Book Tag: Mid-Year Check-In Book Tag

Hello, friends! This is one of Amanda’s favorite tags to do. We are excited to share our answers for this year. Let us know if you’ve done this tag too!

Best book you’ve read so far in 2021 – 

Amanda: For the Throne by Hannah Whitten is a top contender.

Antonia: House of Sky And Breath by Sarah J. Maas was amazing.

Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2021 – 

Amanda: Without a doubt, For the Throne by Hannah Whitten.

Antonia: Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality by Roshani Chokshi.

New release you haven’t read yet but want to – 

Amanda: Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li

Antonia: A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow

Most anticipated release for the second half of 2021 – 
(See our full list of anticipated releases here)

Amanda: A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

Antonia: The Choice by Nora Roberts

Biggest disappointment – 

Amanda: My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey. I didn’t like this.

Antonia: I’ve actually really liked all the books I’ve started this year but Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

Biggest Surprise – 

Amanda: The Switch by Beth O’Leary. I really, really loved this one.

Antonia: A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers. I loved this so much and really wasn’t expecting to.

Favorite new author – 

Amanda: Finally read a Kasie West book and really loved it. Planning to read more later this year.

Antonia: Carlos Hernandez. I LOVED his Sal and Gabi series.

Newest fictional crush – 

Amanda: Hell Monkey from Crownchasers by Rebecca Coffindaffer. I love him so much.

Antonia: I don’t have any new crushes this year but continued to love Rhea in Seven Mercies by Laura Lam and Elizabeth May.

Newest favorite character – 

Amanda: Lee Stone from Fool Me Once by Ashley Winstead. She’s a hot mess and I would love to be her friend.

Antonia: Murderbot from All Systems Red by Martha Wells. They’re hilarious and weirdly relatable for an AI robot.

Book that made you cry – 

Amanda: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Antonia: The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan

Book that made you happy – 

Amanda: The Switch by Beth O’Leary

Antonia: Vision in White by Nora Roberts. It’s been so long since I read this one, it was just really pleasant to be back with these characters.

Favorite book to movie adaptation this year – 

Amanda: Jurassic Park Camp Cretaceous Season 5.

Antonia: Bridgerton Season 2.

Favorite review you wrote this year – 

Amanda: I don’t know if I have a favorite. I’d have to look through them all again.

Antonia: I haven’t written any reviews this year.

Most beautiful book you’ve bought this year – 

Amanda: For the Throne by Hannah Whitten and I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston. They’re both the Barnes and Noble Exclusive editions and I can’t decide between them.

Antonia: House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas.

What books do you NEED to read before the end of the year – 

Amanda: The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Antonia: I have so many. My physical TBR from last year is still super long and I want to get through all the old ones before I start buying again.

Anyone reading this that thinks it would be fun to do, consider yourself tagged, and feel free to tag us in your post.

#SciFiMonth: Intergalactic Book Tag

ARTWORK by Liu Zishan from 123RF.com
QUOTE from Babylon’s Ashes by James S A Corey

Hi, friends! What is a themed blog month without a book tag, honestly? Amanda found this one from last year’s #SciFiMonth posts at Time for Tales and Tea. The original creator is Life of a Female Bibliophile to promote the book Starflight by Melissa Landers.

Space // name a book that is out of this world – that takes place in a world different from our own.

Amanda- A classic, I think, Red Rising by Pierce Brown.

Antonia- The Martian by Andy Weir

Black Hole // name a book that completely sucked you in.

Amanda- A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers. This is her newest series and I’m already obsessed with it.

Antonia- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Lightspeed // name a book you are anticipating so much that you wish you could travel at lightspeed to get to it.

Amanda- The Genesis Wars by Akemi Dawn Bowman. I loved the first book so much and I definitely can’t wait for the second.

Antonia- Seven Mercies by Elizabeth May and Laura Lam

Nebula // name a book with a beautiful cover.

Amanda- A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers. It’s weird, but in a way that I can’t stop looking at.

Antonia- Seven Devils by Elizabeth May and Lauren May

Multiverse // name a companion set or spin-off series you love.

Amanda- The Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers. It’s technically a series, but each book follows different characters in different parts of this fictional universe. They’re all fantastic.

Antonia- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Gravity // name your favorite romantic pairing that seems to have gravitational pull to each other.

Amanda- Darrow and Mustang from the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown.

Antonia- Red and Blue from This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone.

The Big Bang // name the book that got you started on reading.

Amanda- In regards to science fiction, Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix is what kindled my love for dystopian fiction/sci-fi.

Antonia- I’ve been reading for forever so I honestly couldn’t tell you. It started early with Dr. Seuss and Roald Dahl and just grew from there.

Asteroid // name a short story or novella that you love.

Amanda- This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone & Amal El-Mohtar.

Antonia- I almost never read short stories or novellas.

Galaxy // name a book with multiple POVs.

Amanda- Seven Devils by Elizabeth May & Laura Lam.

Antonia- Winter by Marissa Meyer.

Spaceship // name a book title that would a great name for a spaceship.

Amanda- Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee.

Antonia- Artemis by Andy Weir

Considering it’s #SciFiMonth, we did our best to pick mostly science fiction books for our answers. But that wasn’t always possible. Just know that we did aim for mostly science fiction answers. Feel free to consider yourself tagged if you like this one!

Blogtober Day Eleven: Fall into Fall Book Tag

Hey, bookish friends. We found this fall themed book tag and knew it would be perfect for a Blogtober book tag. This tag was created by Silver Button Books and you can find their post here.

Apple Picking: A bright shiny book on your shelf.

Amanda- Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard. The gold cover is truly so shiny.

Antonia- The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi. This cover is seriously so pretty.

Pumpkin Spice: A book that everyone loved that just doesn’t sit well with you.

