CHRISTMAS BOOK HAUL

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! 

Don't worry - I'm not writing this on Christmas Day... okay, that's a little bit of a lie. I'm writing this part before Christmas but obviously I don't know what books I have yet so I'll be filling that in before dinner! 

I know I'm getting books as I've given my mum a massive list and access to my goodreads to help her pick! She is good at picking out books I'd like by herself it's just she always picks out ones I own. I've even picked some books out in charity shops and got her to buy them to wrap for me so I know I defintely have some! 

EDIT: CHRISTMAS EVE
So... I've looked at my gifts under the tree and my mum seems to have gotten me 17 books. WHAT? Mental - bearing in mind she hasn't a clue what I like and says only one is on my goodreads like (of which I have 600!) Dear lord!

EDIT: CHRISTMAS DAY
So I got 24 books just from my mum and then four more from other family what?!

CHRISTMAS EVE
My Christmas Eve present obviously contained PJ's and fluffy socks (Harry Potter ones!) but for whatever reason, mum was adamant I open two books. There was no reason other than she doesn't want my stepdad to know how many books she's bought me considering how much she tells me to stop buying them!

First up, I opened THE BUTCHER'S HOOK by Janet Ellis. She bought this because it has turqois sprayed edges and it mentioned the main character getting blood on her hands so she thought it might be crime and bought it. It's not one I'd have chosen myself as it's an adult historical fiction novel (not crime) but it can sit nicely on the bookshelves we have downstairs and maybe one day I'll pick it up.

The second book really bloody impressed me! A SHIVER OF SNOW AND SKY by Lisa Lueddecke i​s one I've seen on shelves in Waterstones but never thought I wanted and even my mum pointed it out, however recently I've seen some reviews and as I've been feeling more open to fantasy I was going to add it to my wishlist - but I didn't get round to it. And then mum gives it to me?? What?! She thought it looked christmassy so she got it. I've started reading this one and I'm enjoying it so far!


CHRISTMAS DAY
As I mentioned, mum seems to have bought me a lot of books and they could be absolutely anything - she doesn't even know the genres. I'm so excited to find out what she has! I do know of three books as I was there and picked them out!

VALENTINE by Jodi McAlister
This had a nice cover so I told mum to buy me it. Not a clue what it's about

STRINGS OF MURDER by Oscar de Muriel
I recently got a personalised shopping experience thing with someone from Penguin and they recommended me 16 books. One of them was this. I saw it in a charity shop for £1 and was debating wether to buy it then so mum took it out my hands and bought it for christmas.

THE FIFTH WAVE by Rick Yancey
Another charity shop find. I think I bought this but it ended up on the pile with the other two so mum's wrapped it haha! This was cheap - probably £1 and I know lots of people hate it or have issues with it but I'm curious so why not?

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Mum actually did surprisingly well and managed to get me some YA, as well as most of the books being ones I'm interested in - although one of the books is the same as what she got me last year... I know, how she did it I've not a clue but hey, only one duplicate! I'm going to break it into genre so I don't have to tell you twenty times (I don't want to spend all Christmas writing - I have food to eat!)

Young Adult:
EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING by Nicola Yoon.
I'd be really impressed with my mum for buying me this except I read it at the start of this year and am fairly certain my mum bought me it last year... 

POISON STUDY BOXSET by Maria V Snyder
I spotted this boxset in The Works for £12 and considering the RRP is £40 or something I was like 'I NEED IT', obviously. We'll ignore the fact I now own three copies of the first book and haven't read it but now I can just marathon the whole series in one go if I want so I'm excited!

SPELLSLINGER by Sebastien de Castell
I have no idea how but my mum managed to get a proof copy of this book and I am OBSESSED with the cover!! I've wanted this book for a while as it deals with magic and just sounds really good so I'm super excited to have a rare edition!

ALEX APPROXIMATELY by Jenn Bennett
I adored Night Owls by this author and have been dying to get my hands on this for so long! I know I've sort of went away from contemporary lately but this time last year I found it super easy to get through them and I'm really hoping to power through a lot of books in the next two weeks so fingers crossed I find this just as quick!

STARGAZING FOR BEGINNERS by Jenny McLachlan
This has a similar cover to the previous book and omg I'm loving it. I've heard of this author but am yet to read from her and this would definitely be my first choice!

Poetry:
THE PRINCESS SAVES HERSELF IN THIS ONE by Amanda Lovelace
Do you blame me? I adored Milk and Honey and have been on the lookout for other poetry in the same vein as it so I was thrilled when my mum actually bought this for me. Out of all the books I've mentioned wanting I am so happy that she chose this one to buy me brand new knowing I would want it.

Crime/Mystery/Thriller:
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
I love love love the Penguin English Library Editions of books and I want to read the Sherlock books so of course this was on my list! 

DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE by Robert Louis Stevenson
Along with Sherlock, mum helped me begin my Dr Jekyll collection! I have the gorgeous Penguin Leather-bound edition and now I have the English Library edition - both of which are designed by my favourite illustrator Coralie Bickford-Smith.

IN A COTTAGE IN A WOOD by Case Green
asdfghjkl. Less than a week ago I said to my mum that I should have just gotten her to buy me thrillers as I don't own any adult ones and she wouldn't need to worry if I had them and it turns out she did! This one by far sounds the most exciting and I'm so keen to read it! I'm aware I'm not giving any synopsises and I do apologise but I'm the worst at explaining which is why I link the Book Depository pages in the book title!

GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn
We've all heard of this book and I somehow haven't been spoiled for it so I think I ought to give it a go!

LYING IN WAIT by Liz Nugent
Not gonna lie. Not a clue what this is other than a thriller.

DEAD WOMAN WALKING by Sharon Bolton
See above. Sorry haha!
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General Fiction:
THE SNOW CHILD by Eowyn Ivey
This has a fox on the cover so it's not curiosity as to what encouraged my mum to get this one! I believe it's historical fiction - I'm not totally sure!

THE VERSIONS OF US by Laura Barnett
I tried to read this a few years ago but couldn't get into it so who knows if this is one I will ever pick up but it's one of only two books I'm not keen on so I really cannot complain!

The Wizarding World:
HARRY POTTER ILLUSTRATED EDITIONS 1, 2, 3
I have the best gran in the world!! I mentioned being desperate for Prisoner of Azkaban but feeling wrong buying the third when I don't have the other two (I know, I know... I honestly don't know what's wrong with me!) and I assumed my gran was buying me either the first one or PoA as it's the one I most wanted, yet here we are. She got me all three!! I can't believe she did that but now I need to go buy another wall shelf as my HP one is already full - and mum got me the Lucius Malfoy POP Funko so I'm in dire need of more space!

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM ILLUSTRATED EDITION
My auntie also wins best auntie in the world! The Illustrated Fantastic Beasts is STUNNING and I always browse through it when I see it in stores but I don't need to now as I've got my own copy! This is also why I need another shelf! It's going above my bed so pray it doesn't fall down on me! haha

And that's it. I cannot believe how lucky I am and how many books I got. I hope everyone has had a lovely Christmas and now I'm off to enjoy dessert!