Tag: Book Tags

The 5,4,3,2,1 Book Tag

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done a book tag. Or else I have completely forgotten the one I published yesterday. It could go either way. At any rate, I came across this tag on the Words About Words site. Check out her great answers here and be sure to give her a follow!

5 Books You Love

I’m going to just go with five books that I’ve loved so far this year. It’s been a great reading year so far, so I’m already mad about narrowing it down.

The Magician’s Daughter by H.G. Parry (Review)

Mystic Reborn by Jeffrey Speight (Review)

The Adversary’s Hand by Dorian Hart (Review)

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross (Review)

The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart (Review)

4 Auto-buy Authors

Erin Morgenstern, Stuart Turton, and Alix E. Harrow. I have a tie for my fourth author and it’s kind of a cheat since each of these authors has written one book series so far: Luke Arnold and Dorian Hart. However, I’ll buy whatever they write going forward, up to and including a book about beige paint.

3 Favorite Genres

Fantasy of all types, mystery, and…literary fiction? It’s tough because fantasy is my go-to but other than that, I go through reading phases.

2 Places I read

On the sofa and in waiting rooms.

1 Book You Promise to Read Soon

The Magick of Chaos by Ricard Victoria

I’m not tagging anyone, but I hope to see your answers! Please let me know if you do the tag, so I can add to my “to be read” pile.

The Dungeons and Dragons Book Tag

Every now and then, I like to do a book tag. I’m a rather nerdy person and the few book tags I’ve created reflect that. This one is no exception. The table-top roleplaying game Dungeons and Dragons features character classes, which is sort of a classification that separates and defines different sorts of characters in D&D. I’ve used some of these classes to make a book tag.

I hope you have fun! If you decide to do your own, please credit me as the creator. Thanks!

Barbarian: In a simplified nutshell, barbarians are fighters whose anger can give them a berserker state of mind: think an overdose of adrenalin allowing someone to do the nigh impossible.

Name a character with a temper:

Belle Sorensen from In the Garden of Spite by Camilla Bruce

It didn’t take much to make Belle Sorensen angry and, to paraphrase the Hulk, you wouldn’t like her when she’s angry. The men in her life had much shorter life spans than they should have. The chilling thing is, she was a real person. Yikes!

Review

Bard: Bards use music and song to either help or hinder. Music is massively important to them, and can give them power.

Name a book/character for which music is important:

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

The main character in A River Enchanted, Jack, is a bard. Music means more to him than anything else. He is called on to use his music to summon the spirits of the water, earth, and wind to find the girls stolen from his clan. With the power his music gives him comes danger, though. It’s a fascinating book.

Cleric: “A priestly champion who wields divine magic in service of a higher power” (D&D Player’s Handbook)

Name a book/character for which religion plays a large role:

The Sapphire Altar by David Dalglish

Belief and religious fervor collide in this book that’s impossible to put down. Religion doesn’t play a background role in this series. It is often the beating heart at the center of every decision made (or so the characters tell themselves).

Review

Druid: Druids are representative of nature. They get their power- healing, magical spells, etc.- from either the land itself or from a nature deity. 

Name a Book where nature plays an important role:

The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst

The nature in this book is brimming with life…and malevolence. The spirits that live in the water, trees, and wind want to stamp out the humans and only the queen has the power to command them. Except it suddenly stops working, leading to an epic fantasy that is unforgettable.

Review

Fighter: A fighter relies on physical skill. They are often good with a weapon and can function as a pretty good meat shield.

Name a book with great fight scenes:

Kings of Wyld by Nicholas Eames

There is so much to love about this book, not least the fight scenes! They were creative, well described, and massively entertaining.

Review

Magic Users: Dungeons and Dragons features Warlocks, Wizards, and Sorcerers. Each is different, but I’m lumping them together for the purposes of this tag. The name is self-explanatory: a user of magic.

Name a book or character with cool magic:

Empire of Exiles by Erin M. Evans

The magic in this book is spectacular. It’s unique, extremely creative, and also perfectly described what my anxiety feels like. I know that sounds weird, but if you read the book (and you should), you’ll understand what I’m saying.

Review

Paladin: A holy warrior.

Name a character with strong convictions:

Paladin Unbound by Jeffrey Speight

This book is phenomenal. Umhra has to both come into his own as a paladin, but also come to grips with who he is as well as his past.

Review

Ranger: Hunters, wilderness survivors, and protectors, rangers are often what stand between civilization and the monsters that live in the wild.

Name a character that is in tune with the wild.

Strider from The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

I’ll be honest: I think Aragorn is much cooler when he’s still calling himself Strider. Either way, he’s got the whole “one with nature” thing going and is a great ranger.

Rogue: Rogues use stealth and cunning to defeat their foes or prevail in a situation. 

Name a book or character with cunning:

The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn by Tyler Whitesides

What I loved about Ardor Benn was that, not only did he always have a contingency plan (even if his plans never went smoothly), he was glib. I love characters that use their words as weapons.

