Tag: book tag

The 2022 Mid Year Book Freak Out!

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

It’s that time of the year, and this year I’m not wanting to scream because I’m behind!

The Mid Year Book Freak Out Tag was created for Booktubers so long ago that the original video has been privated. Just from a quick search, it looked like at least ten years ago. Since I’m not really doing on camera stuff this year, baring streaming (if my internet is ever stable again, but that’s a rant for another day), it’s always better for me to do this via my blog.

There are 13 questions in the tag that I am again using for this year. I’ve actually read more this year than I though, so there shouldn’t be much doubling up! I’ll also try to keep this spoiler free, or at least spoiler light, but no promises.

Let’s jump into it.

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2021.

There are two books that have stood out to me this year. One is a book that I reread (because of my reading challenge) and the other is a novella. The Lightning Thief remains one of my favorite middlegrade books of all time, and wow it holds up really well, even after all of these years. Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire is the latest installment in the Wayward Children series series, and I truly do think it’s a great addition to the series.

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2021.

This will have to go to Heartstopper Vol 2-4. I ended up blasting through them last month, since I have it in my head that I can’t watch an adaptation until I’ve read the source material. (I may have not watched the show yet. I’m going to, I promise! Like, next weekend or so!) I just love Alice Oseman’s art style, though I still have some trouble reading the text, but if that’s my only complaint, am I really complaining?

3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to.

It’s not exactly new, but Alice Oseman’s Loveless has been sitting on my shelf since May, and I really want to crack into it. It was the existence of this book as a Barnes and Noble YA Book Club choice for April that even alerted me to Heartstopper being so blatantly popular. So popular, in fact, that when I went to order the Book Club edition of the book, they’d sold out of it entirely, and it won’t be restocked. When I find a break in my reading schedule, that’s next on the list.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.

Because of my reading goal, I have to give this to Stellarlune by Shannon Messenger. It’s the penultimate book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, and I’m actually curious about it. Well, only mildly, since I’ve only ever read book one, and this is book nine (technically ten, since there was a book 8.5…)

5. Biggest disappointment.

I didn’t think something could make me scream as badly as Blood & Honey did last year. But As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson managed it. The first half of the book felt like a normal Good Girl’s Guide to Murder book, but with protagonist Pip making mistakes and being more paranoid than normal. But the back half? It’s like this other character possessed her and the entire cast and wow, it made no sense. I almost threw it across the parking lot I was sitting in when I finished it. The amount of four letter words was… telling.

6. Biggest surprise.

We Were Dreamers by Simu Liu. It’s his first autobiography, telling his story. His life has been insane, and his voice came right out of the page. I read it on a whim and I absolutely loved every second of it.

7. Favorite new author. (Debut or new to you)

So here’s the problem. Everyone on my list I’ve either read, or they just wrote a one off, or they aren’t an author I’d probably pick up again, because I didn’t really enjoy their book. I haven’t read anyone new to me this year (yet, I do have a few books I’m planning on cracking into very soon).

8. Newest fictional crush.

Look, everything I’ve read this year has basically featured exclusively under-18 characters. There isn’t a way I can answer this without it being creepy.

… Simu Liu. There. I’m gonna go rewatch Shang-Chi now.

9. Newest fictional character.

Jason from The Heroes of Olympus series. While I do like all the new characters, I think Jason has had the most potential in this series (I’ve only read through three, no spoilers over books that have been out for years!). There’s something about an amnesiac character trying his best through no fault of his own, but still succeeding on his quest, that just does it for me.

10. Book that made you cry.

There’s a specific scene in The Last Olympian that downright made me sob, and I read it while I was at work (luckily, work from home that day). I won’t say what, but it more than earned it’s 5-star rating that day.

11. Book that made you happy.

(I did this last year and I’m stealing it again.) Sarcastic answer incoming: Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour. I downright one of her previous novels, We Are Okay, which came out in 2017. But Watch Over Me just did not do it for me in any way. I sped read that book just to get it over with, and I was happy to do so, since I was bored.

12. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received).

Every. Single. Owlcrate. Book. Released. This. Year. No serious, google them. For the most part they are either entirely redesigned, or the coloring is much different. I’ve really enjoyed seeing how Owlcrate works with the publishers for most books since one of my favorites years ago (Eliza and her Monsters, highly recommended!). Nine times out of ten, I love them more.

13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

… Well. I guess this is when I give an update on my lovely “Remy’s Reading Challenge!” Let me get my calculator. Well, basically… 39 novels and a bunch of short stories. Yeah, I’m way behind. (Technically since I’m no longer apart of that friend group, I don’t have to do that challenge, and damn that reminds me of a joke for another day, but I’m doing the challenge anyway.) Beyond that, there’s a bunch of other books I want to jump into, it’s just that I have it in my head that I can’t step away from a series until I reach a natural stopping point (end of that specific book series, like The Heroes of Olympus for example). I’m going to try to get through more by the end of the year. It just depends on how busy I get with work, since that has to be my priority.

And that’s the tag! I’ve done this for a few years now, and it’s always fun to see how my answers change. I really do enjoy doing things like this, so let me know if you want me to look for some other book tags across Youtube/Tiktok. I’ll look for them!

Until next time!

The “Truth or Dare” Book Tag!

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

I’ll be totally honest with you. I’m in the middle of three books, halfway through the 2014-15 season of One Chicago, and I have two stories I’m almost done with. There’s just a lot going on. Oh, and I just learned how to cook a leg of lamb on our little grill. It’s been a day.

