The always wonderful Jess @ Curiouser and Curiouser tagged me to do this one (and created it!), and I thought it was fun, and wanted something nice and Christmas-y so.. here we go! Thanks, Jess! Also, I am stealing your heading graphics because I like them. 😉
My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by Stephanie Perkins (editor) et al.
Look, I know this is kind of a cheat, but I really don’t read a lot of books about Christmas, apparently. I’m sure I have read books that included mentions of Christmas (I mean, I know I have) but none that left an impression? But every single one of these stories takes place during some winter holiday or another so… it wins.
Rook by Sharon Cameron
This was hard, Jess! There aren’t a ton of books with this color scheme that aren’t holiday books. Which makes sense, because of course it’s kind of a Christmasy color scheme. Also, it kind of clashes. Luckily this is a muted green. Also, I really liked this book, if you are looking for something to read. Just saying.
Heathens by Twenty-One Pilots
I am getting some Six of Crows meets The 100 vibes from this song, and frankly, that is a group of characters that I need to cozy up with immediately. Someone, get on writing this, mmmkay?
Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu
This book dealt with religion really well, I thought- and I am not always a fan of religious characters, but I adored this book!
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
MANCHEE. Manchee is probably always going to be my favorite book animal. Also, you know I love this series, and this is probably part of a shameless bit of prodding for you to go read it. And then also to remind you about the time I won Bookish Games, because I don’t want anyone to ever forget. (It was hard, okay guys?)
Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz & Michael Johnston
I had thought about books like Iceling or Snow Like Ashes which sounded like they’d make sense, but the settings weren’t totally cold/wintery at all so… I remembered this book. Which actually has a sea of frozen garbage. (That also pretty much describes how I felt about it on the whole.)
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
Ah, this series is so good! I am so glad that Holly pushed me to read it. It was all kinds of fun, and there were definitely royals and courts and all kinds of political shenanigans!
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Admittedly, I do not read many of these because no thank you. I don’t get along with child characters all that often. I think the youngest character I have read in recent years and enjoyed is Liesel from The Book Thief so we’ll go with that, even though she wasn’t a child-child during the whole story. Val made me read this one, but so did everyone in The Indecision Games Reaping (spoiler- so far, it is winning).
Half Lost by Sally Green
I could steal Jess’s answer of Feed because yes, yes it did. Or I could go with a book that made me sob so hard my stomach hurt like The Serpent King. But that one was also like, uplifting and good. And in a sense, so was Feed. No, this book broke my damn heart on every level. And I am still pissed about it all, if we are being honest.
City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
I hate to even admit that I could use Uprooted, which was Jess’s answer, as my answer too. But I could. But also, I won’t. Because I didn’t hate it or anything. I was just mildly bored. I have been more bored, right? Right. So I started thinking about books that were just so boring that I couldn’t stand it. I almost went with Queen of Shadows (I know, calm down, friends), but it did at least have some action-y moments. SO I went with a book that quite literally almost made me nod off and I wished I had not bothered with. Sorry again, superfan friends.
To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han
Well crap, didn’t I just say that I only read one Christmas book ever!? This is too hard. SO. I think a Lara Jean winter special would be fabulous. Like, Dear Santa, I’m Home for the Holidays. Or something. Call Jenny Han, stat. Incidentally, I am pretty sure there is a holiday scene in one of the books? Let’s pretend so, anyway.
Um, ALL of them, right? Like, can we just make it rain books or something? These are just a few:
And shhhh I know I can’t actually have any of them right now, but let’s pretend that I can, because Christmas is magical or something.
I loved that anthology My True Love Gave To Me- while I didn’t like every story in it, I liked enough of it plus how many good YA holiday anthologies are there anyway?? I tried a few YA authors I had heard of but never read. Rook looks pretty sweet, I remember seeing that waaaay earlier this year or lsat year or something and it’s… one I forgot about. And animal companions- I can’t even think of any but I need more of those!
