#BookTag – Meet the Book Blogger

March 23, 2021March 21, 2021 The Biblioshelf7 Comments

Happy Tuesday Bibliofriends,

I hope your week is going well so far. A big thank you and shout out to Amy from A Fangirl’s Opinion who tagged me in this Meet the Book Blogger tag! It’s been quite a while since I’ve last done a tag like this so I was really excited to share all of my answers with you!

This Meet the Book Blogger Tag was created by Samantha and Amber @Bibliomavens so be sure to check out their fabulous blog too!

Here are the rules for this tag:

Nominated bloggers can nominate ten other bloggers.
Use the same questions from the tag.

Who is your all-time favourite book character?

Oh my, literature has given us so many amazing bookish characters that it’s just too damn hard to pick only one right? I guess, if I had to pick a ‘top selection’ mine would have to be: Gandalf, Severus Snape, Willy Wonka, Addie LaRue, and Manon Blackbeak.

If you were stranded on a desert island, which book would you take with you?

Lord of the Rings (seeing as it is actually one book and not an actual series) – perhaps then I could finally get through the Appendices!
Either that or Les Miserables of the Song of Ice and Fire Series.

What’s your most unpopular book opinion?

Most recently, I guess I am really struggling with how people might react when I say that I still love the Harry Potter series. I will probably always love them for what that series gave me as a reader. I am not in any way, shape or form advocating any personal beliefs or opinions that its author may have, particularly as I have friends affected by those issues, but at the same time I can’t just cancel them out of my life like they never existed. So yeah – that’s definitely an unpopular opinion right?

If that isn’t good enough then here’s another one: Alina Starkov really really pisses me off – and I don’t even know why! (But I am definitely looking forward to the Shadow and Bone series on Netflix and I LOVE the Six of Crows duology – so don’t hate me too much!)

What’s your weirdest bookish habit?

I wouldn’t say that it’s ‘weird’ but I am super protective over my books. I hate spines cracking, bent/folded pages, cover peeling, stickers on the front, photographic covers, people on covers, books in a series not matching – I guess the length of my bookish pet peeves could be classed as weird!

What character would you bring to a family event as your fake partner?

I literally call my mum ‘Mrs Bennett’ from Pride and Prejudice because she’s always trying to play match-maker with ‘eligible bachelors’ therefore if I did end up bringing Mr. Darcy home (without a result of her meddling) the look on her face would probably be hilarious!

What made you decide to start a book blog?

Although many of my friends are readers, we don’t often read/like the same types of books so I guess I did it to try and find other bookish people to talk about fantasy books with! It’s also nice just to have a little outlet of my own to chat about bookish things and make bookish lists. The book community is truly wonderful online haven!

What about reading and books do you love the most?

Escapism – getting lost and swept away into a fictional world is my all-time favourite thing about reading. My bookshelf is also my happy place; there’s something really comforting about sitting amongst the spines of books and even though it can be a place of solitude, any real-life loneliness just melts away. Sometimes I even just sit there staring at the spines and smile…! Perhaps that’s my weirdest bookish habit! 😂

What is your field of study/desired profession/current profession?

By day, I’m a full-time teacher. Even though I studied English Literature and History at university, I always knew that I wanted to go into teaching – I guess I just really loved being at school! To be honest, I don’t see myself ever stepping away from the classroom – I have far too much fun with the children and it truly is a rewarding and inspiring profession to be in!
A dream of mine would be to write my own novel or perhaps create my own SFF publishing company.

What are some book recommendations that became your favourites/obsessions?

So here are a few books on my absolute ‘God-Tier’ of favourites:

The Throne of Glass series – I kept seeing this on social media and randomly went to see an event with Sarah J Maas before even reading any of her books – there were two MASSIVE series spoilers talked about in that event that I had no idea were spoilers until I actually read the books! 🙈

Ready Player One – I bought because it was reduced to £3 in an entertainment store and LOVED it! Easter Eggs are one of my favourite tropes/devices ever so this book was right up my street.

The Hobbit / Lord of the Rings – my Grandfather always talked about how much he loved this book and he gave me a copy of the Hobbit which is now completely beyond repair. I never got the chance to talk about Middle Earth with him before his Parkinson’s took over and he passed away but I’ll always be grateful to him for putting me on the metaphorical Ent which transported me to the Shire.

Anything by Carlos Ruiz Zafon – his writing style is just something else! It’s like sinking into a warm bubble bath at the end of a really long day. His world around the Cemetery of Forgotten Books intrigues me so much.

What is the book you shove down everyone’s throat?

See the list above – but also throw into it The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab, The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow and anything by Neil Gaiman!

I guess I have a lot of favourites!

I’m Tagging:

YOU – I really suck at tagging people so if you’re reading this, would love to answer these questions for yourself and you haven’t taken part in this tag before (or even if you have!), feel free to consider yourself tagged!