To take a quick break, I jumped on Youtube and discovered the Truth or Dare book tag. The concept is simple, there are two options per question. One is “Truth” and one is “Dare”. You flip a coin to determine which option to answer. I’ll be using a coin flip website I found for the coin, mostly because I’ve been dropping things all day (the latest being an ice cream scoop on my foot). To designate with option I’m answering, I’m going to only bold that option. It’ll make sense. I’m not looking ahead at the questions also. Since some of the answers are more visual, I will do by best to be honest. (But I will do them! I promise! Just no video.)

This tag was created by Butterflies On My Bookshelf on Youtube if you want to watch the original video!

Here we go!

1. Truth: What is one of your bookish unpopular opinions? Dare: Do one of your bookish pet peeves (ex: dogear a page, write in a book, crack the spine, etc.)

A lot of the popular books that are touted as amazing within the book community are just popular because a bunch of Booktubers hyped them. They’re not that good. (We Were Liars.)

2. Truth: Who are your favorite booktubers? Dare: Rearrange one of your shelves and leave it for the remainder of the video.

The booktuber that I’ve been continuily watching is Hailey in Bookland. She has a good style to her videos, and she also admits biases to certain series and genres.

3. Truth: What are your guilty pleasure reads? Dare: See how many books you can hold at one time.

The answer is 17. The last 17 Owlcrate books. And yes, those also fell on my toe. It’s been a bad day for my feet… (On a normal day, that would probably be higher.)

4. Truth: You have to delete one of your bookish social media. Which do you pick? Dare: Explain the entire plot of your favorite book to someone you know (this can be done over video chat if needed.)

… My mother has declared that she hates me, and I’m apparently grounded (I’m 30!). And she swore to never listen to me talk about The Light Between Worlds again. (She’s not into Narnia retellings. Whoops?)

5. Truth: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve used as a bookmark? Dare: Balance a book on your head for 30 seconds. (It’s okay if you can’t, the attempt is all that matters haha.)

I once used a Lego game disc as a bookmark for a week. I think it was Lego Marvel Superheroes, and I just didn’t have anything handy. It worked out better then you would think! (I’ve also used notebooks, pens, and on one fun equation, a flattened pocky box. There were mistakes made.)

6. Truth: If you had to burn one book, which would it be? Dare: Build a stack of books as tall as you are. This is your new friend. Feel free to name it. Leave it there for the rest of the video.

There are so many! Okay that’s a lie. Honestly though, I hate the thought of burning books, even poorly written ones or ones that I detest. But I guess if I had to choose… The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. One of the worst books I read last year. And of course it’s getting a movie.

7. Truth: Grab a book from your shelf. Open it to a random page. Find a question on that page and answer it honestly. Dare: Write yourself a note and stick it in a book you haven’t read yet. (This can be whatever you want: inspirational, positive, funny, etc.) Now when you read the book, you’ll find the note!

The book I chose is one of my current reads, The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I flipped to the page I stopped on (page 108) and found a question. “Does ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ mean anything to you?” The answer is, a lot. I have to remind myself of that whenever I go book shopping. Sure, the cover may look stupid or plain or just horrible, but the book inside might be amazing. That thought has saved me a time or two.

8. Truth: What’s one bookish thing that scares you? (For me, it’s getting “too old” to read YA.) Dare: Grab a random book and sing a little song about it using the title in the song.

I actually have had this booking thing come true before. I’m always worried that I’m going to look out of place looking for YA books. Even in Barnes and Noble, it’s a fear that I’ve had. Two years ago before the pandemic, I was in my local library, and I was kicked out of the YA section because I was too old. It didn’t matter that it was noontime on a weekday, meaning that teens were in school. Because I looked too old and I didn’t have a teenager with me, I was not allowed to look are or be in the teen section. (For the record, I left the library and haven’t returned. I was just trying to find one book off the shelf, but that’s not allowed. I just use and basically abuse their ebook collection instead.)

9. Truth: Pick one of your bookshelf decorations and tell us the story or meaning behind it. Dare: Try to name a book for every letter in the alphabet off the top of your head. Good luck!

… I blanked. So, I’m gonna cheat a little, and do what books I can see from my desk. This will not work well.

Ace of Spades
Blood and Honey
Cemetary Boys
Defy the Stars
E
(The) Falling in Love Montage
Good Girl, Bad Blood
Hold Still
I Think I Love You
J
Keeper of the Lost Cities
Lore
M
Ninth House
Once and Future
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Q
Reverie
Seven Deadly Shadows
The Loneliest Girl in the Universe
U
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (novelization)
Warcross
X
Yolk
Z

… and because I technically cheated, I’ll also answer the Truth question. Above my bookcase is about the only true decoration I have for my shelves. There’s two that stick out to me. One is a Care Bear in a Cloud Car Funko. I grew up with Care Bears, and Dad and I used to watch the show together. When he passed, Mom and I made the joke that Heaven needed him to build cloud cars. The other item is also a tribute to my dad. One of the things he and I shared was Batman. We watched Batman Beyond every time it came on. In October 2019, there was a Limited Edition release of Batman Beyond on Blu-ray, with a metallic Batman Beyond Funko included. I haven’t opened either box. They will probably remain sealed for a long time yet.

10. Truth: What are two characters from different books that you would ship? Dare: Close your eyes. Grab a random book from your shelf. Try to guess what book it is based on how it feels.

Okay, this dare is impossible. I picked up a manga. Yeah, not happening. As for doing the truth option, I’m not really into cross shipping. It’s somewhat uncomfortable to me.

And there you have it, another tag in the bag. An easy, non-stressful one at that. I’m off to finish some of these books, before they come alive and eat me.

Until next time!

