Bridgerton Book Tag

Hey there guys, how are you? I’m so excited because a few days ago the second part of Bridgerton season 3 finally dropped, and I’m so happy about it. I may be in the minority but I truly have a soft spot for Penelope and Colin, and this could become one of my favourite seasons of the show. So today I want to do a book tag related to this TV show, the original can be found on “Sin Libros No Soy Nada” channel on Youtube. I’ve done an English translation from Spanish. Let’s get started!

 

1. Anthony Bridgerton – A book that it’s not from a genre you love, but you ended up liking it anyway.

I would like to say I enjoyed Anthony’s season, but I wouldn’t want to lie, I’m sorry. By the way, a book I really enjoyed that was out of my comfort zone was The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. I usually don’t read mystery books or thrillers, but this one blew me away, it was just so good.

 

 

2. Benedict Bridgerton – A retelling I would recommend to everybody

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge is a book I read years and years ago, but to this day it is still my favourite Beauty and the Beast retelling ever. It’s dark, and it’s also very compelling to read, I remember really loving it.

 

 

3. Colin Bridgerton – A book that made you feel like you were travelling and that made you discover other worlds

Did you know Colin went to Europe? He might have mentioned it a few times during this season lol. A book that made me discover other worlds was for sure the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, it has a really good fantasy world building and for a good part of the series the characters are travelling, so there’s that.

 

 

 

4. Daphne Bridgerton – A book that’s completely in your comfort zone

Maybe not the coziest answer, but for sure The Secret History by Donna Tartt. It’s one of my favourite books ever for a reason, I love pretentious kids doing crimes, talking about literature and speaking in Latin, what can I do about it?

 

 

 

5. Eloise Bridgerton – A book where letters/diaries have a very important part in the story

We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra, a book I loved that’s told mainly through letters exchanged between the two main characters. The writing is lyrical, and I would really recommend it.

 

 

6. Francesca Bridgerton – A book with a memorable love story and with a slow-burn pacing

Well, let me introduce you to the slow-burn queen of Romance, Mariana Zapata. Her book From Lukov with Love really encompasses all of these characteristics and it’s one of my favourite romances of all time, this book will make you burn, quoting Bridgerton.

 

 

7. Gregory Bridgerton – A book that, despite being criticized, you will read

Nothing comes to my mind in this moment, so I will slightly change the prompt to “a sequel of a book I will read despite not really liking the first one”. I really didn’t enjoy Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare, so I’m still not sure about reading the sequel, but there was something really interesting going on with the romance, so maybe I will pick up the second one, just for the fun of it all.

 

 

8. Hyacinth Bridgerton – The last book you added to your TBR and that you want to read right away

Under the Lupine Moon by A. Knightley is the last book I’ve sent to my best friend saying “we need to read that” and I still stand by that. It comes out in July and I needed it like yesterday.

 

 

 

9. Violet Bridgerton – A book you love for the values that it conveys

This is a hard question for me, because I usually don’t read books for their values, but I think Little Women by Louisa May Alcott really portrays a good depiction of how womanhood can encompass very different types of representation, every one beautiful in their own way, so I will use that as an answer.

 

 

 10. Lady Danbury – A book with a wonderful story but that it’s not loved by everyone

I simply cannot answer this question, to be honest. I thought about it, but every book will have people who love it and people who didn’t like it, what is underrated to me could be not so underrated for someone else, and so on, so I will skip this one.

 

 11. Simon Bassett – A book that deals with problems during childhood/adolescence with themes of neglecting/abuse/bullying that I would recommend

I have not read this book, but I’ve seen the movie, and I still think it’s one of the best that deals with these themes, and that’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. It’s so delicate and vulnerable, and it always makes me tear up.

 

 

 

 12. Penelope Featherington – A book with a wonderful female character that really fascinated me

May be controversial, but she’s still my best girl, so I will say The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake. I didn’t love this series, but God if I love Libby Rhodes. I support her rights, and I support her wrongs, I love her to death, that’s just it.

 

 

 

Okay guys, this was my take on this tag. I hope you enjoyed it, and please let me know who is your favourite Bridgerton character in the comments down below (and PLEASE don’t spoil season 3, it’s been 48 hours).

