The news has been freaking me out, so I am rereading books and redoing book tags.
Elli @ Ace Reader reminded me that the Lover Book Tag exists, so here we are.
Also, Nish and Ngoc’s original tag was so excellent, it seemed necessary to do it a second time.
Let’s do it.
I Forgot That You Existed // A book that you want to forget you ever read.
“It isn’t love, it isn’t hate, it’s just indifference”
I remembered the other day that Chaotic Good exists.
I loathed this book.
It was lauded for being “so feminist,” which…it completely forgot about trans people, so that compliment checks out.
Cruel Summer // A book you turn to when the going gets rough
“Killing me slow, out the window. Always waiting for you to be waiting below.”
I was feeling down, so I put on the audiobook of Someday, Someday, Maybe.
I read this book when I’m feeling uncertain about the direction my life is headed.
It always makes me feel better.
Lover // Your book OTP
“Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close forever and ever?”
So uh.
I have been unable to read House of Sky and Breath because I am TOO invested in Bryce and Hunt.
The sexual tension is TOO powerful.
The Man // Your fave kick-ass female protagonist
“I’m so sick of running as fast as I can. Wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man.”
All’s Well scratched the “good for her” part of my brain.
After having her chronic pain dismissed, Miranda gets revenge on the naysayers.
It is incredibly satisfying.
The Archer // A book with good mental health representation.
“All the king’s horses, all the king’s men couldn’t put me back together again. ‘Cause all of my enemies started out friends.”
I liked the depression rep in Weather Girl a lot.
It’s hard to believe that people will stick by you when your mental health dips.
I could relate to Ari’s occasional Dark Days, because same.
I Think He Knows // Your fave fictional crush
“I want you, bless my soul, and I ain’t gotta tell him, I think he knows”
I’m generally not a huge William Darcy fan.
However, I LOVE the Darcy from A Certain Appeal.
He fights sexual harassers!
He asks for consent!
He flirts over email!
He looks good in a suit!
I love him!
Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince // Fave angsty romance
“It’s you and me, there’s nothing like this. Miss Americana and The Heartbreak Prince. We’re so sad, we paint the town blue. Voted most likely to run away with you.”
My friend Amber and I were sitting at her dinner table squealing about Winter’s Orbit.
JAINAN THINKS KIEM IS REPULSED BY HIM.
KIEM WANTS TO RESPECT JAINAN’S EMOTIONAL BOUNDARIES.
EVERY IS MISCOMMUNICATING AND THEN THERE ARE WAR CRIMES.
IT’S SO GOOD.
Paper Rings // Book with an ugly cover that you absolutely adored
“I love shiny things but I’d marry you with paper rings”
I really dislike the cover for Such a Fun Age.
That said, I LOVED the book.
It’s stressful and funny and satisfying.
Cornelia Street // A book or series you never want(ed) to end
“I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends”
One Last Stop was so comforting, I wanted the story to continue on forever.
Casey McQuiston’s writing feels like a warm hug from someone who cares about me.
I love reading his books so much.
Death by a Thousand Cuts // A book or series that deserved a better ending
“I can’t pretend it’s okay when it’s not, it’s death by a thousand cuts”
Dreams of Gods & Monsters kept me from buying a deluxe set of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy.
This book frustrated me so much.
The first two books in the series are some of the best fantasy novels I’ve ever read.
Dreams is a HUGE letdown by comparison.
London Boy // Your fave British male protagonist
“They say home is where the heart is, but God, I love the English”
You can’t call Sebastian the true protagonist of Brideshead Revisited.
He is my favorite, though.
Sixteen-year-old me loved this book without realizing I was queer as the characters. Self-awareness is overrated!
Soon You’ll Get Better // A book that your heart will never recover from
“This won’t go back to normal, if it ever was. It’s been years of hoping…”
You know what you did, Gideon the Ninth.
Because of you, it took me OVER A YEAR to pick up Harrow the Ninth.
It’s DIFFICULT to read with a BROKEN HEART, but I press on.
False God // A character you would leap into the burning pits of hell to save
“We were crazy to think, crazy to think that this could work. Remember how I said I’d die for you.”
There’s not a specific book I associate this character with, but I would do pretty much anything for fictional Anastasia Romanov.
I so badly wish she had survived. That era of history is really sad.
I’d save all the Romanovs, actually.
Banish them, sure. Dethrone them, definitely. I just don’t want the kids to be BAYONETTED TO DEATH.
You Need to Calm Down // A book with a powerful message
“Say it in the street, that’s a knock out. But you say it in a Tweet, that’s a cop-out.”
Good Talk illustrates the difficulty of explaining racism to your kid.
How do you maintain a relationship with family members who openly support a racist candidate?
How do you respond to a well-meaning spouse who doesn’t understand what you’re going through?
How do you explain the long-lasting cultural effects of 9/11 to a 7-year-old?
There are zero easy answers.
Afterglow // A book you want to give a second chance
“Hey, it’s all me, in my head. I’m the one who burned us down. But it’s not what I meant. Sorry that I hurt you.”
I was enjoying A Winter’s Promise up until the physical abuse started.
I might revisit this series.
Might.
I’m more likely to pick up Good Omens, which I really liked until the end of the world started.
Hit a LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO HOME.
ME! // Best character development
“I’m the only one of me. Baby, that’s the fun of me.”
I’m so proud of Grace from The Comeback.
She did the best she could to protect herself, then set out to fix the damage done to her relationships.
I wish her all happiness and healing.
It’s Nice To Have A Friend // Fave friends-to-lovers story
“School bells ring, walk me home…something gave you the nerve to touch my hand…Church bells ring, carry me home.”
I generally hate friends-to-lovers stories.
Morgan Matson, though, writes enjoyable ones.
I like that Emily and Frank start out as tentative, quest-solving friends who FALL IN LOVE.
It’s the BEST.
I’ve gotta reread this. Putting Since You’ve Been Gone on my housesitting pile.
Daylight // If you could only read one book or series again and again, what would it be?
“I don’t wanna look at anything else now that I saw you. I don’t wanna think of anything else now that I thought of you.”
This isn’t my favorite series, as I’ve only read one of the books so far.
However, the Winternight trilogy contains all of my favorite plot elements.
I wouldn’t mind reading wintry fantasy romance (with horses!) for the rest of my days.
IT HAS BEEN A HARD WEEK.
Take comfort where you can.
I am listening to audiobooks and Metallica.
Narrative Paradise 