Category: Book Tags

Quarter Year Crisis Book Tag

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Hey Bibliofriends,

I’ve been a little MIA recently due to a certain artist releasing a double album (🤯), with a week’s worth of easter-egg dropping promo before it to boot. Needless to say my brain has been a little bit wrapped up in The Tortured Poets Department and therefore the reading and blogging have been slightly lacking. I have so many thoughts…!

Anyway… I found this Quarter Crisis Book Tag over on Lauren’s blog Little Bit of All That and the prompts were brilliantly centred around reviewing reading habits so far in 2024 that I thought it was a good way to remotivate me and bring me back into the zone! The original tag creator is Roisin’s Reading over at YouTube. I know we’re technically past the quarter point of the year, but I figure we’re close enough to it that this still counts!

How many books have you read so far?

So far in 2024 I have read 24 books. I’m 5 books ahead of schedule to reach my target of 65 by the time 2025 rolls around. April has been quite a successful month for me as I’ve been taking part in the Magical Readathon which you can read more about here and check out my mid-point review of that challenge as well. I’ve got 3 books on the go currently which I’m hoping to complete by the time April is done, however I fear that my audiobook is going to get a little sidelined for the rest of this month.

Have you found a book that you think might be a 2024 favourite?

Having read Fourth Wing, Iron Flame and House of Flame and Shadow in 2024 – they’re going to be very high up on my list. One book I was surprised to love as much as I did was Faebound by Saara El-Arifi. I gobbled up in in about two days! Something about the setting, characters and writing style just resonated with me and I can’t wait for the sequel!

Any least favourite book of the year?

It makes me a teeny bit sad to say this but so far, it’s either going to A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft (review here) or Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura. Although I haven’t managed to get around to reviewing ROTLH yet, I went in it for the archaeology and history but it turns out it was about 10% that and 90% smut… not quite what I had anticipated.

Most read genre?

Fantasy for the win here! It makes up a majority of my reading to be honest. Although I have also read Yellowface which is contemporary fiction, a Taylor Swift bio and I’m currently reading a non-fiction book about horseracing just to ensure that there is some variety in my reading diet!

A book that surprised me?

The Brothers Hawthorne surprised me as I didn’t think I would like this spin-off / continuation (whatever you want to call it!) after the main trilogy had ended. I am so glad I picked it up at the start of the year because it was spectacular! You can read my review here. I guess you could also say I was surprised by how much I took to the Game of Thrones audiobooks. It’s really got me back into the series and I’m currently on the final one!

A book that has come out in 2024 that I haven’t yet read?

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo has been sat tempting me on my shelf, along with A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal. They’ll most certainly be conquered within 2024 – that’s a guarantee!

One goal you made that you’re succeeding at?

Well I’m on track with my 2024 reading goal, but I’m also posting ‘quite’ regular content on my blog which was a mission I kind of rejuvenated a few months back. I’d neglected it for well over a year (maybe even two!) however, my life has recently balanced itself so I’ve been able to find time to write posts and enjoy making content again!

One goal that you need to focus on?

I find that blogging is almost two-parted. There’s the part where you churn out all of your posts and content, but then there’s the other part where you immerse yourself and engage in the community around you. I think that’s the part I need to focus on now, visiting other people’s blogs rather than focusing on my own. I also need to write constant reminders to myself to not leave it too long before actually writing a review of the books that I’ve recently read and just ploughing into the next read! 😂

Quarterly Year Crisis Book Tag is officially wrapped. What books have surprised you so far this year? Have you kept on top of your reading goals or do you have a specific goal you wish you could focus on more? Feel free to consider yourself tagged if you’d love to have your own go at this tag! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

St. Patrick’s Day Book Day

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day Bibliofriends!

Big thanks to Alex at Mybookworld24 for tagging me in this book tag! The original tag creator is Taylor and you can find their post over on YouTube.

I’m not Irish, nor do I live in Ireland, but St. Patrick’s Day is a bit of a celebration where we are for reasons that I’ll explain in one of the tag prompts below!

END OF THE RAINBOW – WHAT BOOK DID YOU HAVE A HARD TIME TRACKING DOWN A COPY OF?

With modern wonders such as eBay and the benefits of global shipping, it’s quite easy to grab a copy of anything nowadays. I’ve had to import several books from America because they haven’t been published in the UK (American Royals books 3 & 4 for example). One book that I’m desperate to find, is the original edition of The Secret by Byron Preiss. It’s about a global treasure hunt which is still unsolved to this day. First editions are available online but they will set you back about £400!

POT OF GOLD – WHEN YOU FOUND THAT BOOK, WAS IT WORTH THE QUEST?

