BLOG TOUR: The Bookshop Book by Jen Campbell

I was so excited when I was asked to take part in the blog tour for The Bookshop Book as what could be better than a book about books? If you are an avid reader, sniffer or stroker of books, blogger, independent bookshop champion then this book is for you! 

Every bookshop has a story...
The Bookshop Book explores bookshops in barns, disused factories, converted churches and underground car parks. Bookshops on boats, on buses, and in old run-down train stations. Fold-out bookshops, undercover bookshops. this-is-the-best-place-I've-ever-been-to-bookshops.
Meet Sarah and her Book Barge sailing across the sea to France; meet Sebastien, in Mongolia, who sells books to herders of the Altai Mountains; meet the bookshop in Canada that's invented the world's first antiquarian book vending machine.
And that's just the beginning.
From the oldest bookshop in the world, to the smallest you could imagine, The Bookshop Book examines the history of books, talks to authors about their favourite places, and looks at over two hundred weirdly wonderful bookshops across six continents (sadly we've yet to build a bookshop down in the South Pole).

This book is simply lovely. I have already bought several copies to give as gifts as I think it is the perfect present for book lovers.
Jen Campbell explores over two hundred bookshops all over the world and I now have a very large list of all those I want to visit. The descriptions are brilliant, I could picture these wonderful places in my head and I loved reading about the people who own and run them. The Bookshop Book really does emphasise the power of books and reading. People have been worried about the rise in e-readers but I think this book demonstrates why we will always have physical books too. There is something so powerful about being in a shop full of books, new or old, the possibility of new adventures and new characters to meet.
Jen Campbell has included interviews with bookshop owners and also several authors and it is interesting to see their different perspectives on what makes a good bookshop and also to hear their book recommendations.
The Bookshop Book is a fantastic read and it made me want to go and visit a physical bookshop rather than relying on the convenience of on-line book shopping. I highly recommend this book and as I said earlier it would be a lovely gift for anyone who likes reading or simply as a treat for yourself.

Many thanks to Emily for inviting me to review this book as part of the blog tour. 

Book Review: A Gift to Remember by Melissa Hill

Daydream believer Darcy Archer works in a small bookstore in Manhattan. Just like the heroines from her favourite novels, she's waiting for 'Mr Perfect' to sweep her off her feet. Then one morning, when cycling to work, Darcy accidentally crashes into him instead...
As the sharply dressed man is taken away in an ambulance, Darcy is left holding his puppy and a gift wrapped package. wracked with guilt, and vowing to set things right, she leaps headfirst into the world of this stranger: his name is Aidan Harris and he has a passion for books, travel and adventure- and it's not long before Darcy thinks he could be The One.
But will her fantasy match the reality when Aidan wakes up? And, more pressingly, who was the gift wrapped package really destined for?

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 405 

I adored this book from start to finish. The only other book I have read by Melissa Hill is Something From Tiffanys but I will certainly be working my way through her other books now.
A Gift to Remember focuses on Darcy Archer; she is the manager of a
beautiful book store called Chalkers. She always has her head in a book and so is still looking for Mr Right but who will measure up to all of the great fictional men she has been filling her head with? Step in Aidan Harris who Darcy literally knocks over with her bike. Lying on the pavement, Darcy can see that Aidan is every bit as handsome as Mr Rochester but the problem is that due to the collision, he has absolutely no idea who he is. The book follows Darcy as she sets about helping Aidan to remember which is no mean feat but the more she does find out, the more she likes him but who knows if he is free or not to like her back.
Darcy Archer is a lovely character who I warmed to instantly (a little bit of this was because my daughter has the same name). As a fellow book worm, I very much identified with Darcy; often the people who I meet in real life do not match up to the fictional characters that I enjoy. Aidan is also a very good character; he is clearly handsome and Melissa Hill feeds the reader snippets that leave you wanting more.
A Gift to Remember has a really lively pace. I was on holiday but it still only took me just over a day to read it. Melissa Hill brought in a lot of humour through some of the smaller characters which I really enjoyed and I loved her descriptions of New York and its different establishments. A Gift to Remember is a fantastic read; it is romantic, funny and heart warming. I'm looking forward to catching up with some of Melissa's other books.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me a review copy.