Again, thanks to Amy for tagging me in this post. I had lots of fun thinking about my favourite books, although now I want to read them all over again and completely abandon my actual TBR!

Have a good week everyone!

T xx

#BookTag – The Mystery Blogger Award

January 14, 2021January 13, 2021 The Biblioshelf4 Comments

Hi Bibliofriends!

How are we all coping with Lockdown 3.0? Remote teaching is so intense that sometimes I can’t even bare to look at a screen when I come home – and I completely drafted this Tag then forgot to post it! 🙈

The fabulous Riddhi at Whispering Worlds is definitely holding my tag game up! She tagged me in this post at the same time as publishing her Evermore Book Tag so obviously I had to do that one as well! This is my first ever Mystery Blogger Award so I’m super excited to answering the questions!

Rules:

Display the award logo on your blog.
Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
Mention Okoto Enigma, the creator of the award.
Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
Answer 5 questions from the blogger who nominated you.
Nominate 10 – 20 bloggers.
Notify your nominees by leaving a comment on their blog.
Ask your nominees 5 questions of your choice, including 1 weird or funny question.
Share the link to your best post.

Ok so three things about me…

I absolutely love racehorses and am involved in about 5 different partnerships. Nothing beats going for a walk on the gallops to blow the cobwebs away – especially when you hear those hooves thundering up the grass! 😍

2. There isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t play Pokemon Go! 😂 I’m slightly obsessed with Pokemon ever since I got my first GameBoy Colour as a child and it came with Pokemon Gold. I then had to buy all of the original games but I’m still yet to catch them all! Drop me a chat if you want my Trainer Code! 😉

3. I believe in my horoscopes, read them devoutly and am a proud Taurean and INFJ!

Riddhi’s Questions:

What is one Christmas themed book you want to read this year?

I don’t really read Christmas themed books… eek! And seeing as it’s now 2021 and we are seemingly waaaaaayyyyy past 2020 (putting that firmly behind us – although… hello Lockdown 3.0!) I’ve altered this question slightly to be a book I’m excited to read this New Year – The Poppy War series! I managed to snap-up a copy of the Illumicrate Archive Editions and I can’t wait to read them – I’ve heard all good things – and yes, I realise that I mention this in practically every post I write these days!

2. What is your fatal flaw? (Yes, you can take a quiz to find out)

There are lots! All equally fatal! 😂 I am incredibly stubborn (it comes from being a Taurean bull) and I often procrastinate or catastrophise everything which prevents me from living life properly and gives me ridiculous anxiety – well isn’t that a melodramatic statement if ever you’ve read one?!

3. What is your Hogwarts house?

Proud Ravenclaw over here! 💙

4. Who is your godly parent?

This is such a good question, it’s got me stumped – then I googled it and shame on me for not getting the Percy Jackson reference (at least I hope that’s what it is! 😂). OK, I did have to take a quiz on Epic Reads for this one and I got: Poseidon!
“As a child of one of the Big Three, you’re one of the most powerful demigods around. You must be a natural in water and probably have a sense for the weather, too. But Poseidon isn’t the most boastful father, which means you aren’t arrogant about your abilities. When the world needs saving, we want you by our side—and we’re not just saying that because you’re Percy’s sibling. Mostly.”

5. Name three authors whose books you read this year for the first time.

Ok so in 2020 I read 38 new-to-me authors so it’s super hard just to name 3 but my 3 mainstream favourites would be: V.E. Schwab, Alix E. Harrow and Isabel Ibañez. My two total gems of discovery which I found through my blog were: Rebecca Crunden and Mark Newman.

My favourite post by me:
Back last year I created a series of Original Posts about what types of occupations Lord of the Rings characters would have if they lived in today’s world. It was so much fun to write and sometimes I still can’t believe that I came up with the idea to write something like that! I’m normally just a reviews and tags kind of girl! 😂 You can read them here: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four.

My Nominees!

Hey you…! Tag – you’re it!
I’m so so sorry but I absolutely suck at tagging people to do things and that massive anxiety/guilt comes out that I’m nominating where it’s not welcome, so if you’re reading this and want to take part then please do go ahead! ☺️

My Questions:

What was the last album you listened to on-repeat, non-stop, without skipping a single song?
What are your top three anticipated book releases for 2021?
If you could live in any fictional world for a year, where would it be and why?
Which season is your favourite?
Favourite everyday item you can’t live without?

There you go peeps! Stay safe out there! ☺️
Happy blogging,
T xx

#BookTag – Outstanding Blogger Award!

November 17, 2020November 8, 2020 The Biblioshelf3 Comments

Hi Bibliofriends,

Earlier this month I was nominated by the wonderful Alicia @ Colourful Bibliophile for the Outstanding Blogger Award. This is a completely new one for me so I’m so thrilled to get my first nomination!