Obviously I haven’t got a copy of The Secret yet, I may have to cave in and buy a reprinting! On the American Royals front – YES, it was definitely worth the quest! I love that series so much!

CELEBRATING A RICH HERITAGE – NAME A BOOK THAT CONTAINS A WELL-DEVELOPED CULTURE.

The City of Brass or Daevabad trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty is a seres which I feel transports me to a whole other world. It is so rich and vibrant in world-building and character-development that you cannot help but soak up the atmosphere and culture of this other land.

SHAMROCK SHAKES – WHAT’S YOUR FAVOuRITE FOOD TO SNACK ON WHILE READING?

I find it so difficult to snack whilst reading. It has to be something which doesn’t get mess all over the pages, therefore crisps and anything fruit related are out. Perhaps Maltesers or Haribo Starmix 😋

FOUR LEAF CLOVER – NAME A BOOK YOU THOUGHT WOULD BE ‘JUST ANOTHER GENERIC BOOK’, BUT TURNED OUT TO BE SOMETHING GREAT.

Back in 2017, I received a copy of Roar by Cora Carmack in a Fairyloot box. I fell in love with the storms and magic within the book. It’s a series which I’m desperate to reread and then finish one day!

IRISH WHISKEY – WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE TRADITION OF ST. PATTY’S DAY?

Where I live near Cheltenham in the UK, we have a massive horse racing festival for the Gold Cup every March at Cheltenham Racecourse (aka the home of jumps racing). This year, we have just finished Race Week which ran from 12th-15th March. It is a HUGE deal and people come from all across the UK and Ireland to be here. The Irish contingent and representation during this week is massive and due to the proximity of the event being close to the 17th March, the Thursday of the meeting is always known as St. Patrick’s Thursday! There’s always a lot of Guinness hats floating around and the atmosphere in town is buzzing! To add to this, the Saturday after the Gold Cup (i.e. yesterday!) is usually always the final day of the Rugby Union Six Nations tournament and is known as Super Saturday where all 6 teams (one being Ireland) play in three back-to-back matches. It literally takes up the whole afternoon and evening.

So I always associate St. Patrick’s Day with my two favourite sports! It’s quite a bust time with lots of atmosphere and excitement around the area I live in!

Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? What traditions do you normally participate in? If you feel like having your own go at this fun tag then consider yourself tagged!! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

The Spring Cleaning Book Tag

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Happy Monday Bibliofriends!

I hope you had a fun-filled weekend whether you were watching the Six Nations Rugby, celebrating Mother’s Day or just chilling with your favourite beverage and book! When the first signs of Spring are in the air, I get this in-built sense to go into clear-out mode and that has definitely been the case with some of my reads in the past few weeks. In an attempt to clear our a bit more bookshelf space, I’ve been ticking books off that have been sat on my shelves for far too long. Whilst putting together my blog post outline for the month, I stumbled across the perfect Spring Cleaning Book Tag over on 18 Cinema Lane to coincide with this and knew that I just had to do it!

1. The Struggle of Getting Started – A book or book series you struggle to begin because of its size

One of my lifelong reading goals has always been to read The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, along with the rest of the series. The sheer size of them initially prevents me from reaching out for these books, but also – as I’m such a mood reader, I know I’ll have to get my brain into ‘classics’ mode in order to properly focus on reading it.

2. Cleaning Out the Closet – A book or book series you want to unhaul

Being a Fairyloot and Illumicrate subscriber I have so many series on my shelves which I am yet to get started. A couple that have been majorly hyped up and that I’m hoping to get to this year are The Prison Healer series by Lynette Noni and the Kingdom of the Wicked series by Kerri Maniscalco.

3. Opening Windows and Letting Fresh Air In – A book that was refreshing

The People on Platform Five by Clare Pooley was a fantastically refreshing read. It’s such a feel-good story that leaves you with a positive feeling about the goodness of strangers and the forging of new friendships. I’m not much of a contemporary fiction fan but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both of Clare Pooley’s novels so far.

4. Washing Out the Sheets’ Stains – A book you wish you could re-write a certain scene in

I wouldn’t so much as rewrite, but perhaps remove a fair chunk of the smut scenes from A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas. I really don’t need to know about the hot, spurting of anything thank you very much!

5. Throwing Out Unnecessary Knick-Knacks – A book in a series you didn’t feel was necessary

It’s probably going to have to be one of the Mortal Instruments books by Cassandra Clare. I don’t really remember each individual book’s plot, but I feel like I’m sure there’s one part of it that could either be amalgamated or isn’t really a necessary part of the whole saga.