Review

What do you think? What character class is your favorite? I hope you share your answers with me!

Book Challenge: I’m a Sucker for…

I love this idea for a post! I was challenged by both Fantasy Book Nerd and The Swordsmith (two blogs you really should be following, by the way) to talk about a book trope that I’m a sucker for. Challenge accepted!

There are several tropes that are almost insta-reads for me, but I’m going to go with small groups involved with some sort of quest. You’re probably thinking, “Isn’t the the same as the “found family” trope?” The answer is, only sometimes. Sure, it can have that dynamic. It can either start out that way, or that found family trope can be a gradual development (I love that). Sometimes, though, certain members of the group don’t necessarily like or trust each other. Possibly they haven’t even met before. There is something brilliant about that. I think it takes a steady hand to write characters that work together without being particularly close, while at the same time keeping those kinds of relationships from becoming stale or annoying.

The quest aspect adds a sense of urgency that I really get sucked into. It doesn’t have to be something that will affect the entire world, although those are good too, but something that is of the utmost importance to the group involved. There’s something great about lazily drinking coffee while reading about others desperately trying to accomplish a nigh-impossible task. Let them go through the physically and emotionally taxing quests. I’ll happily relax and enjoy the ride.

Some great examples of group quests are:

The One Kingdom (Book 1 in the Swans’ War Trilogy) by Sean Russell

The cataclysm began more than a century earlier, when the King of Ayr died before naming an heir to the throne, and damned his realm to chaos. The cold-blooded conspiracies of the Renne and the Wills—each family desirous of the prize of rule—would sunder the one kingdom, and spawn generations of hatred and discord.
Now Toren Renne, leader of his great and troubled house, dreams of peace—a valiant desire that has spawned hostility among his kinsmen, and vicious internal plots against his life. In the opposing domain, Elise Wills’s desire for freedom is to be crushed, as an unwanted marriage to an ambitious and sinister lord looms large. As always, these machinations of nobles are affecting the everyday lives of the common folk—and feeding a bonfire of animosity that has now trapped an unsuspecting young Valeman Tam and two fortune-hunting friends from the North in its high, killing flames.
But the closer Toren comes to achieving his great goal of uniting two enemy houses, the more treachery flowers. Nobles and mystics alike conspire to keep the realm divided, knowing that only in times of strife can their power grow.
And perhaps the source of an unending misery lies before an old king’s passing, beyond the scope of history, somewhere lost in a fog of myth and magic roiling about an ancient enchanter named Wyrr—who bequeathed to his children terrible gifts that would poison their lives…and their deaths. It is a cursed past and malevolent sorcery that truly hold the land, its people, and its would-be rulers bound. And before the already savaged kingdom can become one again, all Ayr will drown in a sea of blood. (taken from Amazon)

The Ventifact Colossus (book one in The Heroes of Spira series) by Dorian Hart (review found here):

Banished to an otherworldly prison for centuries, the monstrous Emperor Naradawk is about to break free and wreak havoc upon the world of Spira. The archmage Abernathy can no longer keep Naradawk at bay, and has summoned a collection of would-be heroes to help set things right.

Surely he made a mistake. These can’t be the right people.

Dranko is a priest-turned-pickpocket, expelled from his church for his antics. Kibilhathur is a painfully shy craftsman who speaks to stones. Aravia is a wizard’s apprentice whose intellect is eclipsed only by her arrogance. Ernest is a terrified baker’s son. Morningstar is a priestess forbidden from daylight. Tor is a young nobleman with attention issues. Ysabel is an elderly farm woman. Grey Wolf is a hard-bitten mercenary.

None of them are qualified to save the world, but they’ll have to do. Even Abernathy himself seems uncertain as to why he chose them.

What starts with a simple scouting mission soon spirals into something more far-reaching and sinister. The heroes will contest with dream warriors, evil cultists, sentient gemstones, and a devious yet infuriatingly polite gentleman with a perfect mustache, on their way to a desperate encounter with the unstoppable: The Ventifact Colossus. (taken from Amazon)

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames (review found here):


Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best, the most feared and renowned crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld.

Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk, or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay’s door with a plea for help — the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for.

It’s time to get the band back together. (taken from Amazon)

The Fellowship of the Ring (book one of the Lord of the Rings) by J.R.R. Tolkien:

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit. In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose. (taken from Amazon)

Dragons of Autumn Twilight (book one of the Dragonlance Chronicles) by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman:

Once merely creatures of legend, the dragons have returned to Krynn. But with their arrival comes the departure of the old gods—and all healing magic. As war threatens to engulf the land, lifelong friends reunite for an adventure that will change their lives and shape their world forever . . . 
 
