Tag: bookworm

#BookTag – The Anonymous Bookaholics Tag!

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Happy Tuesday Bibliofriends,

I was tagged by the amazing Ashlee at Books Are 42 to do this super fun Anonymous Bookaholics Tag! I kind of did this in a bit of a rush, so I’m sorry if my answers come across as slightly out there or snarky…? When I get stressed out, my brain seems to resemble Roadrunner from the Looney Tunes trying to do everything at hundreds of miles per hour!

1) What do you like about buying new books?

Everything! From entering the shop, to browsing the shelves, to picking it up, to giving it a new home, to reading it, to staring at it on my bookshelves, to talking about it with friends – what book lover doesn’t like buying new books??

2) How often do you buy new books?

Erm…
To be honest, with Covid etc I haven’t been shopping in town more than I normally would but every time I go somewhere you can guarantee that I’ll HAVE to enter at least one bookshop and I will probably ALWAYS come out with at least one book. My last shopping trip was Sunday and I may have been to Waterstones and I may have bought 5 books… whoops!

3) Bookstore or online book shopping: which do you prefer?

Bookstores for the experience, online for the prices.
Again this sounds so wrong now with Covid etc but… I love being able to go into a shop and touch everything!pick up a book that looks interesting, read the blurb, skim the pages for the font style and size…

 4) Do you have a favourite bookshop?

One of my favourites is called a second hand bookshop called Moss Books in my local town. It is STACKED with books. They’re double stacked on the shelves then there are piles and piles all over the floors and so many genres! It’s my book-loving dreamworld!

5) Do you pre-order books?

I don’t as a rule but the exception to this is the Waterstones signed, exclusive version of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab (and yes, I am totally aware how much I am mentioning and loving and hyping this book!).

6) Do you have a monthly buying limit?

Um…I’m sorry, a what?? 😂

7) How big is your wish list?

You know that proverb, how long is a piece of string…? Do you see where I’m heading with this? I want so many books, in fact I want all of the books! 😂

8) Which three books from your wish list do you wish to own right now?

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline – the wait is becoming agonising!
The entire Shades of Magic series by V. E. Schwab
The Poppy War trilogy

TAG – you’re it!! Feel free to have a go at this tag yourself and link it back to my blog if you want! Drop me a comment and let me know which 3 books you’d be wanting from your wishlist!

Have a great week people!
T xx

#BookTag – The Bookish Baking Tag

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

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 – Sunshine Blogger Award

The Biblioshelf5 Comments

Good morning Bibliofriends,

Last week I received my first ever Sunshine Blogger Award Nomination from Alex over at Mybookworld24! I have seen this going round so many times on people’s blogs that I’m so excited to finally get a chance at doing my own!

Rules
(1) Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog.
(2) Answer the 11 questions asked by the person who nominated you.
(3) Nominate 11 people and ask them new 11 questions.
(4) Notify the nominees by commenting on one of their posts.
(5) List the rules and display the sunshine blogger award in your post.

Alex’s Questions:

One life lesson you want to share?
To not waste time on toxic relationships – you spend more time living their life when you could be living your own. 

The next book/movie you want to read/watch?
There are so so many, I always seem to be looking forward to something! Next book: Ready Player Two is one of my most anticipated books for later this year. Excited is not a strong enough word for my feelings on this sequel!
Next movie: James Bond No Time To Die – I am so ready for this now and I keep trying to avoid the trailers so I’m not spoiled too much!!!

What’s your wish for the world?
That humanity doesn’t destroy planet Earth.
We haven’t been around on this planet all that long but we seem to be destroying things quicker than we can rebuild them. It worries me that future generations may not get to see some of nature’s beauties and wildlife because humans never gave them a chance to live and survive here. Robbie Arnott wrote about this in his wonder eco-fable The Rain Heron. You can read my review for that here.

What’s your dream job?
To travel the world in a little book truck selling books and inspiring people to read.

What’s the animal you can connect with the most?
Horses – I’m involved with some racehorses and often spend time down at the stable yard hanging out with them and feeding them carrots. It definitely helps blow the cobwebs away, those early mornings on the gallops.