Rules:

Link to the creator’s original award post.
Answer the questions provided.
Create 7 unique questions.
Nominate 10 other bloggers. Neither the award’s creator nor the blogger that nominated you can be nominated.
At the end of 2020, every blog that ping-backs the creator’s original post will be entered to win the 2020 Outstanding Blogger Award!

Alicia’s Questions:

Good news! You can now communicate with animals, aside from your pets what animal are you talking to first?

Perhaps a leopard or a panther – some kind of spirit animal rather than something like a squirrel!

You can make any ONE fictional character (books, movies, video game, etc) come to life, who are you choosing?

Just one – from that broad a range of sources?!?! Perhaps James Halliday from Ready Player One by Ernest Cline – just so that he can create the OASIS and I can be a part of it. What a dream!

If you were a God/ Goddess what would you be Patron of?

Books is the automatic answer here right? Either that or something totally out there like Pokémon or waterfalls! 😂

What 3 songs would you use in a soundtrack to your life?

Awesome question!
Florence + the Machine – Shake It Out
Dolly Parton – 9 to 5
Spice Girls – Say You’ll Be There
Such a random mix! Haha!

A new species of animal has been discovered, what does it look like and what is it called?

It lives in the darkest depths of the rainforests so nobody has ever seen it’s real form. Some people think it is made of shadow although lucky eyewitnesses think it may look a little like a Niffler…
It eats lies, justice and inequality (and other general worldwide bullshit really) therefore it has been named Inprobumbra Comedenti

You’ve found an enchanted doorway that can take you anywhere. Where are you going?

Middle Earth – ASAP please!!! I’d love to tour The Shire, see the elves in Rivendell wander the glistening streets of Gondor.

Space Travel is now available to everyone & the first Space Rollercoaster has been invented. Would you ride it?

Hell yes! I am such a rollercoaster-junkie! Space Mountain is one of my favourite rides at Disney World so if it’s anything like that then count me in!

My Questions:

TV networks are down; you can only have access to one streaming service, which are you picking and why?
You are stranded on a desert island and can only have 3 unread books from your TBR – what are they?
If you were Prime Minister / President for the day what law would you pass and why?
If you could dive into the world of any book/film which would it be?
Your favourite beverage to drink while reading?
You can bring back one mythological creature to live on Planet Earth – which would it be?
Favourite thing to do when you’re not reading / obsessing about your TBR / blogging?

I am nominating:

YOU – I am so rubbish at tagging people to take part in things (it gives me such a complex! 🙈). So if you’re reading this and you feel like giving it a go then consider yourself tagged! ☺️

Have a good week Bibliofriends!

T xx

#BookTag – The Bookish Baking Tag

September 22, 2020September 20, 2020 The Biblioshelf7 Comments

Happy Tuesday Bibliofriends!

Do you ever have one of those serendipitous moments when you’ve just been doing something and then you read about it somewhere…? Well that happened to me just this weekend!

Basking in the glee of having the whole house to myself, I launched a massive Tesco mission to buy baking ingredients for THREE of Jane’s Patisserie’s recipes (Malteser Tiffin, Biscoff Rocky Road and Mint Aero Brownies 😍)! Mid-bakeathon, I’m scrolling through WordPress Reader and I come across this super-fun Bookish Baking Tag over on Ms. Victorious’ blog Victorious Pages and knew that I had to do it!

As if that wasn’t serendipity enough… *drumroll please*
GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF IS BACK TONIGHT!!! We’re still in the midst of a global pandemic, yet Bake Off 2020 has been saved! I’m overjoyed! 😂 Without further ado, scroll on for the awesome Bookish Baking Tag – images from Victorious Pages because they’re super nicer than anything I could make (thank you!).

To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of blueberry muffins but as soon as I read this prompt, there was only one book on my mind – The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow. I read an arc of this (thanks Netgalley!) and the beginning was on point! It sucked me into world so fast that I already knew it was most likely going to be a 5-star read. Review coming soon!

Being from the UK and thanks to our Great British weather (the word ‘great’ is definitely a pun there) holidays to me are sunny, warm places so I would have to go with Summer at the Lake by Erica James or Beach Read by Emily Henry as I read both of them by the sea.

Can I say Gollum for this? Is that allowed? I know he was driven by the power of the ring and his greed for is it what turned him into the Gollum as opposed to Smeagol, but I don’t think he’s a definite ‘villain’ to the story.

Another Italian themed read, Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch. Florence, sunshine and ice cream – what could be more summery than that?

Gangsta Granny by David Walliams reminds me so much of growing up and reading Roald Dahl books. It’s really funny and lighthearted and reminds me of those old childhood memories when you’d be staying with your grandparents and playing games in the garden.

I remember having to read Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy for my English class and being completely overwhelmed by the size of it. I ended up taking it on holiday with me and remember being sat on the bed in our hotel room, listening to Elephunk by the Black Eyed Peas on my CD walkman and becoming so engrossed in Hardy’s world. I loved it, it’s probably my favourite classic I’ve read.

