T-Swift Book Tag!

A few months back I was looking for a Book Tag and found this awesome Taylor Swift one on Another Blog. It's taken me awhile but I've decided to do it!

The Taylor Swift Book Tag!

1. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

(Pick a book or series that you were pretty sure you were in love with, but then wanted to break up with)

The Raven Boys was beautifully written and intriguing. The plot was solid, the characters were great, and there were some incredible friendships. I was pretty sure I loved it. 

However, I decided to never read the series again when an awesome character who was Catholic, a boxer, and one of the most aggressive, protective people you'll ever meet, ended up being gay. It was so out of character. Especially because his "significant other" was in love with a girl for the first three books. I was so upset. Ronan wasn't. He wouldn't. It would not have happened. That twist was obviously just the Writer deciding to go with a popular trend. It makes me mad.

2. Red

(pick a book with a RED cover)

War is coming...

The Shadow Throne by Jennifer Neilson. This book is the last of three so I can't say too much about it without giving anything away. Just go read the Ascendants Trilogy! The characters are well done, the plot is good, and there are some great friendships/romances. Remember, it is Middle Grade so it could have been a little more mature/serious, but ya' know. It's still a good series though! 8-)

3. The Best Day

(pick a book that makes you feel nostalgic)

I'm not sure if this means the book itself makes you feel nostalgic, or whether it's a book that makes you feel nostalgic because it means something to you personally. 

If it's the first option then I would go with The Penderwicks In Spring, which made me feel both very nostalgic and very emotional. Wow. Poor Batty. Poor Ben. Poor Jeffrey. Poor Mr. Penderwick. Poor everyone.

All The Sads!

The other option is probably Winnie The Pooh. (The originals, obviously.) Pooh brings back good memories an a warm achy feeling in my chest. I love the stories and the characters. Even if it's a bad day Pooh can make me feel better. 

Winnie the Pooh has a nostalgia all it's own. It leaves you with the same achy feeling you get after watching Pixar's Inside Out. You rediscover your childhood and then you have to let go of it again. It's sad, but not in a bad way. And it makes you remember important things and reconnect with that childlike wonder and excitement.

4. Love Story

(pick a book with forbidden love)

I don't know if Jane Eyre is necessarily forbidden but it's all that came to mind. I don't read too much romance. Usually because it's dull.

Jane is a young governess in the 1800's who tutors a little girl, Adele, in the country. She falls in love with Adele's guardian, Mr. Rochester and he in turn falls for her. This story has a Forbidden Love angle because Jane had no social standing and worth, whereas Rochester had very high social standing and is a well-known and respected. In that time frame such a thing was strongly frowned upon in disapproval. Their relationship and potential marriage goes against custom, code, and tradition. Besides that, there is Rochester's secret...

5. I Knew You Were Trouble

(pick a book with a bad character you couldn’t help but love)

D. Grayman, Katsura Hoshino

Tyki Mikk

"My Black and White selves - the real fun lies in having both."

Uuuungggggggg. My relationship with this character is "Tyki, Why?" and Tyki is like "TYKI EVIL."

Seriously though. Tyki is a horrible person. I should hate him. I do hate him. But I also I like him. I don't know why I like him. He does terrible things and enjoys them. And I'm just over there, "Why aren't you good? You could be good, if you just gave up your dark side."

Maybe he'll have a giant character arc. The series isn't over yet.

6. Innocent

(pick a book that someone ruined the ending for.)

My sister's are really good about not spoiling book endings. 8-) Sometimes they'll spoil TV shows or movies but with books my family is tight-lipped. The end of Oblivion (the last book of the Gatekeeper series) was spoiled through my own fault. I had a bad feeling about that stupid book, especially in regard to some of my favorite characters, so I asked my sister to please tell me what happened. And my feelings were correct. I'm not reading that book for a while. A long while.


7. Everything Has Changed

(pick a character from a book who goes through extensive character development)

Extensive, hm? Extensive.

Xerxes Break from the Pandora Hearts series.*

"No matter how you suffer, you must go on living anyway."

*Yes, it's a manga. A manga I need to review.

Xerxes Break is one of those manga characters that blew me away. He was such an odd, untrustworthy person at the beginning. I didn't like him. But as I continued to read the series, Break's character arc got me good. He turned into one of my favorite characters. His development was intense, emotional, and beautifully done.