Ever been on holiday and if yes, where?
I am such an adventurer and love going on holiday! This year I was supposed to be going to Peru to trek Machu Picchu, climb Rainbow Mountain and drink Pisco Sours in Cusco – but then it got cancelled, there’s a global pandemic apparently!
My last abroad trip was Disneyworld Florida and it was incredible! I can’t wait to visit America again!

The most thing you use?
Other than the standard: phone, MacBook etc…
Probably my notebooks and stationery – I’m always jotting things down and making lists, I find it very therapeutic; plus, I’m a stationery addict so I’m always trying out different colour pens and things!

Something you want to do before the end of 2020?
To be honest, I think I’m already done with 2020! I worked through the pandemic but because of lockdown all of the social events/activities just stopped – it really felt like all work and no play…
Although we have planned to celebrate New Year with my extended family in Cornwall so hopefully that can still happen as I’m sure it’ll be a fun and special time.

Your go-to drink?
Gin, Prosecco, Cider, Cherry Pepsi, Tea, Coffee – I’m not picky but I like lots of things depending on the mood I’m in!

Favourite childhood cartoon?
So many noteworthy classics: The Animaniacs, Rugrats, Recess, Mona the Vampire, Cow and Chicken, The Powerpuff Girls, The Flintstones, Arthur… but I think my all-time favourite would have to be Scooby Dooby Doo!

What’s one thing you do to uplift yourself?
Crazy dance-out to Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and The Waves or playing music full-blast through my Skullcandy headphones (they really amplify the sound private disco style!).

My Questions
  1. What inspired you to start your blogging journey?
  2. What is your favourite quote? (It can be a well-known saying/proverb, bookish quote, music lyrics etc.)
  3. If you had to live in any fictional world where would it be and why?
  4. What would the title of your memoir be?
  5. If you had Aladdin’s three wishes, what would you wish for?
  6. Favourite book to film/TV adaptation?
  7. What’s your zodiac sign and do you follow it?
  8. If you were gifted a copy of any book in the world which would you hope for?
  9. Who is your biggest inspiration?
  10. Would you rather go to an all-day beach party in Mykonos or spend the night watching the Northern Lights from an igloo?
  11. What has been the greatest experience of your life so far?
My Nominees

I’m rubbish at nominating people for things so no pressure guys!

Just Reading Jess

Journey Through the Chapters

Bookworms Anonymous

Vee_Bookish

Reading Girl Reviews

Life in the Book Lane

Jake is Reading

Tina Reeds

Toastie Books

The Crafty Reader

And YOU! If you feel like having a go at my questions for the Sunshine Blogger Award then consider yourself tagged! 😉

Happy Tuesday people!

T xx

#BookTag – The NetGalley Book Tag

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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

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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

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 24th 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

#BookTag – My Life in Books

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Happy TuesTAG Bibliofriends,

This week’s Tag was so much fun to do! I found it over on One Book More’s blog and thought it was worth a go considering I seem to be running out of tags to do (feel free to tag me in anything!).

Find A Book For Each Letter in Your Name

This is such a fun prompt and I love things like this! I did a book character for each letter of my name back on Twitter when I first joined so it’s good to do a different variation here. I always get nerdy and wish my name had more letters so I’ve done both my name name and also my blog name! 🤓😂

T – To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
I – Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
L – Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
L – Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
Y – You Had Me At Hello by Mhairi McFarlane

B – The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter
I – Inferno by Dante
B – Beyond a Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake
L – The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón 
I – Ignite the Sun by Hanna C. Howard
O – Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
S – Stardust by Neil Gaiman
H – The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
E – Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett
L – The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo
F – Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

Count Your Age Along Your Bookshelf – What Book Is It?

As I’m away from home for summer (and I also have more than one bookshelf…) I used my Goodreads all books shelf and counted along from the date I added them. The 31st book along was Divergent by Veronica Roth!

Pick A Book Set in Your City/Country

Agatha Raisin: The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton – the author lives in a few villages away from me and most of the series is set in the Cotswolds (England) where I live now.