I read an amazing book called The Immortal City by Amy Kuivalainen through Netgalley and is was so engrossing. Atlantis, Venice, a secret magical archives, (hot) Gods – what’s not to like?! This was right up my street and I’m hoping there’s a sequel or something soon. I’d definitely be reading it!

Probably the book with the most feels on my shelf, A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas – it that ain’t fluff then I don’t know what else qualifies!

Billed as an eco-fable, The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott tries to get us to consider how we treat and what we take from nature and the damaging affects it can have on humanity. It’s a powerful read.

When I once convinced myself to broaden my literary horizons, I decided that I had to read something by Murakami so my friend lent me their copy of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. I found it so tough to read and try to understand at the same time so it was quite an intimidating read to get my head around.

I keep hearing loads of good things about A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown – my copy of this finally arrived about a week ago so I can’t wait to get around to starting it.

There are so many books on my shelves which are there purely because of the hype but there is one book coming out very soon which I am massively hyping up. I read an e-arc of it, I have on special-signed-edition preorder and I CAN NOT WAIT to read it again – that books is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab – it is exquisite! Review coming up at the end of this month! Honestly can’t tell you how much I love this book! 😍

TAG – you’re it!! Thanks for reading and feel free to have a go yourself and link back to my post if you love baking and books – UK people, don’t forget… BAKE OFF STARTS TONIGHT! 🙂

Enjoy your week Bibliofriends,

T xx

#BookTag – The Fellowship of the Ring Book Tag

September 15, 2020September 12, 2020 The Biblioshelf3 Comments

Happy Tuesday Bibliofriends!

In my quest for more Book Tags, I’m pretty sure I stumbled across this Fellowship of the Rings book tag over at Wyrd & Wonder who posted it as part of their month-long celebration of all things fantasy – bot now I can’t seem to find their original post… You should visit them anyway as they have tons of brilliant fantasy recs!
I absolutely love Lord of the Rings; Middle Earth would definitely have to be on my Bookish Travels Bucket List, I think Tolkien created a really classic and remarkable world. This book tag was originally created by Nandini of Unputdownable Books.

Gandalf – A book that taught you something

Atomic Habits by James Clear
It gave me some form of organization back in my life – I’m an expert at putting things off until tomorrow so it was a really helpful guide at developing some good habits and make me a little more motivated and efficient. I wrote a review about it here.

Frodo – A book that left a mark on you

Remember This When You’re Sad by Maggy Van Eijk
Reading this book gave me a kind of lightbulb moment or wake-up call and kind of symbolizes a bit of a turning point for me on a personal level.

Legolas – A book you finished in one sitting

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
When I went to visit my friend out in Lanzarote, she gave me her copy of this and told me to read it. I became so engrossed in it that I literally sat on the beach and devoured it before the day had ended.

Gimli – A book that features an unlikely friendship

Mirage by Somaiya Daud
I guess there are a couple of unlikely friendships in this depending on how you view Amani’s relationship with Maram compared to her relationship with Idris. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel to find out what happens to this trio!

Merry – A book that pleasantly surprised you

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer
I was quite reluctant to continue with this series after the mega-twist at the end of the first book and the fact that this sequel introduced a brand-new character; but overall, I was very glad I continued reading and now I cannot wait to read A Vow So Bold and Deadly – it’s one of my most anticipated reads for 2021!

Pippin – A book that made you laugh

Spectacles by Sue Perkins
I managed to see her on tour whilst she was promoting this book. There’s a particularly funny episode to do with a car park which, when she was signing my book, I asked her to draw the example in the front of it. Never fails to make me laugh whenever I open it and see that title page!

Boromir – A book/series that you think ended too soon

Breaking the rules and having two standalones for this one:
To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo – this was so beautifully written that I could have read another 100/200 pages worth of plot and world-building before getting bored.
Descendant of the Crane by Joan He – the hurtling, rollercoaster speed of that ending, plus the strange cliffhangery, twisty ending scene – this is definitely one standalone my brain isn’t ready to leave behind. It appears I’m not alone and Joan He has actually clarified whether any sequels/standalones are in the works (you can read her brief statement here). Let’s just leave it with, ‘if it gets written, I want to read it!’

Sam – A book with memorable side characters who stole the show

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Nina, Jesper, Wylan, Matthias… 💙 Kaz who?! 😂

Aragorn – A good book with a bad/average cover
(side note: I think Aragorn actually has a lovely cover 😉)

Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C. Dao
When Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao was released it had such an intricate, vibrant cover… then when the sequel appeared… 🤔 they didn’t match at all and after loving the first cover so much I felt that the ambiguity of the sequel’s cover didn’t match up to what a brilliant series this was.