When Tanis, Sturm, Caramon, Raistlin, Flint, and Tasslehoff see a woman use a blue crystal staff to heal a villager, they wonder if it’s a sign the gods have not abandoned them after all. Fueled by this glimmer of hope, the Companions band together to uncover the truth behind the gods’ absence—though they aren’t the only ones with an interest in the staff. The Seekers want the artifact for their own ends, believing it will help them replace the gods and overtake the continent of Ansalon. Now, the Companions must assume the unlikely roles of heroes if they hope to prevent the staff from falling into the hands of darkness. (taken from Amazon)

The Book of Three (book one of the Chronicles of Prydain) by Lloyd Alexander:

Since The Book of Three was first published in 1964, young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-keeper and his quest to become a hero. Taran is joined by an engaging cast of characters that includes Eilonwy, the strong-willed and sharp-tongued princess; Fflewddur Fflam, the hyperbole-prone bard; the ever-faithful Gurgi; and the curmudgeonly Doli–all of whom become involved in an epic struggle between good and evil that shapes the fate of the legendary land of Prydain. (taken from Amazon)


I’m not tagging anyone here, although I’ll probably hassle (I mean, tag) a few people on Twitter. If you want to join in, though, the more the merrier!

The End of the Year Roundup Tag

Spells and Spaceships has the coolest content! I loved this roundup tag, especially since I’ve read so many amazing books this year. Here’s my take: let me know what you think!

1. The most kick butt character: Look at me, starting out by cheating. I’m naming not one, but three characters. I’m a rebel like that. Juniper, Beatrice, and Agnes from The Once and Future Witches kick all kinds of butt. They’re smart and strong, not just physically, but emotionally as well. I would not want to get on their bad sides.

2. The weirdest or most unique story: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke is one of those books that I love but can’t describe. I’m not even sure I fully understand it, to be honest. It’s beautifully written, though. Susanna Clarke is now on my list of most creative authors.

3. The coolest world building: Dead Man in a Ditch by Luke Arnold is at the top of the list. This is the second book in the Fetch Phillips Archives and I am loving the everyday slum-meets-fantasy thing that he’s got going on. It’s gritty and so well described that I could see, hear, and even smell the setting (it doesn’t smell good).

4. The Best Fictional Animal: I really loved Mephi from The Bone Shard Daughter. He was such a nuanced little critter and, thanks to his presence, Jovis was able to grow and develop incredibly well, despite not having a human to interact with for large chunks of the book. There is also more to Mephi than I first assumed there was, which is pretty cool.

5. The Book You Just Couldn’t Put Down: The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton caused me to ignore pretty much everything else. It was excellent! Stuart Turton has rapidly become one of my favorite authors and I’m waiting with bated breath to see what he writes next. Both this book and his first novel, The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, are definitely worth reading.

6. A character you loved to spend time with: I loved the cockiness and odd sense of morality of Ardor in The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn by Tyler Whitesides. Oddly enough, he wasn’t my favorite character in the book when I read it, but he’s stuck with me. He was deceptively intelligent and able to roll with the punches, which I liked. I also think his character will do a lot of maturing in the rest of the series.

7. The one that hit you in the feels: The Archive by Dan Fitzgerald had me incredibly emotionally invested. I teared up a couple of times, which is not all that common for me. I loved it.

8. The villain you loved to hate: I was riveted by Crasedes from Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett. What a nuanced character! He more than earned the “big bad” moniker. His reasoning almost made sense, which made me appreciate him even more.

9. The 5 star read that you weren’t expecting: I was pretty excited for Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston, but I didn’t think I’d enjoy a middle-grade novel as much as I did. Amari is such a great character, and the storyline and world are just a blast. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I am not going to tag anyone, simply because it’s a busy time of year. If you do decide to do it, please link back to me so I can see your answers. Also, please give credit to the fantastic Spells and Spaceships.

Hallotober Book Tag

Image credit: unknown

Thank you to Leah at Leah’s Books for inviting me to do this fun tag! If you don’t follow her blog, you really should: it’s fantastic.

Hallotober Rules

  1. Thank the person who tagged you and link to their post 
  2. Put the rules at the beginning or after introduction
  3. Answer the 13 questions 
  4. Tag 13 people to do the tag 
  5. Delete Question 13, add a new number one question of your own
  6. You are free to use the tag image somewhere in the post

Questions:

1.What is your favorite horror novel or short story?

I am not sure if this even falls on the “horror” spectrum anymore, or if it’s just gothic fiction, but I love The Vampire Lestat. Interview With the Vampire, The Queen of the Damned, and The Vampire Lestat are all fabulous, actually, but Lestat is my favorite of the three books.

2.What was the last Halloween costume you wore?

I went as a rêveur from The Night Circus a few years back. It was a last-minute costume, but it worked out okay.

3. What is your favorite fall snack?

I don’t have a favorite snack (I do like candy corn, though). In fall, I like to drink chai with an espresso shot added. Yum!

Do you carve pumpkins?

Ohhh, no. I have a toddler tornado, and there is no way he should be allowed anywhere near any sharp object. Plus, my oldest would loathe the feel of pumpkin guts, so we choose to paint pumpkins instead. When my oldest was a little guy, he said he wanted to paint his orange.

Do you prefer horror movies or stories?

I don’t really have a preference. I like eerie over gory, so I tend to stick to the more gothic ghostly side of things. If it’s creepy, I don’t really care what the medium is.

