Mid Year Freak Out Tag 2022!

Hello all! Looks like we made it, look how far we’ve come… it’s halfway through 2022!! I’m having a great reading year and frankly I don’t want it to stop- let’s talk about why, shall we?

BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ YET IN 2020

Sword of Kaigen– this book was absolute FIRE!! It reminded me why I love fantasy, it reminded me why I love magic, heck it reminded me why I love reading!!

BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2020

Cytonic– ever since I finished it, I cannot stop thinking about when the next one’s coming. I’m obsessed with this series. It makes me all starry eyed 😉

NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET BUT WANT TO

Gallant is the one I have highest on my list right now!

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

Pretty Dead Queens– Alexa Donne’s first YA thriller was killer- definitely looking forward to her next one 😊

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

The Cove– it was just so meh. All the characters were bland and moany and boring. And even worse, I didn’t care about the so-called mystery. Not exactly thrilling for a thriller either. The good news is I’ll probably forget it by the end of the year.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

An Unkindness of Magicians– this book was pure magic, in every sense of the word. Dark, twisted and with excellent characters, I fell for this hook line and sinker.

FAVOURITE NEW AUTHOR

Elif Shafak– I’ve read two of her books this year and I could wax lyrical about her writing, her characters and her transporting storytelling. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to discover her books- so I’m trying to make up for lost time!

NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

Ach I think I’d be making stuff up if I said I had one! I will say, in terms of romance, the biggest surprise was how much I loved One True Loves. I just love the concept, exploring how there can be more than one special love in our lives. And really, I also felt like the one she ends up with was the one she was meant to be with, in a way that was (ironically) almost like destiny. And if she had turned him down, I’d have definitely wanted to nab him for myself 😉

 NEWEST FAVOURITE CHARACTER

I’m going to go for a complete curveball here and say Tony Webster from Sense of an Ending. Reading about a washed out retiree isn’t normally my thing, but this played with my expectations and was a fascinating character study. Webster isn’t remotely likeable and his story isn’t groundbreaking- and yet it felt so real and telling. I was surprised by how much I connected with it.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

Sword of Kaigen DESTROYED me

BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

The No Show– this book really showed up for me and put a smile on my face- which you can always trust a Beth O’Leary book to do! It’s her best romance to date- and that’s saying something!

FAVOURITE BOOK TO FILM ADAPTATION

Last Kingdom– I mean, it’s got to be. That was the *perfect* finale to a tv series I’ve seen in a while. Most importantly, it tied up a lot of loose ends and concluded the most important story arcs that have been up in the air since series one. It was emotional, satisfying and dramatic as hell.

MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT THIS YEAR

I’ve not bought that many books so far this year, but I do have this pretty little copy of Galatea (which I still need to read 😉).

WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR

I’m not putting too much pressure on myself to read anything specific this year. Still, as usual, I have quite a few books from the backlist that I really want to read. I’m not going to make any promises, but I have a few old Sanderson books in my sights.

Since this is an old one, I’m not tagging anyone specific- just feel free to do it if you like! What I wanna know is what’s your favourite book so far this year? And what are you most looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!

OMG! THAT SONG Book Tag!

Hello all! Who’s ready to rock out?! I saw this a while back on the wonderful Novel Glimpse and just thought I HAVE TO DO THIS!!!

This tag was originally done by Katesbookdate on Youtube. 

Okay let’s do the hokey cokey and jump right into it!

My Jam:

A song you have to listen to no matter how many times you’ve heard it before
and
a book you’ll never get sick of:

New World Symphony- erm I’ve been listening to this on repeat for years… it never gets old! 😉

The Hobbit!

THROWBACK:

A song that reminds you of the cringiest time in your life
and
a book you read that you wouldn’t like if you were to read it now:

Teenagers… reminds me of, well, being a teenager 😉

I don’t know if I’d like to take back a positive rating! So I’ll just steal Novel Glimpse’s answer, because the cheating in Anna and the French Kiss is really wrong.

REPLAY:

A recent song that you have on repeat
and
a recent favourite book:

Belle- because new to me is a throwback! 😉 My friend introduced this to me and I couldn’t stop listening to it- especially once I started reading Hunchback of Notre Dame– and on that note…

Hunchback of Notre Dame- I couldn’t pick anything other than this to pair with that song!

