I’ve been wanting to do this tag for a little while, but I figured that it would be good for today since I’ve pretty much been subsisting off of Netflix for most of this four-day weekend. (*coughcough I AM MOTHER coughcough MONTY PYTHON coughcough*) I found this tag on First Line Reader, and the tag was originally created by A Darker Shade of Whitney.
RECENTLY WATCHED: The last book you finished reading
I’ve been a big fan of Raina Telgemeier for years, and I was so excited to find Gutsat the comic shop last week!
TOP PICKS: A book/books that have been recommended to you based on a book you have previously read
POPULAR ON NETFLIX: Books that everyone knows about (2 you’ve read and 2 you haven’t or have no interest in reading)
BothThe Poet Xand Red Queenhave received tons of hype over the years, but I have very different opinions about them: the former was an absolute triumph, and the latter was…ugh. Nope.
I’ve been recommended bothThe Hate U Giveand One of Us is Lyingcountless times, but I’m not super invested in reading them. I might, but they’re low on my priority.
COMEDIES: A funny book
I know I use this one every time I do a book tag, but Good Omenshad me in stitches.
DRAMA: A character who is a drama king/queen
Elliot fromIn Other Landswas the very definition of melodramatic…part of why I DNF’d this book, ultimately.
I haven’t read The Catcher in the Ryesince we read it for my English class last year, but I enjoyed it immensely.
DOCUMENTARIES: A nonfiction book that you’d recommend to everybody
My nonfiction shelf is pretty slim, but for those of you who are writers/aspiring writers, I’d highly recommend On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.
ACTION AND ADVENTURE: An action-packed book
Though it was a bit more slow-burn at the beginning, The Smoke Thievesmanaged to keep me on my toes for a good 3/4 of the book.
NEW RELEASES: A book that just came out or will be coming out soon that you can’t wait to read
I had no idea this had come out until my school librarian (who I recommended the series to, and now loves it 😄) told me that it had come out! I cannot WAIT to get my hands on Honor Lost!
I found this tag at A Little Haze Book Blog, and it looked absolutely adorable, so I figured that I’d give it a go! 🙂
– QUESTIONS –
What book kept you up all night reading?
I don’t read at night often, but the most recent example I can think of was Bowie: Stardust, Rayguns & Moonage Daydreams. Not necessarily action-packed or anything, but I just COULD. NOT. STOP. LOOKING. AT. MIKE. ALLRED’S. GODLIKE. ART.
What book made you scared to go to sleep?
Uh…not sure if I can answer this one. I honestly can’t remember any book, not even something from my childhood, that made me scared to go back to bed. Guess that’s because of my tendency to stay away from horror, so…
What book almost put you to sleep?
Urgh, this book…we had to read The Witch of Blackbird Pondin sixth grade, and it was easily the most boring book I’ve read to date.
Which book had you tossing and turning in anticipation of its release?
Without question, Soul of Stars. Since the moment I first finished Heart of Iron, I absolutely hungered for the sequel, for lack of better word. I’m so glad it delivered.
What book has your dream boyfriend?
uh…
Weeeeeeeell…
I suppose this is only a half-answer, because I really don’t have any book boyfriends. But I will give props to Leigh Bardugo in Shadow and Bone for making the Darkling sound drop-dead gorgeous, no matter how much of a manipulative creep he turned out to be. Villain crushes, guys, villain crushes. I dunno.
What book would be a nightmare to live in?
Don’t get me wrong, fighting monsters sounds pretty fun (maybe?), but once the B.P.R.D. comics hit the Hell on Earth arc, I kept thinking to myself, sheesh, I am so glad that we’re not living in a post-apocalyptic near-anarchy with giant monsters bursting forth from the ground.
What book has a nightmarish cliffhanger?
It’s been a few years since I’ve read Dare Mighty Things, but I particularly remember the cliffhanger hitting me like a sledgehammer.
What book have you actually dreamt about?
I mean, dreaming about The Search for WondLatrilogy was practically inevitable, seeing as it made up a huge chunk of my childhood.
I think I dreamed about it a few months ago, actually. There was a movie adaptation of it, and they used an animation style that looked kind of wood-cut. They also omitted a few key characters. Not sure why, but my brain really can’t be reasoned with.
What fictional monster would you not like to find hiding under your bed?
Going back to Shadow and Bone, I’d say the volcra. [shivers] guhhh…
I tag anyone who wants to participate in this tag!
Today’s song:
“In an interstellar burst,
I am back to save the universe…”
That just about wraps up this tag! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
Hey there, bibliophiles! Sorry for not being super active this week, other than Goodreads Monday/Book Review Tuesday; it’s been a longish week for me, but I’m glad that I have a 3-day weekend to look forward to. 🙂 I also just got back from the Womxn’s March, and I had such a wonderful time! I always forget the overwhelming sense of community that always comes with these marches.