Amanda- A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee. From reviews I’ve seen so far, people either loved or didn’t love this book. I didn’t love it and there were some specific things that I really didn’t like.

Antonia- The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I’ve loved some of her previous books but was so disappointed by this one. I couldn’t connect with the main characters and didn’t like the romance at all.

Fall Leaf Tour: A gorgeously written journey.

Amanda- Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers. This is a stunning and lyrical story that I still haven’t stopped thinking about.

Antonia- Stardust by Neil Gaiman. Tristran goes on such a crazy journey throughout Faerie and learns so much about the world and himself. I loved every bit of it.

Pumpkin Picking: A book that reflects the pumpkin you always pick.

Amanda- The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow. I like to pick big, chunky, round pumpkins that will be easy to carve and full of seeds. This book was chunky for sure, and I would say a nice round story with how the plot and characters are all tied together in a satisfying ending.

Antonia- This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El Mohtar and Max Gladstone. I never pick a perfect pumpkin. It always has to be a little weird or flawed. This book was so unique and just a little odd but still so beautiful.

Halloween Costume: A book with a character whose style you admire.

Amanda- For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten. I’m thinking of Red’s cloak, but also, I love the fantasy dresses that sound so pretty.

Antonia- The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn. I LOVE regency era fashion. I think it would be so cool to wear all those gorgeous dresses every day.

Fall Beverage: A book that reflects your favorite fall drink.

Amanda- My favorite fall drink is either hot chocolate or apple cider. So, I have an author instead of a book for this one. Nora Roberts is my go-to when I need a familiar and comforting book that makes me feel warm.

Antonia- The Witness by Nora Roberts. My favorite fall drink is apple cider so I picked a book that I find warm and comforting. This is a very old favorite that I can come back to anytime to make myself feel good.

Corn Maze: A book you can get lost in.

Amanda- I don’t often have an issue getting pulled into the story. But most recently, For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten really sucked me in and I had to stay up late until I finished it.

Antonia- All of them. It’s so easy for me to just lose myself in a book.

Hot Food: A book you waited all summer to read.

Amanda- Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. I preordered this one last year, but it was back ordered from my local indie store. So, I didn’t get it until after spooky season was over. It was the first book I picked up in September.

Antonia- I’ve been so excited for Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan to come out. I love all his books and this one sounds so fun.

What a fun fall book tag! We tag anyone that feels like doing this. Thanks for reading!

Book Tag – Mid-Year Check-In Book Tag

Hey, bookworms! We’re back with Amanda’s favorite tag of the year. It’s July, so a bit past mid-year, but we’re here to share some best and worsts of 2021 so far.

Best book you’ve read so far in 2021 – 

Amanda: I can never pick just one, so Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler and The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman are both pretty high up there.

Antonia: Seven Devils by Elizabeth May and Laura Lam. This book was seriously amazing. I can’t wait for the sequel.

Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2021 – 

Amanda:  Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo. It was just so good.

Antonia: Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi. These books just get better and better.

New release you haven’t read yet but want to – 

Amanda: The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore. I’ve loved all of McLemore’s books and I’m itching to get to thhis one.

Antonia: Legacy by Nora Roberts.

Most anticipated release for the second half of 2021 – 
(See our full list of anticipated releases here)

Amanda: Into the Dying Light by Katy Rose Pool and The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi. Two series finales to favorite series of mine. I can’t wait to finish both of these series.

Antonia: The Becoming by Nora Roberts coming out in November.

Biggest disappointment – 

Amanda: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Everyone raved about this book and I let the hype get to me because I wasn’t impressed.

Antonia: Luckily I haven’t been disappointed by any books so far this year.

Biggest Surprise – 

Amanda: Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant. As a rule, I don’t like horror. But now, maybe I do? I loved this book and that surprised the heck out of me.

Antonia: The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan. I’d been putting off reading this one for such a long time because I was worried I wouldn’t like Apollo as a narrator but I ended up completely loving it.

Favorite new author – 

Amanda: Akemi Dawn Bowman and Adrienne Young. I still have more of their backlists to read, but I’m hoping to catch up before the end of 2021.

Antonia: Roshani Chokshi for sure. The Aru Shah series has been amazing and I can’t wait to pick up her other books too.

Newest fictional crush – 

Amanda: Casteel from The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I would die for both him and Poppy.

Antonia: Not really a new crush because I loved him from A Court of Thorns and Roses, but I have to pick Cassian from A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas.

Newest favorite character – 

Amanda: Rocky from Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I loved him so much.

Antonia: Aru Shah from Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi. She is definitely one of the funniest narrators I’ve ever read about.

Book that made you cry – 

Amanda: Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield. This book has some really tough subject matter so check out the content warnings before picking this one up.

Antonia: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas.

Book that made you happy – 

Amanda: Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler. I wish I had this book in high school. It really spoke to my soul in a way that I haven’t felt in a long time.

Antonia: Stardust by Neil Gaiman. I’ve loved the movie for years and even though the book obviously had differences, it was still so nice to see all my favorite characters again.

Favorite book to movie adaptation this year – 

Amanda: I’m sure everyones answer is this one but Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo that was adapted by Netflix. I had some issues with it, but I really did enjoy it.

Antonia: I have to agree with Amanda about Shadow and Bone. I think they did a really good job overall.

Favorite review you wrote this year – 

Amanda: Probably my review for Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo. I feel like I came across as clear and said what I wanted to say.

Antonia: I haven’t written any reviews this year.

Most beautiful book you’ve bought this year – 

Amanda: Ohhh, probably a tie between The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He and the Fable duology by Adrienne Young (put them side by side and they are stunning.)

Antonia: I’ve been really good about not buying books this year.

What books do you NEED to read before the end of the year – 

Amanda:

Grace and Glory by Jennifer L. Armentrout
The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson
Dial A For Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Antonia: So many. I’m way behind on my reading so I still have a lot from my winter TBR that I haven’t read and a bunch still coming out this year that I’m excited about. I’m definitely going to try to focus on books I already have before buying new though.

