Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Top Ten Books I Wouldn’t Mind Santa Bringing Me. 

Sadly, my house is not on Santa’s route (and I promise, it’s not because I’ve been naughty this year!) Still, if some magical bearer of gifts happened to drop by, these are the books I’d be hoping for! As I did last year when this topic came up, I’m filling up my list with books that I’d love to receive, but for whatever reason — high price, feeling like too big an indulgence, a “nice to have” but not really a necessary book — I just most likely wouldn’t buy these for myself. (Ahem, secret gift givers — are you paying attention??)

1) Firefly: A Celebration by Joss Whedon

Description: Titan’s three bestselling Firefly titles collected together at last, just in time for the 10th anniversary of Joss Whedon’s beloved series. This huge, 544 page full colour volume is simply one of the most lavish books ever produced for a TV show, and is presented in a foil-stamped leather-effect binding. Plus, as an exclusive bonus for this edition, a pocket at the back of the book contains 9 frameable photo prints of the cast, featuring rare and previously unseen images, and a facsimile of one of the prop banknotes used in the show.

2)Bone: Full Color One Volume Edition by Jeff Smith

Bone is one of my very favorite things ever. I love the artwork, the story, and the ridiculous stupid rat creatures. We have the 9 individual books, but I’m sure lusting after this all-in-one version. However… at about $100, this isn’t an edition I’m likely to buy unless I’m suddenly discovered by some long-lost wealthy relative… I can dream, can’t I?

3) The new Harry Potter collection:

Do I need another set of Harry Potter in my house? Well, no. But I’m so enchanted by the new cover artwork by Kazu Kibuishi… and this boxed set would look so pretty on my shelf…

4) The Hobbit: Illustrated Edition by J. R. R. Tolkien; Illustrated by Jemima Catlin

Have you seen the images from this new illustrated edition of The Hobbit? Just gorgeous. This may be one book that I’ll end up treating myself to. Want, want, want.

5) I would be tickled pink to receive pretty much any book from the Barnes and Noble Collectible Editions library. Here are few that I especially covet… but really, I’d take ’em all if I could:

6) Fosse by Sam Wasson:

Buying this 750 page book for myself would feel too over-the-top indulgent, especially given that I have a lousy track record when it comes to finishing non-fiction books. If I owned it, it might just sit on my shelf for umpteen years… but I’d like to at least page through it for a while! (I think this is why they invented libraries.)

7 – 10) There are a whole bunch of books that I’ve read over the years, borrowed from friends or from the library, that I’d really like to read again — or at least have on my shelf for a rainy day. I can’t quite justify paying full price for these, but if a holiday elf wanted to drop one off, I’d be grateful!

And a bonus pick:

This isn’t a book, but it’s certainly bookish. Last year, I used a holiday gift card to treat myself to My Ideal Bookshelf by Thessaly La Force and Jane Mount. It’s an absolutely beautiful book, and I’ve had so much fun leafing through it and picking out all of my favorites. So this year, what I really covet is one of the prints available through the Ideal Bookshelf website. My only difficulty is in picking just one: Do I want:

Ideal Bookshelf 660: Girl Stars

or perhaps:

Ideal Bookshelf 629: Fantasy

If I had unlimited dollars and unlimited wall space, I think I’d want them all! Or maybe totally splurge, and get a custom painting! (Check out the options here.)

So that’s my little holiday cheer list for whatever extra-special pixies are circling my house bearing gifts!

What are you hoping to find under your tree, in your stocking, or in the UPS driver’s hands this year? Whatever you’re wishing for, I wish you good health, good friends, lots of laughter, and amazing reading!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!