Happy Monday, friends! I recently saw Pam @ Read Bake Create post the Firsts of 2025 Book Tag and it reminded me that this tag existed! I’ve done it for the past two years (see: 2023, 2024) and since I didn’t have anything planned for today, I thought I’d go for it! Before I get into it though, I want to say that I’m changing up the answers for the third & fourth questions because they’ll be the same as the first & second, and what fun is that?! I gotta make this a bit more exciting, lol! Now with that out of the way, let’s get to it. 😉
Happy Thursday, friends! It’s time for another tag and I saw today’s Bookish Alphabet Tag on Alli @ Alli the Book Giraffe’s blog. The title feels pretty self-explanatory but you basically go through the alphabet and see if you own a book with a title that starts with every letter of the alphabet. It looked like a really fun and easy tag to do and I was very curious to see if I had a book for each letter… and I did, although I only had one option for X and Z! 🤣 I specifically focused on books that are still on my TBR but I hope to read some of these very soon. With that, let’s get to it!
Hello, friends! Over the years I’ve seen (and been tagged in) several Fantasy Book Tags but I haven’t done any of them yet until now! I came across this particular fantasy book tag on Alli @ Alli the Book Giraffe’s page earlier this year and it seemed short and sweet enough to get done relatively quickly (I ate my words, it took me ages to decide on anything, lol)!
On that note, let’s get to it 🙂
What is the longest fantasy series that you’ve ever read?
This goes to Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I haven’t actually finished the series yet as I’ve still got the final book to read, but I did read all the others… But don’t ask me about any of them because I’ve got zero recollection of any of them! 😂
Favourite fantastical setting or world
Again, there are so many to choose from but one of the first that came to mind is the world from Elizabeth Lim’s The Blood of Stars and Six Crimson Cranes series. They’re not set in the same exact location but they are set in the same universe. It’s such a magical and whimsical Asian inspired fantasy world and I love it heaps!
Besides HP, what is your favourite fantasy book/series?
If you love HP, there’s a high chance that you will love Nevermoor because it has many of the same qualities and it’s not written by a trash author (yes). This MG fantasy has easily replaced HP as my favourite, and I will never stop recommending it!
This is surprisingly difficult as I’ve got two villains who I loathe & love but Holland from the Shades of Magic Series by V.E. Schwab has been my favourite for years. Ayt Mada (The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee) is a great contender even though it took me a minute to appreciate her villainy because she hurt my people. 😭
…It’s a bit cliche to say dragons, right? But DRAGONS! But I also love werewolves, gumiho, vampires, faeries… So many mythical creatures!
Favourite female protagonist from a fantasy book?
This isn’t my only “favourite of all time” FMC but Matsuda Misaki is top-tier. I finished The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang this week and it was amazing! Misaki’s story was incredible and her character left me speechless/in awe so many times throughout the read.
Art by Tom Jilesen
Favourite male protagonist?
Same as above, while he’s not my only favourite of all time, Yin Nezha from The Poppy War series by R.F. Kuang is without a doubt a character that just … I have no words! 😂 His character wrecked me!!! Made me so unwell!! Just thinking about him makes me CRY!!! HELP. SO GOOD. SO SO GOOD!!!
Art by bland_apple
That’s it for The Fantasy Book Tag! I won’t be tagging anyone specifically but if you want to do this, feel free to link back so I can check out your answers! I want to know who your favourite fantasy FMC and MMC are! 😃
I know. I know it’s the first of February and we should probably be leaving behind all the “2024 wrap-ups, summaries, etc.,” but I couldn’t resist giving this book tag a go and I honestly don’t want to wait for that “go” to happen next year. I’ll move on after this, I swear! 😂
Funny story, when I first saw this tag on Jodie’s blog and then Chris’s blog I felt like I recognised the title from somewhere and went to look on my list of saved tags and noticed that I’d first seen it on Queen Timy’s blog back in 2022. Turns out, they’re different book tags (different prompts) with the same name! For this edition, I’m sticking with the “In 2024…My life in Books” tag created by Book’d Out.
