for hers. My fingers always, always itched to dig into her crazy hair and see what the curve of her scalp felt like.

My brain knew what this relationship was, but sometimes, the signals it sent to the rest of my body didn't always match up with the truth of our situation. We worked out together a lot, Joss and I, and when she got frustrated with the limitations of her body, I always wanted to wrap my arms around her.

I wanted to pull her into the curve of my body, absorb her dissatisfaction into my skin, and carry it for her. That was the irony when she made noises like that.

She had absolutely no clue how ridiculous I really was.

About Karla Sorensen

Karla Sorensen has been an avid reader her entire life, preferring stories with a happily-ever-after over just about any other kind. And considering she has an entire line item in her budget for books, she realized it might just be cheaper to write her own stories. It doesn’t take much to keep her happy…a book, a really big glass of wine, and at least thirty minutes of complete silence every day. She still keeps her toes in the world of health care marketing, where she made her living pre-babies. Now she stays home, writing and mommy-ing full time (this translates to almost every day being a ‘pajama day’ at the Sorensen household…don’t judge). She lives in West Michigan with her husband, two exceptionally adorable sons and big, shaggy rescue dog.

Connect with Karla

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2lU6xAS

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2khRSPL

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2k0Yp0T

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2lBNuez

Website: http://www.karlasorensen.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kvDnb4

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzyduO

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lGdIMQ

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kwKsYK

Website: https://smartypantsromance.com/

Release Blitz: Baking Me Crazy (Donner Bakery #1) by Karla Sorensen

"Friends to lovers at its best-- a sweet indulgence I couldn’t put down!” - R.S. Grey, USA Today Bestselling Author

Baking Me Crazy, the first in the romantic comedy Donner Bakery Series of standalones, from Karla Sorensen is available now!

I'm Levi Buchanan, and until five years ago, I thought the legend of my family's curse was a load of crazy, Southern nonsense.

No curse can make you fall in love at first sight. No curse can force a true, deep, passionate, all-consuming love that will haunt you all the days of your life.

Then I met Jocelyn Abernathy and I realized how completely wrong I was.

The problem is, Jocelyn guards her feelings like well-armed soldier. She's the most beautiful, stubborn, infuriating woman I've ever met. Every time she talks, I want to kiss the living daylights out of her. But I can't.

Because when we met, she didn't need true love. She needed a best friend. And that's what I've been to her... for five years.

But when Jocelyn meets a handsome stranger her first day working at Donner Bakery and she lets him buy her a dill pickle cupcake, I realize with ominous regret that I may have missed my window with my best friend.

If I can't get her to see past our friendship, my new curse may be to watch the love of my life move on with someone else.

'Baking Me Crazy' is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Donner Bakery series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2kwvT7z

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2ku8Pq7

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BakingMeCrazy

Nook: http://bit.ly/2lEMEh0

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lU7066

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2klKiUj

Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/2k0ZaqL

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2ku91Wg

About Karla Sorensen

Karla Sorensen has been an avid reader her entire life, preferring stories with a happily-ever-after over just about any other kind. And considering she has an entire line item in her budget for books, she realized it might just be cheaper to write her own stories. It doesn’t take much to keep her happy…a book, a really big glass of wine, and at least thirty minutes of complete silence every day. She still keeps her toes in the world of health care marketing, where she made her living pre-babies. Now she stays home, writing and mommy-ing full time (this translates to almost every day being a ‘pajama day’ at the Sorensen household…don’t judge). She lives in West Michigan with her husband, two exceptionally adorable sons and big, shaggy rescue dog.

Connect with Karla

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2lU6xAS

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2khRSPL

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2k0Yp0T

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2lBNuez

Website: http://www.karlasorensen.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kvDnb4

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzyduO

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lGdIMQ

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kwKsYK

Website: https://smartypantsromance.com/

October 2019 Wrap-Up Post and Looking Ahead to November

October has been a crazy month.  Fast, but also kind of slow as I was sick for almost the whole month.  As per the past few months since I moved in, I continue to work on unpacking and moving in to the new house.  I finally took boxes of books to take to Half Price Books, but still haven't been able to get to all the many boxes still in the storage space that is costing me $140 a month.  I have been trying to get my garage cleaned out because our winter weather has begun, slowly, but surely.  And, I mentioned last month that I wanted to get a new car, well I ended up trading my Toyota Corolla in for a new Hyundai Tucson, and I'm loving it!  Writing, still none in October, but as you read this, it is the third day of November, and hopefully I have about 6000 words written to keep me on track with NaNoWriMo.

