Category: Book Tags

2024 End of Year Book Survey

Posted January 7, 2025 by Haze in Book Tags / 3 Comments

I found Jamie’s End of Year Book Survey through Jana @ The Artsy Reader Girl last year and decided to do it again this year! Please feel free to do this too and leave a comment with your link so I can check out your answers!

Here’s my 2023 End of Year Book Survey if you’d like to check it out. I’m late with my 2024 book survey but I got it done! I was still logging in some of the books I read in 2024 because I wasn’t up to date, and there are several reviews for 2024 books I haven’t written yet. The 2024/2025 end of year season was a really hectic one for me and I haven’t been very present in the blogosphere but hopefully I’ll get things squared away soon. I’ve missed visiting with everyone!

2024 Reading Stats

Click here to check out My Year In Books in detail. You can also use it to check yours.

Number of books you read: 172

Number of re-reads: 20! So many this year for some reason!
1. Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
2. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
3. Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster
4. Dear Enemy by Jean Webster
5. The Rook by Daniel O’Malley
6. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
7. Anne of Green Gables Books 1-5 by L.M. Montgomery
8. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
9. Cujo by Stephen King
10. The Shining by Stephen King
11. Pet Sematary by Stephen King
12. The Outsider by Stephen King
13. Perfume by Patrick Suskind
14. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
15. A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
16. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Number of books you DNFed: I didn’t keep track of them this year!
Number of pages you read: 62,076
Most read genre: Fantasy at 80 books
Number of new-to-you authors you discovered: 69

Firsts and Lasts

First book you read: Holly by Stephen King
Last book you read: A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
First 2023 release you read: The Improbable Meet-Cute series by various authors

Best In Books

1. Best book you read in 2024:
There were so many amazing books this year it’s honestly hard to choose. I did make a list for the top ten best books I read in 2024, but they did not include rereads. If I had to choose one new read, it’d be the Heartstopper series. If I could include rereads, it’d be The Count of Monte Cristo.

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t:
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt was a disappointment. It sounded so good and there was so much praise for it, I thought I was going to like it a lot more. To be fair, it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t as good as I thought it was going to be.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read:
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan, and the Super Powereds series by Drew Hayes. I didn’t have very high expectations for both; I thought they were a couple of generic YA stories that would be somewhat entertaining but not memorable. I am happy to be proven wrong for both! They are very entertaining! And also very memorable!

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did):
Interestingly, Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster. Someone was looking for a book to fit a prompt and I recommended this book. Before I knew it, it became a buddy read, and I got twelve people to read it! Plus, one more person from my irl bookclub! And another bookblogger who read my review! So altogether 14 people? Not too shabby!

5. Best first book in a series you started in 2024. Best sequel of 2024. Best series ender of 2024.
Started: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
Sequel: Doctor Sleep (The Shining #2) by Stephen King
Ender: Super Powereds Year 4 by Drew Hayes

6. Favorite new-to-you author you discovered in 2024:
I read so many new-to-me authors in 2024 and I enjoyed so many of them, but I have to go with Drew Hayes on this one. I read his whole Super Powered series, and also Fred, the Vampire Accountant, and I have to say they’re just so much fun to read, plus his characters are all so wonderful!

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone:
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. I listened to it on audio, but it’s listed as poetry and it sounds very poetic while I was listening, that’s for sure. I don’t typically read a lot of poetry, so this was definitely out of my comfort zone, but it was so beautiful to listen to and very emotional.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year:
The Super Powereds series by Drew Hayes! I couldn’t put them down and it was just one thrilling thing after another! I love the relationship dynamics, the action-packed challenges they had to go through, the storyline. It was four books with a total of approximately 160 hours on audio and I breezed through them because they were so fun!

9. Book you read in 2024 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky, and/or Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. For the “simple” reason that they’re both first books in a series that have quite a complicated world-building and I listened to them on audio. I’m probably going to have to refresh my memory for these books before moving on with the rest of the series. Oh, also Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, for the same reason.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2024:
The Emily Wilde books! I read both the first and second book in 2024 and they are both gorgeous!

