The ‘Good Intentions’ Book Tag: 2023 Edition

It’s Book Tag time!
The first tag of 2023 is an updated version of a tag created by Lynn over at Lynn’s Books and is based on ten popular resolutions/best intentions. Here goes my 2023 attempt at the Good Intentions Book Tag.

Exercise more : This is a book that is a real chunkster, in fact you will need help to even pick this book up:

Fairy Tale by Stephen King. I have the hardback version, it’s the next book that I want to read. It’s so pretty, but it’s pretty huge too at over 500 pages. That said, I’m really looking forward to starting it.

Lose weight : A book that is not a chunkster; a short story or novella. A book you could probably read in one sitting:

The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by this author so far and this short story sounds good too. Here’s the description:

The Saint of War spares the life of a servant girl so she can fulfill her destiny as the kingdom’s greatest warrior in this short story of love and loyalty by New York Times bestselling author Alix E. Harrow.

Always mindful of the debt she owes, the girl finds her worth as a weapon in the hand of the Prince. Her victories make him a king, then an emperor. The bards sing her name and her enemies fear it. But the war never ends and the cost keeps rising—how many times will she repeat her own story?

Eat healthy : A book that is good for you. This is a book that made you feel so happy that you wanted to give it a big hug:

For some reason the first thing that came to mind for this was reading an Agatha Christie. Murder mysteries, for a book that you’d give a hug?! Strange, I know, but there’s something about picking up a Poirot novel. You know they’re not really graphic, and you know that in the end Poirot will come to the right conclusion and sort everything out. There’s a cosiness to them in a way that I do find enjoyable.

Fulfill your ambitions : A book that has a lot going on. Plenty of different threads, points of views and action but everything eventually comes together in a very satisfactory fashion:

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett. I read this last year and really need to get on and continue the rest of the series. There are so much going on in the first book, and so much action, and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Spend more time with the family : A series of books that you love and that has developed more than you ever anticipated:

This year I’m giving another mention to The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I’m still partway through a re-read of the series and cannot wait to get back to it. Wolves of the Calla is the next on my list.

Tick off an item from your bucket list : Reduce the tbr. Choose a book from Mount TBR that you would like to read this year:

I’m doing a whole reading challenge devoted to this very thing, so here’s some of the books that made my list when I signed up for Beat the Backlist:

The Robert Hunter series by Chris Carter
The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley
The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris

Save money : A book that was an absolute bargain – you would have to be crazy in fact not to have bought this book:

The Institute by Stephen King was 99p in e-book recently so I had to have it. Doesn’t matter that I’d read it before, I might want to read it again at some point.

Get Organised : A book with a glossary, maps, useful words, lists of people – this book is one helpful book, it wants you to know ALL the things and it’s not afraid to use footnotes and other devices to help you do so:

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien. There are maps, there are footnotes, and so far I’m really enjoying discovering this story. I don’t know why I haven’t read it before. I know I’ve seen all the films, but for some reason I haven’t read the books. Am hoping to read the trilogy over the course of this year.

Start a new hobby : A book that is outside your comfort zone. Perhaps everyone was raving about this book, maybe it was over-hyped, you hesitated to pick it up in fact, but when you did – you loved it:

An Evil Mind (Robert Hunter #6) was totally out of my comfort zone but I loved the sound of it so decided to give it a try. Whoever would have though a gruesome serial killer thriller would have grabbed my attention so much that I’ve decided to read the rest of the series, and it’s quite a long series too.

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That’s my top ten Good Intentions Book Tag.
If you’d like to have a go at the tag yourself then please do and I’d love to know what books you chose.

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The End Of The Year Book Tag: 2022 Edition

It’s Book Tag time!
I’ve completed this tag in previous years and thought it would be fun to revisit it again now, so let’s talk books…

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

I’ve been rereading The Dark Tower series by Stephen King and I’d really like to get back to that soon. The next book I will be reading is Wolves of the Calla and from memory it was a good one, so I’m looking forward to that.

