Christmas Songs Book Tag | 2025

I was on That Artsy Reader Girl’s blog to start doing my January 2026 Top Ten Tuesday posts when I saw this cute tag she posted and created! So I’m going to try it out!

1. “All I Want for Christmas Is You”: Favorite bookish couple.
Oskar and Guinevere from Tusk Love by. Thea Guanzon .

2. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”: Name a book where a character is away from home (school, vacation, etc.).
Your Knife, My Heart by. K.M. Moronova – everyone is in a military camp undergoing some deadly trials.

3. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”: Name your favorite “little” book (children’s book, short story, novella, etc.).
I read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by. Eric Carle to my kids a million times, to the point I had it memorized. But I love it still.

4. “Santa Claus is Coming to Town“: What book(s) do you hope Santa brings you this year?
The Wolf and the Crown of Blood by. Elizabeth May.

5. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”: Which book turned your nose red (made you cry)?
Atmosphere by. Taylor Jenkins Reid the audiobook was so good!

6. “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”: Your favorite book/kind of book to read during the holidays.
I am such a mood reader that even during the holidays I get picky and don’t necessarily pick up holidays books. Anything with a cute romance, I’ll be happy with. I’m listening to the arc The Swan’s Daughter by. Roshni Choksi on audiobook which comes out on 1/6/26 but the fairytale writing and magical setting puts me in the mood for the holidays.

7. “We Three Kings”: Your favorite trilogy/book from a trilogy (or feel free to fudge it and pick a book from a series).
Starchaser from R.M. Gray is the second book in the Nightweaver series. I’m sure this is a trilogy (I thought it would be a duology), but so far I’m really enjoying this series!

8. “Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow”: A character you would love to be snowed in with.
Blake from The Night Prince by. Lauren Palphreyman. 😍

9. “Last Christmas”: A book that seriously let you down.
I DNF’ed The Nightshade God by. Hannah Whitten. I just didn’t remember anything from book one and I was just lost and didn’t care about the story.

10. “White Christmas”: An upcoming release you’re dreaming about.
Shadow Reaper by. Lynette Noni.

Now it’s your turn! Which books would you choose for these prompts?

And I’m not tagging anyone, feel free to do the tag if you like! ☺️

Birthstone Book Covers: December – Tanzanite | Zircon | Tourquoise

The original creator of this book tag is **Leslie @ Books Are The New Black** so go check out her blog!

THE RULES

Mention the creator (Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back to me so I can see your post!
Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone.
HAVE FUN!
Nominate people if you want!

A Winter of White Ashe by. Lucia Damisa

*****

The House Saphir by. Marissa Meyer

*****

Enigma by. RuNyx

*****

A Forgery of Fate by. Elizabeth Lim

*****

Frost Bound by. Frost Kay

I nominate everyone! It’s a fun and easy tag to do so try it out. ☺️

Birthstone Book Covers: November – Citrine | Topaz

THE RULES

Mention the creator (Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back to me so I can see your post!
Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone.
HAVE FUN!
Nominate people if you want!

Alchemy of Secrets by. Stephanie Garber

*****

Fevered Star by. Rebecca Roanhorse

*****

A Desert of Bleeding Sand by. Lucia Damisa

*****

Arcana Academy by. Elise Kova

*****

Heavenly Tyrant by. Xiran Jay Zhao

I nominate everyone! It’s a fun and easy tag to do so try it out. ☺️

The All Hallows Book Tag | 2025

🎃Happy Halloween readers!🎃

Let’s do book tag but this time for Spooky season! The All Hallows Book Tag was created by QuirinusReads (Twitter/Instagram).

So some choices has changed this year in comparison to last year’s post! This time I chose hot chocolate, haunted house and dark academia but some of these are hard because I love werewolves more this year and I read more dark academia this year but I love paranormal too. 😅 It’s hard to choose!

Here are the questions:

What are your favourite spooky season genres?

Horror, Thrillers, Mystery, and now I’m also adding Dark Romance and Dark Fantasy to the list!