Book Review: The Railwayman's Wife by Ashley Hay

In Thirroul in 1948, people chose their dreams through the books in the railway's library. Annika Lachlan searches for solace after her life is destroyed by a single random act. Roy McKinnon, who found poetry in the mess of war, has lost his words and his hope. Frank Draper is trapped by the guilt of those his treatment and care failed on their first day of freedom. All three struggle with the same question: how now to be alive?

The Railwayman's Wife is superbly written. I felt as though Ashley Hay's writing was very visual, she describes things in great detail, down to the way light falls on an object. It is quite cinematic as it is so easy to conjure up images of the world created on the page.
The book is very much about love and loss. Annika Lachlan endures an awful tragedy at the beginning of the book and she knows her life will never be the same again. Entering into her new life, she encounters Roy McKinnon and Dr Frank Draper, both returned from war, they are almost mourning their old lives as due to what they have seen and experienced, life will never be the same for them either.
Ashley Hay writes in the present tense which I don't usually enjoy but in this instance it just added to the vivid feel of this book. You feel as though you are right there, experiencing the story with the characters.
The Railwayman's Wife is a thought provoking and interesting read. This is Ashley Hay's sixth book and I found her writing style to be particularly accomplished, I would highly recommend this author.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4.5/5

Pages: 320 

Publisher: Allen and Unwin

Thank you very much to the lovely Sam at Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of this book, The Railwayman's Wife is out on January 2nd!

Books Are My Bag Campaign

Have you heard about the BOOKS ARE MY BAG campaign yet? I think it's something we really need to get behind in order to champion our local independent book shops. I am very much guilty of buying from Amazon, mainly because it is quick and convenient but I do try to buy from a local book store as often as I can. Nothing beats wondering round a beautiful book shop and finding something new to read, the staff are often incredibly helpful and enthusiastic and we must do all we can to keep these shops going. So all you have to do is visit your local book shop on Saturday 14th September and buy a book, tweet about it, facebook it, blog, just let people know that you are supporting the campaign! 

Here's a little more information plus the website address:

Booklovers across the UK & Ireland are being encouraged to join an unprecedented nationwide campaign – BOOKS ARE MY BAG – that celebrates high street & campus bookshops. BOOKS ARE MY BAG is a collaboration between publishers, bookshops, authors and agents, devised by advertising agency, M&C Saatchi, to champion the passion for books and bookshops and celebrate their cultural importance on the high street.

For many people bookshops conjure fond images of book readings, in-store cafes and delight at the discovery of a new author. In fact, 56% of all book buying decisions are made by consumers in a bookshop and high street bookshops (both chains and independents) still account for almost 40% of books bought by consumers (by value) (Bowker Research 2013).  Yet, many high street bookshops are under threat from punitive rates and rents, as well as pressure from the internet book retailers.

BOOKS ARE MY BAG aims to reverse this process by reigniting the nation’s love of bookshops, calling on book lovers to show their support by visiting and purchasing a book from their favourite bookshop on Saturday 14^th September. A full list of the events can be found at the BOOKS ARE MY BAG website (www.booksaremybag.com).

BOOKS ARE MY BAG was launched to the bookselling industry in April at The London Book Fair and has since recruited around 100 high profile UK and international authors, broadcasters, models, sports stars, actors, politicians, chefs, journalists and comedians willing to lend their image to the campaign, to be photographed with the iconic canvas bag which has been designed as the centrepiece for the movement.

The BOOKS ARE MY BAG bag carries a simple and powerful message allowing readers to display their love and support for local bookshops while encouraging others to do so.  Over a quarter of a million bags will be distributed from 14^th September to Christmas at over 1,800 chain and independent bookshops from across the UK & Ireland.