I’ve also started reading the Robert Hunter series by Chris Carter and I’d like to try and fit at least one more book from that series in before the end of the year. Next up is The Night Stalker.

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

I don’t have a specific book but at this time of year I tend to find myself seeking out more Gothic-type tales, which feel suited to the longer, darker, colder nights.

I also usually try to pick something seasonal around Christmas time so any recommendations would be welcome.

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

It’s already published but I haven’t read it yet – Fairy Tale by Stephen King. It sounds so good.

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

• I might try to read something else by T. Kingfisher as I’ve just finished and loved What Moves the Dead.
• Perhaps another of the Dark Tower books by Stephen King.
• I’m being very vague with my last choice and simply saying ‘something festive’ as I have no idea what this might turn out to be yet.

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

Anything is possible. I haven’t picked my favourite read of the year so far yet but I do have a few in mind. Anyone who’s been reading my recent posts will probably not be surprised to hear the Robert Hunter series mentioned here, particularly An Evil Mind. It’s not the first in the series, but it’s the first book I read and I do think so far it’s my favourite, mostly because Lucien is a truly brilliant (or awful, depending how you look at it) villain.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2023?

Not really! I imagine the usual Goodreads challenge will feature, with a typically low starting number. If there’s a new Beat the Backlist challenge I may be tempted with that too. That’s about all in the way of plans at the moment.

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Are there any books you’re really hoping to read before the end of this year?
As always, feel free to consider yourself tagged if you fancy having a go at this one.

The Finally Fall Book Tag: 2022 Edition

Its Book Tag time. What better way to enjoy my favourite season than with an autumn themed tag? It’s Finally Fall! This tag was created by Alina on her booktube channel Tall Tales.

It’s become something of a tradition on the blog to complete this tag each year. I’ve done it at least a couple of times before, but I think there’s still room for another autumn-themed post, so here it is, same tag, new books. The 2022 edition of the Finally Fall Book Tag…

In fall, the air is crisp and clear: Name a book with a vivid setting.

Death on the Nile (Hercule Poirot #17) by Agatha Christie. I thought the setting of Egypt and the closed-in feeling of the Karnak river cruiser were really vivid in this book. Definitely one to consider when you’re looking for some escapism.

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley featured an apartment building that had massive amounts of mystery and atmosphere.

Nature is beautiful… but also dying: Name a book that is beautifully written, but also deals with a heavy topic like loss or grief.

I couldn’t think of anything for this at first but I’m going to say Witch by Finbar Hawkins, mainly because it is the loss of Evey’s mother that spurs her on to seek revenge on those who harmed her and who would do further harm if only they could locate Evey and her younger sister Dill.

Fall is back to school season: Share a non-fiction book that taught you something new.

I feel like I give the same answer each time I do this tag but I haven’t read any non-fiction this year… yet.

In order to keep warm, it’s good to spend some time with the people we love: Name a fictional family/household/friend-group that you’d like to be a part of.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow has a wonderful group at it’s heart made up of the three Eastwood sisters and the friends they make as they strive towards a better future.

The colourful leaves are piling up on the ground: Show us a pile of fall-colored spines!

I can offer up some autumnish-colour-inspired covers?

 

Fall is the perfect time for some storytelling by the fireside: Share a book wherein somebody is telling a story.

Billy Summers by Stephen King. In this story an assassin agrees to one last job. It requires him to go undercover for a while and assume the identity of a writer. While he waits for his target to come to him, Billy takes the idea of writing to heart and tells the story of his past, so there’s a story within the story and I really liked the way it all tied together towards the end.

The nights are getting darker: Share a dark, creepy read.

Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw. Look at that cover! With a cover like that you can imagine that the story inside is definitely going to be a little creepy.

Also, an honourary mention to ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. I actually reread this at the end of 2021 so it’s a little far back but that book had some of the creepiest scenes I’ve read in a while. So creepy in fact that I can still remember how unsettling they were at the time, especially one involving a certain basement in a certain house.