Anyone reading this that thinks it would be fun to do, consider yourself tagged, and feel free to tag us in your post.

Info Dump Bookish Tag

Hello, friends! It’s been a while since we’ve done a booktag. We saw this one over on Way Too Fantasy and thought it would be a good way for our readers to get to know us a little bit better. We thought these were some great questions. This tag was originally created by Books & Chocaholic over on YouTube, check out their video! Let’s get right into the questions.

1. How many books on average do you read per month?

Amanda- My average for 2020 was 31 books per month. But I have to add that I’m a stay at home mom, so, I’m home all the time and between physical books, eBooks, and audiobooks I’m reading almost constantly. So, please don’t compare you’re reading habits with mine.

Antonia- Recently my average has been around 4, but it can vary greatly month to month depending on my schedule.

2. How many books are on your TBR?

Amanda- My GoodReads ‘want to read’ shelf has 485 books on it. But the books I own and haven’t read yet is 107 with my physical books, eBooks, and my graphic novels.

Antonia- I don’t keep an actual TBR list, just kind of keep track of what I want to read in my head. I’d say I usually have around ten that I want to read at any given time.

3. How are your books organized on your shelves?

Amanda- At the moment, they’re alphabetical. But I’ve been itching to rearrange them again. I’m not sure if I’ll do it by genre or if I’ll go it by age range.

Antonia- I used to organize by genre then author. When I downsized my shelves I switched to just author. Since I moved last, I never took the time to actually organize so right now they’re just chaos.

4. Which genres do you read the most from?

Amanda- According to my 2020 statistics post, I read the most YA fantasy with adult romance as second.

Antonia- Definitely fantasy, either adult or young adult.

5. Which genres do you own the most of?

Amanda- This is probably also fantasy again.

Antonia- It’s probably fantasy tied with romance.

6. Which is your preferred format of reading (eBook, physical, audiobook)?

Amanda- I will always prefer physical books. But I also think eBooks and audiobooks have their times where they shine.

Antonia- Physical books, then ebooks with audiobooks way in last place.

7. Who is your most owned author?

Amanda- Probably Nora Roberts. I haven’t counted. But Nora Roberts, Rick Riordan, or Janet Evanovich are probably my top three. With maybe Cassandra Clare coming in close too.

Antonia- Definitely Nora Roberts since I own most of what she’s written.

8. Describe your favorite writing style.

Amanda- I like a writing style that’s pretty and lyrical without being overly so. I don’t want purple prose so flowery that the story gets lost, but I do still love beautiful writing.

Antonia- I don’t think I have a favorite, I just need a fast-placed plot.

9. Which literary devices do you like/dislike?

Amanda- Ohhh, I think imagery and flashbacks are tied here, but only if they’re done well.

Antonia- A clever plot twist. Something that you don’t see coming but once it happens all these little things from earlier in the book just suddenly make sense.

10. Which character archetypes do you enjoy?

Amanda- I like a lot of them. But the jester is probably my favorite. I always find myself loving the character that brings the comedic relief.

Antonia- I have to agree with Amanda on this one. Bonus points when that character is really snarky or sarcastic.

11. What are your favorite book settings?

Amanda- Honestly, settings are one of the least important thing to me. But if the world building is done well, I love any well built world. It’s described well enough for me to picture is a rare occurrence.

Antonia-I don’t pay too much attention to setting but I love when an author can help me see the setting without spending a page describing it.

12. What are your favorite tropes?

Amanda- I love childhood friends to lovers. It’s my real life love story. So, I love to read about it too.

Antonia- Antiheroes. I just think it adds so much more dimension to the characters. No one is wholly good or wholly bad.

These are all of the questions! We’re not going to tag anyone specifically, but if you feel like doing this tag, let us know!

The Cake Flavored Books Tag

Hi, friends! It’s been a while since we’ve done a book tag here on the blog and Amanda saw this one from Jess @ Jessica C Writes. It took a bit of searching, but the original tag was created by Paper Fury and inspired from the #CakeFlavoredBooks tag over on Instagram. Cake is something that we love here, alongside our love for books. So, we though it would be fun to do this tag that combines both!

Chocolate Cake // A dark book you absolutely love

Amanda- All the Bad Apples by Moira Fowley-Doyle. This book was honestly hard to read during certain parts, but it’s such an important story.

Antonia- I tend to avoid darker themes but I fondly remember reading The Devouring by Simon Holt with Amanda when we were teenagers. It was definitely terrifying but still such good memories.

Vanilla Cake // A light read

Amanda- The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai. While looking through my reading list, I realized I don’t read many ‘light’ books.

Antonia- Well Met by Jen Deluca.

Red Velvet // A book that gave you mixed emotions

Amanda- A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas, I almost hated Feyre and Rhysand by the end of the book and I’m not happy about that at all.

Antonia- Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa. I loved this series but the end was just a little bittersweet.

Cheesecake // A book you would recommend to anyone

Amanda- This is a hard question because everyone has different reading tastes. So, I’m going to give a few for a few different genres.
Contemporary: Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
Fantasy: For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig
Mystery/Thriller: A Good Girls Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Antonia- Oh wow, there’s so many. I always recommend Nora Roberts to everyone because she’s forever my favorite. I also always recommend The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss to fantasy lovers.

Coffee Cake // A book you started but never finished

Amanda- The Fiery Heart by Diana Gabaldon. I’ve been reading this book for what feels like a million years.

Antonia- The Ever Cruel Kingdom by Rin Chupeco. This one is only sort of a DNF. I liked the first book but was having trouble getting through this one. I just wasn’t in the mood for it. So I moved on to something else but I do plan to pick this one up again at some point.

