Bookmas 2021

Merry Bookmas Day 18th – 18th December – bookish Naughty or Nice Tag

Happy Saturday bookish people! Merry Bookmas day 18! Today I’m bringing you another book tag. I love doing these and sharing my answers with all of you. So, today’s book tag is the Bookish Naughty or Nice tag which I found on Jenniely.com.

What you have to do for this tag is go down the list and say if you have or haven’t done whatever it says then at the end you count up how many things you have done and if you are under 10 then you are on the nice list and if you are over 10 you end up on the naughty list.

  • Received an arc and not reviewed it – Yes, I have done this. I received a copy of Red Wolf from harper Voyager and I haven’t gotten around to reading and reviewing it yet and I feel bad about it but if I forced myself then I wouldn’t make a very good review of it anyway.
  • Have less than a 60% feedback rating on Netgalley – Yes, I only recently started on Netgalley and I haven’t gotten used to it all yet so my feedback rating is low at the moment.
  • Rated a book on Goodreads and promised a full review was to come on your blog and never did – no, I haven’t done this. If I say there is a review on my blog then there is a review on my blog.
  • Folded down a page of a book – No, I definitely have not done this.
  • Accidentally spilled on a book – I haven’t spilled anything on a book before but I have dropped a book in the bath before, it was a book about the Titanic which is so ironic.
  • DNF a book this year – yes I have done this with a few books.
  • Bought a book because it was pretty – all the time, I am a sucker for a beautiful book.
  • Read whilst you were meant to be doing something else – Oh definitely, this sounds like me.
  • Skim read a book – No, I read each page properly but I do read very fast.
  • Completely missed your Goodreads goal – No, I actually completed my goal of reading 100 books in 2021 which I am very happy about.
  • Borrowed a book from a library and not returned it – No, I always returned the books I borrowed from the library.
  • Broke a book buying ban – yes. Many times.
  • Started a review and forgotten about it – No, I always finish them in one sitting.
  • Wrote in a book you were reading – Nope, I’ve never done this.
  • Finished a book and not added it to Goodreads – No, I always make sure that I add them to my goodreads.
  • Borrowed and book from a friend and not returned it – I couldn’t do this to a friend.
  • Dodged someone asking to borrow a book – No, I don’t think so.
  • Broke the spine of someone else’s book – not somebody else’s no.
  • Took the jacket off a book and damaged it – no, definitely not.
  • Sat on a book accidentally – No, I haven’t but this one made me laugh at the thought.

So, I got 6/20 which means I’m on the Nice list! Thank goodness.

Are you on the naughty or nice list?

Bookmas 2021

Merry Bookmas Day 17 – 17th December – Bookmas Trees

Happy Friday bookish people! Merry Bookmas Day 17!

Last year, and this year, I saw a lot of photos of people making trees out of books. Not ripping up the books of course, or anything like that but piling books on top of each other to make the shape of Christmas trees. I really liked them so for today’s post I thought I would see if I could find any this year and I would put them here to show you all. And just to say I found all these images doing a google search of ‘bookmas trees’.

How to Build a Bookmas Tree (With Commentary by Fisher) | Smart Bitches,  Trashy Books
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2018/12/how-to-build-a-bookmas-tree-with-commentary-by-fisher/
https://klkranes.com/2016/12/07/how-to-make-a-book-mas-tree-part-2-the-secret-to-success/
Guess How Many Books are in the Bookmas Tree Survey
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2015bookmas
image
https://ireadyabooks.tumblr.com/post/168929469948/rockin-around-the-i-read-ya-bookmas-tree

These are some of my favourites that I have seen, I hope you all enjoyed looking at these few trees as well. Have you ever tried to make a bookmas tree?

Bookmas 2021

Merry Bookmas Day 12 – 12th December – The Christmas Song Book Tag

Happy Sunday bookish people! And Merry Bookmas day 12! I thought it would be really fun to do another book tag today. I found the questions over at thesassygeek.wordpress.com.