Pick A Book That Represents A Destination That You Would Love To Travel To

So this year I had plucked up the courage to book on one of those solo travel trips to Peru to trek to Machu Picchu, climb Rainbow Mountain and go on a boat trip through the Amazon… until Corona hit and everything was cancelled! I haven’t read any books set in Peru but I can’t think about the country and not think about the delightful Paddington Bear from Deepest Darkest Peru by Michael Bond. Such wonderful childhood stories.

Pick A Book That Has Your Favourite Colour On It

I don’t tend to have a definite favourite colour – it changes all the time between various shades of pink, blue, green and purple. One of my favourite recent covers has to be the FairyLoot Exclusive Edition of Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust.

Which Book Do You Have The Fondest Memory Of?

I know there’s a lot of s**t out there about it recently but I have to say Harry Potter. I grew up with that series and my Nan would preorder all of the books for so I would have them as soon as they came out. I’m not supporting an author’s political/personal views whatsoever but as a writer that person gave me a literary home and community for life – I’m trying my best to separate the art and the artist on this one. 

Which Book Did You Have The Most Difficulty Reading?

Moby Dick by Herman Melville. There’s just something about the way classics are written that I struggle with. It’s like I have to focus on every single individual world just to make sense of the sentence. This book also felt tediously long but I was determined to read it and tick it off my list.

Which Book On Your TBR Will You Give You The Biggest Sense of Accomplishment When You Finish It?

Probably The Earthsea Quartet by Ursula Le Guin – I read The Wizard of Earthsea and found it quite tough so I think I need to go back and try again. I know it is one of the classics of fantasy so I think finishing it will be a real achievement for me.

That is My Life in Books right there! 😂 Have you done this tag yet? Feel free to leave me your links or consider yourself tagged and have a go at your own! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#BookTag – Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag!

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Hey Bibliofriends,

It’s Tuesday tag time again! I was tagged by Books are 42 to do this highly relevant ‘Mid-Year Book Freak Out’ Book Tag! Links will take you to some of my reviews.

How Much Have You Read?

So far, I’ve read 29 books of my target of 45 and it’s looking likely that I’ll manage to achieve my goal this year for the first time in about two years! Being in lockdown for April and May definitely helped me to get a huge chunk of reading done and I like it when Goodreads tells me that I’m 7 books ahead of schedule rather than 7 books behind…

What Have You Been Reading?

Most of my reads consist of YA/Fantasy or Sci-fi books although I have read some literary fiction, historical mysteries and thrillers, short stories, non-fiction as well as some poetry.

Best Book You’ve Read so far in 2020

There are definitely a few highly recommended ones such as The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott or My Fence is Electirc: and Other Stories by Mark Newman but I think my standout book so far this year has to be Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel – it’s definitely not for everyone but it was right up my history-geek street!

Best Sequel You’ve Read so far in 2020

I’ve only read 4 sequels so far this year but my favourite would have to be A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer. You can read my review here!

New Release You Haven’t Read Yet But Want To

My mission this year has been trying to finish off some ‘already started series’ so I could get around to beginning some new ones but two new releases that I haven’t got around to yet are Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas and The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant.

Most Anticipated Release for the Second Part of the Year

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco – this book has me at ‘19thcentury Italian backdrop’!

Biggest Disappointment

Dare I say it… Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin – to be fair, I think the hype ruined this for me. I was expecting a sweeping new epic that I’d be throwing out the stars and rave reviews for but it left me feeling a little like an average YA fantasy, except the cinnamon buns – they sounded delicious.

Biggest Surprise

Romanov by Nadine Brandes – how that book hit the delicately fine balance between historical fact and magical fantasy was really well done. I loved it!

New Favourite Author (Debut or New To You)

I recently read The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott (review here!) and think he is such a talented writer. I’ve purchased his first book Flames and cannot wait to read it at some point later this year.

Underrated Gems You’ve Discovered Recently

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibanez – I need the sequel, like yesterday! I loved the Bolivian cultural references and the woven animals. A delightful read!
A Touch of Death by Rebecca Crunden – this first book was a thrilling read and I’m reliably informed that the series gets better and better so I can’t wait to read the next book.

Rereads This Year

None so far but I am planning on rereading Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett, Roar by Cora Carmack and Given to the Sea by Mindee McGinnis before reading the sequels.