What is your favorite Halloween memory?

I dressed up as my husband one year. It was really last minute. I actually drew a beard on with eyeliner in the car. People loved it. Huzzah for last minute costumes!

Do you prefer to give our candy or get candy?

Neither. I like taking my kids out to get the candy.

Do you decorate for Halloween or Fall?

I’ve been a homeschool mom for years, so there’s usually a kid-created seasonal decoration up somewhere. We’ve dropped the ball this year, but seriously: it’s 2020.

Do you have a favorite urban legend? If so, what is it?

I’m partial to the legend of the mombie. You know, the scary, sleep-deprived mother who stumbles around moaning, searching for coffee. You can find her hiding in any home with young children.

Would you rather spend a night in a grave yard or a haunted house?

Hmm…that depends. Is the grave yard haunted?

What is your favorite spooky movie?

This isn’t a horror, but I absolutely love Fallen, starring Denzel Washington. It definitely needs more appreciation. Give it a watch (rated R, so do your homework first).

What is your favorite character from a horror movie or book?

If Bunnicula doesn’t count (ha!), I’ll have to go with Lestat. I like how he’s a bundle of contradictions.

What kinds of books always put you in the Halloween/Fall mood?

Ghost stories or mysteries make me feel Halloweeny (is that a word?) and I reread Dragons of Autumn Twilight every Fall.

This was fun! Here are my questions:

1.What is your favorite horror novel or short story?

2.What was the last Halloween costume you wore?

3. What is your favorite fall snack?

4.Do you carve pumpkins?

5.Do you prefer horror movies or stories?

6.What is your favorite Halloween memory?

7.Do you prefer to give out candy or get candy?

8.Do you decorate for Halloween or fall?

9.Do you have a favorite urban legend? If so what is it?

10.Would you rather spend a night in a grave yard or a haunted house?

11.What is your favorite spooky movie?

12.Who is your favorite character from a horror movie or book?

13.Which is your favorite Universal Monster?


I’m not tagging anyone, but feel free to join the fun! Please link me, so I don’t miss your answers. Happy Halloween!

Book Tag: 90s Music Edition

I saw this fantastic tag on Read to Ramble’s excellent blog. Make sure to check it out! I’ve been incredibly nostalgic lately, and this tag seemed to feed right into that, so of course I had to take part!

What’s My Age Again- Blink 182:

At what age did you discover your love of reading?

I have always loved books, as long as I can remember. I remember riding in a red wagon when my mom walked to the library. Those trips were always fun, and I’ve carried that love of books and libraries with me ever since.

All Star- Smash Mouth:

What is your favorite genre?

While I’ve branched out over the years, fantasy will always be my absolute favorite. There’s something wonderful about being able to read a book where the limits of the real world don’t apply.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Deep Blue Something:

What’s your go-to reading snack/drink?

I don’t necessarily have a favorite since I’m usually reading anytime I have a spare minute: when folding laundry, while the kids are watching an animated something that I can’t stand, during lunch…I almost always have a mug of coffee, though.

Give It Away – Red Hot Chili Peppers:

What book do you ALWAYS recommend to people?

First and foremost, I have to say for the record: I loathe the Red Hot Chili Peppers. There, now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I can move on to the question. I tend to recommend differing books based on who I’m talking to, but I find myself suggesting The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and The Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman more than any others. The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold is coming pretty dang close to catching up, though, which is saying something since the other books have 10+ years of suggesting on it.

…Baby One More Time – Britney Spears:

A book or series you have read more than once?

If I love a book, I’ll read it more than once. I love revisiting stories that I loved. It’s like seeing an old friend. If I tried to list all the books I’ve read multiple times, I’d be sitting at the computer for a very, very long time.

Tearin’ Up My Heart – N’Sync:

A book that broke your heart to finish?

A Child Called It by David J. Pelzer is the most upsetting book I’ve ever read. I had to finish it in the hope that the poor boy would end up in a better situation. I will never read that book again.

Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana:

A book that you read as a teen that you still love today?

Oh, there are so many! The Dragonlance books are on the list, of course, as is The Hobbit, Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Paradise Lost…the list goes on.

Hurt- Nine Inch Nails:

What book do you love that deals with heavier subjects?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower talks about harsh subjects that are nonetheless important. Instead of being a complete downer, it handles the difficult themes with grace, dignity, and an underlying feeling of hope. And yes, I added this question myself. I’m a rebel like that.

I’m not going to tag anyone, but I’d love to see some others answer these questions! If you do, please tag me so I can see what you came up with.

Liebster Award

First and foremost, let me give a huge thank you to I’m All Booked Up for nominating me for this award!

RULES:

  1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and give a link to their blog.
  2. Answer the 11 questions asked of you.
  3. Nominate 11 other bloggers.
  4. Ask ‘your nominees’ 11 questions.
  5. Notify your nominees once you have uploaded your post.

What genre of books can you not live without?

I dabble in other genres, but I’m a fantasy girl through and through. Bonus points if the fantasy book has dragons.