The days are getting colder: Name a short, heartwarming read that could warm up somebody’s cold and rainy day.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers. Okay, I admit that this book certainly isn’t short, but looking back through my books read so far this year, I apparently haven’t really been in a ‘heartwarming read’ mood very often, so this is the closest I could find. The friendships and found family aspect of the Wayfarers crew did make for nice reading though, so I think it counts.

Fall returns every year: Name an old favorite that you’d like to return to soon.

It was around this time last year that I finally read The Secret History by Donna Tartt. I’d owned the book for years at that point but never got around to reading it. I enjoyed it so much that it was on my mind as soon as autumn started to approach, and for a while I considered a reread. I’m not sure that will happen this year now but it’s definitely a book I’d like to read again.

Fall is the perfect time for cozy reading nights: Share your favorite cozy reading “accessories”!

A massive mug of tea and some chocolate biscuits.

Spread the autumn appreciation and tag some people!

As always, if you’ve not had chance to do this tag yet, or you’re seeing it for the first time and fancy giving it a go please consider yourself tagged.

The Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag: 2022 Edition

It’s Book Tag time.

It’s that time of year. The Mid-Year Freak Out tag is back for a 2022 update.
I’ve enjoyed many of my recent reads, so here’s to remembering a few of them in this tag.

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2022:

I’ve read some great books this year so I can’t pick just one for this. I must mention…

Death on the Nile (Hercule Poirot #17) by Agatha Christie
Foundryside (The Founders trilogy #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

2. Best sequel of 2022 so far:

The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King. It’s book 4.5 of the Dark Tower series and was written after the rest of the series was completed. I think it may also be the only sequel I’ve read this year actually, but I think I’d have chosen it anyway as I really like this series.

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

The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison. I enjoyed both The Goblin Emperor and The Witness for the Dead, and this book is a sequel to the latter. Definitely one I want to get around to soon.

4. Most anticipated release of the second half of 2022:

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

5. Biggest disappointment of 2022:

That I haven’t read a few more books so far, and I’d have liked to make a little bit more progress with my bookish bingo cards. Hopefully I’ll add a few more books to each of these soon.

6. Biggest surprise:

The Hollows by Mark Edwards

The Midnight Man (Slayton Thrillers #1) by Caroline Mitchell

Both of these were thrillers with a slightly spooky air that made them very enjoyable.

7. Favourite new author (debut or new to you):

New-to-me – Louise Douglas. I really enjoyed The Room in the Attic. I could have mentioned the two authors and books I used for the previous question here as well, because they’re both new-to-me and were enjoyable reads as well.

8. Newest fictional crush:

Pass

9. Newest favourite character:

The Eastwood sisters from The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow. I can’t pick just one of them as I liked each of them for different reasons.

10. Book that made you cry:

Billy Summers by Stephen King had a moment or two.

11. Book that made you happy:

I’m going back slightly further than I should for this one to mention a book that I read at the very end of last year as it seems to fit the prompt best – The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. I’ve thought about this one a few times since I finished it and enjoyed every moment spent in this world.

12. Favourite book to movie adaptation of 2022 you’ve seen:

Death on the Nile is perhaps the only move I’ve seen that fits this category. I saw the movie before I read the book but that didn’t take away any of the enjoyment of reading it. I liked seeing what was changed and what stayed the same.

13. Favourite post/review you’ve written this year:

I haven’t done many Top Ten Tuesday posts so far this year but I did enjoy writing about books featuring Lighthouses and Sailing Ships.

I think one of my favourite books to review recently has been Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie. It was a good story and trying to write about it without giving anything away was interesting.

14. Most beautiful book you bought or received this year:

The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex has a striking cover. I haven’t read it yet so can’t comment on the story, but it’s one I’m looking forward to.

15. Books you need to read by the end of this year:

There are many, many books I could mention but I’ll limit myself to just a few…

The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell
The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex
Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower #5) by Stephen King

So concludes my 2022 edition of The Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag.

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As always, if you’ve not already done this and you fancy reminiscing over the amazing books you’ve read so far this year, feel free to consider yourself tagged.
See you next time for another Book Tag!