The 2021 Mid Year Book Freak Out

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

It’s that time again where I look at my Goodreads account and cry.

The Mid Year Book Freak Out Tag was created for Booktubers so long ago that the original video has been privated. Just from a quick search, it looked like at least ten years ago. Since I’m not really doing on camera stuff this year, baring streaming (if my internet is ever stable again, but that’s a rant for another day), it’s always better for me to do this via my blog.

There are 13 questions in the tag that I am using this year. Because I had a massive reading slump during the spring of this year, I’ve only read 11 books, with three of those being comics. So, there will be some doubling up. I’ll also try to keep this spoiler free, or at least spoiler light, but no promises.

Let’s jump into it.

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2021.

Two books jump to mind for this, but I’m going to hold one until the next question. Lore by Alexandria Bracken blew my mind away in January. It was an instant 5-star book. I loved the world building, and the fact that while still urban fantasy, it was still somewhat grounded in reality. The characters were pretty dynamic, and the premise was awesome. And it’s a standalone, which means I’m not sitting around all year waiting for book two.

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2021.

Hands down, this is Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson. I wasn’t sure if she would be able to recapture the amazement that was the first book, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. But she did. By coming up with a new mystery for Pip to solve, on top of getting “updates” on the previous case, Jackson drew me in and didn’t let me go. I’m so glad that the finale will be getting a simultaneous worldwide release in September, instead of the US having to wait until March. I don’t have to avoid spoilers this time!

3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to.

I finally hopped in TikTok a couple weeks ago (yes, I know I’m so very late), and fell right into BookTok. The one book that seemed to be everywhere was One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, and the plot is probably right up my alley. I have a few books ahead of it right now, but I can’t wait to give it a read soon.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.

The thing is, I’ve stopped looking way ahead at book releases. There is one, I mentioned it above, but for the most part, I’m not scouring release dates. I fell out of doing that when I left all the book communities on Facebook. I realized I was so excited to own these books, but I wasn’t excited to read them. It’s a mindset that I’m working to change, by limiting the amount of book I purchase to just Owlcrate orders and the BN YA Book Club picks.

5. Biggest disappointment.

Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin. I was so excited after I read Serpent & Dove back in September of 2019. I thought it was a great book, though it had some flaws. I even recommended it to my former boss, before I quit my job during the pandemic. (I wonder if she ever read it? No, probably not.) And then I picked this one up, and had to literally bribe myself through reading it. It’s been a really long time since I screamed while reading a book. Probably the same amount of time for me to throw the damn thing across the room. Into the unhaul pile with that trash.

6. Biggest surprise.

Heartstopper Vol 1 by Alice Oseman! I will be the first to say that I have outright avoided reading this for years, simply because of the hype (which has mostly died down to normal levels of fandom love). I picked it up on a whim one day and very much enjoyed it. It’s not perfect, but it was a cute story, and I’m glad that it has continued on.

7. Favorite new author. (Debut or new to you)

So here’s the thing. I don’t really have a new favorite author. Everything I’ve read this year thus far (barring Heartstopper and The Old Guard: Tales Through Time comics) has either been author’s I read before, or new authors that I wasn’t a fan of. I guess to be fair and to answer the question, I would have to go with Alexandria Bracken, as she was the only author that I had read before that my opinion changed on. She previously wrote the Darkest Minds series, which I was unimpressed with, to put politely (never made it past page 50 of the first book). I went into Lore not knowing it was her, and it blew my mind.

8. Newest fictional crush.

I don’t really have one? I don’t really pick out characters to have crushes on anymore. At least not without a visual. Don’t know why that is, but that’s how I am right now.

(I’m gonna cheat and say Eddie Diaz from the TV show 9-1-1, because why the hell not. He’s pretty.)

9. Newest fictional character.

Basically, see answer above. Unfortunately, if I had just read Lore, I could pick someone out, but it has faded enough in my mind that I’m not sure anymore.

(Copout: Evan “Buck” Buckley, because that boy has massive character development. And damn it, he needs a hug. Oh wait, Christopher gave him one.)

10. Book that made you cry.

Sarcastic answer and spoiler incoming: Blood and Honey. Dear god, I was crying by the end, mostly because I felt I had wasted so much of my time. And also because one of the few characters I actually liked got killed in the last few pages of the book. Seriously?! What a waste. Even if I knew said character was going to die by the beginning of this book, because it was hinted.

11. Book that made you happy.

Sarcastic answer incoming: The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He. I was so happy to reach the end of this one, because I was so disappointed. It felt so flat. I finished and just sighed in almost relief. Sorry to fans of this one, it didn’t do it for me.

12. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received).

There are two that immediately come to mind: one that I loved and one that I ended up disliking. The first is Lore. I have two copies, the Owlcrate edition, which is dark and gorgeous, and the standard edition (for the book club, I ordered it before Owlcrate shipped). Even the standard edition is beautiful. I love it. The second book is The Ones We’re Meant to Find. Again, two editions (Owlcrate and standard). The covers look painted in such a stunning fashion. Pity it was boring.

13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

Hahahaha. Too many. No seriously, I want to read all the Owlcrate books from this year (though if they send another “witchy, separated sisters” thing again, I may scream. Wait, what’s coming for June? AAAAAAAAH!), as well as all the book club books, in the hopes that we one day have book club meetings in person again. I also want to reread a couple books, including Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen, since Netflix is making a film adaptation and I loved this one (and Lock and Key). But besides the books that I’m “requiring” myself to read, I’m basically going with the flow. I’m not going to push myself to read something that just doesn’t’ click with me, regardless of popularity. (Which means you will NOT see me read ACOTAR anywhere on here. Nope.)