Anyway, I found this tag over at Prose and Pancakes, so I figured I’d give it a go. Let’s begin, shall we?
You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?
Um…hmm. I usually just pick a random shelf number, see if I’m still interested, and see if it’s available at the library. I dunno.
You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?
It depends. If I’ve gone past 100 pages and I loathe it with every cell of my being, it’s a goner. If it has some semblance of promise, I’ll try to stick around. But when it comes to DNFing books, I have zero shame. None.
The end of the year is coming and you’re so close, but so far away on your Goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?
One word: COMICS. Since they’re shorter, I can often fit in several in the time that it takes for me to read a good-sized book, whether they be single issues or trade paperbacks.
The covers of a series you love do. not. match. How do you cope?
I’ll probably feel the slightest bit annoyed, but hey, at heart, it’s the same book. However, covers replaced by the movie poster, if there’s an adaptation, are a different story…
Every one and their mother loves a book you really don’t like. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?
Once in a blue moon, I’ll find a review from one of you lovely bloggers that expresses similar feelings. It’s nice to see that you aren’t alone in your feelings. (Shoutout to Beck in particular. SO glad someone else didn’t enjoy Red Queen.)
You’re reading a book and you are about to start crying in public. How do you deal?
[sheepishly whispering] Been there…done that…
I usually just keep on crying, but if I start getting weird looks, I’d just shield my face with the book.
A sequel of a book you loved just came out, but you’ve forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on Goodreads? Cry in frustration?!
Most of the time, I’m just too lazy to do any of the above options. Of course, I’ll end up getting hopelessly lost while reading said sequel, but something usually triggers my last, decrepit brain cell into remembering “oooooohhh, right, forgot about that scene…”
You do not want anyone -ANYONE- borrowing your books. How do you politely tell people nope when they ask?
Ooh, this is dangerous territory…
I wouldn’t be very good at telling people exactly why I don’t want them borrowing my books without it coming off very rude, but as a last resort, maybe I’d just lie about borrowing it from the library, and that the copy wasn’t mine in the first place. Sheesh, this is a tricky question…
You’ve picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?
Re-read my favorites, of course! Another round of B.P.R.D., Heart of Iron, Pumpkinheads, or Aurora Rising never fails to invigorate my reading again.
There are so many new books coming out that you’re dying to read! How many do you actually buy?
Only the ones that are sequels to my favorite trilogies, or a book that I borrowed at the library first and decided that I needed. And in that category, books that I can actually…y’know…afford…
After you’ve bought the new books you can’t wait to get to, how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them?
Not very long, usually. After I get through my library haul, they’ll usually be in my hands a few days after I buy them.
And that just about wraps this tag up! Anyone who’d like to do this tag, feel free to do so! I’d love to see your responses 🙂
Today’s song:
(This was stuck in my head all day yesterday…YOU’RE ALL SUFFERING WITH ME…)
(Just kidding about the last part, I love this song)
Whew, what a week it’s been, the last week of the decade, and the start of a new one. Also, this is my last day of winter break, so…school starts back up tomorrow…[sad harmonica]
Hey, at least I soaked it all up. I had a lot of fun–festivities with family, two rounds of TRoS and one of Knives Out, the first ski trip of the year, and LOTS of reading and writing. Success! 😀
I’ll start posting a list of the week’s songs once I get more of them, but since I only have two, I’ll skip it this time. But this one’s been stuck in my head for a few days this year, and I’ve really taken a liking to it, so here you go…
Hope you had a great start to the decade! Have a great rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
Happy Friday, everyone! If you celebrated, I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving as well!
I saw this on A Little Haze Book Blog not long ago, and I figured that I’d give it a go. I feel like I’m putting the same books in my book tags (I’ll try to fix that), and since this one’s about TBR books, I’m excited to participate!
Rules:
Thank the person who tagged you and link back to their post (see above!)
A book that a certain friend is always telling you to read
A book that’s been on your TBR forever and yet you still haven’t picked it up
A book in a series you’ve started, but haven’t gotten round to finishing yet
A classic you’ve always liked the sound of, but never actually read
A popular book that it seems everyone but you has read
A book that inspired a film/TV adaptation that you really love, but you just haven’t read it yet
A book you see all over Instagram but haven’t picked up yet
1. A book that a certain friend is always telling you to read
Lately, a good friend of mine has started to get into some older sci-fi, and this was her first, vehement recommendation to me: The War of the Worlds.
It’s not available at the library (woe is me…), but I’m definitely excited to get my hands on this one someday.
2. A book that’s been on your TBR forever and yet you still haven’t picked it up
This one’s been on my TBR since day one…
Though I’m not a fan of Holly Black, I absolutely adore Ted Naifeh’s work, and the story of TheGoodNeighborsseems like a perfect melding of their respective styles.