GETS ME:

A song that is literally me
and
a book that is me in book form:

Right now, I’m feeling a great indie track: Living Room by Martha St Arthur. But ask me tomorrow and I’m going to have a different answer.

Alice in Wonderland- cos I feel like I got lost somewhere down a rabbit hole.

WUT:

A weird song that you liked anyway
and
a unique book that stuck out to you for some reason:

Oh it’s got to be the Anglo Saxon version of Pumped Up Kicks- party like it’s 1066!

Book of Hidden Things is so weird and wonderful and underrated (cos I personally think people don’t really get all that weirdness 😉)

LET’S GO:

Pick your best pump up song
and
a book that inspires you:

This is Your Fight Song remixed by the Piano Guys- because nothing pumps me up quite like the bagpipes 😉

Man’s Search for Meaning- it’s one of the most important books I’ve read in my life.

CHILL:

Your best relaxing song
and
a book you’d curl up with on a rainy day:

So so tempted to go for something like Too Late by Black Sabbath (it does help to let off steam!!) but I think Chopin’s Raindrop prelude is more suitable for this question!

Jane Eyre- c’mon don’t tell me you’re not here for the pathetic fallacy in that opening scene 😉

ADDICTING:

A guilty pleasure song
and
a light, trashy read you can’t help but love:

I don’t have guilty pleasures! Just pleasure 😉 But okay, I listen let’s mix things up: Daddy Yankee’s Dura and the throwback Gym Class Hero’s Cookie Jar. God I was so cool… ten years ago 😉

Also no guilt about Hating Game- love that book!

NOSTALGIA:

A throwback song you look back on fondly
and
a book you read and loved when you were young:

Anything by the Beatles! I was brought up on the Beatles music and it feels like a part of me.  

Harry Potter- the wizarding world is the ULTIMATE NOSTALGIA TRIP! And great for this time of year!

And that’s all for now! I tag anyone who fancies doing it! Are you feeling my answers? Or do you think I’m off my rocker?! Let me know in the comments!

The No Disclaimers Book Tag!

Being the kind of person that apologises to a chair if I bump into it, I feel like a post like this presents a bit of challenge. But I am nothing if not determined! I saw this first on Booktube and then on the splendid Strange Storyteller 🙂 So I’ve decided to do it myself… with no disclaimers!

1. Which trope(s) in books annoys you the most?

The Chosen One (unless it’s flipped on its head), love triangles (especially with cheating), really put off by instalove these days (and any kind of “mating”… eww even using that word makes me feel a bit sick). And I’m sorry to say a lot of these end up in the Throne of Glass series (which explains why I outgrew it):

2. Which writer(s) do you feel is overrated/overhyped?

Damn, this is hard, because most of the time I can see why other people like things, even if I don’t. Still, I trawled through my goodreads and came up with an answer: Divergent. I don’t get why this was so hyped. Granted, I feel like I added to the interest by reading the whole damned series… but I never thought it was worth the hype. The concept never made a lot of sense to me and I didn’t think there was a good enough reason to make a dystopia around this topic. I couldn’t imagine a society ever taking things to this extreme and wondered at the justification for it (usually there’s some kind of social commentary that underpins a dystopic system). Turns out I was right: it seems like the whole concept was made up on the fly, since (*spoiler alert*) the dystopic city in the story was set within a dystopic world that agreed dividing people up based on 5 traits was a dumb idea. Basically it was a waste of time and wouldn’t recommend it.

3. What are your least favorite books you’ve read since joining BookTube blogging?

Ah well I blame myself for this one, cos I first saw a book review saying that this wasn’t worth the hype… but I read the Foxhole Court anyway. Either way, I don’t get why this is so popular in blogging and on booktube. Funnily enough, a lot of people that love this series tend to call out other books for being “problematic”… when this is super dodgy?! I don’t get the appeal. 

4. What is a terrible ending that ruined an otherwise quality book?

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Oh gosh I hate the series enders Hand on the Wall (a dull solution to a mystery is a killer), Queen of Ruin (undermined the interesting dystopic concept) and Ashes to Ashes (fails to deliver the promised redemption arc).

