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,

 

 

 

Books as Songs from The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift

Hey there guys? How are youuuuu? How are we all holding up? I’m literally so overwhelmed because yesterday “The Tortured Poets Department” by Taylor Swift came out, and are we kidding? And she also put out a double album? I’m writing this with tears in my eyes, I’m so freaking overwhelmed. I like it soooo much through my first listens. It’s very different from what I expected but it was so good, I definitely enjoyed it a lot. And now, we are going to pair these songs with some books. And also, I hope you don’t mind, I’m so sorry guys, but this time I won’t give long explanations as to why I chose every book, there are literally 31 songs, I could be here all day and night. You will have to just go with the lyrics for this one, and my brief comment, I’m so sorry again.
Oh my God, are we ready? Let’s go.

1. Fortnight by Post Malone

“And for a fortnight, there we were

Forever running to you

Sometimes ask about the weather

Now, you’re in my backyard, turned into good neighbors

Your wife waters flowers, I wanna kill her”

Book: Everybody here is lying by Shari Lapena

It’s giving murder in a small neighbourhood and cheating to be honest.

2. The Tortured Poets Department

“And who’s gonna know you?

If not me

I laughed in your face and said, “You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith

This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’rе modern idiots”

And who’s gonna hold you?

Like me”

 

Book: Alone with you in the ether by Olivie Blake

We love a torturous moment and a torturous book, not gonna lie.

3. My Boy Only Breaks His Favourite Toys

“My boy only breaks his favorite toys, toys, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

I’m queen of sand castles he destroys, oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

‘Cause I knew too much, there was danger in the heat of my touch

He saw forever so he smashed it up, oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh”

Book: Happy Place by Emily Henry

The saddest Emily Henry’s book, I said what I said.

4. Down Bad

“Fuck it if I can’t have him”

“I might just die, it would make no difference”

Down bad, waking up in blood

Staring at the sky, come back and pick me up

Fuck it if I can’t have us

I might just not get up”

 Book: The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

You just have to trust me on this one, she was down bad, and then something changed, if you like romantasy give it a go.

5. So Long, London

“Thinking how much sad did you think I had, did you think I had in me?

Oh, the tragedy

So long, London

You’ll find someone”

Book: Atonement by Ian McEwan

London, tragedy and sea references, I swear I have it all.

6. But Daddy I Love Him

“And I’m running with my dress unbuttoned

Screaming, “But daddy I love him”

I’m having his baby

No, I’m not, but you should see your faces

I’m telling him to floor it through the fences

No, I’m not coming to my senses

I know it’s crazy”

Book: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Do I even have to explain this one?

7. Fresh Out the Slammer

“And no matter what I’ve done, it wouldn’t matter anyway

Ain’t no way I’m gonna screw up, now that I know what’s at stake here

At the park where we used to sit on children’s swings

Wearing imaginary rings”

 

Book: A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas

Listen, I really don’t want to say that I see Taylor’s personal experience in this one (I would never Joe), but starting to breathe again after a relationship that felt wrong is a strong theme in this one.

8. Florida!!! Ft. Florence and The Machine

“So I did my best to lay to rest

All of the bodies that have ever been on my body

And in my mind, they sink into the swamp

Is that a bad thing to say in a song?”

Book: Weyward by Emilia Hart

Witchy vibes, disregard for men, a haunting melody, what could you possibly want more? This is my favourite song, I think, you guys.

9. Guilty as Sin?

“These fatal fantasies giving way to labored breath taking all of me

We’ve already done it in my head

If it’s make believe

Why does it feel like a vow

We’ll both uphold somehow?”

Book: Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

I’m so sorry about Joe Alwyn for this one, I know the irony of it all, but just, this book was just so good for this song.

10. Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?

“So I lеap from the gallows and I levitate down your street

Crash the party like a record scratch as I scream

“Who’s afraid of little old me?”

I was tame, I was gentle ’til the circus life made me mean

Don’t you worry folks, we took out all her teeth”

Book: The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

Literally I think this horror and haunting novel could go well with this song, it is one of my favourites in the album, the build-up is just so good.

11. I Can Fix Him (No Really, I Can)

“His hands so calloused from his pistol softly traces hearts on my face
And I could see it from a mile away
A perfect case for my certain skill set
He had a halo of the highest gradе
He just hadn’t met me yеt”

Book: Reckless by Elsie Silver

Listen, my brain is completely gone by this point, this just gives me bad cowboy vibes, so what better choice than this one?

12. loml

“If you know it in one glimpse, it’s legendary

What we thought was for all time was momentary

Still alive, killing time at the cemetery

Never quite buried”

Book: In Memoriam by Alice Winn

Do you want to cry as you were doing while listening to this song? Don’t worry besties, I got you covered.