The Folio Society, Beautifully Illustrated Books

I don't normally do posts to endorse products but I really wanted to share my excitement about The Folio Society with you. I love books, especially beautiful books so I was delighted to see just what The Folio Society had to offer, they would make stunning and thoughtful gifts for any book lovers in your life. Dr S is an avid reader too, we have completely different tastes but he nearly always buys hardbacks so we have a massive collection in our house. The very lovely Kate from FMcM Associates kindly allowed me to choose a book from the society that I would send as a gift on Father's Day. It really didn't take me long to choose, Dr S is a huge Patrick O'Brian fan so I picked Master and Commander which is the first in the series. I was too excited to wait for Fathers Day when the book arrived so Dr S got an early present and has decided that he would like to collect them all!
The book arrived in a lovely gift box and as you can see from the pictures, it is very special. The cover is very eye catching with the blue and gold and it feels nice to hold. Inside the book has pictures that relate to the story and the history at the time so these just add to the overall reading experience.

Here's what The Folio Society have to say about themselves:

Great books should be outstanding not only in literary content but also in their physical form: this has been the philosophy of The Folio Society since it was founded in 1947 by Charles Ede, with a dream of publishing beautiful books that would be affordable to everyone. Our pleasure in reading is enhanced by the book itself, in which typography, illustration, paper, printing and binding all play a part in creating a harmonious whole. In a world of declining publishing standards, where most books are cheaply printed, and bound using low-grade materials, The Folio Society resolutely sets store by traditional values of excellence; for our designers and production personnel the term 'quite good' means 'no good': only the best is good enough.In our 64-year history, Folio has published an astonishing range of works; fromMoby-Dick to Pather Panchali, and from the Qur’ân to Kerouac’s On The Road. The quality of our books as tactile and aesthetic objects has been a constant hallmark, but members (some of whom have been with us from our inception in 1947) have long looked beyond our exceptional covers, to the standards we uphold for each and every text. From introducers who make up the great names of modern literature and academia, and editors and picture researchers who ensure unrivalled standards of research and textual work, to our artists who have swept the board in so many illustrations awards – Folio offers a complete experience for the book-lover.

I love to give books as gifts and I know that The Folio Society is going to become a firm favourite, I highly recommend you go and have a look, especially if you are looking for that extra special gift or maybe just a treat for yourself!

Dot Scribbles Needs You!!

UPDATE: Both books have now been requested but check back in a few weeks for another reviewing opportunity! 


I love this blog and I love reading but there just aren't enough hours in the day. I am so incredibly lucky to be sent books to review but with a one year old, a job, a stressed husband and a life, I don't always get chance to review them all. This is where you lovely lot come in! I am going to give away two books a month in return of a review. Comments will be disabled on this post so it will be whoever emails me first saying which book you would like to read. Here's the 'rules':

1. If you want to review one of the books then please email me on dotscribbles@googlemail.com and tell me which book you would prefer. If you have a blog then please include a link to it in the email, if you don't have a blog then you can still review.
2. Please try and review the book within 3 weeks of receiving it.
3. I certainly don't expect to like every book that I read but all I ask is that you provide an honest, fair and respectful review.
4. Send me your review and I will post it on Dot Scribbles and Twitter. If you have your own blog then we can agree a date for it to go on at the same time.
5. This is only open to UK residents.

Obviously I can't make you agree to these rules but hopefully people won't ask for a book and then do a runner! You do not have to write your own blog in order to review on here but if you do have a blog then we can feature the review at the same time and include a link to your site.

So here's the first two books that you can choose from:

Perfect Strangers by Tasmina Perry (Headline Review- 23rd May) How well do you know the man you love? When Sophie Ellis agrees to house-sit at a Knightsbridge townhouse, it's as if she's walked into a dream. At a glittering party she is swept off her feet by American businessman Nick Cooper and the two begin a passionate affair. But when Nick is found dead in his hotel suite and Sophie becomes the prime suspect, she realises her lover was not all he seemed. In order to clear her name, she must trust a mysterious stranger and travel with him across the globe in search of answers. The truth will change her life completely...