Gollum – A book that had great potential but disappointed you in the end

Evermore by Sara Holland
When Everless came out, I was blown away by the intriguing concept of blood and time as a currency. Coupled with a folklore-style story of a Sorcereress and an Alchemist, the silent megaphones in my head were screeching ‘omg, omg, omg’ when I finished reading that last sentence. When the sequel came out – it felt as if all the sparkle and dazzle of the first book had vanished and it was like reading a sequel to a completely different story.

TAG – you’re it!! Thanks for reading and feel free to have a go yourself and link back to my post if you’re a Lord of the Rings fan! 🙂

Enjoy your week Bibliofriends,

T xx

#BookTag – The NetGalley Book Tag

September 1, 2020August 25, 2020 The BiblioshelfLeave a comment

Ahoy there Bibliofriends,

As all of my reads seem to be coming from my NetGalley shelf at the minute, what better way to mark Tag Tuesday then with the NetGalley Book Tag. I found this over on Andie’s blog It’s A Read Thing. The tag was originally created by Kourtni @Kourtni Reads.

1. Auto-Approved: Who’s one author whose books you automatically want to read, regardless of what they’re about?

Neil Gaiman. He has that wonderfully mystical way of telling a story that’s always a little off the wall. I’ve enjoyed reading all of his books even if I didn’t always understand them on the first read through.

2. Request: What makes you want to request a book that you see on NetGalley?

The blurb/description is the ultimate decider. It has to be in a genre that I like reading and be intriguing enough for me to go ‘ooohhh’ in my head before I click request. Saying that, I’m a sucker for a good or eye-catching cover so to be honest that’s probably what pulls me in first!

3. Feedback Ratio: Do you review every book you read? If not, how do you decide what books to review?

I’m quite a newbie to being accepted for books on NetGalley so at the minute I’m reviewing everything I can, even the ‘read now’ books that I download.

4. Badges: If you could create your own badge to display on your blog, what would it be for?

😂 I haven’t even worked out how to display the real badges on my blog… Linking to the question above I’d probably have to go for an ‘approve me – I always write a review’ badge as I’m still building up my profile and review count!

5. Wish for It: What’s one book that you are absolutely dying to read?

I keep checking NetGalley every few days to see if Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline has been listed for review copies. I know it’s probably a massive pipe dream but it is my most anticipated read for the rest of this year!

6. 2020 NetGalley Challenge: What was the last book that you received as an ARC that you reviewed? If you’ve never received an ARC, what’s the last book you reviewed?

The last ARC review I wrote on NetGalley was for Unlikely Angel: The Songs of Dolly Parton. I love her music so it was brilliant to get the opportunity to read this. My review is up on the blog tomorrow!
I’m currently reading an ARC of The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow which is going to be just perfect for the upcoming Halloween season!

One of my blogging goals this year was definitely to start reading and requesting more through NetGalley and although I’m only up to 10 reviews so far with another 3 ARCs to go, it’s something I’ve definitely made progress on this year! Feel free to tag yourself if you’re a NetGalley fan ad feel like having a go!

Enjoy the rest of your week everyone!

T xx

#BookTag – The Ultimate Book Tag

August 25, 2020August 22, 2020 The Biblioshelf2 Comments

Aloha Bibliofriends,

It’s still technically the holidays for one last week! I am dreading the return to work so so much! Anyway, the perfect distraction from those thoughts was completing this mammoth ‘Ultimate Book Tag’!

I first saw this over at Witty and Sarcastic Book Club and knew that I had to add it to my Tags list. It’s a long one so grab the popcorn (or any other bookish snack!).

Do you get sick while reading in the car?

Weirdly, this completely depends on how I’m feeling. Sometimes I get sick if I’m reading an e-book, sometimes I get sick reading a physical book and other times I’m absolutely fine with either… I take ‘mood reader’ to the next level with that answer! 😂

Which author’s writing style is completely unique to you and why?

Carlos Ruiz Zafón – he just has such a way with words and descriptions. Thing seem so lyrical, haunting and beautiful all at the same time.

Harry Potter or Twilight? Give Three Reasons Why?

Harry Potter – All. The. Way.

I am the age range that grew up alongside Harry Potter and remember the agonizing wait for the next book to be released – it is such a huge part of my life whereas Twilight didn’t have that same impact on me.
The Wizarding World is such a diverse place that you can find different things there each time you visit depending on what you’re looking for: comfort, humour, acceptance, family, villains, nifflers, the Room of Requirement… etc.
In my own very small and humble opinion – There’s only one kick-ass vampire world that reigns supreme and that is Buffy! There’s no way Twilight’s topping that for me!

Do you carry a book bag? If so, what’s in it?

I always carry a physical book in my bag if I’m carrying one – and if not, then there’s always my NetGalley shelf app and iBooks on my phone!

Do you smell your books?