13. I Can Do It With a Broken Heart

“Cause I’m a real tough kid

I can handle my shit

They said, “Babe, you gotta fake it till you make it” and I did

Lights, camera, bitch, smile

Even when you wanna die”

Book: When in Rome by Sarah Adams

If you want popstar with a broken heart finding love in a small town romance, this is the one for you, I enjoyed it a lot.

14. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived

“And I don’t even want you back, I just want to know

If rusting my sparkling summer was the goal

And I don’t miss what we had, but could someone give

A message to the smallest man who ever lived?”

Book: Acts of Desperation by Megan Dolan

Tortured poets and girls being ghosted all over again, I think this is a perfect fit for this track.

15. The Alchemy

“So when I touch down

Call the amateurs and cut ’em from the team

Ditch the clowns, get the crown

Baby, I’m the one to be

‘Cause the sign on your heart

Said it’s still reserved for me

Honestly, who are we to fight thе alchemy?”

Book: The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata

 

Me and Taylor both love some football romance for us. First of a long list of football songs we’ll have in the future guys, here we go.

16. Clara Bow

“You look like Stevie Nicks in ’75

The hair and lips

The crowd goes wild at her fingertips

Half moonshinе, a full eclipse”

Book: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Oh Daisy, you would have loved The Tortured Poets Department. And this song was written for you.
Also can we talk about “You look like Taylor Swift, in this light, we’re loving it?” Cause I might go crazy if we don’t.

17. The Black Dog

“I move through the world with a heart broken

My longing state unspoken

And I may never open up thе way I did for you

And all of those best laid plans

You said I needed a bravе man”

Book: Normal People by Sally Rooney

Do you know when you see your ex out living his best life and you start thinking about what you had? Exactly.

18. imgonnagetyouback

“Whether I’m gonna be your wife, or

Gonna smash up your bike, I haven’t decided yet

But I’m gonna get you back

Whether I’m gonna curse you out, or

Take you back to my house, I haven’t decidеd yet

But I’m gonna get you back”

Book: Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

She really said “I’m gonna give a song to all the second-chance romance girlies out there”. And girlies is gender neutral.

19. The Albatross

“And when that sky rains fire on you

And you’re persona non grata

I’ll tell you how I’ve been there too

And that none of it matters”

Book: Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

This book still haunts my mind even years after I read it, and this song will too, I think my favourite in the second part of this album.

20. Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus

“So if you want to break my cold, cold heart

Say you loved me

And if you want to tear my world apart

Say you’ll always wonder”

Book: Talking at Night by Claire Daverley

Ill-fated lovers? A story of a meant to be love that never seems to actually have a realization and it is not meant to be? I think this could be it (also this is our May book club read for the month and I am EXCITED).

21. How did it end?

“Come one come all

It’s happening again

The empathetic hunger descends

We’ll tell no-one

Except all of our friends

But I still don’t know

How did it end?”

Book: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman

The autopsy of a relationship that’s dying is the main theme of this book, and also of this song, so win-win.

22. So High School

“Are you gonna marry, kiss, or kill me (Kill me)

It’s just a game, but really (Really)

I’m bettin’ on all three for us two (All three)

Get my car door, isn’t that sweet? (That sweet)

Then pull me to the backsеat (Backseat)

No one’s evеr had me (Had me), not like you”

 

Book: Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

Classic high-school romance, I loved this book, it’s so sweet and fun, just like this song.

23. I Hate It Here

“Secret gardens in my mind

People need a key to get to

The only one is mine

I read about it in a book when I was a precocious child

No mid-sized city hopes and small-town fears”

Book: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

She literally says it in the song, so I guess this was the reference for this piece of work. I love when she combines music and books.

24. thanK you aIMee

“All that time you were throwin’ punches, I was buildin’ somethin’

And I couldn’t wait to show you it was real

Screamed “Fuck you, Aimee” to the night sky, as the blood was gushin’

But I can’t forget the way you made me heal”

Book: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I was a bit struggling for this one, but I think both this song and this book have a strong theme of bullying, so I think this could be a good choice.

25. I Look in People’s Windows

“I look in people’s windows

In case you’re at their table

What if your eyes looked up and met mine

One more time”

Book: One Day in December by Josie Silver

This book follows someone who sees another person one time at a bus station, and then she believes to be in love, so I saw the resemblance.

26. Prophecy

“Hand on the throttle

Thought I caught lightning in a bottle

Oh, but it’s gone again

And it was written

I got cursed like Eve got bitten

Oh, was it punishment?”

Book: The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

I can’t even begin to describe what this song did to me, I was a crying mess. I know this book talks about a woman who’s cursed, same as this song, and I just love female rage, what can I do?

27. Cassandra

“So, they killed Cassandra first ’cause she feared the worst

And tried to tell the town

So, they filled my cell with snakes, I regret to say

Do you believe me now?”

Book: Cassandra by Christa Wolf

Sometimes it’s just as simple as that, but I’m a Greek mythology girly, so I love all these references, and this song is so beautiful.