I can't finish this question without taking time for Paul Grey too. Paul Grey from The Last Crescendo goes through an incredible arc. He comes from the lowest of the low, sunk in depression and hatred, and slowly comes back to life and... God. It's like, wow Paul. Look at all the good that is in you. You're so, heroically good. I love that about The Last Crescendo. I love that about Paul. His personal growth as a character, and his growth in regard to religion and Catholicism are both beautiful, realistic, and pure. If you're looking for a good "Christian Fiction" book, Owen Francis Dudley writes fantastic ones. They're all about a Catholic Monk named brother Anselm and the different people he meets and helps.

8. You Belong With Me

(pick your most anticipated book release)

Book Five.

I need this book so badly! I own the first four books and have been desperately waiting for a new one to come out for ages. Really. Book four came on in 2010! And here we are seven years later, Finally getting another book!

Don't be that Writer. 😩

I mean, Megan Whalen Turner is great but geeze. That's a long wait.

The Queen's Thief series is my absolute favorite fantasy series ever. I love how Turner handles character development and growth, and I LOVE her third book! Besides the great stories and individual arcs of characters and plots, Eugenides is the most epic little thief you'll ever read about so....

I NEED BOOK FIVE!

I've pre-ordered but I have fears about betrayal. Please don't betray me Megan! Don't do it!

9. Forever and Always

(pick your favorite book couple)

I don't read romances! 8-( Up there at the top is a book couple I can't give names to without revealing a spoiler, but it's from the Attolia series. Besides that one, my favorite couple is probably Ann and Paul from The Last Crescendo,

BONUS QUESTIONS! (Added by Bella)

10. Never Grow Up
(A book you read when you're feeling sad/emotional)

When I am in need of a comfort book I tend to read Howl's Moving Castle, or one of the many Chrestomanci books. There is something very heart-warming about Diana Wynne Jones' books.

11. Begin Again

A book you've read multiple times but always go back to it because it's that good.

The Queen's Thief series and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

"Steal me peace."

"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you."

12. Starlight
(A book you hid in bed with/fell asleep reading)

I've fallen asleep reading plenty of times in my life, but some books that stand out in my mind for this, Half Magic, Edward Eager, The Masterful Monk, Owen Francis Dudley, Harry Potter, JK Rowling, and Mariel of Redwall, Brian Jacques. I don't remember which Harry Potter book. I think it was The Prisoner of Azkaban. Of those books, Half Magic is a big one. I remember waking up and finishing it later that night. The joys of a bookworm. 😊 Things like that happened to me fairly often actually.

13. I Know Places
The number one book you would take on a long trip away from home.

The Queen's Thief, or The Hobbit.

14.) Change

(A book you've never read but want and plan to)

This series. Dragonsong, Dragonsingers, Dragondrums. It sounds good and I'm slightly appalled that I've never read it.

This was fun! I think I'll do one for my TV shows/movies next! 8-D

I tag:

Jack

Christine

Treskie

Kat

Amy

And anyone else who wants to give it a whirl! No worries if you can't do the tag either. Fufufu.

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

Six "Unknown" books that You should Read this Winter.

I've realized that there are some masterpieces of literature that not many people know about, so I decided to tell all you all about them. Hopefully you will find at least a couple of them to be good and wholesome reads this season. 8-D

1.) Lark - Sally Watson

Set in seventeenth-century England under Cromwell, Sally Watson's LARK combines historical intrigue with romantic adventure in the high-spirited tale of a young girl who escapes from her uncle's stolid Puritan family.

Thirteen-year-old Lark is forced to stay with her puritan Uncle and his family after her Royalist parents are exiled to France. With an arranged marriage between Lark and her cousin Will-of-God looming in her future, Lark decides to flee to Scotland and stay with her sister who lives there. On the way, she meets young James Trelawney, a Royalist spy who takes her under his wing. At first he hopes to learn where Lark lives and return the curious runaway home, but as the two travel together they  build a strong friendship and grow to care for and protect one another. They find themselves in many complicated, insane situations, some incredibly dangerous. As the book mounts to a climax, members of Lark's family discover her whereabouts, James is caught in the middle of a battle, and a plan to rescue the young King Charles is set in motion - a plan both James and Lark may be a part of. - source.

This is a Must-Read for anyone who wants a soft, gentle romance, an adorable Scott who is seriously fabulous, a spunky, ridiculous girl who's a bit of a brat but definitely a lovable one, and lots of rambunctious adventures.

Ronia the Robber's Daughter - Astrid Lingred

Source

Ronia is the daughter of a robber chief named Matt. They live in a castle in the wilderness. The castle was struck by a bolt of lightning, a bolt which split the ground and divided the castle into two separate buildings, separated by a deep chasm. One half of the chasm is occupied by Ronia's band of Robbers, and the other half is occupied by robbers knows as the Borkas. Animosity grew up between the two robbers, and Ronia was not allowed to visit the opposite half of the castle, or to befriend any of the robbers living there.