Carrot Cake // A book with great writing

Amanda- All of Anna-Marie McLemore’s books. Their writing is absolutely stunning. I’ve read Wild Beauty and Blanca & Roja which were both filled with beautiful prose.

Antonia- This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El Mohtar and Max Gladstone. I loved the way this book was written, it just worked so well with the story itself and really drew me in.

Tiramisu // A book that left you wanting more

Amanda- The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders. I really enjoyed this book right up until the ending. I was left wanting more and not in a good way. It felt like there were chapters missing to conclude the story. I wanted any semblance of a conclusion and I didn’t really get that from this book.

Antonia- All of them. I’ve never read a book and not wanted more from the story and characters.

Cupcakes // A series with 4+ books

Amanda- I absolutely devoured the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown in 2020 and I recommend that you do the same this year.

Antonia- Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. All of them are amazing.

Fruit Cake // A book that wasn’t what you anticipated

Amanda- Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft. I went into this one thinking that it was a spooky and magical mystery in a creepy mansion. While part of the story is this. There is much more to the story. There’s interesting world building and politics, characters I loved and hated. This book wasn’t what I anticipated but not in a bad way.

Antonia- Year One by Nora Roberts. This book was so much darker than she normally writes but it was amazing.

Lamington // Favorite Australian book

Amanda- This was a fun question because I didn’t realize some of the books that I’ve loved were written by Australian authors. Some of those books are The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend, Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne, and of course, The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff.

Antonia- I actually haven’t read any Australian authors. I would love some recommendations though.

If you’re reading this and think it would be fun to do, consider yourself tagged!

Amanda’s 2020 Superlative Awards (Book Tag)

Hello, lovelies! I created this original book tag last year (find it here) when people on twitter were talking about how the bookish world should have an end of the year superlatives like our yearbooks did in high school. I loved the idea, so I made a book tag based on that and ran with it. I thought it would be fun to do it again this year!

Rules: 

1. Tag me as the original creator
2. Choose from either all the books you read in 2020 or only 2020 releases.
3. Most importantly, have fun!

Best All Around: Your number one favorite book of the year.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow, a story of sisters reconciling, magic, and a female/female romance. I loved it.

Biggest Flirt: Newest or favorite book boyfriend of 2020.

Casteel from From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout (I know many will agree with this one, hah!)

Class Clown: Sillest/most goofy/funniest book of 2020.

I didn’t read many ‘funny’ books this year but I think The Martian by Andy Weir fits the bill for this one.

Cutest Couple: Favorite bookish couple of the year. 

This is technically two couples but in The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco both Haidee & Arjun and Odessa & Lan were definitely my favorites this year.

Most Likely to Succeed: Most hyped book you read in 2020. 

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater
Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

Best Celebrity Lookalike: Favorite book based off of another story (fairytale/mythological/classics, etc.)

A Million Junes by Emily Henry

Best Dressed: Most appealing book cover of the year.

Tallest & Shortest: Share the longest & the shortest books you read this year. 

Shortest: Skyward, Vol. 2: Here There Be Dragonflies by Joe Henderson, Lee Garbett, & Antonia Fabela (104 pages)
Longest: Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon (963 pages)

Best Clique: Share your favorite friend squad you read about.

Okay, I’m going to try to pick a book I haven’t already mentioned, so the crew from To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini.

Most Likely to Survive the Hunger Games: Share the character(s) you read about this year that you think would do well in the world of the Hunger Games. 

The crew from the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown basically have their own version of the Hunger Games and I loved it, but I also think that Xiala and Serapio from Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse would totally win together.

Best/Worst Plot Twist: What did you read that had a really great or really horrible plot twist?

Best: The Final Six by Alexandra. Aliens are my favorite.
Worst: This is more of a lack of a plot but, The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker.

Series: Best/worst second or concluding book in a series. 

Best: Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (this is only sort of a sequel).
Worst: A Heart so Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer

Most likely to become a classic: What book has the potential to become a modern classic?

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab or The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern.

Tagging to play:

Alana @ The Bookish Chick

Avhlee @ Tea Cups and Torn Pages

Blogmas Day Fourteen: The Anti-TBR Book Tag

Hello, bookworms! As you can tell by the title of this post, this is the Anti-TBR book tag. Amanda saw a few of these on BookTube and thought it would be a fun tag to do here on the blog. So, we’re going to talk about the books we don’t want to read. The original creator is on BookTube and her video is linked here.

A popular book everyone loves but you have no interest in reading?

Amanda- The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu. I love Lu’s books, but this one just doesn’t seem like it’s for me.

Antonia- Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Amanda, my husband and several friends loved this series but I’m just not interested.

A classic book (or author) you don’t have an interest in reading?

Amanda- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I’ve seen several adaptations and I’m not big on historical fiction to begin with. Sorry, but it’s a no from me.

Antonia- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

An author whose books you don’t want to read?

Amanda- Kerri Maniscalco. So many people love her Jack the Ripper books and I have no interest in reading them.

Antonia- Kiersten White. I honestly don’t know why I’m so uninterested in her books but Amanda’s recommended a few of them and I just can’t get into them.

A problematic author whose books you don’t want to read?

Amanda- Rainbow Rowell. All I have to say about that is that you need to look up the controversy surrounding Eleanore & Park.

Antonia- I don’t keep up enough with things like this but pretty much all of my books are recommendations from Amanda and she’s good about checking things like this.

An author you’ve read a few books from & have decided their books are not for you?

Amanda- Kevin Kwan. I just didn’t love the Crazy Rich Asians books and I think I’ll probably pass on future books.

Antonia- Bella Forrest. I read like the first five of her Shade of Vampire series before I just had to stop.

A genre you have no interest in or a genre you tried to get into and couldn’t?

Amanda- Does non-fiction count? I occasionally find stuff I like, mainly memoirs, but generally I don’t enjoy it.