You’re packing for a week’s vacation and can only pack books you already own: which three do you bring? 

I’m going to start right off by cheating. Isn’t that awesome of me? Instead of taking three books, I’m picking two books and a trilogy. If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you won’t be remotely surprised by my choices of: The Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy, The Night Circus, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Which of your favorite books would you like to see become a Netflix series? 

Absolutely none of them, unless I’m casting, writing the script, and directing. If I love a book, I want it to be left alone. I’m persnickety like that.

What was the last book series you binged? 

I honestly couldn’t say. Usually what happens is I get a book, I love the book, then realize the sequel isn’t out yet. I read multiple books at once, though, so my reading habits are all kinds of wonky.

If you could only have three apps on your phone for blogging, which ones would you pick?

The only blogging apps that I have on my phone are WordPress and Twitter.

 What is your dream literary-inspired Halloween costume? 

I don’t dress up for Halloween all that often, but I did dress as a rêveur from The Night Circus one year. I suppose going as Raistlin from Dragons of Spring Dawning could be fun.

If you could be anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I’d love to visit anyplace that has autumn leaves right now. The leaves don’t change color where I currently live, and I really miss the beautiful reds and golds.

Which book character do you relate to most?

I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. Just kidding. I think I’m more of a conglomeration of many characters that I’ve read over the years.

Coffee, tea or hot chocolate?

I drink coffee at breakfast, right before bed (it doesn’t keep me awake at night, I think I’ve built up an immunity), and sometimes in the middle of the afternoon. Hmmm…I’m not drinking too much coffee, am I?

Do you want to publish a novel one day?

There’s always been an author niggle at the back of my brain, but I really don’t have any ideas. If I get an idea that I feel needs to come out, I’ll write then. Whether it would be any good is a completely different question.

Which author would you most like to have dinner with?

I think having dinner with Alexander Dumas would be absolutely fascinating. He has a history, his dad was an interesting person in his own right, and if Dumas spoke the way he wrote, it would be an engrossing meal.

My Questions:

  1. What’s your go-to genre?
  2. What is a book or series that you’re forever singing the praises of?
  3. What do you love about blogging?
  4. Are there any books that you read specifically at a certain time of year?
  5. What’s the best book you read in 2019?
  6. What non-bookish thing do you do for fun?
  7. Which author would you like to have dinner with?
  8. What was your favorite book when you were a child?
  9. What book character do you most relate to?
  10. What is your favorite reading spot?
  11. What new or upcoming release are you most excited for?

My nominations:

The Orang-utan Librarian
Way Too Fantasy
Stephen Writes
Becky’s Book Blog
Mani’s Book Corner
Leah’s Books
One Book More
The Geekish Brunette
My Heart is Booked Blog
Novel Lives
Kerri McBookNerd

The Ultimate Book Tag

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I saw this great tag on both Way too Fantasy and the Irresponsible Reader’s blogs, and just had to do it myself. Check out their answers: they’re fantastic. Here’s mine. I’m sure I’ll ramble, so brace yourself.

Do you get sick while reading in the car? Nope. Well, I did when I was pregnant, but pretty much everything made me sick, so I don’t think that counts.

Which author’s writing style is completely unique to you and why? The first name that comes to mind is Chuck Palahniuk. His writing is flat-out bizarre. Although, I recently read an excellent book called You Favorite Band Cannot Save You by Scotto Moore that also had that Palahniuk vibe (that’s a good thing). So…I’ll probably go with Luke Arnold’s The Last Smile in Sunder City. I’ve seen movies with that Sam Spade-type narration, but I’ve never read a book with it, much less a fantasy. My husband has informed me that I have to read Dashiell Hammett, who created Sam Spade. Either way, Luke Arnold is a fantastic author. I definitely suggest reading him.

Harry Potter or Twilight? Give Three Reasons Why? With apologies to all Twilight fans, Harry Potter:

1. I thought Twilight was a trilogy and didn’t read one of the books, either the second or the third one. It made zero difference to the story, which says a lot about its importance (or lack thereof). I still haven’t read whichever book it was.
2. It was very much a romance, which isn’t my bag. Also, it was an icky romance.
3. The whole werewolf imprinting on Bella’s kid thing is just weird.

Do you carry a book bag? If so, what’s in it? I don’t carry one anymore. Anytime I do use a purse, it has to be big enough to fit a book. My favorite purse looks like a copy of Alice in Wonderland. It’s pretty perfect.

Do you smell your books? (*Sniff* ) I’ll never tell.

Books with or without illustrations? It depends on the type of book. I’m a big fan of children’s fairy tales, and I’m a sucker for any book with dragon art in it. If it’s a novel, though, I’m partial to maps.

What book did you love while reading, but discovered later didn’t have quality writing? The Mortal Instruments and the Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare are pretty poorly written. I wouldn’t say that I discovered that later on,though. I was pretty much aware of that from the beginning. I love them anyway. They’re my guilty pleasures. I blame Magnus Bane.

