Books you got for Christmas

[Turophilic]

I got Ithaca by Claire North and Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfield, about which I am very chuffed.

Hoping for The Voyage Home by Pat Barker and East by Meera Sodha from extended family over the next few days.

What did you get to increase your book mountain?

@BebbanburgIsMine - are you a fan of The Last Kingdom? We loved that.

Thanks for the info on the order of what to watch. I’ll give it ago.

I live in a village where Henry VIII is supposed to have first met Katherine of Aragon. She apparently was taken here after she landed in England rather than straight to London. I find it all fascinating. I’m Irish so we learnt more about Irish history (and how horrible the English were!) although we did learn some English history.

Philippa Gregory. The Taming of the Queen.

The Child behind the wire. (I think that's what it was called) Mum bought it from Auschwitz. Probably seems odd to anyone else, but it's a special interest topic of mine.

I also got a signed copy of The Weight of What Was by Pip Landers-Lett, sent from the author as a thank you.

And the Lego bookcase set. Which isn't a book really.

@Peridot1

I am a huge fan of The Last Kingdom!

Best thing that's ever been on tv, and the books are brilliant too. I've actually lost count of how many times I've watched it. I watch it all the time on Netflix, and I have the boxset of all five series, and Seven Kings Must Die. I was lucky enough to go to Bamburgh last year, to see the exhibition, and just spend time at Bebbanburg. It was a huge thing for me to do, and it felt amazing!

I also have quite a lot of other Last Kingdom merchandise, a lot of which DD has bought me for Christmases and birthdays. I'm in a few TLK Groups on Facebook, and have Jeppe Beck Laureson (Haesten) as a fb friend.

Another thing that makes TLK so special is the true friendship and camaraderie the cast have with each other. They're also have fantastic interaction with all the fans, which is really lovely.

It's true to say I'm a bit obsessed with TLK!

Destiny Is All ⚔️⚔️

@BebbanburgIsMine - it does sound like a bit of an obsession all right! But a fairly harmless one I’d say! I must read the books. I love a bit of Uhtred. And loved Finan.

Might have to rewatch at some stage.

@Peridot1

I love Finan too, and Sihtric, both fantastic characters, Young Ragnar too.

I'm Scottish, but have Danish ancestry, and my dad's family were all seamen, going back to the Danish sailor who jumped ship in the early 19th century, settled in NE Scotland, married a local girl and took her name, also the name of the area.

Maybe that accounts for the Viking obsession, which starts I think with loving Noggin The Nog, away back in very early childhood!

I got The Wren The Wren by Anne Enright, and All the Little Bird Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd Barlow - looking forward to both

I've got Orbital by Samantha Harvey, wot won the booker prize.
Plus a few others that I asked for.

Place marking for more book suggestions.

Eighteen - A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives by Alice Loxton (joint present with H)
Sounds and Furies: the love-hate relationship between women and slang by Jonathan Green
Think Again by Jacqueline Wilson
My year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh
Kindred by Octavia E Butler

The first one neither of us had heard of so good call from H's sibling; the JW I was always going to want to read; the rest I'd seen recommended on here.

I also got a couple of puzzle books from S1 and his partner. It's a sudoku-type puzzle but based on our niche hobby, and I've been studiously avoiding them for ages because I'm not sure I have the brain power😂ah well. They also managed to find the DVD of Soul Music which practically counts (it includes a joke that isn't in the book) so I've forgiven them.

I got three books of my Persephone wishlist including a Dorothy Whipple and Sylvia Townsend Warner.

Anymore book suggestions to add to my birthday list in April?

I read The Wedding People by Alison Espach earlier this month and it was one of the best books ive read in a while.

Bought a few more today with a voucher I got for Christmas I swear I was like a child in a toyshop!

Oddly I only got two books this year: Orbital (almost everyone I know got it too!) plus Felicity Cloake’s One more Croissant for the Road, which I'd never heard of.

The Dead of Winter by Sarah Clegg, non-fiction about Christmas-themed folklore.
Diva by Daisy Goodwin, as everyone knows I've been obsessed with Maria Callas since I was in my teens.

I haven’t read any of my presents yet. I got Butter (as a pp has mentioned), the third Strike book (I know I am way behind, and also have the whole TV series to watch!) and the latest Michael Palin diaries. I also bought myself A Lively Midwinter Murder by Katy Watson to read over Christmas, and I am still just about half way through now, but am enjoying it.

Just coming back to say that the Ghosts book is fab! If you're a fan of the series, I highly recommend.

Nearly half way through We Solve Murders. I think, like The Thursday Murder Club, it'll take me a while to warm to the characters, but enjoying it so far.

Finding the Edge - the James Anderson autobiography. (Cricketer) from Dh think I shall be mostly looking at the cover....

Mansfield Park. I went on a Jane Austen spree in 2024 and that was the only one I hadn't read. Almost finished it now.