HAUL | My Birthday 2017

My 25th birthday was this month, and it’s safe to say I was fantastically spoiled with bookish goodness!

The Chalkboard Tradition

When we moved to Florida many years ago, my mom created chalkboard pantry doors in the kitchen. Since then, my dad has made it a tradition to design a special birthday message for everyone on their birthday. We’ve since moved, but they always make sure there’s a chalkboard in the kitchen, and the tradition goes on. It means a lot to each of us, and this year mine was totally bookish!! I love it so much.

 

My Great Barnes & Noble Splurge

Every year for my birthday, I take a totally indulgent trip to Barnes & Noble. I go with little to no idea what I want to get, and the only rule is that I have to be able to hold everything I’ll buy in my arms. Aside from that, I allow myself to grab whatever my heart desires in the moment, without reading reviews, looking online to see if I can find it cheaper, or thinking about how ridiculous my TBR already is. This is the only time of the year I let myself engage in such a free-for-all! It’s glorious! This year, I had a few serendipitous discoveries, which always adds to a good book-shopping trip.

 

 

 

First, I allowed myself to be completely excessive. Last year, I purchased Noble, the Barnes & Noble dog. I also have Stacks, the Book Outlet bear, which I got through a promotion. So, I’ve thought a few times that I should have Barnsie, the bear that goes with Noble. I bought him. As an adult, I feel silly buying stuffed animals sometimes, but you know what? They aren’t useless! They bring me so much joy! I love having these bookish pals guarding my shelves!

 

 

 

 

 

Next, I grabbed the one thing I knew I was going to buy before I walked in—The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1 by Robert Lacey. I adore this show and had my eye on this book for a while. Since the second season came out right around my birthday, I decided I would buy it. I’ve started this. It’s FANTASTIC. If you’re interested in British royal history and/or the show, you need this.

 

 

 

 

 

Then, I stumbled across The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1. This was very exciting and super fun, because I have read just about everything else in The Shadowhunter Chronicles (Lord of Shadows is still on my tbr shelf) and totally forgot the graphic novel was a thing! So obviously I picked this up.

 

 

 

 

The day before my birthday, I had actually been in Barnes & Noble as well, for just a few moments, while my mom went to grab something in a store nearby. At that time, I browsed just a few shelves, and Flannery O’Connor’s The Complete Stories was on one of those. I will fully admit I was drawn in by the cover, but it also made me realize I’ve never read a single thing by her, though I’ve heard her name many times. At any rate, that night my sister asked if I could proofread a literary analysis she was working on, and guess what she was analyzing? “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor. The next day when I again saw this collection on the shelf, I decided it was meant to be. I’m thinking I might read a story or two every now and then for several months. I like to work through short story collections slowly like that.

 

 

 

This next one is quite random, but it caught my attention, and after reading a few pages, I had to take it home. The Supreme Court: Landmark Decisions by Tony Mauro explores exactly what its title suggests. I will say that from the few pages I’ve already read, it is anything but dry. I’m fascinated by these major court cases and our entire concept of justice in the civilized world, so I’m pumped for this one.

 

 

 

 

A Charm of Goldfinches and Other Wild Gatherings: Quirky Collective Nouns of the Animal Kingdom by Matt Sewell is exactly the kind of charming novelty book I adore, but normally try to talk myself out of paying full price for. I don’t even know why I do that, because I actually have a tendency to refer back to books like this, and/or fully reread them, quite often! I read this whole thing my birthday weekend, and I have been spewing fascinating little facts from it whenever I get the chance. I’ve also gone back to certain pages already. The illustrations are beautiful and the information is interesting. If you love the natural world, grammar, word origins, or funny facts, this will delight you!

 

 

The Book I Didn’t Need to Buy Yet, But the Print …

 

Another thing I purchased for myself was The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo, which came with a GORGEOUS limited-edition print by the illustrator, Sara Kipin. This was ordered from Mystery Galaxy, as part of Bardugo’s event there earlier in the month. I don’t plan to read this until I’ve read the original trilogy in The Grishaverse, but I needed the print, and I’m excited to own this stunning book!

 

 

 

 

 

From Friends Who Know Me So Well I Want to Cry

I am so touched by the thoughtful gifts these three besties sent me, despite the fact that we are all miles and miles away from each other.

 

From my dear friend Nicole R. I received a personalized embosser from Oraton!! You can see what it says in this photo of the sticker they put on the box it came in. I tried to create another one using the sample stickers they included for me, but of course I did it the wrong way both times and now need to get more of the stickers first. Pretty much all of the antique books I own have stamps or stickers with things like this from the original owner, which always delights me to no end. So you can imagine how thrilled I am to have a beautiful version of my own. Thank you, Nicole!!

 

 

 

My partner in crime (we’ve done so many dumb things, and I love that), Nicole A., sent me this AMAZING shirt from Pia Mia Boutique on Etsy. I love it so much. I don’t know about all of you (except I sort of do know that I’m not the only one who does this), but I’m constantly saying exactly this when I’m in the middle of the greatest book (which I might say about most of them) at 2am. There have been times when this has gotten to be such a bad habit that I can’t let myself read past 10pm! Not only is the saying perfect, but I never buy clothes for myself, so I’m totally excited about this! Thank you, Nicole!!

 

 

 

Another bestie of mine, Annie, sent me the sweetest package! It included this GORGEOUS, Beauty and the Beast-inspired frame, pins that she made herself, and brown sugar coffee cookies. The cookies are not pictured here because of course I’ve already devoured them all. 🙂 Annie, who is also a fellow bibliophile, is so creative and such an incredible baker!! It means so much to me to receive gifts like this. Thank you, Annie!!

 

 

 

 

So here’s to 25! I can’t believe I’m 25, but I’m excited about it! I know this sounds strange, but I’ve always sort of enjoyed the idea of getting older. I’m an old soul, I think, and I feel more and more ideally me each year.