Tag: book tag

The Mother’s Day Book Tag

I saw this fun book tag on ReadBetwixtWords and thought it would be wonderful to do to honor the moms today, or a special mom figure in your life. My mom is not a reader – I got my love of reading from an older cousin who was always reading teenage romance and then historical romances when I was a kid. But I married into a family of readers, so I’m honoring my mother-in-law in this tag!

The Rules:
Thank the person who tagged you.
Link back to the creator’s blog @ ReadBetwixtWords in your post.
Answer the questions below.
Tag anyone you want.
Have some fun!

A book that reminds you of your Mother:

Marie-Laure lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where her father works. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

In a mining town in Germany, Werner Pfennig, an orphan, grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find that brings them news and stories from places they have never seen or imagined. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments and is enlisted to use his talent to track down the resistance. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.

From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the stunningly beautiful instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.

A book your Mom loves to read:

Present day: Emma Lovett, who has dedicated her career to breathing new life into long-neglected gardens, has just been given the opportunity of a lifetime: to restore the gardens of the famed Highbury House estate, designed in 1907 by her hero Venetia Smith. But as Emma dives deeper into the gardens’ past, she begins to uncover secrets that have long lain hidden.

1907: A talented artist with a growing reputation for her ambitious work, Venetia Smith has carved out a niche for herself as a garden designer to industrialists, solicitors, and bankers looking to show off their wealth with sumptuous country houses. When she is hired to design the gardens of Highbury House, she is determined to make them a triumph, but the gardens—and the people she meets—promise to change her life forever.

1944: When land girl Beth Pedley arrives at a farm on the outskirts of the village of Highbury, all she wants is to find a place she can call home. Cook Stella Adderton, on the other hand, is desperate to leave Highbury House to pursue her own dreams. And widow Diana Symonds, the mistress of the grand house, is anxiously trying to cling to her pre-war life now that her home has been requisitioned and transformed into a convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers. But when war threatens Highbury House’s treasured gardens, these three very different women are drawn together by a secret that will last for decades.

A book you enjoyed but don’t think your Mother would:

Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

A book your Mom has read to/with you:

She didn’t read this to me but it’s a book my husband still has from his childhood and I know she read this to him multiple times. And I’ve read it to my kids…

*****

When a tiger suspects he is the beast the jungle animals are fleeing from, he returns to them and points out his similarities with other creatures of the jungle.

A book with the word Mother or Mom in the title:

A twisty, compelling novel about one woman’s complicated relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in murder…

From the moment Lucy met her husband’s mother, Diana, she was kept at arm’s length. Diana was exquisitely polite, and properly friendly, but Lucy knew that she was not what Diana envisioned. But who could fault Diana? She was a pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice who helped female refugees assimilate to their new country. Diana was happily married to Tom, and lived in wedded bliss for decades. Lucy wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law.

That was five years ago.

Now, Diana has been found dead, a suicide note near her body. Diana claims that she no longer wanted to live because of a battle with cancer.

But the autopsy finds no cancer.
The autopsy does find traces of poison and suffocation.
Who could possibly want Diana dead?
Why was her will changed at the eleventh hour to disinherit both of her adult children and their spouses?

With Lucy’s secrets getting deeper and her relationship with her mother-in-law growing more complex as the pages turn, this new novel from Sally Hepworth is sure to add to her growing legion of fans.

A book where the main character is a Mother:

Single mom Jess Davis is a data and statistics wizard, but no amount of number crunching can convince her to step back into the dating world. After all, her father was never around, her hard-partying mother disappeared when she was six, and her ex decided he wasn’t “father material” before her daughter was even born. Jess holds her loved ones close but working constantly to stay afloat is hard…and lonely.

But then Jess hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new DNA-based matchmaking company that’s predicted to change dating forever. Finding a soulmate through DNA? The reliability of numbers:This Jess understands.

At least she thought she did, until her test shows an unheard-of 98 percent compatibility with another subject in the database: GeneticAlly’s founder, Dr. River Peña. This is one number she can’t wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Peña. The stuck-up, stubborn man is without a doubt not her soulmate. But GeneticAlly has a proposition: Get to know him and we’ll pay you. Jess—who is barely making ends meet—is in no position to turn it down, despite her skepticism about the project and her dislike for River. As the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the “Diamond” pairing that could launch GeneticAlly’s valuation sky-high, Jess begins to realize that there might be more to the scientist—and the science behind a soulmate—than she thought.