Do you have any funny stories from your childhood involving books? I was around twelve years old or so, and it was Christmastime. I was sitting in a chair next to the tree, completely engrossed in my book. I still remember what I was reading: Kindred Spirits by Mark Anthony. The tree slowly toppled over and encased me in a cage of pine needles and ornaments. It wasn’t funny at the time, but it cracks me up looking back on it.

What is the thinnest book on your shelf? Um, not counting the many picture books we have floating around? Probably Queens of Fennbirn by Kendare Blake, or Hollow Men by Todd Sullivan. By the way, both of those books are good and you should read them.

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What is the thickest book you own? War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is pretty hefty. It’s a good one, though. The Tanakh is also big, as is The Light of All that Falls. Which book do you think wins “thickest book” title? Please ignore my horrible photography skills.

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Do you write as well as read? Do you see yourself becoming an author in the future? What, writing for a blog doesn’t count? Psshaw! As for writing a book, if I ever have an idea that I feel needs to be written, I’ll go for it. Right now, though, I’ve got nothing.

When did you first get into reading? I can’t think of a time when I didn’t have my nose in a book. I remember trips to the library being amazing expeditions when I was young. Before the pandemic, my husband and I would take our kids to the library every weekend. I really miss it. They do too.

What is your favorite classic book? Oh, that’s a hard one! I think I’ll go with The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas. Excellent book. Read it.

If you were given a book as a present that you’ve already read and hated, what would you do? I would thank the person. How I felt about the book is unimportant; that someone thought to give me a gift will always be appreciated.

What is a lesser known book you know of that is similar to the Harry Potter series and the Hunger Games series? I can’t really think of anything similar to the Hunger Games off the top of my head, but the Magisterium series by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare is very similar to Harry Potter. They’re meant for middle-graders. School for Psychics by K.C Archer is an adult series that reminded me a bit of Harry Potter as well.

What is a bad writing habit you have? I have an unfortunate penchant for parenthesis. I use them way more than any one person ever should.

What is your favorite word? Exacerbate. There’s a story behind that, involving dragging someone into a bookstore to prove that it was, in fact, a real word. What’s more, I did this while on a date. My date is a glutton for punishment: he married me.

Are you a nerd, dork, or dweeb? Yes. Oh- I have to pick one? I’m most definitely a nerd, and I’m proud of it.

Vampires or faeries? Why? I like vampires in theory, but I can only think of three vampires I like: Lestat (of course), Armand, and Spike from the Buffy tv show. Faeries, on the other hand, have a broader range: they are rich in variety, from the mischievous to the regal, to the downright dangerous. There is a lot that can be done with them, and I love reading the origins behind the different variations.

Shapeshifters or angels? Why? I love skinwalkers and changelings, and I once played a were-jaguar in a D&D campaign, so that’s the answer right there.

Spirits or werewolves? Um…I guess I don’t really have a preference. I read more books with ghouls and ghosts than I do books with werewolves. I’ve noticed that werewolves mostly live in romance novels, and I am not a fan of that particular genre.

Zombies or vampires? Why? Vampires, of course. If I wanted to see a dead, shambling, drooling husk of a human, I’d just look into the mirror before I drink my coffee.

Love triangles or forbidden love? I don’t love love. In books, I mean. I prefer forbidden love to love triangles, I suppose. Just keep it buried under tons of fantasy violence, and I’m good to go.

Full-on romance books or action-filled books with a little romance? I’m pretty sure my answer to the question above also answers this one. Give me some background romance and I’m fine, but I find myself rolling my eyes if the romance takes center-stage.

Wowza, that was a long one! I’m not tagging anyone here, although I might nag a few people on Twitter. If you do it, please link back to me so I can see your answers.

The Stay at Home Book Tag

I have several book reviews waiting to be posted, but it’s been a hot minute since I’ve done a book tag, and this one is fun. I blame Books are 42 for having fabulous answers. This tag was created by Princess of Paperback. If you decide to do it as well, please link back to me so I don’t miss seeing your answers. Here goes:

Laying in Bed: A Book You Could/Have Read in a Day- The Rome of Fall by Chad Alan Gibbs

After Marcus Brinks left mysteriously two decades ago, financial ruin and his dying mother brought him back to his hometown of Rome, Alabama. Brinks, the former lead singer of ’90s indie-rock band Dear Brutus, takes a job teaching at his old school, where years ago, he and his friend, Jackson, conspired to get Deacon, the starting quarterback and resident school jerk, kicked off the football team.

Now it’s Jackson, head coach of Rome, who rules the school like Caesar, while Deacon plots his demise. This time Brinks refuses to get involved, opting instead for a quiet life with Becca, his high school crush. But will dreams of domestic black go up in flames when the repercussion of the past meet the lying, cheating, and blackmail of the present? (taken from Amazon)

This book is so much fun! I loved every nostalgia-filled moment. You can find my review here.

Snacking: A Guilty Pleasure Book- The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

The reason I consider Cassandra Clare to be a guilty pleasure is that her books include everything that usually annoys the snot out of me: love triangles, angst-ridden teens, bad boys with hearts of gold…I could go on. So why do I love this series? Magnus.

