Sherlock: Can I Have a Word?

So, we all know what happened on New Year's Day. The Sherlock Christmas special brought us temporarily away from the modern exploits of Holmes and Watson, back to its original Victorian setting, and I, for one, loved it.

Don't worry, I'm not about to spend this entire blog post spoiling it for you. That would be cruel and unfair and, quite frankly, un-bookish. I, instead, would like to talk about the original stories - I read most of them about nine months ago, and watching the programme in all its true-to-source glory was a particularly good reminder.

If you're rolling your eyes at the word 'classic', then stop it. These ones are actually readable.

In Victorian times and before, it's widely accepted that writing was a very different kettle of fish to what it is today, mostly because television and film hadn't made us expect our stories in visual form yet (as in, we didn't expect to imagine the action in images). Now, writing advice columns are full of 'show, don't tell', but in those days, waffling on in very long sentences wasn't just expected, it was encouraged. Just look at this extract from Pride and Prejudice, which I always struggled to get through but is apparently very good:

It's lovely and very descriptive, but . . . I always find that I get bogged down in those paragraph-long asides and abandon book. The thing with Sherlock Holmes is that it's a mystery, and, like in most mysteries, the sentences are a lot shorter. Suspenseful. Here's an example:

It's still a bit more long-winded than the modern spy stories we might be used to, but I find it a lot more understandable. With Sherlock, it doesn't take me two or three pages to get into the story, which is useful because I'm a slow reader, so with a classic it might take me ten minutes to surmount those three pages and if I'm not in the story by then, there's trouble.

I also love the plots, and somehow I don't seem to say that about many books, let alone series. Often, I comment on a single twist, or how good the characters are, but Arthur Conan Doyle is just masterful at weaving the web for Holmes to unpick. Sure, some of the shorter-length mysteries are a bit rushed at the end, but in novel form it's perfectly paced too. In my opinion.

If you're wondering what this blog post was, then I'm not really sure. Maybe I'm fangirling about the new Sherlock episode. Maybe I've written an ode to Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the world's most famous detective. Or maybe I'm just so desperate to talk to someone who's read the original Adventures of Sherlock Holmes that I've created historically accurate arguments to make you pick them up.

For that to happen, all I really need to tell you is that the main collection is free on Kindle, and you can get A Study in Scarlet, the original novel, for less than a pound if memory serves.

Go get the free books, bookworms, and then come talk to me about them in the comments.

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12 Bookstagrammers to Follow on Instagram (Not In Real Life, that Would be Weird)

Who loves Instagram? I'm going to assume you all just put your hands up, because we like da gram. 'Tis awesome. And my personal favourite part of the brilliant photo-web is called Bookstagram - an entire sub-world of covers and bookmarks that I am absolutely in love with.

So how do you access this beautiful thing? It's simple. You just follow some Bookstagrammers (A.K.A. People who post pictures of books) whose photography you like. The opinions are subjective, naturally, but I thought I'd put together a photo-guide of my favourite accounts, creating a sort of start-up pack.

You could also follow me of course, @otherteenreader. But my photos aren't half as pretty or as plentiful as the ones on these gorgeous accounts.

@beautiful.bibliophile

The colour balance here is just beautiful - each picture is a rainbow and I love how that is used to convey mood. In a lot of accounts, I can find the colour scheme a little repetitive, but these photos are somehow wildly unique from one another and hold together in a recognisable style. How, Yeldah, how?

@lucythereader

How can something be both minimalist and really, really detailed? I don't think that's possible, but meh. I break stereotypes. My favourite aspect of Lucy's photography is how she takes pictures from interesting angles, and I've tried to incorporate that (ish, very ish) in mine. It just makes things seem organic and spontaneous, which, if you've ever tried to take a photo of a book, you'll know is a very difficult thing to achieve. Follow Lucy because of her awesome skill at this.

@britbookboy

This . . . I love how the photos on Andrew's account really reflect the kind of books he's into. There's some smoke and darkness reflecting the Throne of Glass-esque fantasy, a vintage creamy palette for the contemporaries, and wintry bits because it's Christmas. There's also a dog called Luna, which is good for two reasons. It's a DOG called LUNA (any Harry Potter referencing pets are a win in my book).

@headinherbooks

After looking at this account, I henceforth declare that a white furry rug is the best background for books. It adds just enough textural interest to make the picture and its subjects pop, but the lack of colour doesn't make it cluttered.