6. Polishing the Door Knobs – A book that had a clean finish

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens – I had so many questions throughout reading this, but I feel like everything was wrapped up succinctly at the very end. It has an incredibly satisfying conclusion that I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

7. Reaching to Dust the Fan – A book that tried too hard to relay a certain message

I found a copy of Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist in a charity shop and purchased it due to all of the hype surrounding it and that it’s well-known as one of the best-selling books of all time. Having heard many, many things, I went into it thinking that it would be a groundbreaking story that would have me redefining my outlook on my entire life… but I think that was the killer. My expectations were way too high and the message being relayed about becoming your own Personal Legend just seemed to follow Santiago from failed mission to failed mission. I’m well aware that I’ve probably missed the central point of meaning within this whole text, but for me it just tried a little too hard and didn’t quite pull off what I had hoped to take away from it.

8. The Tiring, Yet Satisfying Finish of Spring Cleaning – A book series that was tiring, yet satisfying, to get through

Another potential unpopular opinion alert on the horizon… These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong is a series that I struggled to get through. I had high expectations for this duology however it didn’t quite hit the mark for my bookish brain. I think there was a lot going on between river monsters, rival gangs, romances, friendships, betrayals, etc… The satisfying element of it was that I absolutely loved the idea and premise of a 1920s Shanghai Romeo and Juliet retelling, and of course the hype following this series made me feel like I’d achieved something from completing it, but it wasn’t quite the enjoyable journey I had anticipated it to be.

That’s a wrap on the Spring Cleaning Book Tag! What are your thoughts? Consider yourself tagged if you feel like participating in your own Spring Cleaning bookish fun! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

The Barbie Book Tag

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Happy Barbie Day Bibliofriends!

Whilst trying to come up with a monthly outline for my blog posts, I discovered that March 9th is Barbie Day owing to the fact that on this day in 1959, Barbie made her debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York! Fast forward 65 years and Barbie now has a major cult following and an Oscar nominated film to her name. I was originally going to today as a prompt to pick out my favourite pink book covers on my bookshelves, but then I came across this Barbie Book Tag on the Buzzy Book Blog and I just had to have a go – you know how much I love a good tag!

Barbie is everything: the most amazing protagonist you’ve ever read?

It is so hard to pick just one from the whole ream of amazing protagonists that I’ve ever read… this was by far the most difficult prompt selection. However, without inciting too much violence, if you pointed a you-know-what at my head the first protagonist I would be screaming out would be Aelin Ashryver Galathynius from the Throne of Glass series – hands down. It’s no secret that I adore these books and I love every single fibre of this character’s existence! The journey that she goes on is immensely epic!

This Barbie is a mermaid: a book with magical creatures?

Last year, one of my school pupils brought Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell into the classroom. The bestiary of magical creatures transported me right back into that childish sense of wonderland that I had to get myself a copy. It was really enjoyable to be surrounded by Sphinxes, Griffins, Ratatoskas, Krakens and even more magical creatures. The illustrations were also divine so this would have to be my pick!

This Barbie is a doctor/lawyer/diplomat: a book with a female protagonist that takes place in a work environment?

I am currently reading Yellowface by R.F. Kuang and it feels like the perfect pick for this. It’s not exactly your traditional office-based tale, however the references to the working world of the publishing industry make it feel like it fits this prompt well.

This Barbie is a celebrated author: a book by your favourite author?

Again, I don’t have one particular favourite author, however Carlos Ruiz Zafôn ranks incredibly high on my list! His tale Marina is a deliciously gothic and macabre YA story about a mysterious shrouded woman encountered in a graveyard.

This is Midge: a book about motherhood?

I saw Ruth Jones (Nessa of Gavin and Stacey fame) at the Cheltenham Literature Festival in 2023 and although contemporary fiction – especially one so outwardly ‘woman-centered’ – isn’t really my cup of tea, Ruth Jones absolutely sold me on this book. The fact she narrates the audiobook was what really swung me into the Audible purchase to be honest. Love Untold centres around the narratives of four generations of women within the same family. It is a tale filled with love, humour, compassion and about the ultimate bond between mothers and daughters. I loved it so much I gave it 5 stars!

There’s only one Alan: a book with friends to lovers?

Every time I have the friends to lovers prompt, there’s only ever one book on my mind – and that is You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry. It has such a special and poignant significance in my heart!

He’s just Ken: a book with a trash boy

If I’m being perfectly honest, I’m not entirely sure on the actual meaning of a trash boy – however I choosing Damian Venturi from Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb. His was a character that I could not warm to in the slightest. It wasn’t that he had any majorly negative traits or off-putting qualities. He wasn’t a villain, he wasn’t exactly a hero either – he just made me feel a little… indifferent?!