11. Most memorable character of 2024:
Boris from The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I don’t necessarily like him as a person, but he’s very memorable as a character! Here’s what I said in my buddy read discussions for the book;

“He is the most exasperating, annoying, toxic, incredible, idiotic, brilliant, CRAZY person, and I think I wouldn’t have any idea what to do with a friend like him. You gotta love him but you also gotta hate him. And I think I’d stay far far away from him and his antics, he’d drive me to an early grave!”

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2024:
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. It was such an experience listening to this book on audio. Such painful topics told so lyrically, so beautifully, in such an expressive voice. It was incredible.

13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2024:
Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown. It’s basically an encyclopedia of emotions, which doesn’t seem like it would be life-changing, but the definitions really got me to understand my own feelings and why I was feeling them. It was very validating and still makes me think.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2024 to finally read:
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. There was a lot of talk about it when it came out and I was very curious. It’d been in my TBR since but I hadn’t read it until 2024!

15. Favorite quote from a book you read in 2024:
Omg, I have so many! But I’ll narrow it down to these few, for now!

“I’m one of those people who doesn’t really know what he thinks until he writes it down.” – 11/22/63 by Stephen King

“It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.” – Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

“Science is not the truth. Science is finding the truth. When science changes its opinion, it didn’t lie to you. It learned more.” – Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown

16. Shortest and longest books you read in 2024:
Shortest: Drop, Cover, and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory (40 pages)
Longest: Super Powereds Year 4 by Drew Hayes (1981 pages)

17. Book that shocked you the most:
Don’t Call It A Cult by Sarah Berman. The things they did were horrendous and unbelievable. You never think you’d be susceptible to being influenced into joining a cult, but you never know. It’s that whole slow boiling the frog thing, and I honestly can’t say for sure I wouldn’t fall for it. It’s scary.

18. OTP of the year (you will go down with this ship!):
Nick and Charlie from Heartstopper by Alice Oseman, hands down! I love them and I would die for them!

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year:
Carl and Donut from Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. I love their dynamic, I love their chemistry, I love the way they work together, I love how hilarious they are! I love them!

20. Favorite book you read in 2024 from an author you’ve read previously:
The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo. It was such a magical, whimsical fairy-tale that made me feel like I was transported to a whole other existence while reading it. I love the MC and how mysterious she is. I loved how the story unfolded and how we find out more about her and her life. It’s a beautiful story.

21. Best book you read in 2024 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else:
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. So many recommendations by so many of you, but yes, I only read it because it was so highly recommended and I trust your judgments!

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2024:
Carrie Soto from Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid. She’s so strong and inspiring, and I’ve got a thing for strong, inspiring women. She also has her moments where she can be a little abrasive, but I think seeing her weaknesses and vulnerabilities only makes me love her more.

23. Best 2024 debut you read:
Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer. I think it was the only 2024 debut I read; I would’ve had others but I didn’t get to them in time, and now I’ll have to read them in 2025!

24. Most vivid setting you read this year:
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I don’t know why but it really stood out to me. Every scene was so vivid and descriptive to me, I could imagine it all so clearly.

25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read:
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan. I was cackling gleefully while reading it because it was just so unexpectedly good! I also want to say Dungeon Crawler Carl, but it’s been praised so much already so I wanted to give Long Live Evil a mention.

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2024:
There were several books I read this year that made me cry or almost cry; The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, and Carrie Soto Is Back made me sob like a baby.

27. Hidden gem of the year:
I’ll admit that I’m not very up-to-date on what’s being hyped up out there in social media, but I haven’t heard a lot of hype around Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan, and I also personally didn’t expect much from it and was pleasantly surprised.

28. Most unique book you read in 2024:
Oooh, maybe I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman. It’s an interesting format with an interesting premise, but I really enjoyed it.