I'm not intending to steal this technique, of course, but the white rug metaphor sums up Jananee's account. Textured, but not cluttered. Interesting but not over-complicated.

@sapphire.reads

THEME ALERT! THEME ALERT! THEME ALERT!

There are a few other tables involved in Vic's account, but mostly it's just as tied together and uniform as this. Trust me when I say that sticking to an Instagram theme is exceptionally hard, and anyone who does it this well deserves followers. As many as is possible.

@paperfury

Yes, I know . . . I am a little obsessed with this girl. However, that doesn't make her eye candy any less sweet, and on rare occasions when I'm so tired I can't even read a blog post New Year's, this feed gives me my Paper Fury fix without straining my eyes: the composition has that much personality.

@bookstations

If there is one thing more difficult to create (and with a bigger payoff) than a themed Instagram account, it is a clean Instagram account. And Raisa, with her unimaginable genius, has made one. It's amazing. There's just enough colour for it to have soul, and in the case of the colour/soul plane, it turns out that less is more.

@youngadultbookaddict

Whenever I open this feed, I feel like I'm curling up in front of an open fire in the middle of a woodland lodge. It's homely and warm and THAT IS MAHOGANY.

Calm down inner Effie, calm down.

What I'm saying is that especially in cold, grey January, we need something like this. Follow for hot chocolate, sticky toffee pudding and steamed up windows - or a similar atmosphere, anyway.

@thenatashareads

This looks like the inside of a schoolgirl's notebook, and not the one with the horrible handwriting. Picture doodles and chocolate and newspaper swatches . . . a teenagehood frozen in photos, and marked in books. Count me in.

@saskiareads

I realise that I got a bit lyrical describing these last few accounts, so maybe I'll tone this down. It is pretty and full of a wide selection of books - to be fair, life should be like that. Maybe we'll say Saskia's photos are life, full of subtlety and just a touch of nostalgia.

Or is that too lyrical for you? Deal with it.

@themilelongbookshelf

This girl (and her feed) is endlessly and relentlessly awesome.

The book-through-phone game is on point. I tried book through phone pictures once, and it was a disaster, so kudos to Amber for not only mastering a very difficult skill but also using it to make her feed different. Also, I hear that the secret to producing so much light (there's so. much. light.) in grey countries is a daylight bulb. Why was I not let in on this secret earlier?

@fiza__bookaholic

I'm loving the way that, however hard I tell myself these photos must have been set up painstakingly in order to look so beautiful, it always looks like Fiza has just taken a picture of her desk as it happens to look right then. This gives us a view inside her mind, and although it's far from tidy, the phrase 'a cluttered desk means a cluttered mind' has never quite rung true for me. At least it's not an empty desk . . .


So, that concludes my little guide to eStalking - if you have an Instagram, you know what to do, and if you don't, you need one. (I resisted for ages too. Don't worry, little one, the craze will take you at some point. *slightly demonic grin*)

***

In the comments: So, um, do you agree with me? I'd be really interested to know, since art is so subjective. If so, who's your favourite? And if not, which Bookstagrammers would you recommend following?

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New Year, New Ideas: 4 Ways to Generate Blog Content

Before I get started with today's post, it is time for a short announcement - just imagine the trumpet fanfare. I'm making some changes to my blogging schedule, as part of the whole 'it's almost New Year I'd better be more organised' thing.

So I'll be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, although, if we're honest, I'm rather unreliable. More details here.

***

Anyway, by the time you read this, it will be the New Year, and we all know what comes with it: the tantalising possibility of a fresh start. In my slightly-upside-down blogger's head, new things = new content, and that's what I'm going to be talking about today.

If you're anything like me, finding post ideas that stay within the genre of what you're trying to write is really, really hard work. You don't want to repeat yourself, you don't want to rip other people off, and you certainly don't want to churn out sub-par content just because you need to write something. I am endeavouring to help, but because I know what people write is completely dependant on them and their blogging niche, this isn't going to be a list of random ideas.* Instead, I'd like to give you some tips for creating your own.

*I need to use all the random ideas I come up with.

#1 - You can start with the title.

It's no secret that titles are one of the easiest ways to make your blog shine, but did you know that they're also an easy way to get yourself inspired? About half of my posts start life as a title, and my favourite tool to use is Portent's Content Idea Generator.

