Play Book Tag discussion

Summer celebrations challenge
Let’s make this a summer of celebrations!
It seems that there are so many occasions to celebrate in the summer. Read a book with a picnic, party, wedding, holiday, or celebration. You may read as many books as you like with celebrations from 6/25- 7/5, however each one must contain a different type of celebration or holiday.
For the task to be completed, after reviewing your book include a quote with a page or place number, a blurb from the book or the picture of the cover. To meet the requirements, it must be more than an incidental mention, it needs to be an integral part of the book:

o For reading 1 book you receive 2 separate spaces (spaces can be used together or separately.)
o For reading 2 books you receive 4 separate spaces and you will receive an opportunity to move a randomized participant 15 spaces.
o For reading 3 books you receive 6 separate spaces and a free tag from the grab bag to use when you choose.
o For reading 4 books you receive 8 separate spaces and a free tag of your choice (not necessarily from the grab bag) when you choose
o . For reading 5 book you receive a jump of up to 15 spaces to use when you choose.

I like this one a lot!

Ooh cool! Fits my love of mysteries and romances wonderfully.

And - fits right in with Christmas in July.

Could it be a book related to the reason for the holiday, or only celebrating it? For instance a book about the revolutionary war versus a book set during a Fourth of July celebration. I have The Mothers on my debut list, but it might not relate to Mother’s Day at all.

The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger begins with a Memorial Day celebration for the whole town,

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store might include a big party in town too.

Bridget Jones Diary has a few different holiday celebrations.


Here are a few lists I found for July 4th

Off_the_beaten_path_holiday_books
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

Holiday_Fourth_of_July
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Books_With_Wonderful_4th_of_July_Celebrations_
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Fireworks_cover
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Sounds really fun! Love it!

Oh, fun!

I can't pivot that quickly to change the reads I have coming up (finishing up June challenges... and maybe backing up to a couple of May challenges that I didn't finish if I have time!), but hopefully there will be something to fit.

LibraryCin wrote: "Oh, fun!

I can't pivot that quickly to change the reads I have coming up (finishing up June challenges... and maybe backing up to a couple of May challenges that I didn't finish if I have time!),..."

Who knows, one of your books could have a major celebration.

Could it be a holiday in a fictional nation? What I mean is not a holiday we celebrate in real life?

Joanne wrote: "Could it be a holiday in a fictional nation? What I mean is not a holiday we celebrate in real life?"

She mentioned picnics, parties, weddings. I think it’s the celebration that counts.

Joanne wrote: "Could it be a holiday in a fictional nation? What I mean is not a holiday we celebrate in real life?"

Yes

Sounds great! Now to troll my lists for options!

Robin P wrote: "Sounds great! Now to troll my lists for options!"

Check out the mysteries you have especially. Many are set during or have something critical happen at a celebration. All those inheritance ones often have the nasty elder holding the purse strings die when all gathered for some celebration, or a body is found during a town fete or celebration or parade. Agatha Christie has a few for example.

And historical romances, especially regencies, often have something critical happen at a lawn party or ball.... or even a picnic in Richmond Park. Definitely if there is any suspense or mystery element to the romance.

Probably I will run across them by accident. That happened with our earlier Steeplechase Extras.

Booknblues wrote: "Who knows, one of your books could have a major celebration..."

That's my hope! I was lucky with the Leap Year one in that way, so who knows!

Thanks BnB-now my next question-would you consider a Celebration of Life for this one (not Life itself, but of one who passed?)

I just finished:
Sideways by Rex Pickett - 3* - My Review
PBT Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Wedding for Steeplechase Summer challenge:

This book is about two guys going on a road trip to northern CA in advance of one of them getting married. The word “wedding” is mentioned 60 times throughout the book. Here’s a sample quote from p. 59-60:
“Is it going to be a big wedding?” Cheryl asked.
“A gala event,” I said. “Beaucoup bucks on both sides. No expense spared. Fabulous wines, sparking and still, selected by yours truly.”

And p. 133
“Where are you?”
“En route to the wedding,” I confessed. “I’m Jack’s best man.”