Antonia- I have zero interest in horror, thank you very much.

A book you have bought but will never read? (can be a book you have unhauled/returned to the library unread)

Amanda- Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett.

Antonia- The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. I can’t explain this one. I bought it years ago and somehow can’t get myself to start it even though I’ve loved all of his other books.

A series you have no interest in reading OR a series you started & have dnf’d?

Amanda- The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh. It just doesn’t excite me, so I probably won’t read the series.

Antonia- The Origin series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I didn’t hate the first book but definitely didn’t like it enough to continue the series.

A new release you have no interest in reading?

Amanda- House of Dragons by Jessica Cluess.

Antonia- Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer.

If you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged. Have fun!

Blogmas Day Eleven: End of the Year Book Tag

Hello bookish friends! Blogmas, of course, means getting a few book tag posts up for the month. They’re always a fun time, especially the end of the year ones. This book tag is actually one of my favorites, along with the mid-year one. This tag was originally created by Ariel Bissett, but we found it on Bookbinder Way. Let’s get into it!

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

Amanda- For once, no.

Antonia- Nope. I’ve actually been really good this year about not DNFing anything.

Do you have an autumnal book to transition to the end of the year?

Amanda- Nothing specific, but as Autumn comes around I tend to start picking up the mysteries and thrillers I’ve been collecting through out the year.

Antonia- I really don’t read seasonally, so no.

Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?

Amanda- No. I am getting a great haul for Christmas and all the 2020 books I’m excited about have already been released.

Antonia- I’m still waiting for The Awakening by Nora Roberts.

What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

Amanda-

Well Played by Jen DeLuca
Tristan Strong Destroys the World by Kwame Mbalia
The Awakening by Nora Roberts

Antonia-

The Awakening by Nora Roberts
Rules for Being A Girl by Candace Bushnell and Katie Cotugno
Seven Devils by Elizabeth May and Laura Lam

Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favorite book of the year?

Amanda- Absolutely. I have so many books on my TBR that I’m really excited about.

Antonia- All of them. I’m so excited about everything on my TBR.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2020?

Amanda- They’re about the same as this year. Focus on my owned TBR (physical and ebooks), and buy less books.

Antonia- Mostly just a continuation from my current TBR. I’ve been such a slow reader lately that I’m sure I’ll have some left over for the new year.

We tag anyone that feels like doing this one!

Blogtober Day Twenty-Six: The Nightmare Before Christmas Book Tag

Hey, bookworms. Today we have another book tag for your enjoyment. We found this Nightmare Before Christmas one over at Erica Robyn Reads while searching for a fun one. This definitely fits that. This tag was created by The Butterfly Reader. Check out her post here!

Jack – A book character who longs for more

Amanda: Zachary Ezra Rawlins from The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. He misses his chance for more when he was a kid and it lingers into his adulthood.

Antonia: Cress from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. She spends her whole life stuck by herself floating in the middle of space and just wants to see the world and meet people.

Sally – A book character who loves someone so much and actually gets them in the end

Amanda: Amani from the Mirage duology by Somaiya Daud. Forbidden love that ends with a happy ending is always a good time for me.

Antonia: Alina from The Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. She’s loved Mal for so long and even though I kind of hated him for most of the first book, I ended up being so happy they got together.

Zero – A book with a loyal sidekick

Amanda: Lehaba from House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas. She’s literally just fire. I adored her.

Antonia: The Outstretched Shadow by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. Not only is Shalkan the most sarcastic, hilarious best friend but he’s also a freaking unicorn. Like literally. It’s amazing.

Oogie Boogie – A book with one hell of a wicked villain

Amanda: The Daevabad Trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty. The villain is trying to retake her city, a place her ancestors used to rule. She was complex and interesting, but took things too far.

Antonia: The Dragon King from The Last Namsara by Kristin Ciccarelli. Seriously, he was just awful.

Halloween Town – A book that’s creepy or has a scary theme

Amanda: The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher. I read this in September and it was creepy and suspenseful and everything I wanted for Spooktober.

Antonia: I never read scary books because I will definitely give myself nightmares.

Christmas Town – A book that left you feeling warm and fuzzy inside

Amanda: The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. A man goes to an orphanage filled with some of the more dangerous supernaturals. He isn’t sure what to expect. He finds a family and I loved every page of this book.

Antonia: Anything by Julia Quinn. Her books are just so funny and I always love the romance.

What’s This? – A book that took you by surprise

Amanda: Furyborn by Claire Legrand. I actually pulled this book out of my ‘to be unhauled’ pile and it was a 5 star read for me.

Antonia: The Martian by Andy Weir. I watched the movie first and really enjoyed it but it’s outside of my normal book genre so I was not expecting to love it as much as I did. Mark’s voice is just amazing. I really felt like I could hear him while reading this.

That’s all the questions! Feel free to consider yourself tagged if this looks like fun to you! Happy Spooktober!

Blogtober Day Eight: Halloween Creatures Book Tag

It’s been a while since we’ve done a book tag here, but Blogtober is the perfect opportunity for a new and fun one. There are a bunch of great ones out there for Halloween but we liked this one the best. Let’s get right into it!

Rules

1. Answer all prompts.
2. Answer honestly.
3. Tag 1-13 people.
4. Link back to this post.
5. Remember to credit the creator. (Anthony @ Keep Reading Forward)
6. Have fun!

Witch: A magical character or book

Amanda- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. I read this in August and I still can’t stop thinking about it. It was so many stories within one story that all connected to one another. The writing was beautiful. Plus, it’s about a magic library world.

Antonia- The Dark Witch by Nora Roberts. We all know how much I love Nora, particularly when she gets into magic. I love how in depth this book gets into the magic aspect.

Werewolf: The perfect book to read at night

Amanda- Literally any book. I don’t save specific books only to read a certain time. It’s more about format for me. Ebooks and audiobooks at night in bed and physical reading during the day.