Thanks for reading,

 

 

 

Choose a The Tortured Poets Department cover variant and I’ll recommend you a Dark Academia book

Hey there guys, how are you? You very well know that every time something Taylor Swift related comes out, I’ll be ready to talk about it. And maybe recommend you some books in the process.
Today we’re doing a fun little experiment, since I decided to recommend a Dark Academia book for every cover variant of The Tortured Poets Department that Taylor has announced.
Since of course the album will be out on April 19^th and therefore I still haven’t listened to it, this article will go on vibes alone (hence the Dark Academia) and I will write a different book recommendation type of article with every song and bonus track when the album will be out, so keep that in mind.

 

Variant #1: “The Manuscript”

The very first variant, the one that sent the Internet into a frenzy, the one nobody expected, and for this one I decided to go with THE Dark Academia book, The Secret History by Donna Tartt. It’s solid, it’s the classic, there’s a reason it is considered the pillar in this genre, and I still agree this is one of the best books I’ve ever read in my life. And TTPD is giving classical, it is giving literature, and it is giving masterpiece. A win-win.

 

 

Variant #2: “The Bolter”

The Bolter variant to me is softer in vibes, but it’s giving more “thinking about what makes one person sad” kind of vibes. This one strongly gives me The World Cannot Give by Tara Isabella Burton vibes. Sadness and anger, and what triggers the both of them, are very strong themes in this book, and it also depicts a very deep-felt insight about female rage, which I’m sure Taylor is also going to include in her new album.

 

 

 

Variant #3: “The Albatross”

This is maybe the variant I’m most excited about, will it be Coleridge adjacent, or will it be Baudelaire? And most importantly, will it have the same themes as the lyrical masterpiece that is Weight of Living (Part 1) by Bastille? We just have to wait and see. And for this one, given the sea vibes, the lighter aesthetic and the cover, I decided to go with one of my favourite novels of the last years: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. It’s such a tender depiction of youth, friendship and humanity and I recommend keeping a box of tissues next to you.

 

 

 

Variant #4: “The Black Dog” (The Sirius Black Variant)

In my eyes this is the saddest and darkest variant of them all, and I’m sure its bonus tracks will make us cry our hearts out, but going with the vibes alone (as that is the theme of this article) I think this one goes well with the book I’m currently reading, An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson. It’s a fantasy tale of vampires, lust, blood and wanting to be the best in every aspect of your life. It also deals with a poetry course at university, and you know, The Tortured Poets Department and all that, I think it’s quite fitting. I still haven’t finished it, but it’s an enjoyable read, even if it’s not blowing my mind.

 

 

 

Okay guys, these were my options for the four variants that Taylor announced for her upcoming album. I hope you enjoyed them, and please let me know your favourite variant. I think mine is a tie between The Manuscript and The Albatross.

 

Thank you so much for reading,

 

If you like these singers, then read these books #1

Hey there guys, today I would like to introduce you to a new idea I had, and that is to give you three books to read that I think you might like if you enjoy listening to these artists. I will start with some of my favourite singers of all time, and if you like this format, maybe I will do others in the future.
I will say, buckle up and let’s get started!

 

Taylor Swift

Of course I had to start with my favourite singer of all time, Taylor Swift. She has such a vast catalogue, that it would be quite reductive to just offer you three books, but I will try for the sake of this article. If you would like more specific recs, I have various articles on this blog where I give a recommendation for every single song of various Taylor’s albums. For this time being, in honour of her career, I decided to split the recs as one for her country era, one for her pop era, and one for her indie folkmore one.
For the country category, what could be better than the Chestnut Spring Series by Elsie Silver? I think this romance series could really well reflect Taylor’s first albums, where romance was a huge part of the narrative. For her pop era, I decided to go with basically anything by Emily Henry, but in particular her book People We Meet on Vacation, it has that energetic and romantic vibe that Taylor’s pop albums tend to have, and a part of this is even set in New York, so win win. And for the folkmore era I decided to go with my favourite classic book of all time, Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. The moors, the drama of it all, the big emotions, this book has it all. And also, a lot of rain. What better than that to associate with these albums?

