Star at Star is All Book Up created this tag waaaay back when the folklore album first came out, and I saw her posting about it all over her Instagram but I was catching up on the tags that I was tagged in literally a year ago. So I’m only just now getting to it!
Full disclosure, I’m still not 100% sure how I feel about folklore. All of Taylor Swift’s albums sound so different, but post-rock isn’t my favorite style. Still, I said the same thing about both Reputation and Lover, so I’m sure I’ll come around. 🙂
the 1
a book you grew out of
I don’t usually grow out of books, I’m usually capable of reading a book from my past self’s perspective, especially my kids’ books. But I definitely don’t care for Eragon and the rest of the Inheritance Cycle as much as I did in my teen years. Part of it is because the last two books were so lackluster, but also I think because I’ve discovered SO MANY great books since then. Don’t get me wrong, I still like Eragon, just not as much as I used to.
cardigan
a book you keep coming back to
I don’t know how many times I’ve re-read Jane Eyre, but I will never get tired of it. Every time I pick it up there is something new to discover, something to learn about myself, something to understand about what it means to be human. The classics are timeless for a reason. No matter how old I grow I will always love Jane Eyre.
the last great american dynasty
a book where everything goes wrong (in the best way)
In Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes everything that can go wrong DOES. Starting with the opening scene in which the psychic cats have escaped their container and are running amok on the ship, to a mysogenistic emperor who is literally destroying planets in an attempt to get it on with Eva, to her exploits trying to find the notorious crime syndicate “The Fridge” and rescue her sister, there is always something not going according to plan. And it makes for an AMAZINGLY fun and exciting read. I’m very excited about Prime Deception (out now!!!) and can’t wait to read it.
exile
an ending you didn’t like
Unpopular opinion, but I didn’t care for the end of Ruin and Rising. If you’ve read it you can probably guess what my beef with the ending was. I won’t say anything else in case you haven’t read it, but seriously, bleh. It probably wouldn’t have been so bad if the rest of the series had been terrible, but what a lackluster ending to a good series!
my tears ricochet
broke your heart
You might be tired of hearing about Bel Canto, but I don’t care. I am still not over how heartbreaking the end of this book was. If you want a bittersweet, beautiful, ugly-cry read, pick this one up. It’s one of my all time favorites.
mirrorball
a book that speaks to your soul
Another book you might be tired of hearing about on my blog is The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. What really spoke to me about this book was the kindness of the main character, Maia. It’s a book that just makes you feel good when you read it. I also loved the uniqueness of the world, which is an almost-steampunk-amost-high-fantasy kind of place. I’ve never read anything like it before or since. Another all-time favorite.
seven
characters you want to take home and protect
I’m not exactly sure how to answer this question, it isn’t my typical response to a book. But I suppose I felt pretty protective of Bryson and Kai in Date Me, Bryson Keller. Maybe in part because Kai’s mom didn’t protect and love him the way I felt like she aught to. Maybe it’s because they were both so sweet and innocent. Whatever the reason, I definitely ended up with protective feelings by the end of this book.
august
summer love
I absolutely loved reading When Dimple Met Rishi this summer. They have such a sweet relationship, and honestly summer romances aren’t my usual so that was fun for me. But I liked this book for so much more than the romance. I really identified with both characters, I loved that it was about girls in STEM, and it touches on some important themes without getting too heavy.
this is me trying
mental illness rep
I recently read and REALLY enjoyed Witchmark by C.L. Polk. The book is historical fantasy set in a Edwardian-London-ish kingdom with weather magic. But one of the central plots in the book is a long-standing war (similar to the Crimean War, perhaps?) that is leaving the returning soldiers with some *serious* PTSD. The main character, Miles, is dealing with his own PTSD while also treating patients with similar problems. But something else is going on with his patients, something more similar than *just* mental illness, and he has to figure out what it is before the entire country is murdered. Plus there’s a great m/m romance that super sweet, and the whole thing was just very enjoyable.
illicit affairs
forbidden romance
I will never stop raving about Children of Blood and Bone, and I was ALL ABOUT the romance between Zelie and Inan. I thought they had great chemistry, and their kissing scenes were really steamy. I also liked that their relationship brought to light the way both sides in their conflict have been in the wrong and that there might not be a great solution. I can’t wait to see how Adeyemi brings this series to a conclusion, because anything other than total destruction seems impossible.
invisible string
soulmates
Are you ready to hear about another book that I’m always talking about? lol. Marco and Celia in The Night Circus are my EVERYTHING. I love their romance, how it is sensual without ever being graphic, how it grows over time, how they are so completely absorbed in each other. I also just really like everything about The Night Circus, so there’s that too.
mad woman
vengeful woman
I don’t know that The Fifth Season really counts for this prompt, because for most of the book nobody seems particularly vengeful, and the primary act of vengeance in the novel is committed by a man. But Seyenite has a pretty vengeful moment that ends up being a pivotal point in the novel and extremely difficult to read. And honestly, who could blame the women in this book for being vengeful? They and their children have been used and feared and resented even as they hold the world together for centuries. God, this book is SO GOOD. Read it.
epiphany
a loss you’re not over
Gideon the Ninth, am I right? I won’t give you any information because SPOILERS. But if you’ve read this book you know EXACTLY what I mean, and after finishing Harrow the Ninth I am still not over it.
betty
a f/f romance
Is it too obvious to say You Should See Me in a Crown? I like YA Romance (apparently) but I almost never give them 5-stars, but this was EASILY one of my favorite books of the year. It was so sweet and touching.
peace
found family
If you’re into found family books you’ve probably already read The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. This might be my favorite science fiction book EVER (depends on my mood when you ask me, tbh), and what makes this book so amazing is the characters. Each one is so unique, and they have a wonderful found family dynamic that makes the book feel so good to read. While the episodic nature of the book means it might not be for everyone, I highly recommend it if you enjoy slower paced books.
hoax
a character that fooled you
I feel like this is a really hard question to answer without giving away the plot of a book! But I guess a non-spoilery answer would be Henry in Red White & Royal Blue, because at the beginning of the novel it was so easy to buy into Alex’s prejudiced idea of what kind of person he was. Even though I guess I knew there was going to be more to him, it was easy to be fooled by his icy outer demeanor. It was nice as the book went on to really get to know him. 🙂
I’m not tagging anyone because 1) I wasn’t tagged 2) this album has been out for a while and 3) you never know who is a T-Swift fan and who hates her guts. But if you’re a Swiftie and you haven’t done this tag yet, YOU’RE IT!
Have a great week everyone. Love y’all.
Never Not Reading 
Loveee your answers!
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Thank you!
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