Hello, friends! Today I’m sharing my possibility pile for the The Life of a Showgirl Taylor Swift Inspired Reading Challenge. Isn’t that a mouthful?! 🤭 Anyway, we’re halfway through the month now, and I’m just posting about this for the first time, so I guess you can probably tell how well this is going, lol. I have been able to tick off two of the prompts, but I’m hoping to complete a few more soon!
This is a reading challenge created by four hosts @katscreations614 (Kristin), @bookish.ciara (Ciara), @wander.through.books (Ruby), and @challengecoven (Nicole) on Instagram. I believe it was created before the album came out, so some of the prompts don’t really match the song well, but I thought it’d be fun to do anyway! 😂
Okay, I’m not waffling on anymore! Let’s get straight to the prompts and bookish possibilities, but I’ll include a full list of the prompts at the end in case anyone wants to be a chaos monster with me and join halfway through the month! I’m marking the books that I’ll likely read with a ☀︎ symbol.
The Fate of Ophelia — Retelling
☀︎ The Earl That Got Away by Diana Quincy
James by Percival Everett
Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas
The Gilded Heiress by Joanna Shupe
A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim
Elizabeth Taylor — Name in the title
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Monitmore
☀︎ The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen
The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson
Audre & Bash Are Just Friends by Tia Williams
Frank & Red by Matt Coyne
Opalite — Makes you nervous or outside your comfort zone
Strange Pictures by Uketsu
This was the first prompt I finished! This was definitely a strange little book that was a step outside my comfort zone with its eerie/chilling vibes. I really enjoyed it though 🙂
Father Figure — Strong male figure
I’m not gonna lie, friends. I had a really hard time coming up with any options but the first that popped into my mind was the book that I’ll be counting for this prompt. I’d love to know what you’d recommend for this!
Jade City by Fonda Lee
Without spoilers, I’m thinking about Lan and Hilo. Both strong male figures in their own way and I love them to death (sobs). 🥺
Eldest Daughter — First in the series
Arcana Academy by Elise Kova
The Stolen Heir by Holly Black
The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
☀︎ The Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport
The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem
Ruin the Friendship — Featuring betrayal
It was also hard for me to come up with more options for this but these were the only ones I could think of (and one would be a re-read if I go for it, lol). I’d love to know what you’d recommend for this!
☀︎ I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
Powerless by Lauren Roberts
Vicious by V.E. Schwab
Actually Romantic — “He falls first” romance
Whispers of the Deep by Emma Hamm
This merman fell hard, fast, and first! Sure, the “fated mates” trope came into play a little bit, but it was wonderful to see Arges be so absolutely taken by Mira (even despite being simultaneously disgusted by humans, lol)!
Wi$h Li$t — Got for free (gifted, ARC, library, borrowed)
Temping is Hell by Cathy Yardley
I’m currently reading this ARC by Yardley. It’s an absolute hoot and romp in Hell and I’m enjoying it immensely! There are hints that this will possibly be an instalove romance, but I’m crossing all my fingers and toes that it’s not (or at least, that it’s more believable, lol).
Wood — Trees on the cover
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia
☀︎ Someone You Can Build A Nest In by John Wiswell
People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
CANCELLED! — Title with all uppercase
Last Chance to Save the World by Beth Revis
There’s Pumpkin About You by Athena Carstairs
Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio
☀︎ A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman
To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers
Honey — Yellow or gold cover
Tales from the Cafe by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Charlotte and the Seductive Spymaster by Grace Callaway
☀︎ Seducing Mr. Knightly by Maya Rodale
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
Life of A Showgirl — Two authors
☀︎ Lady’s Knight by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
THE PROMPTS
- The Fate of Ophelia — Retelling
- Elizabeth Taylor — Name in the title
- Opalite — Makes you nervous or outside your comfort zone
- Father Figure — Strong male figure
- Eldest Daughter — First in the series
- Ruin the Friendship — Featuring betrayal
- Actually Romantic — “He falls first” romance
- Wi$h Li$t — Got for free (gifted, ARC, library, borrowed)
- Wood — Trees on the cover
- CANCELLED! — Title with all uppercase
- Honey — Yellow or gold cover
- Life of A Showgirl — Two authors
And that’s it for my possibility pile for The Life of a Showgirl reading challenge! Are you also joining this challenge? What books would you recommend for some of these prompts? If you are joining, I hope you’re having fun!
dinipandareads 