5. Which fictional character(s) do you wish was not killed off?

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I have to agree with the Strange Storyteller’s answers- I didn’t like Finnick Odair’s death and I didn’t think most of the later Harry Potter deaths were necessary (as much as I hate to admit it, the deaths of Sirius and Dumbledore work for the story). And there’s always that death in Crooked Kingdom– that totally, totally works- and yet I wish hadn’t happened…

6. What are some of your bookish pet peeves?

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Politics in books (isn’t it bad enough in the real world?), moralising (ugh), pretentiousness (double ugh) and books that are just set up (why waste my time?!).

7. What are some books you feel should have more recognition?

Great question! Some new(ish) books to whet your palate 😊:

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The first is a sizzling collection of poetry, the second is a hotly-paced thriller and the last is a lush contemporary. All of these would make great holiday companions!

8. What are your thoughts on censorship and banning books?

Hell no! Not acceptable! It’s obviously perfectly fine to choose not to read something or decide you don’t want to support an author, but banning books?! That’s just fascistic.

9. Who do you tag?

Zezee, Journey into Books, Kat @Life and Other Disasters, Sam @Rivermoose Reads, Meghan, Book Forager, Read Betwixt Words and anyone else that wants to do it!

And that’s all for now- do you agree or disagree with my answers? Should I have put in disclaimers for some of these? 😉 Let me know in the comments!

Spring Cleaning Book Tag!

Time for me to clean up my blogging act… by doing a tag I wasn’t tagged for 😉 But I found this over on the amazing Zezee’s blog a while back and it looks like a fun substitute for doing any actual spring cleaning my bookshelves 😉 (And if, like me, you’d rather be stacking the shelves this year rather than clearing them out, then I HIGHLY RECOMMEND checking out Zezee’s fantastic blog- it’s packed with fab tags, reviews and hauls that’ll have you rushing out to the bookstores! 😊)

This tag was created by booktuber Jen @ Book Syrup.

THE STRUGGLE OF GETTING STARTED: A BOOK/BOOK SERIES THAT YOU HAVE STRUGGLED TO BEGIN BECAUSE OF ITS SIZE.

Oh easily the Malazan series- I’m just terrified of book series that are so GINORMOUS!

CLEANING OUT THE CLOSET: A BOOK AND/OR BOOK SERIES YOU WANT TO UNHAUL.

Truly Devious– I feel guilty about this cos I don’t usually like to get rid of pretty hardbacks… but I was so disappointed by where this series ended up. As a murder mystery, it didn’t deliver the killer twist I was looking for and so I’m axing it from my shelves.  

OPENING WINDOWS AND LETTING FRESH AIR IN: A BOOK THAT WAS REFRESHING.

Tea Dragon Society– just so cute and the perfect palate cleanser. I enjoyed every second 😊

WASHING OUT SHEET STAINS: A BOOK YOU WISH YOU COULD REWRITE A CERTAIN SCENE IN.

Could I just remove the whole weird sex goddess part from Wise Man’s Fear? And, is it just me, or did all that bragging make you doubt his prowess? Seems like he’s overcompensating for something…

THROWING OUT UNNECESSARY KNICK-KNACKS: A BOOK IN A SERIES THAT YOU DIDN’T FEEL WAS NECESSARY.

Blood and Honey– this wasn’t just middle book syndrome- this was Why The Hell Did This Instalment Exist Syndrome. There was no plan for this to be a trilogy and it should have stuck to that plan. This entire book was filler and it felt like a complete waste of time.

POLISHING THE DOORKNOBS: A BOOK THAT HAD A CLEAN FINISH.

I love a polished ending! One of my *favourites* lately was the one in Where the Crawdads Sing… but I can’t talk about it cos of spoilers! (but seriously do yourself a favour and read it!!)

REACHING TO DUST THE FAN: A BOOK THAT TRIED TOO HARD TO RELAY A CERTAIN MESSAGE.

Ahh I hate moralising books! Gotta go with one of the worst culprits: Inspector Calls. I did a deep-dive investigation to get to the root of its evils a while back- and it was painful. But if you want to be preached to, then this is the play for you!

THE TIRING YET SATISFYING FINISH OF SPRING CLEANING: A BOOK SERIES THAT WAS TIRING YET SATISFYING TO GET THROUGH.

Hmm I don’t tend to read tiring series- yet I can say that there’s a helluva lot of Misery to get through if you try the Blackwing series (I hope someone in the comments has read the book, otherwise that was a waste of a great pun 😉). This series is a surprisingly hard-hitting, emotional read.

LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT SPRING: TAG 4 PEOPLE YOU WANT TO DO THIS TAG.

Kat @Life and Other Disasters, Rivermoose Reads, Journey into Books, Bookstooge and anyone else that wants to do it!

Have you been spring cleaning your books? Any you would like to clear out? Let me know in the comments!

Books I want to read but don’t want to read

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel a little conflicted about picking up books… which is why this tag is perfect! Thank you so much to the lovely, creative and entertaining Sophie @Sophie’s Corner (sophiexli.com) for tagging me to do this one!

The Rules:

• Link back to the original tag (this post, and Jami!)
• Complete the questions with books you want to have read but don’t want to read
• Tag some people at the end to do the tag next

A book that you feel you need to read because everyone talks about it

Weirdly it’s the rest of the Wheel of Time series- but I didn’t like Eye of the World, mostly cos of the writing style, so I’m resisting the second one even if I keep hearing it’s worth it in the end!

A book that’s really long

Don Quixote– really intimidates me cos of that!

A book you’ve owned / had on your TBR for too long

Gardens of the Moon is one of the first books I bought on my kindle… and I still haven’t read it! I guess I’m just really nervous about whether I’m going to like it!

A book that intimidates you

Ulysses– I’ve had vague intentions to read it forever, but it scares the hell out of me!

A book that you think might be slow

Silas Marner probably- because I’ve read a couple of George Eliot books and, while I enjoyed them, I found them pretty slow paced. It’s why I need to be in the right mood for them.

A book you need to be in the right mood for

Well, I’m a massive mood reader, so *EVERYTHING*! I’m going with Gideon the Ninth, because I keep hearing amazing things from people I trust, but can’t bring myself to pick it up.

A book you’re unsure if you will like

The Poppy War may prove to be a little graphic for me (especially since I know it draws inspiration from the Rape of Nanking). It’s just going to be a tough one to read. I keep seeing so much buzz for it and downloaded a copy to my kindle, so I’m going to have to bite the bullet at some point.

That was fun- I tag: No Reads Too Great, Journey into Books, Weird Zeal, Celinegg, Whimsically Meghan, Read Between the Skylines and anyone else that wants to do it!

And that’s all for now! What books do you feel conflicted about reading? And do you recommend any of the books I’ve mentioned? Let me know in the comments!

I Should Have Read That Book Tag!

Oh I think we all feel like there are a million books we should’ve read already- it’s the curse of being a bookworm! Thanks so much for the sensational Sophie’s Corner (sophiexli.com) and the awesome Read Between the Lines for tagging me to do this one!

The Rules

• Thank the person who tagged you and link back to their post.
• Link to the creator’s blog in your post
• Answer the questions below
• Tag 10 others to take part in the tag
• Enjoy the tag!

A book that a certain friend is always telling you to read

One of my closest friend’s favourites is Once and Future King– I still can’t believe I haven’t read it- even though I have a copy on my kindle!

A book that’s been on your TBR forever and yet you still haven’t read it

I just scrolled to the bottom of my kindle where the forgotten books live and found Moby Dick swimming round there… Forgotten that whale-of-a-book was just drowning down there- whoopsie!  

A book in a series you’ve started, but haven’t gotten around to finishing

Oh the one I feel most guilty about is Mistborn. I started it eons ago, but it took me a while to get hold of the second one. Now I even have the third one, so there’s no excuse for not finishing it! I hope to rectify that in the new year!

A classic you’ve always liked the sound of, but have never actually read

Agnes Grey– and basically a whole lot of Bronte books that I haven’t touched, despite loving the two most famous ones!

A popular book that it seems everyone but you has read

Let’s go with what may be the most surprising example- I’ve never read Where the Wild Things Are!

A book that inspired a film/TV adaptation that you really love, but just haven’t picked up yet

Going to *lower my voice* cos every time I mention this, people tell me to just read it (and they’re right to) …I still haven’t read the Princess Bride… And I love the movie! And every time I mention this one I have a plethora of people telling me to just read it already (what’s wrong with me!?)

A book you see all over Instagram but haven’t picked up yet

Well I haven’t been on social media much lately, but I’m hearing loads about Fifth Season around the blogosphere and that makes me excited! It’s another one I’ve put on my TBR for 2021.