The Soulmate Equation proves that the delicate balance between fate and choice can never be calculated.

A book about something your Mom loves:

She doesn’t love gothic romances or horror but this story revolves flowers and plants which my MIL loves.

*****

A modern masterpiece, this is a classic Gothic thriller-fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Erin A. Craig, about doomed love, menacing ambition, and the ghosts that haunt us forever.

In a manor by the sea, one sister is still cursed.

Despite dreams of adventures far beyond the Salann shores, seventeen-year-old Verity Thaumas has remained at her family’s estate, Highmoor, with her older sister Camille, while their sisters have scattered across Arcannia.

When their sister Mercy sends word that the Duchess of Bloem—wife of a celebrated botanist—is interested in having Verity paint a portrait of her son, Alexander, Verity jumps at the chance, but Camille won’t allow it. Forced to reveal the secret she’s kept for years, Camille tells Verity the truth one day: Verity is still seeing ghosts, she just doesn’t know it.

Stunned, Verity flees Highmoor that night and—with nowhere else to turn—makes her way to Bloem. At first, she is captivated by the lush, luxurious landscape and is quickly drawn to charming, witty, and impossibly handsome Alexander Laurent. And soon, to her surprise, a romance . . . blossoms.

But it’s not long before Verity is plagued with nightmares, and the darker side of Bloem begins to show through its sickly-sweet façade. . . .

And a book that you would give to your Mother as a gift:

Two sisters discover the fairy tales written by their great-grandmother during WWII in this riveting tale of one woman’s secrets lost in the chaos of war—perfect for fans of Julia Kelly and Natasha Lester.
 
1940 – Stasia always found comfort in the idyllic French countryside where she spent her childhood summers, roaming the gardens of an old chateau and finding inspiration for fairy tales full of bravery and adventure. But these days are much darker, and with Nazis storming across Europe, she soon finds herself one of the most hunted agents of the Resistance. The only safe haven she can think of is Chateau de Montissaire. But she’s about to discover that it just may be the center of her biggest mission yet.
 
Present day – When Isabelle purchases a crumbling chateau in Rouen, it’s not just a renovation project—it’s a chance to reconnect with her sister, Emilie, the only family she has left. What she uncovers instead is an intriguing mystery… As the siblings piece together the incredible truth behind the books written by their great-grandmother Stasia, they discover an exciting story of courage in the face of treachery and an explosive secret that will change everything they believed about their family.

I’m not tagging anyone to do this tag but it’s an easy one to do, so feel free to do it if you want!

Happy Mother’s Day to all!

The “I’ll Get Around to It Later” Book Tag

There are so many books I need to get to and always put it on the side for later, so I can definitely relate to this tag. I got tagged by Dini at Dinipandareads – thank you Dini! Check our her wonderful book blog.

Rules

The Rules:

  1. Link back to the original post at Quote, Unquote so the creator can read your answers.
  2. Link back to the post of the person who tagged you and thank them.
  3. You may use the included graphic anywhere in your post, but you don’t have to. (I didn’t end up doing this)
  4. Fill in all seven categories.
  5. You can either leave this tag open so anyone can do it or tag up to seven people.

A Classic book that you have been meaning to read forever but haven’t yet

I’m surprised we never read this one in high school. But since I read the Handmaid’s Tale, might as well keep going and read 1984…eventually lol. I’ve borrowed it a few times on Kindle Unlimited I think and just never read it. Maybe this year will be the year I do it!

A book on your shelf that you haven’t read yet

Yes, I still have The Ruin of Kings by. Jenn Lyons waiting on my bookshelf. It’s been there for a few years now, I’m sure even before the pandemic

A book that you got recently that you haven’t read

I just got Tokyo Dreaming in my last order from Book Outlet a month or two ago. And I will definitely get to it this year I think…I hope lol…

A book that you’ve had forever but haven’t read

I don’t even have an excuse as to why I haven’t read The City of Brass. It’s even on Kindle Unlimited! lol…I will eventually get to it.

