roald dahl – The Bookish Mutant

Get to Know the Fantasy Reader Tag

Posted on June 1, 2020August 4, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Monday, bibliophiles!

I found this wonderful tag over at Brianna’s Books and Randomness. The tag was originally created by Bree Hill as the Get to Know the Romance Reader Tag, and The Book Pusher made it into the fantasy version here. Though I’m more of a sci-fi fan, fantasy was my first love as far as book genres, and I still love the genre today.

Let’s begin, shall we?

WHAT IS YOUR FANTASY ORIGIN STORY? (First fantasy novel you read)

I can’t quite pinpoint the exact first fantasy book I read, but one of the first was most definitely The BFG. I have especially fond memories of reading this one. My brother gave me all of his Roald Dahl books a while back, and I’ve added to the collection and kept them all on my shelves ever since.

IF YOU COULD BE THE HERO/HEROINE IN A FANTASY NOVEL, WHO WOULD WRITE IT, AND WHAT IS ONE TROPE YOU WOULD INSIST ON BEING IN THE STORY?

Hmm…

I think I’d like to have Marie Lu write this fantasy story. Absolutely no guarantees of a happy ending, but her lush writing style and characters would ensure that there would never be a dull moment. As far as tropes, I’d definitely want some sort of misfit-filled, found family team kind of dynamic. As someone who’s had to do a lot of searching to find where I fit in, this trope/theme speaks to me quite a bit.

WHAT IS A FANTASY YOU’VE READ THIS YEAR THAT YOU WANT MORE PEOPLE TO READ?

Amazon.com: The Black Witch: An Epic Fantasy Novel (The Black ...

Especially with what’s going on in the U.S. and elsewhere, The Black Witch is not only a lushly written novel, but one that explores themes of defying racism and xenophobia.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FANTASY SUBGENRE? WHAT SUBGENRE HAVE YOU NOT READ MUCH FROM?

I’m not sure if I have a favorite subgenre of fantasy, per se, but I enjoy reading paranormal fantasy, though there’s a plethora of books in that genre that have gone terribly awry. I suppose I haven’t read much high/epic fantasy, but I’ve enjoyed books like The Smoke Thieves, so maybe it’ll do me some good to read more of it.

WHO IS ONE OF YOUR AUTO-BUY FANTASY AUTHORS?

Though I’ve never actually bought any of her novels (I borrowed them from the library), Sarah Maria Griffin would definitely fit the bill. If she comes out with anything else soon…SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY…

HOW DO YOU TYPICALLY FIND FANTASY RECOMMENDATIONS? (Goodreads, YouTube, Podcasts, Instagram, etc.)

I usually find my recommendations by way of Goodreads, and sometimes from my fellow bloggers.

WHAT IS AN UPCOMING FANTASY RELEASE YOU’RE EXCITED FOR?

Amazon.com: The Burning Kingdoms (The Smoke Thieves ...

I am ECSTATIC to read The Burning Kingdoms! It comes out in late August of this year, and I requested an eARC of it on Edelweiss, so…🤞

WHAT IS ONE MISCONCEPTION ABOUT FANTASY YOU WOULD LIKE TO LAY AT REST?

I suppose I’d say that there isn’t much that makes a book fantasy/not fantasy. There’s really no limits to the genre–anything from supernatural occurrences to royal conflict can be considered fantasy, really. Each reader has their own definition, but in terms of content, it’s a fairly fluid genre.

IF SOMEONE HAD NEVER READ A FANTASY BEFORE AND ASKED YOU TO RECOMMEND THE FIRST 3 BOOKS THAT COME TO MIND AS PLACES TO START, WHAT WOULD THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS BE?

Shadow and Bone | Leigh Bardugo | Macmillan

First, I’d say Shadow and Bone, for its lush worldbuilding and unforgettable characters.

The Young Elites (The Young Elites, #1) by Marie Lu

Second, I would highly recommend The Young Elites for the incredible writing, the gripping plot, and again–unforgettable characters. Can’t go wrong with Marie Lu.

Amazon.com: Three Dark Crowns (9780062385437): Blake, Kendare: Books

Last, I would recommend Three Dark Crowns for the complex plot and the gripping action and intrigue.

WHO IS THE MOST RECENT FANTASY READING CONTENT CREATOR THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHOUT OUT?

For this tag, I’d like to shout out Classy x Book Reviews! Though they read a variety of novels besides fantasy, I can always count on their reviews being sincere and in depth. 🙂

I TAG ANYONE WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE!