If tags are your thing, then consider yourself tagged and have a go yourself! Don’t forget to share your links below so I can visit and see your prompt selections! No I’m off to celebrate Barbie Day by rewatching the movie! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

The February Book Tag

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Hey Bibliofriends!

It’s the start of a brand new week and the final days of February! I’m rapidly trying to sprint through my current reads to try and round off the month fully and start a new book in March. I’m not quite sure I’ll make it though… When I was plotting out February’s blog posts, I came across The February Book Tag created by Lynn at Lynn’s books. She originally created it as part of a Love Freebie for Top Ten Tuesday, and as February is the month of love, it provided me with the perfect tag to wrap up the month with.

The shortest month of the year – A short story or novella that you would like everyone to know about

There is a collection of horror stories called Never Have I Ever by Isabel Yap who is a Filipino/American author. Obviously it’s not quite in-keeping with the romance element of this book tag, but the stories are incredibly well written and atmospheric. If you’re a horror-lover, they’re going to be right up your street.

Valentine’s Day – your favourite romance novel

I feel that the Romance genre is getting more and more tricky to identify. Lots of stories have a romance element in them that aren’t defined solely as romance novels, and now we’re getting hybrid genres like Romantasy, it’s getting harder to know what’s romance and what isn’t. I don’t tend to read too much of the ‘chick-lt’ style romances however, I am very partial to an Emily Henry novel and People We Meet On Vacation is very close to my heart!

Leap Year – ‘One Ring to Rule Them All’ – the year for proposing.  A book with your favourite couple

A couple that is being mentioned more frequently than Taylor and Trav this month is Iris and Roman from Divine Rivals! Excuse the double negative, but I can’t not choose them again here! Their romance is so endearing! When I’m reading Roman’s parts, I can’t help but seeing him as Matthew Goode who played Henry Talbot in Downton Abbey!

Romeo – Could be a book boyfriend, could be your favourite male character

I don’t even know if I have a book boyfriend anymore?! Back in the day, I used to say it was Rhysand from the A Court of Thorns and Roses Series, but now I’m not entirely sure who I’d pick or if I’d have one at all.

Juliet – Could be a book girlfriend, could be your favourite female character

Favourite female character – Aelin Galanthynius is winning every time! I love the sass, the vulnerabilities, the sacrifices, the strength – she would definitely have to be my no.1 gal pal!

Love Triangle – love it or hate it

Done right, a love triangle can be a great plot twist to mess with my reading brain. I always end up falling for one pairing, then get devastatingly upset when it swings in the other direction. In the right author’s hands, the love triangle is dynamite – in the wrong hands, I’ll be rolling my eyes until that element is over. I’m not going to say spoilers but there’s a pretty hardcore love triangle in the Throne of Glass series that I was not on board with until about book 6 out of 7… 😂 Thank god, it all came good in the end! I should have trusted SJM more!!

Enemies to lovers

In my brain, Jude and Cardan from Holly Black’s Folk of the Air series are the ultimate enemies to lovers pairing. The hate in that first book, followed by the love story that unfolds within the rest of the series, truly turns their hatred into adoration. That’s not to say that it’s all plain sailing and happily every afters from there on out.

Sweet like chocolate – a book that is positively delicious

Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye had so many tasty food references, that it’s hard not to think about the deliciousness of it! I’m a big fan of Japanese cuisine so parts of this literally had me drooling.

A Rose By Any Other Name – a book with a romance that you didn’t expect

I’m going to say the Comoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling). For starters, these are crime novels and although we’re on book 7 (which I still have yet to read) the relationship between Cormoran and Robin is so tentatively dangled in front of us…! It isn’t so much the fact that it’s an unexpected romance, but it’s more a case of being ambiguous as to whether they’ll actually end up together or not!

A book that broke your heart

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (Six of Crows Duology Book #2).

Me: Leigh Bardugo, how could you?! This was so not how the story was supposed to play out! Where was their happy ever after? They deserved it after everything they went through! I’ll cannot reread this duology ever again. I will never forgive you for this!
Also me: Ooh – brave, gutsy risk-taking with that ending… You’ve got some writer’s balls there Bardugo! Well done!

How are you wrapping up your February? Have you read any of my books picks above? Do you like romance in books as the main course or as more of a side dish? If you’d like to take part in the February book tag, then consider yourself tagged! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

The Mardi Gras Book Tag

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Happy Wednesday Bibliofriends!

We are halfway through the week already! Whilst I was planning out blog posts for this month, I came across an entertaining book tag over at Randomly Bookish Gina’s channel on YouTube linking to Mardi Gras. Being from the UK, our Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) takes place on the same day as Mardi Gras, however it is quite a different type of celebration so this was a brilliant opportunity for me to learn about other worldwide traditions.

Designated Driver: What re-read book is reliable to get you out of a reading slump?

