Ten Bookish Characters I Love

Hello everybody! Today, I’m taking part in top ten Tuesday, and the theme today is bookish characters- as in characters who have some kind of connection to reading or writing. Onto the post!

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Matilda Wormwood– I mean, she’s just the OG bookworm, isn’t she? I know there is a lot of problematic stuff surrounding the author, and I’m not going to bat for him, but I think every bookish kid related to Matilda (although hopefully NOT the abuse parts…) and I also love how much this book celebrates libraries!!

Tilly from Pages and Co– Tilly’s family own the most incredible bookshop and have the ability to bookwander, so she obviously had to be on here. Can you imagine how fun it would be to visit your favourite books and have characters come visit you?!

Poppy from the Bookshop of Dust and Dreams– Poppy’s family also owns a bookshop, which in this case is sentient and has feelings and it’s just so magical and amazing.

Mia Tang from Front Desk– Mia really wants to be a writer and that is a huge part of her arc across the trilogy, so she just had to be on here. I love her passion for writing about her life and experiences very much, and I defy you to read these books and not want all her dreams to come true.

Daisy Wells from Murder Most Unladylike– I mean, she’s not the most bookish of all time, but she loves a good mystery and that qualifies her enough for this list imo.

Literally everyone in the Paper and Hearts Society (but especially Ed, because he is my beloved)- I love this series so much! They absolute do tackle important stuff like bullying and burnout, but at their core they’re just about people coming together because they love books and I think that’s so special.

Paige from the Yearbook– I mean Paige has a whole love story in the pages of books with the mysterious Red Pen. This book is a tough read at times due to the bullying and abuse, but the romance subplot is so wholesome and pure and precious.

Kara from Talk Bookish to Me- Kara is another writer, who also writes romance in fact, and her book is about her finding inspiration for a new book in her very own second chance romance romcom story.

January and Gus from Beach Read– the main characters in this book are both authors, who decide to write a manuscript in the other’s genre over the summer for a bet, and then they end up falling in love.

June from the Last Library– I read this book on a day when I was really ill and I think stuck in my house because it was snowing (the weather sadly greatly affects whether or not I can leave the house!). Anyway, June is a library assistant who defies her bosses to join a campaign to save the library she works in, and I just loved her so much. It was beautiful to see how her fighting for the library ended up changing her life in every way.

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Thank you so much for reading! Which bookish characters did you love that I’ve shamefully forgotten? Do you have any thoughts on the ones I’ve chosen? I’d love to chat with you in the comments!!

Amy xx

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Quarterly Wrap Up: January to March 2021

Hello everybody! So, in almost 4 years of blogging I’ve somehow never written a wrap up post, but I really enjoy reading other people’s and I especially love BooksandLala’s (whose YouTube channel I am OBSESSED with) quarterly version that she does, which is why I’ve decided to make mine that often, if people enjoy reading it at least. I’m a wee bit nervous given I don’t really know what exactly I’m going to include, but anyway, onto the post!

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The Folklore Book Tag

Hello everyone! Today, I’m going to be doing the Folklore book Tag, which has prompts related to the Taylor Swift album, and I found on Sprinkled with Words. I haven’t written up my thoughts on the actual songs from this or Evermore yet, but I’m definitely hoping to at some point soon because there are some I really love. Anyway, onto the post!

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The 1: A Book You Grew Out Of

I’m trying to think of some kind of nice answer for this, but I’m really struggling, particularly as I still read and love a lot of middle grade and young adult. The only thing I can think of is a book I loved as a child called My Life Starring Mum, which I HATED the last time I reread it a few years ago.

Cardigan: A Book You Keep Coming Back To

I have reread Murder Most Unladylike/Arsenic for Tea countless times.

The Last Great American Dynasty: A Book Where Everything Goes Wrong (in the Best Way)

The best answer I can think of is Secrets of the Stone by Kamilla Benko, because everything goes spectacularly wrong at the end and just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does.

