Book Mail & Top Ten Bookish Gifts! Double Post Love!

Now that I’m out of school and have stopped Christmas shopping for the day, I wanted to do a little update, especially since I haven’t finished the current book I’m reading, Wanderer. It’s a book I got on Edelweiss as a Read Now title when I first signed up, and I thought maybe I should review it and my Edelweiss real estate might finally go up. I never get approvals on Edelweiss so I’m trying to fix that.

The book isn’t too bad, but it’s a slow-moving read right now…

So what better way to break up the monotony then to post a list (like I’ve noticed others doing…so I wanted to take part) of the top ten bookish gifts that I wouldn’t mind seeing under the tree! I know it was a Top Ten Tuesday post, but I’m making it Top Ten Thursday so it works, y’all!

And I’ll share my awesome book mail when I finish the list! (I’m so glad to have time to post other stuff besides reviews now: tags, I’m coming for ya, lol).

Here’s the Top Ten Bookish Gifts For Me Everyone for Christmas! (or for people a lot like me! 😉)

In no particular order…

10. A new Ereader

Ok, so I have a Kindle. I got it two years ago when my mom got tired of me constantly borrowing her Kindle Fire. It’s not a fancy Paperwhite or a Fire: it’s the e-ink version that came out after the reg Kindle but before the Paperwhite. It’s great and all, but it has no backlight and the case I got for it was expensive enough without getting the book light version (apparently only Amazon really makes and sells cases still for this smaller Kindle). It’s great in a pinch, but I use my Kindle apps on my iPad and iPhone way more bc it just is easier.

So I asked for this for Christmas:

Yes, I have an iPad mini and an iPhone, plus a Kindle. So why the Fire HD, you ask? Because I do Bookstagram and I want to take pretty pics of books…but I don’t own a lot of physical copies. And black and white (greyscale) images of book covers aren’t that pretty. It’s backlit so you can see all the words and I can keep my plain Kindle for traveling. I don’t need it, but it would be nice…

9. Fujifilm Instax Camera

I already know what you’re thinking: “But Stephanie, (or TeacherofYA, whatever you want to call me), this isn’t a Bookish gift!”

“Why not? Why don’t you wait and I’ll tell you why! Sorry, didn’t mean to yell! Please don’t cry!”

Sorry, that imaginary convo was brought to you by Crazy(TM), the insanity that lives in my head.

So back to the point…I want one of these because I think it would be super cool to take pics of your books and make a book journal! I know some of you have book journals, but wouldn’t it be cool if you had a tiny pic of the book for your entry? Then if you don’t own the book, you still own a piece of it. And the covers are usually so pretty. I’d LOVE to do this. And getting to use it for other stuff would be icing on the cake. (I’d love the Hello Kitty edition, but I won’t be picky).

8. Fairy Loot Subscription Box

So if seeing this pic doesn’t make you drool, I don’t know what will! 🤤🤤🤤

I have NEVER had a sub box. Never. I look at people unboxing their Owlcrates or their Dragon’s Hoard (yup, shout out to my Aussie followers) boxes and going through the goodies. It kills me. Right through the heart.

Now some of these boxes people subscribe to I don’t think are worth the $$$. Some are anywhere from $30-$60 dollars/box/month, (I believe The NOVL one is the most expensive I’ve seen) and you don’t know what you’ll get. You’ll get a good book, maybe a candle, a lip balm, and some posters. Maybe a bookmark. Is that worth the moolah? Well, if it is for you, then awesome! 😉👍

For me, the Fairy Loot box seems worth it…maybe Owlcrate too. At least with Fairy Loot, you usually get a lot. For example, in their “Royals &a Rogues”box, they included:

• Nemesis by Anna Banks
• Signed bookplate, bookmark, author letter, Parani sketch
• ACOMAF quote tote bag
• Queen of Books ceramic mug
• Calipha pocket mirror
• Queen of Terrasen notepad
• Royals & Rogues Earl Grey Tea and filters
• Spectorium crystal soap
• Red Queen Mare illustration
• Red Queen lettering
• Wolf by Wolf quote

I don’t know about you, but that’s a lotta bang for your buck. You have to remember: the hardcover retails at $18.99 USD regularly. So there’s $20 right there. Sometimes they include an extra book. I don’t personally drink tea or need a ton of illustrations, but they would cost money if you were to buy those things, and for £26.00 ($31.95 USD), it’s worth it. I’d do it once to see, but I don’t have the money. But hopefully one day I will. 😊🤞

7. Book Jewelry

Have you seen these yet? Book charms that can be worn on necklaces, bracelets, or even dangling from bookmarks! I received some in a contest back over the summer called Darlings of Dystopia Ball…there were Facebook giveaways all night and I won seven contests! I was going to post about it, but I got busy with school, time went on, and then I felt silly bc so much time had passed.

