November & December Reads (2017).

I’d like to say I didn’t read any new books or write any new blog posts in November because I was busy with NaNoWriMo, but that would be a lie. The truth is, I got a puppy whom I wanted to cuddle all the time, and I was just feeling a bit lazy.

Click here to follow Pepper the sausage dog puppy on Instagram!

I re-read lots of books in November, though!

Girl Up by Laura Bates – This is a great introduction to feminism for teenagers and adults alike. It is primarily aimed at girls navigating puberty but anyone can read it; it’s highly accessible and very funny (though rage-inducing at times).

OK, So Booksically… Tag

I saw the title of this tag and knew I had to do before I’d even watched the video. (Video I saw was this one by LilyCReads, the original by Okay So Booksically is here. I may now need to watch a lot of his videos.) I really shouldn’t be doing tags I haven’t been tagged for when I’ve still not done so many that I have been tagged for, but I am a law unto myself so…

Question 1: Tell Us About Your User / Blog / Channel Name and Your Real Name.

My blog is primarily about books but I do sometimes post about stuff I’ve been getting up to. I usually try and link it back to books though. I also have a card-making blog (which is more or less abandoned) and a new blog about beauty/fashion etc.

My Life in Books.

I’m always surprised when people say they didn’t always love reading. Like, a lot of book bloggers say that Twilight got them into reading in their teenage years. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I just find it baffling that they didn’t read before. I figured you’re born a reader rather than becoming one.

I have loved books for as long as I’ve been able to read. There have been times when I’ve not read as much, but books have always been a huge part of my life, so I thought it would be interesting to look back on the most important books throughout my life – the ones that moulded me, and stayed with me long after first discovering them.

This isn’t really a tag but I encourage any of you who want to do your own ‘life in books’ to go ahead and do so. I actually got quite emotional thinking about some of the books that have meant so much to me, especially as a child.

The Goodreads Book Tag.

I have actually done this tag before, but I was tagged recently (no, not recently – I just checked and it was in  June!!!) by Lindsey at Paradis Books (thank you!) and figured I may as well redo it because it’s the sort of tag where your answers will change a lot.

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What was the last book you marked as ‘read’?

The Bad Beginning, the first in the A Series of Unfortunate Events series by Lemony Snicket. Which means we are now 11 days into March and I haven’t finished a book yet this month!

Top Ten Disappointing Reads.

Because I like controversy, here’s a few books I was expecting to be great but ended up being variations of OK to downright terrible. Sorry if any of your favourites are on this list!

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10.
The Light of the Fireflies by Paul Pen.

I actually started out really loving this book. Its Room-esque plot was intriguing and I found the writing style easy and interesting to read. It’s about a family living in what we assume is a basement or a nuclear bunker, where they have been living for years without ever going outside, and suddenly the daughter is pregnant – so we know something’s up.

 The ending was such a disappointment. After an exciting, sinister read, I was fully expecting to give this book 10 out of 10 – when suddenly it ends in a shower of victim-shaming. The daughter has been bullied and abused by other members of the family, yet somehow it is she who gets her comeuppance, not her abusers, and she is painted as the villain.

Top 5 Wednesday: Gateway Books to Fave Genres.

 Top 5 Wednesday is a meme created by gingerreadslainey and hosted by Thoughts on Tomes. Here’s the link to the Goodreads group.

I won’t be partaking every Wednesday – if I try to blog on a particular day each week, I always end up losing interest – but I thought it would be a fun meme to dip in and out of.

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I’ve been a bit naughty as the following aren’t really I’d consider genres, but I’m just not a big fan of genre books. I consider my favourite books to be so special, and compartmentalising them this way takes away from their uniqueness for me. It feels like an insult to categorise them and lump them in a genre with a load of books that aren’t in the same league.

The Reader Confessions Tag.

Thanks so much to Kayla at KDrewKTheBookworm for tagging me!

1. HAVE YOU EVER DAMAGED A BOOK?

In my old copy of Prisoner of Azkaban, I highlighted the word ‘Snape’ every single time it appeared because I was fucking mental.

The Pokemon Go Book Tag.

GUYS GUYS GUYS THERE’S A POKEMON GO BOOK TAG. LOOK HERE IT IS.

If you’ve read my last few posts, you might have noticed I’m a little obsessed with Pokemon at the moment. I mean, I’ve always been obsessed with Pokemon – it was all-encompassing in my childhood, even more so than Harry Potter – but right now, with Pokemon Go taking over the world, my obsession has come back with a vengeance.

I haven’t been tagged for this but when I saw it on Nazahet’s blog, Read Diverse Books, I obviously had to do it! It was originally created by Aentee at Read at Midnight (she also created the awesome graphics for this tag!).

The ‘Spring Has Sprung’ Book Tag.

YES! We are connected! I can blog again!

Thanks so much to gettingthroughanxiety for tagging me in this original tag.

THE RULES:

• Answer the questions for the tag
• Nominate whoever you want
• Post the image of this tag
• Have fun! (My favourite rule!)

1. Flowers: Look on your bookshelves. What is the most beautiful book both inside and out?

I have some gorgeous books, but which ones are beautiful inside as well? I guess I’ll go with Wonder by R. J. Palacio. I love the bright blue of this cover and the message of the book is that it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

The Inside Out Book Tag

The Inside Out Book Tag was originally created by booktuber Kristina Horner.

This tag is based on the Pixar movie Inside Out.

1. Joy – which book brings you the most joy?