To get me out of a reading slump, I have to effectively pick up one of my ‘God-Tier’ books which I go on and on about to anyone that will listen. Think Sarah J Maas, Addie La Rue, Harry Potter, the Inheritance Games, Emily Henry… anything from that list will banish my reading slump to hell!

The Drunk Best Friend: Which character(s) would you like to grab a drink with, or simply hangout with for a night on the town?

Who am I partying with…? Princess Samantha from American Royals! I’m positive there will be plenty of drama and drunken antics!

Fat Tuesday: Which book on your TBR can you not wait to devour?

Crescent City 3 is sitting on my bookshelf as we speak and is sending my little winks and pouty faces! I also bought a 10th anniversary edition of The Bone Season which I managed to get signed and dedicated by Samantha Shannon at a literature event last year so that would also qualify as a good pick too.

Lent: Which genre would you give up reading for 40 days?

I could probably give up Romance or Science Fiction easily for 40 days. I don’t think I could live without a little mystery or fantasy in my life for that long though!

Masquerade Masks: Which book do you mask that you have read? (Ex: a book you’re embarrassed about, a book or author you’re embarrassed by having not read yet, a guilty pleasure book, something you hide behind etc.)

I’m embarrassed to have read the entire Fifty Shades of Grey series – I mean, it’s not even really my genre. I just got swept away on the hype train. I also have some very promiscuous covers on my iBooks bookshelf, but to be honest I don’t think they’ll ever get read!

The Annual Mardi Gras Party/Parade: What classic could you read time and time again?

Taking ‘classic’ in the classical literature sense, I would pick Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. The rural landscapes are exceptionally well written and the very provincial love triangle is so at contrast with the time period. There’s a brilliant range of characters and it has a balance between tragedy and redemption too.

New Orleans: Which fictional place would you like to party?

The Green Dragon Inn of Bywater in The Shire, mixed with some of Gandalf’s epic fireworks of course!

Jazz Music: What book just makes you want to dance? (Could be when you received it or as you read it)

Geekerella by Ashley Poston makes me want to go to a massive Comic Con and dance the night away at the after-party.

The Colors of Mardi Gras:

Purple represents Justice: Which character do you feel got justice at the end of the book or series? Holland from the Darker Shades of Power series by V.E. Schwab. He’s such a morally grey character but I feel his ending was somewhat deserving.
Green represents Faith: Which character would you put your complete faith in, no matter the situation?
Aelin Ashryver Galathynius from Throne of Glass – every damn time!
Gold represents Power: Which book gave you a very powerful emotion after reading it?
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill – the evolution of the characters, the attitudes to women. It was pretty heartwarming.

Show Your Tatas, Get Those Beads!!! Which character would you throw beads to?

I genuinely had to look this up to work out in what context the beads were being thrown in! Now that I know that, I would be throwing beads to Jacks, the Prince of Hearts from Stephanie Garber’s Once Upon a Broken Heart series. I can only imagine the initial scowl he’d have from having something thrown at him. Then I can imagine him smiling sardonically, joining in and throwing beads right back!

BONUS: Southern Hospitality: Give an example of a time when you received beyond exceptional service in a bookstore!

I was away in London for the weekend when I finished reading American Royals #1. I immediately had to have the next book in the series and one of the only bookshops that had it in stock was Waterstones on Strand! When I took it to the till, the cashier’s face lit up when she saw it and we both had a little fangirling moment over the series! It was pretty sweet!

That’s a wrap! This tag was so much fun that it makes me wish we had a little more carnival atmosphere in the UK for our own Shrove Tuesday celebrations! Do you celebrate Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day or Mardi Gras? Do you have different traditions for your own celebrations in the run up to Easter? If you fancy like continuing the tag and creating your own prompt answers, consider yourselves tagged!! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

The Pancake Book Tag!

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Happy FriYAY Bibliofriends!

The weekend is almost upon us. Have you got any exciting plans to look forward to? With it being Pancake Day earlier this week, I thought it was a great opportunity to do this fun Pancake Book Tag created by Becky on Blogs of a Bookaholic. Images are Becky’s original graphics.

I recently finished the novella ‘We Shall Sing a Song into the Deep’ by Andrew Kelly-Stewart. There were some really beautiful segments of this book describing the whale song and relationships between the characters. The plot itself is fairly dystopian – think metal submarine prison, but Remy’s narration was so delicate in comparison to combat this harshness. The choral incantations and songs also gave a beautiful juxtaposition to the masculine attitudes of the characters.

Rather than thinking of the acerbic side of a sharp character, I picked a character that offers a ‘smart cookie’ take on the sharp wit dynamic. This has to go to Art3mis from Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. She’s often one step ahead of Parzival in almost every way and offers an encyclopaedia of knowledge to the quest. Without her, there would be no way that the ending of this book would have come off!