Exile: An Ending you Didn’t Like (Or a Ship that Sank)

I’ve been finding this one kind of hard to answer because I’m pretty good at picking romances I’ll enjoy most of the time. However, I really wasn’t keen on the ending of the Unhoneymooners, it just didn’t feel right to me at all.

My Tears Ricochet: A Book That Broke Your Heart

The Good Bear broke my heart a little bit, with the ending. But it’s very uplifting and beautiful overall.

Mirrorball: A Book that Speaks to Your Soul

I don’t feel like I talk about the impact Radio Silence had on me when I read it, as I sat my National 5 exams. I put a lot of pressure on myself at both school and university to do well, and it was so difficult at that time, and the things this book had to say about academia were so relatable and helpful to me.

Seven: Characters You Want to Take Home and Protect

My standard answer for this kind of question is Ade from Boy in the Tower, but some more recent ones are Col and Esther from the Midnight Guardians, and Jake and Meg from Otters’ Moon.

August: Summer Love

Heartbreak Boys! It’s hilarious and the romance between Jack and Nate is FABULOUS. Plus it gets bonus points for having a really summery, sunshiney cover.

This is Me Trying: Mental Illness Rep

One of my favourite books that deals with mental health is Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne. It follows Evie, who has anxiety and OCD.

Illicit Affairs: Forbidden Romance

I read tons of romance, but I’ve realised I don’t actually read very many things with forbidden romance. I really don’t like it when cheating is a plot point, which is probably one of the main reasons why. I guess Bryson and Kai from Date Me, Bryson Keller would technically count for the reason that people don’t think they should be together for other ( deplorable, homophobic) reasons and they have to be very secretive

Invisible String: Soulmates

I’m becoming less and less convinced that soulmates actually exist, but I think Georgia and Lucas from Mhairi Mcfarlane’s Don’t You Forget About Me might just be. They find their way back to each other despite a huge number of obstacles being in the way.

Mad Woman: Vengeful Woman

This one is HARD. The best I can do is Emma from the Dark Artifices, who is determined to find out how her parents died. Epiphany: A Loss You’re Not Over One of my favourite Shadowhunters characters died in City of Fallen Angels and I’m still furious about it to be honest.

Betty: Love Triangle, F/F Romance

I can’t think of anything that combines these, so I’m going to do one for each! My favourite love triangle recently was in Love Songs for Sceptics, and an f/f romance I really enjoyed last year was the Falling in Love Montage.

Peace: Found Family

I think my favourite found family is Morrigan’s in the Nevermoor books, between the Hotel Deucalion lot and Unit 919.

Hoax: A Character that Fooled You

I obviously can’t say who it is because it’s a huge spoiler, but I did NOT expect the murderer in Arsenic for Tea to be who it was.

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What’s your favourite song from Folklore? Do you have any thoughts on the books or characters I’ve mentioned? I’d love to hear in the comments!

Amy x

The One Tree Hill Book Tag

Hello everybody! At the end of last year I fell in love with a show, to the point that when I finished it in January I immediately started rewatching it. As you’ll likely have guessed from the title, this show was One Tree Hill, and since I’m coming to the end of my rewatch very soon I thought it would be fun todo the book tag I found based on the show, which also contains my opinions about the characters mentioned in the prompts for extra fun! Onto the post!

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The Sunshine Blogger Award

Hello everybody! Today, I’m back with another post (two in one week, my goodness I’m getting back on track, touch wood!) And this time I’m answering the questions Lily set me in the Sunshine Blogger Award. Onto the post!

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1. Do you judge a book by it’s cover?

I’ve been trying to do this less, but from time to time, absolutely I do. I’m such a magpie; shiny things are like catnip for me!

2. What marginalized rep would you most strongly like to see more of in books?

More disability rep would be fantastic, because currently there is PRECIOUS little. I’d particularly appreciate it if I could see some characters who use walking sticks that aren’t either villains or elderly. Like even just one person would be an improvement!!