(view spoiler)[The wedding is covered at the end, but I didn’t want to spoil it since there is a question as to whether or not Jack will actually show up. (hide spoiler)]

o For reading 1 book you receive 2 separate spaces (spaces can be used together or separately.)

Joanne wrote: "Thanks BnB-now my next question-would you consider a Celebration of Life for this one (not Life itself, but of one who passed?)"

This gets a bit tricky. I would accept a Celebration of Life, but not a funeral, unless the celebration is an integral part of it and the book as many cultures consider the funeral feast and gathering afterwards a kind of celebration.

Finished:

Enduring Love by Ian McEwan - 4* - My Review
PBT Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

This book contains multiple celebratory picnics:

Picnics for Steeplechase Summer challenge:

The book starts with a couple going on a picnic to celebrate the end of a lengthy time apart due to a work-related trip for one of them. From p.3-4:
“Even without the balloon, the day would have been marked for memory, though in the most pleasurable of ways, for this was a reunion after a separation of six weeks, the longest Clarissa and I had spent apart in our seven years. On the way out to Heathrow, I had made a detour into Covent Garden and found a semilegal place to park, near Carluccio’s. I went in and put together a picnic whose centerpiece was a great ball of mozzarella, which the assistant fished out of an earthenware vat…I also bought black olives, mixed salad, and focaccia.”

p.8 “Our plan had been to picnic right out on the end, where the view was the best.”

On p. 237, there is another picnic after a significant incident:
“I walked to our local Italian food shop to collect ingredients for our picnic. It was much the same as before – a mozzarella globe, ciabatta, olives, tomatoes, anchovies, and for the children, a no-frills pizza margarita. The next morning, I packed the food into a backpack, along with two bottles of Chianti, mineral water, and a six-pack of Cokes.” And p248. “The picnic was stowed, the ground sheet folded up.”

o For reading 2 books you receive 4 separate spaces and you will receive an opportunity to move a randomized participant 15 spaces.

Celebrations #1

The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Storm - Juliet Nicolson

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... 6/25

The book mentions several grand balls/parties leading up to the coronation of a new king. For instance, on p 112. "on 20 June, six hundred members of the upper classes danced from eleven at night until half past five the following morning at Jennie Cornwallis-West's magnificent Shakespeare Ball. Guests could choose their own Shakespearian character on which to base their costume".

p 113 -117 describes the parade to Westminster Abbey and the ceremony of the Coronation.

There's also an amusing anecdote about a picnic on p 134. A Cambridge don/professor went out in the unusually hot summer to swim in the river. The banks were deserted so he took off his clothes, left them on the bank and swam to the other side. "Suddenly a punt appeared round a bend in the river, packed with beautiful girls, rapidly approaching the exact spot where he had left his clothes. Hiding in a reed bank, he decided to wait till they had passed before swimming back to retrieve his things. To his horror, the gay and noisy young people tied up their punt and proceeded to unpack a most elaborate and time-consuming picnic. Slowly the distinguished philosopher sank further into the smelly depths of the river, black mud oozing round his naked limbs. Only hours letater did the punt move off with its garrulous cargo."

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Celebrations #2

The Guncle Abroad - Steven Rowley

Per GR description:
"When Patrick's brother, Greg, announces he’s getting remarried in Italy, Maisie and Grant are not thrilled. Patrick feels drawn to take the two back under his wing. As they travel through Europe on their way to the wedding. . ." The book includes a family party and a rehearsal dinner and a wedding, though not quite as planned in the beginning. The ceremony itself is on page 275. 6/26
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Summer Celebration #1 - a wedding - One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean

The entire plot revolves around a wedding - a double wedding in fact although it is primarily Pippa's not her sister's that is at the center. Pippa has reservations about the intimate side of marriage especially as there is zero chemistry with her fiance and they have not even shared a kiss. Being a scientist, she decides she needs to conduct research and selects a rogue with a solid reputation among the ladies to be her 'research assistant'. The wedding is mentioned through out - and features in the chapter headings that contain a countdown to the main event. Some prime quotes:

p. 15 - “Aside from the facts that your brother-in-law is my business partner, and that the double wedding of the final sisters Marbury is the talk of the ton, you will find that there are few things that happen at any level of society about which I do not know.” He paused. “Lord Castleton is fortunate indeed.”

p. 111 - during the fitting for the wedding dresses - The velvet drapes hadn’t returned to their place when she came up short, taking in Olivia, petite and perfect on a raised platform at the center of the room, in what had to be the most beautiful wedding dress ever made.