28. Peter

“And I didn’t wanna come down

I thought it was just goodbye for now

You said you were gonna grow up

Then you were gonna come find me”

Book: Wendy, Darling by A.C. Wise

Oh my, I love a good retelling, and this seems to focus on the character of Wendy so well,  so I think this could be a wonderful fit for the song.

29. The Bolter

“All her fuckin’ lives

Flashed before her eyes

It feels like the time

She fell through the ice

Then came out alive”

Book: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Sometimes I think I’m funny, but bless you Amy March, you would have loved The Tortured Poets Department, the woman that you are.

30. Robin

“You got the dragonflies above your bed

You have a favorite spot on the swing set

You have no room in your dreams for regrets”

Book: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

This is a sweet ballad about the innocence of childhood, so I could only pair it with my favourite childhood book of all times, this is so sweet.

31. The Manuscript

“The only thing that’s left is the manuscript

One last souvenir from my trip to your shores

Now and then I reread the manuscript

But the story isn’t mine anymore”

Book: Writers and Lovers by Lily King

A book about how writing gives the main character something to live for is what I thought could be best for this wonderful song that closes this very, very, very long album.

Okay guys, we have come to an end and I really hope that you liked this article cause I spent so much time on it, I’m not even kidding.

Please tell me if you liked The Tortured Poets Department, and which was your favourite song at first listen.
Thank you so much for reading, and I’ll talk to you soon,

My Most Anticipated 2023 Releases (April – June)

Welcome back to this little section on the blog where every few months I will tell you which are the new books that I can’t wait to have in my hands. These are also the books I will try to read in the next few months and so if you’re interested in a review for any of them, just ask down below.

So, without further ado let’s see what the upcoming months have in store for us book lovers.

April

One for my enemy by Olivie Blake (April 4^th)

If Only You (Bergman Brothers #6) by Chloe Liese (April 11^th)

Greek Lessons by Han Kang (April 18^th)

Happy Place by Emily Henry (April 25^th)

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune (April 25^th)

Just as You Are by Camille Kellogg (April 25^th)

May

Teacher of the Year by M.A. Wardell (May 9^th)

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee (May 16^th)

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (May 16^th)

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren (May 16^th)

June

Something Close to Magic by Emma Mills (June 13^th)

Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon (June 20^th)

Obviously there are a lot more new releases coming out in the next few months but these are the ones I’m most excited for. If you want to always be updated on new releases just remember to check out our Instagram stories every first day of the month, you’ll find the aforementioned books and a lot more. Our Instagram is @booksrealwhenshared

I hope you guys enjoyed this post. Let me know in the comments which your most anticipated releases are!

The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake – ARC Review

Title: The Atlas Paradox

Author: Olivie Blake

Rating: 2/5 Stars

Synopsis: “DESTINY IS A CHOICE”

The Atlas Paradox is the long-awaited sequel to dark academic sensation The Atlas Six—guaranteed to have even more yearning, backstabbing, betrayal, and chaos.

Six magicians. Two rivalries. One researcher. And a man who can walk through dreams. All must pick a side: do they wish to preserve the world—or destroy it? In this electric sequel to the viral sensation, The Atlas Six, the society of Alexandrians is revealed for what it is: a secret society with raw, world-changing power, headed by a man whose plans to change life as we know it are already under way. But the cost of knowledge is steep, and as the price of power demands each character choose a side, which alliances will hold and which will see their enmity deepen?”

An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher Tor via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This review contains spoilers for the first book in the series, beware.

Well, to say I am disappointed would be the understatement of the year. I loved The Atlas Six, so much so that it was actually one of my favourite books of 2021. So imagine my shock and sadness when I read this and did not enjoy it…yeah, it was not a fun time for me.

The Atlas Paradox sets off to do something, but I’m not really sure what that something is and I do hope the author knows and she’s just keeping it from us just for the sake of drama or something. It breaks my heart to say this, but there really is no direction to the story and there’s no way around it, it just shows in every single page. The plot is basically non-existent, this book is just full of continuous and messy ramblings among the characters that really lead to nowhere and that take way too many pages which could have been used to actually move the story forward. Remember when at the end of book one everyone was on board with saving Libby? Yeah well, forget about that, here only a few are interested and they’re not very proactive in doing something, but at least they seem to care, which is still better than what can be said about some other characters. Another very intriguing storyline from the first book was Dalton’s, I was so curious to know how his mind works and all that Parisa sees in it. Well, they briefly talk about it, but in my opinion it could have been explained a lot better. Overall I got the feeling that all the plot points we had to explore from book one were basically disregarded here in the second book and only briefly mentioned in passing. And all for the sake of what? New alliances, yeah you read that right. These people who barely stand each other decide to mix things up and form new relationships. The result are feeble and just overall unrealistic and sometimes also very boring dynamics, which are only based on weak necessity and which don’t actually serve the purpose of strengthening the characters’ own selves and also the relationships among each other. By the end of the book these characters are no better than when we left them in book one, actually I would say they are worse in more ways than one.

