Category: Book Tags

The In or Out Book Tag

Dini @ dinipandareads23 Comments

Hello, friends! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done a book tag but I’ve been seeing the In or Out Book Tag making the rounds lately and I was also recently tagged by Laurie @Laurie is Reading, so thanks for the tag!

The rules are simple enough according to the original creator Rick MacDonnell over on his YouTube channel:

With the In or Out book tag I quickly go through classic tropes and book features and talk about whether I’m “In” (I like them) or I’m “Out” (I don’t like them). Feel free to tag yourself! Change up the prompts in your videos [or blogs] if you’d like, or just use mine. Up to you.

So on that note, let’s get to it!

1. Reading the Last Page First

GET OUTTA HERE! Sorry, not sorry. I remember when my former colleague told me she reads the last chapter before starting any book and I was speechless. I can’t imagine doing this ever because why would you want to spoil the story this way? 😫 No, thank you!

2. Enemies to Lovers

Always in! Ah, I love this trope so much, especially when it’s done well. I know much of the gripe around this trope is that it’s not really “enemies to lovers” more hate to love, etc. but I love it all!

3. Dream Sequences

I think I’m half-half on this. I’m not particularly fussed but it’s easy to get confused if the transitions aren’t done well and you don’t know whether you’re still in a dream sequence or not. 😂

4. Love Triangles

OUT! FOREVER OUT! I’m vehemently against love triangles. I just… Can’t get into it and even a hint of a love triangle can put me off very quickly! 😂

5. Cracked Spines

In for me because I can never avoid cracking the spine of a book I’m reading. Seriously, I’m genuinely curious how people manage to not crack the spine of books when they’re so tightly bound because attempting to not crack the spine means I can only open the book to like 30% and how do you read that way???! 😂

6. Back to My Small Town

In! I love stories set in small towns, especially when they’re romances! There’s just something so cosy about going back to small towns that stem from the close relationships within the community and the inclusion of quirky characters that makes it so much fun to read!

7. Monsters Are Regular People

Totally in if it’s meant in the fantasy sense. But I am fascinated by shows like Criminal Minds and by books about true crime, so I guess that means I’m also “in” for the “real” regular people sense?

8. No Paragraph Breaks

NOAR. WHY? NOAR. This not only reminds me of those overly long and dry texts that you have to read for school but it’s just… intimidating? I always find it super intimidating and it puts me off even reading a book. Paragraph breaks are always good!

9. Multi-Generational Sagas

In! Although sometimes the angst of multi-generational sagas gets to me, I always end up really enjoying them!

10. Re-Reading

In! Although I rarely do it. I want to re-read more and I even have a re-read project but I’m failing miserably at it. 😂

11. Artificial Intelligence

In! I don’t read a lot of books with AI but I have enjoyed most of the ones I’ve read with it.

12. Drop Caps

In! When I started my blog I used drop caps and eventually stopped because I was too lazy to format it. But it’s cute, I Like!

13. Happy Endings

Always in! Who doesn’t want a happy ending?! I’m all for the happy endings, please. Give me those warm fuzzy feelings and happiness that the characters deserve! 😍

14. Plot Points That Only Converge At the End

In… As long as it’s done well! Nothing is more disappointing than when you get to the end of a story only to be completely unsatisfied by how everything is resolved. 🥴

15. Detailed Magic Systems

In, mostly. I enjoyed detailed magic systems if they aren’t overly complex or if they are complex they are well explained. However, I can get easily confused sometimes so that kind of puts me off overly detailed magic systems. Mostly though, I like it!

16. Classic Fantasy Races

I’m in but I really don’t have any preference about the inclusion of classic fantasy races. I don’t mind them, I like it when they’re in books, it doesn’t personally bother me.

17. Unreliable Narrators

Eh, I don’t read a lot of mysteries and stuff but 99% of them have unreliable narrators, I find, and it kind of stresses me out? 😂 So I guess I’m half-half on this!

