Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme started on the Broke and the Bookish blog.

They set the topic, we make the lists. Visit their site to see more on this topic

 As a librarian, I try to keep my book purchases to a minimum and check out most of my reading material from the library. But I won’t lie; I do still buy the occasional book. Normally, it’s a book that I have read and loved and will read again, a book by a favorite author, or a practical book that makes sense to own, like a really good cookbook or a self-help book. My husband and I also collect graphic novel series that we have both read and really enjoyed. So here are a few books I would like to see under the tree this year.

Descender Vol 1-4 by Jeff Lemire 
Graphic novels are still a relatively new medium to me but over the last year I have read quite a few and I have to say, they have grown on me. The Descender series is one that I picked up on a whim, read through very quickly, then immediately starting recommending to everyone I thought might enjoy it.  The watercolor-style artwork is beautiful and lends perfectly to the story.

Tales from the Darkside by Joe Hill
I have mentioned on this blog a few times that I am a fan of Joe Hill so it should come as no surprise that I own most of his published work. Last year a collection of 3 scripts by Hill, for a reimagining of the 1980’s TV show Tales from the Darkside, was published after being turned down by several production companies. I have read and own the comic adaptations but have yet to purchase these scripts.

It’s All Easy: Delicious Weekday Recipes for the Super-Busy Home Cook by Gwyneth Paltrow 
I kind of want to be Gwyneth Paltrow when I grow up. I have checked out her cookbooks from the library several times so I think it’s time I owned one. On the surface her recipes seem “fancy” with organic ingredients and such, but they are actually pretty simple, healthy and tasty.

Fearless Baker by Erin Jeanne McDowell 
Cooking is something that I have always enjoyed, but the world of baking is one I have only recently ventured into. I have to say I’m not half bad. It can be daunting but it is really a lot of fun. I haven’t actually flipped through this cookbook but “fearless” is something I would like to be when it comes to baking and based on the description, this book could be a good challenge.

The Home Cook by Alex Guarnaschelli 
For those of you who have never heard of Alex Guarnaschelli, she is a Food Network chef with a feisty attitude. Along with many other things, she is a judge on the show Chopped and I love her snarky responses and harsh criticisms. Her new cookbook has 300 recipes that seem to be home-style food with international twists. I have a feeling her recipes would be challenging but delicious.

Every Body Yoga by Jessamyn Stanley 
If you like, love or are even remotely interested in yoga and you haven’t heard of Jessamyn Stanley, look her up. She started out on Instagram where she documented her yoga journey from the beginning. She is all about making yoga approachable for EVERYONE. Her book is funny and very informational and although I have read it all the way through, her section of basic yoga poses and sequences is something I could use over and over again.

The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to be Calm in a Busy World
by Haemin Sunim, Chi-Young Kim
This little book is full of tidbits of knowledge and insights by a Buddhist Monk that are meant to act as a guide to mindfulness. He did not intend for the book to be read thorough from beginning to end, but rather kept close by for times of stress or uncertainty. I kept this book checked out for quite some time and would love to own it.

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Laini Taylor is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and her book Strange the Dreamer is the best book I read this year. Lazlo Strange is a librarian on a journey to the forbidden city of Weep. He is in search of forgotten secrets about the city’s past as well as his own. Taylor is an amazing storyteller and world builder. This is definitely a book I will read again and again.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
For my birthday this year my husband gifted me a Barnes & Noble collectable edition of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I love the film adaptations of this story but (shame on me) had not read the book. Although it took some time to get use to the language, I loved the book and was surprised at the humor and it doesn’t hurt that the covers of these collectable editions are beautiful. I have also enjoyed several Jane Eyre film adaptations so I think that’s the classic I would like to tackle next.

Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-7) by J.K. Rowling
Between my husband and I we almost own the complete set of Harry Potter books but somehow neither of us brought the second book of the series into the marriage. Because we both love these books and I am already thinking about my 2 year-old’s future library, I would love to own a shiny new set of this amazing series.

~Ragan