Today’s my birthday and to celebrate my return to the blog, I found this wonderful birthday book tag that seems fun to try out.
Thanks to Antonia @ Always Books who seems to be the original creator of this tag, and also Soph @ Soph’s Book World where I saw this cute tag ❤
Birthday Cake – a book with a plot that seems cliche but you adore it anyway
I love the romance trope that has the love interest literally right in front of you while you go off chasing some other person for a good portion of the book. That is, until it hits you how dumb you are that he/she has been standing there all this time. That’s Hot British Boyfriend and I cannot wait until you all get your hands on it. I will be posting a review on this one soon so stay tuned!
Happy birthday song – a book that certainly deserves all the hype it got
I finally read this book in 2020 and I had such HIGH expectations coming in although I told myself not to. Yet, I still loved it. The genius in Leigh Bardugo’s writing surpasses even the storytelling she did in the Shadow and Bone series. With the TV adaptation coming soon, I’m finally caught up enough to watch it all with only gleeful anticipation.
Happy music – a book with some very beautiful and truly meaningful quotes
Whenever I think of quotable books, my mind always deviates to poetry. I had the pleasure of reading this one a while back and it still sticks out to me as a book that understood my heart, particularly the feelings I hadn’t let go from when I was younger in the throes of first love. If you want to read more of my thoughts about the collection of heart wrenching poems, you can view my review here.
Getting older – a book that you read a long time ago but you think you would appreciate more if you read it as a more mature reader
This was my first high fantasy book in my earlier teen years that really got me into the YA fantasy genre. While I own a copy, I haven’t had the time to really dive into it again with fresh eyes now that I’m no longer the child I was when I first met its characters. It’s still a hit today among new readers and I’m looking forward to its next companion novel, Winterkeep.
Party guests – your most anticipated book release for this year
I was going to put “the second book in the Alex Stern series by Leigh Bardugo”, but given that it doesn’t even have a cover or description on GoodReads (I know, it’s so sad!), I will be the basic girl who puts anything Cassandra Clare. But it is true because I honestly can’t wait until Chain of Iron comes out. She’s on my auto-buy and pre-order list for a reason.
Sweet birthday memories – a book that kept you incredibly happy during a sad or demanding period of your life
I loved many of Kasie West’s contemporaries over the years, but during my initial struggles with anxiety, her book and protagonist who faced anxiety really helped me come to terms with what I now had for the rest of my life. I knew I wasn’t alone, and it felt good to see someone like me in the pages of my book so I can wrestle with it in a way that feels more distant but also face it instead of running away.
You can read my blog post on anxiety and the YA world here.
Birthday presents – a book that surprised you with how much you loved it
Last, but not least, I had to put Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. I have always attributed this book that kickstarted this blog. I loved it so much, surprisingly since I had no expectations going in when I first picked it up in 2015, I had to write a review on it. My very first, in fact. And it spurred this dream to create such book content for myself and for those who may also enjoy what I have to say.
So, thank you, Jenny Han. This place would not be here without you or this book.
It’s now almost the end of my birthday and I feel so grateful for the blessings it is to have a loving family and community I belong in. I hope whatever you face this year, whether your birthday is still under pandemic lockdowns, that you can find one thing to be grateful for. If this last year hasn’t taught us anything, I hope at least the one thing to remember is that life is fragile so cherish each moment to the best of your ability and live it with love and grace.
Down the Rabbit Hole 