It's amazing, this. You just plug in a couple of generic keywords (I usually go for "books" or "reading") and it comes up with hilarious titles. You can use them straight off the bat, but often I'll see something and then my brain will come up with something similar but not the same. Have a look at this for an example:

I saw this and I thought: urrgh. Everyone loves the Simpsons, and writing this post would be a lot of fun, but I just knew that Homer would never write a guide to books. Lisa could though. Maybe even Maggie? (By the way, you can so steal that idea if you like. I stopped trying to write the post as soon as I realised my Simpsons knowledge is beyond basic.)

The point is, as well as giving you beautiful titles, this method isn't as prescriptive as it sounds, because you can go in a load of different directions. Also, if you've written a post and can't think of a title, the generator works really well too.

#2 - The time of year is a great place to begin.

There are many holidays in this world. Be it Christmas, Easter, St. Paddy's Day, or even New Year's, most people are already in the festive mood, and even the loosest association with the time of year will probably be well appreciated. I also find that I'm very well-inspired by something when the excitement is all around me (I'm writing this in the middle of a 24-hour New Year Party).

Wait, what? You need examples? Posts that help people organise their holidays are often popular (e.g. 10 Presents with Which to Present a Bookworm), and in my experience, it's best to try and think of some kooky way to relate the holiday to your subject. I highly doubt anyone's read a post comparing the Post-Christmas blues to a book hangover, for example.

#3 - Who says writers can't steal?

Artists can, so there's no reason you shouldn't either, as long as you know how to do it nicely. If you're inspired by an original post, you should always go through this mental checklist:

1) Is my idea different enough to be worth making? Or is it just a carbon copy of what the other blogger has written?

The answer to this question depends on the type of post. If it's opinion based, then your personal take on things should be enough to make it unique, but otherwise, just have a think. Make sure your readers will feel it's worth reading both. If you'd like an example of how different is different enough, here's one of my posts and the post series that inspired it.

2) What will make them more likely to say it's okay?

When I ask permission to write a post inspired by another blog, I say that I'll give credit and link to the original, as well as any other posts they want me to, and that I won't post until they give me the okay. This is good not only because people like to work with others who are polite, professional and make it easy for them (I usually include a link to my blog so they don't have to search my work out), but also because it starts a conversation. And starting conversations is always good in the blogging world.

(I've included a screenshot of myself asking permission not because you need to copy everything I do - although you should, obviously - but because it's the only example I know how to find.)

3) Should I share this on the original post?

The answer is usually yes.

Bloggers love to see what you've done with their ideas, and if their readers liked the first post, there's a chance they'll enjoy yours too and maybe become followers of your blog. If you've been asked not to for whatever reason, then obviously don't, but otherwise you can add a link right in the comments. I sometimes use CommentLuv if they've got it.

With all that said, there is one exception: tags. The book blogging community at least seem pretty happy for you to steal a tag without asking, because they're meant to be spread around. Also, please don't think everyone will want to hurt you if you are inspired by their posts - in fact, imitation is the highest form of flattery - I'm just saying a little tact goes a long way.

#4 - Keep an eye on your archives.

I'm serious here. If a post gets a lot of hits, or is your absolute favourite, then there might be scope to create a series on a similar theme, or make some variations to create something different but equally awesome. You don't even have to ask permission!

I have an idea for this, but I am going to actually use it, so do I dare reveal? 

I dare. If you remember "12 Authors and Bloggers to Follow on Twitter", then you might not be surprised by the Instagram version. 

***

Do you have any other techniques for capturing the all-important inspiration faries? And which of these do you think will be most useful?

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How to Read All Day (And Get Away with It)

The world at large has an annoying tendency to - you know - exist. This can get in the way of reading, as most of us know only too well, and some days are just made for books and nothing else. In order to allow us all to survive this sort of thing, I have put together a step-by-step protocol which I think is pretty much foolproof, as long as you are motivated enough.

Step #1 - Get what you need done, done. 
Between twelve and twenty-four hours before your planned 'I need to read now day', make sure you get everything absolutely necessary (homework, music practice etc.) out of the way. Don't schedule book days when you know you'll be doing something awesome. Basically, if you would feel guilty about not having done it, then the best bookworms would obviously complete the task perfectly first with infallible restraint. (I am not one of these perfect bookworms, don't panic. You can always pretend to be working and read instead.)

If you can stick to this rule, hopefully, your reading interrupters loved ones won't have a good reason to haul you out of your book nest, and guilt won't pull you out either.

Step #2 - Choose your book(s). And choose wisely.
Sometimes, a day-long read might consist of reading one book from cover to cover, maybe quite a big one, and that's all well and good, but what if you fall out with the characters? What if the author does something you expressly told them not to do? And what if it ends too quickly?