And that’s the tag! I’m glad I was reminded of this one, as it only took me about an hour to answer everything. I got a major sunburn on my arms and legs at the beach last Sunday, and even sitting and having a cable brush against my skin makes me want to scream. I’ll be ok, I just have to remember that I’m still majorly sensitive to the sun, and to avoid the beach like an intelligent person. Just letting you all know in case Thursday’s post is up late, like this one.

Until next time!

The Ultimate Book Tag

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

It’s been a minute since I’ve really discussed books on here, mostly because I’ve been so busy doing other things that reading has fallen by the wayside. But no more, here, have a book tag.

I found this via Pinterest, actually. I didn’t mean to get it from there (I avoid Pinterest on the best of days, but things happen). Apparenlty this one has been around for nearly ten years now, so it’s been a minute. It’s pretty popular on Youtube, but of course, I’ve over here right now, so yeah.

I have some time set aside today to work on this, so let’s knock out all… 25?! Ok. All 25 questions. Here we go.

1. Do you get sick wile reading in the car?

No, not at all, luckily. I’ve always been someone who has had their face in a book or a computer screen when in the car, so it never bothered me. Heck, when I was twelve, my Mom and I drove from Florida all the way to Maine one summer, and I read the entire Little House on the Prairie series in the car. It was wonderful!

2. Which author’s writing style is completely unique to you and why?

The book at immediately comes to mind is the Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. The writing style is filled with various cliches that are then brought to life in the prose. There’s just something about it that has helped shaped me, not just as a writer, but as a person. (I still say “don’t jump to the Island of Conclusions.”)

3. Harry Potter Series or the Twilight Saga? Give 3 points to defend your answer.

Ok, look. I can go with the series with the problematic author, or the poorly written trash. I’ll take Harry Potter, because while the author has become problematic, the series shaped my life in ways I could never truly and completely describe. It helped create a bridge between my mom and I after my Dad’s death, and also helped me get friends time and again. It introduced me to the fanfiction world. And honestly, even now it sticks in my mind. It’s a success story, even if there is a few large craters in the road now.

4. Do you carry a book bag? If so, what is in it (besides books…)?

So, pre-pandemic, I didn’t carry a purse. I purchased a messenger-style camera bag off of Amazon and used that to hold what would normally be in a purse, as well as my notebook, several pens, PSVita or Nintendo Switch (depending on the day), keys, Pocky (I’m a chiche recovering anime nerd, bite me), and whatever else I needed. Right now I only use a small purse because I’m just going in and out of stores quickly, instead of going to work, stores, book club, etc.

5. Do you smell your books?

Um. No. Acutally I don’t. I’ve never understood the whole “new book smell” thing. It’s not something I do.

6. Books with or without little illustrations?

It doesn’t bother me either way. I normally don’t really notice illustrations, but when they are there, I’m curious to see what the artist has chosen to highlight. Besides, I grew up reading comic books as well as novels. Illustrations have every reason to be in books, even for adults.

7. What book did you love while reading but discovered later it wasn’t quality writing?

I’m going to stay away from the normal, popular answers and go with something off the wall. Wilder Girls by Rory Power was the first B&N YA Book Club book I ever read. When I first read it, I really enjoyed it. But as I was sitting back and thinking about it later (before the club meeting), I realized there were some problematic elements to it. The book club actually helped me articulate those issues that I couldn’t seem to put into words. It was… enlightning to say the least.

8. Do you have any funny stories involving books from your childhood? Please share!

I have a few! The funniest was a conversation I walked into, after a Girl Scout meeting. I had to have been about ten. Mom was with all the other moms, and they were complaning about us girls staying up way too late. Mom didn’t realize that the other moms menat that the girls were up watching TV. She thought they were like me, sitting by my night light and reading late into the night. When she realized it, she couldn’t help but laugh.

The other was when I managed to flat out embarrass my kindergarden teacher’s aide. We had to break into little reading groups, and once a week we were with the aide. I hated it, because the books were so simple, and I was already reading the Boxcar Children and the Babysitter’s Club, not ten to twenty page simple books. When the aide asked us which book each one of us were up to (there were… 20 I believe), everyone had pointed to the middle of the stick. I just held up which ever book I had with me. She didn’t believe me, so I started reading aloud. And yes, I did stumble on a few words, but still. I had learned to read by the time I was three. It was important in my household.

9. What is the thinnest book on your shelf?

If we ignore graphic novels and comics, I think that would be The Tales of Beetle the Bard. I actually have never read it. It was a gift from a former coworker’s wife, after he passed away unexpectively. It’s annotated by him, and I don’t ever want to ruin it. So I keep it safe, but I don’t touch it.

10. What is the thickest book on your shelf?

The Chronicles of Narnia. I have a paperback edition that included all the books. The pages are so thin that it’s almost unreadable.

11. Do you write as well as read? Do you see yourself in the future as being an author?

Yes, I do write. Currently I’m working on a passion project that I’ve barely hinted at on this blog (mostly because I don’t want to lose my drive for it). I’m also a fanfic writer, currently moving between fandoms. I’d love to be a published author in the future, if the cards are dealt that way to me one day.

12. When did you get into reading?

This is another multi-answer question. I learned to read at three. I started enjoying it while I was in second grade, mostly because showing up my horrible teacher was a treat. By middle school, I’d read through the library, as well as the local public library (before Mom got us banned due to a mistake on their part. That’s a whole other story.). After college, when I got burned out from reading and writing, I didn’t get back into it until moving to California, because I really didn’t like the people at my job, and books kept them from talking to me.