39. Book that made you the maddest (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it):
This year it was the non-fiction that made me mad; The Woman in Me by Britney Spears, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, the injustice and exploitation of both these women for albeit different reasons just really gets to me.

My Blogging/Bookish Life

1. Favorite review that you wrote in 2024:
I don’t know, I wrote so many I can’t remember them all! Possibly the ones with additional discussion and notes because I had so much more to say about them!

2. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog:
I really enjoy doing my Sunday Posts, but I’ve been missing them for a couple of months now. I’m still trying to catch up with regular life stuff at the moment. I hope I’ll be back soon.

3. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.):
My in-person bookclub’s road trip to The Royal Tyrrell Museum in conjunction with our Book of the Month, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Steve Brusatte! It was the most fun book-related event in 2024!

6. Most popular post this year on your blog (whether it be by comments or views):
I don’t really look at my stats (not sure how?) so I had to check manually but my Top Ten Tuesday Most Anticipated Books for 2024 Jan-Jun has 58 comments.

8. Post you wished got a little more love:
I’m pretty happy with the love I got, and very grateful for all of it!

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.):
It might be a little basic but it’s Audible for me. I know it’s been around for a while, and I had definitely heard of it before, I just didn’t know how it worked and how much fun I would have with it. I got a year’s membership for a discount and it includes a lot of free audiobooks I would otherwise have never listened to or learned about. I’m really happy with it so far!

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year:
I finished all my reading challenges in 2024 except two – I signed up for ten. I’m pretty happy with how I did on the challenges, but I definitely felt overwhelmed a couple of times. I’m cutting down on challenges in 2025 and hoping to take it easier!

Looking Ahead in 2025

1. Book you are most anticipating in 2025 (non-debut):
I have a few books I’m anticipating in 2025 and I made a Top Ten Tuesday post about it. I’m very excited about a lot of them actually; Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, Never Flinch by Stephen King, but I think I’m most excited about TJR’s Atmosphere because I loved the last book I read by her and this one sounds really good!

2. 2025 debut you are most anticipating:
A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson. I have no idea if it’s going to be good, but it sounds good and I’m really excited about it!

3. Sequel you are most anticipating in 2025:
All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan, the sequel to Long Live Evil, which I absolutely loved! It’s expected to be released September 16, 2025, a long wait, but I’ll be ready for it!

4. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2025?
I want to be more present on the blog. I am starting out this year very frazzled and behind on everything! I have been contemplating cutting down on book clubs, book challenges, and buddy reads, and even blogging, because of irl stuff getting busy, but I would be very sad if I had to do any of that. I’m hoping that it’s a temporary thing while I adjust and I’ll get better and more organized in time.

What are your answers to these questions? If you do this survey, let me know so I can visit your post and check out your answers. You can also leave your answers in the comments!

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2023 End of Year Book Survey

Posted January 5, 2024 by Haze in Book Tags / 4 Comments

This is my first time doing Jamie’s End of Year Book Survey although I found it through Jana @ The Artsy Reader Girl.

I’m doing it a little late because I felt weird about doing it at all, initially. I only just started this blog a month or so ago, and it felt weird to talk about books I read in 2023 that I never reviewed here. But then I thought about it more, and I realized that it was even more of a reason to do this, so that I could have a sort of unofficial record here about the books I read in 2023. So here we are.

2023 Reading Stats

Number of books you read: 94

Number of re-reads: 6
1. Wool by Hugh Howey
2. Falling into Place by Amy Zhang
3. Golden Son by Pierce Brown
4. Morning Star by Pierce Brown
5. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
6. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Number of books you DNFed: 3
Number of pages you read: 37,057
Most read genre: Fantasy at 46 books
Number of new-to-you authors you discovered: 29

Firsts and Lasts

First book you read: This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay
Last book you read: 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Easton
First 2023 release you read: All My Love by Miranda Dickinson

Best In Books

1. Best book you read in 2023:
There were some really great books this year, but ultimately Labyrinth’s Heart by M.A. Carrick wins the title for me. Simply because out of all the books I loved, this is the one I believe I will come back to most often.