Never fear, bookworms, there is an easy solution. Just get a massive pile of books.

My favourite time to hunker down and play the 'give me a break card' has always been just after Christmas - about now in fact - purely because I have a beautiful pile to devour. If you want to choose a lot, then maybe go for a series, or a couple of different genres, so the stories don't start to feel samey.

Step #3 - Being ill helps.
If you have to stay home from school sick, or refuse to leave your room because my nose feels like it's about to explode, adults will usually have more sympathy for your book binge. They might even bring snacks and stuff.

Of course, timing illness to match your planned reading extravaganza is nigh on impossible, so you have two options. Firstly, you could keep a 'book day emergency kit' to break open when you are sick, but we all know that we're unlikely to resist books Just Sitting There for that long. You could also pretend to be ill but if anyone asks, I thought better of that. It's crossed out, see? *wink wink*

If you are going to fake an illness, going against all the advice I just gave you, naturally, then don't tell everyone you're planning to read for the whole day and then get 'poorly'. Parents usually see through that (I mean, I've heard).

Step #4 - Make sure your supply of supplies isn't under-supplied.
Book binges are marathons, not sprints, and you're never going to be able to do all the reading you want without properly sourced food and drink. If your live-in minions loved ones are refusing to deliver freshly-baked cookies and the like, then go to the kitchen and make yourself something before you dive into your book.

There's nothing worse than having to put a book down for no other reason than the rebellion of your stomach.

Step #5 - READ! ALL DAY!
Turn off your phone. If someone tries to speak to you, spout elvish or parseltoungue at them until they go away.

If all these steps are followed correctly, all interactions during Operation Read All Day should go something like this:

Me: *Reading furiously.*

Mum: Lara, are you going to come out of your room today?

Me: Um . . . no. I have . . . a cold *sniffles*

Mum: Aww, I'm sorry, but you do have homework to do. What about that Geography project? And the revision for the Science test?

Me: Done.

Mum: And French Horn practice? You've got that concert, don't forget.

Me: I did two sessions yesterday. It's all covered.

Mum: O. . .kay. I won't pretend not to be suspicious.

Mum: {to Dad} It's fine. She'll come out when she's hungry.

Me: *selects next book while picking up another cookie* Mwa ha ha.

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Christmas Book Haul (A.K.A. THANK YOU PRESENT-GIVERS)

My friends and family are officially the most amazing people ever. After my birthday and Christmas this year, I have gathered a total of ten books with a few more family members to see, and that makes me the most lucky person ever. Thank you everyone for your brilliant presents, and be safe in the knowledge that you can always keep me more than happy with books.

So, who wants to see what I got?

Am I Normal Yet by Holly Bourne 
★★★★★ (Already Finished)

The sheer speed at which I managed to finish this should tell you how much I loved it, and to be honest you just have to read it. Now and without pausing for breath.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
★★★★☆ (In Progress)

I've only withheld a star here because I'm halfway through and have a feeling that this ending is going to get pretty complicated. Good complicated, I'm sure, but my poor, tiny brain tends to scream in pain at this sort of thing - I'll have to survive if I want to know what happens to Cinder, and ERK I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!

I love this kind of retelling, because it's just different enough from the original fairytale that I can't quite predict how things are going to go down. And, frankly, stuff will go down. I can tell.


Modern Family: Wit and Wisdom from America's Favourite Family
(Non-Fiction)

I am very, very obsessed with Modern Family - mostly because Alex Dunphy is effectively me - and it's one of the few things I'm a fan of that hasn't been brought up on this blog yet. The brilliance of this little tome lies in the fact that it is filled with quotes, and that means I'll have even more material to parrot at my parents even though they've already seen it.

Huzzah!

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
★★★☆☆ (Two pages in . . .)

. . . and it's already really, really interesting.

I'm a sucker for anything told in a non-conventional manner, and the emails between Beth and Jennifer are pure genius. They sound like I hope my friends and I will when we finally grow up.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Illustrated by J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay
★★★★★

It's Harry Potter and it's beautiful and it's huge and MINE. ALL MINE! I haven't read this edition all the way through yet, because I'm terrified of doing something horrible that will make it not beautiful (you should see how many food stains most of my books have) and it is therefore under armed guard.