Friends Reading GIF by Sesame Street - Find & Share on GIPHY

Since I’ve already posted today, head over to today’s Goodreads Monday to see today’s song.

That’s it for this book tag! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Book Tags, Books, Music

OMG This Song Book Tag

Posted on November 16, 2019November 16, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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: Pumpkinheads is 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.

I tag:

And you! If you want to do this book tag, feel free to give it a go! Have at it, fellow nerds!

Book Tags, Books

I Dare You Tag

Posted on October 2, 2019October 3, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey there, everyone!

A Little Haze Book Blog recently posted this tag, and though I wasn’t specifically tagged, they encouraged their followers to do this tag if they wanted to. I thought it’d be a fun tag, so here we go!

What book has been on your shelf the longest?

Hmm. That’s a pretty hard one…

My brother handed down at least four or five Roald Dahl books to me when I was in elementary school, so they all hold the title. Among them are The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and The Witches.

What is your current read, your last read, and the book you’ll read next?

I’m currently reading Jay Kristoff’s DEV1AT3, which I’m IMMENSELY enjoying! (For my review of book one, click here.)

I finished reading Rainbow Rowell’s Wayward Son a few days ago. (My review for that is here!)

I’m not sure what I’ll read next, but I have a few books on hold at the library that I’ll probably pick up on Friday. 😉

What book did everyone like, but you hated?

I’ve probably got a few examples up my sleeve, but I absolutely despised (and DNF’d) Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen. UGH. Everybody’s comparing it to Shatter Me and X-Men, but…just another tropey, unoriginal, and poorly written YA dystopian novel trying to be the next Hunger Games. I wish I could un-read that one.

Thank you.gif

What book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read, but you probably won’t?

Hmm…probably One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McMannus. Everyone’s been pestering me to read it, and maybe I will someday, but…well…everybody and their sibling has it on hold at the library, and I’m not much of a mystery person anyway.

What book are you saving for retirement?

Assuming this planet doesn’t go up in flames before I’m of retiring age (aHEM…)…

You know? Maybe I’ll just get more into Tennyson’s poetry. I already have a little collection of his, but I feel like that kind of atmospheric, lyrical poetry is ideal for sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch as the sun sets.

Last page: read it first, or wait until the end?

Wait until the end, most definitely. Of course, I accidentally read part of the last page more often than not, because I like to figure out how long the book is…oops.

I've made a huge mistake.gif

Which book character would you switch places with?

Maybe Alina from Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha trilogy.Grisha magic certainly has its perks.

(Read my review of Shadow and Bone here!)

Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life? (Place, time, person)

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein always makes me think of the late September-October period of my freshman year of high school. Sitting in English class, snuggled up under a cozy blanket, fog, seeing the showing of the National Theatre adaptation of Frankenstein at the movie theater…ah…

Name a book that you acquired in an interesting way.

The most *interesting* one I can think of is my copy of Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game. I got it from my school library; they had taken out some books that weren’t circulating much anymore, and I had heard some good things about it, so I took it home.

Have you ever given a book away for a special reason to a special person?

…not that I can think of…

Welp, when life gives you lemons.gif

Which book has been with you most places?

Anything from the Search for WondLa trilogy. They were my favorite books for a while (and I still consider them incredible novels), and so they’ve probably been taken to at least three other states besides my own.

Any “required reading” you hated in elementary school that wasn’t so bad two years later?

I enjoyed *most* of the books I read around that time, but I do remember feeling ambivalent about Orvis. I haven’t re-read it since, but I’ve been meaning to for a little while.

Used or brand new?

I prefer brand-new, but I could go for used, depending on the condition.

Have you ever read a Dan Brown book?

Nope.

Come to think of it, the name doesn’t even ring a bell.

Have you seen a movie that you liked better than the book?

The ones that stand out most to me are Fantastic Mr. Fox and the How to Train Your Dragon movies.

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Have you ever read a book that’s made you hungry? (Cookbooks included)

I know I’ve experienced the feeling, but I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. Sorry…

Who is the person whose book advice you’ll always take?

Without question, my mom. I wouldn’t have gotten into Rainbow Rowell without her, so I’ll always be in her debt after that. 😉

Is there a book out of your comfort zone (outside of your usual reading genre) that you ended up loving?

I’d have to say All Out of Pretty by Ingrid Palmer. We’re reading it for my book club this month, and though I was a little hesistant about it, I found it to be an incredibly moving and powerful novel. But be warned–it’s a rough ride in every sense of the phrase.

Aaaaaand that just about wraps it up!

I tag:

Thank you so much for reading! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!