Melting the Snow on Hester Street by Daisy Waugh (Harper Collins_ 4th April) October 1929: As America helterskelters through the last days before t

he great crash, the cream of Hollywood parties heedlessly on. Beneath the sophistication and elegance, Hollywood society couple Max and Eleanor Beecham are on the brink of divorce, their finances teetering on a knife's edge after a series of failed films. As the stock market tumbles it seems they have nowhere to turn but to the arms of their waiting lovers. Hope is delivered in an invitation to one of the legendary weekend parties at Hearst Castle, where the prohibition champagne will be flowing and the room filled with every Hollywood big-shot around. They cannot resist one last chance of making it. Scandalous and absurdly glamorous, the Hearst party is the epitome of Golden era decadence, but for Max and Eleanor the time has come to make a decision that will change their future. Will they sacrifice everything for fame and fortune or plunge into their hidden past and grasp one last chance to love each other again?

Headline Online Party

Dot Scribbles went on a little adventure to London yesterday as the lovely, lovely people at Headline had invited me to their first Online party. The idea was to bring bloggers and authors together and for us to meet some of the Headline team in person.
I made it to Headline HQ on the Euston Road safely which is quite a feat for me as I tend to get lost quite easily especially when unsupervised! The party took place in Headline's boardroom which has fantastic views across London and was the perfect space for us all to do some mingling!
Once we all had a glass of wine in hand we sat down to watch a presentation and it was exciting to hear about all the brilliant books that Headline will be publishing this year and it is very clear to see how much they love what they do and want to support their authors.
Time for a little more mingling, I met the lovely Carolyn from Book Chick City and Amanda from Floor to Ceiling Books and they both seemed as excited as I was! The authors arrived and we were lucky enough to meet Carole Matthews, Alex Bell, Sean Cregan, Jonathan L Howard, Paul Magrs and Dan Wells. It was lovely to chat to Carole Matthews as I really enjoy her books and it was interesting to hear what she thought about book bloggers.
Next on the agenda was the quiz which Sam from Headline had put a lot of effort into; we were split into teams and I have to say that some of the questions were pretty fiendish but my team came second so we were quite pleased with ourselves. The team at Headline were extremely generous and welcoming, they had laid on loads of gorgeous home made cakes and also gave us bags that we could fill with books that were dotted around the room. This was a little like Christmas for me and I came home with eight books which I am really looking forward to reading and reviewing. I think everyone invited had a lovely time and very much appreciated the effort that the Headline team had made. More than anything, yesterday opened my eyes to some new genres of fiction that I have clearly been missing out on which also gives me another excuse to buy more books!

Me, Carolyn, Amanda and Carole Matthews!

I'm back!!

Well I got home last night! Mr S and I had a perfect wedding day and a really lovely honeymoon! Still trying to take it all in to be honest and there are still many pictures to look at and a lot of wedding cake to eat! I really enjoyed all of the books that I read while I was away and reviews will be appearing over the next few days so come back and have a look! Hope that you are all okay, I have really missed reading all your blogs while I have been away so I'm going to be making many visits to find out what you have all been up to!

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!!

Well I am off on my honeymoon very soon and I need to get my book choices down to four (maybe 5, but Mr S said definitely no more than 5!). The books I have to choose from are below so please let me know if you have read any of them or if you have heard anything good/bad? I also have The Seance by John Harwood on its way in the post, Simon's excellent review of this led to it finding its way into my shopping basket so that is also one to choose from!

I thought I would include a picture of Alfie as he has not appeared for a while and he is a year old next month. You will have to excuse the fact that he looks like a tramp, he is having his haircut next week so he should be able to see from beneath all that fur once again!!

Booking Through Thursday: 15 Books

This can be a quick one. Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
2. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
3. After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell
4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
5. The Secret History by Donna Tart
6. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
7. Dracula by Bram Stoker
8. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
9. Anne Frank's Diary
10. King Lear by William Shakespeare
11. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
12. Matilda by Roald Dahl
13. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
14. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
15. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Friday Favourites

I have noticed that my Internet Favourites folder has got increasingly bigger recently so thought that I would share some of my favourite favourite's with you!