3. A book in a series you’ve started, but haven’t gotten round to finishing yet
I read the first book, Mask of Shadows, about a year ago, and I remember the story being pretty intriguing and fast-paced, not to mention the excellent LGBTQ+ rep. (the main character, Sal, is genderfluid). But…I’ve just neglected to read Ruin of Stars for no good reason other than my being lazy. Sigh…
4. A classic you’ve always liked the sound of, but never actually read
I’m putting this one off for a few years, because I’ll have to read it for an AP English class, but Brave New World seems like it would be an interesting read, in the same vein as 1984.
5. A popular book that it seems everyone but you has read
Somehow, I STILL haven’t gotten around to reading The Hate U Give, despite several recommendations from friends and librarians alike. It’ll probably be in that constant “all copies in use” limbo at my local library for a few years, due to its immense popularity, but I’d definitely like to give it a try at some point.
6. A book that inspired a film/TV adaptation that you really love, but you just haven’t read it yet
I didn’t realize until the end credits that Jojo Rabbit was based on a book. I’m not sure if I’ll have the stomach to read this one (I’m guessing that Taika Waititi had some comedic liberties while directing Jojo), but I’m sure Caging Skieswould be worth a read.
7. A book you see all over Instagram but haven’t picked up yet
I tend to see Furyborn pop up often, and I’ve been meaning to read it for a while. I’ve read a few other books by Claire Legrand (The Year of Shadows, Some Kind of Happiness, etc.), and most of them have been decent. Claire Legrand’s obviously prolific, with a wide range of talents, so I’m excited to see how this plays out.
I tag…
Weeeelll…I’m not sure if I know ten people who’d all be interested in doing this tag, so I’ll open it up to anyone who hasn’t done it, and wants to. 🙂
Have a lovely rest of your day! I might not be able to get to any more tags this week, but stay tuned for more content!
Not only is the story reminiscent of a fairy tale, the writing is as lush and decadent as the flowers it centers around.
Sidenote: pancakes with lemon drizzle? Ooh, never tried that combo…I love most anything lemon-flavored, so…
I know I add this book in with most of my tags, but Finian from Aurora Rising definitely fits the bill.
Even at the most inopportune times (edit: mostly at inopportune times), Finian always has a sassy, snappy comeback that never fails to make me laugh out loud in the most serious of scenes.
Though it’s a bit intense at times, I always come back to love story of Simon and Baz…and end up feeling all the feels as a result.
Whew…I really want to re-read A Monster Calls again at some point, but man…[prepares myself for an intense outpour of tears]
When I first read this, around two(ish) years ago, I just had to read it twice in a row. Nothing could take my mind off of it, and…yeah, I feel like I couldn’t read anything else for a few days. Gaaaaah, this one’s a killer…
Indulgent feels…hmm…
If we’re talking about indulgent feels, I’d say Soul of Stars, the second installment in the Heart of Iron duology.
Soul of Stars was everything that I wanted in a sequel–the cast of characters retained their impeccable chemistry, the plot was just as heart-racing (and heart-wrenching), a certain in-credible plot twist (loud crying) and a perfectly satisfying ending.
He’s got many year’s worth of pent-up (and…sometimes not so pent-up) anger, which coats his personality for most of the book; about 3/4 of the way through the book, we definitely get to explore deeper into him, as his relationships with some of the other characters begin to strengthen.
This one had me constantly second-guessing what was going to happen next. The Pioneer is the kind of book where you think you have the plot figured out, but something makes the plot go topsy-turvy in seconds.
Alright, I hate to do this to you guys, but…I really…can’t…think of any…
All of the significant romances I can think of either a) worked out near-perfectly from the star or b) everybody loves, but I still kind of despise. Oops.
Not only is the main character Japanese-American, we’ve got a whole, backing cast of POC and LGBTQ+ characters, not to mention the deft tackling of several issues, almost all of them stemming from racism.
Good afternoon (or whatever time it is in your time zone), bibliophiles!
This tag was originally created for YouTube by Kate’s Book Date, and I was tagged by the wonderful A Little Haze Book Blog to take part in it. And honestly, how could I say no? I mean, books and music: two of my favorite things! (So thank you, both of you! 🙂 )
Alright, let’s get started…
1. MY JAM – a song you MUST listen to every time it comes on, no matter how old or how many times you’ve listened to it / a book you’ll never get sick of
This song is, without question, one of my favorites of all time, but it rarely comes on shuffle, and so I absolutely swell with joy when I hear it: David Bowie’s “Quicksand”.
The fact that Bowie created a song so profound, yet can also rock me blissfully to sleep like a baby, is sheer genius. If you haven’t listened to this song, PLEASE DO, AS YOUR LIFE WILL BE FAR BETTER FOR IT.
