I stumbled across this book tag on YouTube and I thought I would give it a go. The original creator of this tag is Darker Side of Whitney on YouTube.

 

1. Recently Watched: What is the last book you finished reading?

 

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

 

In this Rumpelstiltskin retelling our main character Miryem works as a moneylender taking up her father’s place because is a terrible one. She is so good at this job that she ends up being known to turn silver to gold. Eventually word of her reputation gets out to the king of this old race that wants to capitalize on Miryem’s skills.  Novik has written a retelling previously which is Uprooted at bestselling novel. She certainly has a talent for taking stories that everyone know and putting a twist that somehow still manages to make the idea sound fresh. This novel makes the reader want to keep reading from the moment they pick up the book until the very last sentence. 

 

2. Top Picks:  A book/books that have been recommended to you based on book you have previously read.

 

If you like Game of Thrones you will like Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

 

Falling Kingdoms is filled with magic, war and violence. This story follows a cast of characters who’s stories all intertwine in one way or another. We follow our four main characters as they deal with the change that is happening to the three kingdoms of Mytica. When the one of the monarchs intend to start a war our cast of characters are forced to choose what side they want to stand on and who they need to align with. Any fans of the Game of Thrones series would enjoy this series!

 

3. Recently Added:  What is the last book you bought?

 

Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake

 

This is the third installment in the Three Dark Crowns series. I bought this the day it came out because the last book ended in a way that made me want to know so much more about the world and the characters Blake has created. I go into further detail on the first book  in my October recommendations post from a few weeks ago.

 

4. Popular on Netflix:  Books that everyone knows about.  (2 you’ve read and 2 you have read or have no interest in reading)

 

Two I  have read…

 

Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

 

I recently read this book and it is better than I expected it to be.

 

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

 

I wasn’t allowed to read or watch the Harry Potter series as a kid, but I finally picked them up when I was 16 and I am glad I did.

 

Two I won’t read…

 

Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead

 

I own most of the books in this series, I just don’t have the same taste in books as I did when I started the series. Therefore, I won’t be finishing it.

 

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

 

I started the first book a few years ago, but I couldn’t get into it.

 

5. Comedies: A funny book.

 

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

 

Although the subject of this book is rather serious it still manages to maintain a light tone throughout the novel. This book follows a young teen named Audrey who suffers from severe social anxiety. Her anxiety forces her to don herself in sunglasses to avoid eye contact, Audrey feels like she has to do this even in her own house. We follow Audrey as she attempts to overcome what has been keeping her so quiet. Like I said before, this book follows difficult subject matters but Kinsella manages to write in a way that is uplifting rather than discouraging. Each character Kinsella introduces enhances the story and has their individual quirks that add to the comedic aspect. I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in books about mental health that are also uplifting.

 

6. Dramas:  A character who is a drama queen/king.

 

Daisy, Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

I love Great Gatsby, it is honestly one of my favorite classics, but there was always a part of the book that bothered me. Daisy is the most insufferable character in all of literature. Yes, I know that is a bold statement, but I have strong feelings about this book. Daisy is only looking for personal gain and strings people along to insure that she gets what she wants. This books is set in the 1920s smack dab in the middle of prohibition. In the novel we follow Nick who has an outsider perspective on the world of luxury that Daisy and Tom Buchanan  as well as Jay Gatsby, live in. Nick is observing this world and is fascinated with Gatsby’s life and mystery that lies underneath the wealth. Like I said before, this book is one of my favorites for many reasons, so don’t let my distaste of Dairy dissuade you from picking up this novel, it is one you won’t regret reading.

 

7. Animated:  A book with cartoons on the cover.

 

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

 

Not only does this book have adorable illustrations on the cover, but the main character of the novel has her own comic strip. Through her online persona of LadyContellation she has an entire following of people who devoted read her comics, the only problem is that nobody knows it’s Eliza. She keeps her identity a secret so she can portray whatever she wants without fear of attaching her name to it. Sketches are sprinkled throughout the novel showing the reader glimpses of the world Eliza has created.

 

8. Watch it again:  A book/book series that you want to re-read.

 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

 

This always the book I want to reread, especially when I am feeling down. This book follows Cath, a college freshman that is living separate from her twin sister for the first time in her life. While starting her first year in college Cath is currently writing a fanfiction that has hundreds of thousands of fans around the world. She finds writing to be her escape from the problems that face her in everyday life.  This novel has a strong mental health influence that I can relate to which makes me feel like I am not alone in my struggles. This book is perfect for anyone going to college or who are currently attending college. I would also recommend this book to people who struggle with social anxiety, introverts, or are classified as shy.

 

9. Documentaries:  A non-fiction book you’d recommend to everyone.

 

Night by Elie Wiesel

 

This is a powerful book that I read when I was 16 for English, but has still stuck with me today. This follows Wiesel’s account of his family being taken from their home in 1944 and brought to a concentration camp. This is a heartbreaking story that is important for everyone to read.

 

10. Action and Adventure:  An action packed book.

 

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

 

Cinder is the first installment of this series which is a scifi retelling of fairy tales. I went into a bookstore four or five years ago and was recommended this book but ended up not purchasing it, because it didn’t seem like something I would like. Boy was I wrong! The intial reason I was deterred from this book was because it is a scifi novel, I am not immediately drawn into scifi as a genre. It takes a lot of convincing for me to pick on up in the first place, but a couple years after my venture into my local bookstore I started reading it and I was blown away. This first novel follows the main character Cinder who is a cyborg living in a futuristic world who discriminates against robots. This starts out as a unique Cinderella retelling, but turns into a start of a revolution against a corrupt monarch.

 

11. New Releases:  A book that just came out or will be coming out soon that you can’t wait to read.

 

Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare

 

I have been anticipating this book since I finished the second book in the Dark Artifices series (Lady Midnight) and it comes out in December. I refuse to stop talking about this novel because that is how excited I am for this final installment in Clare’s lasted series. If you haven’t heard of this series I reviewed Lady Midnight a few weeks ago. Click here to check it out!

 

12.  Max: Tag some people!

 

Xandra from The Book Blog Battle!

And I tag you, reader! Answer these questions for yourself and post your answers.