P. 233 - a pre-wedding tea for the female relatives and guests - “Have the guests begun to arrive?” The Marchioness of Needham and Dolby was hosting a ladies’ tea that afternoon, designed to gather all the women related to The Wedding. Pippa had spent an hour being primped and prodded before her maid had announced her presentable, and she’d come to the library to hide in advance of the event itself. She stood. “I suppose I must into the fray.”

p. 364 - the wedding day - His hand came to the steel handle, and with a deep breath, he tugged open the door, unlocking the low drone of a minister. The wedding had begun.


Anything further would contain spoilers, LOL.

o For reading 1 book you receive 2 separate spaces (spaces can be used together or separately.)

Question ... are any books we read eligible? Or only books read for Steeplechase?

Book Concierge wrote: "Question ... are any books we read eligible? Or only books read for Steeplechase?"

Any books you read.

Celebration #1.
Every Day in Tuscany: Seasons of an Italian Life by Frances Mayes.
There were many celebrations and parties in the book. At least one was for a saints day. The book was full of descriptions of food and wine. I’ll try to get the kindle to get quotes or rewind the audio.

Fran I know you read this book. Do you think this is enough? I’m on a waitlist for the kindle, and I had to return the audio.

Celebrations #3

Naamah - Sarah Blake p 255
The crew of Noah's Ark finally got to a new home, a good spot near a river. "The family celebrates the news of the river the night Naamah returns. They build a fire bigger than they've built in a year, bigger than they need to, because they can. And they bring out all the wine. . As they dance and sing under the stars, Naamah wonders why it feels more appropriate to be raucous at night." 6/27

Review:https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The Circus Train by Amita Parikh - 3* - My Review
PBT Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Steeplechase Summer Challenge – there are multiple birthday celebrations in this book:

P. 132: “By the time Theo’s birthday rolled around at the end of the month, Lena was ready. After a dinner consisting of all his favorite foods, Theo blew out the candles on a chocolate fudge cake, surrounded by performers and crew in the dining carriage.”

P. 159: “She couldn’t remember a more fun birthday. Nneka began a game of charades. Lena’s stomach ached from laughing as she watched Johannes pretending to be a giraffe. Theo and Alexandre paired up to perform a few tricks, culminating in Theo pulling a small jewelry box out from behind Lena’s ear. ‘Open it,’ he said. Inside Lena found a tiny strand of pearls held together by a silver clasp on a bed of velvet.”

P. 230: “Here”, he said, presenting it to Leike. “Happy birthday.” Leike’s face brightened as she reached for the necklace.

o For reading 3 books you receive 6 separate spaces and a free tag from the grab bag to use when you choose.

On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed - 4* - My Review
PBT Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Steeplechase Summer Challenge – this book contains information about the celebration of Juneteenth and the bid to make it a national holiday.

P. 11: “To my surprise, some years back I began to hear people outside of my home state, Texas, talk about and actually celebrate “Juneteenth.” June 19,1865, shortened to Juneteenth, was the day that enslaved African Americans in Texas were told that slavery had ended, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed, and just over two months after Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomatox.”

P. 12: “Texans have been in the forefront of trying to make Juneteenth a national holiday... As I think if it, it’s really a very Texas move to say that something that happened in our state was of enough consequence to the entire nation that it should be celebrated nationwide.”

P. 125: “The holiday Juneteenth has grown to be an integral part of life in Texas – celebrated now by Blacks and Whites.”

o For reading 4 books you receive 8 separate spaces and a free tag of your choice (not necessarily from the grab bag) when you choose

Celebration #2
Whale Fall has a celebration of Mari Lwyd beginning around 96%. She starts by saying they are celebrating Mari Lwyd with Lobster. This is a Welsh tradition that occurs near Christmas time. The celebration involves traditions such as a procession, riddles, food, and other activities.