Let’s get into the book tag!

You’re A Mean One Mr Grinch – Name A Villainous Character You Can’t Help But Love

For this one I had to choose Victor Vale from Vicious by V E Schwab because he’s a morally grey character and as a reader you’re never really sure if he’s a good guy or a bad guy and I really liked that. I also really liked his dialogue and his interaction with other characters – he is what made the book enjoyable for me.

All I Want For Christmas Is You – Which book do you want to see under the tree this year?

I have quite a few different books on my wishlist but one of the books I really want is The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi.

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer – Name a character that overcomes major obstacles and learns to believe in themselves

There are so many characters I could choose for this but I eventually chose Zaf from Take A Hint Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert because at the beginning of the book Zaf has so much anxiety and he has ideas of what he wants to do but there are things holding him back and by the end his character has really grown and I loved that.

Santa Clause is Coming To Town – Which character is on the naughty list and which character is on the nice list?

I’d put Tamlin from A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas on the naughty list and Elizabeth Scrivener from Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson.

Frosty The Snowman – Melts your heart?

For this I thought of Cath and Levi from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell because I felt there were lots of similarities between Cath and myself and it was nice to see the romance in this book even though usually I don’t like romance at all.

Feliz Navidad – Choose A book that takes place in a country other than your own

Again, there were so many books I could choose for this one. I settled on The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden because it is one of my favourite books that I have read.

It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year – Which holiday themed book do you use to spread Christmas joy?

I’ve struggled to think of an answer to this question because I haven’t read any holiday themed books yet.

Sleigh Ride – A fictional character to spend the holidays with?

I haven’t got a reason for this choice but my mind instantly went to Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

Baby It’s Cold Outside – A book you didn’t like and that you would sacrifice to a fire to keep yourself warm?

First of all, I wouldn’t put any books into a fire but a book that I didn’t like is a good question. I would say We Are Blood and Thunder by Kesia Lupo because I just did not like that book at all, I actually gave it to my best friend and they enjoyed it so I’m glad I gave it to her.

Do You Hear What I Hear – Which book do you think everyone should read?

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco!

That’s it for this Christmas Song book tag, I hope you all enjoyed reading my answers. What would you all have put for your answers, let me know in the comments!

Bookmas 2021

Merry Bookmas Day 11 – 11th December – Books That Surprised Me In 2021

Happy Saturday Bookish people! And Merry Bookmas day 11. Today I wanted to share some of the books that have surprised me throughout this year. There have been quite a few books that have done this actually, for lots of different reasons. I will try and show a picture of each book, give the title and give a little bit of information about why the book surprised me.

I’ll start with two books from the same series…

The first two books that I want to mention are Get A Life Chloe Brown and Take A Hint Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert. These two books are part of the Brown Sisters trilogy, I can’t include the third book yet because I haven’t read it but I imagine it would give me the same reaction. I was surprised by these two books because they are adult romance books and romance has never been a genre that I have enjoyed all that much. However, Talia Hibbert’s books have a good balance between wit and the actual romance, she also includes a plot in the books which made it easier for me to enjoy. I also loved some of the characters. If you are interested in my full thoughts about these two books I have posted reviews of them both.

Another book that surprised me was…

The reason I was surprised by this book is because it is written almost completely in email correspondence. I knew this before reading the book and it made me think that I might not enjoy the book as much because I couldn’t see how the mystery would still have those character relationships and the tension that I like in a book. I was wrong because I ended up loving the book and thought that using emails was a brilliant choice on the part of the author.

Another mystery that surprised me was…

Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz surprised me because it is a large book and I hadn’t read anything by this author before. I was surprised that I was kept engaged in the complex and long mystery. It was one of my favourite books that I have read this year. I have a review of this book posted if you want to know my full thoughts on the book.

