Book Courtship Tag

I’m freaking out about the Nick and Diane romance from Come From Away.

I get “Stop the World” stuck in my head all the time.

Sometimes I tear up.

I’m not proud.

But I’m fascinated by their courtship.

The couple met because of 9/11 and fell in love over five days.

HOW?

I don’t have the answer…

…but I do have the ten phases of courtship that they must have gone through at some point.

(Copying you once again, Jenna.)

(Read Jenna’s original post. She picked the prettiest books.)

(Nick and Diane Marson are still together. I love them so much.)

 

PHASE ONE: INITIAL ATTRACTION

A book you bought because of the cover

HOW DO I NARROW IT DOWN?

THAT’S HOW I BUY BOOKS!

Well…I’ve never wanted to read Mansfield Park, despite it being my uncle’s favorite Austen book.

But when I saw its pearlescent flexibound cover, I wanted it more than I’ve ever wanted anything.

My mom, great parent that she is, bought Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey to complete my Jane Austen set.

I still haven’t read either of them.

 

PHASE TWO: FIRST IMPRESSIONS

A book you got because of its summary

Two princesses fall in complicated love while learning to ride.

I didn’t need more of a summary than that, but Audrey Coulthurst ALSO promised me fire magic (yes) and mystery (YES.)

She did not deliver.

 

PHRASE THREE: SWEET TALK

A book with great writing

LISTEN. I SAID I WOULD MENTION THE SCORPIO RACES TWICE MORE, SO I AM.

I reread this book last month and WOW.

It’s so good.

The prose is so dense.

I’ve read this book PLENTY OF TIMES and the plot twists still catch me off guard.

The characterization and worldbuilding are so deft and perfect.

I love this book.

 

PHASE 4: FIRST DATE

THE FIRST BOOK OF A SERIES THAT MADE YOU WANT TO PICK UP THE REST OF THE SERIES

This isn’t the first book in the series, but it’s the first one I read.

My friend passed it to me at a sleepover. She had a whole stack of Madison Finn books. She got me hooked by explaining the intricate teenage friendships and crushes and rivalries.

I only finished a couple of chapters before I had to go home.

It was torture.

Did Hart start liking Madison back? Did Poison Ivy succeed? Did Drew buy everyone tickets to Switzerland?

I HAD TO KNOW.

 

PHASE 5: LATE NIGHT PHONE CALLS

A book that kept you up all night

Pick any of the books I read between ages 7 to 17.

I hated sleep back then.

I know better now.

Peter Abrahams’ mystery series kept me up for a couple of nights.

I couldn’t sleep without knowing how the plot resolved.

 

PHASE 6: ALWAYS ON MY MIND

A book you could not stop thinking about

All I want to do is post a The Scorpio Races collage and call it a day.

BUT I WILL NOT. I AM DIGGING THROUGH THE ARCHIVES OF MY MEMORY FOR YOU ALL.

The problem is I blocked out a lot from my teenage years.

A Monster Calls got me.

I know I’m in trouble when a book makes me cry while I’m describing it to others.

I found out why the monster appears at 12:07.

I will never recover.

 

PHASE 7: GETTING PHYSICAL

A book that you love the way it feels

I’m repressing a gag. Don’t. Touch. Me.

I bought a gorgeous paperback edition of The Signature of All Things.

The pages are all worn on the edges.

It feels good to hold this book in my hand.

 

PHASE 8: MEETING THE PARENTS

A book you would recommend to your family and friends

For this, I have to go spiritual. My relatives and I make drastically different fiction choices.

What’s the best spiritual book I’ve read recently?

Different question: what’s the most palatable Christian book I’ve read recently?

I have to pick Searching for Sunday. 

My family’s had some bad church experiences. They would get it.

 

PHASE 9: THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE

A book or series you know you will read many times in the future

The hopefulness of the ending makes me want to read this book over and over.

I will come back for you, Aza.

I promise.

 

PHASE 10: SHARE THE LOVE

Behold my deepening relationship with literature.

Comment below!

Which phase is your favorite?

Does anyone else hate being touched but love tactile sensation?

Should I stop talking about The Scorpio Races? (Spoiler alert: I won’t.)