• Domestic Sluttery- I love this site! They do a little bit of everything, home ideas, food and drink (brilliant cocktail recipes!), Etsy picks, fashion. Basically there are a lot of lovely, sparkly items on here for you to lust after!
• Bronte Blog- I came across this only the other day, embarrassingly I did not know that it existed. If you are a Bronte fan then you should definitely take some time to have a look around. They have all the history plus loads of information about upcoming books, movies and TV adaptations. It really is a jam packed blog which is updated all the time.
• Still Reading- This is Kim's blog and she is writing all the way from Hong Kong which without all of the book reviews, is worth reading about anyway! Kim has recommended some brilliant books for me recently and I know that she has just had trip to the book shop so you should go and see what she will be reading next.
• Pop Sugar- This is very much a guilty pleasure! It is pure celebrity trash and highly addictive. I don't really buy magazines anymore so I tend to get my celebrity fix on here. Plus they tend to run a lot of pictures of Robert Pattinson who I am not adverse to looking at so brownie points all round!
• Chick Lit Reviews & News- I only discovered this blog this week but I think it's great! Chloe and Leah review all things chick lit and keep their readers up to date with release dates for all the new books coming out. If you are partial to a chick lit book or two then their blog is worth taking a good look at.

Booking Through Thursday: Unread

Is there a book that you wish you could “unread”? One that you disliked so thoroughly you wish you could just forget that you ever read it?

Up until a few months ago I would always finish a book even if I hated it but then I realised (it's only taken 26 years!) that there is no point continuing with something that I am not enjoying when I could be reading something that I love. So nowadays if I disliked something that much I would just stop reading it when I have got to the point that I know it is not going to get better for me. This rarely happens and it is always a bit disappointing but there's millions of books out there, you are always going to come across one that is not right for you. So I don't think that I would ever want to 'unread' a book, I think each book we do read tells us just that little bit more about our reading likes and dislikes.

Booking Through Thursday: Gluttony

Mariel suggested this week’s question

Book Gluttony! Are your eyes bigger than your book belly? Do you have a habit of buying up books far quicker than you could possibly read them? Have you had to curb your book buying habits until you can catch up with yourself? Or are you a controlled buyer, only purchasing books when you have run out of things to read?

I am definitely not a controlled buyer when it comes to books! I do buy books quicker than I can read them but I would hate to only have one new book on the shelf waiting to be read. It's good to have lots to choose from as I think you have to find the right book for you at a particular time. I like to keep my new books separate as well, the top shelf of my favourite bookcase at the top of my stairs is dedicated solely to the books waiting to be read. It's nice to be able to see them as I climb the stairs, it gives me many opportunities to decide on what I will read next. What about you, are you a book glutton?

Who would you invite to dinner?

Thought that I would do a little meme today to warm those brain cells up!

1. If you could host a dinner party with 5 literary characters, who would they be and why?

• Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice- I would want to know what Mr Darcy is really like and I think that she would be quite opinionated on most things!
• Precious Ramotswe from The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency- I love her character and she would hopefully bring us all some Bush tea.
• Mr Rochester from Jane Eyre- I would be quite happy just to sit and watch him brooding all night!
• Bridget Jones- I know this is probably a bit predictable but I think we would get on very, very well!
• Scarlett O'Hara from Gone with the Wind- I think that she would be a very entertaining dinner guest, plus I could ask her to tell me the story and then I wouldn't feel so bad about not finishing the book!

2. Who is your literary role model?
Hmmmm I don't think that I really have just one role model from literature. I think that you like and dislike different aspects of all the characters that you come across, there is not one person that I would like to emulate.

3. Which literary house would you most like to live in?
This would definitely be Manderley for me from Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca. It sounds like a beautiful house surrounded by land leading to it's own private beach yet it is steeped in mystery and secrets; it would definitely be one to go snooping around in.

