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Stuff and Nonsense

Showing posts with label holiday gifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday gifts. Show all posts

Monday, December 5, 2016

Cozy Monday - Holiday Gift Ideas

So you have a friend who loves cozy (or traditional) mysteries, and you wnat to get them a holiday gift.  

BUUUUT, you have no idea what they've already read or watched, so what do you do?

Here are a few ideas:


Crackling Candles 

Yes, candles that crackle like real wood fire as they burn!

Woodwick's candles come in a plethora of colours, scents and  sizes.  You can get them from their website (where you can get a coupon code if you sign up for their newsletter), but they're also available at Bed Bath and Beyond, though they may be difficult to find in stores.  





Heated Reading Pillow 




This takes the armchair-style bedrest to a new level!
Not only is it heated, it has a massage function.  It also has pockets for reading materials, glasses or pens.  This model from Sharper Image even has a gooseneck reading lamp! Also available at Brookstone without the lamp.








Reading Shawl 





Basically just an oversized shawl with pockets, you can find this in various fabrics.  
This fleece one is available in five colours, and can be monogrammed for an additional couple of dollars.  
There's one made of merino wool here, for about twice as much.  If you like the wool idea, but not the price and can knit quickly, there's a pattern here.




Fingerless Gloves



For those (like me) with perpetually cold hands, fingerless gloves (to facilitate page-turning) can be inexpensive enough for stocking stuffers or to give in multiples.
Googling "fingerless gloves" brings up a zillion possibilites, including these fancy ones screen-printed with text from classic novels.
Again, if you're crafty (and quick), you can find easy patterns such as this one on Google or Ravelry (for which you must create an account.).

Thursday, December 17, 2015

YA Thursday: Last-minute gifts

It may be too late to order in time for Christmas without paying huge express-shipping fees, but here are some books you should be able to find at your local bookstore.  And they're published recently enough that your giftee may not already have them (but include a gift receipt just in case).




The Appearance of Annie van Sinderen by Katherine Howe (G.P. Putnam Books for Young Readers hardcover, 15 September 2015).

The cover makes the book seem scarier than it is.  Iin fact, it's not frightening at all.
This is the story of 19-year-old Wes Auckerman, in New York City to take a summer filmmaking class.  While helping a classmate shoot a séance in the East Village, he meets two young women, Annie and Maddie.  
He's attracted to both of them, but is more intrigued by the mysterious Annie, who seems to hear and see things he can't. 
She asks to help her find a ring she's lost, which leads him to learn more than he thought possible about the history and geography of New York.




Ana of California by Andi Teran (Penguin paperback, 30 June 2015).

I loved this modern adaptation of Anne of Green Gables, about a Mexican-American teen from East L.A.  Ana has been thrown out of yet another foster home.  She has one chance left before she ends
up in a group home.  A brother and sister who run a farm in Central California need help for the summer; if things work out, they might let her stay on for the school year and eventually apply for emancipation.
Like Anne, Ana is imaginative, if somewhat accident-prone, but eminently likeable.





Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly (Kathy Dawson Books hardcover, 4 August 2015).

After Zoe's parents divorce, she and her mother move to a small town.  They've been there only a few months, and Zoe hasn't made any friends at school, but she doesn't care because she plans to study hard so she can get into Princeton.
When Philip Digby shows up on her doorstep, Zoe's intent is to stay as far away from him as possible.  But she can't help be be interested in his crazy schemes aimed at finding a local girl who has been kidnapped.  It takes her a while to figure out why he's so interested, but when she does, she wants to help him, even though he's rude and takes her for granted.
This has been described as Sherlock Holmes meets Veronica Mars meets Ferris Bueller, and is, indeed, a humorous caper-style mystery.







Thursday, December 3, 2015

Gifts for Mystery Lovers ...

... if you don't want to get them a book they might already have read (click on item name to go to purchase site)...

For Agatha Christie fans:

Earrings, $28.00







Evil Under the Sun computer game, $25.00











Trivia Game, $15.00










For Nancy Drew fans:

The Secret of the Old Clock sweatshirt (also available as a t-shirt), $42.00













OWL Recycled Taxi Wallet, $35.00











Smartphone case, $20.00













For Sherlock Holmes fans:

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes book t-shirt, $34.00













Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Game, $32.00












Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of Osborne House (Nintendo), $16.00






Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Bookish Gifts for Teens

Jewelry and Accessories


Down the Rabbit Hole necklace



Also available in gold finish.











Wooden Book necklace



Available in 8 colors.











Divergent Trilogy bracelet



Also available as a key ring.











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Bookmarks & Bookends




Bookbones book weights


Available in multiple colors,
 and can be personalized.









Dragon bookends
















Harry Potter Broomstick Bookmarks














The End bookend















Zipper bookmark















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Clothing


The Fault in Our Stars t-shirt



Lots of literary stuff here!











So Many Books sleep shirt














Totes





















Great sites you might not think of for book-related gifts include RedBubble, Wicked Clothes,  and Hot Topic. Please feel free to add more suggestions in the comments.