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  • Tag: holiday

    • Bookish Tidings from Bookish Friends

      Posted at 10:44 am by Laura, on December 27, 2014

      Earlier this month I dedicated a post to the bookish friends in my life. They each received books and little goodies for Christmas. Now’s the perfect opportunity to share what I received from them — and to tell you what exactly they received from me!

      Morgan, Lindsey, and Stina received . . . little vials with a slightly burnt scroll that said Expecto Patronum, to keep the darkness away. I ordered this from allthingsharry on Etsy. Morgan, Hannah, and Alyssa received . . . Between Shades of Gray, Jackaby, and Love Letters to the Dead, respectively. All purchased with eager enthusiasm at the bookstore. My #TBTBSanta recipient received . . . a sassy bookmark about how books don’t need batteries, cocoa mix and peppermint drops, Cinder, and a necklace from A Series of Unfortunate Events. The necklace was ordered from PaperHeartGallery on Etsy. The book and goodies were purchased at the bookstore.

      The first gift to arrive was from Lindsey, and Rossetti and I had a lovely time unwrapping each item and, in her case, climbing into one of the gifts: a tote bag.

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      Mountains of chocolates and Starbucks-at-home packets, ribbon hair ties, a beautiful handmade ring, cleaning wipes for the obsessive cleaner (haha), socks, and books! I’ll admit I was a bit confused that I received the second book in a series, but figured I didn’t have to read it in order. It was far more exciting seeing how much thought Lindsey put into the gift!

      The second gift to arrive was from Morgan, the same day I received my #TBTBSanta gift. When I opened the box, I had to laugh. What catches your eye first?

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      Was it Zayn? Cause that’s the first thing I saw. Haha!

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      More chocolates, a wonderful candle, tea, gum, and two great books — one of them the first book in the series Lindsey sent me! They conspired with one another! Morgan also has really great book recommendations based on our many conversations. The thoughtfulness in her gift was incredibly touching as well.

      The book swap gifts with another Morgan, Hannah, and Alyssa were opened on Christmas day!

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      What cracks me up is that the list we gave each other reflected our own reading preferences, and the books we picked from that list to buy and send off reflected even further our reading preferences. For example, I sent the three of them my list, which was mostly MG and YA or slightly dark in theme. Hannah chose to send me Pennyroyal Academy, which is light and fun and MG and a genre she wants to dive into. Morgan chose The Book of Lost Things, which is adult and dark and veering away from the genre she was most submerged in recently. Alyssa chose Made for You, a YA romantic thriller, something I think Alyssa loves without realizing it.

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      My family purchased THE DIVINERS, my aunt and uncle UNDER THE WIDE AND STARRY SKY, and uncle THE MISTRESS OF ROSEMERE. All in all, a good Christmas!

       

      Yesterday was another great surprise, this time from Stina. She likes to send goodies year-round, and she puts so much thought into everything.

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      She said to me, “What does one buy a Janeite who already has so many Austen copies?” Well, the graphic novel version, of course! I’m so happy she chose Marvel’s Sense & Sensibility, as Pride & Prejudice is not my go-to Austen novel despite owning multiple copies. The number of graphic novels I’ve read I can count on one hand, and Stina’s always introducing me to new media. So this is really exciting! There’s also the small Austen quote book — and Stina knows how much I love quotes.

      I’m thrilled with the gifts. Everyone put so much thought into it!

      What did you receive this holiday season?

      Posted in books, Update Post | 3 Comments | Tagged book swap, books, holiday, personal
    • From My Secret Santa!

      Posted at 8:30 am by Laura, on December 20, 2014

      On a very bleak and busy Monday, three packages arrived from three amazing people, and one of those amazing people was Michelle @ Unraveling Books — my #TBTBSanta!

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      Michelle sent a great, eye-catching box filled with goodies wrapped in One Direction paper. I had to laugh — Morgan, Lindsey, and I text each other daily and somehow, someway, the conversation turns to 1D. I thought maybe Michelle saw a Twitter conversation. Her response? “You like English things and I like 1D, I didn’t care what you thought!”

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      The smaller goodies pertained to Harry Potter. Michelle mentioned in her card that she’s only ever seen the movies, and hoped I liked the Potter-themed goodies. Um, YES! A beautiful wooden bookmark and the best drink ever in candle form? Thank you!

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      I gave her a list of 10 books to choose from — old and new, hardcover and paperback, YA and adult — and she picked a great one: Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern, the author who wrote PS I Love You. This looked cute and quirky, and it was recommended to me by Lindsey @ Bring My Books. A breezy version of David Nicholl’s One Day, one of my favorite books. Can’t wait to read it!

