December ’18 book haul

HAPPY NEW YEAR BOOK NERDS!!

Before we get started, I just want to say thanks for all your support last year – you guys are the greatest. Also, 2018 can go jump in a lake. Bring on 2019! (FYI, it was mostly just December that was awful, but this year will be better!!)

As usual, we are splitting this into three sections: book boxes, book mail (online purchases that arrived), and book purchases (ebooks and in-store), PLUS because I received some gorgeous things in the mail, I’ve added another section ‘Other bookish items’.

December book boxes

I subscribe to three monthly boxes: OwlCrate, FairyLoot and the book-only subscription for LitJoy. Here is what arrived in December (including those pesky November leftovers):

• Owlcrate’s December theme was Power of Illusions, and the book was Amber and Dusk by Lyra Selene (exclusive cover below)
• FairyLoot’s November theme was Battles and Galaxies, and the book contained was Skyward by Brandon Sanderson – I’m ashamed to say it’s my first of his books! (my copy had sprayed edges as I am not in US/Canada)
• LitJoy’s November theme was Fortune and Folklore, and the book contained was The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson. You probably don’t remember, but I actually already received this in a Fanciful Book box many months ago, so I tried to suspend my order for November, but apparently LitJoy doesn’t have that option? Bit strange, but good to know for future!

My FairyLoot and LitJoy boxes for December did not arrive before I left for holidays (either time), so I’ll be opening those when we return in January!

December book mail

Pretty quiet month on book mail, which was nice (except, you know, I do like to open mail):

• The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzie Lee (I won this in a competition hosted by Jacob)
• Walk It Off, Princess by David Thorne
• Crows, Papua New Guinea, and Boats by David Thorne
• The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead (still waiting on Bloodlines to arrive…)
• Secrets of the Tally by Halie Fewkes
• Catching Epics by Halie Fewkes
• A Deal for Three by Halie Fewkes (backed on kickstarter and got all three books)

December book purchases

In terms of physical books, following last month’s splurge I purchased these beauties in December:

• Undying by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
• The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
• Navigating the Stars by Maria V Snyder
• Dust by Hugh Howey
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (yeah, I can’t believe I didn’t have a copy either)
• Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare
• Wires and Nerve (Vol 1) by Marissa Meyer
• Saga Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan

Other bookish items

A while ago on Instagram I saw a post from a few artists that I follow, they were doing some exclusive art for a box curated just by artists. The box was called From Words to Art and was being organised by @whimsicalillustration. I am fortunate that I have a great job and so I like to share the love by purchasing items from artists from time to time – usually as a gift for someone else (although I do have a LOT of @silketara and @naomi_lord‘s stickers on my laptop). So I purchased a box, and it arrived just before New Years. And it contained the most gorgeous items! I will take photos when I get home and share early next year.

I also received my LitJoy Year 5 Magic Crate. This is my first magical crate, and likely to be my only one as well. Not because the items weren’t amazing (they absolutely were), but because Book 5 (Order of the Phoenix) is my favourite of the books, and so this was the one I desperately wanted. My favourite item in the crate is the prophecy glass ball, but the other items were absolutely adorable as well. Again, I’ll take photos when I get home again.

Happy reading! ??