The Twelve Days of Christmas Book Tag

Merry holiday!

I’m in Spokane for a second family Christmas; right now I’m watching Hallmark Christmas movies with my brother’s dogs and my sick dad.

(My dad is doing yoga and calling the dogs “Chocky.” I don’t know why.)

Emer has been doing tags nonSTOP this season (including this one) and I love her for it.

If you have time, read her teardown of Frankly in Love.

I take such PERVERSE JOY in her righteous anger.

Anyway, merry Christmas and Kwanzaa and Hanukkah and Yule.

1. A Partridge in a pear tree: Favourite Stand-Alone Book?

I read Texts From Jane Eyre over Christmas and laughed THE WHOLE TIME.

I looooooved it.

It’s a very quick, light-hearted read that’s got ALL THE JOKES.

 

2. Two Turtle Doves: Fictional OTP/Favourite Ship?

(Spoilers for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker)

 

I would have said Reylo was my favorite ship.

And you know what? IT STILL IS.

Theirs is a dynamic I really enjoy.

Also, fans of Emily A. Duncan say the ship in Wicked Saints mirrors the Reylo dynamic.

So.

I’m going to read it.

I DESERVE THIS.

 

3.Three French Hens: Favourite Trilogy?

I WOULD HAVE SAID THE NEW STAR WARS TRILOGY IF THINGS HAD GONE ACCORDING TO PLAN.

At the moment, I love His Dark Materials more every day.

I love the trilogy’s overall message and think the creativity more than makes up for the weird characters and sometimes-slow pacing.

 

4. Four Calling Birds: Favourite Fictional Beast/Creature?

I like phoenixes a bit.

Okay, a LOT.

Fire beasts are NEAT.

They symbolize rebirth and whatnot.

And Fawkes is so weird and adorable and I always pictured him as Moltres.

 

5. Five Golden Rings: Show 5 Golden Books

I hope by now I’ve made clear my love for Little Golden Books.

Some of my favorites were:

• A Day on the Farm
• Cats
• Four Little Kittens
• The Nutcracker
• My Little Golden Book About Cats

Come and behold them.

Notice a theme.

 

6. Six Geese a Laying: Rotten egg- What’s your least favorite book?

Who should I shame on my blog today?

What books did I truly, truly hate this year?

I used to really love retellings of Cinderella; not so much anymore.

To some extent, I still enjoy them. I mean, I love The Lunar Chronicles.

But Sometime After Midnight kind of ruined that narrative device for me.

I haaaaaaaaate music snobs and I haaaaate contrived conflict and wacky outfits and the whole shebang.

This book was not for me.

How am I supposed to cheer for two boys who are MUSICAL GATEKEEPERS???

 

7. Seven Swans a Swimming: Show a Book with Water on the Cover

OH, HELLO, IT’S THE WATER DANCER.

Haven’t gotten to Ta-Nehisi Coates’ first novel yet.

I still have his The Beautiful Struggle. January might be a good month for that book.

 

8. Eight Maids a Milking: What fictional food do you wish you could taste?

I’ve mentioned before how much I love November cakes from The Scorpio Races, even though the defictionalized cakes sound NOTHING like the cakes in my head.

The Connolly kids are so elated when they eat November cakes.

I want to feel that feeling.

Give me that delicious, honey-soaked, melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

 

9. Nine Ladies Dancing: Favourite dance between two characters?

I love the Dance of Romance trope, but BECAUSE I DON’T READ CONTEMPORARIES or HISTORICAL FICTION, I don’t get to see it!!!

My favorite film examples include Enchanted and Anastasia.

I don’t recall the exact circumstances, but the tropes page for the Keisha’ra series claims sexy dances are a staple of Serpiente culture.

WAIT, I THINK THERE’S A DANCE OF ROMANCE IN CINDER, TOO!!!

I’ve written Dances of Romance before. I consider them a necessary staple of any and all literature.

 

10. Ten Lords a Leaping: Favorite Book-To-Movie-Adaptation?

Annihilation the book and Annihilation the movie are two very different animals.

I love them both.

Speculative fiction at its best.

Also, LOOK AT HOW PERFECT THE CAST OF THE FILM VERSION IS!!!

Oscar Isaac AND Natalie Portman?? WOW.

There’s a chance Little Women will become my new favorite.

We shall see.

 

11. Eleven Pipers Piping: Favourite Book-To-Movie-Adaptation Soundtrack?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower has a blessed soundtrack.

My favorite part is the moment at the school dance when Charlie starts awkwardly dancing to the breakdown in “Come On, Eileen.”

The film ends on David Bowie’s “Heroes.” It’s perfect.

 

12. Twelve Drummers Drumming: It’s the end of the song; what’s your favourite book ending?

(Ending spoilers ahead)

I have so many recent favorites that it’s hard to pick one.

If I could combine three of my favorites, the characters would have a family reunion at a Pride Parade. They’d march down to the water and see a horse stepping out of the waves.

And I would CRY AND CRY CRY.

I am watching a different Christmas movie than when I started this post.

I need a cuddle and a burrito.

Joyeux noel, friends.