Christmas Book Haul 2017

I'm struggling to believe that another Christmas has come and gone, and we're now into 2018! But one thing I can be sure of every year is that Christmas will bring me another huge pile of books to get stuck into - and I'm pleased to say 2017 was no different.

A big pile of bright and shiny new books = justification for a book haul post!

I'm just going to go through all of the new books I received for Christmas, and discuss which ones I've been waiting a long time to own, which I'm most excited to read, and generally just which ones I'm intrigued by.

There is such a wide range of genres and styles in the pile, and a large amount of Christmas-themed books. But hey, there's nothing wrong with a mixed bag.

The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books - Martin Edwards

I asked for a lot of books this Christmas, but this was one of the surprises in the bag. The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books tells the story of crime fiction through the ages, focusing in on the twentieth century. This is not a compilation of short stories, or an analysis of the best crime fiction stories; rather it is about the journey of crime fiction, and how it came to be what it is today. As a lover of crime fiction, I can't wait to start looking through the different sections. And there are so many different sections in there! 

Having only flicked through the book so far, I can't say an awful lot about how successful it is. However, from what I see, there is a lot of promise there. I've already spotted several notable crime writers, from Arthur Conan Doyle to Agatha Christie, and the book looks to be saturated with references to worthwhile stories. There appears to be so much detail and content in there that I'm itching to get started. I'm looking forward to coming across new authors and their stories, and picking up on new books that I might want to read in the future. 

Murder in the Snow (A Cotswold Christmas Mystery) - Gladys Mitchell


Another Little Christmas Murder - Lorna Nicholl Morgan

Sticking with the crime theme, these are another two surprises this year. Murder in the Snow and Another Little Christmas Murder: two more murder mysteries to add to my ever-growing collection!

I absolutely love the covers of these books. They're so pretty, and yes, I am judging books by their covers! I can hardly help it when they're this inviting though.

I've decided to hold off on reading these two until next Christmas. I have no doubt that they'll get me right into the Christmas spirit!

The Beautiful Creatures Series - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

And so we arrive at the first books that I actually did ask for. The entire Beautiful Creatures series, written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

I can't help but confess that I love reading young adult fiction. Some of it is awful, but some of it is surprisingly very good. I've heard such mixed reviews about this series that I was originally unsure about reading it. However, the plot sounds like something that I might enjoy a lot. I did actually try and watch the film first, but I just found it utterly unwatchable. Tedious and very annoying. I am, however, determined to give the books a good go, and very optimistic that I'll find these a lot more to my taste!

A Talent for Murder - Andrew Wilson

This was definitely one of the books I asked for for Christmas. Using Agatha Christie's mysterious real-life ten day disappearance as a starting point, I can only imagine the possibilities for the rest of this story. 

It's one of those strange things, Christie's disappearance. I don't really know a lot about it, so I may have to do a little bit of research before I give this novel a read, so I have a bit of background knowledge from the off.

This one has been on my wish list for a long time. My only concern is that because I'm so keen to read this book, I might end up over-hyping it, and ultimately being disappointed. However, I very much doubt it, and I have high hopes for this novel!

The Thirty-Nine Steps - John Buchan

I must admit that this one was a bit of a curve-ball. I've never heard of the book, so have absolutely no idea what to expect when I start reading it. 

I do have a soft spot for older books though. They just have an unexpected gentleness to them that is so endearing, even in more serious and action-packed stories.

As a relatively short book, I might try this book first' I'm intrigued to see how much depth you can get from the book of this length.

Murder on Christmas Eve (Classic Mysteries for the Festive Season) - Various Authors

For those who've followed my blog, you'll know that I recently reviewed a book that was a collection of short stories. It appears I have another one to read! I also said that I wasn't usually a fan of short stories, but I must say I'm starting to come around to them. This collection contains lots of stories that take place on Christmas Eve.

I've realised that the charm of a short story is in the ease of reading them, even if it is at the expense of a more interesting and detailed plot. I'm hoping to save this festive collection until next Christmas as well.

The Hypnotist's Love Story - Liane Moriarty

I've also reviewed another of Liane Moriarty's books before. In fact, I've read every other book that Liane Moriarty has written. This was the only one I had left to read, so I asked for this to top off my collection! What I love about Moriarty's books is the ease and gentleness that comes with reading them. They are so easy to read, and the plots are always relatable. It's 'chick lit' at its finest, and I really do enjoy Moriarty's work. No doubt I'll whizz through this novel like the rest of them! I'm hoping this will be up there with the best of her work (and hopefully better than The Last Anniversary, which you may know from my previous review I was not a big fan of!).

The 12.30 from Croydon - Freeman Wills Crofts

Death of an Airman - Christopher St John Sprigg

These were the last of my surprises this Christmas, but it's not difficult to see why I received them! Crime fiction again, of course! I've already started collecting some of the series of British Library Crime Classics, but I haven't read an awful lot yet. These will be added to my pile to dabble in when I want to read some good old British crime fiction. Judging by the titles, I think I'm most looking forward to reading The 12.30 from Croydon. There's just something mysterious and precise about that title that intrigues me. Let's hope it lives up to my interest!

The Killables Series - Gemma Malley

The final set of books that I asked for was The Killables series, written by Gemma Malley. I originally came across this series when I was looking for potential new books to read. I'd previously read a series by Gemma Malley starting with The Declaration, and it got me hooked. 

The Declaration takes place in a dystopian world, where it is illegal to be young. Agree never to have children, and you will be provided with longevity drugs which will keep you alive forever. Refuse, and live your life as an outcast. Even worse, your children will be known as surplus, and sent to be raised in institutions that help them know their place. The story follows Anna, a young surplus who knows nothing but the rules that she must follow. That is, until another surplus comes along who makes her question what she thinks she knows.

I am very excited to get stuck into The Killables, which I'm sure will be just as unique as The Declaration. And the best bit in receiving all three in the series is that I don't have to wait between books for the next to come out!

So that's it! A good Christmas book haul. There is nothing better than a new set of books to choose from, and I can't wait to immerse myself in new adventures. Expect lots more reviews coming very soon!