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t:
Caraval by Stephanie Garber. It had been on my TBR for a while, and I loved the premise, it reminded me of an old childhood book that I loved. I was so excited for it, but I felt like the story and characters were so nonsensical and juvenile. I was going to give it 3 stars, but the ending made it worse, and I decided to give it 2 stars.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read:
Sooley by John Grisham. I went into this book without expectations. I need to listen to audiobooks to sleep and I often try books I normally wouldn’t read because they are immediately available on my library’s audiobook catalog. I enjoy Grisham’s legal thrillers but this one was a sports story and I’m not really a fan, but I ended up really loving it.

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did):
None this year. I was off social media for pretty much the whole year and didn’t influence anyone!

5. Best first book in a series you started in 2023. Best sequel of 2023. Best series ender of 2023.
Started: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Sequel: Jade War by Fonda Lee
Ender: Labyrinth’s Heart by M.A. Carrick

6. Favorite new-to-you author you discovered in 2023:
Madeline Martin. I loved The Last Bookshop in London, and I’m already working on The Librarian Spy. I’m pretty sure I’ll read The Keeper of Hidden Books soon after too.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone:
Well, Sooley by John Grisham. As I said, I don’t really read sports stories, but I loved this story.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year:
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. It grabbed me from the first page, and I literally couldn’t put it down. It has been a while since I got so immersed in a book, and I loved it!

9. Book you read in 2023 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
10 Blind Dates by Ashley Easton. It was so fun and heartwarming, and such a perfect read for Christmas season because of the timeline. I feel like I want to read it again for Christmas 2024!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2023:
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher. I mean, talk about mysterious and provocative!

11. Most memorable character of 2023:
Holly Gibney from the Bill Hodges Trilogy by Stephen King. I only read Holly in 2024, but I met her from the Bill Hodges Trilogy in 2023, and she’s one of my favorite characters ever that I believe will transcend the books.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2023:
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. I’m not sure if it’s beautiful in terms of aesthetics, but it is beautiful in terms of feels.

13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2023:
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. It helped me understand my CPTSD a little more, and prompted me to look into finally going to therapy.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2023 to finally read:
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I don’t know what to say, I’m ashamed of myself. But I’m glad I finally read it!

15. Favorite quote from a book you read in 2023:
Not my favorite, but one that sticks with me.

“Even I, in public, was a beloved child. Once her period of mourning for Marian was over, she’d parade me into town, smiling and teasing me, tickling me as she spoke with people on the sidewalks. When we got home, she’d trail off to her room like an unfinished sentence, and I would sit outside with my face pressed against her door and replay the day in my head, searching for clues to what I’d done to displease her.”
― Gillian Flynn, Sharp Objects

16. Shortest and longest books you read in 2023:
Shortest: A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers (152 pages)
Longest: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros (884 pages)

17. Book that shocked you the most:
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard. I loved the Something Strange and Deadly series, and I expected this one to be just as good, but it wasn’t even close. I didn’t like it at all and I was very disappointed. It made me question myself if it’s this book that’s bad or if I wasn’t as discerning with the Something Strange and Deadly series back then.

18. OTP of the year (you will go down with this ship!):
Ren and Grey from Labyrinth’s Heart, they’ve got that healthy, steady, mature relationship, but also lots of heat and perfect trust between each other. It’s the kind of relationship that will stand the test of time.

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year:
Vargo with Ren and Grey! Also from Labyrinth’s Heart. Honestly, I love found family, and I love Vargo’s relationship with Ren and Grey more than I love Ren and Grey’s relationship. He is so vulnerable with them and, I can’t describe how beautiful their relationship is. I love it.

20. Favorite book you read in 2023 from an author you’ve read previously:
Does it count if it’s from a trilogy I started before 2023? Because my answer is still Labyrinth’s Heart. If series don’t count, then it’s Barbed Wire Heart by Tess Sharpe. I read The Girls I’ve Been previously and she just writes strong, young female protagonists really well, and the stories she tells about them are so thrilling!

21. Best book you read in 2023 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else:
The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey. Well, the whole trilogy, really. A friend recommended it to me and I devoured it.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2023:
It would be Vargo from Labyrinth’s Heart, but I loved him from 2022, so I’m not sure if he’s eligible. The next best one would be Harley from Barbed Wire Heart by Tess Sharpe. She’s just so badass, and I love badass women!

23. Best 2023 debut you read:
I only read one 2023 debut this year and I didn’t like it, unfortunately. Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer.

24. Most vivid setting you read this year:
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. His writing is just so descriptive, I can see it all in my head.

25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read:
10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston was the most fun from the beginning to the end. It was just pure joy to read and there were so many hilarious moments, and also heartwarming ones.

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2023:
I read books 2 to 5 of the Red Rising series this year, I’m not sure which ones made me cry. Probably all of them. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes was another one. I’m sure there are more, but I tend to cry a lot so I don’t always take note of it anymore.

27. Hidden gem of the year:
This is a difficult one to answer because I’m not very up to date on the popular books, so sometimes what seems like hidden gem to me, isn’t hidden to anyone but me. But one of the books I loved most this year with the least amount of ratings is Barbed Wire Heart by Tess Sharpe.

28. Most unique book you read in 2023:
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher. You can tell it’s something special just by the title, but I love the whole idea of baking for defense. It’s just such a good book, and I love anything T. Kingfisher writes!

39. Book that made you the maddest (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it):
The longer I stay with a lousy book, the madder I get, because I wish I had dnf’d sooner, but I also try to give the book a chance to get better, and when it doesn’t, I get madder. Caraval by Stephanie Garber, and The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake, made me mad.

My Blogging/Bookish Life

1. Favorite review that you wrote in 2023:
I only have a month’s worth of blogging to choose from in 2023! I’m glad I’ve got some good books to choose from. The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin.

2. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog:
My favorite was the Sunday Post Zoolights edition because posting all the pictures of the Zoolights made me so happy.

3. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.):
No events this year.

6. Most popular post this year on your blog (whether it be by comments or views):
My Top Ten Tuesday Most Recent Books Borrowed from the Library has 45 comments.

8. Post you wished got a little more love:
I’ve only been blogging a little over a month, so I have no expectations at this point. I might have a better answer at the end of 2024.

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.):
Again, new blogger here! Everything is a new discovery! Everyone’s blogs, all the book memes, reading challenges, book tags! SO MANY NEW THINGS TO DISCOVER!

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year:
I didn’t set any challenges for 2023.

Looking Ahead in 2024

1. Book you are most anticipating in 2024 (non-debut):
The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo. I fell in love with The Ghost Bride and Choo is a fellow Malaysian Chinese writing such compelling stories about Malaysian folklore. I cannot wait to read this next one!

2. 2024 debut you are most anticipating:
I don’t think I have one at the moment.

3. Sequel you are most anticipating in 2024:
The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe. It is the sequel to The Girls I’ve Been, which I loved, and which is apparently going to be made into a movie starring Millie Bobbie Brown.

4. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2024?
I want to read more intentionally and remember more of what I’ve read. I signed up for reading challenges to motivate myself to read more nonfiction, classics, and diverse books, so I hope I achieve those challenges, but I also want to remember that reading should be fun and not a chore, so if I’m not enjoying the books, I can dnf. I want to dnf books I don’t like sooner instead of suffering through them!

What are your answers to these questions? If you do this survey, let me know so I can visit your post and check out your answers. You can also leave your answers in the comments!