13. What is your favorite classic book?

I’m terrible. I don’t have one. I’m not a fan of the classics. It has nothing to do with the contents. It’s the writing style. I’m so used to the modern style, that I just can’t read it. I’ve tried. The closest I have gotten was reading Far From the Madding Crowd last year, and that was a struggle. That’s not to say that I don’t respect classics, becasue I do. And I love that so many people love them too. I’m just not one of them.

14. In school, was your best subject Language Arts/English?

Kinda? See, the problem is, I got good grades in most of my classes. I just didn’t get along with my English teachers. I can get pretty opinionated and passionate about things I love, and hearing teachers knock that down could set me off. I was always careful to toe the line, but I wouldn’t be able to say I scored A’s because I ran my mouth too much.

15. If you were given a book as a present that you had read before and hated… what would you do?

This has happened to me before! I was gracious and accepted the gift… and the next time I had the oppertunity, I donated it to a local shelter. I never told the gift giver. It wasn’t her fault, and at least she made an effort. If people ask me what type of book I want for a present, I usually give titles, or just say gift card. It’s safer that way.

16. What is a lesser known series that you know of that is similar to Harry Potter or the Hunger Games?

In this day and age? There’s too damn many to count. The problem is, the YA community has become satricated with both Magical books, as well as dystopian stories. But I think for this question, I’ll go with the Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire. It’s a series of novellas that are based in a school, with children who have gone through “doorways” to other worlds, and returned changed and different. It’s a really cool concept.

17. What is a bad habit you always do while filming while blogging?

(Edited because I’m not filming this). I get distracted. A lot. I’ll start working on a post, then maybe stop to check Twitter, then AO3, then work on a post again, then change the music, then go to bed… And completely forget what I was working on.

How I’m trying to break this is by only working on one thing at a time. My phone is on a book shelf, currently, and the music is in another tab that I can’t touch without leaving this screen. If I do everything in one sitting, I can get it done faster, and more coheriantly.

18. What is your favorite word?

I don’t really have one. There are a lot of words that I love, but I don’t have just one favorite. (Ten years ago, this answer would have been “literally”.)

19. Are you a nerd or a geek?

There’s a difference? Screw it, I’m a geek. And a nerd. I’m forever reading, or writing, or watching a show and getting into fandom. It’s how I’ve shaped portions of my personality.

20. Vampires or Fairies? Why?

… I don’t really have an opinion anymore. I’ve kinda been burned out on fantasy and mythical creatures lately. But honestly, I’ll go with the classic werewolf, because I’m nothing if not cliche.

21. Shapeshifters or Angels? Why?

… Really? I didn’t look ahead at these questions, and now I regret it. Um, shapeshifters. I’m burned on the angelic stuff.

22. Spirits or Werewolves? Why?

Le sigh. Werewolves. I don’t like ghosts.

23. Zombies or Vampires? Why?

Vampires. Mostly becasue The Walking Dead killed zombies for me.

24. Love Triangle or Forbidden Love?

This is a tough one, becaseu both are great, but also suck. Love triangles are fun, but I always end up rooting for the underdog who never gets the “point” of the triangle. Forbidden love is also fun, but it sucks, becasue there’s always that moment when you realize that the love can’t work.

I’ll stick with enemies-to-lovers.

25. AND FINALLY: Full on romance books or action-packed with a few love scenes mixed in?

Bring me action! I need drama, I need fighting, I need a plot that doesn’t just revolve around romance. It’s fine if it’s there, but I don’t usually like it if that’s the central plot. It gets really boring to me, most of the time.

And that’s it! Besides those four questions that could have been combined into one, this was a lot of fun, and a total inversion to the tags I’ve done before. I’ll keep my eyes open for some that aren’t book-based and give them a whirl one of these days.

Until next time!

The Unpopular Opinions Book Tag

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Remember how yesterday I said I was going to do a happier post today because it’s the holidays damn it? Yeah… I forgot I planned this book tag next. Whoops. But whatever, I’m in the mood to have some fun.