As for books, I’m going with Ashley Poston’s Heart of Iron.
In the 1.5(ish) years since its release, I’ve re-read it…oh, at least six times, and it never ceases to make me feel every possible emotion.
2. THROWBACK – a song that reminds you of the cringiest time of your life / a book that also reminds you of this time (or just something you wouldn’t like as much if you picked it up for the first time now)
Cringiest time in my life? 6th grade, here we come…
For the longest time, this was my favorite song of all time. I couldn’t stop listening to it, I tried to get my friends into St. Vincent, and…well, I pretty much became associated with St. Vincent among my classmates. (A blessing and a curse.) Don’t get me wrong, I still love this song, but…man, 6th grade me was a nightmare. And speaking of being associated with certain things…
This series…
The Search for WondLa trilogy was my moon, my sun, and all the stars in my sky at that age. And, as with “Bad Believer”, I carried this bad boy around me whenever I re-read it, and that meant getting weird looks from my classmates, because, yet again, it was “that book”…
I still stand by that it’s a phenomenal series, but man, does it bring back a boatload of memories.
3. REPLAY – a recent song you have on repeat right now / a recent favorite book
I’m very, very late to hop on this bandwagon, but I just discovered Pink Floyd’s “Time” a few days ago, and I have not stopped listening to it since.
That surreal, dream-like quality, the poetic and yet blatantly real lyrics…man oh man, I love this song.
As for books, the last book (I believe) that I gave a solid five stars to was Like A Love Story.
gAH, TALK ABOUT FEELING ALL THE FEELS KNOWN TO MAN…such an expertly written, heartstring-ripping novel…
4. GETS ME – this song IS ME / this book is me in book form
[clicks on YouTube link] [gets flooded with Hellboy II memories circa 8th grade]
I’m not sure if this is necessarily me in book form, but I have often felt like an outsider, for several reasons. I’ve struggled to fit in for most of my life, and it’s only been in the past two or so years that I’ve been able to find my tribe. So, in a way, this song gives me hope. Hope that someday, maybe I’ll find true love from someone who sees me for who I truly am.
As for books, I’d say…yeah, you guessed it, Aurora Rising. But really, the central theme of this book is finding your people, finding those who see you for who you are, and cherish you for the qualities that others abhor.
5. WUT – weird but I like it? / a unique book that stuck out to you for whatever reason
I mean, the weirdest part of this song is the title, but Sidney Gish’s music is generally filled to the brim with absolutely lovely, crafty lyrics that not only catch my eye (and ear), but resonate with me on some level.
Good Omens would be my obvious literary choice for this question. An absolutely madcap gem, this book never fails to make me cry laughing. Same goes for the series, too–I’m only three episodes in, but I adore it.
6. LET’S GO – best pump up song (for workouts or just life) / a book that inspired you
This song makes me feel unbelievably powerful, no matter when or where I listen to it. Björk is nothing short of a visionary.
As for the book, The Martian Chronicles , I’d say. Yeah, I know, not the most inspirational, uplifting collection, but Bradbury’s writing is what makes me want to be a writer, what motivates me to dream, to create. Although I’ve read a few of his works, this is the first of his that I’ve read, and my personal favorite.
7. CHILL – fave chill, relaxing song / a book you’d curl up with and read on a rainy day
I mean, I could probably put most anything by Frankie Cosmos for this question, but this was the first song of hers that I was introduced to. Mellow, with a warm, nostalgic feel that never fails to make me smile.
Kindred Spirits is easily the shortest novel I own, and it’s filled to the brim with adorable, slow-burn romance. Not to mention the fact that it centers around Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Gotta love Star Wars.
8. ADDICTING – guilty pleasure song (one that’s catchy and addicting but not a whole lot of substance) / guilty pleasure/trashy/fast/light read
Yeah, pretty simple lyricism here, but I feel little pink hearts forming in my eyes whenever “Johanna” comes on. 💗
Again with the Rainbow Rowell…you guessed it, folks…
I’ll say it once, and I’ll say it again: Pumpkinheadsis the ideal antidote for any of the sadness and troubles in your life.
9. NOSTALGIA – throwback you look back on fondly / a book you read forever ago that you look back on fondly or reminds you of a happy childhood time
I know, more Hunky Dory era David Bowie. But personally, I stand by my belief that this is easily the best album in the history of music.
“Kooks”, in particular, has a special place in my heart, for the simple reason that it’s the center of one of my earliest childhood memories. I was in the car, probably still a baby, and my whole family was with me. No idea where we were going, but “Kooks” was playing.
Most of Roald Dahl’s novels have a special place in my heart, but Matilda, in particular, has the most vibrantly fond memories for me. My teacher read it to my class in third grade (we were on a Roald Dahl kick, as this followed both of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory books), and I got it as a gift later that year.
The Bookish Mutant 