A book a friend recommended that you haven’t read

Truly, Devious has been recommended to me by a lot of book blogger friends and it’s on my TBR. I just don’t know when I’ll get to it. Maybe if I find and audiobook because lately, audiobooks have been helping me cross things off my TBR list!

A book you’re procrastinating on

I don’t know why I’m procrastinating on The Great Alone. I’ve read every book of hers I think except for this one!

The next book on your TBR

Hello Stranger is a book on my NetGalley list, so I’m going to choose that for this prompt since I don’t know what is next on my TBR list – it’s a list a I don’t follow in order. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’m not tagging anyone to do this tag but it’s an easy one to do, so feel free to do it if you want!

The Bookshelf Q & A Tag

It’s been awhile since I did a book tag and I saw this book tag on I’m All Booked Up and thought it was a fun, easy book tag to do. The original creator of the tag is mentioned below in the rules, so let’s get to it!

Rules

Mention the creator, Hannah’s Bookshelf.

Answer the questions below and tag a few people to do it too.

What’s the oldest book on your shelves?

My husband got a whole set of these classics from the military base he was working at. The base had a library and they were cleaning out their shelves. Looks like they were published in 1996 (the year I graduated high school!). So these books are the oldest on my shelves.

What’s a book that you would never get rid of?

Probably all my boxed sets! This is one of them but if I buy a boxed set, which is rare – it means it’s going to stay with me forever.

Which book has been on your TBR for the longest?

I actually tried to read this once and I just couldn’t get into it. So I’ve kept it in my TBR in case I try it again but according to my Goodreads, it’s been on my TBR list since 2015.

What’s the newest addition to your shelves?

This is one of the books I got in my recent order from Book Outlet. I still have to pick it up and read it but there are a few arcs and borrowed books I’m getting through first. I kind of feel sad for my books on my bookshelf because those are the books I reach for last lol. I’m always reading my ebooks first!

What’s one book/edition that you desperately want for your shelves?

If I had money to burn, I’d spend it on books with those beautiful sprayed edges. I’d get this book with those edges plus several more! It’s all I would keep on my bookshelves probably lol.

Is there a book you own several copies of?

I thought I had one more copy but I can’t find it. But of course it’s Pride and Prejudice!

What’s the longest series on your shelves?

How do you organize your bookshelves?

I have no organization at all. If I had multiple shelves, maybe I would but right now I only have one and a half bookshelves and my books are just on it. Doubled up on it also.

Do you have any space for new books on your shelves?

NOPE. I’m out of space. ☹️

Do you decorate your bookshelves with anything?

Not really. When I had more room, I decorated it with some of the cute knick knacks I got from book box subscriptions. but for now, now it’s not decorated.

Show us a picture of your shelves!

It’s a mess 🤷🏻‍♀️but that’s all I got lol. There are because behind these books because I don’t have room for all of them to be in one row. It makes me sad! One day I’ll have a library room.

I’m not tagging anyone to do this tag but it’s an easy one to do, so feel free to do it if you want!

The Quarter Year Crisis Book Tag

I’ve seen this book tag going around and I think it would be a good one to do just to take a look back at what I’ve read so far. This was originally created by Roisin @Roisin’s Reading on YouTube. I can’t even believe we are almost to May and summer…say it isn’t so. I’m not read for the holidays again lol.😅 But the faster the year goes means the faster my husband will be home soon!

Anyway let’s get to the questions:

How Many Books Have You Read So Far?

According to Goodreads, I’ve read 49 books so far! But some of that are books my daughter reads lol…so it’s actually 40 books. I think I’m pacing myself pretty good this year. I’m not reading as much but it’s because I don’t have as much time this year.

Have you already found a book you think might be a 2023 favorite? If not, what was your favorite book you read that wasn’t quite five stars?

These are two of my favorites of 2023! I hope there will be more 5 star reads for me but so far these two top my list.

Any 1-star books / least favorite book of the year?

I don’t usually rate any books a 1 star but I actually did DNF a few books this year already. This one is the most surprising that I DNF’ed. It’s not awful but it’s definitely a book I need to be in a mood to read. Maybe one day I’ll pick it up when I’m in the mood to read it – I’m thinking in the fall would be perfect.