3. Which trope can you not live without and which trope needs to get in the sea?

The trope of people with walking sticks being evil has popped up far too much recently, and that can most definitely get in the sea. I also hate the whole boy comes along and cures a girl who is ill thing. It’s irritating and inaccurate and frankly unnecessary. Judge me all you like, but I bloody love a love triangle. They’re so fun!!

4. Would you rather read a great plot with mediocre characters, or a boring plot with amazing characters?

The boring plot with amazing characters! If I don’t like the characters, I almost certainly won’t enjoy a book. Which is why I don’t generally get on great with things that have unlikable narrators!

5. Contemporary, Historical, Dystopian or Fantasy you can only read one setting for a year what would you pick?

This is IMPOSSIBLE. Dystopian is obvs discounted, but I really love the other three. I’d probably go for fantasy.

6. Which actor (or literary character) would play you in a film of your life and why?

Oh God, I don’t know. I don’t really think I look like any actors? And they’d need to be Scottish, which narrows things down even further. Anyone got any suggestions…?

7. Which writer/author would you want to adapt the screenplay of your life story?

Holly Smale, hands down. She’s got a dead similar sense of humour and to be honest I’m so like Harriet Manners, it’d be a breeze for her!

8. Inspired by the old movie The Day After Tomorrow, An apocalyptic event has occurred and you are taking shelter in a vast public library. If you don’t burn books you will die, what will you burn whilst waiting for rescue and what would you fight to the death to preserve for the future of mankind?

I’d burn all the thick ones, because occasionally I’m actually sensible and I’d rather not die. Inkheart would be quite a good choice maybe given it’s quite long and I didn’t really like it? I don’t really know what I’d want to preserve. If I’m honest, I’d be selfish and preserve as many of my favourites as possible probably.

9. Gilmore Girls- Team Dean, Jess, Logan or otherwise?

Team Jess ALL the way. I watched Gilmore Girls primarily because I already fancied Milo Ventimiglia so it was kind of inevitable really!

10. Which book/series do you think would make the best screen adaptation?

If they didn’t make an utter mess of it, I’d honestly die for an adaptation of the MMU books. I think I’d genuinely lose my mind if I ever got one!

11. What book would you recommend to me to read most of all?

I’m assuming this means you personally Lily? And if that’s the case Polar Bear Explorers’ Club because I’ve wanted you to read it for AGES and I’m so sure you’ll like it.

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I’m not going to write any questions, but if anyone fancies doing these ones please feel free, and I’d love to hear what you think of my answers in the comments!

Amy x

The Harry Potter Spells Tag

Hello everybody! Today, since it is the 27th December- that weird day when it is officially no longer Christmas but festive stuff is still sort of happening- I’m going to do something sort of festive (because there’s just something Christmassy about Harry Potter) and sort of not, the Harry Potter Spells Tag, which I found ages ago on Charlotte Somewhere and have been planning to do ever since! Onto the post!

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How Did I Do With My 2018 Bookish Goals?

Hello everybody! Recently, I’ve seen some posts and YouTube videos popping up where people evaluate their 2018 goals, so I decided to jump on the bandwagon and assess my progress today. Even though these and the other, private goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year went quite well, I don’t think I’ll be setting any for 2019, other than a Goodreads challenge. Onto the post!

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Reading 100 books– I didn’t think I’d hit this, but I achieved it around August (I think) and put my Goodreads challenge up to 150, which I have now also hit, even though I’ve not updated the site with my December reads yet. I think I’ll probably start out aiming for 100 next year again!

Feel less guilt over DNFing– I actually DNFed far fewer books this year, mostly because I’ve really honed my tastes and worked out exactly what I like, but I definitely feel less guilt over doing so than I would have last year.

Reread more– this one has been a bit of a fail. I’ve only reread two books (The Apprentice Witch and the Children of Castle Rock), but I might try and squeeze in a couple over the Christmas/New Year period.