 

Harry Styles

Here we go with another one of my favourite singers of all time. I’ve been a big fan of Harry for years now, I’ve seen him live a bunch of times, and his music really has got me through a lot.
The three books I would like to associate with Harry’s music are The Binding by Bridget Collins, Call Me By your Name by André Aciman and Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
“The Binding” is maybe the less obvious of them all, but in my eyes it really encompasses a lot of Harry’s mellower songs vibes, the imagery is quite beautiful and convoluted, and it reminds me for example of songs like Little Freak. “Call Me By Your Name” is a book I simply had to include because in my eyes it is really tight with Harry’s songs, there’s something about the poetry but at the same time the angst that both convey, that really makes these two pieces of media similar in my eyes. And I think Daisy Jones is quite self-explanatory, right? I mean, we could discuss that Harry is maybe the most rockstar-y pop-star of our time, and his looks and antics really resemble the ones of a 70s band.  That’s just how it is in my eyes.

 

 

Hozier

Listen, Hozier is per se maybe one of the best songwriters of our generation, so his lyrics alone are a work of art, but if you would like to associate his wonderful songs with some books, I will give you my recs.
In my eyes Hozier’s music encompasses three big macro-areas of themes/aesthetic and they are literature references, mythology (in particular Greek) and the folkloristic nature feeling of being in the woods with magical creatures. So I have a book for everyone of these categories.
Let’s start with the literature one: what better than a classic dark academia book? The staple of it all? The Secret History by Donna Tartt is the book for you if you enjoy talks of poetry, glory and a mesmerizing writing style. I swear I think about this book on a daily basis and it’s been years since I first read it.
For the mythology area I had of course to go with The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, I think it is a staple in the Greek mythology retellings genre, and I think its lyricism and the way it’s written, with an otherworldly delicacy, really declares it the best in the sector.
And finally, for the folkloristic area, I think the best choice might be Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, an historical fantasy novel where nature is its own character and the cottagecore vibes are very present and set the tone for the whole story.

 

 

Phoebe Bridgers

And last but not least for this article we have a singer that also doubles as my therapist lol. Phoebe Bridgers is one of the best singers/songwriters of our generation, and I think she so well encapsul the struggle of being a woman in her twenties and thirties. For this reason, if you like Phoebe I can only recommend a bunch of books from the “hot girl literature” trend of the last few years:
First and foremost, a book I truly think well encompasses Bridgers’ lyrics is Milk Teeth by Jessica Andrews, a coming-of-age story, a love story and an ode to Europe all in one. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I would highly recommend it. If you want something more glamorous, I could recommend you Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors. This story is set in New York and it follows a girl in her twenties as she struggles with friendship, love, and a sadness that never seems to go away (like Phoebe perfectly says: “Jesus Christ, I’m so blue all the time”).
And last but not least, I think really resembling some of Phoebe’s earlier stuff, Bunny by Mona Awad is a very fitting choice. It’s something a little bit more unhinged and over the top, with some dark academia vibes and a deep dive into womanhood.

 

Okay guys, these were my book recs if you like the same artists I listen to. Please let me know your advice and recs, and if you liked this kind of article. I could always do more with other singers.
Thank you for reading and for your time.

Top 5 Books I Would Like to See Adapted

Hey there guys, since “Red, White and Royal Blue” came out yesterday, one of my all-time favourite books, I began to think about books I really love that I would adore to see adapted into a movie or a TV show. These ones have not yet been optioned or on their way to an adaptation, as far as I know, so let’s see which five books I would love to see on the big or small screen.

 

1. From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata

   Rom-coms are the next big thing right now and I couldn’t be happier about it. Romance is an awesome genre that deserves more recognition, and From Lukov with Love is one of my favourites that I read in the last few years. I think it has the potential to become a comfort movie for many, and given the length of the book this could also be adapted into a mini-series.

 

2. The Secret History by Donna Tartt

 Very different in tone, but a book that I’m honestly shocked it hasn’t still been adapted is “The Secret History”. It is a literary masterpiece and the dark academia genre owns everything to this literary piece of fiction. I think it could translate wonderfully into a movie, imagine the atmosphere, the soundtrack, the vibes. It would be immaculate. And I also have quite some ideas for the casting.

 

3. The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow

 Okay I know what you’re saying, this is a 30-page-long short story, I get it. But this would translate in an amazing way into a six-episodes mini-series. I know that should be longer and maybe some plot points should be added, but this is my favourite short story of all times, and it has nothing to envy to full-length books in my opinion. It also depicts a very interesting concept, so it could be really fun to watch.