The ‘Good Intentions’ Book Tag

It’s Book Tag time!
The first tag of 2022 is a brand new one created by Lynn over at Lynn’s Books and is based on ten popular resolutions/best intentions. Here goes my attempt at the Good Intentions Book Tag

Exercise more : This is a book that is a real chunkster, in fact you will need help to even pick this book up:

I could go for any of the remaining books in The Dark Tower series by Stephen King for this. I’m halfway through my series re-read and from what I remember the remaining books were fairly long, but I’m going to go for another option and say The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. This book was pretty massive when I saw the hardback copy, and it was one I was very very glad to buy as an ebook. I’ve read the rest of the books in this series (quite a while ago) and I would like to give this one a try at some point.

Lose weight : A book that is not a chunkster; a short story or novella. A book you could probably read in one sitting:

Uncanny Collateral by Brian McClellan. I loved the Powder Mage trilogy by the same author, and this sounds really different.

Eat healthy : A book that is good for you. This is a book that made you feel so happy that you wanted to give it a big hug:

I thought of The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison at first, but I’d like to use that title for another prompt so I’ll mention instead two books I borrowed first but ending up buying once I’d returned the loans – The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton and A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. Both are books I enjoyed at the time of reading and I would love to revisit them both and see if the reading experience was just as good second time around.

Fulfill your ambitions : A book that has a lot going on. Plenty of different threads, points of views and action but everything eventually comes together in a very satisfactory fashion:

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone was like nothing I’ve ever read before. Two agents on opposing sides of a war that spans all of time engage in a correspondence across many times and mediums from the past to the future. So much going on in a short number of pages but it all came together wonderfully in the end.

Spend more time with the family : A series of books that you love and that has developed more than you ever anticipated:

The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. This series goes to so many weird and wonderful places and puts the main group through so much, and it draws you in as it goes. You can’t wait to read more, but don’t want to get to the end. Or, you do what I’ve done – get to the end and found that reading it once just wasn’t enough. Yes, my series re-read will continue this year.

Tick off an item from your bucket list : Reduce the tbr. Choose a book from Mount TBR that you would like to read this year:

Where to even begin? I have so many books on my TBR list that I’m doing a reading challenge based around them, Beat the Backlist, so just a couple of mentions:

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke.

The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King is the next on my Dark Tower re-read list and after that The Wolves of the Calla.

Save money : A book that was an absolute bargain – you would have to be crazy in fact not to have bought this book:

I bought the First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie e-book for 99p. Three whole books for less than £1. Can’t think of anything else that was quite such a bargain as that. I haven’t read it yet (of course) but hopefully I’ll get around to at least starting it sometime.

Get Organised : A book with a glossary, maps, useful words, lists of people – this book is one helpful book, it wants you to know ALL the things and it’s not afraid to use footnotes and other devices to help you do so:

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison is a mass of complex names and titles and pronunciations, many of which are described and detailed in the Handbook for Travelers in the Elflands and the cast list. I thought at first I might not get on with all these names and titles but in the end I was so immersed in the story that it really didn’t take anything away from it at all. In fact, it added a little something extra, with all the courtly etiquette and rituals.

Start a new hobby : A book that is outside your comfort zone. Perhaps everyone was raving about this book, maybe it was over-hyped, you hesitated to pick it up in fact, but when you did – you loved it:

The Noise by James Patterson was one of my last reads of last year. It was a book I hadn’t come across or anticipated at all, and I didn’t really know what to expect, but I ended up really enjoying it. It was very mysterious and fast-paced and I couldn’t put it down.

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That’s my top ten Good Intentions Book Tag.
If you’d like to have a go at the tag yourself then please do and I’d love to know what books you chose.

The End Of The Year Book Tag: 2021 Edition

It’s Book Tag time!
I’ve completed this tag in previous years and thought it would be fun to revisit it again now, so let’s talk books…

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

At the moment I don’t have any particular books outstanding and having just finished reading The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison I’m not sure what I fancy reading next. I may try to read another instalment of The Dark Tower by Stephen King before the end of the year.

