What books did Santa put under your tree?

[Lisa]

What books or book related items did Santa put under your tree? What books did you give this year?

[Lisa]

I must have been a very good girl this year or maybe I just told the right elf; but I got lots of good books this year.

My family gave me:
Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

I also got a platform style cover for my Nook, which will allow for hands-free reading. Nice for sitting in the B&N cafe, Panera or using on my new computer lap desk.

If that wasn't enough, they gave me a $50 gift certificate to B&N so I can purchase ebooks. My son also said he got it so I can buy Autobiography of Mark Twain: The Complete and Authoritative Edition, Volume 1. He said the publisher hasn't been able to keep up with the demand for the book, and it wasn't in stock when he went to purchase it for me.

I hope everyone was as blessed as me with good books for Christmas. Oh, I almost forgot that at my December book club we exchanged books for Christmas and I received Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving

Some of the books I gave as gifts were:

[LynnB]

Wow, Lisa! You got some very nice book gifts! My husband gave me a gift certificate to my favorite indie book dealer, so I will really enjoy spending that. I call gift certificates "guilt free spending".

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

[Barb]

This is a fun thread idea! I received in a gift exchange in a different goodreads group, and my favorite Santa brought me and Good year for books!

[Cathy]

I received:

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton (I loved reading "The Forgotten Garden" in 2009.)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean

I gave my dad The Confession.

My fourteen-year old son received a Kindle for Christmas from us and downloaded Titanic Thompson: The Man Who Bet on Everything by Kevin Cook.

[Tasha]

My book gifts for the Xmas are:



and a gift card to BN. :)

[Lisa]

@Barb
I still have The Housekeeper and the Professor on my to-read list. I hope you enjoy it. My copy of The Kitchen House is waiting to be picked up at the library, but I don't think it will be anytime soon. It's snowing heavily here now, and they are calling for a foot before it ends tomorrow.

@Cathy
I loved The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and want to read The Distant Hours and The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements. My dad was also the recipient of The Confession.

@Tasha
You'll love The Book Thief and The Art of Racing in the Rain.

@Lynn
I love getting gift certificates to book stores! Have fun deciding what to spend yours on!

[Cathy]

I almost forgot I got the new photo book... Audrey 100 by Ellen Fontana. Audrey Hepburn was such an iconic beauty. A beautiful "coffee table book" loaded with lots of photos released by her family.

Barb - I liked The Housekeeper and the Professor, but loved The Kitchen House.

[Sera]

I bought my mom two cookbooks, my 4 year old nephew Where the Sidewalk Ends, my niece 4 tween books, and my daughter 3 books (her library is getting to be as big as mine). I received no books but I did get a $50 gift card to Borders - score! I'm headed there tomorrow with my 50% off coupon.

[Becky]

I too received a $50 Border's card & will be heading there on Sunday, also with my 50% coupon!!

[Lisa]

Sera & Becky, let us know what goodies you get with your gift cards.

[Tasha]

Speaking of xmas gift cards, I spent my BN gift card on a new night/reading light (hopefully it is much better than the old one i was using...i hated that thing and have been using a flashlight instead!) and The Invisible Bridge.

[Sera]

Alas, I've come home almost empty-handed. The only book that I picked up was I Alex Cross, which was on sale for $3.99. I'm headed to the website now, because I, too, have a 50% coupon that expires today ;)

[Lisa]

Sera, I liked I, Alex Cross, although there were some pretty brutal scenes in it. I use Patterson for my "down time" reads. They're quick, easy and don't require a lot of concentration.

[Sera]

Lisa, I'm a huge Alex Cross fan, but I stopped reading the series awhile back so in between my other heavier reads, I'm trying to catch up. I've inadvertently read a couple out of order but fortunately, I'm not too far off track.

Are you also a fan of the John Sanford Prey series reads with Lucas Davenport? I used to read this one as well as each new book came out, but I'm behind here now as well and would like to catch up at some point.

[Lisa]

Sera, I'm way behind in the Lucas Davenport series. I used to read them immediately, then somehow I got sidetracked. One of my goals this year is to catch up on the Prey series. I've been collecting some of them at Goodwill. I need to print out a list in order and figure out what I'm missing.

I was also behind on some of the Cross books, but I think I'm caught up now.

My favorite series is Harry Bosch by Michael Connelly. I can't praise Connelly's work enough. I buy all of his books as soon as they are released!

[Becky]

Lisa wrote: "Sera & Becky, let us know what goodies you get with your gift cards."

I went in with a list & the 50% off coupon & my gift card....the first book on my list was in the bargain bin...$3.99 -10% off & then the next 2 I got just the 10% off & the 4th one I used the 50% off + the 10 % off...