On with the reading stats for October.

According to Goodreads, I've read 182 of the 220 books goal for the year.  September made up 15 of those.  I got behind for lots of reasons it seems this month.  And at the moment I'm writing this, I am behind by one book!

Here is a list of books I read in October, and I'll link to my review if I've finished it:

1. Dating-ish by Penny Reid
2. The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis
3. Beard with Me by Penny Reid
4. Baking Me Crazy by Karla Sorensen
5. Call Me, Maybe by Stephie Chaman
6. Happily Ever Ninja by Penny Reid
7. A Lie for a Lie by Helena Hunting
8. The Burning Shadow by Jennifer L. Armentrout
9.   Weight Expectations by M.E. Carter
10.  The Second Me Met by Maya Hughes
11.   Happy Trail by Daisy Prescott
12.   Kiss Me Again by Emma Hart
13.   The Book Worm Crush by Lisa Brown Roberts
14.   #Heart by Cambria Hebert
15.   Love in Due Time by L.B. Dunbar
 

I did really good this past month about reviewing everything I read except for the audiobooks I listened to.  And I didn't get the audiobook I still needed a review from September done either. 

Another stat I want to talk about is books that I don't finish.  I'm up to 15 for the year, one in October.

My number of posts in October was back up again, I had 48, four more than in September, and still is way over my goal of only one post per day.  I have got to quit signing up for tours!    I'm doing a lot better about quickly scanning tour group emails for any books that either I know I want to read, or else making sure I don't have anything already scheduled.    Of those 48 posts, 15 were reviews.  I've been good with my weekly posts I want to keep up with too.   My rating was the same as last month, 4.8 stars!  I guess that's what I get when I give up on books I'm not enjoying instead of fighting my way through ones I'm not enjoying.  It also means I guess, that I'm picking the right books to review, since pretty much all of them were review books.

Okay, on with my challenges.

So once again in preparation for NaNoWriMo, I participated in the Blog Ahead Challenged hosted by Herding Cats and Burning Soup.   I am pleased to say that I was successful! As of the beginning of this month, I had 30 pre-made posts ready to go. Now a few will need some changes as the day they actually get posted arrives, like adding a Rafflecopter, or a few were review posts that I didn't have the review done, just now have the post ready to fill in once I finish the books.

1.  Once again I kept up with my Looking Forward To posts, on Wednesdays as much as possible to tie in with the Can't Wait Wednesday posts.
October 8th
October 15th
October 22nd
October 29th

I'm still working on visiting other blogs and commenting as much as I am posting on my own blog, but I still haven't been keeping track of it in my calendar where I was trying to do that.  Don't know if that'll ever get going again.

Been doing well on cleaning up my Goodreads TBR with my weekly post and giveaway (except that I keep adding new to Goodreads), as well as even my physical TBR a little.  I think I now have two people occasionally joining in, and you should feel free to join in as well.  Here are the posts for that:

October 5th
October 12th
October 19th
October 26th

2.  My Reading Goals are coming along with the Goodreads challenge as I mentioned above.

3. I still got no writing done in October.  But now that it is November, it is is NaNoWriMo time.  As I write this, it is still the 1st of the month and I haven't had time to do any writing yet, but I plan to write tonight, I hope.  So by the time this post goes up, I hope I have at least 4000 words.  I am debating whether to start something new, or just keep working on older project that need to be finished or revised.  If you're also doing NaNoWriMo, come be my buddy on the website, my name on there is Buffywnabe.

Still nothing from my list.  :-(

No new discussions this month. Again. 

And.... I still need some kind of button for the First in the Series Challenge, although once again, didn't do any from my list!

Looking forward to in October:

Okay, so here is my proposed TBR based on my blog tours and review requests for this month:

1. The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White - I am reading this as I wrote this post, so hoping I have it finished and a review posted!
2. Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz - Got the cool ARC package from the author and publisher and hope to get it finished this weekend as well!
   