I’m not really sure, but I believe this series was supposed to only include two books and then they got turned into three, which might explain why this is so bad, it might be a good old case of second-book syndrome commonly known as “the second book sucks and that’s because it’s just a filler to get to the third book which was originally supposed to be the second”. I really hope that is the case, because it would mean that this series could somehow redeem itself in the sequel. For now, I’m sorry to say this was a no for me and I will definitely read some reviews before trying to read book three.

If you’re excited for this new release, I do really hope you like it more than I did. Let me know your thoughts in a comment down below.

Talk to you soon,

The Six Tudor Queens Book Tag

Hey there. It’s been a long time since I did a tag, but in these days, I saw that “The Six Tudors Queen” book tag was popular on Booktube, and since I love English history, in particular regarding the monarchy, I couldn’t help but partake in it. Of course, this is a very sad part of English history, but it’s interesting nevertheless, and the media that depict it are some of my favourites of all time, like for example “The Spanish Princess”, and “The Other Boleyn Girl”. The tag was created by Gem of Books on Youtube and I will leave the link here.
So, let’s get started.

Katherine of Aragon – A book that was your first love

I could say a lot of titles for this one, but in the end, I think I’ll go with Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Never ever has a book made me feel that way, and you can tease me about it and make fun of me if you want, but Twilight was the book that pushed me to get to reading more and to become the reader I am now, after all these years. There’s a reason why it was so popular and so well beloved, and a part of it was for sure that it gave us a sense of community and I will forever be grateful to it for that.
Also, Katherine of Aragon is my beloved, if you haven’t, please watch The Spanish Princess, it’s one of my favourite series of the last few years, and it depicts her character so well.

Anne Boleyn – A manipulative character

Everyone, and I mean everyone in The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake. This was a book I read last year and completely caught me by surprise, but I have to say that, like in every good Dark Academia, these characters are not the best under any circumstances. I mean, they of course have their own perks, but being in a secret society where only five will go through and one of them has to die, you can certainly see that there will be some manipulation going on behind closed doors. But if you like Dark Academia, this is God-Tier and I highly recommend it.

Jane Seymour – A book that delivered what you wanted

I will go with a series for this one, and one I read quite recently. The Bargainer series by Laura Thalassa delivered exactly what I wanted. I mean, I just wanted to have fun and read some fantasy romance, which is one of my favourite genres, and this book had exactly all the tropes I expected and that you also would expect in a classic fantasy romance book. If you liked ACOTAR or this kind of fae books, pick up this series, it’s way better than some more popular series that are everywhere right now. Also, the series gets better with each book, so win win.

Anne of Cleaves – A book that wasn’t what you expected

Sadly, I have to say My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh. I don’t know what I was expecting to be honest, but for sure not to loathe that novel so much. That was such a shallow depiction of mental health and the 2000s in my opinion, and the prose was so damn annoying and lyrical just for the sake of being lyrical that like, please… no. I don’t want to think about that book ever again in my life. I was just so frustrated while reading it and I just wanted it to end, to be honest.

Katherine Howard – A book that irritated you

I could go on and on, I have a lot of unpopular opinions, but for this, I think I’ll go with Wilder Girls by Rory Power. This book just had SO. MUCH. POTENTIAL, and in the end it felt so flat? Like, the audacity? I put so much hope in that book and it ended up betraying me in the worst way by being irritating and boring. I just did not connect at all with it, sadly.

Katherine Parr – A book published after the death of the author

Wow, that’s… a lot of Katherines, I’ve never noticed it. By the way, moving on, after doing some research I decided to go with Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. It was published in 1818, after the death of the writer, and it’s a book I remember with such fond memories. I read it in the Netherlands, the first time I went to Amsterdam, and I had the best time ever reading it. It might not be her best work, but it is such a fun parody of her own works, I always saw it like that, that it’s for sure one of her funnier ones.

Henry VIII – A chunky book that you hated

I can’t even – so, we were saying. Chunky book I hated? Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. I won’t elaborate. It wasn’t fun. Mixed media is not my thing, space is not my thing, unoriginal plots are not my thing. I’m so petty when it comes to that book, I will stop right away.

Okay guys, we have come to the end of this bizarre, but for sure fun tag. Let me know some of the answers to these questions if you want to and leave in a comment down below your favourite piece of media related to this history period.
Hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading,

The Stranger Things Book Tag

Hey readers! I don’t know if you like it as much as I do, but Stranger Things is one of my all-time favourite TV series! I just love every single aspect of it: the plot, the characters, the atmosphere, everything is always on point. And even if I didn’t like the second season, I think that this series is written in such a good way that it is able to keep my eyes glued to the screen all the time. I cannot wait to see the second volume of the fourth season, I hope it will be as good as the first one.
So, since the first volume of the fourth season was released a couple of weeks ago, I thought it could be fun to do a book tag related to the TV series! The original tag was created by Sarah Sunbeams on Youtube, here you can find the video. Without further ado, let’s start!