  1. What is a popular book or series that everyone loves but you just did not like? A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. So so many people talk about how great this series is, how wonderful the characters are, and how it is the new standard. Well, if this is the standard, I think the YA world needs a new one. This book bored me to tears in some places, and pissed me off in others. Badly written characters, contrived plot lines, and over done tropes. Yeah, in the discard pile for this one.
  2. What is a popular book or series that everyone seems to hate that you love? Seven Deadly Shadows by Courtney Alameda and Valynne E. Maetani came out, and it seemed like everyone had it out for this book. But I REALLY enjoyed it! I read it right when everything was starting to go downhill in February, and really liked it. Is it the perfect book? Hell no. But it didn’t force the romance, and actually gave me a main character that felt almost real. But alas, people still don’t like it. Meh.
  3. A love triangle where the main character didn’t end up with who you wanted them to end up with, or an OTP you just don’t like? … I was a secret Harry/Hermione shipper for like the first five books. I’m fine with Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione… but I really think Harry and Hermione have more in common. I have nothing against Ron and Ginny! They’re great characters. Just in a romantic pairing, I just don’t really see it. But then again, I skipped my last reread because JK Rowling is a transphobe, so… I can’t say for certain if rereading it for the the umpteenth time would change my view. Maybe… Maybe not.
  4. What is a popular book genre that you hardly reach for? Historical fiction. I know it’s so very popular, but it just doesn’t do anything for me. The same goes for high fantasy. Nope.
  5. What is a popular or beloved character that you just don’t like? Since I’m on a HP vibe today, why does everyone like Dumbledore? He uses people like chess pieces, put children in harms way I don’t know how many times, locked a man with severe mental issues inside the house that caused most of them, encouraged a mentorship between a teacher and student who had a mutual hatred for each other without dealing with said hatred, or even mitigating it… I could go on and on. Yeah. Not a fan.
  6. What is a popular author that you just can’t get into? Marissa Meyer. I have read several of her books. Usually, I’m totally on board with her writing, until I get to the last fourth of the book. Then everything seems to take a right turn, and it goes from good to nope. Sorry, I’ve tried with her stand alone Heartless, with Cinder and the beginning of Scarlet, and with Renegades. They just don’t do it for me.
  7. What is a popular book trope that you are tired of seeing? There’s a couple that really bother me. The nerd that the most popular/hottest boy immediately falls for after ignoring her for x years. The “I’m so weak but I have to save the world” girl. And honestly, just the whole “I’m the chosen one I am the only person that can do it” teenager, when there are perfectly capable adults right there. Now, there are of course subversions of these tropes that I can get behind, but on the whole…
  8. What is a popular series that you just have no interest in reading? Most of them. At this point, I read what I want when I want to. I’ve given up trying to follow and support the popular series, because I usually just can’t get behind them. I think my tastes have very much changed.
  9. The saying goes, “the book is always better than the movie.” But, what book to movie or television adaptation do you prefer more than the book? As I’ve said many many times, Nerve. Originally written by Jeanne Ryan, the book is fine until the end of the second act, when a whole slew of minor characters are introduced in a contrived way, and you’re supposed to understand every one of them and care about them. The ending just doesn’t work her either. The movie does away with that little plot twist, works in a more modern message, and makes the new ending work well. Minus a few plot holes, it’s a lot of fun and I like it.

Hey look, I’m done with a book tag, and I didn’t shoehorn a mention about the Old Guard into it. Oh wait. Haha.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a safe and healthy rest of the holiday season!

Until next time!

The Intimidating TBR Pile Tag

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

It’s time for another book tag! Mostly because I’m still dragging myself through my reading burnout. I’m really hoping that I’ll be inspired to read something fun and not disappointing. Fingers crossed.

  1. A book that you haven’t been able to finish? I actually started The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater right when everything started to go crazy in the world. I think I’m… 100 pages in? Something like that. I haven’t really talked about it. But I just haven’t been able to really read it.
  2. A book that you just haven’t had the time to read? Too many. Top of the list is The Falling in Love Montage, which I’ve only mentioned about 50 times since June.
  3. A sequel/series that is on your TBR? Everyone has been saying to read The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, so I bought it in my frantic “Quarantine Reads” buying frenzy back in March-May. And there it sits, on my shelf. Still haven’t touched it.
  4. A book that on you TBR that is brand new? If you mean newly added, the newest is The Ravens by Danielle Paige and Kass Morgan. It’s the latest book that’s entered my collection.
  5. Pick a book that you haven’t read yet, because you have read a book by this author before and disliked it? Burn the Bodies Down by Rory Power. Her first book burned me hard (no pun intended. Wait, I lied). Her second release is supposed to be better… but I’m worried I’m gonna hate it.
  6. Pick a book that you haven’t read yet because you haven’t been in the mood? All of them? It’s been a massive burnout. But one that comes to mind is The Inheritance Games, because I’m just not ready for a thriller / mystery right now.
  7. A book that you haven’t read yet because it is humongous? Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. It’s surprisingly thick and I’m nervous about jumping into it.
  8. A book you haven’t read yet because it was a cover by that ended up having some bad reviews? So, here’s the thing. I haven’t really been buying books lately. I am just getting Owlcrate books and ones from the YA Book Club. The only book that comes to mind is one that I just finished (so if I’d done this yesterday, I could have included it). That book is Seasons of the Storm. Wow, the reviews ended up right. *Cry*
  9. The most intimidating book on your TBR? So this is technically on my TBR, but I really doubt I’ll ever get to it at this point. I ended up preordering To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini in like early 2019 and I totally forgot about it. It’s like 880 pages. I’m not looking forward to even giving it a try at this point.

And there we go. Simple, easy, and quick. Also, I really have to get more books for my TBR, or just mix it up with the pile of “whenever I feel like it” books that exist. It’s a thing.

Until next time!

The “New York Times By The Book” Tag – Blogmas!

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

While trolling through Booktube at the beginning of December, I came across this old book tag from 2016 and it caught my attention. I decided to give it a shot during Blogmas, because why not, right? So, without any further ado, let’s jump into it.