Antonia- I also don’t have specific books that I read during different situations.

Frankenstein: A book that truly shocked you

Amanda- Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power. The twist at the end was wild. I know some saw it coming, but it was way weirder than what I predicted.

Antonia- Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. I had many problems with this book but the twist at the end was so good. I couldn’t believe it.

The Devil: A dark or evil character

Amanda- Lada from The Conquerer’s Saga by Kiersten White. She’s not evil, but she will do literally anything to reach her goals and I love her for it.

Antonia- The Darkling from The Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. He’s one of the villains we love to hate. He’s just so well written throughout the entire series.

Grim Reaper: A character that shouldn’t have died

Amanda- Without spoiling anything, I will say that a certain adult from These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling didn’t have to die and I’m still seriously mad about it.

Antonia- The thirteen from Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas. This scene killed me. Even the second time I read it, I bawled like a baby.

Zombie: A book that made you hungry for more

Amanda- The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin. I read this trilogy in like four days because I just needed to know the whole story.

Antonia- I always want more of my favorite characters. The Age of X series by Richelle Mead is a big one for me though because she never continued the series after book two.

Gargoyle: A character you would protect at all costs

Amanda- All of my babies from The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman except Justin. I literally don’t care about him.

Antonia- Blue from This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El Mohtar and Max Gladstone. Not that she needs protecting from anyone but I just love her so much.

Vampire: A book that sucked the life out of you

Amanda- Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust. This story sucked me in and wouldn’t let me go until I got to the end. I got lost in this story, so deeply invested in the characters and their goals.

Antonia- Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa. This series pulled me in so hard and gave me so many feelings. I can’t wait to read the last book.

Ghost: A book that still haunts you

Amanda- For this one, I tried to make sure to pick a book that I read before 2020 because I’ve read some great books this year that I can’t stop thinking about. So, I have a few. Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin, Ashlords by Scott Reintgen, and Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro are some from last year that I still have on my mind often.

Antonia- Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima. I vaguely remember finishing this book but can’t make myself read the rest of the series because I still can’t get over what happened at the beginning. I’m devastated.

Demon: A book that really scared you

Amanda- The Shades of Magic series by V.E. Schwab. There were many moments that had me nail biting and gripping the pages in fear for the characters.

Antonia- I don’t read many spooky books because I’m a wuss but when we were teenagers Amanda and I read The Devouring by Simon Holt and that series gave me nightmares.

Skeleton: A character you have a bone to pick with

Amanda- Dara, freaking Dara, from the Daevabad trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty. He was one of my favorites in the first book, but by book three he was not on that list anymore. I was happy with how his story ended, but I wanted more from him.

Antonia- Evie’s mom from The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I mean come on! Every choice she made just caused so many problems.

Mummy: A book you would preserve through time

Amanda- I hate to repeat books on these things, but I have to say The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern again. I think this book will be loved for many years to come.

Antonia- Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan. Honestly these books are just so well written, especially for children’s books. I love everything about them.

Creepy Doll: A cover too scary to look at

Amanda- There are two books and neither of them are out yet. Horrid by Katrina Leno and Blessed Monsters by Emily A. Duncan.

Antonia- Since I don’t read anything remotely close to horror, I don’t have any book covers that creep me out.

The Monster Mash – It’s fun to be with friends on Halloween! Tag your friends here:

Alana @ The Bookish Chick

Avhlee @ Tea Cups and Torn Pages

Ari @ Bookish Valhalla

Book Tag – Mid Year Book Freak Out

Best book you’ve read so far in 2020 – 

Amanda: This was really hard because I’ve read quite a few books this year that have become new favorites, but I’m going to go with There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool.

Antonia: Hideaway by Nora Roberts. I always love Nora’s books and this one was no exception.

Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2020 – 

Amanda: Okay, I have three and I have to mention all three because none of them are talked about on the parts of the internet that I participate in. The Life Below by Alexandra Monir was incredible and I can’t wait for the third book. Dark Skies by Danielle L. Jensen is another because this is the second book, but can also be read interchangeably with the first because the stories are happening at the same time and that is just incredible to me. The third is A Kingdom for a Stage by Heidi Heilig. No one ever talks about Heilig’s books but they are so diverse and incredible and more people need to love them.

Antonia: This one’s difficult because so many of the books I’ve read this year have been rereads or standalones. If I had to pick I’d say To Light A Candle by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. I talk about my love for this trilogy a lot but the second is always my favorite.

New release you haven’t read yet but want to – 

Amanda: Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe by Carlos Hernandez. I don’t know why I haven’t picked this up yet because I own it and I’m so excited to read it.

Antonia: Love, Jacaranda by Alex Flinn. I’ve been struggling to pick this one up but I always love Flinn’s books so I know I’ll like it.

Most anticipated release for the second half of 2020 – 

Amanda: The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty.

Antonia: Seven Devils by Laura Lam and Elizabeth May.

Biggest disappointment – 

Amanda: A Heart so Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer. I’m just going to pretend the first book in this series is a standalone because this sequel was all kinds of wrong.

Antonia: The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I was so annoyed by the characters throughout the whole book, I don’t think I’ll be reading the rest of the series.

Biggest Surprise – 

Amanda: A friend recommended Rules for Being a Girl by Candice Bushnell & Katie Cotugno. It’s a new all-time favorite because I loved literally every aspect. It takes place in the state I grew up and is feminist in all the best ways.

Antonia: This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El Mohtar and Max Gladstone. I knew I would like it because of how highly Amanda recommended it but it was nothing like I was expecting. The writing style was so unique.

Favorite new author – 

Amanda: Roshani Chokshi. In previous years I’d only read her Aru Shah series, but this year I’ve read all of the rest of her published books. I seem to love each more than the last and I’m very eager to read The Slivered Serpents when it’s published later this year.

