I am very grateful for my rematcher's generosity and thoughtfulness. My interest in the Middle Ages is one rooted in historical accuracy versus fantasy. One of my greatest heroes is Eleanor of Aquitaine; in honor of her, I received the Katherine Hepburn version of The Lion in Winter. Architecture, especially in England, is something I truly find fascinating (how on earth could they build those things then?!), so she sent along a wonderfully informative and illustrative book about castles. I also read some historical fiction, and this exchange would not be complete without a novel.

You will notice that a couple items are not brand new. I find that fantastic. I absolutely love my gifts, ESPECIALLY that they were loved before me. This means that my gifter went out of her way to find these books, which means that they may have been hard to find, but she felt that I should have them. This is what these exchanges are about: being truly sincere and thoughtful to our giftees. Thank you, Valerie!