1. EPIC INTRO. The opening sequence of Stranger Things is amazing and really grabs your attention. Name a book that grabbed your attention from the first page

I think for this answer I’ll go with “Strange the Dreamer” by Laini Taylor. The prologue was just exquisite and even if I don’t remember much about the book, I still remember where and when I started reading it and how interested I was about it. Let’s be honest: my mind is terrible; I don’t remember much about the books I’ve read, and I also struggle a lot every time I start reading a novel because I can’t really remember a thing about the first pages. But with Strange the Dreamer it’s different, Taylor wrote such an enigmatic yet powerful beginning that I still can remember how I felt while reading it.

2. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. Name a fantasy world you would like to experience yourself

Well, well, well, this question is challenging because I have many answers. I would like to say the world from “Shadowhunters” (that I know it’s the same as ours with the possibility to see different creatures, but Alicante and the Seelie Court are something that I would so like to visit), the parallel worlds that appear in the second and third volume of “His Dark Materials” by Philip Pullman and also the different planets that are described in “Aurora Rising” by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. I know I should pick one but it’s impossible for me.

3. SQUAD GOALS. When Eleven met Mike, Dustin and Lucas it was a *mostly* perfect team. Name your favourite bookish group of friends

For this question, there would be many answers that in my mind sound perfect, but if I have to pick just one, I think I’ll go with Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase and Nico Grover from the book series written by Rick Riordan. They are simply amazing and I have always adored how Riordan portrayed them. And now that they have announced the TV series adaptation, I cannot wait to see how it will turn out. The cast is so lovely and I’m already rooting for all of them.

4. ABC’s & CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. Joyce Byers goes mad with grief after Will goes missing. Name your favourite mentally unhinged character

This question screams “Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo from the first letter. Let’s be honest, I think that almost every single one of the Dregs could perfectly fit here, Kaz in particular. I just love all of them so much and I miss seeing them on the page. I finished reading the duology a couple of months ago and I still think about them. I know that there are many rumours about a possible third book and I don’t know whether to be happy or worried about it. I just hope that if it will come out it won’t be a disappointment.

5. THE UPSIDE DOWN. Name a book that was the opposite of what you expected

I have a couple of answers for this question: “Lore” by Alexandra Bracken, “Wilder Girls” by Rory Power and “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” by Ottessa Moshfegh. I could easily sum up all of them with: great idea, not-so-great execution. I had really high expectations for all of them but, unfortunately, they didn’t meet my taste.

6. MAD SCIENTISTS. Dr. Brenner likes to get freaky with humanity. Name the freakiest dystopian government you can think of

Well, what’s better than “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley? The first chapter, where the reader is introduced to how that world works and how every single person is created in a bottle has fascinated me since the first time I read it. I also think that I need to make another special mention: “1984” by George Orwell. I have to admit that even this book had a great impact on my mind.

7. DEMOGORGON. Name a scary bookish creature that you would not want to come through your walls

Even if I never finished reading the book, I’ll go with the clown Pennywise from IT by Stephen King. I remember reading this book early in the morning and being scared by that creature. I know that it’s just fiction, but for so many days I kept looking behind my back to be sure that nothing was following or watching me.

8. CLIFFHANGER ENDING. Name a book that left you wanting more

Here’s the thing: do you remember when early I told you that I don’t remember the plots of the books I’ve read? Keep it in mind when I tell you that the answer for this question is “The Atlas Six” by Olivie Blake. I don’t remember many things about this book (not even the names of the main characters) but I know for sure that when I closed this novel I wanted more. I will definitely re-read it before the sequel comes out, but I cannot wait to see what Blake has in store for us because “The Atlas Six” is just brilliant.

So, these were my answers for the Stranger Things Book Tag, hope you enjoyed reading about them! Now, tell me, which is your favourite character of Stranger Things? Let me know your answers with a comment down below! Thanks for reading.

Books as Songs from “Harry’s House” by Harry Styles

Hey there guys, today I’m here with an article I’m so excited about. My most anticipated album of the year “Harry’s House” by Harry Styles was released yesterday, and I’m so happy to finally do another “Books as songs” type of article. I love this album with all of my heart, so I’m very happy to recommend you some books that I think could go well with it.
I hope you enjoy and let’s get started.

1. Music for a Sushi Restaurant.

“Green eyes, fried rice, I could cook an egg on you
Late night, game time, coffee on the stove
You’re sweet ice cream, but you could use a flake or two
Blue bubblegum twisted ’round your tongue”

Book: Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

I have to admit I still have to read this book, but this song instantly reminded me of a cute romance with a cooking theme as an undertone, and this book has it all. I’ve had this book on my radar since it came out, and it follows Dahlia, a woman recently divorced who meets someone very special at a cooking show. I think it could go so well with this song.