4. Which literary couple would you most like for parents?
Mr and Mrs Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, I'm sure that I would soon get fed up with the neurotic mother but I think that Mr Bennet is just lovely, he wants his daughters to marry well but more importantly he wants them to marry for love.
5. Pick 3 literary characters that you would like to have as siblings?
I would pick Tony, Sean and Ned from Lisa Jewell's A Friend of the Family. I am blessed with a lovely sister but I have always wondered what it would be like to have a brother; this way I would have 3 very different ones!
6. Who is your favourite literary villain?
I would have to say Mrs Danvers from Rebecca, she is such a good villain. I just love how sinister she is, that scene where she nearly gets the new Mrs De Winter to jump from the window shows the sheer power that she has. I have also seen the Hitchcock film of this book and Mrs Danvers is brilliant in it; the way she just appears silently and appears to glide across the room as though she is inhuman!

7. Name a character that most people dislike but you do not. Why do you like them?
Snape from the Harry Potter books, I think I might have a thing about dark, brooding villains, especially when they turn out to the good guy in the end.

8. If you could go into a novel, which one would it be and why?
Oooh this is a very Lost in Austen question! There are so many that I would want to be in, Pride and Prejudice so that I could meet Mr Darcy (I do have a bit of an obsession!) and give Lydia a slap for being so annoying! Rebecca so that I could meet Maxim De Winter and wonder around Manderley. There are so many more that I could mention, that is the thing about books though, you get to imagine standing in the character's shoes and seeing life through their eyes.

After completing this meme I have discovered that I may be slightly obsessed with Rebecca and Pride and Prejudice, I promise that I have read and loved other books too!

Booking Through Thursday: Library Week

This weeks Booking Through Thursday was suggested by Barbara and I think it's a really good one!

I saw that National Library week is coming up in April, and that led to some questions. How often do you use your public library and how do you use it? Has the coffeehouse/bookstore replaced the library? Did you go to the library as a child? Do you have any particular memories of the library? Do you like sleek, modern, active libraries or the older, darker, quiet, cozy libraries?

I am very lucky in that I have a public library literally at the top of my road! It is a very old Victorian building and houses a small children's and adults library; it does not have a massive collection of books but there is usually something to be found! I think I prefer older libraries like this to be honest, I think they are cosier and more inviting. We have lived in our current house for nearly two years now but I have probably only started using the library in the last few months. As I have written on this blog before, I kept putting off going in as I had a fine from the library where we previously lived due to being very late taking my books back. However, my other half nagged me to join this new one and I am glad I did and as it is only at the top of my road, I have no excuses for books being late!

My parents always encouraged me to read and I can remember that the hairdressers that I went to when I was little was right next to the library so once my hair had been cut I would go next door and read and pick some new books whilst my Mum had her hair done.

I think we can often take libraries for granted but when you think about it they provide a marvellous service. All you need do is join and then you have access to all of those beautiful books and it is free! I know that I will definitely encourage my children to use the library so that they can discover the wonderful world of reading for themselves!

What to read?

I am suffering from Reader's Block at the moment! It is a new type of illness that I have discovered in that I just don't know what I want to read. I thought that I fancied a good, long epic like Gone With the Wind but I have given up after the first two chapters as I was extremely bored! I have a whole shelf of books waiting to be read but I just cannot decide which one to pick, so at the moment I seem to just be re-reading through Twilight until something grabs me!

Booking Through Thursday: Storage

“How do you arrange your books on your shelves? Is it by author, by genre, or you just put it where it falls on?”

Hmmmmm I have never really thought about this but now that I have I can see that I have a bit of a system going on, kind of. We have books in nearly every room of our house, but the books that we treasure and want to keep forever are on proper bookshelves which are already full. The book shelf that houses mostly my books is at the top of the stairs and I tend to try to put books by the same author together but they are not in alphabetical or size order at all! The top shelf of the book shelf is dedicated to my TBR books so that I can sit at the top of the stairs and ponder what I want to read next. One of the next projects in our house is to build some book shelves in our front sitting room as there are a lot of books lying around or shoved away in boxes that need a new home!

Books Read in 2008

I have only managed to read 38 books this year but I think that I only really got into my reading stride around June time so I hope to at least double this figure in 2009. I have definitely re-discovered my love of reading this year- it is one of the few things that really helps me to relax and switch off so I shall be doing more of that next year! Here are the books that I did manage to read:

1. The Devil in the Kitchen by Marco Pierre White.
2. The girls by Lori Lansen (One of my favourites in 2008).
3. First Lady by Michael Dobbs.
4. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (Brilliant).
5. Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer (I want to read more of her books in the new year).
6. Then we Came to the End by Joshua Ferris (Least favourite book of 2008).
7. Facing the Light by Adele Geras (Swapped this and LOVED it).
8. Restoring Grace by Katie Fforde.
9. The Savage Garden by Mark Mills.
10. Frenchman's Creek by Daphne Du Maurier (I am hoping to work my way through the ones I haven't read of hers in 2009).
11. Notes from an Exhibition by Patrick Gale.
12. Affinity by Sarah Waters.
13. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (One I think I will re-read many times!).
14. 31 Dream Street by Lisa Jewell (Another favourite of 2008 and everyone I know who has read it loved it too).
15. The Mitfords: Letters between Sisters edited by Charlotte Moseley (I love anything to do with the Mitford Sisters and this was so well put together).
16. The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith (I love this series of books).
17. No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay (This is the best thriller that I read this year)
18. Pillow Talk by Freya North.
19. Flora's Lot by Katie Fforde.
20. Thanks for the Memories by Cecilia Ahern.
21. Re-read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling.
22. Georgiana the Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman.
23. Re-read Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling.
24. A Hopeless Romantic by Harriet Evans.
25. Re-read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakaban by J.K. Rowling.
26. Re-read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling.
27. The Murder Room by P.D. James.
28. If You Could See Me Now by Cecilia Ahern.
29. The Jigsaw Man by Paul Britton.
30. Dreams that Glitter by Girls Aloud.
31. Re-read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling.
32. Things I Want my Daughters to Know by Elizabeth Noble.
33. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by R.L. Stevenson.
34. Picking up the Pieces by Paul Britton.
35. Re-read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling.
36. Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell.
37. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (I think this may be my favorite book of the year- very glad that I discovered this series)
38. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer.

I love Books!!!

I hope that you all had a brilliant Christmas! Apart from coming down with a cold and sore throat, mine has been lovely! I had lots of lovely new books! Mr S bought me The Gate of Air by James Buchan; I have never read any of his books before and it is a ghost story so I am looking forward to getting stuck into that. My lovely sister bought me The Favoured Child by Phillipa Gregory who I love and The Secret Shopper's Revenge by Kate Harrison. She also bought me the Postsecret book by Frank Warren which is fascinating and I will be blogging more about that and I also had The Shopaholic's Guide to Buying Online 2008 which I am sure will come in useful. It does not end there though- I also received A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson just before Christmas and I also ordered the final two books in the Twilight saga so I shall be very busy reading at the moment!

Booking Through Thursday: Generosity

It's Booking Through Thursday time again!

Do you give books as gifts?

The answer to this would be yes! Mr S and I argue though whether you should only give hardbacks as presents but I myself prefer paperbacks anyway so we disagree about this!

To everyone? Or only to select people?

I've never really thought about this until today but I would probably only buy books as gifts for 4 people and they would be myself; my fiance Mr S; my lovely sister and one of my best friends. I think that I have a good idea of what they like to read so I usually feel quite confident that I would be able to choose a book for them that they enjoy. Also other than you kind people on here, they are the main people who I discuss books with and we often ask each other what we are reading and if it's any good!

How do you feel about receiving books as gifts?

It is definitely my favourite type of present! Partly because I love books so to be bought new ones is always a good thing but also because it is nice to think that someone has taken the time to think about what you would enjoy reading as it is a very personal gift.

Happy BTT everyone, I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and receive the odd book or two under the tree!