18. Evil Protagonists

I mean, I don’t know if I’m keen on EVIL evil protagonists you know? But ones that are morally grey or if we’re reading a villain origin story, sure, why not? I’m in!

19. The Chosen One

I’m actually not fussed about this trope so I guess I’m in? I know a lot of people feel it’s overdone but I think that as long as it’s well done and I enjoy the story, I don’t mind it.

20. When the Protagonist Dies

Naaaaah, I’m out. 😂 I just… I mean, I guess it’d be OK if I didn’t actually like the protagonist but… if I love them? PLEASE. I beg. Don’t do it! I break. I sob. 😭

21. Really Long Chapters

Out. I prefer my chapters short so it’s okay if there are more chapters but I feel like short chapters keep the pace moving quickly, you know? I always feel like the book is a slog when the chapters are really long—there are obviously exceptions but short chapters are still my pref!

22. French Flaps

In, I guess? I’m honestly not fussed either way with these french flaps (I just learned what these were called, lol)! 😂

23. Deckled Edges

In! I don’t have a lot of books with deckled edges but honestly, I don’t mind them. I think they look cool and different!

24. Signed Copies by the Author

All the way IN! I love signed copies by authors and I’ve been lucky to be able to afford the international rates for getting book boxes and special edition books. I’m especially chuffed whenever I can get my hands on signed books by my favourite authors—the way I desperately hit that BUY NOW button when The Green Bone Saga books went on sale!

25. Dog-Earing Pages

It’s out for me personally but I mean, if people wanna do it… I guess, go for it? 😂

26. Chapter Titles Instead of Numbers

Ooh, in! I love chapter titles instead of numbers, especially when the titles are quirky and funny because it always gets me excited for what’s to come in the chapter! 😍

I’m tagging:

That’s it for the tag, folks! What tropes are you “in” or “out” for?

Birthstone Book Covers: March Aquamarine Edition!

Dini @ dinipandareads20 Comments

Hello friends, I’m back today with another month’s edition for The Birthstone Book Covers series created by one of my favourites, Leslie. She began this at the start of 2022 and it was born out of her curiosity about birthstone colours. It’s fun to show different book covers/titles corresponding to that month’s birthstone. 🙂

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Spotify Wrapped Book Tag

Dini @ dinipandareads28 Comments

Hey friends, I hope the week is treating you right. One sleep ’til Friday and two sleeps ’til the weekend—let’s go! ✨

Today I’m doing a tag that I saw Elli @AceReader post a few days ago and though I’m usually terrible at matching songs to books and vice versa, I couldn’t resist giving this a try. I’m also hoping to participate in the Sound of Madness reading challenge this year so I thought this could be a good warm-up to that!

The idea of this challenge is to put your 2022 playlist on shuffle, and for the first five songs, you need to pick a book you read in 2022 that fits that song. It doesn’t have to be a perfect fit. You just have to explain why you chose that book for that song.

Edit: Thanks to Jennifer @My Book Joy for finding the original creator of this tag: Rosina @Lace and Dagger Books!

This tag is also going to spotlight what a basic pop junkie I am but that’s OK—I’m living my best life! 😂 I’m also choosing matching books limited to my 2022 reads, so that should make it more fun, lol. On that note…

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New Year’s Book Tag!

Dini @ dinipandareads13 Comments

Hello, friends! I hope you’re all doing okay and taking care of yourselves. 💜 I’m back with the first tag of 2023 and it’s fittingly the New Year’s Book Tag! It’s only mid-January so it’s definitely still okay to do this tag, right? 😜 I was tagged by the wonderful Kerri @Kerri McBookNerd and if you haven’t already, I would encourage visiting her blog for some great content, especially fantasy related.

In the interest of keeping this intro short and sweet, I’m simply going to dive in. This tag was originally created by booktuber Heather @Bookables.

How many books are you planning to read in 2023?

I’ve set my Goodreads/Storygraph goal to 150 books. Same as last year but I have a feeling it’s gonna be really different this year with work and all.

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Bookish Naughty or Nice Tag – 2022 Edition!