2. Late Night Talking

“We’ve been doing all this late night talking
About anything you want until the morning
Now you’re in my life
I can’t get you off my mind.”

Book: Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

I’ve read this book quite some time ago, but this song gives me the overall feeling that this book gave me. In this YA novel the two main protagonists struck a relationship where they mainly talk about themselves and what they feel, and open up to each other, late at night. It was quite an entertaining read that I really think could go well with this song.

3. Grapejuice

“There’s just no getting through without you
A bottle of rouge
Just me and you
Nineteen Eighty-Two
Just me and you
There’s just no getting through
The grape juice blues”

 Book: My Policeman by Bethan Roberts

You saw what I did there, but I just can’t help myself, for me this song will always talk about My Policeman. Just as I heard it, I knew it would remind me of it. It may be the vintage feeling to it, and it’s even a little bit nostalgic. “My Policeman”, which I have read because of this man who sings this song I’ll admit to that, it’s also a very good, sad and nostalgic book, correlated with a lot of tender moments. And I think it goes very well with this song.

4. As It Was

“When everything gets in the way,
Seems you cannot be replaced, and I’m the one
who will stay.
In this world, it’s just us, you know it’s not the same as it was.”

Book: With or Without You by Caroline Leavitt

This song is amazing and a wonderful first single, and I think this is the best book that could go with it. This book talks about a girl who falls into a coma, and when she wakes up, she suddenly discovers that everything is just not the same as it was. Her husband and her best friend have struck a particular friendship and a lot of things in her life have changed. So I think  this could be the perfect choice for this very bopp-y, but also very sad song.

5. Daylight

“If I was a bluebird, I would fly to you.
You’d be the spoon, dip you in honey
so I could be sticking to you.
Daylight, you got me cursing the daylight.”

Book: Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman

I will be honest with you, I went for a vibe with this one. In a part of this song Harry talks about bicycles and I strongly associate them with Elio and Oliver, not gonna lie. Also, this song is the sweetest ever and it gives me the feeling of a love story that has little hope to last, that it’s doomed to have a finish date. Daylight is for sure way happier, but at the same time even “Call Me By Your Name” has sometimes this happy, summer-y feeling, also they are both so very tender and lovely.

6. Little Freak

“I disrespected you
Jumped in feet first and I landed too hard
A broken ankle
Karma rules
You never saw my birthmark
I was thinking about who you are
Your delicate point of view
I was thinking about you”

 Book: The Binding by Bridget Collins

Little Freak is the best song on this album, guys, I really don’t make the rules. Now that we’ve established that, I think the meaning I give to this song is that we can be so very close to someone, we can share with them our dreams, our hopes and all of our love, but there will always be something that we could never share with another person. And that’s not bad, that’s just how things work, we can give all of ourselves to someone but there will always be something in the end that will irrevocably be always ours, and I think that’s beautiful. I don’t just like how Harry pronounces the word “birthmark”, I just think that that point is where you get the feeling of the song. “Yes, we dressed up for Halloween, yes we shared a home, I dream about you, but at the end you never saw my freaking birthmark”. Can you see it? Cause this imagery is driving me insane.
And “The Binding” really has this nostalgic feeling to it, I can’t speak too much about it because it would be a spoiler but there’s something so delicate in this book, you have to know it’s one of my favourite stories of the last few years, the middle part of that just feels like this song. You can also change “birthmark” with “necklace” and that would be perfect.

7. Matilda

“You can let it go
You can throw a party full of everyone you know
You can start a family who will always show you love
You don’t have to be sorry for doing it on your own”

Book: Normal People by Sally Rooney

You though I was going with Matilda by Dahl? Well, I thought about it, but Harry recently said it was inspired by that book, so you already have his recommendation. Mine is Normal People, because I think this song could go so well with the character of Marianne. I can’t help but think about a scene in particular, in the tv show more than in the book, where Connell says to her something on the lines of “nobody’s gonna hurt you like that again, everything’s going to be alright, trust me, because I love you”. I really believe this could be a perfect choice.

8. Cinema

“I just think you’re cool
I dig your cinema
Do you think I’m cool too?
Or am I too into you?”

Book: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Do I really have to explain this one? I don’t think so. This book gained so much popularity in the last few years that I would be surprised if you haven’t read it or heart about it. But I really recommend checking it out, it’s also a really wonderful intake on the Hollywood scene and what you have to sacrifice to be on top of the game in that ruthless scenario.

9. Daydreaming

“It just feels right
When you give me all of your love, give me somethin’ to dream about”

Book: Beach Read by Emily Henry.

I will have to be honest with you guys, I really don’t like “Daydreaming”, I think it’s the only song in the album that I skip, but I also see why people really like this song. It’s fun and summer-y, and for this reason I will pair it with one of my favourite romance novels of all time, “Beach Read” by Emily Henry. That book is also very dreamy, so I think it’s the best choice.

10. Keep Driving

“A small concern with how the engine sounds
We held darkness in withheld clouds
I would ask, “Should we just keep driving?”

Book: Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Hello there, “Keep Driving” my baby, my second favourite song on the album. And also one of my favourite books of all time. I think TJR really has the magic touch when it comes to books about Hollywood and fame. “Keep Driving” for me talks about all of the aspects, good and bad, of fame, and how the singers choose to live on with their life and face what has to come with serenity. I just think it’s one of the cutest in the album.

11. Satellite

“I go ’round and ’round
Satellite.
Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya to pull me in
I can see you’re lonely down there
Don’t you know that I am right here?”

Book: The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake.

This Dark Academia book is one of my favourites in the genre of the last few years, and I think that what made it for me was the fact that a quote of the book goes something like “They were binary stars, trapped in each other’s gravitational field”. The two characters this quote is referring to were my favourite in the novel, I never rooted for a couple that much in the last years, and this book is engaging, mysterious and enchanting like this song, which by the way is one of my favourites from the album.

12. Boyfriends

“Boyfriends, they think you’re so easy
They take you for granted
They don’t know, they’re just misunderstanding”

Book: Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

I admit I still have to read this book, but it’s so well beloved that I think I can recommend it to you for this song. This talks about a breakup and the relationships the main character, Queenie, has with different men while navigating adulthood. And this song basically talks about men and their way of mistreating their partners sometimes and persisting in some behaviours that will only hurt the other person. Like a young philosopher once said “To boyfriends everywhere, f*ck you” (Harry Styles, Coachella, April 2022).

13. Love of my Life

“Baby, you were the love of my life
Woah, maybe you don’t know it’s lost ’til you find it
It’s not what I wantеd, to leave you behind
Don’t know whеre you’ll land when you fly
But, ​baby, you were the love of my life.”

Book: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Listen, Harry said this song is about England and it is of course a love song, so the only thing I could think about was “Red, White & Royal Blue”. England for sure has a huge part in this novel, as well as overcoming distance, since the two main characters don’t even live on the same continent. As for the line “don’t know where you’ll land when you fly” I assumed the singer was talking about someone with a lifestyle similar to his, or someone who travels a lot, and in this case the two main characters are both people who have a very high-profile lifestyle.
This song is amazing and a great way to close the album.

Okay guys, we have come to the conclusion of this article. I really hope you enjoyed it, I love “Harry’s House” and I for sure see myself listening to it in the upcoming years. Please let me know if you liked my choices, and also, if you listened to it, which your favourite song is!
Thank you so much for reading,

Watching Books – December 2021

Hi guys, we are here with another month full (somewhat) of news. December was not so full of new bookish adaptations news, but the ones we have are really exciting. Let’s talk about them together!

• First news for this month, and we start with a really exciting one. Riz Ahmed (Venom, Sound of Metal) and Lulu Wang (The Farewell) will produce a TV series based on the book “The Son of Good Fortune” by Lysley Tenorio for Amazon Prime. The book follows a Filipino teenager and his problems with his mother and his first love.

 

• A news that left me shocked, since I adore the movie so much, is that Netflix is re-adapting the famous novel by David Nicholls, “One Day”, into a TV series. The novel, previously adapted into a movie, follows Emma and Dexter, two friends that might be something more, as they meet every year on the 15^th of July.
  We don’t know anything about this remake, but count me as excited!

  

• Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians, Last Christmas) will be the main lead in the TV series adaptation of the novel “Nameless” by Dean Koontz. This series of thrillers follows the life of a nameless man who can’t remember anything about his past. It sounds really cool!

  

  

• Netflix is adapting the short story “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe in a mini-series, and now we have the full cast: Trevor Macy and Mike Flanagan were already announced, Frank Langella (Dracula) will star as Roderick and Mary McDonnell (Dances with Wolves) will be Madeline- Carla Gugino (The Haunting), Mark Hamill (Star Wars), Zach Gilford (Midnight Mass), Aya Furukawa (The Cabin in the Woods), Annabeth Gish (Sons of Anarchy) and many others will also join the cast.

  

  

  

• My favourite news of this month regards the fact that “The Atlas Six” by Olivie Blake will become a series thanks to Amazon. I read this book in October and really enjoyed it, it was so good, and I can’t wait to see it turned into a series. It’s a Dark Academia novel following six magicians in a magic school.
  I’m so excited, really.

  

• Last news for the month is that we have the teaser trailer for the movie “Tangled”, based on the novel by Emma Chase. The movie will be out on the 3^rd of February 2022, and it seems really fun!