Here's info on this wassailing tradition
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mari_Lwyd

Celebrations #4

Murder in an Irish Village - ch 28 of audiobook
The village inhabitants are surprised that the victim's mother decides to hold an old-fashioned Irish Wake. Usually these days, people just have a church service. The wake is a "celebration of the person's life". Talking about it afterwards, the main character says, "people were drinking, singing and telling jokes." Some clues about the murder come out at the wake. 6/28
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Just checking, we receive 1 prize as listed above depending on if we have 1-5 entries, right? It's not cumulative, where you would get all 5 prizes for 5?

To me, the 8 separate spaces & a free tag is more desirable than 1 jump of 15 spaces.

Robin P wrote: "Here's info on this wassailing tradition
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mari_Lwyd"

Thanks Robin! If I heard correctly, it sounded like they used the whale skull for part of the celebration this year.

Robin P wrote: "Just checking, we receive 1 prize as listed above depending on if we have 1-5 entries, right? It's not cumulative, where you would get all 5 prizes for 5?

To me, the 8 separate spaces & a free tag..."

I would guess that you’d be able to move someone else AND get a free tag for yourself. But I wouldn’t expect the spaces to be cumulative - as in 2+4+6+8= 20.

Amy's Summer Celebration Challenge Tracking-

1- Best Served Hot by Amanda Elliot
A focal point of the book leads to a new business launch party, and at the end there is a second new business launch celebration. I don't have quotes or page numbers as this was a mindless audio, but it certainly was a major event throughout the book. Cross off company party from my list of options to use.

2 - The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren
There is a wedding (the heroine's brother) that I am choosing to say is a focal point of the book, in the way that it drives the plot. It encompasses around 50 pages of the 400 page book, and at this wedding is when the relationship cements, despite its inherent complications. This wedding weekend is when they fall in love and understand the relationship is "it". And at the end of the wedding weekend, when the disastrous break and "runaway/seemingly hard line stop" comes in. Which of course rectifies itself by the end of the book. But at the time it is the crux of the Love Plus Impasse/Conflict.

Page 247-

"I'll see you after the ceremony." She gathers her dress and turns to head back inside to meet the wedding party. "Miss me," She calls over her shoulder. I watch her walk away quietly admitting, "I already do."

Robin P wrote: "Just checking, we receive 1 prize as listed above depending on if we have 1-5 entries, right? It's not cumulative, where you would get all 5 prizes for 5?

To me, the 8 separate spaces & a free tag..."

Robin, you are correct.

Booknblues wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Just checking, we receive 1 prize as listed above depending on if we have 1-5 entries, right? It's not cumulative, where you would get all 5 prizes for 5?

To me, the 8 separate spa..."

Thanks, I'll stop at 4 then
Msg 19 - coronation/ball/picnic
Msg 20 - wedding
Msg 25 - bonfire, drinking and dancing to celebrate surviving the Great Flood
Msg 30 - Irish wake

Robin P wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Just checking, we receive 1 prize as listed above depending on if we have 1-5 entries, right? It's not cumulative, where you would get all 5 prizes for 5?

To me,..."

I think I didn't understand what you were asking. You get a prize for each book you complete, so yes it is cumulative.

Fran, did I provide enough information for my first two celebrations?

Booknblues wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Just checking, we receive 1 prize as listed above depending on if we have 1-5 entries, right? It's not cumulative, where you would get all 5 prize..."

Oh wow, I'll stay on a lookout for the 5th then! I already had about 30 extra spaces accumulated before this game, mainly by matching tags. Of course, if I keep skipping tags I don't like, it will eventually catch up to me, but at the rate I am going, I won't exhaust all the tags anyway.

Nancy, I'm good with yours.

On the other point if you read 5 books you do get a total of 20 individual spaces plus the 15 space jump.

The idea is to give participants a boost if they want to move along quickly.

Rather than moving faster, I use extra spaces to get to something I want to read for another challenge, or something that matches the monthly tag.

Booknblues wrote: "Nancy, I'm good with yours.