Most Read Genres So Far

Fantasy of course! To be specific, fantasy with romance in it.

A Book That Surprised You

I thought this one surprised me. I was thinking it was going to be a light-hearted read and it was not!

A book that’s come out in 2023 already that you want to read but haven’t yet?

I’m trying to get a copy of this for my bookshelf or as an ebook but I’m holding out until it goes on sale.

One Goal You’re Succeeding At

I am actually succeeding in getting through audiobooks! I mean I still get impatient by the last few chapters but I’m getting better at pushing through lol. I’m really proud of myself since I thought audiobooks were a lost cause for me.

One Goal You Need to Focus On

Just to focus on not over-requesting or borrowing too many books. I think I’m doing pretty good on NetGalley but I’m going a bit over board on my online library and I end up not even getting to read the book before it’s expired! 😅

New to you Bloggers/Booktubers/ Bookstagrammers/Booktokers for 2023 you recommend?

Budget Tales Book Blog

Books are the New Black

I’m Tagging…

Everyone! Feel free to do this tag, or not…😁

The End of the Year Book Tag – 2022 Edition

Aloha friends! We have reached that time of the year, oh yes, the END of the year – and I still can’t believe it. I was tagged by the wonderful Dini @ DiniPandaReads and if you haven’t yet, please check out her awesome blog. Thanks for the tag, Dini – let’s get to it!

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

I started Forestborn in the summer but wasn’t in the mood to finish and then didn’t have time to pick it up this fall. The Vanishing Deep was something I started before I went on vacation and hoping I can finish this month!

Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

I was going to say no, I don’t have a transition book but I just finished this book recently called Ledge and it definitely has all the winter vibes and not in a cozy way. More like cold, icy, winter, violent vibes lol…

Is there a new release that you’re still waiting for?

A Fire Endless is the only December release I’m looking forward to and it releases early in December.

What are three books you want to read before the year ends?

Is there a book that you think could still shock you and become your favourite of the year?

I’ve heard so many good things about this book! I’m excited to finish it and see what the hype is all about.

Have you already started to make reading plans for 2023?

I’m tagging:

Ali @ Ali’s Books

Chonky Books

Jordyn @ Birdie’s Book Nook

and YOU!

**no pressure in doing the book tag!**

MidnighTS Book Tag Pt. 2 (3am Edition)

Here is part 2 of the MidnighTS Book Tag and it’s the 3am edition – the extra songs that came out at 3am! I found it on Star is All Booked Up! Please check out the link to her blog to see the original book tag and prompts, there is a part 1 and part 2 if you want to try it out. Here is the 3am edition:

The Great War – Love that rises even above the hardest times

Kazi and Jase forever!

“I vowed I will always be yours” – Taylor Swift, The Great War

Bigger Than the Whole Sky – a book that deals with grief

This book made me cry!

“Did some force take you because I didn’t pray?” – Taylor Swift, Bigger Than the Whole Sky

**my other favorite song**

Paris – favorite escape

Paris is nice, but I’d love to be in Positano eating all the pasta and cheese and enjoying the sun and sea!

“I’m so in love that I might stop breathing” – Taylor Swift, Paris

High Infidelity – love triangle

Such a love triangle between Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah!

“I didn’t know you were keeping count” – Taylor Swift, High Infidelity

Glitch – friends to lovers

A fun friends to lovers story!

” You don’t live in my part of town but maybe I’ll see you out some weekend” – Taylor Swift, Glitch

Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve – a book you wish had a different ending/DNFed

I enjoyed this book but damn…why the ending had to be so sad?! 😒

“I could’ve gone on as I was” – Taylor Swift, Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve

Dear Reader – a book that taught you something important

I love learning about mythologies from different cultures and this one tells us about the Mami Wata (mermaids) and West African mythology.

“Bend when you can” – Taylor Swift, Dear Reader

My favorites from the 3am edition are:

  • Bigger Than the Whole Sky
  • Glitch
  • Dear Reader

So what did you think of the whole album? And feel free to do this tag and link back to the creator of the book tag!