3. Every Stolen Breath by Kimberly Gabriel - Supposed to be doing a review tour and posting on the 5th
   
4. Stud Muffin by Jiffy Kate - reading and should be posting a review either on the 5th or 6th.
   
5. Rock Fck Club #4 by Michelle Mankin - reading and should be postin ga review on the 7th I believe. 
6. Song of the Crimson Flower by Julie C. Dao - won ARC from Bookish First I think, need to hopefully read and review maybe on the 10th?
   
7. Prose Before Bros by Cathy Yardley - Part of a blog tour I think, posting on the 11th
   
8. No Whisk No Reward by Ellie Kay - Part of a blog tour posting on the 13th
   
9. Rock Fck Club #5 by Michelle Mankin - posting review as part of a tour I think on the 14th?
   
10. Breakup Boot Camp by Beth Merlin - part of a blog tour posting on the 19th
    
11. Outmatched by Kristen Callihan and Samantha Young - part of a tour posting on the 20th
    
12. My Bare Lady by Piper Sheldon - part of a tour posting on the 21st
    
13. Blindsided by Amy Daws - part of a tour, posting review on the 23rd
    
14. It's Not PMS, It's You by Rick Amooi - part of a blog tour posting on the 25th
    
15. The Lineup by Meghan Quinn - part of a tour posting on the 27th
    
16. The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring - I have the ARC of this one, hoped to have it read last month, but since I didn't, hoping to read this month
    
17. Michigan Vs. The Boys by Carrie S. Allen - I did not get this ARC read last month as planned, so maybe this month?
18. Salvaged by Madeleine Roux - I have an ARC of this and am behind on reading!
19. The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy - I meant to get this ARC read last month, but didn't
    
20. The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh - Started this last month, but haven't finished yet
21. The Locker Room by Meghan Quinn - I've already read this one, but am listening the audiobook so will probably post that review sometime soon for a tour. 

Hopefully I will get the audiobooks I haven't reviewed yet posted on my blog.  And fingers crossed I can get all these done for tours!  November is already looking crazy busy from that list, plus trying to write for NaNoWriMo. AND, I'm going to be presenting at the American Association of School Librarians in Louisville, Kentucky mid-month, so that will be a few days that keep me from doing what I'd do normally.  Hoping there will be some authors there to meet, although I haven't seen any lists yet.

With another crazy month, I'm skipping the Best of the Bunch thing again and just going ahead and wrapping up this post.   Hope everyone had a great October, and here's to an even better November!  I was glad for finally getting fall weather, but it lasted like two weeks and then we got snow in the last week of October, and I was NOT ready for that.

How was your October?

 

Book Bonanza 2019 Wrap-Up Post!

You guys, the second annual Book Bonanza was awesome!  I had a blast, and met almost every single author I wanted to meet.  I met my two biggest unicorn authors, unicorns is a theme you'll see for this event.  The resort they had it at this year was very impressive.  Expensive to stay, but totally worth it.  They're planning to have Book Bonanza there the next few years I think, so that is cool.  It was the Gaylord Texan resort.

Be prepared to scroll for all the awesome author goodness below!

Checking in we had really cool key cards waiting for us:

Here are some pictures from inside the first night we got there and had dinner:

My stepmom went with  me.  This was as we were waiting for our food.

Here's a view to my side that night.  It would have been cool to stay in one of these rooms and sit and people watch, but I guess they might have been a bit more expensive.  I might think about one of these rooms next time I go.

Here I am that first night waiting for my dinner.  Wearing my Book Bonanza 2018 shirt.

You guys, those chips were so good!  And the cheese dip!  I took the extra we had back to our hotel room. But unfortunately we didn't have a microwave in the room, and I didn't feel like carrying it downstairs to the little store to heat it up. So I had to leave it behind and didn't get to enjoy that yumminess again.  I'm drooling a bit now as I think about the taste of them together.


Just like last year we got an awesome bag full of swag, a new t-shirt, and even new books!

  This year not only did we get a tote bag, we got a little drawstring backpack. As you can see, unicorns on them!  I got a few little author ribbons the first day as well.