 

4. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Speaking about crimes against… me. The fact that this book has not yet been adapted or optioned is a crime in my eyes. And if you’re asking, yes, I like sad stuff and I cannot lie. I know that the story of Achilles and Patroclus has yet been depicted in a movie I won’t mention, but they were cousins in that one. COUSINS. This book has to be adapted because we have to do right to this at least. Think about the media effect this could have. Just think about it.

 

5. Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

Bridgerton, but fantasy, what could you want more? This is a series of three books and each one of them follows a different couple (with very different tropes) in Regency England, and each one of these couples has to deal with magic, fairies and spells. This is a very cozy series that I think would work so well in a Bridgerton style fashion where every season follows a different couple. I would love to see it.

 

Okay guys, these are five books I would love to see adapted into a movie or tv show. Which are some books you would love to see on the big or small screen? Let me know and thanks for reading.

Talk to you soon,

The Winter Essentials Book Tag

This lovely tag was created by taylor reads on Youtube (you can find it here), and I decided to do it because it’s quite cold where I live, and it really feels like Winter. In these days I just want to read curled up under a blanket, with a hot beverage on my bedside. So, let’s get started.

1. Crackling Fire – Who is your favourite cold character who warmed up towards the end?

There is only one answer, and that is Baz from “Carry On” by Rainbow Rowell. Baz is simply one of my favourite characters of all time, the complexity Rowell used to depict him simply astonishes me. Baz is a wonderfully layered character, who comes across as cold, but has a heart of gold.

2. Snowflakes – What is a book that was full of unique characters?

For sure, “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt. The characters are what makes this book so great. They are all so different from each other, in particular Henry is a character that I consider one of a kind, I’ve never read anything like him before or after I read this novel. I still think about him sometimes.

3. Gingerbread Family – Which fictional family would you want to be a part of?

 The Blackthorn family from “The Dark Artifices” by Cassandra Clare. I just think it’s one of the best families I have ever read about. It is not the happiest family for sure, but the love between them is just so special and I get tears in my eyes when I think about what Julian Blackthorn did for his family.

4. Blizzard – What is a book that had you confused the whole time?

“The 7 and a half deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” by Stuart Turton. I’m not the biggest mystery girl out there, but this book just left me confused, and maybe it was a me thing, but I also think it was a book thing. It is actually too long, in my opinion, and the ending not quite so satisfying after what it put me through the whole time. Personal opinion, of course.

5. Gift Giving – What is the last book that was gifted to you?

I received a lot of amazing books for Christmas from my wonderful friends, they would be too many to list, I’m that lucky, but just to say some of them, “Her Majesty’s Royal Coven” by Juno Dawson, “The Spanish Love Deception” by Elena Armas and “The Lost Apothecary” by Sarah Penner.

6. Snowball – What is the biggest book you’ve ever read?

I think to this day it still is “Kingdom of Ash” by Sarah J. Maas, but it was so worth it to be honest, it’s one of my favourite last books in a series ever.

7. Wrapping Paper – What is your most beat up book?

I would have to say “The Nowhere Girls” by Amy Reed. I only read it once, but I was drinking hot chocolate while reading it, and it did not end well for the poor book, I’ll be honest.

8. Christmas Lights – What is a book you own that has many colours on the cover?

I think “I’ll Give You the Sun” by Jandy Nelson, a wonderful book with a wonderful cover, that I highly recommend.

9. Ice Skating – What is a book that had a plot that was all over the place?

“This is How You Lose the Time War” by Amal El-Mothar and Max Gladstone. It was not at all a bad book, but the plot is convoluted, and sometimes it left you wondering where we are and what we are talking about. I would have liked maybe a bit more pages, so the plot could have been better explained.

10. Christmas Tree – Who is your favourite character of all time? Yes, you can only choose one.

I don’t even have to think about it one second, it’s Will Herondale from “The Infernal Devices” trilogy by Cassandra Clare. Will for me is a real person, I know it’s crazy, but I grew so attached to this brilliant and complex boy, that I will always think about him as a person I really know, a friend almost. Will is an amazing character, I have never read about anyone that could compare to him after these books.

11. The Star – What’s a book you look forward to re-reading each year?

 I don’t re-read books, almost never, but this year I re-read “Daisy Jones and the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid in anticipation of the TV Show, and this book held up so freaking well for me. It’s just an amazing novel, one of my favourites of all times, I just think the characters feel so real, the format is really strong, and this story touches my heart every time.