MidnighTS Book Tag (pt.1)

Are you listening to the new Taylor Swift album that just came out? I was curious to see if a blogger out there was fast enough to create a book tag related to the Midnights album and sure enough I found it on Star is All Booked Up! Please check out the link to her blog to see the original book tag and prompts, there is a part 1 and part 2 if you want to try it out. For now this is part 1 because I really gotta think about this lol….let’s start:

Lavender Haze- a book you will always love and defend

I will always love and defend this book!

“I’m damned if I do give a damn what people say” – Taylor Swift, Lavender Haze

Maroon- a spicy book

Spicy and sweet, just how I like it!

“I feel you, no matter what” – Taylor Swift, Maroon

Anti-Hero-unreliable narrator

I think Anti-Hero and think of Violet.

“It’s me, hi

I’m the problem, it’s me” – Taylor Swift, Anti-Hero

**this is one of my favorite songs on the album**

Snow on the Beach- an unexpected surprise

This book was such an unexpected surprise and kinda strange and sweet like snow on the beach.

“You wanting me tonight, feels impossible” – Taylor Swift, Snow on the Beach

**my other favorite song**

You’re on Your Own Kid- a character that really needs a hug

Lila seriously needed a hug after everything she was going through.

” ‘Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned” – Taylor Swift, You’re On Your Own, Kid

**another favorite song**

Midnight Rain- star-crossed lovers

I was thinking star-crossed lovers like Romeo and Juliet and thought about These Violent Delights but then thought about Only a Monster because of how Nick was human and Joan learns she’s a monster, which makes them very star-crossed.

“He stayed the same

All of me changed

Like Midnight” – Taylor Swift, Midnight Rain

**love this one too!*

Question…?- grumpy x sunshine (or neurodivergent rep)

Knox is such a grump! And Naomi rolls with the punches.

“I just may like some explanations” – Taylor Swift, Question…?

Vigilante shit- favorite character out for revenge

All Zetian wants is REVENGE.

“Don’t get sad, get even” – Taylor Swift, Vigilante Shit

Bejeweled- strong character development

Freya really rises above after she is jilted before her wedding! But she goes to everyone else’s wedding and keeps on having fun with her friends as best as she can – she really grows from her experience.

“I polish up nice” – Taylor Swift, Bejeweled

Labyrinth- second chance romance

The title says it all! Clementine loses her memory and her ex comes back into her life, and she asks him what happened between them so she can’t remember. Talk about second chances!

“Lost in the labyrinth of my mind” – Taylor Swift, Labyrinth

Karma- favorite full circle moments or parallels

After everything they go through…it’s a sweet, full circle ending!

“Ask me what I learned from all those tears” – Taylor Swift, Karma

Sweet Nothing- favorite fluffy/cozy read

It’s a Christmas story that includes a cat cafe and so many different cats. It’s very cozy!

“I find myself running home to your sweet nothings” – Taylor Swift, Sweet Nothings

Mastermind- perfect world building and storytelling

I love this story so much, it’s perfectly told and I love the world building.

“Checkmate, I couldn’t lose” – Taylor Swift, Mastermind

And that’s the Midnights album before she release the extra songs hours later lol…so I will be doing part 2 in another post because it took me some time to do this one!

What are your favorite songs from this album? So far my top ones are:

  • Maroon
  • Anti-Hero
  • Snow on the Beach
  • You’re on Your Own Kid
  • Midnight Rain

I actually love a lot of the extra songs too…but I’ll rank let you know which ones in part 2!

Trick or Treatin’ Book Tag | Book Tag

Hi friends! I saw this book tag on Wildwood Reads and thought it would be a fun one to do for October. Not sure who the original creator is.

I’m lucky I have young kids who still go trick or treating lol…it’s still so much fun but Hawaii is so hot and humid still that after going around the block just once we are sweating and our feet hurt. But it’s fun to see all the decorations!

Creepy House on the Corner of the Street: A book with a creepy cover

There is something about black and white photos with the person looking straight at me that I find very creepy. It could be the most simple cover but it’s the eyes.

Light’s Out (Party Poopers): A book you want to read when you want to escape

Any SJM book is escapism for me!