Without fail, a book I can turn to at any time which can comfort my deepest of woes is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. I go on about this book so, so much, but it really is like my bookish soul-mate – it’s perfection in every last syllable and I love it and its characters very much.

House of Sky and Breath is one of those books that you almost need a defibrillator to get yourself through. There’s constant danger lurking at every corner – and then just when you think we’re about to wrap up the last 900 pages, Sarah J Maas throws the MOTHER of all curveballs in there and decides just to end the book. I remember sitting on my bed after having finished this and actually questioning whether I had just read the ending correctly. Then in all my shock, I had to immediately phone a friend only to realise that I didn’t actually have any words to describe the ending. All that came out of my mouth was mono-syllabic ‘what-how-why?’ sounds! Seriously hanging after that one!

Reading Fourth Wing was pure indulgent feels all the way – there was chemistry, tension, dragons, magic wielding, secrets, friendship dynamics, dragons, betrayal, defiance, politics, loyalty, a mini-heist and did I mention the dragons?? I’ve read varying reviews on Fourth Wing’s quality as a ‘fantasy novel’ and what it brought to the genre which I can totally understand and justify, however at the time this book came into my life – it gave me everything I was wanting and needing in that current read!

There were so many characters I could have chosen for this prompt. Namely, Severus Snape and even Sadie Green from Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. However, the ultimate character that deserves this accolade just has to be Nesta Archeron! She starts off as some acerbic, waspish individual with a chip on her shoulder that’s the same size as the iceberg that sank the Titanic. Yet in spite of all that, I found her character arc heart-wrenchingly beautiful. The journey she goes on in A Court of Silver Flames is wide ranging and filled with devastating lows and dramatic highs of healing.

This was a difficult prompt for me as I always tend to pick the same book (I’m looking at you Inheritance Games…). Instead, I went for a crime/mystery series which I don’t think gets enough love and that is The Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series by S.J. Bennett. These are cozy mysteries where Queen Elizabeth and her sidekick Rozie solve murders that take place around the Royal Palaces. The thing I particularly love about these stories is the way S.J. Bennett encapsulates her late Majesty’s voice. I can literally hear dear old Lizzie saying her lines in my head. I’ve never correctly guessed the culprit in one of these yet! They’re so much fun!

Oh boy did I struggle trying to work out who to include as this prompt?! My first thoughts were Jude and Cardan from Holly Black’s Elfhame series – but then I questioned myself – are they the perfect match??? I’m not so sure… Then, without spoiling it for anyone, I considered Manon from Throne of Glass and her subsequent other half but I always felt like I was rooting for them from the outset! So, I finally settled on Hades and Persephone from the Lore Olympus series. They aren’t meant to be destined for each other, but there’s something about them that just fits!

Apollo Arcadian from the Once Upon a Broken Heart series by Stephanie Garber actually had me crinkling my nose up in disgust when reading this trilogy. There wasn’t any single part where I actually liked him as a character.

The Illuminae Files sum up this prompt to perfection. It has a whole host of diverse characters, some human… some less so! There are also some brilliant plot-twists, artistic illustrations, world-building, threat, peril, humour, symbology – it really offers the reader a little bit of everything!

That’s a wrap on The Pancake Book Tag. I hope you’ve had chance to tuck into some pancakes this week. What did you think of my picks? Did they match your expectations or are there some you think are way off?! If you feel like having a go yourself, consider yourselves tagged! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

The Lunar New Year Book Tag

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Happy Lunar New Year Bibliofriends,

Whilst I was trawling the internet for a new Book Tag to sink my teeth into – this fantastic Lunar New Year Book Tag popped up! This tag was originally created way back in 2017 by Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit and Josh @ Thoughts and Afterthoughts. Both of their blogs seem to have been dormant for some time so I’m not terribly sure if there’s an updated version of this somewhere in the ether, however I’m using the original 2017 prompts and graphics from Tiff’s post.

Back in 2017, we were celebrating the Year of the Rooster which had the prompt of ‘Most Anticipated 2017’ release; obviously in 2024, we’re celebrating the year of the Dragon, but I decided not to swap any of the prompts around as they seemed to fit so well with the personalities of the animals. Therefore, the Rooster prompt will read as most anticipated read of 2024.

You may have already heard me rabbit on about this book before, so it should come as no surprise that my Royalty book prompt is the American Royals series by Katharine McGee! I love the drama, it’s like a bookish reality show!

No pun intended, but The Once and Future Witches had me absolutely spellbound from the very first page. There was something so magnetic about the spooky atmosphere that Alix E. Harrow created, that I just couldn’t help but be drawn into the world of James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna.