  1. What book is on your nightstand right now? I technically don’t have any books on my nightstand, because I don’t have the room (my light is too large for the stand with my phone and water bottle. It’s a thing). But by my bed on the floor is Seasons of the Storm and The Falling in Love Montage, two books I want to read this month.
  2. What is the last truly great book you have read? According to GoodReads, my last 5-star book was This Coven Won’t Break by Isabel Sterling. But looking back on it now, I wouldn’t have given it 5 stars. Instead, I’ll throw my love at the book that brought my love for Narnia back to the forefront, one that I’ve only mentioned about a million times now. The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth.
  3. If you could meet any writer, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you want to know? If you want the sarcastic answer, I would love to meet with JK Rowling and ask her if she thinks her literary career can take any more cracks, considering the scandals she causes when she opens her damn mouth. On a more realistic note, I don’t really like meeting authors. I always feel for awkward, and I feel like I’m going to put my foot in my mouth.
  4. What book might you be surprised to have on my shelves? Considering my bitching in the last answer, the fact that I still have the entire Harry Potter series displayed is a bit of a surprise. But then again, I have a lot of books that I’d love to hide. Other than that, I have every book Sarah Dessen has ever written, and I am not normally a fan of romance or slice of life. Something about her writing just catches me.
  5. How do you organize your personal library? What’s “organized?” No, but really, I don’t have much in the way of. Some shelves are dedicated to Owlcrate books, I have one just with my Cassandra Clare collection, one shelf that is double-parked and stacked just with manga that’s about to overflow, and basically it’s all a mess. A goal for early 2021 is to clean it up and start anew.
  6. What’s a book that you’ve always wanted to read but haven’t yet, or do you feel embarrassed by any book you haven’t yet? I own some of the biggest novels of 2017-2020, the ones that everyone seems to read and love… and I just haven’t picked them up. Examples include The Raven Cycle, Six of Crows, Shadow bone, Renegades… There’s a lot.
  7. Disappointing, overrated, or just not good, what is a book that you feel like you were supposed to enjoy, but didn’t? Too damn many. I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve actually enjoyed a novel that everyone loves. Wilder Girls is a good example of this, as it’s on everyone’s Top 10s/20s lists, and I’m over here screaming, who gave this editor a job? Who gave this author a contract! And they bought her second book?
  8. What kind of stories are you drawn to, and are there any you steer clear from? This changes a lot. Lately I’ve been into urban fantasy, but I also enjoy just your classic slice of life. Sci-fi is also a case by case basis. What I don’t like is historical fiction, or high fantasy (sorry Lord of the Rings).
  9. If you could require the president to read any book, what would it be? … I don’t think I can answer that question. I still question if he can read. As for our President-elect, I’d ask Mr. Biden to read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I think it could help encourage social justice and safety in the country.
  10. What book do you plan on reading next? Considering I finally had to DNF Far From the Madding Crowd, I think I’m gonna give Seasons of the Storm some love tonight.

And with that, this short book tag is done. I’m not sure the history behind this one, but it still was a fun little one. Now I’m off to watch tonight’s film and hopefully get some reading in. Fingers crossed.

Until next time!

The Anti-TBR Book Tag – Blogmas!

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

I have been hearing about this tag for years, and it suddenly exploded on my Youtube Recommended tab about two weeks ago. So, of course, I have to do this. I am putting down the biggest disclaimer on this one, that this is MY OPINOIN. I know that some of what I say is totally against trends. I really don’t care, I basically read what I want. But I wanted to cover myself.

  1. A popular book everyone loves that you have no interest in reading? A Court of Thorns and Roses and the entire damn series by Sarah J. Maas. I read the first half of this book and immediately drove over to my nearest Goodwill and donated it. I wasn’t impressed by the writing, the plot, the characters, the… anything, basically. I know that she is a beloved YA Author, but she is on my NOPE list for ever.
  2. A classic book (or author) you don’t have an interest in reading? Most of them. Look, I respect that classic books and their authors are important to history, and especially to the publishing world. I just have no interest to read them, keep them away from me, shoo.
  3. An author whose books you have no interest in reading? See above. Or, if you consider that a copout, V.E. Schwab. I’m not a fan of her writing, honestly. I tried them, and I just cannot. For the record, I am going to suspend this to give The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue a shot, but I’m not hoping for much.
  4. A problematic author whose books you have no interest in reading? Orson Scott Card. I have no interest in lining the pockets of someone who’s stance on homosexuality is so narrow and homophobic. I also didn’t watch the movie, though I loved the cast list. I won’t give him a cent. Someone gifted me Ender’s Game and I’m just waiting for a safe time to dump it in a donation box.
  5. An author you have read a couple books from and have decided their books are not for you? Marissa Meyer. Something about her writing just doesn’t do it for me. I read the first two Lunar Chronicles books, and wasn’t interested. Also, I’m still personally victimized by the insult that is the end of Heartless.
  6. A genre you have no interest in OR a genre you tried to get into and couldn’t? Historical fiction. I’ve gone into it before, just not for me. I’m gonna drag my body through Far From the Madding Crowd even if it kills me.
  7. A book you have bought but will never read? (including books that may have been unhauled/returned to the library unread) I’m changing this to “a book I bought but will never read again“. And that would be the Harry Potter series. I have three copies of the series, plus a bunch of extra books. I took a class on the series in university. I’ve been apart of the fandom since almost day own. And I will never touch it again. Changed all my tattoo ideas and everything. I cannot support JKR in any way possible.
  8. A series you have no interest in reading OR a series you started and gave DNF’d? I feel really bad about this one, but one of my favorite adult series is The Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong. And I just cannot read past book ten. I loved that all the characters had strong voices and wonderful and diverse flaws… and then Savannah went basically god tier in the final three books, and I just can’t. I own them all, but I won’t read past book ten. (Also, the publishers changed the size of the books by about a centimeter in height, and it drives me insane).
  9. A new release you have no interest in reading? Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline. I really enjoyed the first book, and tolerated the movie (it’s not that bad!), but I feel like the finale wrapped up the story quite well. There was no need for a second book. I’m not planning on reading it any time soon (unless it ends up under the tree Christmas morning).

And there we go. Not too many hot takes, but a couple that may annoy some people. Fingers crossed? Discuss in the comments below!

Until next time!

End of the Year Book Tag – Blogmas!

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Day one of Blogmas, and of course I’m starting with a book tag, because why not. This is the End of the Year Book Tag, which goes around Youtube every year in November/very early December. I purposely waiting to do it until today, because why not?