Netflix: series you want to start- The Black Iron Legacy by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan

Enter a city of saints and thieves . . .
The city of Guerdon stands eternal. A refuge from the war that rages beyond its borders. But in the ancient tunnels deep beneath its streets, a malevolent power has begun to stir.
The fate of the city rests in the hands of three thieves. They alone stand against the coming darkness. As conspiracies unfold and secrets are revealed, their friendship will be tested to the limit. If they fail, all will be lost, and the streets of Guerdon will run with blood.
The Gutter Prayer is an epic tale of sorcerers and thieves, treachery and revenge, from a remarkable new voice in fantasy. (taken from Amazon)

              The first book in this series is The Gutter Prayer. I’ve heard amazing things about it and I’m mad at myself for not having read it yet.

Deep Clean: a book that’s been on your “to be read” list for ages-  The Ghostwriter by Alessandra Torre

Four years ago, I lied. I stood in front of the police, my friends and family, and made up a story, my best one yet. And all of them believed me.

I wasn’t surprised. Telling stories is what made me famous. Fifteen bestsellers. Millions of fans. Fame and fortune.

Now, I have one last story to write. It’ll be my best one yet, with a jaw-dropping twist that will leave the nation stunned and gasping for breath.

They say that sticks and stones will break your bones, but this story? It will be the one that kills me. (taken from Amazon)

                       I’ve been wanting to read this book for the longest time. I just can’t find it when I’m physically at a bookstore and I don’t usually order books online. That’s changed recently, for obvious reasons, so hopefully I’ll get this one before too long.

Animal Crossing: a book you recently bought because of hype- I don’t usually buy books based on hype, but there are bookbloggers whose opinions I listen to. I bought High Fire based on The Irresponsible Reader’s recommendation. Have I read it yet? Um…

Productivity: A book you learned from, or that had an impact on you- Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

In Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher tells the true and intoxicating story of her life with inimitable wit. Born to celebrity parents, she was picked to play a princess in a little movie called Star Wars when only 19 years old. “But it isn’t all sweetness and light sabers.”

Alas, aside from a demanding career and her role as a single mother (not to mention the hyperspace hairdo), Carrie also spends her free time battling addiction, weathering the wild ride of manic depression and lounging around various mental institutions. It’s an incredible tale – from having Elizabeth Taylor as a stepmother, to marrying (and divorcing) Paul Simon, from having the father of her daughter leave her for a man, to ultimately waking up one morning and finding a friend dead beside her in bed. (taken from Amazon)

Carrie Fisher was unapologetic and brave about her mental illness, which is something I aspire to. On tough days, this quote from Wishful Drinking is one I come to:

“One of the things that baffles me (and there are quite a few) is how there can be so much lingering stigma with regards to mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder. In my opinion, living with manic depression takes a tremendous amount of balls. Not unlike a tour of Afghanistan (though the bombs and bullets, in this case, come from the inside). At times, being bipolar can be an all-consuming challenge, requiring a lot of stamina and even more courage, so if you’re living with this illness and functioning at all, it’s something to be proud of, not ashamed of.
They should issue medals along with the steady stream of medication.”

Facetime: a book you were gifted-  A World Without Whom: The Essential Guide to Language in the Buzzfeed Age by Emmy J. Favilla 


A World Without “Whom” is Eats, Shoots & Leaves for the internet age, and BuzzFeed global copy chief Emmy Favilla is the witty go-to style guru of webspeak.

As language evolves faster than ever before, what is the future of “correct” writing? When Favilla was tasked with creating a style guide for BuzzFeed, she opted for spelling, grammar, and punctuation guidelines that would reflect not only the site’s lighthearted tone, but also how readers actually use language IRL.

With wry cleverness and an uncanny intuition for the possibilities of internet-age expression, Favilla makes a case for breaking the rules laid out by Strunk and White: A world without “whom,” she argues, is a world with more room for writing that’s clear, timely, pleasurable, and politically aware. Featuring priceless emoji strings, sidebars, quizzes, and style debates among the most lovable word nerds in the digital media world–of which Favilla is queen–A World Without “Whom” is essential for readers and writers of virtually everything: news articles, blog posts, tweets, texts, emails, and whatever comes next . . . so basically everyone. (taken from Amazon)

My husband gave this to me for Christmas. Since I’m hoping to one day join the world of book editing, this book (review found here)    was the perfect gift.

Self-care: what is one thing you’ve done recently to look after yourself- Um…I’m pretty low maintenance. Give me a half hour to read uninterrupted, and I’m good. I wouldn’t say no to some yummy coffee, though.

Bonus: name a book that is coming out soon-  The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton 

A murder on the high seas. A detective duo. A demon who may or may not exist.
It’s 1634 and Samuel Pipps, the world’s greatest detective, is being transported to Amsterdam to be executed for a crime he may, or may not, have committed. Travelling with him is his loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes, who is determined to prove his friend innocent.