I’m officially enrolled at Book Sniffers Anonymous but sshhh… don’t tell! 🤐

Books with or without illustrations?

Tricky one… I’d probably say either way! The only difficulty comes when the illustration doesn’t match the picture I’ve built in my head, then I’d wish they weren’t there!

What book did you love while reading, but discovered later didn’t have quality writing?

The Given Duology by Mindy McGinnis – I think the story and world was incredibly interesting but the writing style was strange to get my head around. There were so many different perspectives and some would be first person whereas other would be third person. It wasn’t enough to stop me enjoying the series though.

Do you have any funny stories from your childhood involving books?

It isn’t really funny (ha ha!) but my grandparents had a bookshelf in this tiny little room outside their bathroom – I used to hide in there reading all the books and I was obsessed with one called Cyril Fletcher’s Odd Odes (from 1974) – I can’t tell you anything about the book but I can still see every part of that book cover in my mind. Looking back on it now, it seems like the strangest place to put a bookshelf!

What is the thinnest book on your shelf?

I have countless skinny children’s books and picture books – one of my thinnest and smallest amongst them is Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman.

What is the thickest book you own?

The Norton Anthology of Poetry at 2182 pages – I purchased it for a university module and can’t bear to part with it. It’s great for dipping in and out of to get my poetry fix.

Do you write as well as read? Do you see yourself becoming an author in the future?

I don’t write other than reviewing and blogging. One of my dreams is to have a book of my own – perhaps a book of short stories or novellas; I’ve got quite a few ideas swirling up there in my head.

When did you first get into reading?

I wouldn’t be surprised if I was born with a book in my hand! My Dad would always read me a bedtime story every night. My Granddad would always buy me books at car boot sales and one of my earliest school photographs is me sat in the book corner reading Thomas the Tank Engine.

What is your favorite classic book?

Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. I had to read it for school so it was kind of a ‘forced read’ but it’s one of the first classics I remember really enjoying. Failing that, absolutely any fairy tales (they’re the classics of classics right?!).

If you were given a book as a present that you’ve already read and hated, what would you do?

Smile gracefully then do one of those “leaving books in places as gifts for strangers” type things.

What is a lesser known book you know of that is similar to the Harry Potter series and the Hunger Games series?

Harry Potter – Chloe Shipton and The Quill of LeFay by Lynn Veevers. Lynn approached me back in 2018 to read this. She wrote it for her daughter who loved Harry Potter and wanted another ‘magical school’ type story to read.

The Hunger Games – I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like The Hunger Games but the Divergent series sometimes reminds me of it. I know that’s not quite lesser known but still…

What is a bad writing habit you have?

I use ‘really’ an awful lot and then have to take it out when I read my writing back to myself.

What is your favorite word?

I have so many – I’m such a logophile!

Meadow, effervescence, mystic, ethereal and ever bookishly: vellichor

Are you a nerd, dork, or dweeb?

I can’t say that I actually know the difference between them so I’d probably say nerd and then get told that I’m one of the other two!

Vampires or faeries? Why?

Vampires on TV, Faeries in books – I struggle to like bookish vampires and I’m not a fan of TV faeries.

Shapeshifters or angels? Why?

Angels for guidance; shapeshifters for their cool abilities. I can’t pick! I’m so bad at either/or questions!

Spirits or werewolves?

Spirits – I can’t think of a werewolf I actually liked.

Zombies or vampires? Why?

Vampires – at least they have characterisations whereas zombies always seem to just be the literal walking dead.

Love triangles or forbidden love?

Forbidden love – I’m a sucker for a bit of angst! Love triangles always seem to end up with one person being hurt and I just can’t deal with constantly routing for one person then flipping to the other or even both together! They’re just too complicated for me whereas forbidden love brings a much more satisfying kind of dramatic tension.

Full-on romance books or action-filled books with a little romance?

It has to be action-filled with a little romance. I think Fifty Shades ruined ‘romance’ for me for life! I know I sound like Goldilocks but I find romance to be either too chick-lit, too smutty or too predictable or a whole range of too ‘insert-adjective-here’ for me to actually immerse myself in it.

Blimey what a long tag! I feel like I’ve waffled my way through all of it but I guess they don’t call it the ‘ultimate’ for no good reason!

Thanks for reading if you got this far! Consider yourself tagged and give me a pingback to your post! I can’t wait to read your answers!

Have a good week everyone!

T xx

#BookTag – Mango Book Tag

August 18, 2020 The Biblioshelf1 Comment

Hey Bibliofriends,

How are you all doing this Tuesday?
In the search for some fresh and funky new book tags I stumbled across this amazing Mango Book Tag over at ZeeZee With Books (thanks for doing it!!). Mangoes are one of my favourite fruits to eat, so much so that I bought the book A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif purely based on the fact that the word ‘mango’ was in the title – talk about “clickbait”! 😂

From reading ZeeZee’s post, I had no idea there were so many types! I don’t even know what varieties we get imported to supermarkets here in the UK but I can guarantee I’ve never seen a hairy one or a spotted one here – it’s making me want to go on an ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ style adventure seeking out the world’s best mangoes!