The only rule for this tag is that you must complete the prompts using titles from the books you read in 2024. This should be interesting!
And that it’s for my 2024 life in books! Even though I had so much fun doing this, it was so much harder than I thought it’d be and I questioned whether most of these made sense (I hope they do)! 😂 What do you think? How was your year in books?
For the first time since I started book blogging, I finally remembered to check when my blog’s anniversary is and wouldn’t you know it? I’m a day late. 😂 How very typical of me but at least I remembered at all this year!
SIX YEARS. Holy granola, I can’t believe I’ve been blogging for six years! While I know I’ve been around for what feels like ages, I also often look at my blog and wonder, “What have I really done with this space? Despite years of being here, am I still a nobody surrounded by brilliantly talented content creators?” It’s safe to say that all these years later, I still struggle with imposter syndrome. 🫣 But I know that regardless of how I may see myself and the things I do, I should be proud of how far I’ve come with this blog and how consistent I’ve been with keeping it up!
I told myself that if I ever remembered my anniversary, I would write a reflection post about it so here we are. But since I’m doing this on short notice (as usual, lol), I thought I’d make things easier for myself by using some questions from this Book Blogger Anniversary Tag that I found on Talk Nerdy Book Blog to guide me. On that note, let’s get to it!
This book tag was originally created by booktuber Book Your Imagination so some of the questions have been modified for blogging (and I’ve modified some of them even further to fit my reflection)!
Hello friends! As it’s the second-to-last day of 2024, I thought I would do the Spotify Wrapped Book Tag, which I did for the first time last year! I remember having a lot of fun doing this last year, so let’s see if it’ll be just as fun now. I also hope it’s easy to find good book matches for my favourite 2024 songs! 🎶 Let’s get to it 🎶
Christmas is just around the corner so what better time to post The Christmas Carol Book Tag than now? 🎄 I saw this on Caro’s blogthe other day and thought it looked like fun so I thought I’d give it a go and I’m going to get right to it!
The Ghost of Christmas Past A book that was a childhood favourite
I remember discovering Where the Sidewalk Ends and Silverstein’s other poetry books and falling in love with the rhymes and matching illustrations. It has been years since I last read it but I distinctly remember the joy and comfort these books brought me! 💜
The Ghost of Christmas Present A recent book that you think will become one of your all-time favourites
There are a number of books I’m excited for in 2025 but I’m really looking forward to this one! I thought this was out in December but maybe I got it wrong or the date got pushed back. Either way, I’m keen to get it!
Bah, Hambug A book that everyone else loves that you just can’t stand
Alright, it’s time for the truth. I don’t even care if I get flack for this but I just can’t with this entire series. 😅 The first book was just okay but the rest? Yikes! I’m sorry, it was just really bad and I don’t understand… I just don’t understand. 🫣
Bob Cratchit An old dependable that you always recommend
I find recommending books scary (lol) but this is the one that I’ve had the most “success” in recommending, I think. It’s a cosy slice-of-life fantasy where not a whole lot happens but it’s sweet, warm, and delightful!
Tiny Tim An underhyped book that you think deserves more love
I’m going to focus on a release that I read this year that I don’t think received as much hype as it deserved! I didn’t see Immortal Dark mentioned in many places (or maybe I’m not in those places but…) I don’t know why cos it was fantastic!
Today? Why it’s Christmas morning! What’s a book that always gets you in the mood for Christmas?
I’m not much of a rereader so I don’t have one go-to to kickstart the holiday season. However, I did read Big Nick Energy recently and thought it was such a great feel-good holiday romance and I would recommend it!