Dini @ dinipandareads24 Comments

I’ve been seeing this tag floating around again over the last couple of days and since the (first and) last time I did it was in 2019, I decided why not do it again? It’s not like I have a bunch of other Christmas tags to choose from! *awkwardly clears throat* 🫣 On that note, let’s get straight to it, shall we? My answers apply only to my reading experience in 2022!

This tag was originally created by Jenniely.

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Bookish Smash or Pass Book Tag!

Dini @ dinipandareads12 Comments

Hello, friends! The end of 2022 is speeding ever closer and I hope everyone’s doing okay especially as I know this time of year isn’t fun and fantastic for all. I’ve been doing pretty terribly with posting this week, smashing my posting streak to bits as my poor organisational skills took centre stage. 😂 All that being said, I decided to finally do the Bookish Smash or Pass tag originally developed by Becky @Becky’s Book Blog after not only being tagged by her but also by Sahi @My World of Books! Thanks to these lovelies for tagging me and don’t forget to check out their blogs for all the good SFF and other bookish things.

Now I’m wondering… Am I gonna smash on everything or is there something I’m going to pass on?! Without further ado, LET’S FIND OUT!

Bookish Tropes

BIG SMASH! I’m definitely here for ALL the tropes, especially in my romances. I love knowing what I’m getting into especially if it’s a trope that I love but it’s also a good way for me to stay away from the books that have tropes I don’t like—such as the dreaded love triangle.

Alternating POV

ABSOLUTE SMASH! I love alternating POVs. I’m all for the different perspectives and I think it makes for a more well-rounded story but also gives characters more depth. I’m less picky when it comes to SFF and contemporaries but when it comes to romances, I find myself getting annoyed when there’s only one POV. I need to know what both parties are thinking, please!

Ambiguous Endings

It’s gonna be a PASS for me, thanks. I mean, that’s not to say that I totally hate all books that have open endings, I’m generally okay with them if they’re satisfying but I’ve found that’s generally never the case and so if I had the choice, I’d definitely take my well-rounded, closed endings!

Non-Fiction

Eh… I mean… This is a toughie because I don’t read a lot of non-fiction even though I always set a yearly goal to read one more NF title than I did the year before (definitely failed this year, lol). I just can’t get into NF books as easily and it takes me yonks to read but I’m not against reading more either, y’know? So I’m going for SMASS. Smash-Pass = SMASS.

Historical Setting

It’s a SMASH! I’ve always loved historical fiction and I still love a good historical setting. Some of my all-time favourite reads have historical settings (Persuasion, The Shadow of the Wind, and Evelyn Hugo to name a few)! I love what historical settings can add to a story too.

Morally Grey Characters

SMASHTASTIC! If I’m being honest it’s only in recent years that I came to develop a strong appreciation for morally grey characters and it’s all thanks to Schwab’s books—A Darker Shade of Magic series and Villains series, and the latter especially. Victor is *chefs kiss!*

First Person POV

Yeah, I can SMASH with this. I’m not particularly fussed with first-person POV but it really depends on the character(s). If they’re annoying then it’ll be an absolute nightmare to get through a book with this POV and it’s definitely happened before! 😂

Audiobooks

SMASS. So, I don’t mind audiobooks but I don’t work through them as quickly and easily as many people seem to. When I find one that works, I usually finish a book faster and end up loving that audiobook; but I’m also quite picky when it comes to audiobooks and when I listen to one I have to give it every bit of my attention, so I can’t multitask while listening because otherwise, I miss everything. The narrator also needs to be really engaging, capture all the character’s voices well, and just be easy to listen to.

Re-reading

Well, it’s usually a PASS for me. If I’m being honest, I have about a bajillion books on my “let’s re-read this” list and the time to re-read never ever comes around. 😂 There are just too many books to read and not enough time to read all of them and re-read the rest. It’s cliche but it’s true! 🤷🏻‍♀️

Classic Novels

SMASS! I don’t read a lot of classics but two of my all-time favourites are classics and I’m interested in reading more classics but I just struggle to get through them. And I mean, if given the choice between reading a classic or a contemporary or fantasy, I’d definitely pick the latter two.

