Of Epic Fantasy Owl Crates and TBTBSantas

I don’t think I’ve posted a book haul-ish post on my blog in ages. Mostly because the last few books I’ve bought I’d done piece-meal. And honestly, for the most part, they were gifts. The last thing I’d actually bought at The Strand for myself was a copy of Dreamstrider by Lindsay Smith (which, if you’ve seen the cover, is gorgeous and of course I wanted it in my collection). Everything else I’d gotten I’d given away (including six children’s books, five of which I really wanted to read but didn’t have time to, and three books to my TBTBSantee).

But! There is always the OwlCrate.

I had subscribed to Owl Crate last month, when the Wonderland Theme was a definite buy because I really wanted a copy of Marissa Meyer’s Heartless and come on, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was an awesome book, and it’s a fabulously aesthetic theme. I was not disappointed, and when I saw that December’s was going to be on YA epic fantasies, I jumped at the chance. I hadn’t been able to call the book this time around (Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst), though it looks really good (and an LGBT one, too!), so I can’t wait to read it. The swag for the Epic theme was pretty much kickass as well, what with items from some of my favorite fantasies out there.

Next month’s theme is “Classic Remix,” and I’m fairly sure it’ll include Heartstone by Elle Katharine White, because it’s certainly a remix of a classic Jane Austen story, and surprise surprise, it gets released in January. My inner Austenite wants this book, but I’ve chosen to opt out of the Owl Crate because I’m not keen on getting more tea (especially if it comes out to be a slightly disappointing set of decaf).

I also had the pleasure of getting a lovely pile of swag and books from Raisa @ raisinetta and they were gorgeous, thank you so much!

Alright, don’t laugh, but I’ve been wanting Eona by Alison Goodman for ages. And yet…I still haven’t read Eon, lol! It just wasn’t right, not having the sequel when it’s clearly a duology, I guess. I also got a hardcover of Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillan, which is a fantasy following, well, wattaya know, a girl named Raisa (I see the cheek you used there, har har). All the chocolates have disappeared, and the tea will as well once I get going with my nightly teatimes. My sister has been grumbling about finding a particularly blue TARDIS hanging on our tree (which is all the more odd because our tree happens to be white and gold-themed). And Sailor Mars happens to be my favorite senshi so she is now hanging around my set of house and school keys!

Some other books I’ve managed to yoink this month includes a few library borrowed: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon (because I needed to finish it and I’d already sent the copy I bought along to my TBTBSanta), the graphic novel of Brent Weeks’ The Way of Shadows (which I’ve been wanting to get my hands on since I’ve read the Night Angel trilogy and loved it) and White Sand by Brandon Sanderson (also a graphic novel, which looks awesome so far). Oh, and my bestie had a copy of Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson, which I plan to read in February before I lock myself down with A Conjuring of Light. Ahem.

Anyway. That’s all bookish updates so far! I shall be back with some holiday fooding this Sunday. If I haven’t died from the exhaustive week of knitting, baking, and gifting.