The Muppet Christmas Carol Your favourite film adaptation of a book
This might be a very unpopular opinion, especially with those who are die-hard Tolkien fans or who treasure his books. However, I was not a fan of The Hobbit novel yet I love the movie and it’s one of my go-to comfort movies! 🤷🏻♀️ I can’t even begin to tell you how hard the disappointment hit when I read the book! 😭
🎄 And that’s it for the Christmas Carol Book Tag, folks! Even if you’ve not been tagged and want to do it, do link back as I’d love to see your answers! 🎄
I put this off for as long as I could out of fear I’d miss my next new favourite but with two weeks to go until the year ends, the time has finally come to do the End of Year Book Tag — 2024 edition! I still can’t believe we’ve reached the end of another year and I’m almost terrified to know how quickly 2025 will fly by! But I digress.
Let’s get on to the book tag now and see what my 2024 reading year was like…
Check out the End of Year Book Tag in previous years: 2019 | 2020 | 2022 | 2023
This tag was originally created by booktuber Ariel Bissett.
Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?
I was doing so well with cleaning out my “currently reading” shelf all year but I’ve got five books on there now. I’m hopeful about finishing at least 4 of these before the year ends but I’m not sure about the chonkiest one of the lot.
How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz, Rare Blend by Michelle Naomi Mosley, Whisky Business by Elliot Fletcher, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence
Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?
I’m not much of a seasonal reader nor do I often re-read so I don’t have a “go-to” book to transition into the end of the year. I did read a few this year that were wonderfully atmospheric options though:
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, Starling House by Alix E. Harrow, The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli
Is there a new release that you’re still waiting for?
I honestly didn’t have a clue about what was being released in December before this book tag. The only book on my radar was A Cruel Thirstand I was lucky enough to read an ARC (I recommend it if you’re looking for a fun historical paranormal romance romp—you can check out my review here). Here are a couple other titles that piqued my interest… 🤭
A Series of Rooms by A.J. Barlowe, Bourbon & Secrets by Victoria Wilder, The Cure for Women by Lydia Reeder
What are three books you want to read before the year ends?
Of the titles that aren’t on my “currently reading” shelf, these are three titles I hope I can squeeze in before the year ends.
Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson, Black Water Sister by Zen Cho, Somone You Can Build A Nest In by John Wiswell
Is there a book that you think could still shock you and become your favourite of the year?
Oh gosh, this is tough because I’m really not sure what I plan to read for the rest of the year… I’m going to leave this blank for now because I really can’t think of anything that I plan to read that could end up as a top favourite. 🫣 (oop, boring answer—sorry!)
Have you already started to make reading plans for 2025?
Surprisingly, yes! I tend to kind of wing most things but I’ve been thinking a lot about the reading challenges that I want to take part in next year. I was also emailed about a few YA releases that sound incredible and I’m keen to check out. I’m also making plans for buddy and group reads to tackle the backlist and Owlcrate editions (plus, I’m thinking about doing an Illumicrate editions buddy/group read if there’s interest for it). Lots of exciting things in the pipeline! 😊
A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson, Divining the Leaves by Shveta Thakrar, I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang, If We Were A Movie by Zakiya N. Jamal, The Wilde Trials by Mackenzie Reed
I’m not tagging anyone but I’d love to see your answers if you do it! How was your reading in 2024? Are there any books that you hope to get to before the year ends? Any that could possibly be a new favourite?
I was reminded that this tag existed after seeing Chris’s post the other day so here I am doing the same! I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving but this is a yearly meme I do enjoy so why not keep doing it with the books I’ve read over the year? I thought I did one last year but it seems the last time I did this was in 2022 so now is the time to rectify this error and get straight to it.
The found family aspect in A Rival Most Vial was one of my favourite parts of the book. The shopkeepers of Rosemond Street who make up this wonderful crew quickly stole my heart and they felt very much like family by the end of the story! 💜
There have been a surprising number of books that could’ve fit this category this year. But House of Frank sounded like it could’ve been a 5-star read for me (and I predicted it would be) but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I was so disappointed… 🥺
3) Thanksgiving Dinner: A book you want to read every year during this season
I can’t think of a more perfect read for this season! Whether it’s one that I’ll re-read every year remains to be seen cos I don’t re-read as much as I’d like, but this would be a contender!
This had many birds and it was amazing. Gruesome and slightly terrifying at times, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this if you love non-Western mythology in your fantasy!