On the other point if you read 5 books you do get a total of 20 individual spaces plus the 15 space jump.

The idea is to give participants a boost if they want to move..."

Thanks!

Oh, nice touch with exponential rewards!

I have really enjoyed the rewards in this game, and the extra challenges.

Robin P wrote: "Rather than moving faster, I use extra spaces to get to something I want to read for another challenge, or something that matches the monthly tag."

Robin, that’s my attitude too. I might have enough spaces to catch up with Joy and Oliver, but the tortoise strategy might earn me more points in the long run. It gives me more time to find tag matches ahead.

The rewards help me to keep a nice steady pace, and skip over the tags I’m not ready for. I want to try to read them all eventually, and I’ll get the chance in future rounds.

Did you see Fran’s note? You don’t have to pick just one level, you can earn all the spaces and all the rewards for each one, and keep adding. You don’t need to use the huge jump, but you might want it one day to get to a special tag during a marathon.

Celebration #1

Littered with Trouble - Eryn Scott
Finished: 6/28/24
Grand opening of the bookstore Whiskers & Words
p. 220 "The whole town of Button seemed to show up. Cassidy came by with a bottle of champagne for Lou to celebrate."

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

o For reading 1 book you receive 2 separate spaces (spaces can be used together or separately.)

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron - 4* - My Review
PBT Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Summer Steeplechase Celebrations - Christmas is a recurring theme in this book, and Chapter 12 is entitled “Christmas.”

p. 24: “Every Christmas Spencer had a Santa Claus. The retailers sponsored a raffle and gave away a trip to Hawaii.”

P. 108: “Christmas is a holiday the town of Spencer celebrates together. It’s the slow season for farmers and manufacturers, a time to relax and spread our collected coins around to the merchants.The activity of the season is the Grand Meander, a walking tour of Grand Avenue…The whole street is strung with white lights, a coordinated display that shows off the fine lines of our buildings. Christmas music is piped in; Santa Claus comes out to receive wish lists from the children….The whole town is out, laughing, talking, clutching one another to share the warmth. The stores stay open late, showing off their holiday selections and offering cookies and hot chocolate to fight off the biting cold.”

p. 111: “I looked over to find Dewey buried in the Christmas tree box…He spotted the half-assembled tree and bolted back to chew on the lower branches.”

p. 114: “Everyone came to Mom and Dad’s house for Christmas… You weren’t allowed to miss any of the holiday activities and there were a lot of them: extravagant meals; decorating parties; games for children; holiday carols; desserts and cookies; games for adults; relatives dropping by…There was always a story to tell around the family tree.”

p. 227: “He wanted a full-scale, no-holds-barred Jipson Christmas. Steven wanted the clam chowder Dad always made on Christmas Eve. He wanted me to make his favorite caramel popcorn. He sat under a blanket and smiled along as we played our homemade instruments in the Jipson Family Band.”

o For reading 5 book you receive a jump of up to 15 spaces to use when you choose

Summer Celebration #2 - Father's Day - Dear Old Dead by Jane Haddam

Father's Day was interwoven extremely well into the plot - from references to the different 'father roles' that exist or don't among the impoverished, priests and other religious figures as spiritual fathers, to actual celebrations, sales, and even contests. The author didn't just pick a holiday and stick a murder mystery around it; she built it into the plot.

A few highlights - without giving away the plot:

P. 1 - THERE WAS A BANNER over the masthead of the New York Sentinel that night, a banner in red letters that read, YOU COULD BE NEW YORK’S LUCKIEST FATHER! WIN $100,000 FOR FATHER’S DAY.

16% mark - Gregor didn’t remember Father’s Day being a vigorously celebrated holiday. He didn’t remember ever having taken notice of it before in his life. ... Now Ohanian’s Middle Eastern Food Store had a Father’s Day poster taking up most of its plate-glass front window, and the Ararat restaurant was offering “the Father’s Day Breakfast Special,” meaning pancakes in the shape of knotted ties. [my personal favorite] The children at the Holy Trinity Armenian Christian School were getting ready to hold a Father’s Day pageant. The choir at Holy Trinity Armenian Christian Church had announced its intention of holding a benefit concert for the Armenian refugees in the church basement on Father’s Day proper, made up entirely of hymns with the word Father in the title. Even the Armenian-American Historical Society had gotten into the act. They had taken St. Joseph, Foster Father of the Holy Family, as their patron saint.