Antonia: I haven’t really read any new authors this year so far, I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump.

Newest fictional crush – 

Amanda: Morgan from This Coven Won’t Break by Isabel Sterling. We really got to see more of Morgan and Hannah’s relationship in this sequel. Morgan was 100% my favorite character in this book and I would date her in a heartbeat.

Antonia: It’s kind of an old crush but I have to choose Rowan from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas.

Newest favorite character – 

Amanda: Cal from The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper. He’s got goals and doesn’t let anyone (not even NASA or Star Watch) get in the way of those. He also made some really great friends and very obviously took new information and grew from it.

Antonia: Blue from This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El Mohtar and Max Gladstone. I love Red as well but Blue was definitely my favorite.

Book that made you cry – 

Amanda: Probably all of them. But some examples, Allegedly by Tiffany  D. Jackson, Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, Internment by Samira Ahmed, Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa, and House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas just to name a few.

Antonia: Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas. I will never not cry at the end of this series.

Book that made you happy – 

Amanda: The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams, Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore, Save the Date by Morgan Matson, You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson, The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai, and Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert.

Antonia: All of them? I guess I’d have to choose The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. It’s one of my all-time favorites.

Favorite book to movie adaptation this year – 

Amanda: I haven’t actually seen any this year but a few I plan to watch because I’ve read the books finally are The Hate U Give and Crazy Rich Asians. I’m also excited for the final season of  The 100 and the upcoming Shadow and Bone Netflix series.

Antonia: I actually haven’t seen any this year either.

Favorite review you wrote this year – 

Amanda: I don’t think I have one, I think my reviews have been pretty average so far this year.

Antonia: I haven’t written any reviews this year.

Most beautiful book you’ve bought this year – 

Amanda: This is hard because the book covers this year have been absolutely stunning. Here are a few I love, Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, Dark Shores & Dark Skies by Danielle L. Jensen, The Deck of Omens by Christine Lynn Herman, and This Coven Won’t Break by Isabel Sterling.

Antonia: I’ve been really good about not buying books this year because my TBR is so long but the couple covers I’m most looking forward to coming out this year are To Sleep in A Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini and Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston.

What books do you NEED to read before the end of the year – 

Amanda: I’ve been working really hard to get my physical TBR down to under 50 books (and I’m doing pretty well). But more specifically I’d like to read all of Rick Riordan’s books and a few other series that have been completed but I haven’t finished.

Antonia: My entire winter TBR that I’ve barely touched this year.

Anyone reading this that thinks it would be fun to do, consider yourself tagged, and feel free to tag us in your post.

Amanda’s 2019 Superlative Awards (Book Tag)

Hi, lovelies. A few months ago, I saw a tweet that said something like “forget the ‘best of’ lists of the year. Give me a list of those HS awards but for books.” So, I’m here to do that for you. I’ve been thinking about how to do this since I saw the tweet and I think the best way (and most fun!) is going to be to make this a book tag. It’ll be the most fun and the best way for others to be able to participate too!

Rules: 

1. Tag me as the original creator
2. Choose from either all the books you read in 2019 or only 2019 releases.
3. Most importantly, have fun!

Best All Around: You’re number one favorite book of the year.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, not that this is new information to anyone that’s been too this blog before.

Biggest Flirt: Newest or favorite book boyfriend of 2019.

Definitely Taavin from the Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles series by Elise Kova. I absoltely adore the bizarre love story of Taavin and Vi.

Class Clown: Sillest/most goofy/funniest book of 2019.

The Disasters by M.K. England was an easy choice. These disaster kids were hilarious and I loved them.

Cutest Couple: Favorite bookish couple of the year. 

Ohhh, this was a tough one. But I’m going with Alyssa ana’Raisa (Lyss) and Halston (Hal). They’re from the Shattered Realms by Cinda Williams Chima. I was sad to see this series come to an end this year, but adored this couple.

Most Likely to Succeed: Mosted hyped book you read in 2019. 

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. I gave this five stars. I think it deserved the hype, but I know many others did not.

Best Celebrity Lookalike: Favorite book based off of another story (fairytale/mythological/classics, etc.)

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig. The 12 Dancing Princesses is my second favorite fairytale. But this book took it to a dark place I never could have imagined. It was everything I wanted and more.

Best Dressed: Most appealing book cover of the year.

I’m going to try really hard to pick a book that isn’t House of Salt and Sorrows or The Ten Thousand Doors of January because those are two of my favorites for the year, but I’ve already used them.

With these two out of the running for this category, I’m tied between Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds and Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee. See the covers below and let me know which you like better.

Tallest & Shortest: Share the longest & the shortest books you read this year. 

This answer is accoring to GoodReads becasue I’m entirely too lazy to actually figure it out myself

Longest: Air Awakens (Kindle Boxed Set) by Elise Kova (1,758 pages)

Shortest: The Clouds Beyond Us by Rahf Alrashidi (110 pages)

Best Clique: Share your favorite friend squad you read about.

Chronicles of the One by Nora Roberts. I read this whole series this year and there is an adult squad and their kids that we get to see and eventually become their own squad. I loved the dynamics and how clear their love for one another was.

Most Likely to Survive the Hunger Games: Share the character(s) you read about this year that you think would do well in the world of the Hunger Games. 

I read Percy Jackson and the Olympians series for the first time this year and I really think Percy & Annabeth would succeed, by skill or luck.

Best/Worst Plot Twist: What did you read that had a really great or really horrible plot twist?

I’m going to go with a series I just read in December. This Mortal Coil and This Cruel Design both had some plot twists I did not see coming and I loved it.

Best/Worst Swearing: What did you read that had great or terrrible use of swearing?

For best, I’m definitely going to go with the graphic novel series The Wicked + The Divine becasue they use swears frequently and creatively. I loved it.