I won, besides books, magnets, postcards, and other swag, a bracelet with a book charm and a necklace with a book charm. These were indie authors, so you probably won’t recognize the book titles, but they jewelry is ADORBS! I really want a Lunar Chronicles set, Splintered set, or Kiss of Deception set. The covers are vibrant and the artists make them all different but still cute. Tiny books…that you can wear! How awesome is that, really? 😍😍😍😍😍😍 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤

6. Bookmarks

Mine is purple and has a different design on the fob, but this is similar to the bookmark I own. When I thought I lost it, I replaced it with an butterfly one that was the same type bc they were out of the letter “S.”

I know…the pic is tiny but I didn’t think I’d find my exact one. Later I found my S one, so now I have two nice bookmarks. But do we ever own too many bookmarks??? NOOOOO. 

Bookmarks are great: some of us start multiple books at once…and there are so many beautiful ones that are out there. Check this one out I saw on Amazon the other day and added it to my list immediately:

Right? Isn’t this awesome? I dig it. Bookmarks come in all different types and materials…no more scraps of paper! They give them out for free everywhere! Or they make great stocking stuffers! Who wouldn’t want feet sticking out of their book? C’mon?

5. Funko Pop Vinyls

I recently discovered these through other bloggers (in their bookshelf photos) and subscription boxes. They are SO CUTE!

I don’t own a single one. But I want to. I added one in a gift to someone special and I want some, but my mom thinks they’re silly. So probably won’t get any until I move out. (She thinks I’m too old for them and they’ll just clutter up my room and be worthless bc they aren’t anything rare as they are mass produced). It’s annoying not to be able to own them, but if this is my everyone’s fantasy Christmas list, then I should add them!

4. Book journals

I got an email about this new YA book journal, and I just want it so bad! Though I’d like to make my own like some awesome bloggers out there, I don’t have the time or the resources to do that. So a premised one that I can personalize the inside of is perfect! I’d love to keep a list of all the amazing quotes, books, and dates read. I’d like to have it for recs for others. I’d like to have a Chronicle of my personal book journey.

I can also mark what to use for class and any teaching ideas I get. And if I get the camera, then the covers are going in, too. (I do have a Polaroid zip photo printer too in case I don’t get one and all I have to do to use it is connect to anything like my iPhone via Bluetooth and print them out…I bought some extra laser the other day, and it is a rad gift, btw).

3. Art prints

Cinder Litograph

I have a lot of pics that need hanging. I have antique sheet music, cool movie posters, and random pictures that need to be framed and hung already. But there’s something about seeing a fave book cover as art that you just can’t resist!

Society6, Redbubble, and Etsy are all sites where you can find cool art prints and other awesome Bookish gifties. I love the Splintered art print personally. Sigh. Beautiful.

2. Gift Cards

So we all don’t have a lot of money…well, maybe some of you do…I don’t. I take advantage of $1.99 deals on Amazon, but a lot of times that adds up. I still have a $50 Amazon gift card, but I spend the $25 one I had bc I needed some books. I hate to run out of gift card moolah, so that’s the best gift ever.

Amazon or Barnes & Noble are great gift cards to receive! I love Amazon bc of the instant gratification of ebooks, and Barnes & Noble has the physical beauties…

Which leads me to my last bookish gift idea…

1. Books books books books books books books books books 📚 📚 📚 📚 📚 📚 !

You had to know that was coming, right?

With Heartless fulfilled twice (I won an ARC via Twitter giveaway and I bought a SIGNED copy at B&N while Christmas shopping bc it was the only one in the store and I think was a leftover from something. So I HAD to buy it…wouldn’t you?), there are two books in particular that I want to own (what? Only two? Well, these are two are really really want).

I want to own this because Suzanne Young redid the name and cover of this book. And I love this cover. The new one is called Hotel For The Lost and the cover is ugly to me. I can’t even put it on here. It’s just…blech. I don’t know why she changed it, but I want to own this one. So much #coverlove.

And…

I loved Schusterman’s dystology…and I’ve been waiting to read this book. I can’t wait! I hope I get this baby under the tree.

Ok, so those are my choices, my list. But I did mention some BOOK MAIL, didn’t I?

Sammi @ Onebookishgirl won two signed books: a copy of Three Dark Crowns and Replica. They wouldn’t ship overseas so she asked me to accept it for her. Of course I said yes. I would do that for anyone. To be nice, she let me keep Replica, because she already owned it.
So we decided to do a book swap! It was fun! I sent her a box with Three Dark Crowns, The Thousandth Floor (she liked the cover), and some other stuff (I’m not saying until she gets it). I also sent a package to Anne @ Inkedbrownies for SFATW. But that’s for another post.

Well, I got Sammi’s package, and it was SWEET! She sent me copies of the same two books with the Aussie covers! The ones I adore! She’s one of my closest blogging buddies and we talk all the time now. I loved that she threw in some Vegemite. I’ve never had it as I am from the US…but I am going to try it, and I’ll share the experience via a video for y’all. I will eat a Vegemite sandwich and tape my reaction for all of you guys.

After the holidays. 😂🤣😂

So here (in case you haven’t seen my Instagram) is my book mail from Sammi!

So that’s it, guys! Thanks for listening to my long-ass post! I’ll keep reading…and hoping for some awesome bookish gifts.

Happy Reading, y’all! I’ll talk to you again before the holiday, don’t worry! 😉