This MG SFF had been on my TBR for years and I was so excited to read it. Unfortunately, disappointing would be an understatement. I didn’t get reeled in the way I expected and found myself bored despite all the action!
6) Dinner Rolls: A book that melted your heart and made you feel warm
I can’t really think of a book that would fit this prompt this week but I’ll go with this monster romance series. It’s not something I typically read but gosh, it was fun, emotional, sexy, and sweet!
Bonus: Black Friday – Top 5 books on your “I want to buy them” list
Instead of choosing a Top 5 (because that would be impossible) I’m sharing the last 5 books I added to my TBR wishlist!
Someone You Can Build A Nest In by John Wiswell, Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy, The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night by Steven Banbury, Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows, The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones
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! 😃
Hello, friends! It’s time for another round of Tag Thursday. I’ve been keeping today’s tag for the right mood and now the day has finally come! 😂
I found this tag on Budget Tales Book Blog who found it on A Little But Alot. I tried scouring the Google for who was the creator of this tag but there are so many Bookish Questions Book Tag variations that I can’t find the one for this specific tag. If you do find them or know who it is, please leave a comment so I can properly link them up! 💜
On that note, let’s get straight to this tag!
Genre I stay away from
As The Ultimate Chicken™️, horror in general is a genre that I stay away from. More specifically, paranormal horror is something that I try as much as possible to not touch. This goes for books, movies, shows, etc. I’ve dipped my toes in a time or two and I wouldn’t say that I didn’t enjoy it at all but my overactive imagination went into overdrive and I couldn’t sleep for… a while. 👀 It’s just really not my jam!
Worst habit as a reader?
Oh, I’ve got a few bad habits when it comes to books but I think one of them is my inability to DNF. I’m actively trying to improve on this but it’s so hard, friends! My brain always goes “but what if it gets better?” and it very rarely does, yet my brain still convinces me that maybe this time it will. 😂 Let’s just say that I’m a work in progress!
Do I read the synopsis?
I always do… But that doesn’t mean I will remember it. 🤭 Most of the time I simply remember what the gist of the book is about but often times, I forgot details I read in the synopsis. It’s both good and bad (especially if I’m taken completely by surprise in a not good way, lol)!
Do I read used books?
I love used books! When I first started actively reading again post-uni, the books that got me started were secondhand Nora Roberts books I found in one of the only indie bookstores that sold English books in Cambodia! 😂 Sadly, where I live now doesn’t really do “used” books at least not of English books.
Favourite book from last year?
Uhm, ask me to choose one favourite and it’s impossible. I can never choose whenever I make my Yearly wrap-up posts and well, I still can’t choose. So here the Top 5 I listed in my 2023 End of Year Book Survey:
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Role Playing, The Dragon Republic, Unethered Sky, The Six Deaths of the Saint
Favourite Classic?
I’m not trying to be difficult but again, it’s a tie between my queen Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion.
Book I always recommend?
Hmm, not an easy question to answer since there’s so much to consider when recommending anything! However, a book I realise that I’ve recommended a lot over the past couple of years is Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. It’s the perfect slice-of-life cosy fantasy with new beginnings, warm friendships, wonderful characters, and a sweet sapphic romance. It’s so good! 🥰
There are literally so many that I can’t name them all! Here are five that are a mix of new and old releases.
Below, The Phoenix Keeper, They Called Us Enemy, In Memoriam, Night Song
Books I’m ashamed of not reading yet?
Oh, there are truly so many but the ones I’m really most ashamed of not reading yet are the backlist ARCs on my NetGalley shelf. 🥺 I’m gonna further call myself out here and share a few of the titles that are on the list and some of them are backlist backlist ARCs. (Cue: That Game of Thrones shame GIF!)
The Raven and the Dove, The Mermaid from Jeju, She Who Became the Sun, Hooked, How Do You Live?
That’s it for today’s tag! I won’t be tagging anyone this time but if you do it, feel free to link back so I can read your answers! 😃
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