The Lover Book Tag: Round Five

Why would I work on my demon essay when there are more Taylor Swift tags to do?

IT’S ROUND FIVE OF THE LOVER BOOK TAG, NOW WITH GRAPHICS.

Katie at Pages and Pugs made this tag along with the graphics – it’s her first book tag and I think she did a great job!

(Also, Pages and Pugs is an adorable blog name.)

Frankly in Love has fake dating (which I hate) and gun violence.

I’m going to pass.

 

Once upon a time, forbidden romance was my favorite trope.

My love for forbidden romance led me to Perfect Chemistry by Simon Elkeles.

It’s cheesy and foolish and has an EMBARRASSING (and, frankly, racist) book trailer where THE CHARACTERS RAP ABOUT CHURROS.

It is also very hot.

(And, if I remember correctly, quite violent?)

(I FORGOT THE PLOT WAS LITERALLY ABOUT CHEMISTRY CLASS. SIMONE, WHY?)

I never read the sequels, but I enjoyed the hell out of their melodramatic book trailers.

BONUS ANSWER: SPEAKING of cheesy, foolish, and embarrassing media, Willow has a forbidden romance that I STILL LOVE so many years later.

‘I love you, Sorsha?’ I don’t love her, she kicked me in the face! I hate her……don’t I?

 

I HAVE A HARD TIME committing to one pairing to rule them all.

I LIKE SO MANY. I DON’T WANT TO CHOOSE JUST ONE.

There is a particular shipping dynamic, as depicted by Jess Campbell, that I really enjoy.

In sum, I love it when big scary characters fall for small scrappy characters who refuse to be bullied.

This is one of the MANY reasons I love Wolf/Scarlet from The Lunar Chronicles, which ISN’T my OTP, but SURE IS UP THERE.

 

I wasn’t sure if “anthem” referred to a book or a song…so I chose both.

I loooooooved Toil & Trouble for its girl power themes.

Music-wise, I’ve been listening to “Boss Ass Bitch” by ptaf to prep for NaNoWriMo.

It is DEFINITELY helping.

 

Rosiee Thor wrote a beautiful essay about discovering her aromanticism while writing Tarnished Are the Stars.

I can’t look at Tarnished without thinking of Rosiee’s journey.

 

From what little I know of The Merciful Crow, leader character Fie is tough and strong.

And she uses bone magic, hm?

I should start this book today…

 

I watched the movie version of Fallen a few weeks ago and it reminded me how silly I thought the book was.

Luce’s attraction to Daniel is no mere high school crush – it’s a high-stakes supernatural reincarnation romance that will SETTLE THE BALANCE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL ONCE AND FOR ALL.

If you like to feel low-key uncomfortable during your romances (mainly because of Cam), read or watch Fallen today!

 

Spoilers for Fruits Basket

Yuki and Machi’s friendship starts out very tentatively.

It blooms once Machi buys Yuki fertilizer. (Not a metaphor, this actually happens.)

 

Spoilers for The Ruby Oliver Quartet

I struggle with the Ruby/Noel romance in the Ruby Oliver books.

The third book is especially difficult for me.

YET ANOTHER boy in Ruby’s life misunderstands something she did, overreacts, and dumps her without hearing her out.

I just hate it.

It makes me so upset.

Pain au chocolat is not an adequate apology.

 

I don’t want to spend a lot of time talking about This is How You Lose the Time War because it really upset me.

It’s non-linear. There’s time travel.

THAT’S ALL I CAN STOMACH.

 

Pippa Dunn of The English American is a precious, redheaded, thirty-something adoptee trying to find her birth parents.

I looooooved her journey into the American South.

This book has a very cute, supremely underrated romance.

Highly recommend.

(Take note, though: the family stuff is rough. CW for mental illness, abandonment, emotional abuse, etc.)

 

Shadow and Bone forever prejudiced me against Leigh Bardugo.

No matter what she writes next, I will always remember being saddled with Mal Oretsev and MAGIC SCHOOL.

Her next book is a grimdark adult novel that I will FOR SURE be skipping because HELLO, TRIGGER WARNINGS.

 

Spoilers for BBC’s The Musketeers

Complaining about Athos from The Musketeers in a different draft reminded me of a certain scene from my once-favorite TV series.

You’re WELCOME. (Start at 1:35)

 

I liked Let’s Talk About Love a LOT.

I especially loved its handling of asexuality.

All the points to Claire Kann.

 

Red, White, and Royal Blue involves mortal(ish) political enemies becoming friends and then lovers.

It’s REALLY CUTE.

Also, and I won’t stop saying this, I thought the politics were the best part.

The HOPE Casey McQuiston instilled in me! That is some MAGIC!

 

It’s possible that creating a femme revenge squad like the one in Dead Queens Club is my dream.

Don’t tell my parents.

Hm…should that be my next writing project?

 

I STILL HAVEN’T READ HEART OF IRON.

I KEEP MEANING TO.

I KNOW THAT DOESN’T MEAN MUCH.

I am so in love with the concept of Anastasia-in-space that I’m afraid to begin.

I don’t want my hopes dashed.

IT’S JUST SO PRETTY AND CREATIVE.

KEEP UP THE LOVER TAGS, BOOK BLOGGERS.

I WILL DO THEM ALL.