Read some Shakespeare– I haven’t read a full play from front to back but I’ve read a fair bit of the Taming of the Shrew and Macbeth for an on going English project. I haven’t really enjoyed it though to be honest, and I’m much prouder of the fact that I’ve read a whole play in Spanish and am partway through a French novel!

Keep blogging– I don’t really know why this was a resolution, but after this year I’m much prouder of it than I imagine past me would have expected I’d be. Even though I unexpectedly had to take a health hiatus, I did indeed keep blogging, and I’m so pleased that I have. I’m really excited for all the posts I have planned for next year already, and I love being part of this community.

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How did you get on with your 2018 goals? Are you planning to set any for next year? I’d love to hear in the comments!

Amy x

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Attached to Specific Memories

Hello everybody! Today I’m taking in part in Top Ten Tuesday, and for today’s freebie theme I’m using an older topic about books I have really specific memories of. Some of these are pretty random, but I’ve tried to include a few I’ve not spoken about before as well as some I have! Onto the post!

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The Currently Reading Book Tag

Hello everybody! Today, I’m going to do the Currently Reading Book Tag, which I saw on Writing with Wolves a few months ago and have fancied doing since. Onto the post!

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Would You Rather? (Bookworm Edition)

Hello everybody! Today, I’m going to be playing the bookworm edition of Would You Rather, which I found on Chrikaru. Onto the post!

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1. Would you rather have a friend who loses your books, or one who dog-ears them?

One who dog ears them. A slightly scruffy book is a hell of a lot better than no book at all.

2. Would you rather secretly love a book everyone else hates, or secretly hate a book everyone else loves?

I’ve done the second (I really didn’t enjoy what was one of the most hyped books of 2017) and it’s not that hard to keep quiet about because I don’t like talking about hating books much anyway so I’d definitely say that.

3. Would you rather be stuck on a very long plane or train ride without a book?

I don’t really take a lot of either. Probably a train journey because I struggle to read on those anyway due to motion sickness, plus they’re usually shorter.

4. Would you rather have dinner with your favorite author or your favorite character?

I don’t really have just one of either, but I think I’d say author as I could learn all about their worlds from the people who created them and learn so much. Also, I know one of the people I’d consider a favourite author (Holly Smale) is absolutely hilarious and has amazing anecdotes after seeing her at Edinburgh Book Festival so she’d be a brilliant dinner companion!

5. Would you rather date a character you have a crush on or your crush from real life?

A book crush, because no real human could ever be as wonderful and romantic as Nick (aka Liom Boy) from the Geek Girl series.

6. Would you rather have your favorite book turned into a movie, or your favorite movie turned into a book?

I really don’t think Pretty in Pink would work in book format (you’d be robbed of the utter joy that is the Try a Little Tenderness scene, for a start), so I’d much rather see a book I consider a favourite adapted to screen. Very, very carefully, obviously, because my preciouses deserve only the best.

7. Would you rather read a book with an annoying cliffhanger, or one where your favorite character is killed off?

I do often cry when characters die, but I’d rather that than a cliffhanger. Cliffhangers irk me till the next book arrives (or worse still, forever, in the case of standalones with abrupt endings).

8. Would you rather lose the ability to read any new books, or the ability to reread books you’ve already read?

While I’d hate to not be able to reread favourites, I’d go for reading new releases because amazing books are released pretty much every week and I’d hate not to be able to read the ones that interest me.

9. Would you rather live in a library or a bookstore?

Probably a library, because I know that between my local library and nearest bookshop, the library comes out much better when you compare the comfy seating options.

10. Would you rather lose your place or get a paper cut every time you read a book?

Lose my place. I drop books a lot so I’m quite used to needing to find it and keeping track of roughly where I am.

11. Would you rather have to always read in the dark, or always read books with tiny text?

I’d really struggle with either because I have atrocious eyesight, but I suppose tiny text.

12. Would you rather read by a fireplace, or on the beach?

By a fireplace, on a nice comfy couch with a blanket and golden retriever for company.

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Would you agree with my choices, or go for the other option? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter @GoldenBooksGirl!

Amy x