What books I got for Christmas!

I hope you guys all had a fantastic Christmas and got some of the books on your wishlist! I certainly did so I thought I'd share them with you:

The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

I really enjoyed this author's debut novel The Healer's Apprentice (a retelling of Sleeping Beauty) so I can't wait to get started on her second book. Although the cover's not quite so pretty as The Healer's Apprentice, it's still very enticing. I'm intrigued to find out who the man in the mirror is!

Before The Season Ends by Linore Rose Burkard

As you might know, I love a good regency novel  and I stumbled across this inspirational Christian regency. For one thing the cover's lovely but it sounds a bit like my favourite regency romance Arabella by Georgette Heyer too.

A Weekend with Mr Darcy by Victoria Connelly

My friend bought this for me knowing I'm a big Pride and Prejudice fan- isn't the illustrated cover gorgeous?

The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes

I'm a bit obsessed with the TV show Donwton Abbey, which is set in Edwardian times and  follows the lives of the Grantham family and their servants so I loved curling up on Christmas day with this! In fact, I had a very Donwton Christmas getting the second series box set too and watching the Christmas special in the evening. Does anyone else watch Downton? I know the second series is about to be broadcast in the US so if you're following it, then you're in for a treat.


What books did you get for Christmas?

Merry Christmas

I'd like to wish you all a Merry Christmas! I hope you all enjoy having fun and relaxing with friends and family as well as giving and receiving some great new books =)

I know I haven't been around the past two months much but now its the school holidays and the rush of Christmas shopping ect. is over, I'm going to make some time next week to get as many posts as I can written for when I'm back at school. Hopefully I'll have a challenge wrap up, best of 2011 and Christmas books post up then.

Thank you so much for all your comments, ideas and encouragement on my 'blogging slump' page- you're all wonderful! I've still been reading all my favourite blogs despite not posting myself and they've been an inspiration to get back in the blogging mood again.

Love Stephanie <3 xxx

What I Got For Christmas!

This is a bit late but I wanted to share what books I got for Christmas to wrap up the All I Want For Christmas meme hosted by Danya @ A Tapestry Of Words that I participated. If you would like to see the books I feature in my posts that were on my wish list you can find them here (1) and here (2)

I was a very lucky girl this Christmas to find that I received nearly all of the books on my wish list . I certainly didn't expect this so thank you so much to my family!

My family were sitting around opening presents to exclamations of 'not another book!' whilst I looked at the pretty covers excitedly. What book lover doesn't love getting books for Christmas?!? After all, as the famous quote says, 'A book is a present you can open again and again.'

Here's what I got:

All of these covers are gorgeous, I couldn't decide a favourite!

I loved some of the surprise books- I've read two of the books in the Royal Diaries series by Carolyn Meyer and I'm very happy to be able to read the next two now. I'm also a fan of the My Story Diaries, written by various different authors as they introduced me to historical fiction. They've recently redesigned the covers and I have to admit that they are a lot more appealing although the old ones have more of a historical feel. I'm very intrigued as to reading Queen Victoria's fictional diary as (as some of you might know!) a favourite of mine since I was very little.

The surprise books :)

I also got 2 Jane Austen DVDs. I have only read Pride and Prejudice so far (I didn't do very well in the Austen challenge I joined a few months ago!) but I'm planning to read the other Austen's in 2011. Until then, I can enjoy the adaptations :D

I'm really looking forward to reading these new books- they should take me a while to get through!

What books did you get for Christmas?

All I Want For Christmas Is... (Part 1)

All I Want For Christmas Is... a feature held by the lovely Danya at A Tapestry Of Words where bloggers spotlight the books that they are hoping to get for Christmas. I have enjoyed looking at every one's picks and thought I'd join in myself this week.  I'm starting to feel very Christmassy now as it's snowing outside right now- YAY!

My picks (more than one because it's so close to Christmas now). All summaries are taken from Goodreadrs.

Cate Of The Lost Colony by Lisa M Klein:

Lady Catherine is one of Queen Elizabeth's favorite court maidens—until her forbidden romance with Sir Walter Ralegh is discovered. In a bitter twist of irony, the jealous queen banishes Cate to Ralegh's colony of Roanoke, in the New World. Ralegh pledges to come for Cate, but as the months stretch out, Cate begins to doubt his promise and his love. Instead it is Manteo, a Croatoan Indian, whom the colonists—and Cate—increasingly turn to. Yet just as Cate's longings for England and Ralegh fade and she discovers a new love in Manteo, Ralegh will finally set sail for the New World.

Seamlessly weaving together fact with fiction, Lisa Klein's newest historical drama is an engrossing tale of adventure and forbidden love—kindled by one of the most famous mysteries in American history: the fate of the settlers at Roanoke, who disappeared without a trace forty years before the Pilgrims would set foot in Plymouth.

Why: I have had my eye on this one ever since I chose it as a Waiting on Wednesday pick and it's YA historical. I love stories set in Queen Elizabeth I's Court and the Roanoke mystery sounds so interesting.

The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K Madigan

Lena has lived her whole life near the beach — walking for miles up and down the shore and breathing the salty air, swimming in the cold water, and watching the surfers rule the waves — the problem is, she’s spent her whole life just watching. As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena vows she will no longer watch from the sand: she will learn to surf. But her father — a former surfer himself — refuses to allow her to take lessons. After his near drowning years ago, he can’t bear to let Lena take up the risky sport. Yet something keeps drawing Lena to the water . . . an ancient, powerful magic. And one morning Lena catches sight of this magic: a beautiful woman — with a silvery tail.

Now nothing can stop Lena from seeking the mermaid, not even the dangerous waves at Magic Crescent Cove. And soon . . . what she sees in the mermaid’s mirror will change her life forever.

Why: I love mermaid stories and this cover is beautiful!

Prisoners In The Palace by Michaela MacColl

London, 1838. Sixteen-year-old Liza's dreams of her society debut are dashed when her parents are killed in an accident. Penniless, she accepts the position of lady's maid to young Princess Victoria and steps unwittingly into the gossipy intrigue of the servant's world below-stairs as well as the trickery above. Is it possible that her changing circumstances may offer Liza the chance to determine her own fate, find true love, and secure the throne for her future queen?



Meticulously based on newly discovered information, this riveting novel is as rich in historical detail as Catherine, Called Birdy, and as sizzling with intrigue as The Luxe.

Why: I have loved Queen Victoria  and the Victorian era ever since I visited her holiday home Osbourne House when I was two. That and the world below stairs at the time has to be a brilliant combination!

If you'd like to join in and post about what you want for Christmas head over to A Tapestry Of Words and link up!