Sunday 27 December 2009

Christmas Loot.

Hi everyone,


I hope you have all add a fantastic Christmas. We have had a slightly poorly one, as both my husband and myself went down with colds, however we tried not to let it spoil our enjoyment.

We spent Christmas Eve at my parent's new home with my brother and his wife and children. We had a lovely Christmas Day and Boxing Day at home, just us and the kids. We had decided to have a quiet Christmas after the year we have had and it seemed the best thing to do. We now have people visiting us every day until New Years Day, so I will be really busy up until then.

I was desperate to show you my Christmas loot, as I received 20 books for Christmas, each individually wrapped. Hubby had bought me 37 presents to open, that sounds mad, but a lot of them were little presents. He did really well and picked some fabulous bits for me.


Here are the lovely books I got for Christmas.

1) The Declaration by Gemma Malley. I purchased the second book in this series before I went on holiday and didn't realise there was a book before it. Don't you hate it when books don't tell you that they are part of a series?

2) The Lost Book of Salem by Katherine Howe. This book deals with the Salem witch trials.

3) A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libby Bray - another book where I picked up the second book in the series without realising there was a first.

4) Lament by Maggie Steifvater - I loved Shiver, so I was desperate to read Steifvater's other books. This one is about faeries.

5)Ballad by Maggie Steifvater - the sequel to Lament.

6) The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber.


7)The Seance by John Harwood. I have just started to read this Victorian mystery and I have to say I love it.

8) Daddy Long Legs and Dear Enemy by Jean Webster - this book was the hit of the holidays. I have wanted this one since I was a child. I have read it a few times through the years, but I have never had my own copy.


9) Boneshaker by Cherie Priest - my first Steampunk book.


10) Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston


11) The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachen.


12) The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barberry


13) The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. I have been wanting to read this one since the RIP challenge, as everyone kept telling me how good it is.


14) The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi. All first five books in one bound copy. Yay! I love Holly Black and really enjoyed Tithe and Valiant this year.


15) Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink


16) The Book of Tomorrow by Cecilia Aherne


17) Ruined by Paula Morris


18) The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters


19) The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt.


20) The Writers' and Artists' Year Book 2010.


The thin book on the top is a crochet book with lots of easy steps as I am still learning how to do it.

Hubby also found me lots of cupcakes goodies as he know my love of all things cupcake!

Our dog had a ball on Christmas Day as he had spent all week taking the presents from under the tree and attempting to open them. Finally, he could open them on Christmas Day and he ripped the paper off without anyone helping him.

One of the biggest hits in our house on Christmas Day was the air hockey table that Santa brought for the girls. I can't get them off it, though we have had to move it into the conservatory now as it is so noisy and I couldn't hear the telly.
So that is our Christmas wrapped up. We have a really busy week with lots of visitors, so I may not get on here everyday. I hope to post all the challenges I plan to join next year as well as my best books of the year this week. I will try and get round to everyone as much as possible this week, but normal blogging services will resume next week.
Happy New Year to you all.

27 comments:

  1. 37 gifts to open?? !!! Wow that's amazing. And 20 books that you didn't buy for yourself, awesome!

    I hope you feel better soon, Viv!

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  2. Wow, it looks like you had a great Christmas! Your husband is a fabulous gift giver! Enjoy.

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  3. That's never fun! I was sick on Christmas last year so I know what that feels like. Glad you didn't let that get in the way of celebrating. Wondrous Strange is SO good! Happy reading :)

    Oh I want! I just adore cupcakes!

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  4. Wow that is amazing, what a loot :D
    And here I got no books at all, strange indeed, what kind of bad booklover am I

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  5. Oh Vivienne, I'm so sorry that you and the hubby are under the weather! Hope you're both feeling better very soon!

    And wow...what a wonderful hubby he is...look at all those incredible books!!! Hope you enjoy The Spiderwick Chronicles...I read them to my sons a year or so ago, and we loved them. Much "lighter" than Tithe. But still very, very fun. And I have to admit, I think I may just have to use some of my gift cards to buy a couple of those you got...like Boneshaker and The Children's Book. Enjoy, Vivienne! And again, feel better soon!

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  6. OMG...that is a lot of gifts. Sounds like a wonderful holiday for you and your family.

    I hope your new books-- enjoy The Seance and the Katerine Howe book -- i did.

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  7. Wow...You got all that? You are some lucky woman!!
    Have fun reading. I know you will. :)
    Sorry to hear you had colds...hope you are better for New Years.

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  8. Kudos to the hubby for wrapping all those gifts for you!! So glad you had a nice christmas and the girls look very happy with their newest acquisition!

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  9. Ooh, Viv, what a loot! I'm jealous. Overall it sounds like such an awesome Christmas was had at your place. :D

    I've been bogged with a cold too. My boyfriend passed his "man flu" on to me and I've been trying to get rid of it ever since (even passing it on to every member of my family, my supervisor in work, and several customers!)

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  10. Wow! You got awesome presents this year! I hope that you guys are getting over your colds now.

    I love that your dog can open his own presents - what talent! :)

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  11. What a fabulous hubby you have! He did a great job with books and your cupcake items. Your girls look like they are enjoying Santa's big gift too. I hope you're feeling a little better now. Have a great week and a most happy new year!

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  12. Sorry that you weren't 100% over the holidays, still you seem to have made the most of it. Really lucky to get all those books, I wouldn't know which one to read first.

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  13. An impressive amount of books - I am in awe. With the help of gift money I was able to get about half of that which makes me exceedingly happy!

    I loved A Great And Terrible Beauty and the books which followed - all so good!

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  14. So glad you received Prophecy for Christmas! Hope you enjoy it - and all your other amazing loot!
    <3

    MZ

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  15. What a bonanza of wonderful stuff!

    I really must start reading Steifvater! I keep seeing her books everywhere!

    I like Cecelia Ahern, too.

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  17. Sorry Viv, that was me in the comment above - hadn,t noticed my eldest was still signed into her account! Grr.

    I said...

    Wow! They should keep you busy for about a week :D I was very chuffed to get 2 boks off my wishlist - Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts from my sister... and she also found me a dvd of High Spirits!!! One of our favourite films growing up! I fell in love with Liam Neeson as the naughty ghost in that film ;) - and one of my bestest friends got me Wings by Aprilynne Pike, can't wait to get stuck into that one! I believe you are responsible for that one being on my list!

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  18. Lovely post! Al those new books! Great cupcake goodies! And I love the photo of your twins and their new game!! :)

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  19. How nice to get all those books for Christmas! What supportive family and friends!

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  20. I hope you and your husband are feeling better now! I'm sorry you were sick on Christmas, but on the plus side, look at all those great gifts :D

    The Jean Webster books sound so charming. They were recommended to me recently when I asked about epistolary novels and I really need to read them soon.

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  21. That's too bad about the cold but wow, what a great Christmas bounty! Sounds like you guys had a very fun time.

    Have fun with the family and adding your new books to the bookshelves :)

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  22. Viv, sounds like you had a great Christmas. Your hubby is a good man picking up all those great gifts for you. That's one big pile of books you got. Where are you going to put them - lol. I sure hope you're all feeling better now.

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  23. Oh wow - look at all your books! The Lost Book of Salem sounds wonderful!

    Thanks for sharing your Christmas - it looks wonderful! :)

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  24. Great pics!! wow 20 books!
    happy reading and happy crocheting :)
    that air hockey table looks like fun!
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  25. Wow, I'm jealous. All those books and cupcake goodies. My husband almost never buys me books so I'd be shocked to find 20 books under the Christmas tree :)

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