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

Not specifically, but I do tend to seek out more Gothic-type tales at this time of year. I also usually try to pick something seasonal around Christmas time so any recommendations would be welcome.

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

In terms of recent releases I haven’t read Billy Summers by Stephen King yet, and I’d also like to read Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

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

• The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison.
• Perhaps another of the Dark Tower books by Stephen King.
• I’d like to fit in at least one festive read, but don’t have a particular title in mind.

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

It’s always possible. I haven’t actually picked my favourite read of the year yet but there have been some good ones. Perhaps whatever I choose to read next will join this list.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2022?

Not at all! I’ll probably set myself a low target on the Goodreads challenge as I usually do, but beyond that I haven’t made plans as yet.

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Are there any books you’re really hoping to read before the end of this year?
As always, feel free to consider yourself tagged if you fancy having a go at this one.

The Finally Fall Book Tag: 2021 Edition

Its Book Tag time. What better way to enjoy my favourite season than with an autumn themed tag? It’s Finally Fall! This tag was created by Alina on her booktube channel Tall Tales.

It’s become something of a tradition on the blog to complete this tag each year; I’ve done it at least a couple of times before, but I always think there’s still room for another autumn-themed post, so here it is, same tag, new books. The 2021 edition of the Finally Fall Book Tag…

In fall, the air is crisp and clear: Name a book with a vivid setting.

     

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. The world of Casiopea was really vibrant and colourful and a complete contrast to Xiabalba, the home of Hun-Kamé. Both came to vivid life in this book.

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton. A story set on a ship bound on a long journey and possibly plagued by something supernatural, I loved the atmosphere of this story and some of that was down to the setting, all those people being confined together on the ship.

Nature is beautiful… but also dying: Name a book that is beautifully written, but also deals with a heavy topic like loss or grief.

Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower #4) goes into Roland’s backstory and without giving too much away there is definitely loss involved.

Fall is back to school season: Share a non-fiction book that taught you something new.

I feel like I give the same answer each time I do this tag but I haven’t read any non-fiction this year… yet.

In order to keep warm, it’s good to spend some time with the people we love: Name a fictional family/household/friend-group that you’d like to be a part of.

Given my Dark Tower reread is ongoing this year I can’t not say Roland’s ka-tet for this. Travelling around Mid-World with Roland, Jake, Eddie, Susannah and Oy would definitely be quite exciting.

The colourful leaves are piling up on the ground: Show us a pile of fall-colored spines!

I can offer up some autumnish-colour-inspired covers?

Fall is the perfect time for some storytelling by the fireside: Share a book wherein somebody is telling a story.

     

The Secret History by Donna Tartt.  Richard Papen recounts his time at Hampden, attending college, becoming involved with a group of Classics students, and his involvement in the murder of one of his classmates.

Later by Stephen King.  Jamie Conklin can see and communicate with the recently deceased, and tells this story of events that occur once other people become aware of his talent. I thought Jamie was a great character and a really good narrator.

The nights are getting darker: Share a dark, creepy read.

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill featuring Charlie Manx and his Rolls Royce Wraith taking unsuspecting people off to Chrstmasland was pretty creepy.

House of Crows by Lisa Unger is a series of four short stories linked together to make a series about a group of childhood friends drawn back to an old estate where they shared a summer and where something happened that draws them back. Definitely had some creepy moments.

The days are getting colder: Name a short, heartwarming read that could warm up somebody’s cold and rainy day.

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. The writing is lovely and the story ventures through time and space.

Fall returns every year: Name an old favorite that you’d like to return to soon.

I’ve been thinking recently that I’d like to reread Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. It’s been a long time since I read it the first time, must have been pre-blogging days because I never wrote about it here, so I’d like to go back and experience the story again.

Fall is the perfect time for cozy reading nights: Share your favorite cozy reading “accessories”!

A massive mug of tea, or possibly coffee, and some chocolate biscuits.

Spread the autumn appreciation and tag some people!