My own Zodiac animal, the snake! Hand on my heart swear, that when I was choosing the book for this prompt, I didn’t intentionally match up The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes with the snake, purely for all of the snakenesssss… I genuinely saw this cover on my Goodreads list and thought, yes – this book is filled with manipulating characters from every corner! Is there even a character in here who doesn’t manipulate someone at some point?!

I am an absolute sucker for an eye-catching cover! As you can see, animals tend to be a running theme on these selections, however anything that is pattern-based, popping with colour and with a minutiae of intricate detailing is a winner with me!

Xander Hawthorne from The Inheritance Games is winning this prompt for me. He can always be relied upon to sneak up on a character, just at the precise moment to call them out or offer some witty one-liners and backchat.

This is my edited prompt to read ‘Most Anticipated 2024 Release’. With Crescent City 3 – House of Shadow and Flame already out in the world, it feels a little like cheating to mention that… Another read that I am desperate to get my hands on this year is The Grandest Game which is the fifth instalment in The Inheritance Games series! Out in August 2024! You can read my review for the previous book in the series The Brothers Hawthorne here.

The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue. Always. This book occupies a really special place in my bookish heart. Addie’s character captivated me in a way like no other and the bittersweet elements of the plot keep me coming back to this read over and over and over again.

When I first read Midnight in Everwood, I was astounded at the level of detail M.A. Kuzniar had put into researching her main character Marietta Stelle. In this Nutcracker retelling, the author not only created an in-depth world filled with all of the fantastical elements of this wonderful, well-loved ballet, but she also took a deeper look into the actual ballet dancers who shaped the role and used this to inspire her main character. It’s a fantastic piece of craftsmanship which I definitely feel needs a little more love. You can read my review for it here.

Erm… my book subscriptions themselves! Does that count?! I thought it wasn’t too bad to start with as I only get Illumicrate and the Fairyloot YA and Adult Combo each month, but then I started having to get the matching sequel editions to match… then came the gorgeous collector editions of books I already owned… it’s definitely a sickness. I’m in desperate need of a bookaholics anonymous society!

I could have gone with a multitude of characters for this. It seems like strong morals and ideals are an unofficial prerequisite for fantasy heroes on a crusade to save the kingdom. However, as my mind wandered, there was one character in particular who was exactly kind-hearted and resolute, even in the face of the darkest dark – step on up Samwise Gamgee! 💜

Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution – whilst I found the academic writing style a little tricky to get my head around, the powerful and poignant messages leaping from every corner of this book had me writing this down as my prompt pick almost immediately. Even R.F. Kuang’s brutally honest author note really put it out there. I wanted to high five for her reiteration that yes, although this book is set in a very real Oxford, the fictional liberties taken with dates and architecture were for the actual storytelling and not intended to be verbatim fact.

I mean, how can I not pick Divine Rivals for this…? For starters, that enchanted typewriter! 😱 Without sounding like Veruca Salt, “give it me now!” The way and Iris and Roman are drawn together, every element of their journey is so tender that is totally encapsulates the ‘sweet romance’ part of this prompt. I can’t wait to read the sequel Ruthless Vows!

That’s a wrap! Twelve Zodiac animals, twelve bookish prompts, twelve book selections! What do you think of them? Are you celebrating the Lunar New Year and do you know your own Zodiac animal?

As always, drop me a comment below to chat!
T xx

Characters of the Year Tag – 2023 Reads

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Happy Thursday Bibliofriends!

I was still reminiscing about last year’s reads when I stumbled across this great Characters of the Year Book Tag on Books are 42 blog. With it being Awards Season at the moment, this tag felt like a brilliant way to celebrate last year’s reads.

Favourite Male Character of the Year

This has to go to Jacks, the Prince of Hearts from the Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy by Stephanie Garber. I really enjoyed trying to work out the motivations behind his character and the complex hero/villain vibes he gave off.

Favourite Female Character of the Year

This was quite tough as I read some pretty fierce famous characters this year. After scrolling through my reads, this accolade just has to go to Alex from When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill. I totally fell in love with her character arc. From her naivety of the world around her, to the sheer maturity, resilience and determination she imbued to try and overcome her obstacles – I absolutely devoured her narrative!

Most Relatable Character of the Year

Reading so much fantasy, this was probably the most difficult of all of the prompts to be honest. If I had to pick one character, I would say Xiomara from The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo – purely the facet of her that works so hard at trying to live up to the expectations put upon her by others. If that isn’t a relatable trait then I’m not sure what is!