Annotating

YES! SMASH! I’ve come to love annotating books and now just highlighting and making notes on my Kindle but annotating in my physical books as well. I love tabbing and although I still haven’t fully leveled up to writing directly in my books, I do make notes on stickies and put them in there. There’s something so satisfying about annotating although it can definitely change the reading experience (in both positive/negative ways)!

Cracking Book Spines

How do people read some paperbacks and NOT crack the book spines? I’m not for it but like I’m also scratching my head in wonder because I have yet to be able to read a paperback without once cracking the spine, no matter how floppy it is. Sorry, it’s just facts!

Smut

I. Am. HERE for the smut. SMASH IT! Really not much for me to say other than yuh, I love it. 😂 Obviously, I prefer my smut with plot and if it serves to advance the characters and their stories but I’m also okay with mindless no plot, just smut books. They’re fun to read every now and again although I mostly don’t rate those books when I do read them!

Character Driven Books

SMASH THE LOT! I love and adore character-driven books and as much as I love a good strong plot, if I don’t like or connect with the characters, it will be a struggle for me to get through the book.

Past/Present Timeline

Eh, PASS. It’s really not my favourite storytelling method. There are definitely exceptions where I enjoy this alternating timeline but I usually find that I’m less engaged in one timeline, usually the past, and want to skip ahead to the present.

Heavy World-Building

SMASH but only if it’s not dumpy, confusing or boring heavy world-building! I love when world-building is done well cos it helps me get lost in the story and love it even more.

Tagging

Unsurprisingly, as predicted, I smashed a whole lot on this list, lol. On the whole, I think I’m a pretty easy-to-please reader but this was a super fun tag to do! 😊

The End of Year Book Tag – 2022 Edition

Dini @ dinipandareads26 Comments

Hello, friends! We’ve reached the final month of another year so that means it’s time to share another End of Year Book Tag – 2022 Edition! I’ve done this tag in 2019 and 2020 (not sure what happened in 2021!) but it’s always fun to do. This time I got tagged by the lovely Becky @Becky’s Book Blog, who is a fantastic blogger especially if you love fantasy because she comes with all the recs, so be sure to check out her blog. Thanks for the tag, Becky! 💜

This tag was originally created by booktuber Ariel Bissett!

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

There are actually two books sitting on my “Currently Reading” list on Goodreads. I started both in June/July but wasn’t in the right mood to keep reading them although I do want to finish both.

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

As a non-seasonal reader, I’m kind of surprised to admit that this year I found an excellent series of books to transition into the end of the year. The Stay a Spell paranormal romance series has featured a lot on my blog lately but I just love it so much, plus it has a lovely holiday themed collection of short stories from these characters to complete the transition to the holiday season!

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

I was gonna say no until I checked my 2022 releases list and saw that there are four books still releasing in December that I’m looking forward to reading! I’m sure there are others that I just haven’t marked yet, lol.

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?

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

If the hype is right—and ngl, I sure hope it is—then I think this book has potential to become a favourite this year but I’m unsure if it’ll become the favourite of the year. Let’s see! 😉

Have you already started to make reading plans for 2023?

I do have two blog tours already planned but I actually just got two emails with very exciting invitations to read upcoming YA contemporaries and fantasies and I’m debating accepting a few of those soon!

I’m tagging:

**No pressure if you don’t feel like doing it though!

That’s it for the 2022 End of Year Book Tag! I hope you all have a fantastic last month of the year!

Thanksgiving Book Tag

Dini @ dinipandareads15 Comments

So… I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving and I know the holiday has come and gone but I saw this tag on Chris‘s blog and it looked like a fun one to do so I thought, why not? Now here we are! 😂 Let’s get straight into it.

This is an original book tag by Anna’s Book Nook.

The Rules

  • Thank the person who nominated you
  • Give credit to the author (Annasbooknook)
  • Answer the prompts
  • Tag others if you desire!