As always, if you’ve not had chance to do this tag yet, or you’re seeing it for the first time and fancy giving it a go please consider yourself tagged.

The Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag: 2021 Edition

It’s Book Tag time.

It’s that time of year; I’ve spotted this tag around quite often recently so yes, the Mid-Year period is here again.
I’ve enjoyed many of my recent reads, so here’s to remembering a few of them in the Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag.

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

I’ve read some great books so far this year so I don’t think I can pick just one for this. I must mention…

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, and The Waste Lands – the first three volumes of the Dark Tower series by Stephen King

2. Best sequel of 2021 so far:

The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King. It’s the second Dark Tower book and really starts to draw everything together after the Gunslinger, a much shorter novel that only really features Roland, the Man in Black and Jake.

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

The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell is one I definitely want to read but I’m thinking I might save it for my Autumn TBR list, if I can resist that long.

4. Most anticipated release of the second half of 2021:

Billy Summers by Stephen King

5. Biggest disappointment of 2021:

That I haven’t read a few more books so far, I’m still reading quite slowly and there are so many books I want to read.

6. Biggest surprise:

The Naturalist by Andrew Mayne was something a bit different for me and went off in surprising directions that made for exciting reading.

Later by Stephen King was another good one.

This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone – I enjoyed this so much that I want to read more books like it.

7. Favourite new author (debut or new to you):

New-to-me – Alix E. Harrow with The Ten Thousand Doors of January. I can’t believe I waited so long to read it.

8. Newest fictional crush:

Still drawing a blank on this one…

9. Newest favourite character:

This is a tie between Arent Hayes and Sara Wessell in The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton. I liked them both separately, and having them team up to deal with what is going on aboard the Saardam made for some great reading.

10. Book that made you cry:

There was one moment during The Waste Lands by Stephen King that made me just a tiny bit emotional. It was a reunion, and one I’d been looking forward to. I’ll say no more.

11. Book that made you happy:

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

12. Favourite book to movie adaptation of 2021 you’ve seen:

It’s not a movie but I’ve recently watched the TV series of Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King. It’s a while since I read the Bill Hodges trilogy and I enjoyed the tv versions of the characters.

13. Favourite Post/review you’ve written this year:

I’m enjoying writing about my Dark Tower reread. It was only when I started considering a series reread that I discovered I hadn’t already written about these books, possibly because I read them in my pre-blogging days.

Top Ten Tuesday has also given opportunities for some fun-to-write posts too. A few I’ve enjoyed included…

New-to-Me Authors of 2020

The Colours of Mardi Gras (covers edition)

Books That Made Me Want to Read More Like Them

14. Most beautiful book you bought or received this year:

The Ten Thousand Doors of January has a lovely cover and the story was pretty magical too.

15. Books you need to read by the end of this year:

There are many, many books I could mention here but I’ll just mention a few or I’d have a whole post filled with my tbr list…

More of the Dark Tower series by Stephen King
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
The One and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

So concludes my 2021 edition of The Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag.

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As always, if you’ve not already done this and you fancy reminiscing over the amazing books you’ve read so far this year, feel free to consider yourself tagged.
See you next time for another Book Tag!

The End Of The Year Book Tag: 2020 Edition

It’s Book Tag time!
I’ve completed this tag in previous years and thought it would be fun to revisit it again now, so let’s talk books…

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

At the moment there isn’t anything outstanding other than whatever I happen to be reading at the time.
I recently started reading The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman which is the first book in a series, so I might try and read at least one more of those before the end of the year, and there are a couple of other books I would like to try and read which I’ll mention later in this post.

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

Not specifically, although I do find myself seeking out more Gothic type tales at this time of year, and I try to pick something a little seasonal around Christmas time so am open to suggestions for titles I should check out.

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

There’s a recent release that I haven’t read yet but am very much looking forward to and that’s The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton.
I also haven’t read the latest from Stephen King yet either.