One day, however, Ronia meets a boy of her age named Birk. The two  quickly becomes friends, but Birk is the son Borka's chief, and therefore such a friendship is forbidden by Ronia's father. When Matt discovers their secret he tries to end the friendship, but Ronia and Birk won't allow it and after a crucial climax between Ronia and her father, the two friends run away together and hide from their families in the wild, untamed forest. They share some incredible adventures and form a strong, lasting bond which no one can break.


This is a good book for anyone wanting a forest-adventure story with an adorable friendship that may or may not grow into something more, and amazing, well-written characters.


From Anna - Joan Little

From Anna* takes place in the 1930's and revolves around a nine-year old girl and the struggles they face when when they flee Nazi Germany, seeking refuge in Canada. For Anna the change is especially hard. She is a middle child, clumsy, awkward, and to herself, not particularly bright. Once in Canada however, Anna and her family soon discover a crucial predicament: Anna needs glasses. She is practically blind. 

   Once this discovery is made, Anna's life changes. Slowly she finds her own sense of self-worth and realizes that she has a plenty to give. She is like a blossom, just waiting to bloom.

This book is great for any reader who likes historical fiction, family stories, and strong messages about self-worth, hope, and growth.

*If you read From Anna, you'll also want the sequel Listen for the Singing. That one is about her brother joining the army in WW2, and the impact it has on his family, Anna, and himself.

A Charmed Life - Diana Wynne Jones

Cat admires and clings to his older sister Gwendolyn. She is all he has, and he clings to her viciously. Gwendolyn is a very promising young witch, capable of difficult and challenging spells, so there seems to be much for Cat to admire. However, trouble springs to life when the two orphans are summoned to live in Chrestomanci Castle. Elated by the invitation to such a high-standing place of magic, Gwendolyn is eager to try her hand in the new waters, but she soon learns that no one in Chrestomanci Castle seems to acknowledge her incredible talents. With ever growing frustration and anger, she comes up with a scheme that could cause problems for all the worlds, including Cat's.

A Must-Read for anyone in need of a clever, ingenious fantasy with quirky characters and solid writing. (Honestly, if you're looking for those things you should read all the Chrestomanci books.)

The Thief - Megan Whalen

I don't know how 'unknown' this book is, but if you haven't heard of it now is the time to be educated.

"I can steal anything!," - so Gen, the thief proudly proclaims. But this claim soon gets him in trouble when the King's Scholar, the Magus, frees him from prison with the sole purpose of enlisting him in a job. It is no ordinary Job either. The Magnus wants Gen to steal an ancient treasure for the king, a treasure which no one has successfully recovered in generations. In fact it's more of a legend than anything else. Yet the Magnus is convinced the treasure is real, and he is determined to find and take it - and he isn't going to give Gen much choice in the matter.

For anyone who wants beautiful, flawless writing, strong characters, a medieval/mytholigical setting and a freaking amazing male lead who will leave you wishing there was more of him. (There are three other books in this series - and a fifth and sixth one on the way! - so that is something to keep in mind. As the series goes on there is some incredible character development, character perception, world-building and all out magnificent writing and story-telling. )

Bloomability - Claire Calderon

When Dinnie Doone is sent off to an international school in Switzerland, she finds herself uprooted and replanted in a strange, interesting, and beautiful new world. Surrounded by new friends, a new school, and new sights, Dinnie builds herself a home and discovers all the "bloomabilities" that life has to offer.

For anyone wanting a simple, slice-of-life story with interesting characters and a fun, relatable lead girl who will make you feel that you yourself are in Switzerland, studying the Italian language and making new friends.


The Ordinary Princess - M. M. Kaye

When Princess Amelia is born she is given many wonderful, virtuous gifts from the Fairies in the kingdom, and one that is not-so-wonderful from her Fairy god-mother. She is is given the gift of Ordinariness. Unlike her six beautiful sisters, she has brown mousy hair, freckles, and a 'unhealthy' craving for adventure. There aren't many princes who would want such a plain, strange princess. Even her name is ordinary! But when Amy's parents come up with a Knight-and-Dragon scheme to set their daughter up with a husband, Amy runs away. She decides it's time to take fate into her own hands. Since she is so ordinary, she finds it quite easy to get a job as a kitchen maid in a neighboring palace. She finds immense joy in the simplicity of earning her own money, sharing picnics with the woodland creatures, and being free for however short a time, of the demands of royalty. While she enjoys her hard-working freedom, Amy meets a curious man who hangs about the palace. "A Man-of-All-Work," he calls himself. He doesn't have much free time, but he begins to join Amy and her woodland creatures for the Thursday Afternoon picnics. Their friendship quickly grows, for Perry is a funny, venturesome man and even better, he is just as ordinary as she is! Has Amy found her prince-charming after all?