The House That Gives Out the Cheap Candy: Guilty pleasure book

It’s one of those series I wish I could go back and read for the first time all over again. I haven’t read it in ages, but I still remember it so clearly. And yes I still want to watch the new series (gonna binge it once it’s all out).

The House with the Best Decorations on the Block: Best haunting/Halloween themed cover

The House that Gives Out the Best Candy: #1 Halloween recommendation

I think The Hacienda was pretty creepy, especially the night scenes!

Speed Round
Corn Maze or Haunted House?

I don’t think I’ve ever done a corn maze 🤔 so Haunted House

Classic or Unique Costume?

Both!

Sexy or Scary Costume?

Scary

Comedy or Horror Halloween Film?

I was much braver when I was younger lol…so comedy!

Chocolate or Sour Candy?

Chocolate!

And that’s the tag! Feel free to try this book tag out and thanks for reading!

The Book Addiction Tag | Book Tag

Hi friends! I saw this book tag on Riddhi’s blog Whispering Stories and thought it was a fun one to do. Fun and easy, I should say, because I like easy book tags lol. So let’s try it out!

What is the longest amount of time you can comfortably go without picking up a book?

I would say I can go a week without picking up a book especially if I’m exhausted and life is just BUSY. Sometimes a break from reading is a good thing.

How many books do you carry on your person (or kindle) at any one time?

I don’t carry any unless I’m going to an appointment where I know I’ll be waiting for awhile, like my kids dental appointments. Then I just carry one book. I just took my son to the dentist and this is the book I brought:

I’m not feelin’ it – I think this is going to be a DNF.😕

Do you keep every book you buy/receive or are you happy to pass them on to make space for more?

I used to but now I’m not so attached to my books as I used to be when I was younger. So I will donate them just so I know someone else can enjoy the books instead of them sitting on my shelf collecting dust. I will keep my favorite books though.

How long would you spend in a bookshop on a standard visit?

When I was younger? For hours. But now? I’m in and out – because usually my kids want to get whatever book they want and then go home lol.

How much time per day do you actually spend reading?

About 1-2 hours, but if it’s good and I can’t put it down then 4-5 hours.

Where does the task ‘picking up a book’ appear on your daily to-do list?

It appears LAST. Because I like to read in before bed.

Approximately how often do you bring up books in conversation?

Not a lot because I actually don’t know many readers. If I do bring it up it’s only to the one or two people that I know who love to read like I do. Does telling my son about it count? Sometimes I tell him what I’m ready if it’s a fantasy young adult that I think he would be interested in.

What is the biggest book (page count) you have finished reading?

I thought it would be Priory of the Orange by Samantha Shannon but nope I’m wrong, of course it’s a Sarah J. Maas book to take the crown.

Is there a book you had to get your hands on against all odds (i.e searching bookshops, online digging, etc.)?

I haven’t – most things I can just find right away online.

A book you struggled to finish but refused to DNF?

I might have to chalk this up to being not in the mood. I wonder if I read it around December if I’d have liked it more? But I read it as an arc and wanted to finish in time. So I wasn’t in the Christmas mood at all.

What are 3 of your main book goals for 2022?

I’m pretty sure I stated my goals at the beginning of the year so reflecting back, here were the 3 I had:

  • cut down on NetGalley requests – I think I did really good on this!
  • book buying ban – I didn’t totally ban book buying but I barely bought any new releases. Anything I did buy was heavily discounted!
  • be brave enough to DNF books – I’m WAY better at it, but I could still find the nerve to do it more often lol

Have you ever had the privilege of converting someone into a reader (maybe via inspiration or incessant nagging)?

I like to think I made my best friend into a reader lol! And I do know I kind of influenced my older sister to start reading again.

Describe what books mean to you in five words.

Sanity. Escapism. Self-Care. Quiet. Adventure.

And that’s the tag! Feel free to try this book tag out and thanks for reading!

Fall Bucket List Book Tag | October 2022

I did this tag last year so since it’s that time again, here’s my 2022 version!

The original tag was made by Tiffany @ Read by Tiffany.

The Rules

  • Link back to the original creator in your post.
  • Feel free to use any of my graphics in your post, or create your own!
  • Tag 7 other people at the end of your post, and let them know you’ve tagged them.