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

• The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal – I want to read this as I don’t read much sci-if and fancy a change. I recently finished the first of the Glamourist Histories by the same author and loved that so thought I’d check out her take on a different genre.
• Perhaps another of the Glamourist Histories or another Invisible Library book by Genevieve Cogman.
• I’d probably like to fit in at least one festive read, but don’t have a particular title in mind at the moment.

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

There have been quite a few books I’ve loved already this year. If I finally get around to reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow I do wonder whether that could be one I’d add to my favourites of the year.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2020?

Not even slightly! The usual Goodreads challenge goal may feature, but beyond that, no, not yet at least.

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Are there any books you’re really hoping to read before the end of this year?
As always, feel free to consider yourself tagged if you fancy having a go at this one.

The Finally Fall Book Tag: 2020 Edition

Its Book Tag time. What better way to enjoy my favourite season than with an autumn themed tag? It’s Finally Fall! This tag was created by Alina on her booktube channel Tall Tales.

I’ve completed this tag a couple of times in the past but there’s always room for another autumn-themed post, so I thought I’d revisit it this year.

In fall, the air is crisp and clear: Name a book with a vivid setting.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern had a vivid and magical setting.

Nature is beautiful… but also dying: Name a book that is beautifully written, but also deals with a heavy topic like loss or grief.

In The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James it’s a sense of loss that drives Carly Kirk to venture to where her aunt inexplicably disappeared 35 years ago. She’s searching for answers and some kind of closure , but finds an incredibly creepy and possibly haunted motel in a town with far too many mysterious events in the past.

Fall is back to school season: Share a non-fiction book that taught you something new.

I feel like I give the same answer to this each time I do this tag but I haven’t read any non-fiction this year… yet.

In order to keep warm, it’s good to spend some time with the people we love: Name a fictional family/household/friend-group that you’d like to be a part of.

     

I’d love to go and spend some time adventuring with Vintage, Tor and Noon from the Winnowing Flame trilogy by Jen Williams.

Also, I’d like to tag along with the duo of Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde from Stoker’s Wilde by Steven Hopstaken and Melissa Prussi because even though they battle vampires and all manner of evil, it’s all done with humour, wit and style.

The colourful leaves are piling up on the ground: Show us a pile of fall-colored spines!

They’re not spines, but as it happens a recent Top Ten Tuesday post was all about autumn-themed book covers.

Fall is the perfect time for some storytelling by the fireside: Share a book wherein somebody is telling a story.

     

A couple of my recent reads…

Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver. Maud Stearne is finally compelled to tell the story of shocking events that occurred at her childhood home, Wake’s End, years previously.

Endless Night by Agatha Christie. I picked this one up for Readers Imbibing Peril. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting but in it Michael Rogers tells the story of meeting his future wife and their time creating a new house and home together on land that may or may not be cursed.

The nights are getting darker: Share a dark, creepy read.

           

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson has some wonderfully creepy moments, and I also really enjoyed Dracul by Dacre Stoker and J. D. Barker. Both recommended for an Autumn night’s reading.

I must also mention The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James. It’s my current read and some of the scenes at the motel are definitely creepy.

The days are getting colder: Name a short, heartwarming read that could warm up somebody’s cold and rainy day.

I recently discovered the pleasure of the read-in-one-sitting short story with The Sleep Tight Motel by Lisa Unger. Probably not what you’d call heartwarming, but it’s the perfect setting and subject for a cold, rainy day.

Fall returns every year: Name an old favorite that you’d like to return to soon.

I don’t re-read very often at all but seeing that Stuart Turton has a new book out makes me want to read that but also revisit The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

Every so often I also get the idea that I’d love to re-read the whole Dark Tower series by Stephen King but that’s eight books and some of them are really long so not sure it’s going to happen, for now at least.

Fall is the perfect time for cozy reading nights: Share your favorite cozy reading “accessories”!

A mug of tea, of possibly coffee, and some chocolate biscuits.

Spread the autumn appreciation and tag some people!

As always, if you’ve not had chance to do this tag yet, or you’re seeing it for the first time and fancy giving it a go please consider yourself tagged.