The tag was created by Nandini at Novels and Nebulas who was inspired by The Tiger in Moonlight series by Swati Teerdhala as the main character shares the same love of mangoes that Nandini does. The prompts come from South Indian mango varieties and mango dishes. From reading her original post and the reasons behind her prompt selections, you can tell how much this fruit personally means to her and her culture so I’m glad and thankful that she created it and put it out into the book blogosphere for us all to have our own fun with!

Raw Mango: Your most anticipated release

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline – Ready Player One is on my ‘God Tier’ of favourite books of all time, so since hearing that Ready Player Two had a release date for November 24^th 2020, every other anticipated release has been wiped from my memory and this is the only thing I can rave about or focus on! I practically check NetGalley and Edelweiss every week just on the slightest chance that it’s been listed for review requests.

Banganapalli: Longest book on your TBR

Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas at a whopping 803 pages is definitely the longest on my physical TBR pile of owned books – I’m trying to clear the TBR somewhat first before settling down to attempt reading it.

Alphonso: A hyped book you love

Another Maas but The Throne of Glass Series – it got me back into reading again after my Potter shaped book hangover and is probably one of the bigger reasons why I’m so into YA Fantasy.

Totapuri: A book with a green or yellow cover

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer – I was initially very sceptical about this when hearing that the main narration was moving away from Rhen and Harper, and that there was a new character introduced that we hadn’t met yet. After reading it though, I think I actually prefer this one to A Heart So Dark and Lonely. Come to think of it, I am also highly anticipating Cursebreakers 3 as well! Haha!

Neelam: A rainy day book recommendation

From Notting Hill with Love… Actually by Ali McNamara – Rainy days in the UK are often gloomy, grey and very wet. Inspired by some of the greatest Richard Curtis films, this would be my perfect rainy day read if you’re looking for something lighthearted, warm and snuggly.

Mango Pickle: A book that makes you feel nostalgic

Care of Henry by Anne Fine – the children’s library I used to visit as a kid was so welcoming and inviting. It had brighly coloured animals and murals painted all over the walls with lots of soft squashy cushions. I loved spending time in there whilst my mum was working and Care of Henry was one of my favourite children’s books to sit and read.

Mango Kulfi: A feel-good book recommendation

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion – Don Tillman is such a strangely charming character (in a way, he’s a bit of an advocate for mental health even though this isn’t the main driver of the book). His quest to find true love, against all the odds (and many of his own making) brings laughter, tears and by the end I was championing him all the way! It’s a great read!

Peeled, diced and eaten… that’s a mango wrap! Mango-lovers amongst you, or even those of you that aren’t consider yourself tagged!
Please do try and stop by the original post by Nandini at Novels and Nebulas if you’re interested in finding out all about the mangoes and dishes here, and also why they mean so much to Nandini!

Have a great Tuesday everyone!
T xx

Book Tag – Buffy the Vampire Slayer

October 2, 2019September 29, 2019 The Biblioshelf1 Comment

Hey Bibliofriends,

Any of my friends will know how HUGE a fan I am of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It is one of my all-time favourite TV shows in the entire universe and every galaxy from the Milky Way to Far, Far Away! With that in mind, this book tag was at the top of my list to try and get around to doing.

The BTVS book tag was originally created over at Lauren’s Book Slaying blog and has also evolved slightly through Sarah’s blog at Written Worlds too. I think mine is a mashup hybrid of both of the above but I’m having super fun reliving one of my favourite fandoms! Have a go yourself if you’re a Chosen One / Scoobies fan! ☺️

Buffy – A character who lives a double life

Buffy really is one of the all-time saviours of the fictional world. When they ask you at school what you want to be when you grow up, my first thought was always Buffy, until I remembered that I’d probably get funny looks from all of my teachers…nothing wrong with living in fantasy world every now again! The character that immediately came to mind when thinking of this tag was Professor Severus Snape. He is my absolute favourite Harry Potter character, flawed hero, ultimate double agent and I loved the way J.K. left pondering over his loyalties right until the very damn end!

Xander – A character who mostly just provides comic relief

To me Xander provides much, much more that just comic relief. Yes he has some corny lines and sometimes you could just eye-roll at some of the things he says, however he plays a vital role within the gang and the way he grows up and matures from season to season is actually quite remarkable. His role in the Adam storyline and his poignant conversation with Buffy about Riley in the middle of season 5 are some of my favourite Xander moments. I really struggled to think of a book character who merely provides comic relief. After trawling through my shelves I settled upon Simon from the Shadowhunters series. I find it amusing that his role within the series happens really by accident. In that way, I feel that he draws several parallels with Xander.