  1. Are there any books this year that you’ve started that you need to finish? Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. I am not a fan of historical fiction. It’s a known thing, and I can’t help it. I can’t really take the use of 1800s English either. I’m trying though! I also want to read/finish The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth and Seasons of the Storm by Elle Cosimano, both of which has been on my list to read all year.
  2. Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year? I’m really debating on spending New Years rereading the Percy Jackson series, but I’m not putting down firm roots on it. Depends on Christmas, honestly.
  3. Is there an new release you’re still waiting for? I actually just got my final new release of the year that I couldn’t wait for! Legendborn by Tracy Deonn came in October’s Owlcrate (I think) and I almost screamed. Totally worth it. I really need to sit down and read it.
  4. What are three books you want to read before the end of the year? If I don’t include the aforementioned books (because where is the fun in that?), I would love to finally read Once and Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy, The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and Incendiary by Zoraida Cordova. All three have been on my to read list since the beginning of 2020.
  5. Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favorite book of the year? The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth almost destroyed me. I could not believe how much I loved this book. There was also Seven Deadly Shadows by Courtney Alameda and Valynne E. Maetani and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, both books that also regularly make my Best Book of 2020 list. I really can’t decide between the three of them. Just depends on the day.
  6. Have you already started making reading plans for 2021? I’m not making firm plans, what with how quickly my 2020 plans got shredded. I have started making a 2021 release list, but I’m not holding firm to anything at this point. When I set up my 2021 bullet journal and also my book planner (November’s Owlcrate, pics coming soon), I’ll start making things more permanent.

This is probably the shortest tag on my list for Blogmas, and I’m somewhat hopeful to not double up a lot of the same books. Fingers crossed!

Until next time!

The “Guilty Reader” Book Tag – Blogtober!

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

I wasn’t planning on doing another book tag any time soon, but I’m trying to finish at least the first two seasons of Criminal Minds by November 1st while plotting on my NaNo fanfic, so I figured I can be forgiven for doing an easy post for today.

I saw this tag up on Youtuber a couple days ago, heard the first few questions, and decided that this one would be fun to do.

I hope you like it!

  1. Have you ever regifted a book you have been given? Yes, though I make sure that they aren’t in the same friend circle, and that the book isn’t personalized. My reasoning has always been that I want people to enjoy literature, and if someone expresses the want to read a book that I’ve loved, I want them to have a copy of it. Plus, I have had the worst luck at libraries all my life (stories for another time), and so have my friends. Personal libraries are the way to go.
  2. Have you ever said you’ve read a book when you haven’t? Absolutely. There was a few years where I collected books, but didn’t read them. Instead, I just said I did to get people off my back. I haven’t done it this year. Honestly, I’ve been vocal about how much I haven’t been reading. But yeah, I’ve lied about it before.
  3. Have you ever borrowed a book and not returned it? Yes, but I did try. I borrowed a book from a friend, and literally the next day we had a massive falling out. I tried to return the book, but a family member of her demanded I leave their property before I got out of my car with the damn thing. So, I ended up donating it (ended up not liking the book anyway). For the record, we never reconciled, and I don’t even know what she goes by on social media anymore even if I wanted to, which I don’t really.
  4. Have you ever read a series out of order? Totally by accident, but yes! I read Broken by Kelley Armstrong for a group project in eleventh grade. It was the only “adult” book that my group would agree on, and that Borders had four copies of (well, two at Borders, two at Waldenbooks). I didn’t know until I was about a quarter of the way through that it was book FIVE of the series, which had just released its eighth book at the time. I ended up having to read five books in three weeks just so that we could do the project right.
  5. Have you ever spoiled a book for someone? Yes. For the most part, I’ve done it unintentionally. Once I accidently spoiled a tiny part of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince to my mom, but I honestly thought she had passed that part. Whoops. But I did spoil… something, honestly I can’t remember what, to an exfriend, when she was doing her best to get a rise out of me. I did kinda regret it, but nowadays I just do my best to not open my mouth about such things.
  6. Have I ever dogeared a book? Yes. I was a young reader, and I wasn’t trusted with paper scraps in elementary school. But honestly, if it’s my personal copy, I don’t particularly mind. But I try not to if I have the dust jacket or a bookmark handy.
  7. Have you ever told someone you don’t a book when you do? Yep. I did that with the Twilight series back when that was popular to hate on. Nowadays I just don’t care. I’d rather say I do, because at this point, people ask me so that they can by me books for my birthday/Christmas. Don’t really want more duplicate copies.
  8. Have you ever told someone you haven’t read a book when you actually have? Yes. I’m not really proud of it, but yes. I told someone I hadn’t read the Percy Jackson series, because I didn’t want to hear them talk about it. I have. Heck I own most of the books. But I just wasn’t in the mood. I did fess up later, got kicked for it, and now we have wonderful text conversations about it. Spoilers, it’s my 11 year old cousin.
  9. Have you ever skipped a chapter or section of a book? Actually, yes. I skipped most of back third of one of the biggest releases of 2020, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. By two thirds in, I was absolutely done with the book. I’ll also totally admit I’m skimming parts of Far From the Madding Crowd, but that’s because wrapping my head around 1870s English drives me mad sometimes.
  10. Have you ever badmouthed a book that you honestly liked? Putting my massive issues with the Harry Potter series aside, no not really. I try to be honest with my opinions of books, without being overly hard. (Though, there are some exceptions to the rule.) I don’t think I’ve trashed a book that I actually like, unless I’ve done it in jest.

And that’s it! Just a short tag today, but like I said, I’m trying to blast through two seasons of a show that I honestly haven’t watched in ten years. (I’m totally picking my way through. I’m not watching every episode, I’m not completely certifiable. Yet.)

Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Until next time!