A historical book that I was surprised by is…

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn. This book is, the first book in a series, about a woman, I believe in the Victorian period, who is thrown into the middle of a mystery. I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this book because I hadn’t read many historical mysteries but now it is a genre I actively look for when buying books.

Up next is a book that was bought for me..

Lireal by Garth Nix. This is a book that surprised me because it was recommended to me by my partner. He had showed it to me in the shop and I looked at the synopsis and thought it might be an okay book but I didn’t really feel like reading it but my partner bought it for me so then I had to read it. And of course, he was right, I loved the book and I ended up giving it five stars.

Up next is…

Pumpkin by Julie Murphy. I got this book after seeing lots of great reviews about it and I thought well, it sounds okay so I’ll give it a go. I was surprised I liked it because again it’s not my preferred genre but I did end up liking it.

The next one is part of a series…

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman. I have only read the first two books in the series so far but I was surprised by them because of the premise of the series. If it is a book about books or librarians I’m almost guaranteed to love it. But I was less sure about this book because it combined librarians with the supernatural world of vampires and fae and spies. I was imagining a retelling of James Bond but it was nothing like that but I ended up enjoying it and continuing with the series.

The next book is a stand alone I put off reading…

Fangirl : Rowell, Rainbow: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is another book that is way out of my usual genre, I had to fulfill a prompt for a readathon and I ended up picking Fangirl because it is a book about a girl who loves writing stories and fanfiction which to me is more relatable than some other romance/contemporary books. I was surprised that I actually became very emotionally invested in the characters, especially Cath and I gave the book five stars.

The final book for this list is…

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden surprised me because it is based on folklore and is a very dark book, there is a dark and cold atmosphere to the story. But I found the whole book to be beautiful, whimsical and magical. One of the best books I have read.

That’s it for the books that have surprised me in 2021, I hope you all enjoyed reading about it. What books have surprised you in 2021?

Bookmas 2021

Merry Bookmas Day 10 – 10th December – Bookish gifts

Happy Friday bookish people! And merry Bookmas day 10! Today I wanted to focus on some great gifts for book lovers. I don’t know about everyone else but my Christmas wishlist is a collection of books and book themed items – mostly pin badges from Etsy and t-shirts from Etsy and Redbubble. So, I thought it would be a nice idea to put together a small list of bookish gifts.

Something that I have seen around a lot recently is an item called a ‘book nook’. There are many different styles and designs that you can get.

The two above are two different styles that I found on Amazon, the second one is a Medieval themed one. Book Nooks are wooden boxes/books that are made to look like a small street or alley way and they contain doors, windows, various scenery that would match the theme. Some of them open out like the first example I have included and some stay closed like the second example. Most of them come unpainted and with the pieces to build it yourself which I think is something that makes this different from any other type of gift.

Book Log Journals are always a useful gift for a book lover. Not only are they available in multiple, pretty designs but they help keep track of what books have been read and the thoughts you have about them. Some examples:

Other great gifts for readers include….

Mugs!

Book Lover Mug Gift, Bookish Gifts, Librarian Mug, Bookworm Mug, Yes I Really Do Need All These Books

Signs!

T-Shirts!

That’s it for this post, I hope you all enjoyed seeing just a few bookish gift ideas! What bookish gifts do you want to receive this year?

Bookmas 2021

Merry Bookmas Day 9 – 9th December – Which Book Should I Read Over Christmas Quiz!

Happy Thursday bookish people! Merry bookmas day 9. I always love a good quiz, especially around Christmas time so I thought why not combine my love of Christmas, books and quizzes all in one. I will say I did not create this quiz, I found it on readingthroughinfinity.com.

So, let’s get on with the quiz!