I’m also planning on rereading all of the books by Carlos Ruiz Zafon as he is one of my all-time favourite authors in the universe and I was so saddened to hear of his death last month.

Newest Fictional Crush

I don’t even know if I have a ‘newest’ one?! I suppose I am seeing Grey from the Cursebreakers series in a new light and I adore his relationship with Lia Mara but I wouldn’t call it a crush…(there’ll only ever be one Rhysand or Aragorn anyway)!

Newest Favourite Character

Hesina (Descendant of the Crane), Ximena (Woven in Moonlight) or Alessandra (The Shadows Between Us).

Book That Made You Cry

Romanov by Nadine Brandes – Nastya is such a wonderful narrator and the author’s phrases are highly emotive at times.

Book That Made You Happy

The Flat Share by Beth O’Leary – it’s an enjoyably light and funny read.

Favourite Book to Film Adaption

Sticking with the classics, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit – the New Zealand Hobbiton tour is now on my travel bucket list.

Most Beautiful Cover You’ve Bought This Year (or Received)

Probably the May FairyLoot book Girl, Serpent, Thorn or the April FairyLoot book Incendiary – I can’t wait to read either of them, they’re so beautiful!

What Books Do You Need to Read by the End of the Year?

How long is a piece of string…? I need to read Esme’s Wish by Elizabeth Foster, Ignite the Sun by Hanna Howard and Twelve: Poems Inspired by the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale by Andrea Blythe as they’re all review requests. I’d like to read the sequel to A Touch of Death by Rebecca Crunden and then the rereads I mentioned earlier. #nopressurethen

Favourite Post You Have Done This Year

Probably the Books as First Dates Book Tag – I really enjoy reviewing books but the tags are so much fun, although I do have to try and vary my answers otherwise everything becomes Harry Potter or Sarah J Maas related.

Favourite Book Community Member

I honestly couldn’t single out just one person as everyone here has been so wonderful, helpful and supportive – thank you Bibliofriends! I don’t tend to tag people as I don’t know who has already done the tags or even wants to take part but if you feel like having a go yourself then “tag, you’re it!”

Have you done the Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag yet? Do you feel like having a go yourself? What’s been the best thing you’ve read so far this year and what are you looking forward to reading in the next half of the year? As always, drop your tag links below or post me a comment to chat!

T xx

#BookTag – Celebrity Book Tag

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Hi Bibliofriends,

I’m getting much more into the Book Tagging game more recently and this Celebrity Book Tag was a great little one I found over at Kira Jeanette’s Blog. She found the tag on Gigisreads but I’m not sure of the original tag creator so thank you whoever you are!

Emma Watson- A book with a hot kick butt female character

It sounds so typical and boring of me but I literally can’t think of anyone other than Aelin from the Throne of Glass series.

Ryan Gosling- A book with the hottest male character

It has to be Rhysand from A Court of Mist and Fury doesn’t it?!

Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt- A book with your favorite fictional book couple

Aragorn and Arwen from Lord of the Rings – I absolutely love them! * heart eyes *

Shailene Woodley- Author you’ve recently discovered and loved

Robbie Arnott, Isabel Ibañez, Mark Newman, Nadine Brandes

Josh Hutcherson- Favorite short story or novella

My Fence is Electric by Mark Newman (Butterfly Farm)
The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Dwayne Johnson AKA The Rock – Favorite Big Book (over 500 pages)

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón – 520 pages

Leonardo DiCaprio- A series with the most upsetting death (no spoilers, don’t worry!)

Crooked Kingdom 🤐

Kristen Stewart- A book you found boring

All The Birds In The Sky by Charlie Jane Anders.

Ian Somerhalder and his cat- Cutest book on your shelf

Wicked Like A Wildfire by Lana Popovic – the cover is beautiful
Or
Queen of Nothing by Holly Black (same reason – my FairyLoot exclusive edition is gorgeous!)

Jennifer Lawrence- Perfect book or series

Series: Harry Potter / Lord of the Rings / Cemetery of Forgotten Books / Illuminae Files
Book: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Which books would make it into your celebrity book tag? Tag yourself if you want to have a go! Feel free to include your links below so I can visit! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx