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Thursday, December 20, 2012

Gifting Books, A #XMasGiveaway Blog Hop!

gifting books giveaway hop
#XmasGIVEAWAY

Gifting Books Christmas hop was organized by Reading Romances!

Welcome to Pagan Spirits book blog, my little corner of the book blogiverse! 

What was the most special book you've ever gifted or received?

I wish I had one great book that I received for a Christmas or Hanukkah present that was really meaningful to me personally. I don't, as far as I can remember. One year, my parents gave me Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, and I love those. They're fun books, but I wouldn't really describe them as "special." In fact, my original paperbacks got water-damaged and I ended up having to replace them.

One year I really, really wanted a new novel that was a sequel to The Scarlet Letter, and I got that, but it wasn't very good (or at least I didn't think so at the time). I can't remember the name of the book now, or the author's name, although I think it was a male author. This was probably in the late 1990s, shortly after I read The Scarlet Letter as a high school assignment. Wikipedia is pretty clueless about the Scarlet Letter sequels, so if anyone's a rabid Hawthorne fan and they want to get on that, please do so.

(Update: I mean Hester by Christopher Bigsby, which is a prequel. It says in my diary that I got it on December 25, 1994.)



Come to think of it, the real reason I never got a "special" book for the holidays as a kid was probably that if I wanted a book bad enough, my parents would get it for me right when I wanted it. They taught me that books are never a waste of money, so when I want one badly enough, I just go get it.

I love to give books as gifts. This year my Percy Jackson-obsessed older niece is getting two books about Greek and Roman myths for Christmas. (Niece #2 is currently obsessed with Captain Underpants, but I hear  that Santa Claus will be bringing her the books in that series that she doesn't have yet.) Last year I gave my grandma The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. (Then after she read it, she got my mom to read it, too - that and Shanghai Girls by Lisa See are our three-generation books.)

The only one who won't accept a book as a gift is my hubby, Mr. Elingtin. He does not read - I read to him. (It's not that he can't read - it's just that he gets bored very easily. He's very visual and needs the free space in his head to imagine.)

What's the greatest book YOU ever got as a gift? Comment for a chance to win!

What you can win here: The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss (paperback). If Alexandre Dumas' classic The Count of Monte Cristo is one of your favorites, you'll love the true story of Dumas' father, a general in the Napoleonic army. Held captive by the Kingdom of Naples, the real-life Edmond Dantes suffered many trials before he was able to return to his wife and children. 
Number of winners: One lucky winner
Open to (INT, US or US/CAN): U.S. only (sorry!)
How to enter: Leave a blog post comment, and make sure I can get in touch with you if you win. If I can find your e-mail address by clicking on your name, then all you have to do is comment. If not, leave your e-mail address in a "name AT Webhost DOT com" format within the comment. Being a follower of this blog is not necessary to win, but I would really appreciate it! 

18 comments:

Unknown said...

Kresley Cole is one of my favorite authors. I sent her a fan-girl letter (a couple of years ago before she became super popular) and she sent me an autograph copy of No Rest for the Wicked with a handwritten note! It is one of the most awesome gifts I've ever received!

Happy Holidays
Julie K
kornhsl@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

My sister went on an author cruise one year and got me an autographed book from Debbie Macomber...Dated on my anniversary and she personalized it...it was so cool

josiehink122026(at)gmail(dot)com

nancy said...

That would be the book my daughter had published that was based on her graduate thesis. Way over my head but I was proud of that book.

ocanana@gmail.com

Cassandra said...

My favorite would have to be Seduction and Snacks by Tara Sivec that I received from a blogger :)
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
cassandrahicks1989@yahoo.com

Holly said...

Hello, thanks for the giveaway!

skizzles_22_hju@yahoo.com

Jillyn said...

I received an antique copy of Dracula from my grandmother one year, and it was the best. Thanks for the giveaway.

jillynann(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I once received an antique copy of Vanity Fair and I love it.
nerdswillruleoneday (at) yahoo (dot) com

Carol L. said...

Thanks for the giveaway. My autographed books from some of my favorite Authors are big deals to me. :) Happy Holidays.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

Unknown said...

The Great Lenore by J.M. Tohline (best book ever!)

Happy Holidays & thanks for the amazing giveaway!
elizabeth @ bookattict . com

Unknown said...

When I turned 13, my grandmother gave me Mindy by June Strong. It's still a favorite.

drainbamaged.gyzmo at gmail.com

bn100 said...

Received Pride and prejudice

bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

wwe11 said...

Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
erma2167@sbcglobal.net

Daniel M said...

one day me mom surprised me with eregon... and the rest of the books of the series - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com

jessiel said...

My favorite gifted book was my Grandfather's book of Robert Frost Poems. My Mom gave it to me after he passed. She knew that I loved how he would recite a few lines from "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening". Thanks for the giveaway!

JessieL62(at)comcast(dot)net

Lilian said...

I would have to say...a paperback copy of The BFG I received from my fourth grade teacher. It made me fall in love with Dahl's imagination. I still re-read it no and then for nostalgic reasons.

lilianxchengATgmail.com

Unknown said...

The best book I ever received has to be Little Women when I was really young. It started my love of books

purple975@msn.com

hedgerhousehold said...

Thank you for the giveaway
jenhedger at hotmail dot com

Nur5eMisty said...

It has to be this year. An autographed copy of Thoughtless by sc stephens!!!