34% mark - Today they were making Father’s Day cards and posters—except they weren’t, exactly, because Father’s Day didn’t mean anything to most of them, they didn’t have fathers.

36% mark - ... next to the Happy Father’s Day poster the children in his First Communion class had made for him. ... insisted on his taking the poster, because he was the children’s “spiritual father” and most of them didn’t have one of the other kind. This gave them a way to participate in the holiday.


o For reading 2 books you receive 4 separate spaces and you will receive an opportunity to move a randomized participant 15 spaces.

NancyJ wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Rather than moving faster, I use extra spaces to get to something I want to read for another challenge, or something that matches the monthly tag."

Robin, that’s my attitude too. I..."

Yes, I saw that I can get all the awards! Currently listening to Uncommon Type read by the author, who happens to be Tom Hanks. The 2nd story is "Christmas Eve 1953" with all the elements of the holiday, so I will make an effort to finish the whole book by July 5 (audio takes me a lot longer than print, sometimes I speed up the narration, but I wouldn't do that to him. He makes even "Chapter 1" sound thrilling!

Thanksgiving

From The Paris Library


pg 155 - "Still, at Thanksgiving, Eleanor thought to include Odile, who made the dry turkey easier to swallow. When she confided that she'd spent the holidays alone since her husband died, Dad patted Eleanor's hand, and we could see that he was proud of her. As I moved chunks of chalky pumpkin pie around my plate, Eleanor asked Odile to take a photo for a Christmas card. My fork stilled. Dad and Eleanor rose, ready to have their pictures taken, but my heart burned at the thought of Mom being scratched off the family map."

(The narrator's mother has died and Eleanor is her new stepmom.)

Political rally

From Enough by Cassidy Hutchinson


pg 40 - "Until I attended the Trump 100th-day rally in April 2017, I had been interested form afar. Out of curiosity, I checked out the rally.... I was transfixed once Trump came onstage. His magnetism electrified the crowd. Suddenly, some of his more controversial viewpoints seemed to fade away as the energy buzzed around the arena, sweeping me up in the fervor."

Summer Celebration #3 - Holiday Office Party and Christmas - Xmas Carole by Saxon Bennett.


This is an enjoyable contemporary lesbian retelling of Scrooge and the Christmas Ghosts Past, Present & Future, with few Grinch references tossed in too. It's set at Christmas with much discussion of presents, decorations, songs, and holiday traditions.
Christams gatherings past, present and future are visited. One highlight was the Office Christmas Party at the fashion magazine where Carole is editor. A couple of moments:

p, 45 - Carolers! Carole hated carolers with a passion. Who did they think they were, disturbing people at home, singing sappy, drippy songs? Christmas was Carole's least favorite holiday. It was her least favorite time of year. Why did people insist on celebrating commercialism?
Carole tippy-toed to her front door and peered through the peephole. Yes, just as she thought ... There were a dozen-or-so people, all wearing ugly Christmas sweaters, singing about the first Noel.

p. 75 - "Who authorized a party?" Carole asked picking at her lunch looking for an errant grape.
"You did. You told me months ago to plan a Christmas party. You wanted to do something nice for your employees."
"That doesn't sound like me," Carole said.
"Well, you didn't say it in those exact words," Gayle said. "You said 'Arrange a Christmas party. Don't spend too much. Maybe if I give them a party, they'll stop bitching about not getting year-end bonuses," Gayle repeated verbatim.
"That sounds more like me, " Carole said.

p. 99 - Prominently displayed as the centerpiece of the living room was the Christmas tree. It was a real tree. Carole smelled the pine scent. The tree was sparsely, but tastefully, decorated. A few brightly colored presents were wrapped and sitting under the tree. Christmas music played on the stereo The scent of cinnamon and gingerbread tickled Carole's nose.


o For reading 3 books you receive 6 separate spaces and a free tag from the grab bag to use when you choose.