These are the books we got in our swag bag this year.  I'm really excited about the Lauren Rowe book, I've had my eye on int for a while.  Not sure about that Meredith Wild one, I might pass it on in a giveaway.


The first morning started with a opening event where we got to hear Colleen Hoover, Anna Todd, Caroline Kepnes and E.L. James talk about their books and their books being turned into movies or tv shows.

That was followed by three fun panel sessions - with six choices at each hour session, although some crazy people at the convention were lined up waiting to get in to see the authors for autographs instead.  Which was a little annoying since they said you couldn't line up until 2 hours before, and that was like 5 hours before, and is probably why I didn't get to see Anna Todd and Hero Fiennes.

The first panel I went to was about audiobooks and not only had some of my favorite authors, but also a couple narrators from one of their books that I love!  On the left is one of the narrators from Penny Reid's Winston Brother series.  Then Helena Hunting, JA Huss, Amy Daws, Cora Carmack, another of the narrators from the Winston Brothers series and Corinne Michaels at the end.  Penny Reid actually was the moderator for the panel. Johnathan McClain was supposed to be there as well, but he ended up being unable to make the whole convention because of a death in his family.

The second panel I attended was called Giving Us the Giggles, and all the authors there not only write hilarious stories, but they are just as hilarious in person to listen to when they are just hanging out!  The moderators were the two authors at the far left in this picture, the two authors who make up the writing duo of Max Monroe. And while I've never read them before, after this panel I went to their table in the autograph session and not only met them, but bought three of their books to give them a try.  I mean, it was $15 a book, or buy two get one three, so yeah, how could I not buy three?  The authors in order of the picture above are RS Grey, Amy Daws, BB Easton, Sara Ney, and Meghan Quinn.    Oh my gosh, the funniest stories from them, and this was a great panel.  All those people sitting in line for the autograph session missed out on some good times.

  The third panel I chose to go to was the second Audiobook panel, and I had to go because I wanted to see/meet Andi Arndt, a favorite narrator of mine.  Otherwise, this session might have been one I would have skipped out on.  Nothing against the other authors there, but it was not as great as the first two for me.  From left to right in the picture are Aiden Snow - a narrator, Robinne Lee - author and she narrated her own book, Jessica Hawkins, Eric Asher - science fiction author, Andi Arndt - narrator, and Lexi Blake. Julia Whelan was there as well. 

After the panels there was a sack lunch that was part of our convention fees, which was nice.   My stepmom and I took our lunch up to our room and ate in peace and a chance to just be comfortable.  I also hadn't brought the books I wanted signed down with me to the panels, in order to save myself from carrying them any more than I had to. While I did make my own autograph book, it's just almost impossible to not take some books to get signed.  Here is a picture of my autograph book if you didn't see it in my July wrap-up post earlier this month:

Now, on to my awesome first autograph day's autograph and author meeting session.  Although we had to wait so long just to get in. The line wrapped clear around the hotel and almost over to the elevators to get to my wing of the hotel that first day.  Enough about that craziness,  let's get to the goodies!

While I was waiting in line for the first author, I saw narrator Andi Arndt walk by and I got her to take a picture with me.

Even though I've only read one book by Mary Ting, Jaclyn and the Beanstalk, I still needed to meet her!

I had my picture taken again with Daisy Prescott, loved her Tinfoil Hearts book.  I had to tell her that I was a Believer!

While I met R.C. Boldt last year at Book Bonanza, I hadn't yet read her book. But I bought Clam Jam from her and read it and loved it, so had to get my picture with her this year.

As always I had to go see K. Bromberg.  Of course I also put in a pre-order with her that I had to pick up too.

It's been a few years since I read any books by Carly Phillips, but this was my first chance to meet her!

So far I've only read one book by Avery Flynn, Parental Guidance, but it was pretty good.  So I had to meet her.

I met J.D. Hollyfield at Kinky in Kansas City a few years ago, and really enjoyed her books, but didn't get my picture with her until this year.

I've read Karla Sorensen's story in my Cocktales anthology, but hadn't read any of her other books yet. However I think she has one in the SmartyPants romance series, called Baking Me Crazy, that I hope to read.