Okay guys, we have come to the end of this tag. Let me know down below some of the answers you would give to these questions, if you want, and I’ll talk to you soon,

OMG! That Song Book Tag

If you follow this blog, you know that one of my passions beside books is music, so what better than combine these two things and do a tag that centres around both? The original tag was created by Katesbookdate on Youtube and it immediately caught my eyes while I was searching for some fun tags to do, so let’s get started.

My Jam: A song you have to listen to no matter how many times you’ve heard it before and a book you’ll never get sick of reading.

As a song I would have to say “Wonderwall” by Oasis, it is my favourite song of all time probably and I will always sing my heart out when I listen to it, and a book that will always have a special place in my heart and I could re-read any day is for sure “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë. It’s just the book of my heart, and while it talks about some very ugly situations, I think it’s one of the best books ever written.



Throwback: A song that reminds you of the cringiest time of your life and a book you read that you wouldn’t like if you were to read it now.

Cringe music does not exist, if you like a song, you just like it, so being that out of the way, I’ll answer with a very good song that reminds me of a period where I was very cringe, and that song is “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne. I love the song, me trying to be pop-punk at eleven, not so much. And a book I probably wouldn’t like a lot if I read it now would be “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green, I think my taste has changed a bit.

Replay: A recent song that you have on repeat and a recent favourite book.

You belt your heart out singing “answer the phone, Harry you’re no good alone” or you lie. My favourite recent song is certainly “As It Was” by Harry Styles, I love his music, and this comeback really was fantastic. Can’t wait for “Harry’s House” on May 20^th. And for a recent favourite book, well, I simply don’t have one. This year is not the best for me in terms of enjoying what I read, it’s a bit sad.

 

Gets Me: A song that is literally me and a book that is me in book form.

This is so difficult, but in the end, I will say that I’ve always felt like a piece of myself was in the song “Clean” by Taylor Swift. I know it’s a song about finding oneself after a break-up, but I always felt like it was more than that, maybe with even some hints about mental health, so I’ll say that one. As a book, that’s quite difficult, so I will change it a bit with a book that is “me” because I left my heart there, and I will go with “Clockwork Princess” by Cassandra Clare. I feel like that book encapsulated so many of my emotions while I was reading it.

 

 

WUT: A weird song that you like anyway and a unique book that stuck out to you for some reason.

This song is a bit weird but it’s one very close to my heart, and I’m talking about “Sunflower, vol. 6” by Harry Styles. It’s one of my favourite songs ever of him, but I also remember the first time listening to it and thinking that this was so weird and cute and funny. And a unique book that I read was for sure “Daisy Jones and The Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The format in which it is written, through interviews, is so compelling to read and so different from everything I’ve ever read, and this is one of my favourite books of all time.

 

 

 

Let’s Go: Pick your best pump-up song and a book that inspires you.

I know I will change my mind soon but for now all I can think about is “Shut Up and Dance” by WALK THE MOON, it always puts me in a good mood. And I don’t know if a book really “inspired” me, but I was very inspired by some beautiful writing, so I can name some authors whose prose I love, for example André Aciman, Donna Tartt and Sally Rooney.

 

Chill: Your best relaxing song and a book you’d curl up with on a rainy day.

My best relaxing song is for sure “Willow” by Taylor Swift, it’s one of my favourite Taylor’s songs of the last few years, but I could have gone with every single song from Folklore or Evermore. I chose “Willow” because it is so fairy-tale like, it really meets my taste. And for the book I chose one I literally read in one or two sittings on a rainy day, and that’s “Love and Other Words” by Christina Lauren. This friends-to-lovers romance just broke my heart and then put it back together (I also think this is a Taylor’s lyrics from another song. No, kidding, I know for sure, this is “How you get the girl”, Taylor Swift, 1989 [2014], my mind works like that).

 

Addicting: a guilty pleasure song and a guilty pleasure book.  

I really don’t like to define things guilty pleasures, but I will say my guilty pleasure song is “Bodak Yellow” by Cardi B and my ““guilty pleasure”” read could be the Tessa Dare books, but like I said I don’t really believe in guilty pleasures, I think you just like what you like.

Nostalgia: A throwback song you remember fondly and a book you read and loved when you were young.

“Decode” by Paramore and “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer. If you weren’t here with us in this hellhole in 2008 I’m really sorry for you. That’s all I’m gonna say.

