2021 Christmas Tag

Merry almost Christmas! I can almost feel it in the air and I’m so excited, even though I can hardly believe it’s been another year and we’re back to this season again.

I wanted to do another fun tag of sorts as Christmas draws nearer. I got this fun book tag over from Kaya @ A Fictional Bookworm and thought it’d be fun to try it out myself.

Let’s see what obscure titles I can bring out, shall we?

Father Christmas: Name a book you received as a child that you treasure to this day

I grew up with a lot of classic series which I’ve raved about elsewhere (like A LOT) on this blog, including Nancy Drew, Anne of Green Gables and Redwall. So today, I’m choosing to go with something different. You never see me advertising this here, but when I was a kid, I loved reading mangas. I bought volumes at the bookstore and tried to get the whole series split between my best friend and me.

One such series we loved together was Dream Saga. It was the perfect blend of romantic, epic in its world building, and wonderfully illustrated. I love looking at them on my shelves to this day (unfortunately only half the volumes as my ex-best friend has the other ones but the memories still hold).

The Ghost of Christmas Past: Is there a book or series you like to revisit each year at Christmas time?

Honestly, I’m not much of a planner when it comes to reading. I’m very much a mood reader and I read whatever floats my fancy at the particular moment (and what comes through from my library). So I guess the answer is no? But maybe I will start up a tradition one year. Like Christmas Shopaholic, perhaps?

Christmas Tree: Name a series that reaches new heights with every entry

Oh boy. Series can either really go downhill from the first book or at least stay en par with it. Rarely do I find a series that only gets better with time. But one series does stick out off the top of my head, and that’s definitely the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead. I devoured all 6 books in one week – it just kept getting better and better. Action-packed, the super slooowwww burn romance over the course of all the books, and beautiful world building had me flipping and flipping those pages.

Friends and Family: Name a book with fantastic characters

I loved Meg Cabot throughout my pre-teen years. Her books got me THROUGH those years, let’s be honest. But my favourite series from her is still the Mediator series because of the wonderful cast of characters. It’s got a snarky protagonist, a hot and forbidden (impossible?) romance with – well – a ghost (like the cutest cinnamon roll guy you can think of!), and plenty of bad guy ghost butt to kick. What’s not to love?

Decorations: Name a book with a gorgeous cover you would proudly display on your shelves

I adore simplistic things, whether that be in jewellery or book covers. For that reason, it’s why I want to collect the whole Love & box set and display all 3 books side by side. I adore the colours and simple illustration that is just very aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Christmas Cards: Name a book that carries a great message

I will have to go with one of my favourite Christian authors, Lysa Terkeurst. Right at the time Forgiving What You Can’t Forget came out, I went through a huge ordeal with a bunch of people who deeply hurt me all together. I struggled so hard with the betrayal and figuring out how these people, individuals I considered friends, could do that to me and think they were right. I learned a lot about forgiveness – which isn’t the same as reconciliation – and what it meant to forgive in the face of such pain that cannot be forgotten or brushed aside.

Ice and Snow: Name a book that you were hoping to love but which ultimately left you feeling cold

I’ve been so happy seeing so many Asian authors put out books these recent years with plenty of Asian representation, and I always want to love them all. However, it sucks doubly hard when I absolutely can’t continue a book because it emotionally hurt to read another page. I rarely DNF a book, but I had to for this one. I don’t think I’ll write a review here but I hated the protagonist, I hated the love triangle (I normally barely tolerate them but this was by far the worst one I’ve read yet), and I don’t like overused stereotypes that may not actually represent us as a people as a whole.

Christmas Lunch: Name a book that was big and intimidating but oh so worth it in the end

Definitely not obscure by any means, but I will have to trot out my favourite book of all time at 678 pages, The Host. I remember thinking it was such a thick book to get through when I first read it, but honestly, after the 200 page mark, it just got so much better and I was so deeply invested.

Minced Pies: Name a book you found sweet and satisfying

Counting Down With You was a wonderful debut that came out this year that I hope you didn’t sleep on. The love interest was such a sweet guy wrapped up in a tough exterior, but he bought our girl BOOKS for presents. For no reason sometimes! That’s a guy you want to keep in your life. Their romance was heartwarming as they faced the odds against them being together.

Presents: What book do you wish you could give everyone to read?

Can I say The Host again? Just kidding.

I rarely heard about this series when it was being released, but my favourite of Katie McGarry’s Thunder Road series is Walk the Edge which features an opposites attract kind of love story filled with character growth and hot bad boys on motorcycles. I mean, those two things balance each other out so well, am I right? Just wanted to put this out there again that this book (and series) exist!

Spread the Festive Cheer: Tag some friends to help spread the festive bookish love

If you’re reading this, please tag yourselves. I never want to force anyone to do anything they don’t want to, but I’d love to see what your answers would be if you choose to try it out.

Have a Merry Christmas, everyone!