Christmas Book Haul 2019

Introduction

Another year, another Christmas haul that just so happens to include a lot of books. How unsurprising! All my friends and family know how much I love books, so it isn't unusual for me to accumulate a huge number of books and book memorabilia over Christmas. The problem is finding the time to actually read them, not to mention trying to fit them all onto my already full bookshelves! But I'll manage, like always. There's nothing more relaxing and homely than being surrounded by walls of books.

Here's a breakdown of the books I got for Christmas this year; my initial thoughts about them, and which ones I'm most looking forward to:

The Binding - Bridget Collins

I saw this book in a Waterstones newsletter, and asked for it for Christmas because the story sounds right up my street! It feels historical, fantastical, and mysterious all in one: all genres I love to read! It also feels like it's going to be such a magical read, and I'm going to try and read this very soon. Plus - the cover of the book is absolutely beautiful. It'll look wonderful on my shelf!

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Original Screenplay

Crimes of Grindelwald Original Screenplay

As an enormous Harry Potter fan, it is astounding that it has taken me this long to get the screenplays for the Fantastic Beasts series. I know, right?! Christmas seemed like the perfect opportunity to acquire them, and they're now sitting happily beside all my other magical world books on my designated bookshelf. I'm excited to rifle through these screenplays and then watch the movies again.

Renegades, Archenemies and Supernova - Marissa Meyer

I've seen a lot about the Renegades series on Bookstagram over the past few months, and so the series has been on my TBR list for a while now. Seeing that the series was written by Marissa Meyer made me even more keen to read them, as last year I devoured The Lunar Chronicles series, and adored them. I think Meyer is a great writer, and I hope I love this series just as much as I loved reading about Cinder.

The Teahouse Detective: The Case of Miss Elliott - Baroness Orczy

A few years ago for Christmas I received a book called The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books, which discussed the most significant works of crime fiction that have shaped the genre in the modern day. Each chapter outlines a few books and discusses them. I worked out fairly early on that in order to really appreciate this book, I would need to have all the stories that were referenced. Therefore, over the past few years, I've been collecting the books, ready to read the chapter. This has been quite an extensive process, but I'm getting there! The Teahouse Detective is one of these novels, so I'm excited to add it to my growing collection!

Strangers On A Train - Patricia Highsmith

This was a surprise gift, but it's definitely right up my street! I'd heard of this novel before, as it's obviously famous within the crime fiction world, but I'd never really given it a second thought. It's funny that now I've got it, I think I'm really going to enjoy it. The story sounds interesting and exciting, and I'm definitely intrigued by it!

Gentlemen and Players - Joanne Harris

I was given this book as a gift, and have to confess that I've never heard of it before. The name of the author rings a bell, but apart from that, I'm totally blind to the book and to the author's work. However, the blurb sounds very interesting; similar in style to the likes of Donna Tartt's The Secret History and M.L. Rio's If We Were Villains. I loved both of those stories, so hopefully I'll love this one too!

Identity Crisis - Ben Elton

This was another surprise this Christmas, and again, I've never heard of it. I'm less sure about this book by reading the blurb on the back. It could be really great, or it could be not my thing at all. It could definitely swing either way. Watch this space.

Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

Okay, so obviously I have already read this, and own more than one copy already. However, my partner knows how much I love the Jane Austen novels, and he bought me a gorgeous folio edition of Sense and Sensibility to match my Pride and Prejudice edition. It's absolutely gorgeous, and is sitting proudly next to my other Austens. I can't wait to read this beautiful copy.

To Serve Them All My Days - R.F. Delderfield
This was another little surprise. I'm obviously a History graduate, and I'm currently looking into First World War fiction for my Masers thesis. My dad gave me this novel as he thought I would apprecaite the story. He also told me that it's one of his favourite books of all time, so I definitely need to give it a shot if it comes so highly recommended!

Written in History - Simon Sebag Montefiore

This was another book that I stumbled across in a Waterstones newsletter, and knew I had to own it. Again, I'm really interested in history, and this is a collection of notable letters written in history, by notable figures. It has the potential to be really interesting, and I know I'm going to be dipping in and out of it over the coming year.

The Waves - Virginia Woolf

My partner got me some surprise books from the website 'A Blind Date With A Book', where you choose the books you buy based on the themes that are used to describe them. It encourages readers not to judge books by their covers, which is an idea that I really love! My partner chose three books for me based on their themes that he thought I would like (and then prayed I didn't already have them!). One of them was The Waves by Virginia Woolf. I've got Orlando by Woolf which was a suggested text for my degree, but I never actually got round to reading it. It's still on my TBR list, but maybe I'll have to give The Waves a go first. I do love a good classic!

One of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManus
One of my friends mentioned to me several weeks ago that they were reading this book, and that they were really enjoying it, so I knew I had to add it to my TBR list, as our tastes are very similar when it comes to fiction. This sounds like a perfect easy-to-read, young adult novel; full of teen mystery that is such a good genre to binge. I'm very excited for this one!

Warcross - Marie Lu

I can't really remember how I found out about this book, probably through Bookstagram. I just thought the idea was interesting, taking an angle of gaming into a dystopian teen novel. It's an experimental one for me, and I'm not sure if I'm going to enjoy it. But fingers crossed!

A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness

This was the second 'mystery' book that I received from my partner, and I was really pleasantly surprised by it! I know this book has been a really big deal to many readers, but I have never really given it a second look. I have read other books by Patrick Ness; namely The Knife of Never Letting Go and the other books in the series. I did enjoy these, so I'm hoping I'll like reading A Monster Calls too!

Eleanor and Park - Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor and Park was the third and final surprise book that I received from my partner (a great gift, might I just add!), and this was the one I recognised the most. I remember picking this up a few years ago, but I can't for the life of me remember if I actually read it or not. I have definitely read Fangirl by the same author, and I really wasn't a fan, so I'm a little hesitant to read this one. Hopefully I'll enjoy it more though.

Verdict of Twelve - Raymond Postgate
Bats in the Belfry - E.C.R. Lorac

These books are part of the classic crime collection that the British library facilitates, and were another surprise present. I have a lot of the books from this collection already, but I've only really read the Christmas ones. I need to get my act together and start reading some more! I think I'm more looking forward to Verdict of Twelve, because the idea sounds very cool! It reminded me a little of the book Thirteen, by Steve Cavanagh, which I absolutely loved! So that'll probably be the one I read first. 

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And so that's it! Those are all the books I received for Christmas. I did a pretty poor job of making my way through the books I got in last year's Christmas book haul, so I better get my act together if I'm going to make it through all these in 2020! 

Happy reading!