Okay guys, that’s it for this tag, I really hope you enjoyed it, and I’ll talk to you soon,

Books As Songs from Melodrama by Lorde

Like you probably noticed, books and music are two of my favourite passions, so I would like to start a series in which I combine different books with different albums from various artists that I enjoyed. I already did that with Lover by Taylor Swift and Fine Line by Harry Styles, and this time I decided to do it with another masterpiece, Melodrama by Lorde.
Hope you enjoy, let’s get started!

1. Green Light – Daisy Jones And The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

“All those rumors, they have big teeth
Oh, they bite you
Thought you said that you would always be in love
But you’re not in love no more
Did it frighten you
How we kissed when we danced on the light up floor?”

This book is so good, I can’t even begin to describe it. It’s probably the best book I’ve read in 2020, I still think about it after months. It talks about ambitious people, and I interpreted that green light in the song in this particular case to be a big inspiration or a dream. Also, the relationship described in this song is not the healthiest one, and the ones in Daisy Jones are also particularly fu**d up to say the least. But if I recommend you a book, it’s this one, I love complicated people in books, they’re so realistic.

 

2. Sober – Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

“Ah, when you dream with the fever
Bet you wish you could touch our rush
But what will we do when we’re sober?”

No spoiler, but if you read this book you know what I refer to when I say that one character is particularly “drunk” on some magic, some enchantment that does not let him see straight. And when he’s “sober” he can see who’s the one he truly loves. I can’t wait to see more in book two, I’m so excited.

3. Homemade Dynamite – The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco

“Our rules, our dreams, we’re blind
Blowing shit up with homemade d-d-d-dynamite
Our friends, our drinks, we get inspired
Blowing shit up with homemade d-d-d-dynamite
Blowing shit up with homemade d-d-d-dynamite.”

I discovered The Bone Witch series only this year, but I’m so glad I did. I loved this one so much, I hadn’t fallen in love with a fantasy trilogy for a very long time. This song reminds me of a couple in these books that it’s particularly – explosive, to say the least. They blew my mind and my heart with their banter and their love. They will forever have a special place in my heart.

4. The Louvre – The Secret History by Donna Tartt

“Our thing progresses, I call and you come through
Blow all my friendships to sit in hell with you
But we’re the greatest, they’ll hang us in the Louvre
Down the back, but who cares, still the Louvre.”

This song gives me seriously Dark Academia vibes, I can’t even begin to explain why. But I think this one fits perfectly with The Secret History. It’s dark, because it also talks about violence, but also in a sort of psychopathic way. And I mean, the characters in The Secret History are amazing for how well they’re written but they’re certainly not good people. Also, this song is amazing, maybe my favourite on the album, so it could only go with one of my favourite books ever.

5. Liability – We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra

“Baby really hurt me
Crying in the taxi
He don’t wanna know me
Says he made the big mistake of dancing in my storm
Says it was poison
So I guess I’ll go home.”

This song might seem a little bit harsh for a YA book, but believe me this YA book is dark. And even though this story then goes for the better, at the beginning one of the two main characters is a bit of an ars****e, even though I get why he thinks in a certain way. I get him, but I don’t condone him. Yeah, this book is difficult to read, I still think about it after a year.

6. Hard Feelings/Loveless – Normal People by Sally Rooney

“Hard feelings
These are what they call hard feelings of love
When the sweet words and fevers all leave us right here in the cold, oh oh
Alone with the hard feelings of love
God, I wish I believed you when you told me this was my home.”

You don’t need an explanation from me after reading these verses, guys. Now I’m actually crying. Normal People is one of my favourite books of all time and the feelings in this book are so real that they actually make me weak. I can’t even begin to describe how good this book is. And the TV series too, if you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it, it’s my favourite series of this 2020 so far. The actors are really good (and Paul Mescal guys – that chain, I’m weak).

7. Sober II (Melodrama) – The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

“And the terror and the horror,
God I wonder why we bother.
All the glamour and the trauma
And the fuckin’ melodrama, whoa, whoa.”

Another amazing book by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This follows the story of Evelyn Hugo, a fictional actress in the golden years of Hollywood. The atmosphere Jenkins Reid is able to create in this book will submerge you in the story and you will want to know everything about this amazing woman. There’s a lot of glamour, a lot of trauma and a lot of melodrama, I guarantee.

