Friday Five

**First off, this week's been very stressful with all the holiday activities/events.  So what helps?

It clears my head and helps me be able to face the day!















1. Santa Breakfast

The week started off with an early morning breakfast at our church.  It's tradition.  We all eat outside(yes, it's cold for us Southern Californians!).  The breakfast consists of pancakes, sausage, orange juice, hot cocoa, and milk.  The kiddos get to decorate sugar cookies or this year it was Christmas trees made out of ice cream cones with tons of frosting and candy.  Santa makes a visit too.  Plus, the live nativity from our annual Follow the Star live nativity scene is still outside:

2. Christmas

Had Honey Ham dinner with Mother-in-law and nephew.  Then finished reading more Cybils nominated books!


3. Cybils

Met with other panelists to whittle down a list of 205 nominated books to our top 7.  Yes, this was hard!  But one thing I've loved about being a Cybils panelist is being able to interact with others who love books as much as I do.  Plus you always learn so much from hearing takes on books from others.  Stay tuned!  On January 1st, the Cybils' Finalists will be announced!  After, I'll share my own take with being the first panelist and will give you my top picks!


4. Yes, more books!

YA Books Central will be part of The Dead and Buried virtual book tour.  Look for my review next week!

Also can't wait to read the final book in the DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER series.  Love this paranormal.  I first met the author Jana Oliver when we both had e-serials from Virtual Tales.  Her success gives me hope that I can also go further in my own writing career.

Also excited to read the third book in the Lux series.  Love Daemon.  This series has a Roswell TV feel going with it only Daemon is even hotter than Max.  The chemistry sizzles.

Sigh.













Ooh, speaking of Daemon, read who my and other YABC editor's book boy crushes are:

http://www.yabookscentral.com/blog/book-boys-under-the-mistletoe-2012

Here's mine:

~ Kim's Crush ~

I admit it, I love a good YA that has a hero I really care about. He doesn’t have to be drop-dead gorgeous (okay, maybe that does help a tad bit!) but needs to be multi-layered. Right now I’m torn between two Damons.
Oh, what’s a girl to do?
One of my crushes is in both books and on television:


Yes, Damon.
**Fans self.

If you don’t know him, he’s one of the Salvador brothers in The Vampire Diaries. Yes, he’s a vampire but who cares?

Before the hit TV show, The Vampire Diaries was a successful book series written by L.J. Smith in 1991. The novels have continued, along with a spin-off series that follows the TV series called Stefan’s Diaries.
The recent Vampire Diary book I loved had to be SHADOW SOULS (VAMPIRE DIARIES: THE RETURN SERIES #2)
The reason why I love Damon so much is he’s the classic anti-hero. Sure he seems to be a bloodsucking vampire but deep down he shows his vulnerabilities like his love for Elena. His humanity is shown in subtle moments that make him even more endearing. In this book, Elena goes on a road trip with Damon to find Stefan. The romance and chemistry between these two is very steamy.
Here’s another Daemon that I love:

He’s found in the amazing YA Sci-fi series LUX by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

The first book in the series, OBSIDIAN, introduces us to Daemon who comes across as arrogant and full of himself. Only later does new girl in town, Katy, find out the truth behind her standoffish neighbor. The chemistry between these two literally sizzles on the pages. The romance between Katy and Daemon is similar to the chemistry of Max and Liz in the 2000 TV series ROSWELL.

5. Ended the Christmas holiday by seeing the amazing movie Les Miserables.  All I can say is not a dry eye was in the theater.  Anne Hathaway should get an Oscar nod for one awesome performance: