Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish but is currently being run by That Artsy Reader Girl. A prompt is given each week, and I hope to do it every week so I always have something going up on Tuesdays. This week I am talking about books I added to my holiday wishlist! I don't typically add books to my wishlist because I borrow a lot from the library and if I get gift cards I normally buy books then! But I do really want these books so I thought I'd talk about them. What books are you hoping to get this holiday season?
Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down: The Official Behind-the-Scenes Companion
Gina McIntyre, Matt Duffer (Foreword), and Ross Duffer (Foreward)
I am a huge fan of Netlflix's original show, Stranger Things. It's probably my favorite Netflix original television show. So I would love this behind the scenes companion novel!
Synopsis
The official behind-the-scenes companion guide to the first two seasons of Stranger Things and beyond, featuring exclusive color photos and stunning concept art.
Note: This book has been designed to mimic a used book. The marks, scuffs, and tears on the cover and pages are an intentional design element.
Stranger things have happened. . . .
When the first season of Stranger Things debuted on Netflix in the summer of 2016, the show struck a nerve with millions of viewers worldwide and received broad critical acclaim. The series has gone on to win six Emmy Awards, but its success was driven more than anything by word of mouth, resonating across generations. Viewers feel personal connections to the characters. Now fans can immerse themselves in the world—or worlds—of Hawkins, Indiana, like never before. Inside you’ll find
• original commentary and a foreword from creators Matt and Ross Duffer
• exclusive interviews with the stars of the show, including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, and David Harbour
• the show’s earliest drafts, pitches to Netflix, and casting calls
• insights into the Duffers’ creative process from the entire crew—from costume and set designers to composers and visual-effects specialists
• deep dives into the cultural artifacts and references that inspired the look and feel of the show
• a map of everyday Hawkins—with clues charting the network of the Upside Down
• the Morse code disk Eleven uses, so you can decipher secret messages embedded throughout the text
• a look into the future of the series—including a sneak preview of season three!
Adding whole new layers to enrich the viewing experience, this keepsake is essential reading for anyone and everyone who loves Stranger Things.
Note: This book has been designed to mimic a used book. The marks, scuffs, and tears on the cover and pages are an intentional design element.
Stranger things have happened. . . .
When the first season of Stranger Things debuted on Netflix in the summer of 2016, the show struck a nerve with millions of viewers worldwide and received broad critical acclaim. The series has gone on to win six Emmy Awards, but its success was driven more than anything by word of mouth, resonating across generations. Viewers feel personal connections to the characters. Now fans can immerse themselves in the world—or worlds—of Hawkins, Indiana, like never before. Inside you’ll find
• original commentary and a foreword from creators Matt and Ross Duffer
• exclusive interviews with the stars of the show, including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, and David Harbour
• the show’s earliest drafts, pitches to Netflix, and casting calls
• insights into the Duffers’ creative process from the entire crew—from costume and set designers to composers and visual-effects specialists
• deep dives into the cultural artifacts and references that inspired the look and feel of the show
• a map of everyday Hawkins—with clues charting the network of the Upside Down
• the Morse code disk Eleven uses, so you can decipher secret messages embedded throughout the text
• a look into the future of the series—including a sneak preview of season three!
Adding whole new layers to enrich the viewing experience, this keepsake is essential reading for anyone and everyone who loves Stranger Things.
Flame in the Mist
Renéé Ahdieh
I read this book in 2017 and I absolutely loved it, but I really want to re-read it before continuing the series, so I am hoping to get my own copy since I know I loved it. I loved the characters and the plot so much. I am hoping to re-read it in 2019 so I can read the next one.
Synopsis
The only daughter of a
prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one
purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which
rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an
accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was
sealed the moment she drew her first breath.
So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.
The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.
So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.
The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Illustrated by Jim Kay)
J.K. Rowling
I love the Harry Potter series and I love Jim Kay's illustrations. I own the first two illustrated editions but I haven't had a chance to buy this one. I absolutely think these books are worth the price. They're absolutely gorgeous.
Synopsis
Picture the magic –
discover J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world with glorious full-colour
illustration by Jim Kay, winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal.
An extraordinary creative achievement by an extraordinary talent, Jim Kay’s inspired reimagining of J.K. Rowling’s classic series has captured a devoted following worldwide. This stunning new fully illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban brings more breathtaking scenes and unforgettable characters – including Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Professor Trelawney. With paint, pencil and pixels, Kay conjures the wizarding world as we have never seen it before. Fizzing with magic and brimming with humour, this full-colour edition will captivate fans and new readers alike as Harry, now in his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, faces Dementors, death omens and – of course – danger.
An extraordinary creative achievement by an extraordinary talent, Jim Kay’s inspired reimagining of J.K. Rowling’s classic series has captured a devoted following worldwide. This stunning new fully illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban brings more breathtaking scenes and unforgettable characters – including Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Professor Trelawney. With paint, pencil and pixels, Kay conjures the wizarding world as we have never seen it before. Fizzing with magic and brimming with humour, this full-colour edition will captivate fans and new readers alike as Harry, now in his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, faces Dementors, death omens and – of course – danger.
Fear the Drowning Deep
Sarah Glenn Marsh
I love Sarah Glenn Marsh's Reign of the Fallen duology so I really want to read her debut novel, Fear of the Drowning Deep. This sounds super chilling and atmopsheric and I am really excited to pick it up. Even if this doesn't end up being a gift I get this year it's definitely on the top of my priorities to get myself when I can.
Synopsis
Witch’s apprentice
Bridey Corkill has hated the ocean ever since she watched her granddad
dive in and drown with a smile on his face. So when a dead girl rolls in
with the tide in the summer of 1913, sixteen-year-old Bridey suspects
that whatever compelled her granddad to leap into the sea has made its
return to the Isle of Man.
Soon, villagers are vanishing in the night, but no one shares Bridey’s suspicions about the sea. No one but the island’s witch, who isn’t as frightening as she first appears, and the handsome dark-haired lad Bridey rescues from a grim and watery fate. The cause of the deep gashes in Fynn’s stomach and his lost memories are, like the recent disappearances, a mystery well-guarded by the sea. In exchange for saving his life, Fynn teaches Bridey to master her fear of the water — stealing her heart in the process.
Now, Bridey must work with the Isle’s eccentric witch and the boy she isn’t sure she can trust — because if she can’t uncover the truth about the ancient evil in the water, everyone she loves will walk into the sea, never to return.
Soon, villagers are vanishing in the night, but no one shares Bridey’s suspicions about the sea. No one but the island’s witch, who isn’t as frightening as she first appears, and the handsome dark-haired lad Bridey rescues from a grim and watery fate. The cause of the deep gashes in Fynn’s stomach and his lost memories are, like the recent disappearances, a mystery well-guarded by the sea. In exchange for saving his life, Fynn teaches Bridey to master her fear of the water — stealing her heart in the process.
Now, Bridey must work with the Isle’s eccentric witch and the boy she isn’t sure she can trust — because if she can’t uncover the truth about the ancient evil in the water, everyone she loves will walk into the sea, never to return.
Every Heart A Doorway
Seanan McGuire
I have all three books that are currently released on my wishlist. I absolutely loved them so much and I cannot wait to continue the series with the fourth book which is coming out early 2019. I am so mad it took me so long to read these books because they're amazing.
Synopsis
Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children
No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.
But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.
Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.
But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.
No matter the cost.
No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.
But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.
Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.
But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.
No matter the cost.
Undead Girl Gang
Lily Anderson
This is another book I absolutely loved but because I borrowed it from the library I can't re-read it unless I request it from the library again. I'd love to own a copy so I can re-read it. I found this book to be super spooky, heartwarming, and really funny. I think it's way too underrated and there definitely needs to be more readers talking about it.
Synopsis
Mila Flores and her
best friend Riley have always been inseparable. There's not much
excitement in their small town of Cross Creek, so Mila and Riley make
their own fun, devoting most of their time to Riley's favorite activity:
amateur witchcraft.
So when Riley and two Fairmont Academy mean girls die under suspicious circumstances, Mila refuses to believe everyone's explanation that her BFF was involved in a suicide pact. Instead, armed with a tube of lip gloss and an ancient grimoire, Mila does the unthinkable to uncover the truth: she brings the girls back to life.
Unfortunately, Riley, June, and Dayton have no recollection of their murders, but they do have unfinished business to attend to. Now, with only seven days until the spell wears off and the girls return to their graves, Mila must wrangle the distracted group of undead teens and work fast to discover their murderer...before the killer strikes again.
So when Riley and two Fairmont Academy mean girls die under suspicious circumstances, Mila refuses to believe everyone's explanation that her BFF was involved in a suicide pact. Instead, armed with a tube of lip gloss and an ancient grimoire, Mila does the unthinkable to uncover the truth: she brings the girls back to life.
Unfortunately, Riley, June, and Dayton have no recollection of their murders, but they do have unfinished business to attend to. Now, with only seven days until the spell wears off and the girls return to their graves, Mila must wrangle the distracted group of undead teens and work fast to discover their murderer...before the killer strikes again.
Little Women
Louisa May Alcott
I haven't read this book, but I have a feeling I'd really love it. I find this edition to be absolutely beautiful and I would love if I could read it for the first time with such a beautiful edition. This is another one that I plan on getting myself in the near future if I am not gifted it. This story seems to be a huge favorite for so many people and I feel like I am completely missing out because I haven't read it yet. I don't even know what happens at all besides what I've read with the synopsis.