8. Writer In The Dark – Swear On This Life by Renee Carlino

“Bet you rue the day you kissed a writer in the dark
Now she’s gonna play and sing and lock you in her heart
Bet you rue the day you kissed a writer in the dark.”

I read this book quite some time ago, so I remember almost close to nothing of it, but I remember the premise being that a guy wrote a book about his childhood sweetheart, and they had a difficult relationship. I think it fits perfectly with the theme of this song, which is one of my favourites on this album.

9. Supercut – Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

“In your car, the radio up
In your car, the radio up
We keep trying to talk about us
I’m someone you maybe might love
I’ll be your quiet afternoon crush
Be your violent overnight rush
Make you crazy over my touch
But it’s just a supercut of us.”

This is actually quite simple, since every time I hear about a car ride in a song I instantly think about Emma and Julian from The Dark Artifices series. It’s like now they own car rides in my head lol. But, jokes aside, I really think this song is perfect to depict this relationship.

10. Liability (Reprise) – Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman

“All of the dreams that get harder
All of the things that I offer you
And all of the shit that we harbour
Make all of the kids in the choirs sing woo-hoo.”

This might be a bit harsh since I totally adore this book, but I strongly think that at some points the differences between Elio and Oliver were what made them take the decisions they did take in the end of the book (I do not consider Find Me as canon, sorry, that’s just how my mind works). Sometimes you find the stars, but sometimes life just gets in the way.

11. Perfect Places – The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

“All of the things we’re taking
‘Cause we are young and we’re ashamed
Send us to perfect places
All of our heroes fading
Now I can’t stand to be alone
Let’s go to perfect places”

For this one I’m thinking about The Raven Boys because of the dreams factor. I totally think that there’s something mysterious and haunting in this song, and mysterious and haunting are the adjectives I would use to describe this fantasy saga. It is one of my favourites of all times.

So guys, we’ve come to the conclusion of this article, I hope you enjoyed, see you soon with another one,

 

Big Books TBR

I love buying books (duh) and I’m not usually scared by the amount of pages a book has. But I must admit that when I find myself choosing a new book to read, I tend to reach more for the ones that have an average number of pages. I don’t enjoy the commitment big books demand, that’s probably what it is. But I’m still interested in the stories they offer and that’s why I’m giving you a list of the big books I want to read this year.

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

I’m going to try and read it in March when it comes out. I liked Sarah J. Maas’s previous books, but I don’t really know what to expect here and I’m a little afraid I’m not going to like it. Let’s hope that’s not the case!

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

I’ve had this book on my bookshelf since it came out. The plot intrigues me, even though I know it’s going to be a book that makes me cry. I probably have avoided reading this because of some mixed reviews I’ve heard, but I still want to give it a chance!

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Well, I know what Anna Karenina is about. I’ve seen the movie adaptation multiple times and so I know the gist of it. I’m just afraid I’m going to get bored because I already know so much. But I think this book also has the potential to be a great read for me.

The Little Friend by Donna Tartt

In 2019 I read The Goldfinch and The Secret History by Donna Tartt and I enjoyed both of them. I think The Little Friend is the next logical step. The thing that scares me is that from just reading the plot this sounds like the less appealing Donna Tartt’s book to me.

That’s all for today, I really hope to read these titles in 2020. Do you like big books? What are some big books you want to read? Let me know in a comment down below.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt – Review

Title: The Goldfinch

Author: Donna Tartt

Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

Synopsis: A young boy in New York City, Theo Decker, miraculously survives an accident that takes the life of his mother. Alone and abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by a friend’s family and struggles to make sense of his new life. In the years that follow, he becomes entranced by one of the few things that reminds him of his mother: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the art underworld.

Composed with the skills of a master, The Goldfinch is a haunted odyssey through present-day America, and a drama of almost unbearable acuity and power. It is a story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention, and the enormous power of art.

This review contains spoilers.

Let’s just say that I was a little bit late to the party and I only managed to read this book last month, even though I bought it as soon as it came out in 2013. But anyway, better late than never, right? And it’s also perfect timing because the movie comes out this month!

This novel demands a lot from its readers, it’s not an easy read, that’s for sure. And I’m not only talking about the huge number of pages of this book baby, but also about the variety of themes and the devoted attention that is required by the story. Even though I was interested, I found myself struggling to follow the pages if I was tired, I needed to be in the right mindset to get to the end of the chapters and properly enjoy the story.