This book is a short, easy read, the kind of book you could finish in a couple hours or less. It is fun, and quirky, and don't let the princess-fleeing-from-marriage dissuade you. The Ordinary Princess is a heart-warming story full of odd traits and vagary that separate it from any other runaway-princess story you've every read or ever will read. It's comical, sweet, and engaging, with just enough romantic flair to be touching and emotional. (Not bad emotional, but that-was-so-cute-I-might-actually-cry emotional.)

I hope this have given you some reading ideas! Cold months always make me think of books and Hot Cocoa, so I thought I'd share some of my favourite books, books for curling up by the Fireplace with.

Peace out y'all!

*swings around cape and leaps off sage*

Bella

"You held your head like a hero, on a history book page."

source

I'm late again. I sort of messed up near the end didn't I? And I started out so well.... *sigh*

Anyway........

LAST DAY OF THE CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!! You're favorite hero!!!

I am guessing this means Main Character. I can't believe they are making me narrow it down to one.

For Books

Eugenides from The Queens Thief Trilogy. I think he might actually be my favorite character.... ever.And there is entirely too little of him in the series. The first book is written in first person so he is the main character, but then the second and third book are in third person, so you get less of him, and then the third book is told from someone else's point of viewpoint entirely, making Eugenides the side-character. And he isn't in it nearly enough. The thing is, the less you have of him the more you love him when he is there. He is SO AWESOME and he has a good character ark from book one to three. He is always a good man - but he becomes great. And he is clever and brave and amazing and he can be bratty but not in a bad way. He is infuriating and brilliant and strong and stubborn and very determined. 

I love him. 

For Movies

There are far too many heroic people in movies for me to just choose one and not feel wrong about it, so I closed my eyes and pointed and I got Jimmy Braddock from The Cinderella Man.

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Well he is certainly one of my favorites :) Jimmy Braddock is amazing and ... well he really existed which is a plus. He has a very special place in my heart. He is a good dad and a good man and he is a hero in all the normal, ordinary ways that don't require saving the world or slaying dragons but just doing what is right despite all the odds, even when it seems that everything has gone dark and its all you can do to keep fighting. He is just a normal, down to earth guys who wants to provide for his family and fight for the good in a world gone bad, and that is what makes him spectacular. He's an ordinary man who accomplishes the extraordinary and I love him. 

For a TV Show

Sam Winchester from Supernatural. 

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Sam is one of the greatest characters on television - ever. I don't think I've ever known a character so selfless, forgiving and sacrificing. He is one of the sweetest people ever and he is able to stay hopeful and optimistic even after all the horrors he's seen and all the crap he's been through. He won't give up on you. He is incredibly understanding and loyal and ... he will do anything for those he loves. Even when he was betrayed by his supposed 'friend' and forced to suffer months of trauma, mental torture and nightmares, He STILL DIDN'T GIVE UP ON HIM. He forgave him and asked him to come back so he could help. 

He is beyond epic okay?

If he thinks something is right he'll do it no matter the consequences. He is willing to lay down his life for others without a moments thought - In fact he does more. He didn't just die to save the world, he committed himself to a thousand years of torture, full knowing there was no escaping it. He just sacrificed himself to save everyone and he never thought twice. 

I love Sam Winchester and that's that. 

Peace out y'all!!! Auf Wiedersehen!

*slides off car*

Bella

Having a wonderful time, wish you were here.

Sam Winchester

As I sit in my room, wearing my brown hoodie and sipping hot tea, I think back on my last week and wonder what about it was so awesomely EPIC that I could share it with the rest of the world.

The truth is, I have nothing.

Zero.
Ziltch
Notta.

I've just been sick and sad and sniffly. Except today. Today was nice because I got up and actually felt human again, and I was able to get dressed and eat breakfast like a normal person and not a zombie. I felt so lovely I flipped on Imagine Dragons and sang along while washin' up breakfast dishes - WHOA-O-O-O, WHOA-O-O-O-O, I'M RADIOACTIVE - RADIOACTIVE!!! I was seriously the only semi-healthy person left in my house, except for one sister. And she left me alone because she had work.