Synopsis
The beautiful 150th
anniversary edition of Louisa May Alcott's classic tale of the four
March sisters, featuring new illustrations and an introduction by New York Times bestselling author J. Courtney SullivanFor
generations, children around the world have come of age with Louisa May
Alcott's March girls: hardworking eldest sister Meg, headstrong,
impulsive Jo, timid Beth, and precocious Amy. With their father away at
war, and their loving mother Marmee working to support the family, the
four sisters have to rely on one another for support as they endure the
hardships of wartime and poverty. We witness the sisters growing up and
figuring out what role each wants to play in the world, and, along the
way, join them on countless unforgettable adventures.
Readers young and old will fall in love with this beloved classic, at once a lively portrait of nineteenth-century family life and a feminist novel about young women defying society's expectations.
Readers young and old will fall in love with this beloved classic, at once a lively portrait of nineteenth-century family life and a feminist novel about young women defying society's expectations.
The Haunting of Hill House
Shirley Jackson
I have had this book on my TBR for a really long time, but I don't own a copy. After watching the Netflix show (which I know, is super not the same story as the book's plot) I am hoping to read it in 2019. I would love to read it with this edition because it's so spooky and cool! This is another one, like Little Women, that I feel like I should have read by now.
Synopsis
Part of a six-volume series of the best in classic horror, selected by award-winning director Guillermo del Toro
The classic supernatural thriller by an author who helped define the genre. First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a “haunting;' Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.
The classic supernatural thriller by an author who helped define the genre. First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a “haunting;' Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.
A Darker Shade of Magic
V.E. Schwab
I binge read this trilogy and absolutely loved it. I borrowed it from the library, like a lot of the books on this list, so I'd love to have my own copies. The second book is getting a collectors edition in 2019, so I assume the third one will be getting one too. I'd love to own the collectors editions because I think they're gorgeous. I love this trilogy enough to possibly own regular copies too at some point.
Synopsis
Kell is one of the last
Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between
parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.
Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.
Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.
After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.
Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.
Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.
Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.
After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.
Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.
Grim Lovelies
Megan Shepherd
I have had my eye on this book for a while, but I don't typically buy books I don't know if I'll love. I think I'll like this a lot but because I haven't read anything else by the author (for all I know this is a debut!) and I have seen mixed reviews I would rather receive this as a gift or borrow it from the library. I am still really excited and interested in this story.
Synopsis
Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime.
Now, the world she always dreamed of is rife with danger. Pursued through Paris by the underground magical society known as the Haute, Anouk and her fellow Beasties only have three days to find the real killer before the spell keeping them human fades away. If they fail, they will lose the only lives they’ve ever known…but if they succeed, they could be more powerful than anyone ever bargained for.
From New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd, Grim Lovelies is an epic and glittering YA fantasy. Prepare to be spellbound by the world of Grim Lovelies, where secrets have been long buried, friends can become enemies, and everything—especially humanity—comes at a price.
Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime.
Now, the world she always dreamed of is rife with danger. Pursued through Paris by the underground magical society known as the Haute, Anouk and her fellow Beasties only have three days to find the real killer before the spell keeping them human fades away. If they fail, they will lose the only lives they’ve ever known…but if they succeed, they could be more powerful than anyone ever bargained for.
From New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd, Grim Lovelies is an epic and glittering YA fantasy. Prepare to be spellbound by the world of Grim Lovelies, where secrets have been long buried, friends can become enemies, and everything—especially humanity—comes at a price.
Merry Christmas! I was lucky that the pre-order gift for Smoke in the Sun was a paperback copy of Flame in the Mist. It's on my TTT for next week. I hope you get some of these today!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!!! I am hoping to re-read Flame so I can finally read Smoke in the Sun!!
DeleteRecently I heart Every Heart A Doorway mentioned in a booktube video. It certainly looks interesting, so perhaps it's one I should give a second look. I think I was curious about Grim Lovelies too!! Merry Christmas, Heather - and I hope you discover these under your tree.
ReplyDeleteI hope you end up liking Every Heart A Doorway when you read it!! Grim Lovelies looks SO GOOD! :)
DeleteI love the Harry Potter illustrated versions, they're so beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteRight?! They're so pretty. I'm in love with them so much.
DeleteI loved Every Heart a Doorway! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteHere is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
Yay!! I am so happy you loved it too!! Merry Christmas! <3
DeleteI'd love to look at that Stranger Things book. :)
ReplyDeleteLauren @ Always Me
Ahhh right?! It looks like so much fun! <3
DeleteAWESOME list!
ReplyDeleteThanks E!! :D<3
Delete