The premise of this book is pretty straightforward. After the terrible events, in which his mother tragically dies, Theo’s life literally gets turned upside-down. The story then takes off from there and follows Theo throughout some of his teenage years and also some of his adult life.

In my opinion, there are three main narratives that take form on the first day in which we meet Theo.

The first one is obviously the one regarding his mother, and then later in the story all that concerns his family and the people in his life. Theo’s mother is always present on the page, it’s always there in the back of his head, leading him to behave in a certain way and do certain things. Losing her is a very pivotal point in the story, even though it happens at the very beginning of the book. She was the only person Theo had in its life and without her he is undoubtedly lost.

“…still when I lost her, I lost sight of any landmark that might have led me someplace happier, to some more populated or congenial life…”

The portrayal of Theo’s feelings towards his mother just broke my heart, it was so real and raw. I could really empathize with Theo and given the fact that we knew his mother was the focal point of his life, it was so easy to believe and see how losing her truly destroyed him.

I would say the second narrative revolves around the ring Welty gives Theo. It’s a very important object that sends the main character on a kind of epic quest, in search of something he doesn’t even realize he needs: a real home. Thanks to the ring he gets the chance to meet Hobie, and the rest is history.

The third and final narrative is about the object to which Theo aspires to for the entirety of the novel: The Goldfinch. It’s the painting that puts a lot of the story into motion, the focal point of this entire book. It is also the source of eternal admiration and reverence on Theo’s part. I think the paragraphs detailing the way he thought about this object were some of the most beautifully written. The Goldfinch was basically a sort of character in the book and I think this quote, about the beloved painting, sums up this entity very nicely.

“Only-if you care for a thing enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn’t it?”

 I could talk to you about the themes or the characters of this book for hours on end, but unfortunately we don’t have all day. All the themes are interconnected with one another and there’s such a variety of them it’s impossible to keep up: from loss to art, from love to obsession, from drugs to mental health. It’s a lot to take in, but if you’re up for the challenge you won’t be disappointed by this book.

The characters are very well crafted and even the ones that at first glance might seem like portrayals of only one or a few qualities reveal themselves to be multilayered and full of endless possibilities.

I’m going to end this review by saying that this book is well deserving of its praise because it truly is a majestic novel. I’m really looking forward to the movie and I hope to like it as much as I adore the trailer, which definitely looks amazing. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to wait because here in Italy the movie won’t be out until October. Are you guys going to watch it?

My Summer 2019 TBR

Hey guys! Today I’d like to share with you some books that I want to read this Summer. I’m writing them here so that I can hold myself accountable and actually read them since some of them are definitely overdue.

Let’s get started!

War by Laura Thalassa

I don’t even know when exactly it’s coming out but I know it’s this Summer and I know I want to read it. It’s the second book in The Four Horsemen series by Laura Thalassa and I can’t wait to meet the second brother, War.

The Bronze Horseman by Paulina Simmons

I know you may sense a theme here but be assured, I’m not obsessed with horsemen!
The Bronze Horseman book has been on my TBR for ages and I’m probably going to buddy-read it so that I can finally cross it off my list of books I STILL have to read. It’s going to be weird reading about freezing Russia in the middle of my hotter-than-hell Italian Summer but we’re gonna make it work.

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

I had been eyeing this book even before its release date. I’m a huge fan of the author’s Tumblr and the story intrigued me a lot. Then this past February I read The Secret History by Donna Tartt and a book that’s often recommended because it has similar vibes is If We Were Villains. Needless to say, I bought it and now it’s sitting on my shelf waiting to be read.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Did someone say Donna Tartt? After The Secret History I realized I needed to step up my game and also read her two other works. I’m choosing this one because the movie is coming out in September and I need to be ready. (Side note: the trailer for said movie looks stunning!)

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

I loved Normal People by this author and so it seems only right for me to read her first novel. I really hope to like it.

The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

An alternate fantasy world and me trying to understand what is real and what is not for 300 pages, well yeah, sign me up! This book intrigues me so much. I’ve heard some mixed reviews and so I cannot wait to finally read it and form my own opinion.

That’s it for today! Of course I hope to read a lot more but these are the books that are definitely on top of my TBR and that I really hope I get to read. Are you interested in a full review for any of these titles? If so let me know. And also write down what’s on your Summer TBR pile.