I have, however, opened it for long enough to gawk at the flawless illustrations - there are small images on almost every page and the whole thing is peppered with the most amazing double-page spreads. There are even a couple of original pieces of information from J.K. Rowling herself, and . . . wow.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
(Not Started Yet)

I have heard literally two things about this book, and know very little about it other than these two things. To be fair, I don't need to know anything more to think it'll be fantastic.

1) It is about being ordinary. Anti-chosen-one. And the idea sounds brilliantly unique.
2) There is diversity. Diversity on its own doesn't make a book, but when it's teamed with a capable plotline, I will probably love the resulting wormhole of awesomeness

I also got The Knife of Never Letting Go by this author, and I'm going in with even less information. It's almost thrilling (almost)!

Murder Most Unladylike and Arsenic for Tea by Robin Stevens
(Not Started Yet)

The friend who recommended this book is an expert in the boarding-school-mystery sort of thing, and before all else I trust her judgement. It's the sort of thing that I tend to attack between weepy books, to spare my tear ducts if anything else, but that doesn't mean I won't enjoy it. Or weep - you never know. . .

My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece and Silence is Goldfish by Annabel Pitcher
(Not Started Yet)

Ketchup Clouds was so, so gorgeous, and it looks like the elements I loved in that were key elements of the author's style. That means GET ME ALL THE BOOKS THIS GENIUS HAS EVER WRITTEN EVER.

Sorry. Insert anything the tiniest bit traumatic in a book and I get weirdly excited: take the opportunity to back away slowly.

***

I'm sure there are a few more books on the way - there might even be the odd one I've forgotten in the Christmas rush, and this is terrible - but if I ramble any more you'll all get sick of me. I hope you had a Merry Christmas, and what does your haul look like?

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Words for a Wednesday: A Christmas Carol

I don't know if you've realised, but CHRISTMAS IS TWO DAYS AWAY! And I'm very, very excited.

Charles Dickens, as evidenced by effectively the whole of A Christmas Carol, was also very excited about this. The entire book is filled with chestnuts and snow and cobbled streets: in fact, he is credited with creating the modern festive season (or, at least, the image of it) through that wordy concentration of Christmas spirit. In fact, I figured there was no better source to revive Words for a Wednesday than this epitome of Yuletide joy.

I told you I got excited around Christmas. But where was I?

The book itself was pretty easy to choose, seeing as we've been studying it at school. but choosing an individual quote? That proved to be a lot more tricky. I could have gone for the good old, traditional "God bless us, everyone." but everyone's heard of that. Personally, I prefer this one, which is part of the narrator's wry observations when describing Scrooge's nephew Fred and his Christmas celebrations, because it just makes good sense:

"There is nothing in this world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour."
Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Think about it for a second. If two people were trying to convince me of something, I'm naturally inclined to go with the positive person, the one who makes me laugh or feel good about the world. This is because everyone wants to feel good about the world, and that's why a lot of us love Christmas.

I believe that we could all get a bit further in our lives if we remembered the absolute 'contagious' power of laughter. People like Scrooge are only grumpy because people aren't happy enough around them, and then people don't dare be happy around them because they're so grumpy. Negativity is a vicious cycle; we need to fight it with love, and sparkles, and . . . sorry.

I got a tiny bit My Little Pony there, so I need to say that I'm not a complete innocent. I don't have my head buried in the sand, and I know that there are terrible things going on in the world. Terrorism. Poverty. Abuse. But if we're positive about what humanity and compassion can do if we all think co-operatively and positively (and then do all we can to help instead of just thinking about it) then maybe, just maybe, we might be able to make this world a bit of a brighter place.

I leave you with this video, just proving how good humour between people can be the catalyst in building a better world. Hopefully, I've managed to make your day a good one, and remind you that we can all spread positivity with the help of Charles Dickens. Thanks Charlie *mic drop*.

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10 Presents With Which to Present a Bookworm

So, my #Shelfie post took so long to write that I think my brain may have literally scrambled. Luckily for me, it's Christmas, so Dad can untangle it along with the fairy lights . . . or I could just write a post about bookwormy presents.

Yeah. That might be less painful.

There has always been one easy gift to get a bookworm at Christmas - books, duh - but they aren't as easy as they look. There's always a chance that your tame book lover has read it, and . . . that would be awkward. If you'd prefer a book-related gift with a bit of a twist, then here are some ideas. As long as you don't mind ordering online, there's a lot out there:

#1 - This All-Too-True Quote print

Literary Print via NotOnTheHighStreet.com - £24.95 with frame

This is a beautiful little page-sized print that would be perfect for the classic book lover (it's from Little Women) or someone who goes a little crazy over their books. Or both. Preferably both.