1) Friends and Family: A book with characters that feel like family

Okay, not to “steal” the same answer as Chris but… The characters in The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee will never not be the first I think of for prompts like this. They’re still on my mind all the time and the clan artwork is still my wallpaper and screensaver now. I don’t think I’ll be changing it anytime soon either! 😂

Jade City, Jade War, Jade Legacy

2) Fallen Leaves: A book that fell flat (didn’t meet your expectations)

Daughter of the Moon Goddess
by Sue Lynn Tan

Hello and welcome to my unpopular opinion time! Listen, I’m just as disappointed as everyone else when I say that I didn’t love this like I thought I would. Even though the writing was gorgeous and the world-building stunning, there was something about the story that prevented me from fully connecting to it and the characters. Not to mention that bloody love triangle! Please, no. 😮‍💨

3) Thanksgiving Dinner: A book you want to read every year during this season

I’ve been bingeing the Stay a Spell Series by Juliette Cross and it’s quickly becoming one of my favourite series. The first book was a rocky start but I’m so glad that I kept reading as every book after has gotten better. I’m currently on book four and loving it with every bone in my body. No, seriously. I am! I don’t reread much but I’d definitely reread this series.

Wolf Gone Wild, Don’t Hex and Drive, Witches Get Stitches, Always Practice Safe Hex

4) Turkey: A book with a bird in it

The Astonishing Color of After
by Emily X.R. Pan

This is the first book I thought of. I read it a couple of years ago but I still think about it every now and then. It’s a beautifully written book about grief and well worth the read!

5) Ham: A book that made your eyes glaze over (boring)

A Ghost in Shining Armor
by Therese Beharrie

Another one I was sad to not love… Friends, I really tried. I don’t know if it was just my mood but it was not doing a thing for me! It sent me to sleep several times and I never made any progress… I haven’t fully decided whether to DNF or not but I’ve put it down for now and might come back to it later (probs not though).

6) Dinner Rolls: A book that melted your heart and made you feel warm

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy
by Megan Bannen

I mean, I loved this book so much that I ended up writing an “essay” review because I had so much to gush about? Love love love. 💜 I will always recommend this weirdly macabre yet beautifully heartwarming romance!

7) Mashed Potatoes: A book with a white cover

You’ll Be the Death of Me
by Karen M. McManus

I love these editions of McManus’ books! I also love that these ones all have sprayed edges that match the cover text. The bonus is that I really enjoyed this thriller/mystery. 😍

8) Gravy: A book you’re not totally sure why you love, but you do

Normal People
by Sally Rooney

Okay, I had a hard time finding a book for this prompt cos I usually know why I love the books I love?

But this took me on such a journey even after I finished reading it and I can’t properly explain in a way that people will probably understand why I love it so much. It hurt and it was hard to read and I hated it sometimes but I also forking loved it and it’s on my top books list and it’s not moving. So, yeah, lol. 🤷🏻‍♀️

9) Pumpkin Pie: A dessert book that you love

Battle Royal
by Lucy Parker

I’m taking this prompt literally because this book made me so hungry for something sweet! Gimme all the cupcakes, cakes, pastries, cookies, and boozy treats, please. This rivals-to-lovers romance was super satisfying as well! 😍

Bonus: Black Friday – Top 5 books on your “I want to buy them” list

I think my problem is quite common among my fellow book lovers and it’s that I can only choose five books? 😂 But I did it…

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, Saint by Adrienne Young, Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra, Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

And that’s all from me, folks! I won’t tag anyone but if you want to do the tag, feel free to grab it and link back so I can see your answers (gimme tea)! 😃

Birthstone Book Covers: November Topaz Edition!

Dini @ dinipandareads13 Comments

Hello friends, I’m back today with another month’s edition for The Birthstone Book Covers series created by one of my favourites, Leslie. She created this at the start of 2022 and was born out of her curiosity about birthstone colours. It’s a fun way to show different book covers/titles corresponding to that month’s birthstone.

Read More »