Couple of the Year

Be still my beating heart… Iris and Roman from Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross were such a shoe-in for this role. I wouldn’t quite call them ‘enemies‘ to lovers, but the rivalry between them definitely adds to the building chemistry and tension. I can’t wait to find out what happens to them in the sequel which is very near the top of my 2024 Reading List.

Villain of the Year

This was another prompt which really made me think. Ian Hammond from Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton definitely caused a fair bit of villainous chaos! I was originally going to go with the dinosaurs themselves, but thought that wasn’t very fair to them considering they didn’t really ask to be brought back from extinction…! 😂

Most Disliked Character of the Year

Again, another difficult one… Sirscha from Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee was my pick for this, only because she was a main character which I never really bonded with or bought into when reading. Something about her, and pretty much the whole novel to be honest, just didn’t click with me.

Royal of the Year

Hands down, Princess Samantha from the American Royals series by Katharine McGee wins Royal of the Year. I’m so glad I stumbled across these books. Sam brings the perfect antithesis to the rule-abiding Princess Beatrice, and whilst I could have chosen them both as Siblings of the Year (along with Prince Jefferson, of course!), Sam’s refreshing bursts of rebellion and rule-breaking add some fantastic humour to the story. I’ve really enjoyed her transformation and character journey and can’t wait to read about what lies in store for her in the remaining books.

Sidekick / Non-Main Character of the Year

I mulled over this one for ages but I think I have to give it to the entire Bestiary from Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell. This is such a wonderful book about an archipelago of fantastical creatures and the creatures themselves steal the show. From Gelifen the Griffin, to the Sphinxes and the Ratatoskas, this book was filled with so many wondrous side characters who brought this magical world so vividly to life.

Siblings of the Year

Camino and Yahaira from Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo deserve this siblings of the year award. I was so taken by this found family story and how both of the girl end up coming together and making space for each other in their respective lives. It was a really heartwarming ending to what began as quite a tragic story.

There you have it, my characters of the year from my 2023 reads! Have you read any of the books these characters came from? Which characters would make your own character of the year awards? As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

The Seven Deadly Sins Book Tag

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Happy Thursday Bibliofriends,

The weekend is almost upon us which means it’s time for another little Book Tag! I found this Seven Deadly Sins tag over at What’s That Mark’s Reading!? and as a fan of all things fairly strange and occult, I knew I had to take a little pop at it.

GREED: What is the most expensive book you own? What is the least expensive book you own? 

Most expensive: I have no idea what my most expensive book is! As an Illumicrate and FairyLoot subscriber I’ve been getting a lot of signed first editions and special editions of books so it may be one of those. I also have a First Edition of a Harry Potter book but I don’t think it’s one of the ones that are worth thousands.

Least expensive: I have a number of paperbacks that neither eBay, Music Magpie or Ziffit wants to pay for so I guess at the moment they’re the least expensive ones!

GLUTTONY: What book(s) have you shamelessly devoured many times? 

The Harry Potter books – I can just keep rereading them and never get bored of them!

SLOTH: What book or series have you neglected out of sheer laziness? 

I don’t think I’ve ever neglected a book or series out of laziness. Actually, I lie – I have kind of neglected She Who Became the Sun as I just found the pace to be a little slow. I’m hoping to pick it up again soon though, it’s definitely a book I want to finish.  

PRIDE: What book(s) do you bring up when you want to sound like an intellectual reader? 

I think I turn to the non-fiction when I want to sound intelligent so it’ll probably be Atomic Habits by James Clear. It was full of so many practical tips about how to encourage building up positive habits to make your lifestyle more effective. I have a little review here.

LUST: What attributes do you find most attractive in your characters? 

I adore those complex, morally-grey type characters when you can’t work out whether they’re a hero or villain. That’s why Severus Snape is one of my all-time favourite literary characters, I even have a book called The Great Snape Debate which came out before the finale of the books – one side argued for the hero, the flipside argued for the villain. Those complexities and depth seem to add mysticism and depth which outright heroes just don’t quite conjure up for me.

ENVY: What books would you most like to receive as a gift? 

I literally adore any bookish gift. I think it’s really nice when friends pick out a book for you that they think you’ll really like and may not have bought for yourself. You can find completely undiscovered treasures that way. My Nan once bought me a copy of The Shadow of the Wind as a gift and I had never heard of the book or the author – Zafon immediately became one of favourite authors and I own multiple copies of his works.

WRATH: What author do you have a love-hate relationship with?

I don’t think I can really answer this one?! Perhaps maybe Murakami, his works are so ingenious and enchanting. I love all of their peculiar curiosities but I do find them pretty damn difficult to read and understand! 😂

That’s a wrap! What are your favourite Deadly Sins? Consider yourself TAGGED if you fancy like giving this one a go.

As always, drop me a comment below to chat!
T xx