      What did YOU receive from your #TBTBSanta?

       

      Posted in books, Update Post | 0 Comments | Tagged books, holiday, TBTBSanta
    • Nonfiction Selections for the Bookish Fan

      Posted at 8:45 am by Laura, on December 10, 2014

      There’s no other way to say it: I would not call myself a nonfiction reader. At all.

      When a nonfiction book receives praise left and right, I still don’t read it. I tend to ask friends, bloggers, colleagues, and other readers what they thought of this book and what it was about, but I never actually read it myself.

      Now that completely changes when it comes to something I’m passionate about. Literary parodies, facts pertaining to the making of Harry Potter (movies and books), historical references on my favorite writers and their works — yes. I’ll read those, hands down.

      There are three nonfiction books this holiday season I think many readers would be interested in receiving as a gift. If you’re stuck in a rut, why not get that special someone one of these books?

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      Texts from Jane Eyre by Mallory Ortberg

      From Homer to Harry, Oliver Twist to Katniss, Daisy to Buchanan to Nancy Drew, this book has it all! Watch Hamlet procrastinate, see just how twisted Lord Byron could get, experience the yellow wallpaper all over again — Texts from Jane Eyre is the perfect parody for literary folks. Like a certain Shakespeare play, Victorian poet, or famous character? He, she, or it is probably in here, and you’ll laugh right along with Ortberg’s playful handling of their personality and situation. My favorite was John Keats, my father enjoyed Oliver Twist, and my mother couldn’t stop laughing over Sherlock Holmes. My brother, who isn’t much of a reader, laughed at all the books parodied he’d read for school. Good fun for the whole family!

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      Harry Potter: The Creature Vault by Jody Revenson

      Are you a Harry Potter fan? What about your friends and family? You’re going to want to get multiple copies of this book. It’s incredibly insightful and full of so many behind-the-scenes facts about the filming of the Potter movies. Not to mention all the stunning artwork — it was both fascinating and frightening seeing the visual conception morph from one interpretation to another, resulting in the final product. It really sheds light on just how dark the children’s series really is. All those mermaid, goblin, and dementor drawings are quite haunting. Anyone interested in design, film production, art, CG effects, and Potter in general would want this gem.

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      Jane Austen Cover to Cover by Margaret C. Sullivan

      This isn’t just for Janeites! Jane Austen Cover to Cover is a brilliant blend of graphic design and publishing history. It’s also a neat insight to social and cultural changes. The covers that enticed readers in the 1950s are vastly different from those that entice readers today. With beautiful quotes, historical facts, and stunning cover exposures, this is a great gift for anyone interested in learning more about design and publishing. (And for those who already hoard multiple editions of books…)

      *

      Which nonfiction book are you planning to give to someone this holiday season?

       

      Posted in books | 6 Comments | Tagged books, holiday, recommendations
    • To My Secret Santa Recipient

      Posted at 8:00 am by Laura, on December 4, 2014

      It’s that time of year! I work in a bookstore, I work with books and authors and editors and agents, I get steep discounts during the holidays, I have to buy presents…so obviously the gifts are books. Even my family is getting books. But this year is extra special — a Secret Santa, a book swap, and bookish surprises for friends!

      As I mentioned before, I’m participating (for the first time) in The Broke and The Bookish‘s (fifth annual) Secret Santa, or #TBTBSanta on twitter and instagram. This brought on a whole new level of holiday book swap: somewhere in the world another book blogger you may have never “met” or “read” has sent you a list of books and ideas for goodies, and somewhere in the world a blogger received your own list of books and ideas for goodies. Sounds easy! But it’s quite tricky…

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      1 book + 1 necklace + edible goodies + a bookmark!

       

      First off, while I knew which book to pick, I didn’t know what to do about goodies! Should I send a bookmark — and if so, which one? Should I send chocolate — and if so, what kind? Should I send tea or cocoa or coffee? What other gift can I give? I browsed her blog, scrolled through her twitter, and spied on her Goodreads, and while it didn’t answer my edible questions, it certainly gave me the idea to buy a piece of jewelry that all bibliophiles would love, even if they’ve never read A Series of Unfortunate Events (note: she has!). I hope she likes it!

      "BOOKS ARE EVERYWHERE WHY HUMAN WHY!"

      “BOOKS ARE EVERYWHERE WHY HUMAN WHY!”