For worst, I’m sad to say Ace of Shades and King of Fools. Amanda Foody made her own swears up and they were very jarring at first.

Series: Best/worst second or concluding book in a series. 

For worst, I have two novels that are both conclusions to series. Queen of Nothing  by Holly Black and Finale by Stephanie Garber. Both of these books had events in the first half that seemed to completely invalidate the big twists of the second books.

Best will have to be Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence. The third book was excellent as well. The series just got better and better.

Most likely to become a classic: What book has the potential to become a modern classic?

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers has potential to leave a legacy similar to LOTR in my opinion.

Tagging to play:

Alana @ The Bookish Chick

Avhlee @ Teacups and Torn Pages

Kim @ Whimsical Mama

Kelly @ Struggling Bookaholic

Rae & Jen @ Novels and Notions

Jess @ Jessica C Writes

Elley @ Elley the Book Otter

What books would you choose to ‘nominate’ for the bookish superlatives of 2019? I’d love to know your answers so fill this out and link back to this post!

Twitter
GoodReads

Blogmas Day Fifteen: Christmas Spirit Book Tag

We found this book tag over at Words & Stitches. We did this tag last year and thought it was a super fun book tag for the time of year. It’s great to get into the holiday spirit. So, we decided to do it again! Feel free to participate, but don’t forget to tag back to Words & Stitches!

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer // A book you love, even though it’s not perfect

Amanda – The Art of Losing by Lizzie Mason

Antonia – Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Frosty the Snowman // A book that melts your heart

Amanda – Check, Please! Book One: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu

Antonia – A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

The Grinch // A book about a sympathetic villain

Amanda – Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Antonia – The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

The Christmas Prince // A guilty pleasure book

Amanda – I don’t like calling books ‘guilty pleasure’ but Nora Roberts can always get me out of a reading slump.

Antonia – I agree with Amanda but would probably choose Julia Quinn. They’re so silly but always make me laugh out loud.

Naughty List // Three books you can never forgive

Amanda –

I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi (because of the ending)
Starsight by Brandon Sanderson (also because of the ending)
Beartown by Fredrik Backman (for all the tears)

Antonia –

Ogre Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Earth’s End by Elise Kova
The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

Nice List // Three books you can’t be mad at

Amanda –

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
The Disasters by M.K. England
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

Antonia –

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
Crown of Vengeance by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

Eggnog // A book you’re saving as a holiday treat

Amanda – The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand. It’s my only ‘Christmas book’ and I’m saving it for the last week before the holiday.

Antonia – Starsight by Brandon Sanderson

We tag you! Yes, you reading this! Feel free to play too!

Blogmas Day Nine: Harry Potter Christmas Book Tag

Hello bookish people! Blogmas is one of the best times of the year for book tags because there are just so many fun Christmas and holiday themed ones to do. So, of course we had to do the Harry Potter Christmas Tag. This tag was created last year by Charleigh @ Charleigh Writes. There are a few rules she’s created to go along with this tag, so let’s go over them before we get into the questions.

Rules:
1. Link back to Charleigh so she can read your answers!
2. You can’t choose Harry Potter for any of the answers.
3. Tag however many people at the end
4. Have fun!

It’s your first Christmas at Hogwarts. What’s one book you’ve asked for this year?

Amanda- The collectors edition of Crooked Kingdom. It’s stunning.

Antonia- Starsight by Brandon Sanderson.

You spot Hagrid hauling the Christmas tree through the grounds. What is the longest (or heaviest!) book you own?

Amanda- Without looking, I’d guess The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon.

Antonia- I think it’s my copy of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. It’s the entire series in one book.

It’s time for the famous Great Hall feast. What’s one book you can’t read without snacks?

Amanda- All books. I love to snack while I read.

Antonia- I’m also always snacking.

Well done, you’ve brewed your first Polyjuice Potion. What’s one book you’d change the cover of?

Amanda- The Vampire Academy series. I hate book covers with faces on them.

Antonia- Ooh, there’s so many. I’ll choose the Bloodlines series because I agree with Amanda.

You receive a brand new Firebolt for Christmas. What’s one book you read super quickly?

Amanda- All of Lynsay Sands Argeneau romance novels. They’re so fun and I can never stop until I’ve read it in one sitting.

Antonia- I really don’t read very fast. I guess I tend to go through Nora Roberts’ books quickly though. Even when rereading I get so invested in her characters.

You join Harry for his first proper Christmas. What’s one book you’d love to receive this year?

Amanda- Honestly, I’d love for someone to surprise me with a book they loved that I’ve never heard of.

Antonia- I like Amanda’s idea. Surprise presents are the best way to find books outside your usual niche.

You get hit by one of Fred and George’s flying snowballs. What’s a book you wanted to throw across the room?

Amanda- The Dragon Republic becasue it used addiction as a plot device and I was pissed.

Antonia- Ogre Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. It’s been awhile since I’ve been so disappointed by a book ending.

You’ve just visited Hogsmead for the first time. What’s one popular book you haven’t read yet?

Amanda- Lots? But I’m going to list a graphic novel for this one, Heartstopper Vol 1 by Alice Oseman.

Antonia- Oh wow. So many. Divergent by Veronica Roth comes to mind.

Congratulations! You’ve been invited to the Yule Ball. What book about Christmas do you love?

Amanda- If I was allowed to use the Harry Potter books for this book tag, I would use them here. But since I can’t, instead I’ll name The Polar Express. 

Antonia- Hmm, I don’t read a lot of Christmas books.

You find Ron’s deluminator. What’s one book that’s helped you through dark times?

Amanda- Looking for Alaska by John Green. It’s a book that came to me right when I needed the message it shared.

Antonia- The Obsidian Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory.

We tag:

Alana @ The Bookish Chick

Kelly @ Struggling Bookaholic