Winter Wishlist: Week 2

Week Two of the Winter Wishlist Blog Hop!

This week is about posting what I would love to give during the holiday season.  So this is kind of like my monthly recommendations, in a way.  This is going to include books and bookish things :)  There are so many awesome recommendations out there - so please check out the other blogs that are participating in this hop!!  Here we go!

The Books

The Child Thief - YOU MUST READ THIS.  I can't believe I forgot about it until now.  Brom's version of Peter Pan is not only fantastically mischievous and a little evil, but our main character is a problem child of his own.  This version of Peter Pan is more twisted than what you get from Disney, and it's so well written.  Beautiful words, characters, and voices.  Really, I cannot say enough about how much I love this book.  Seriously, put it on your wish list - now.  (Maybe I should do a giveaway of this book at some point - ooohh boy).  [As Read Now, Sleep Later points out:  This is a very dark book - you probably shouldn't read this if you are squeamish or don't like dark books]

What Dreams May Come - Yes, I know it was a sappy cheesefest of a movie (but honestly, I love Robin Williams), but the book is something else.  While the movie only scratches the surface, the book dives into philosophical topics of what afterlife is like.  Matheson did his homework - he took a little bit from every kind of religion out there, and interviews from people who were clinically dead before coming back.  And he mushed it all together.  I love this book.  It's a good story, regardless of what you believe religiously or otherwise.

The Vanishing - Here I am being a creeper again.  This book is about a man who finds his wife's kidnapper.  She disappeared without a trace.  And the ending... *shudders*  For a good, short, creepfest, you should read it.  Great character development, great plot, overall... love.

Bookish Things

These might be more writer things, and I might be doing a bit of a shameless plug in promoting them (I designed them) but I still think they are great gifts.  (I bought some for myself for Christmas, and we might buy them for someone else we know for a birthday - shh!)

Regardless, you can get both designs from:  http://adorningschemes.spreadshirt.com/

If you don't know what "I'm on a horse!" is from, you can look at the comic strip for NaNoWriMo:

Anyway, I think that's it for now - if I think of any other recommendations, I will post them later this week :)

Winter Wishlist - Week One!

I am really excited to take part in Read Now Sleep Later's Winter Wishlist.

It is such a beautiful idea.  The first week is where you post the things that you would like - books and such to read.  The second week, you post things you would love to gift to other people.  The third week, you write about a non-profit for bookish things.  I think it's lovely, and since it is winter, and it is even cold where I live (it's almost never cold here), I figured this would be a great way to warm my bones.

The Books

Apparently, the holidays for me is a time to read really creeptastic books.

The Knife of Never Letting Go is a place where everyone can hear everyone's thoughts?  This is already caked in drama from the start, but then your main character starts getting pursued by trackers.  Oh great, now where could he possibly hide?

The Road - talk about your worst nightmare.  Trying to protect your son in a post apocalyptic world?  Horrendous.  I hear things about this book, snippets and pieces that always intrigue me... And I really want it.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle - you had me at labyrinth and possibly murderous.  Possibly murderous?  Really?  "Possibly?"  This means I have to read it just to know if they are murderous or not, forget the rest of the plot line ;)

Carrier of the Mark - I have seen this book everywhere, I feel... except in the Los Angeles libraries.  (Really, Los Angeles?  Really?!)  I've seen so many posts about it, that I just have to read it.  And besides, I'm a sucker for supernatural romance.

As far as bookish things go, I'm not really in need of anything anymore - since I have a feeling that my husband has finally gotten sick of me using our flashlight as a book light.  ^_^

But after blog hopping and looking at the other lovelies things, I remembered the super awesome nerdiness that is book ends.  Specifically these book ends (thinkgeek.com likes to squeeze every penny from my wallet... *sigh*):

If you would like to join in the fun, simply jump in below and visit the original blog (Read Now Sleep Later) for all the details!