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My Life in Books Tag: 2023

Posted January 1, 2024 by Haze in Book Tags / 9 Comments

This is another book tag I found through Jaime @ Keeper of the Wood Between Worlds. Originally created by Adam @ Roof Beam Reader.

The rules: Using only books you have read this year, answer these questions. Try not to repeat a book title.

In high school I was: Falling Into Place

People might be surprised by: This Time Tomorrow

I will never be: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

My fantasy job is: Assistant to the Villain

At the end of a long day I need: A House With Good Bones

I hate: Dark Roads

I wish I had: Lessons in Chemistry

My family reunions are: Wrong Place Wrong Time

At a party you’d find me with: Sharp Objects

I’ve never been to: The Last Bookshop in London

A happy day includes: Big Magic

Motto I live by: Save the Cat!

On my bucket list is: 10 Blind Dates

In my next life, I want to have: A Curious Beginning

Some of the titles would’ve been more fun in different prompts, but I had to make difficult choices because of trying not to repeat the titles, and having limited titles that would fit all the prompts. It was fun, and I’m happy that I did this. I hope you’ll do it too if you feel so inclined. Let me know if you do so I can visit your post!

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Spotify Wrapped Book Tag 2023

Posted January 1, 2024 by Haze in Book Tags / 5 Comments

I first saw this book tag from Jaime @ Keeper of the Wood Between Worlds. She did this book tag a few weeks ago and I’ve been meaning to do it too, before the end of 2023, but I guess I’m a little late! Still, better late than never! This tag was originally created by Rosina @ Lance and Dagger Books, and you can find her latest one here.

In Rosina’s words:

The idea of this challenge is to put your 2023 playlist on shuffle, and for the first three to five songs, you need to pick a book you read in 2023 that fits that song. It doesn’t have to be a perfect fit. You just have to explain why you chose that book for that song. Obviously, you won’t have a book match for every song, so you can skip some if necessary. But the idea is that you at least need to try, even if it is embarrassing. 

So here are mine:

Hold Me Now by Renee Olstead = Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Hold Me Now is primarily a love song, and while Flowers for Algernon has some romance in it, it’s not the main point of the story. But they are both so sad and emotional, and they break my heart into tiny pieces and I am very much in my feels. They both have that devastatingly hopeful/hopeless yearning, wanting to hold on, and yet very much aware of the inevitability of the end. Every time I think of either of these song/book, I have to pause and feel my feels and it takes a while.

Silent All These Years by Tori Amos = Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Silent All These Years and Sharp Objects both have a kind of sinister feel, with things not being said, and hidden danger. They both dance around the topic of abuse, glossing over it, minimizing it, never outright saying it but allowing the listener/reader to infer it on their own. There’s also a nostalgic feeling to both of them, a revisiting of the past. I feel like the whole being silent thing, on both these song/book, allow hurt, abuse, danger to thrive. It’s when you finally give voice to things and bring them to light, that things get resolved. But with these song/book, do they?

Where I Belong by Adrian von Ziegler = 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston

This pairing is a little bit more subjective. I mean, they were all subjective, but this one is even more subjective because Where I Belong is an instrumental piece, and there are no lyrics for me to go by, only the title and the feel of the song.

So for me, Where I Belong feels happy and joyful, and gives me found family vibes of home and belonging. I’m a huge fan of found family stories, so I actually read a few books in 2023 that fit the theme, but many of them also have elements of pain and sadness, some more than others. The one I thought that fit best, was 10 Blind Dates, because even though there are a few conflicts moving the story along, the book as a whole was just so fun and joyful, and that sense of belonging was so palpable.

There you have it; my Spotify Wrapped Book Tag done! I’m only doing three because it’s harder than I thought to find the perfect pairings! But I had fun doing this and I loved thinking about why the books matched the songs.

I don’t have anyone to tag except my predecessors, but if you’d like to do this, please do! And let me know so I can check out your post!

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