As always I have to get my picture with Amy Daws, especially since I had my t-shirt on that is about her books!

So I got my picture with Michelle Mankin again, author of Rock F*ck Club, and one of her cover models was there.  I didn't get his name though, oops!  He doesn't look quite so rock star hot here though, he's still a cutie!

And finally, my unicorn author for the whole event, Penny Reid!  I was so afraid I wouldn't get to meet her, she is one of those awesome authors that spend time talking to each fan/reader, and her line was just taking so long.  But she said she would stay until she got everyone who had gotten a wristband, and she sped up towards the end of the first session.  And when I tried to be nice and quick and just get a picture by leaning over the table for someone to take a picture of us together, she insisted I deserved a picture just like she'd done with everyone else.  So I couldn't say no!  She was so sweet and nice, and even though originally she was just going to be there Friday night signing, she ended up coming back Saturday morning to try to get to all the readers who wanted to meet her.  Even more fun was the cardboard cutouts she had of her Winston brother characters that had changeable clothes.  And her two audiobook narrators were there, so I got their autographs as well.  here are the cardboard cutouts:

She said she's thinking of putting the character designs onto buttons or t-shirts or something we can buy them on!   

The swag I picked up on day 1:

I did my best to not buy too much, and this was it for the first day.

Cockpit was a pre-order, the top three were the Max Monroe books I bought, and then I couldn't resist this SmartyPants romance book that was available early!  It's not supposed to be out until October.  Plus, it is a library theme/setting, so had to have it.  

I also pre-ordered this event souvenir Book Beau, even though I don't really use one, because it was just too cool!

On to day 2!

I had to stop by and see Kansas City author Sierra Simone.

And of course I had to see Helena Hunting again, I love her books so much!  I also had a pre-order to pick up with her.  

I loved the book Dumplin' so jumped at the chance to meet the author of that one, Julie Murphy.

I loved The Wrong Game by Kandi Steiner, so I had to meet her!

Had to meet Kendall Ryan, author of Bro Code.

So I thought it would be neat to have my picture taken with Sara Ney and Meghan Quinn together, since the book I was getting signed, Love, Sincerely Yours, was the one they wrote together.  They kind of squished me between them, they were so silly!  But they were excited because no one else had asked them to do a photo together yet!

And my unicorn author of day two, that I was so afraid I might not get to meet was Ilsa Madden-Mills.  But I was able to, and it made me so happy!

I actually met and talked to a lot more authors, but as the lines seemed to be crazier, I often skipped the pictures.  So there are a lot I don't have to share.  Like I got to see Kylie Scott again, but her line was so crazy I didn't spend the time getting another picture with her.  Now, let's look at the swag and the things I bought on the second day.

So the amount of swag from day 2 was crazy!!!  Some of this I actually sent along to my friend Sara who was supposed to go with me, but since she got an awesome job with MacMillan Publishing a few weeks ago, she was unable to go.

I found another book from the SmartyPants series that was also in the library part of the series that was available already, so I had to buy it!  And Katie Ashley also had a deal on her books, so I bought two and got one free.  But since I'm not much of a MC romance, I may do a giveaway for Vicious Cycle.  Pucks and Penalties was my pre-order. Then I saw a physical copy of the Team Player anthology, which I never got to finish reading, so I had to buy the humongous book.  And I had actually pre-ordered a bunch of the candles, but had to cancel that order.  So I ended up buying a few when they put them on clearance at the end of the day on Saturday.

I decided to buy one of the Bookworm Box packages that had a chance of having passes to next year, and got an awesome book, one of my favorite authors, Emma Hart.  Along with buying that I got three free books, the three on the bottom by Tamara Hanscom.  Those may be part of a giveaway as well!  I also had to buy the BB19 Christmas ornament since I have the one for BB18.  

I'll have to skip Book Bonanza 2020 because it will once again be in August, and I had to finagle a bit with my Principal in order to miss the first two days of school this year. But in 2021 it is supposed to be during the summer again, so I'll have to try to go again then.  

If you get the chance next year, I highly recommend going. The resort is so cool and the authors are great and it is so much fun to be surrounded by so many fellow book lovers!

-->