That was fun- I tag: Rivermoose Reads, Meganbunny, the Joe Diary, Elaine Howlin, Snoopy Dogs Book Reviews and anyone else that wants to do it!

So how behind the curve am I? Which of these books should I be most ashamed for not having read? Let me know in the comments!

Spoopy Memes Book Tag! Versions 1 and 2!

Hello all! It’s that time of the year again… time to celebrate SpOOpY SeaSOn… WhooOOoOOOooooHHh! Last year the lovely Emily at Embuhleeliest tagged me in her Spoopy Memes Book Tag and I didn’t get the chance to do it- so I’m rectifying that by doing that one and the one from this year! (tbh I liked them both and couldn’t choose between them 😉) Thank you so much for tagging me! Let’s jump into the rules…

If you’d like to do this tag, please link back to this post so I can see your answers!

• Feel free to use the banner above if you’d like, and I highly suggest you copy over the memes, as they give the questions context.

Time to get spooky! What books will you be reading to celebrate this time of year?

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I love spooky season so much, I’ve actually made a tentative tbr!! At the time of writing this, I’ve already read a few, but I still have to read Winterwood, Ninth House and maybe even Gideon the Ninth!

Do you put up decorations for Halloween? If so, describe them! Even better, show them!

Oh dear, I’ve got to confess I’m pretty lazy when it comes to decorations (as much as I appreciate looking at decked out houses!) I usually just carve a pumpkin… sometimes not even that. HOWEVER, this year I do have a super cute bubonic plague plushie sitting on my desk that my friend got me… does that count? (probably not, since that’s it’s home now!)

What is the scariest book you’ve ever read? What made it so scary?

I struggle to read scary books (even children’s ones) so the first scary book I can remember getting through was Turn of the Screw. If I hadn’t had to read it for uni (and I hadn’t had all the lights switched on) I don’t know if I’d have finished it, because it’s so creepy!!

What’s the last book you read that truly shocked you, made your jaw drop, or made you chuck the book across the room?

This may be a shocker, but I’m going with a recent memoir I read called Inheritance. It’s about a woman who finds out in her fifties that her father isn’t her father- and I can’t count the number of times it made me gasp!

What’s a book that’s fallen out of the spotlight that you still really like and try get people to read?

Demon King– it’s not got the spotlight on it anymore, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still an electrifying fantasy series!

Are you dressing up this year? If so, what as? If not, what would be your costume if you were?

I’m not dressing up, but if I were, I’d dress up as a human! Cos humans are weird 😉

What is your opinion on the word ‘spoopy’, and memes that follow its theme?

It’s loads of fun- just like this tag! And on that note, time for PART 2!

Name a character that keeps repeating the same mistakes, despite having multiple opportunities to prevent them

I’m going left of field and picking some characters that IRRITATE ME TO DEATH- both Marianne and Connell from Normal People *repeatedly* cheat on their SO throughout the story… and for what? Why can’t they just be a couple? Maybe it made sense in the weird social dynamics of high school… buuut once you’re adults at the same uni/working in the same city- what’s the point of (literally) screwing over other people? What do they gain from it?

Name a book where the characters got their just desserts

The first character that popped into my head was Umbridge- because if anyone deserved to get chased by centaurs, it was her. That said, I don’t know if everyone in that book got their just desserts!! (RIP Sirius!!)

Name a book that tries to put a positive spin on something terrible

Man’s Search for Meaning– Frankl’s positive and constructive worldview is astounding, especially considering the horror he endured. This book doesn’t just shed light on his own experience, it can lead others out of their own personal darkness.

Name a book that delves into an existential topic

The Stranger- I just loved the dark humour in this. 

What trope or theme in a book do you really like that you don’t feel gets enough attention?

I love the trope where a character goes into the “wild” and comes back transformed. It’s a pretty common trope- you can see it in every fantasy from The Hobbit to Ravencry to Winter of the Witch, BUT not many people seem as lowkey obsessed with it as I am 😉

Name a character whose humour is consistently underappreciated by those around them

Oof I see this in books all the time and yet I struggled to think of the answer! Until at last the perfect character smacked me round the face and reintroduced himself: Jalan from Prince of Fools. He’s hilarious- but not everyone in the series appreciates that about him!

Name a book (or two or three) that has helped you get through this year

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Books are always my go-to in tough times (so needless to say I’ve needed a lot of fluffy, escapist and fantastical reads to get through the dumpster fire that is 2020). I was completely transported by Once and Future Witches, I had a wild ride with Aurora Burning and Sorcery of Thorns was just a joy to read! 

What are your plans for Halloween this year if you celebrate it? How do you plan on spending what’s left of October?

I’m planning on surviving it!!! 😉 Given how the last year’s been going, who knows if what’ll happen? 😉

Annnd on that terrifying thought, I’m going to love you and leave you! I tag anyone that wants to do this!

And for everyone else- do you enjoy spoopy memes? Let me know in the comments!

The Guilty Reader Tag!

Ahh reader guilt- we’ve all been there! I have to admit, I’m the kind of person that is almost self indulgent with guilt (I’m sorry for the number of times I apologise, but when I’m not apologising, I’m probably just thinking about saying sorry) which is why this tag is perfect for me! The original tag was made by Chami @ Read Like Wildfire and I was tagged by the lovely Laura @The Corner of Laura! Really recommend checking out, cos she does lots of fun tags and I love her unique style of reviewing! Let’s find out just how guilty I should be feeling…

One. Have You Ever Re-Gifted A Book You’ve Been Given?

No- I don’t think that’s the best way to get rid of a book you don’t like. What if you have friends in common? Best to just give it to charity.

Two. Have You Ever Said You’ve Read A Book When You Haven’t?

Haha nope! What would be the point? I get embarrassed easily and am a horrible liar- so that sounds like a lot more trouble than it’s worth!

Three. Have You Ever Borrowed A Book And Not Returned It?

Kinda… I borrowed a copy of Little Women from my school library and then a bottle of water leaked in my bag and destroyed it! Rather than tell them (see above about getting embarrassed easily) I just paid to replace it (which doesn’t make the most sense cos it was an honest accident).

Four. Have You Ever Read A Series Out Of Order?

Hard one! I read the Anna and the French Kiss series out of order. I quite like the first one, so tried a sample of the second, but wasn’t feeling it. I then skipped to the Isla and the Happily Ever After, which I LOVED, and decided to go back to Lola and the Boy Next Door (it was okay in the end, though still not really my cup of tea).

Five. Have You Ever Spoiled A Book For Someone?

Oh yeah- I spoiled Game of Thrones for my sister a couple of times. One, because she said she’d read the third book (when what she meant was she’d read Part 1). Two, because I thought she said she was never going to finish it (apparently she changed her mind). She spoiled the last line of Harry Potter for me though (which my brother spoiled for her) so I guess we’re even. (Ahh this kind of squabbling is what siblinghood is for, amiright?! 😉)

Six. Have You Ever Dogeared A Book?

Oh yeah! Loads of times! Especially if it’s non-fiction and I don’t want to take notes there and then. I just fold back the pages and come back to it (I’m an animal! 😉)

Seven. Have You Ever Told Someone You Don’t Own A Book When You Do?

Haha no! I’ve been tempted when people ask to borrow something I don’t want to lend- I just choose between a) standing there in awkward silence until they forget they asked, b) laughing while still not answering until I glow red in the face or c) saying “I’m sorry I don’t lend books…” carefully *avoiding all eye contact*…

(just kidding, I usually do all three)

Eight. Have You Ever Skipped A Chapter Or A Section Of A Book?

I’ve skim read before, especially if it was something (mind-numbingly boring) that I was set for uni. I’m learning to just give up on books now if I feel that urge!

Nine. Have You Ever Bad Mouthed A Book You Actually Liked?

I had to really think about this, because bad-mouthing makes it sound, well, bad. That said, even if I like a book, I can sometimes still see its flaws. There have been times when I’ve enjoyed a book that I’ve ended up being hyper-critical of, because it did one or two things I didn’t like. I still don’t like certain reviews I’ve done for books I truly enjoyed (like Song of Achilles) because I got really pedantic about my issues with it and didn’t talk enough about why I loved it.

Okay I guess the verdict is…

I probably enjoyed that more than I should have! Let me tag a few of you wonderful people: Kat, Bookstooge, Zezee, Jennifer @Out of Babel, Rivermoose Reads, Journey into Books, Ola and Piotrek @Reenchantment of the World and anyone else that wants to do it!

Are you a guilty reader (just like me)? Do you feel any other reading guilt? Let me know in the comments!

The Beatles Book Tag! *Original*

Hello one and all! It’s a lovely day for a tag! Last month I had so much fun composing my answers to the Folklore tag that I wanted to do something similar with my all-time favourite band the Beatles… and since I couldn’t find an existing tag, I decided to create my own! Taking some key songs from their repertoire (not just my faves), I did a mash up with some questions and jammed in some graphics (which anyone is welcome to use).

And now for some (pretty straightforward) rules…

Rules:

1. Tag back to the original creator Orang-utan Librarian (me)
2. Thank whoever tagged you
3. Tag people and keep it going!

Okay let’s rock ‘n roll!

Mr Knightley from Emma– because he is the best Austen heartthrob- and Darcy’s girls can fight me on that 😉

Big Magic– this is so perfect for any creative type! It felt like it was giving me a great big hug!

The Hating Game– this working girl’s rom com is just the antidote to a hard day’s night!

Big Little Lies– I know this may seem like an unusual choice, yet when I was going through a tough time, this really helped me get out of my own head for a while. And sometimes that’s the best thing a book can do for you!

Noughts and Crosses– oof this gives me a book hangover whenever I read it. I also learned a lot about the world from this as well. It definitely knocked me for six.

Bronze Horseman– I thought long and hard about this one (because I’m a cantankerous monkey and there’s a lot of books I don’t like). I went with Bronze Horseman in the end, since it has so few redeemable features! I hated the romance, I despised all the characters and the plot was dumb… apart from that the Russian setting was rather appealing. So maybe I’ll just jet off to Russia (Covid allowing) and leave this book behind 😉

Fangirl– there are quite a lot of books about aspiring writers, but I chose this one because, not only does it capture the feeling of trying to find your footing in the world of stories, it’s also as fun as the song!

Long Way to a Small Angry Planet– because of the lizard sex.

Eleanor Oliphant– I mean, it’s meant to be because they both have Eleanor in the title 😉 In all seriousness, this book had a far more poignant note to it than I expected and spoke volumes about the nature of loneliness in our society.

Neverwhere– I love this mythical take on London!

Wideacre– this is a weird one, because it’s a supposedly feminist story… and yet the heroine is a raging sociopath who sleeps with her brother. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for femme fatales… it’s just (call me crazy) but this doesn’t scream empowerment. I don’t really get what Gregory was going for here (and I’ve spent wayyy too long trying to puzzle the message out of this message-driven-book). If it’s that the patriarchy makes women evil, then it takes away what autonomy women do have. And if it’s that women who defy men and take power turn into lunatics… then YIKES!

Good Omens– not only did this make me laugh (because *duh* it’s by Pratchett and Gaiman) it also has a beautiful moral about the value of humanity.

Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society– short and sweet, this epistolary novel delivers on *every emotion* under the sun. It packs in character’s experiences, different war stories and a huge amount of heart.

Daisy Jones and the Six– I jived with this story set in the rock ‘n roll scene so much- not least because the audiobook was such a fun time!

The Bride Test– Hoang’s contemporaries just make me so happy!

13 Reasons Why– I truly believe stories featuring suicide, depression and mental health are important… just not like this. I do occasionally hear that this helped some people and don’t want to take that away from anyone, yet I’ve always felt this particular novel (and subsequent show) does more harm than good. It teaches quite a lot of misinformation and ideation in its desperate attempt to get a message across.

Peter Pan– this was my favourite story growing up… because I didn’t want to grow up at all!(some might argue I have achieved this goal mentally, if not physically 😉 )

Catcher in the Rye– this is such a popular book to hate on- and yes I get it, Holden’s annoying, but he also speaks with such a strong teenage voice and I recognise so much of him in real life!

Circe– I genuinely think this is genius. It not only reimagines the Greek myths, it gives them new life and a new voice. There’s something infinitely magical about Miller’s retelling.

Perks of Being a Wallflower– well, more like this shouts infinite wisdom! There are still lines from this book I murmur to myself, messages that I pocketed away for rainy days and thoughts that I needed to hear.

