Top Ten Tuesday for August 2, 2016!!

This weekly meme 
is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Of course, this is a wicked topic for someone like me 

who is trying NOT to purchase more books, 

but still it is tons of fun to imagine! 

This week's topic:

The Top Ten Books I'd Buy Right Now if 
Someone Gave Me a Fully-Loaded Gift Card

Of course, that card would need to work at my local indie bookstore!! 
(NOT Amazon...please!)

#1  I would buy the hardcover

     Harry Potter series in the trunk! 

      I have always secretly wanted this! 

      And yes, I am definitely 

      "a child at heart"!! Oh, and, of course,

      I would purchase one set for each of

      my three son's households, for the 

      grandkids!

      I have reread this whole 

      series 3 times!!

      and honestly, would love 

      to do so again...soon!

#2  I would purchase all the books in Laurie R. King's 

      Russell & Holmes series! I own two, but would love to 

      own them all! My husband (who is retired) literally 

      'inhaled' this series after I introduced it to him! 

      I am slowly trying to work my way through it, but have 

      (as usual) over-committed myself to reading challenges, 

      Read-Alongs, etc.! :) I was introduced to this series     

      through the Christamore House Guild's 

     Book & Author Benefit this past spring. 

      What a delight to speak with Ms. King and 

      hear her talk about writing and her experiences! 

      I now own a personally inscribed copy of The Murder of Mary Russell, the most recent 

      release in this series! And although I rarely am enamored with a cover image, this one

      is absolutely gorgeous, in my opinion!

#3  I would love to own a 

gorgeously bound set of all 

Agatha Christie's books!

When my husband first established 

an E-Bay account I would drool 

over these and dream...

Christie represents my first foray

into "adult" mysteries.

For that reason, she, her books and characters will always hold a special place in my heart!

Try as I might, this was
the closest cover image
I could find to my own
gorgeous edition!

#4 I would love to purchase all the gorgeously bound 

oversized elegantly illustrated children's classics 

I could find for my grandchildren! 

There would need to be three of each title, 

one for each of my three son's households. 

I remember just such an edition of 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass 

that someone gifted to me as a child. I loved that book so much!

The illustrations were gorgeous, some full page!

They were not the least cartoonish 

or especially spooky/scary. 

I would love to be able to provide such editions 

for all my grandchildren. 

They really are special!

#5 I would purchase whatever books my friends and fellow readers desired 

and gift them! 

I never will forget bringing signed copies of 

two of our favorite books to my 

book club members following a trip to 

Seattle where I met so many wonderful 

authors, including two of our 

Borders Book Club's favorites, 

Erica Bauermeister and Garth Stein! 

I brought back gifts for each member, 

a signed copy of 

The School of Essential Ingredients and 

The Art of Racing in the Rain.

One member was especially thrilled, 

stating that she had never before owned a signed copy of any book!

That reminded me that what one person may consider common,  

may well be a brand-new delight to someone else!

#6 I cannot imagine a better feeling than to be able to stock 

each teacher's classroom library and each public school's library! 

If I'm gonna dream, I'm gonna dream big! 

How much fun would that be?!? 

As a former schoolteacher and librarian, it would definitely 

"put me over the top" for inspiration and fulfillment! 

And once I'm done in the U.S.? 

On to other countries! Why not?!? :)

Just imagining that makes my heart feel full and puts a huge smile on my face!

Wow...

<sigh>

Okay, back to my real life now! :)

 How about you?