The Keep of Ages cover is awesome, I would want the book just for that. And The Valiant- she’s a gladiator? Looks totally badass. I want it.
Fun tag Shannon! Merry Christmas!!!
Yay, thanks so much for doing this tag, Shannon! ^_^
Bwuhaha, I’m glad to have spread the heartbreak that is Feed amongst more book bloggers. I feel a little better knowing I’m not suffering alone. The Book Thief is a brilliant choice and YES to Heathens – I’d love to see a movie come from that song, especially because I’m really not that bothered about Suicide Squad.
Have a wonderful Christmas, Shannon! I hope there are lots of books under the tree for you and that you and your family have a brilliant day and a fantastic New Year!
I finished My True Love Gave to Me last night. That might be the first holiday-themed book I’ve read as an adult. I tend not to be interested in them. Happy Holidays!
oh what a fun and charming book tag!!!! I do love the cover for Rook, I love the fog effects.
Hope you have a very Merry Christmas with your family.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, SHANNON!! *gives you christmas cake* And also omg I didn’t know you liked Rook and now I want to read Rook 10000 x more. I mean, I did want to read it anyway but I heard it was boring? But Paris.? So back on the TBR it goes. And hehe, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE HALF LOST MWAHHAHA. I mean, yes it was tragic, but a good big o’ tragedy is good. And I was laughing at your description of Frozen.? That book had a lot of potential but then…no.
AND YES!! To All the Boys has a huge section on Christmas. Remember how they have the Christmas cookie bonanza and make tones of cookies and IT’S FREAKING ADORABLE BECAUSE FOOD + MY LITTLE OTP NOT GETTING ALONG.?? I need to read the next book. I ship Peter/Lara so much it’s ridiculous and probably a worry.
Also I highly agree with needing it to rain books. Let’s make that happen. Especially for those gorgeous ones on your list!!
Shannon!
Merry Christmas, beautiful! I love this book tag. Maybe I’ll steal it from you. You’re struggling with Uprooted too? Because, I have finished books and I’m still unable to read much of that one. I love the characters, but, damn…slow plot is slow!
Heathens would be the coolest book ever! Have yet to read Chaos Walking trilogy. But, we’ll fangirl together when I do!
Merry Christmas Shannon! This is such a cute tag! Rook sounds really amazing and I also got Six of Crows vibes from Heathens (maybe because they’re also a “suicide squad”? ?) And also Manchee! My heart still broke for him.
Merry Christmas, Shannon! I love how long your Christmas list there at the end was. No one should only have one book for Christmas, amirite? Also, I can’t believe City of Heavenly Fire sent you to sleep! Admittedly, it wasn’t the best way to conclude the series, but I was always so curious to know how it ended. But maybe because how much I loved the previous books…
How fun! I need to try more tags; I just know I wouldn’t be able to think of books for most of these. haha I love the song “Heathens” and it really does make me think of a book. Someone needs to write that for sure!
I might be a little late, but I hope you had an amazing Christmas! I really love Christmas tags because they combine my two favorite things, Christmas and books!
Anyway, I totally agree with you about City of Heavenly Fire. I used to be a superfan of Cassandra Clare and everything she wrote, but I feel as if I have outgrown the series in a way. I still love the first few books of the series, but the later ones could never catch my attention in the same way. Also, I would really love to read a book based on Heathens! Who would not want to read about a bunch of seemingly crazy (and violent) “heathens”? I also love the ending, like maybe you are actually a heathen too. That would make such a great cliffhanger ending!
I wanted to like Rook because I love The Scarlet Pimpernel, but I was so underwhelmed. And the person who lent it to me told me I could keep it because they didn’t like it either! But I didn’t like it enough to keep it.
I need/want We are Okay!! And I soooooooooooo agree re: To All the Boys I Loved Before being an amazing Christmas movie! Why can’t this happen!
Okay, I love the books, but I’m mostly gonna comment on your adorable pics of your kiddos. Because they’re adorable. Good job making little humans.
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