[Betsy]

Tasha wrote: "Speaking of xmas gift cards, I spent my BN gift card on a new night/reading light (hopefully it is much better than the old one i was using...i hated that thing and have been using a flashlight ins..."

I've been contemplating one and then I saw an ad for reading glasses that have little built in lights. I wonder how those are. Anyone have those?

[Lisa]

I've seen those glasses and am also curious if they work. Just the visual I get of myself lying in bed with those glasses cracks me up. I wonder if they can spell out "book nerd" in lights?

[Sera]

Lisa wrote: "Sera, I'm way behind in the Lucas Davenport series. I used to read them immediately, then somehow I got sidetracked. One of my goals this year is to catch up on the Prey series. I've been collec..."

Lisa, I'm not familiar with Harry Bosch. Are you trying to get me hooked on another series? I'm also a Lee Child fan of Jack Reacher, but like the others, I used to read them as soon as they came out, but I believe that I'm on only 8 or 9 now. Jack Reacher is one of my favorite characters.

[Sera]

Glasses with lights? That's hilarious.

[Betsy]

Sera wrote: "Glasses with lights? That's hilarious."

I found them on Amazon in case you want to check them out. They definitely spell book nerd, but as a book nerd, I also think they might feel like you have a super power. It doesn't take much to thrill me! Ha!

[Sera]

It's the little things isn't it, Betsy? :) I will have to look at Amazon, just to see.

[Betsy]

Sera wrote: "It's the little things isn't it, Betsy? :) I will have to look at Amazon, just to see."

Oops - then I forgot to post the link to make it easy! Sorry. http://www.amazon.com/Lighted-Reading...

[Tasha]

Betsy wrote: "Sera wrote: "Glasses with lights? That's hilarious."

I found them on Amazon in case you want to check them out. They definitely spell book nerd, but as a book nerd, I also think they might feel ..."

Too funny!

[Sera]

Thanks, Betsy! Too funny. Actually I'm surprised as to how stylish they are in a nerdy way.

[Betsy]

Santa gave me a B&N gift card, so I got my book presents today. I generally do the book swap site for my reading material, so rarely get new books that everyone here is talking about. I'm very excited to now have

to read sort of when everyone else is reading them.

I also got a couple of books with a Simon & Shuster Groupon coupon, so I'll say the dogs put those under the tree for me!
and

[Sera]

Nice haul, Betsy!

[Lisa]

Great choices, Betsy!

I traded in my MMPB copy of The Girl Who Played with Fire that I received for Christmas. I don't like MMPB's, especially for long books. Plus, it was cheaper on the Nook. It's on special for $5, and since I was given a gift card, it was a no brainer for me. I'm still deciding what to spend the rest of my gift card on. Left Neglected is at the top of my wish list right now.

[LynnB]

Lisa wrote: "...Left Neglected is at the top of my wish list right now. "

That's a really good story - I gave it 5 stars. Do read it!

[Lisa]

Betsy, I thought of you today when I bought these at Barnes & Noble. I hope everyone gets a good laugh.

Caption My Photo

[Betsy]

Lisa wrote: "Betsy, I thought of you today when I bought these at Barnes & Noble. I hope everyone gets a good laugh.

Caption My Photo

"
I can't believe you actually bought them! Do they work well?

[Lisa]

They are fantastic!!!! Much better than a booklight. I can't believe something so silly can make me this happy. I LOVE them!

[LynnB]

Love the picture! I might have to check into them, too.

[Sera]

Very cool, Lisa.

[Patti]

I Santa brought me some really good books this year.

[Sera]

Patti wrote: "I Santa brought me some really good books this year.







[bookco..."

Nice haul!

[LynnB]

I didn't get any books in particular, but I did get a nice bookstore gift certificate, so for me it will be happy shopping!!

[Becky]

, my secret santa from a GoodReads group I am in....can't wait to read this!

[Linda]

Becky wrote: ", my secret santa from a GoodReads group I am in....can't wait to read this!"

oooo, Becky, I saw the author interviewed over the weekend and thought this book sounded interesting enough to put it on my TBR list.

[Becky]

Linda wrote: "Becky wrote: ", my secret santa from a GoodReads group I am in....can't wait to read this!"

oooo, Becky, I saw the author interviewed over the weekend and thought this..."

Oh-where did you see the interview? Maybe I can look it up on line

[Linda]

It was on Saturday morning (12/24/11) Today show.

[Becky]

Linda wrote: "It was on Saturday morning (12/24/11) Today show."

OK Thanks-I will look for it...he is such a great journalist...