Which titles do you recommend for Halloween reading?

What are your most anticipated reads this month?

Since October is basically over – I’m posting my November anticipated reads:

I was so lucky to actually read a lot of my most anticipated November reads through Netgalley:

Fallen City by. Adrienne Young
Starchaser by. R.M. Gray
The House Saphir by. Marissa Meyer
Coldwire by. Chloe Gong

Have you had a paranormal experience or spooky coincidence?

I’d say yes, a few!

What are your spooky season film and TV favourites?

It’s cringey as hell but I love it, it’s so nostalgic and cracks me up! My friend and I send each other Teen Witch clips just to remind each other it’s Teen Witch season LOL.

This time around I watched the new season of Wednesday on Netflix and that definitely brings in the Halloween vibes!

How do you celebrate Halloween?

This year I am staying home to pass out the candy while my kids will go with their dad around the block since he missed 2 Halloweens when he was living in Okinawa the past few years.

Here is the clean copy of This or That:

Here are the questions from this book tag if you feel like doing it:

The Questions:

What are your favourite spooky season genres?
Which titles do you recommend for Halloween reading?
What are your most anticipated reads this month?
Have you had a paranormal experience or spooky coincidence?
What are your spooky season film and TV favourites?
How do you celebrate Halloween?

And I’m not tagging anyone, feel free to do the tag if you like! ☺️

Birthstone Book Covers: October – Opal | Tourmaline

THE RULES

Mention the creator (Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back to me so I can see your post!
Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone.
HAVE FUN!
Nominate people if you want!

Once a Villain by. Vanessa Len

*****

The Irresistible Uge to Fall for Your Enemy by. Brigitte Knightley

*****

Immortal Consequences by. I.V. Marie

*****

Embrace the Serpent by. Sunya Mara

*****

Nightshade by. Autumn Woods

I nominate everyone! It’s a fun and easy tag to do so try it out. ☺️

Birthstone Book Covers: September – Sapphire

THE RULES

Mention the creator (Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back to me so I can see your post!
Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone.
HAVE FUN!
Nominate people if you want!

The Ragpicker King by. Cassandra Clare

*****

Spells, Strings and Forgotten Things by. Breanne Randall

*****

The Housemaid by. Freida McFadden

*****

A Song to Drown Rivers by. Ann Liang

*****

Broken Souls and Bones by. L.J. Andrews

I nominate everyone! It’s a fun and easy tag to do so try it out. ☺️

Birthstone Book Covers: August – Peridot

THE RULES

Mention the creator (Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back to me so I can see your post!
Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone.
HAVE FUN!
Nominate people if you want!

Under Loch and Key by. Lana Ferguson

*****

The Bewitching by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia

*****

All Paths Lead to Paris by. Sabrina Fedel

*****

The Girl Most Likely To by. Julie Tieu

*****

The Paradise Problem by. Christina Lauren

I nominate everyone! It’s a fun and easy tag to do so try it out. ☺️

Birthstone Book Covers: July – Ruby

THE RULES

Mention the creator (Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back to me so I can see your post!
Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone.
HAVE FUN!
Nominate people if you want!

The Queen’s Spade by. Sarah Raughley

*****

On Wings of Blood by. Briar Boleyn

*****

Sword Catcher by. Cassandra Clare

*****

Red City by. Marie Lu

*****

Phantasma by. Kaylie Smith

I nominate everyone! It’s a fun and easy tag to do so try it out. ☺️

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag – 2025

It’s that time again! I already freaked out seeing this being posted on other blogs. How can it be mid-year?! Are we ready for the last half of the year? I don’t think I am.

BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2025

There’s been so many good books this year! Here are some of my highest rated books this year 4.5-5 stars.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by. Kylie Lee Baker
Sunrise on the Reaping by. Suzanne Collins
The Knight and the Moth by. Rachel Gillig
Nightshade by. Autumn Woods
Den of Liars by. Jessica S. Olson
A Desert of Bleeding Sand by. Lucia Damisa
Oathbound by. Tracy Deonn
Rebel Witch by. Kristen Ciccarelli
Holy Terrors by. Margaret Owen
The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by. Amélie Wen Zhao

BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2025

There were a few sequels I loved but I’m going to pick Oathbound by. Tracy Deonn. I can’t believe I thought this was the last book lol. It’s not!

NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET, BUT WANT TO

A few new releases I’m waiting to get a library copy of:

Great Big Beautiful Life by. Emily Henry
Never Thought I’d End Up Here by. Ann Liang
Atmosphere by. Taylor Jenkins Reid

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

Brimstone by. Callie Hart
Thief of Night by. Holly Black
Fallen City by. Adrienne Young

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

On Wings of Blood by. Briar Boleyn – I gave this book a chance because it was all over booktok and it was messy and entertaining but it didn’t blow me away. It doesn’t help that I don’t like the MMC.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

I thought I would be dragon-ed out with all the dragon books I have been reading, but I actually really loved A Fate Forged in Fire by. Hazel McBride and will be getting a hardcopy of it for my shelf so I can re-read it!

FAVORITE NEW AUTHOR (debut or new to you)

I kind of love all the mauve shades of these book covers, but these new to me authors really caught my interest!

Of Flame and Fury by. Mikayla Bridge
Thorn Season by. Kiera Azar
Embrace the Serpent by. Sunya Mara
Nightshade by. Autumn Woods

NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

Alex Corbeau-Green from Nightshade by. Autumn Woods – hot, rich, tattooed, smart, plays rugby, kind of the guardian of his 6 younger sisters and his mom who is dealing with some mental issues.

NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

Bartholomew the gargoyle in The Knight and the Moth by. Rachel Gillig – because he is so funny and silly.

Alissa from Thorn Season by. Kiera Azar because she’s a young lady at court and she’s not fragile. She’s savvy, cunning and strong!

Saphira from Embrace the Serpent by. Sunya Mara – I just thought her talent with gems and being a jewelsmith was cool! She’s also a strong character.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

This two books made me emotional and made me shed a tear or two. Sunrise on the Reaping by. Suzanne Collins and Holy Terrors by. Margaret Owen.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

The Exception to the Rule by. Christina Lauren – I just realized looking through all the books I’ve read this year, not a lot of them make me feel “happy” LOL, because they are dark. But this one was short and sweet.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT SO FAR THIS YEAR (or received)

The Fairyloot version of The Floating World by. Axie Oh is the prettiest book on my shelf. I had debated subscribing to the YA Fairylook Subscription because it’s so expensive that I passed it up on the first email I got. Then two months later I got another email saying a spot opened up again and I said to hell with it, I’m going to join just so I can get first dibs on any exclusives they have during the year.

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

I’m just choosing three arcs I have on Netgalley that I need to read in the second half of this year.

The Scammer by. Tiffany D. Jackson
And the River Drags Her Down by. Jihyun Yun
Wild Reverence by. Rebecca Ross

FAVORITE BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATION YOU’VE SEEN THIS YEAR

I haven’t seen any book to movie adaptations this year. But I did see that We Were Liars is on Prime Video and I read this a long time ago, before I made a blog and I know there is a significant plot twist but I don’t remember much of the book. According to Goodreads I gave it 3 stars but no written review. So I’m watching this series because I actually have the arc for the sequel and it would be nice to remember what happens.

We Were Liars by. E. Lockhart

But I am also looking forward to season three of The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon Prime.

I’ve been reading so many books this year already that I’ve already surpassed my Goodreads reading goal of 100 books. I’m at 125.

How has your 2025 been so far?

Birthstone Book Covers: June – Alexandrite/Moonstone/Pearl

THE RULES

Mention the creator (Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back to me so I can see your post!
Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone.
HAVE FUN!
Nominate people if you want!

Let’s find some book covers in this color: (I’m going with Alexandrite)