Secret Countess– it’s not just Ibbotson’s hopeful story that brings a smile to my face, it’s her wonderful leading lady, who represents a kind of fairy tale goodness that’s rare and rewarding to read.

The Hobbit– easily my most reread book, I find new wonders each time I go there and back again.

Annnd time for a quick Bonus Question: What’s your favourite Beatles song?

That’s a hard one for me, because it often changes, but right now it’s While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

Alrighty then! Since I don’t know who likes the Beatles, I’m going to be tagging some lovely people at random: Meggy @ChocolatenWaffles, Journey into books, Sam @RivermooseReads, Kay @Hammock of Books, Kristin Kraves, Meeghan, Katie @Never Not Reading, Evelyn Reads, Ruby Rae Reads , Read Between the Skylines, Laura, Meltotheany, Embuhleeliest and anyone else that wants to do it!

And that’s all for now! Are you a fan of the Beatles? If so, what’s your favourite song(s)? Let me know in the comments!

The Behind the Book Blogger Tag!

Hello all! Today, I thought it’d be fun to pull back the curtain and give you get a peek behind the scenes in… the behind the book blogger tag! Thank you so much to the wonderful Tiffany @Read by Tiffany for tagging me to do this! I absolutely love her gorgeous blog design and fun posts- plus she’s recently started a youtube channel which is well worth checking out if you enjoy booktube! Okay, let’s get this show on the road!

The Rules:

• Thank the person who nominated you
• Answer all the questions down below
• Pingback to the creator: Ellyn @ Allonsythornraxx
• Nominate 5+ bloggers you’d like to know more about, to do this tag

1. Why did you start blogging? & Why have you kept blogging?

Coming to the end of my degree, I wanted a place where I could be honest about my opinions about books and hopefully have fun with it. I think the biggest change for me was that I came to vent my opinions into thin air… and some people listened?! From that, I found other people’s blogs and got an insane number of recommendations. I’ve had a blast and realised there was so much more to this hobby than meets the eye. All the lovely, inspirational, entertaining people along the way have made me love being a part of this community! You guys are the best! ❤

2. What is your favourite type of blog post to write?

Ooh it’s hard to choose! I love writing discussion posts, but I also like making people laugh if I can!

3. What are your top three favourite blog posts?

This is subject to change at any moment, but here goes:

• Calling Out Call Out Culture
• My Complicated Relationship with Harry Potter
• Why Satire is Evil

4. What are some of your favourite things to do to relax?

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Well, obviously I like to read! And I love to draw- especially bizarre and funny little cartoons! Also, a huge fan of yoga!

5. What are three of your favourite things?

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Books, chocolate and listening to music!

6. What are your proudest blogging moments?

Hitting 100 followers was the first time I thought “*whoa* something cool is happening here!” I’d also say when I was featured on Freshly Pressed just about made my day/week/year. I got so much great feedback from people who weren’t followers and found some really cool people! I think also on a personal level, there are people in my real life who’ve read the blog and liked it. That meant a lot to me.

7. What are your hobbies outside of blogging?

Well I’ve mentioned a few already, so I suppose the one thing left to mention is that I love to write stories!  

8. Describe your personality in three words.

Bananas, blunt, bookaholic!

9. What are your top three pet peeves?

Okay here’s a few things that are bugging me lately:

• Moralising books (an old favourite)
• Performative lower case (I’ve never liked bad grammar and this just seems like the most egregious example lately, because somehow it’s even worse than hypercorrection, because highly educated professors are choosing to write like children!?)
• Virtue signalling corporations (we all know what you’re doing and see through it. Please stop pretending to be all virtuous and noble and oh-so-just, whilst turning a blind eye to horrific human rights abuses, all to make some bank… that’s effed up! And yeah, in case you can’t tell, this is a pointed jab at The Mouse That Shall Not Be Named)

10. What’s something your followers don’t know about you?

The first thing I ever wanted to do with my life was be an inventor, because I desperately wanted a real, working broomstick! Also, this may have come up, but I really like cats and wish I’d had one as a kid. I also used to make potions out of whatever I found in the garden or bathroom cabinet. Basically I’m an aspiring witch 😉

Okay that was fun- I tag: Laura, Celine, Meeghan, Beck, Sam and anyone else who wants to do it!

How about you? How did you get into blogging? And did you have any unusual aspirations as a child? Let me know in the comments!