The Spring Has Sprung (2) Book Tag

It’s Book Tag time!
I haven’t done a tag for a while, even though I have SO MANY to catch up on. I first completed the Spring Has Sprung tag last year (you can see those answers here) after being tagged by Cristina from My Tiny Obsessions, and I thought I’d revisit the tag as Spring is now underway again…

1. FLOWERS: LOOK ON YOUR BOOKSHELVES. WHAT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK BOTH INSIDE AND OUT?

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry. The cover is beautiful, and I’ve recently seen a different edition with shades of blue on the cover which looks lovely too.
The story is very character driven and I really liked the writing as well.

2. GRASS: WHAT IS A BOOK THAT YOU FIND THAT OTHERS LIKE WAY MORE THAN YOU DO?

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – I imagine this is an amazing spectacle seen live on stage but somehow I just couldn’t seem to get into it in script form.

3. RAIN: WHAT’S A GREAT BOOK THAT LIFTS YOUR SPIRITS WHEN YOU’RE DOWN?

I’m certain I mentioned the Jeeves books by P. G. Wodehouse last time I completed this tag but they really do have some great humour, so they’re making a reappearance this time too.

4. DEW: WHAT’S A BOOK THAT MADE YOU FEEL ALIVE?

To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey. It follows a journey upriver into the wilds of Alaska and is told in a really vivid way. The landscape sounds wild and beautiful, and the sense of adventure made this a great read.

5. STORMS: WHAT’S A BOOK THAT YOU FOUND UNPREDICTABLE?

Hold Back the Stars by Katie Khan. Carys and Max are in a really desperate situation, stranded in space with 90 minutes until their air supply runs out and I just had to keep reading to find out whether they would both survive and how they would be saved. I had no idea how it was all going to play out.

6. RAINBOW: WHAT WAS A BOOK THAT YOU STRUGGLED WITH, ONLY TO BE HAPPY THAT YOU READ IT IN THE END?

Hm, I can’t think of anything, mainly because these days I’m getting better at putting books down if I’m not enjoying them, but also I‘ve had a really good reading run of late. For some reason I used to plough on with books even when I wasn’t enjoying them, with the idea that I’d started it so I might as well finish it. With such a massive TBR pile I don’t do that so much any more.

7. CHILLY WEATHER: WHAT’S A BOOK THAT YOU COULDN’T FINISH OR DIDN’T ENJOY?

So far this year I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve picked up. In general I don’t seem to go for many crime novels. I don’t mind watching a crime series on tv but I never seem to like the books as much.

8. WARM WEATHER: WHAT’S A BOOK THAT YOU LOVED AND WANTED MORE OF?

Christmas Under the Stars by Karen Swan was just a lovely story.

9. GREEN: WHAT’S A BOOK THAT YOU HAVEN’T READ YET, BUT REALLY WANT TO?

Sins of Empire by Brian McClellan. I’m reading the final Powder Mage book at the moment and cannot wait to start the latest offering from this author.

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence also sounds really good, so I’m hoping to pick that up some time as well.

I could add an endless amount of books here but will leave it at those two for now.

10. PINK: WHAT’S A BOOK IN WHICH YOU FELT A STRONG CONNECTION TO THE CHARACTERS?

I ended up really liking both Jamie and Claire from Outlander. And I have a whole series of huge books in which to follow their further adventures. Can’t wait!

11. PURPLE: WHAT’S A BOOK THAT WHEN YOU READ IT, YOU FEEL SAFE?

I guess anything I would choose to re-read. There’s something comforting in revisiting familiar characters and stories, and even though you mostly know what’s going to happen there’s always something new to find.

12. ORANGE: WHAT BOOK DO YOU FEEL IS INTELLIGENTLY WRITTEN?

Golden Hill by Francis Spufford. The writing is great and brings the world of New York in it’s infancy to life really well. There are some intriguing characters and a great mystery at the heart of the story.