      This year I not only participated in TBTBSanta, but continued the book swap concept with three of the girls from my program. In 2012 and 2013, we hosted a Secret Santa Ugly Christmas Sweater Book Swap party, and everyone received one book on their wishlist and one book their Secret Santa read and thought they’d enjoy as well. This year, since we’re scattered after graduation and still wanted to keep in touch, we came up with a list of ten books to share to the others. We emailed everyone (except the recipient) which book we were getting the recipient so no one bought the same book accidentally. Three books purchased, one book mailed to each of the three girls, and receiving three books in the mail to put under the tree. Considering we’re all in different states across the country (literally North, South, East, and West represented!), we thought we were being clever to continue the book swap this way. It’s definitely been fun! Our book lists really reflected who we are as readers. Can’t wait to discuss the books we receive!

      A book-related piece of jewelry for my dear bookish friends.

      A book-related piece of jewelry for my dear bookish friends.

      I surround myself with people who enjoy reading, but three girls in particular (none of whom were in the graduate program) are quite close to me and we always have something to say about books. Stina (whom I met at a Harry Potter party and who introduced me to Nerdfighteria), Lindsey (of Jane Eyre guest blog fame), and Morgan (introduced by Lindsey after I fell into the Outlander fandom) are amazing women. Stina and I constantly exchange gifts and letters just because, and Lindsey, Morgan, and I have epic text conversations midnight every night. So…I bought the four of us a tiny little something, and I hope they love it!

      Rossetti wishes you a merry Christmas!

      Rossetti wishes you a merry Christmas!

      Are you participating in #TBTBSanta?
      What bookish gifts have you purchased for loved ones?

      Posted in books, Update Post | 2 Comments | Tagged book haul, book swap, books, holiday, TBTBSanta
    • Book Review: “My True Love Gave to Me” edited by Stephanie Perkins (ARC)

      Posted at 8:15 am by Laura, on September 30, 2014

      My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories edited by Stephanie Perkins 20309175
      Stories written by Stephanie Perkins, Holly Black, Ally Carter, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Matt de la Peña, Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor, Kiersten White

      Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
      Publishing Date: October 14
      Genre: young adult, romance, holiday
      ISBN: 9781250059307
      Goodreads: —
      Rating: ★★★★

      If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins.

      From New Year’s Eve parties to last-minute Hanukkahs, supernatural creatures from dreams to fantastic parallel universes, and down to your usual Christmas holiday story — twelve great YA authors bring wonderful new sets of characters this holiday season for some cozy, warm-feeling cheer that would go perfectly with a soft blanket and hot cocoa.

      I’ll admit I read only the short stories written by the authors I already enjoy (Perkins, Forman, Han, Rowell, Taylor) and those I’ve heard praise for but hadn’t read yet (Black, Carter, Levithan). Because I loved those short stories — such variety! — so much, I’m going to go back and read the ones by the authors I haven’t heard anything about.

      Rowell and Forman were my favorites, followed closely by Perkins. Rowell’s characters Mags and Noel went to the same New Year’s Eve party across all of high school and freshman year of college. They change with each passing year, grow closer, and their friendship is so beautiful and solid you can’t help but cheer at midnight. Forman’s Sophie is hilarious and witty, extremely sarcastic, and it intensifies when she meets Russell, the first person she views as her equal. Perkins’s story is heartfelt and authentic, Han’s was a surprising twist of her usual writing, Taylor’s was lush as usual, and Black’s was fun and quirky.

      This is an adorable winter holiday read, perfect to get you into the spirit!

      Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from St. Martin’s Press for review!

      Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 3 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: romance, genre: young adult, holiday, review
    • How Dickens changed Christmas forever…

      Posted at 9:26 pm by Laura, on December 25, 2011

      Barnes & Noble shared an interesting history behind Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.

      Since its publication, A Christmas Carol has been adapted into countless plays, films, and television productions. But many scholars believe it also fundamentally changed the way we view the holiday season. In a few short pages, Dickens managed to create a vision of old-fashioned good cheer and secular morality. But what’s most remarkable about the story is what it leaves out.

      Read on for the full story!

      Posted in books, Link | 0 Comments | Tagged books, history, holiday, news
    • No, You’re Getting a Book – NYTimes

      Posted at 11:44 am by Laura, on December 22, 2011

      No, You’re Getting a Book – The New York Times Opinion Pages – Kyle Jarrard

      A book allows you to time-travel, or just plain travel to real and imagined places, a not un-neat trick considering the price of airline tickets or space tourism. It allows you to meet evil, wonderful, mysterious, odd, crazy, fun, and not-fun people who often end up being more “real” in your life than real people. A simple tome of paper links you back, for instance, to the age of François I, Renaissance poet and book collector supremo, when the printing press and its wild spread across Europe was as exciting to us all as are e-books today.

       

      Posted in books, Link | 0 Comments | Tagged books, holiday, newspaper
    • Hello, I’m Laura!

      I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to knit, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm obsessed with popcorn. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!
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