  Okay, we have come to an end of a bit shorter “Watching Books” than usual but still with a lot of exciting news. Which project are you most anticipating? Let me know in a comment down below.
  Thanks for reading,

  

10 Authors I’ve discovered in 2021

At the end of every year I like to do a little recap and see which new authors I’ve discovered. They might be debut authors or just new-to-me ones whose books I finally managed to read, but one thing is certain: now they are all authors whose books I look forward to reading in the future.

Micah Nemerever

I read his book, These Violent Delights, back in January and I still think about it to this day, which is something quite unusual for me. There’s nothing announced yet, but I’m very curious to see what  he comes up with next!

Sayaka Murata

I approached this author because I was seeing her novel Convenience Store Woman literally everywhere and it definitely did not disappoint, it was such a brilliant read! In 2022 I really want to read her newest 2020 release, Earthlings.

Morgan Rogers

I started reading Honey Girl hoping for something different but in the end I found something so much better than what I was expecting. This book totally took me by surprise and this new literary voice felt relatable like few others.

Cath Crowley

Words in Deep Blue is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year and it made me so curious to check out this author’s other books, I really hope to get to them in 2022.

Min Jin Lee

Pachinko stole my heart and soul and I don’t even want them back. I can see myself reading books by this author for a very long time.

Chloe Liese

I think this is one of my new favourite romance authors out there. I read Only When It’s Us and I really enjoyed it, I’m looking forward to reading more by her!

Axie Oh

I’ve only read a YA contemporary by her, called XOXO, but I’m so curious to check out her fantasy books, I hope to get the chance to do so in 2022.

Elena Armas

She’s another romance author I want to keep my eye on in 2022. I loved The Spanish Love Deception and I’m sure that her next novel won’t disappoint!

Olivie Blake

I read The Atlas Six last month and I completely loved it. I also ordered one of her other novels, Alone With You in the Ether and I’m planning to read it soon. I love the characters she creates and I cannot wait to read more of them.

Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

She is my newest addition, I finished reading her novel How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe just a few days ago. It’s a gorgeous novel and it was written so beautifully! I definitely plan to read more by her in 2022.

That’s all for today, I hope you enjoyed reading. I would love to know who your new favourite authors are for this year, if you want you can leave their names in a comment down below.

Thanks again for reading,

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake – Bookish Playlist

Hi there,

Every month we host a book club on our Goodreads group and at the end of the month I will bring you a bookish playlist to go with the book we just finished reading.
Book club pick for the month of Ocotber 2021: The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake.

(The cover credits are mine. Please give rights if you use it. The singular photos are not mine, all credits to the owner.)

PLAYLIST

– Glory and Gore by Lorde
“But in all chaos there is calculation
Droppin’ glasses just to hear them break
You’ve been drinkin’ like the world was gonna end (it didn’t)
Took a shiner from the fist of your best friend”

– Wandering Romance by Lie Ning
“Tell me why you can’t control
The feelings you desire
Burning on my bridges
As you said my world’s on fire”

– Uprising by Muse
“They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious”

– Gold Rush by Taylor Swift
“Walk past, quick brush
I don’t like slow motion double vision in rose blush
I don’t like that falling feels like flying ’til the bone crush
Everybody wants you
But I don’t like a gold rush”

– I Warned Myself by Charlie Puth
“I warned myself that I shouldn’t play with fire
But I can tell that I’ll do it one more time
Don’t trust in myself, no good for my health
You mess with my heart, now you’re the reason why”

– The Louvre by Lorde
“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”

– Astronomy by Conan Gray
“We’ve traveled the seas, we’ve ridden the stars
We’ve seen everything from Saturn to Mars
As much as it seems like you own my heart
It’s astronomy, we’re two worlds apart”

– Visions of Gideon by Sufjan Stevens
“I have loved you for the last time
Visions of Gideon, visions of Gideon
And I have kissed you for the last time
Visions of Gideon, visions of Gideon”

–Your Power by Billie Eilish
“I thought that I was special, you made me feel
Like it was my fault, you were the devil, lost your appeal
Does it keep you in control?”

– I Put a Spell on You by Annie Lennox
“I put a spell on you
Because you’re mine
You better stop the things you do
I tell you, I ain’t lying”

– Ribs by Lorde
“You’re the only friend I need (you’re the only friend I need)
Sharing beds like little kids (sharing beds like little kids)
And laughing ’til our ribs get tough (laughing ’til our ribs get tough)
But that will never be enough.”

– Cherry Wine by Hozier
“Her eyes and words are so icy
Oh but she burns
Like rum on the fire
Hot and fast and angry as she can be
I walk my days on a wire.”

– Sail by AWOLNATION
“This is how I show my love.
I made it in my mind because
I blame it on my ADD baby.
This is how an angel dies
Blame it on my own sick pride
Blame it on my ADD baby
SAIL!”