Too bad. We could have had so much fun. The only down-side to being sort-of-well again was that I had to do all the chores. But that was okay, I'd trade chores for sickness any day. Its the best day I've had since forever, it seems. I even went to the Library and checked out The Thief because I was never able to finish it when it first took its tour around the house. I'm loving it, and nothing devastating has happened just yet which is a good change. And now I've probably jinxed myself. Gen is gonna die. Or get mortally wounded. Or die. Or disappear. Or have something terrible happen to him. Or die. Or worse.

Gwen

Please don't let him die!!! **Headdesk**

I haven't written anything in my story all week. This makes me very sad and downcast - I'm still stuck at 6,000+ words or something like that. Maybe 6080. I'm feeling a bit stuck, but that happens a lot. I can do this, I'm a writer!! *crazed laughter* Seriously though. I am a bit stuck. All of you repeat after me.

I will not kill the character I am fond of even if he wishes to die heroically.

That's good. good for the soul. I'll do my best, though he's making it hard. He's too amazing when it comes to this type of thing. Why do characters become so amazing? I don't know. All I know is I wish they wouldn't. This is why its so hard for me to write. I create a world in my head, I create people and a story and a life and then I have to start scribbling on paper (Or a keypad) and I have to fill out, and touch up blanks, and sometimes the lives I create run off on their own and I don't have much control and I find myself doing terrible things to this world I created.

Then I cry, because how could I be so evil and terrible? Its the reason I prefer acting. See, I love telling stories. My problem is creating the story and making it work. To step into someone else's world, to become one of their characters and tell a story through your actions and your words, that is so much better than trying to spill your ideas out on paper. Because in acting you have a stage. You have a world you are in where you know every cranny, every ark. You know yourself, because you are a person created into this world, you have a role to play and you carry it out. Its safe. You aren't telling a story, you are the story. It isn't the same as being the overlord who tells the characters what to do and then they run away. Its hard, wanting something one way and getting it another. Its hard to write, and this story is going to be difficult to finish. I have too much I want to express and not enough words to use. Acting helps me express myself more, because I know all the words. and I can apply the emotion and make people understand the Created World and the people in it. I love being able to do that. For some reason with writing, its .... I dunno. Its a lot harder. I guess that's why its hard for me to consider myself a writer.

source                                                      source

 

Speaking of acting, the community college is going to put on a musical this Spring that actually sounds clean and fun and something I could act in. Its called Man of La Mancha. It sounds really fun and, as a bonus, my singing teacher is playing the lead role. And I love my singing teacher. and getting a chance to work with him would be amazing, he could teach me so much. People, I need you all to pray that, if I do audition, I get in. I'll probably try it out. please pray for me, it would really help. This is a .... a pretty big deal for me. I've been looking for something like this for a while, it would be lovely to be able to act and feel a part of something. Plus, I could actually act and not have a some sister come barging in and stare at me all like....

Donna Noble

 

Besides those things, my week has been pretty lay back. I did have a lovely Epiphany though. For those of you who don't know, Epiphany is the day the Wiseman found Our Lord and presented Him with gifts, twelve days after Christmas. (See, the 12 days of Christmas are AFTER Christmas not before. Do take note.) We have a very special tradition where we set aside a present or two on Christmas and don't open them until the Epiphany, so we kind of get a little Christmas after. It keeps the anticipation in the house and it makes the Days of Christmas very special for my family. The wiseman even come and leave a few extra things under the tree. Its all very awesome.

We have a luscious breakfast

 

We put in the Wiseman

 

And then we have our own, special little Christmas.

 

My gifties!!

 

The bowtie isn't actually an Epiphany gift but I wanted to show it off to all of you. Aren't they all so lovely?  Especially the Jamies Dodgers. I'm going to save them to have on hand when I watch Eleven regenerate; You know, something to console myself. I actually do want to watch that Christmas Special. Yes, its going to be heart-wrenching and sad and I'm going to sob and flail, but it also looks really good and as much as I hate to see Matt go, I am a bit excited for the Twelfth. I just wish we didn't have to say goodbye to the Eleventh to see him. Its going to be very hard goodbye.

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We finished off the evening with Despicable Me 2, and you guys, it was adorable! I really enjoyed it and it more than met my expectations. I really loved Lucy too, she is so cute and crazy - the type of best friend I would have. You should watch it. Really. Go watch it.

Despicable Me 2

 

minions

 

Lucy Wilde

 

Well, that's all for now! I'll probably be back soon with some sort of fun exciting thing that isn't so sad and sappy. Maybe by that time I'll be well again too. Until then!!--------

*KEVINLIVES!*

 

God Bless!

~Bella