Willow – A bad-ass witch

I really like Willow’s character arc thoughout the whole Buffyverse. She goes from scared Scooby geek-girl and ends up changing the entire future for slayers all across the world. There’s only one seriously bad-ass witch that could possible rival Miss Rosenberg and that is Manon Blackbeak from Throne of Glass. She puts the scare in scary and is such an awesome character. Like Willow, I feel that her character arc goes through a pretty big shift and that momentous chapter towards the end of Kingdom of Ash just breaks my heart every time.

Giles – A character who fills the role of an absent parent

There would be no Buffy the Vampire Slayer without Giles. As a teacher myself, I can never really get over the fact that he gets caught so many times just ‘hanging out’ with Buffy and Co. and it doesn’t really seem to raise any eyebrows – imagine the safeguarding if that were to happen in the UK! 😂 The way he looks out for the Scooby Gang brings about some of the most sentimental moments of the whole series and I couldn’t imagine it without him. When thinking of a book character who steps into that absent parent role, my mind came up with one person only…Molly Weasley – the ultimate Harry Potter matriarch. The way she looks out for Harry as if he were her own is enough to melt any Death Eater’s heart.

Oz – Name a book with werewolves

I don’t think I ever particularly liked Oz in the Buffy series and I can’t really explain why. Perhaps it’s because I’m not really a werewolf fan. The last book I read with werewolves was called Pinnacle and was one I was asked to review by the author Lynn Veevers on Goodreads. It was quite an interesting read however after reading/watching lots of things with werewolves in, I’ve decided that they are just not my cup of tea.

Angel – A character who is extremely broody

Tall, dark, handsome…hangs out in shadows and dark cemeteries. There’s only one Angel right? His and Buffy’s relationship was like the ultimate forbidden lover’s trope and although he isn’t my favourite of all of Buffy’s boyfriends you can’t deny that he is kinda her soulmate; even SMG herself picked Angel for Buffy over Spike. The broodiest guy I could think of for this character was Cardan from Holly Black’s Folk of the Air series. His attitude throughout both The Cruel Prince and The Wicked King just smacks 100% pure brood. I am on the edge of my seat waiting for this series finale in November and I’m hoping that my ‘Cardan-is-secretly-a-good-guy’ theory actually comes off.

Spike – A character who has a huge redemption arc

I am such a Spuffy fan and Spike is one of my favourite characters within the Buffyverse. Some of those little moments in season 6 and 7 made me cry…a lot! Can I vote for Snape again?! If not him, then perhaps Lucien from A Court of Thorns and Roses. I don’t feel like his redemption arc is huge but I think he comes through in the end.

Anya – A character you just tried to love, but couldn’t

Anya definitely grew on me as a character. The bunnies skit from Once More with Feeling is definitely one of my Anya highlights! One of the characters who I just could not love no matter how far through the series I read was Alina Starkov from the Shadow and Bone trilogy. I just found her annoying and strangely whiny – it’s almost as if her power was greater than the character that she was and I didn’t feel that she justified her hero status.

Tara – A book with a LGBTQA relationship

Tara really grew into her role throughout the Buffyverse. After re-watching seasons 5 & 6 she totally blossomed into becoming a pivotal role within the Scooby Gang. I like the humility and morality that she brings to the group and without discussing spoilers, what happened towards the end of season 6 actually made me quite sad. The book series that immediately came to mind when I read this prompt was Shadowhunters by Cassandra Clare. I think Magnus Bane is utterly fabulous and I wish he could be my gay best friend!

The First Evil – An ultimate book villain

The First Evil is pretty much the ultimate villain as it’s almost unstoppable. It’s not corporeal, neither can it die…it can really be overcome. There are so many parallels that you an draw between the First Evil from Buffy and the shadow that the Ring of Power brings over Middle Earth. Therefore, as the creator of that evil, Sauron has to be my choice for being the ultimate book villain. To create something so dark which causes a war involving many races of men, elves, dwarves, orcs etc. almost takes over the entirety of Middle Earth… He’s deliciously wicked but completely got what was coming to his corrupt, evil backside!

Bonus: Sunnydale – A bookish town/city you most definitely would never want to live in

Sunnydale: in Jonathan’s words, “A lot of weird stuff happens here.” Trying to think of a place where I would not want to live in the fictional world… it would be either be Mordor, as one does not simply walk into it – or it would have to be Morath from Throne of Glass. Both places are hubs of evil and contain countless armies of villains and monsters. I’ll definitely be avoiding those places on my fictional travels.

There we have it, my little tag-ode to one of my all time favourite TV shows. I haven’t managed to get around to buying or reading ‘Slayer’ yet by Kiersten White but it’s definitely on my 2020 TBR. If you’re a fellow BTVS fan then feel free to tag yourself and play along!

As always, drop me a comment to chat! 😊

T xx