A laugh-out-loud, opposites attract romance about three of the world’s most beloved C’s: Christmas, Coffee, and Cats.

Veterinarian and animal lover Kara Ingalls needs a Christmas miracle. Opening the Meow and Furrever Cat Café to find loving homes for adorable, adoptable cats was a dream come true—but with more cats than customers, it’s quickly turning into a nightmare. If Kara can’t figure out some way to get the café out of the red, it won’t last past the holidays.

Marketing guru Ben Reese may be annoyingly smart and frustratingly bossy, but when he hatches a plan to put the café in the “green” by Christmas, Kara realizes that she’d be a fool to turn down his help. And so what if he turns out to be an excellent problem solver and nerdy-hot—he can’t even handle fostering one little kitten. She needs to keep their relationship professional and focus on saving the cafe.

But if Ben and Kara can set aside their differences—and find homes for all the cats by Christmas—they might discover that, by risking their hearts, they’ll have their own purr-fect holiday . . . together.

Avery’s fortune, life, and loves are on the line in the game that everyone will be talking about.

To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets, and they know her.

But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player.

Secrets upon secrets. Riddles upon riddles. In this game, there are hearts and lives at stake—and there is nothing more Hawthorne than winning.

Freya Scott is getting married. Her wedding to Matthew, her long-term boyfriend, is the first of eight in her calendar this year, and as someone who prides herself on being meticulously organized, Freya is intent on making it the perfect day to remember.

But when Matthew calls things off hours before they walk down the aisle, Freya’s entire life plan goes up in smoke. Humiliated and heartbroken, the last thing she wants is to attend a summer of other peoples’ nuptials on her own.

Fortunately, her friends have an idea: together they devise a series of outrageous challenges for Freya to complete at each event, designed to distract her from Matthew and what might have been. From getting stuck in an old church bathroom and needing to be rescued by the vicar to making out with a barman at a French chateau, Freya realizes that despite herself, she might just be having fun.

By the time the final wedding arrives, she will discover that the road to a happy ending sometimes has unexpected detours, that “I do” is only the beginning––and that perhaps her own love story isn’t over just yet.

Willow has never felt like she belonged anywhere and is convinced that the only way to find a true home is to travel the world. But her plans to act on her dream are put on hold when her aloof and often absent mother drags Willow to Salem, Massachusetts, to wrap up the affairs of an aunt Willow didn’t even know she had. An aunt who may or may not have been a witch.

There, she meets Mason, a loner who’s always felt out of place and has been in and out of foster homes his entire life. He’s been classified as one of the runaways, constantly searching for ways to make it back to his mom; even if she can’t take care of him, it’s his job to try and take care of her. Isn’t it?

Naturally pulled to one another, Willow and Mason set out across Salem to discover the secret past of Willow’s mother, her aunt, and the ambiguous history of her family. During all of this, the two can’t help but act on their natural connection. But with the amount of baggage between them—and Willow’s growing conviction her family might be cursed—can they manage to hold onto each other?

From the New York Times bestselling author of Love & Gelato comes a poignant and romantic novel about two teens trying to find their place in the world after being unceremoniously dragged to Salem, Massachusetts, for the summer.

For Lila Reyes, a summer in England was never part of the plan. The plan was 1) take over her abuela’s role as head baker at their panadería, 2) move in with her best friend after graduation, and 3) live happily ever after with her boyfriend. But then the Trifecta happened, and everything—including Lila herself—fell apart.

Worried about Lila’s mental health, her parents make a new plan for her: spend three months with family friends in Winchester, England, to relax and reset. But with the lack of sun, a grumpy inn cook, and a small town lacking Miami flavor (both in food and otherwise), what would be a dream trip for some feels more like a nightmare to Lila…until she meets Orion Maxwell.

A teashop clerk with troubles of his own, Orion is determined to help Lila out of her funk, and appoints himself as her personal tour guide. From Winchester’s drama-filled music scene to the sweeping English countryside, it isn’t long before Lila is not only charmed by Orion, but England itself. Soon a new future is beginning to form in Lila’s mind—one that would mean leaving everything she ever planned behind.

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.

Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.

Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.

But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking…

I tag all of you to do this tag – no pressure!