Which genre is your go to? A. Fantasy, B. Historical, C. Contemporary/Romance, D. Thriller/Mystery, E. Sci-fi

What do you look forward to most over Christmas? A. Snow, B. Giving/receiving presents, C. Spending time with family, D. Decorating, E. Watching films

Pick a Winter Wonderland:
A –

A Short History of ... "Winter Wonderland" - JAZZIZ Magazine

B –

Annie Lennox 'Winter Wonderland ' - YouTube

C –

Winter Wonderland Boxed Christmas Cards | Redlin Art Center

D –

winter wonderland theme

E –

merry christmas photo backdrop snowflake photography background winter –  dreamybackdrop
  1. What is your favourite Christmas food? A. Mince pies, B. Stollen/Yule log, C. Christmas Cake, D. Roast Dinner, E. Christmas Pudding

    Pick a Christmas jumper:
    A –
ASVP Shop Adults' Unisex Christmas Jumper with Christmas Lights Design and  Pom Pom Baubles - ASVP Shop

B –

Red Fairisle Penguin Christmas Jumper | Women | George at ASDA

C –

Buy Navy Gonk Scene Christmas Jumper from the Next UK online shop

D –

Tips For Reusing Your Christmas Jumpers | Primark Christmas | Primark UK

E –

Green Santa Knitted Christmas Jumper | Kids | George at ASDA


  1. What would you ask for as a present? A. Books, B. An experience day, C. Clothes, D. something else, E. Game

    Choose a decoration? A. Tinsel, B. Baubles, C. Mistletoe, D. Wreaths, E. Lights

If you got:

Mostly As: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Mostly Bs: Three Sisters Three Queens by Philippa Gregory

Mostly Cs: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Mostly Ds: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Mostly Es: Winters Orbit by Everina Maxwell

That’s it for this quiz, what book did you get?

Bookmas 2021

Merry Bookmas December 2nd – Bookish Advent Calendars

Happy Thursday bookish people! And a very Merry Bookmas. It is the second day of December and the second day of my everyday blogging that I plan to do in December and so far I am doing pretty well, but we are only two days in.. Anyway, today I am going to be showing you some of the best bookish themed advent calendars I have seen on Etsy, and I will also show you the two that I got for myself. By the time that this post goes up they probably won’t be available anymore but I would still like to show you what is/was on offer because it might be useful for next year.

The Cozy Librarian – Bookish Advent Calendars: Science Fiction and Fantasy, Teen Fiction, Classic and Literary Fiction

bookish advent calendars  science fiction and fantasy  teen image 1
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1074116525/bookish-advent-calendars-science-fiction?ref=shop_home_active_3&sca=1

This is priced at around £69 but I believe it changes for each book genre. Each box includes 12 wrapped books, mostly used but still in good condition. They include a mix of paperback and hardback books and offer each of the genres that I mentioned above.

BookBoxFan – Book Advent Calendar

Book Advent Calendar  12 books 6 teas 6 hot chocolates  image 1
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/895751324/book-advent-calendar-12-books-6-teas-6?ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1&crt=1

This advent calendar is priced at £79.99 and it includes 12 books, 6 teas and 6 hot chocolates. The genres include: crime/thriller, romance, historical fiction, Christmas and mindfulness. I like that they include such a variety of genres. Each advent calendar is prepared individually so if you want a specific genre or hot drinks you can message the seller and try and work something out.

EmilyCromwellDesigns – A very merry 12 days of bookmas advent calendar box

A Very Merry 12 Days of Bookmas Advent Calendar Box  Bookish image 3
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/890985583/a-very-merry-12-days-of-bookmas-advent?ref=shop_home_feat_2

This box is priced at £51.28 and it includes 12 individually wrapped and numbered gifts, such as 4 laminated bookmarks, 1 ornament, 2 magnetic bookmarks, 1 pen, 1 sticky notes pad, 1 sticker, 1 notepad and 1 magnet. These items are so beautiful and colourful I had to include it in my little round up.