I'd also recommend this as a brilliant gift for anyone who's redecorating practically any room in their house, or complains that their walls are bare, or whatever. It could also be a subtle hint for anyone you think is reading too much - just don't expect them to change . . .

#2 - The Best-Smelling Candle in All the World

Old Books Candle via the Frostbeard Etsy Shop - £12.36

If you're anything like me, the best smell in all of the natural world is quite obviously an old book. It's like vanilla and knowledge and heaven and I feel like I'm getting smarter just by breathing in that aroma. Next time you see me smelling a revision guide, you'll know why.

Scented candles are supposed to be relaxing, and trust me, non-bookworms - this is just the ticket. And you can check the rest of the store for more biblophile-related scents . . .

#3 - Did Someone Say Harry Potter?

Illustrated Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone via Amazon.com - £15.00

I am aware that I said these were going to be non-book gifts, but just look at it. LOOK AT IT - this has to be more than a book, surely? And you don't have to worry about the object of your gift affections already owning it, because if they did, it would have been shoved in your face or raved about at you by now.

This gift is perfect for your favourite Potter fan, especially if you know they're into illustration and 'dat. Just don't assume that all bookworms know their Hogwarts from their house elves (sorry Briony, we do this to you loads) . . .

#4 - Let's go old school.

It might be a bit left field, but typewriters are so quirky and literary that most bookworms secretly want one. If your pet worm is one of the traditionalists, or writes as well as reading, then I think it's ideal - the only reason I haven't included a link here is because you've got to dig around on Etsy and eBay to find a good one.

Alice in Wonderland Typewriter earrings via The Literary Gift Company - £16.00

And if, for whatever reason, a full-on typewriter is a bit over the top for your purposes, then you could always try related accessories, like the earrings above. But after a while, I managed to find a proper one for as little as £12.99, so the real thing might actually be less expensive.


#5 - For the Grammar Grumblers.

Grammar Grumbler's Mug No.5 via The Literary Gift Company

A lot of Most bookworms love a hot drink of some kind, and - trust me on this - you can't just start reading a book without drinks and snacks planned. If the person you need a present for has a habit of correcting your grammer, and, punctuation (I was trying to annoy them, but I'm growling now. Never exploit your own weakness.) then these mugs might just be the only thing missing from their reading experience.

(I say mugs because there's a range. Have a quick look around on the site.)

#6 - It's ALL MINE.

Personalised Library Book Stamp via NotOnTheHighStreet.com - £29.50

If you've ever had the misfortune of falling on the wrong side of a bookworm, you'll know how possessive most of us are about our books. It makes sense that we would love anything that allows us to lay claim to them, so just BUY ME ONE PLEASE.

Sorry, did I say me? I meant - um - your planned bookworm recipient.

There are all kinds of lovely stampers out there, personalised or with spaces for whoever you choose to write their name: don't shy away from this idea if you don't like the design above.

#7 - Tickets to the BEST DAY EVER

If you don't mind waiting awhile for your gift to pay off, then you could always get them tickets to a book festival - that way, they get to have a whole day of fun, and you can come too!

Which event you go for depends on where you live and when you're reading this, but I loved Write on Kew and the Hay Festival come highly recommended. I don't know if tickets are on sale now though...

#8 - First Place

A first edition of a beloved book, maybe from their childhood, might be tricky to find and expensive if it's older, but Chandler from Friends found out how it's worth it. If you get that reference.

If you want to track down anything, this website might help. http://www.abebooks.co.uk/books/first-printing-collectible-modern-books/first-editions.shtml

#9 - Because Book Glamour is A Thing

Mini Book Necklace via Paper Fury - £4.95

It's no secret that I adore Cait from Paper Fury anyway, but it turns out she's an amazing Etsy seller as well as blogger. HOW IS ALL THIS TALENT POSSIBLE?

Ahem. Cait's necklaces are a sight to behold. She makes them look like real books, and - well - don't they look lovely? You can choose from a range on the website, or pick your own, but the latter means the spine might not be decorated. It'll still make your tame book lover more glamorous than they ever dreamed.

and finally . . .

#10 - This

Men's or Women's T-Shirt via Redbubble.com - £17.63

'Nuff said.

***

Do you guys have any suggestions I missed? And what do you want for Christmas or whichever holiday you're celebrating?

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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