But no sooner are they out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. A twice-dead leper stalks the decks. Strange symbols appear on the sails. Livestock is slaughtered.

And then three passengers are marked for death, including Samuel.

Could a demon be responsible for their misfortunes?

With Pipps imprisoned, only Arent can solve a mystery that connects every passenger onboard. A mystery that stretches back into their past and now threatens to sink the ship, killing everybody on board. (taken from Amazon)

It truly doesn’t matter to me what this book is about: I loved The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle so much that I’ll be excited to read anything by this author. That being said, the description sounds awesome. It won’t be out until much later in the year, but I’m incredibly excited.

 

Well, that’s it. I’m not tagging anyone here (although I might nag some people about it on Twitter), but I hope you take part. This one is fun!

 

 

 

Bookish Naughty or Nice Tag

I’ve seen this tag floating around (actually, I’ve been tagged by a few people), but I’m just barely getting around to it now. Better late than never, right? This tag originated on Jenniely’s fantastic blog. Click on the name to check it out. Credit for the awesome graphic also goes to her. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

Bookish Naughty or Nice Tag

Rules

  • Tag & link the person who tagged you
  • Tag and link me/this post (if you would be so kind, I love reading your answers!)
  • Tick/cross off the ones you’ve done

Tag another 10 people!
Received an ARC and not reviewed it? Naughty!
I’ve only done this once. I didn’t finish the book because it was much too harsh for me and, since I didn’t get far in at all, I opted to let the publisher know that I wouldn’t be reviewing it since I couldn’t give an informed opinion.

Have less than 60% feedback rating on Netgalley? Nice
I’m at 84% right now, which is about normal for me. I am hoping to do a little better after things slow down but- let’s face it- things don’t really slow down in my house. The color of the chaos changes, but that’s about it.

Rated a book on Goodreads and promised a full review to come on your blog (but it never did)? Nice

The only reason I’ve never been guilty of this is that I am constantly forgetting to add my finished books to Goodreads. I’m horrible at keeping track of what I’ve read in any given year.

Folded down the page of a book? Nice

Of course I don’t fold down pages! I’m not a monster!

Accidentally spilled on a book? Nice

I haven’t spilled on a book this year. I get so sad whenever I mess up a book that I’m overly careful about it. I’d probably pull a book out of the way of a spill before I’d save the laptop. That shows rather poor judgement on my part, now that I think about it…

Didn’t finish a book this year? Naughty
There were a few that I didn’t make it through this year. Most of them were due to content (I don’t read rape or child abuse and I really don’t like being surprised by that showing up in a book) , but there was one that was just too boring for me to make it through.

Bought a book purely because it was pretty, with no intention of reading it? Nice

I read every book I buy, eventually. It might take me a very long time, but I don’t buy books without planning on enjoying them.

Read whilst you were meant to be doing something else? Naughty
I don’t think that makes me naughty. I think that makes me awesome. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Skim read a book? Naughty
I skim past sex scenes in books (they’re just not my bag).

Completely missed your Goodreads goal? Nice
Because I’m so bad at remembering to use Goodreads, I set my goals pretty low. I surpassed it this year and – even cooler- I added a good chunk of what I read. That’s only because Beth at Beforewegoblog reminded me about it, but still. Progress.

Borrowed a book and not returned it? Naughty
When I was young, I hid a couple favorites from the library. They may have “accidentally” been added to my shelf.

Broke a book buying ban? Naughty
I wouldn’t say that I spend too much money on books, but my husband has remarked that my book addiction is more expensive than an addiction to hard drugs would be. Hmm…maybe I should try harder to reign it in. Nah.

Started a review, left it for ages, then forgot what the book was about? Naughty
I’ve only done this once. I felt so horrible that I’ve not done it since.

Written in a book? Naughty
I write in my Bible, but that’s it.

Finished a book and forgotten to add it to Goodreads? Naughty
I do this all the stinking time. I honestly don’t know exactly how many books I’ve read this year, I just have a ballpark figure.

Borrowed a book and not returned it to a friend? Naughty
I still need to return a Who Was? book that I borrowed for a subject I was teaching my oldest. My toddler tornado has fallen in love with it, though, so I’ll probably just buy a new copy for my friend and keep the other one for him. Sorry, Amy.

Dodged someone asking if they can borrow a book?Naughty

I’ll give books, but I don’t loan them. I used to, but they were always either returned in horrible condition, or not returned at all. Now I’m like Gollum: “My precious!”

Broke the spine of someone else’s book? Nice
I would never do such a horrific thing!

Took the jacket off a book to protect it and ended up making it more damaged? Nice
I usually don’t even take the jackets off.

Sat on a book? Naughty
I sit on them, I fall asleep on them, I fall asleep and drop them on my face (ow!). Basically, I’m a mess.

I got “naughty” on twelve out of twenty. Gulp. I guess I’m just a bad egg.

What about you? How did you do? I’m not tagging anyone in particular, but if you choose to participate, please remember to tag the creator, and me as well, so I can see your answers.