ScintillareBySunidhi – personalised 12 days of Christmas bookish advent calendar

Personalised 12 Days of Christmas Bookish Advent Calendar  image 1
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1087424188/personalised-12-days-of-christmas?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=personalised+12+days+of+christmas+bookish+advent+calendars&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&organic_search_click=1&pro=1

This box is priced at £22.37 as a starting price but again I think this one changes depending on if you want the personalization or not. All 12 gifts are individually wrapped and include items such as keychains, popsockets, coasters and more. The personalised option offers you a book stamp which says “belongs to (name’s) library”.

Now onto one of the advent calendars I got for myself, the other one I can’t find the listing for anymore so it must be sold out but it is a fantasy advent calendar and includes fantasy books, hot drinks and other items. The other one I got myself was…

Paperchamber – bookish advent calendar

advent calendar bookish advent calendar christmas advent image 1
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/892078677/advent-calendar-bookish-advent-calendar?ref=shop_home_feat_4&frs=1&bes=1

This box cost me £24 because I chose the option that included twelve gifts and one book, which I think is the advent day 12 gift. It arrived a few days ago and although I haven’t opened it yet the little touches that came too were really lovely and I am very excited to start opening them up.

That’s it for today’s Bookmas blog post, I’ll be back tomorrow, the 3rd December, with some fun Christmas book trivia.

Bookmas 2021, Monthly TBRs

Merry Bookmas Day 1 – 1st December – December TBR

Happy Wednesday bookish people! And a merry bookmas! As I announced last week I am going to be posting every day in December and this is the first of these posts. Of course I had to start my blogmas/ bookmas with my TBR for December so I hope you all enjoy reading about what I plan to read in December and the thoughts I already have about the books.

My December TBR:

  • Well Met by Jen de Luca – This month I have included lots of books that are outside of my comfort zone in my TBR and this is one of them. It mentions a Renaissance fair and that sounds very unique and interesting.
  • The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman – I read his first book either this year or last year, I can’t quite remember and it was very enjoyable so hopefully the second book lives up to it.
  • Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia – I am interested in reading this book because it has been compared to Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and I loved hat book.
  • Kingdom of The Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco – I love Kerri Maniscalco’s work and Kingdom of the wicked is no different, I can’t wait to be back with Wrath and Emilia.
  • Dance of Thieves by Mary E Pearson – The description makes me think of Six of Crows a little bit so I have high hopes for this one.
  • A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas – again this book is on my TBR, I will read it eventually!
  • Not Here to be Liked by Michelle Quach – I’m not usually drawn to this genre but the synopsis really interested me and I’m not completely sure why.
  • All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody – this is like a very dark version of the Hunger Games mixed with family gangs.
  • Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson – I love her books and a fantasy book about magic and nuns sounds amazing.
  • The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – again, another book outside of my comfort zone but I am looking forward to giving it a chance.
  • In The Crypt With A Candlestick by Daisy Waugh – a 1920’s themed murder mystery makes me think of Agatha Christie which I love so hopefully I will enjoy it.
  • The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood – this is written by the writer of Death In Paradise which is one of my favourite TV shows so hopefully this book is good too.
  • Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber – I love the Caraval series and this book follows one of the characters from that so I’m excited to read it.
  • Truthwitch by Susan Dennard – this is a book that I have heard a lot about so I want to get around to it soon.
  • Traitors Kiss by Erin Beaty – I don’t know much about this book other than it has a lovely cover.
  • The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict – this is a festive themed book that I am excited to read
  • It sounded Better In My Head by Nina Kenwood – I don’t know much about this book either, other than it is outside my usual genre
  • Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian – it’s set in an ice cream shop, I don’t need to know anything else about it.
  • Good Girl Bad Blood by Holly Jackson – I loved A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder and I can’t wait to read the second one in the series
  • Mistletoe and Murder by Robin Stevens – another festive themed book that I am very glad I managed to get onto my TBR.
  • The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling – I have seen so many good things about this book and I know it has comedy in it so I should enjoy it.
  • Murder In Midwinter – a collection of crime short stories set in winter should be a nice change of pace.

That’s it for my December TBR, have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?