I haven’t been doing much with this blog lately, so when I saw this book tag on That Artsy Reader Girl’s page I thought it would be a great post to come back with, as it is the perfect time of year.
So here’s my take on the ‘Christmas Songs’ book tag.
1. “All I Want for Christmas Is You”
Favorite bookish couple.
Tiffy and Leon in ‘The Flat Share’ by Beth O’Leary
(Possible spoiler alert as they don’t start out the book as a couple, but come on, they were always going to get together in the end!)
I struggled with this one a bit because most of the books I read are murder-mysteries or thrillers and you don’t often get a lot of romance or couples that aren’t trying to kill each other in those types of books. But The Flat Share is a book that I’ve only just recently finished, and I think Tiffy and Leon are actually one of the best couples I’ve seen in a while. They really work well together as a couple and bring out the best in each other. They also give each other the room to deal with the things that they’re each going through in the ways that they need to for themselves. They’re a believeable couple because of this. They don’t get together because of some big traumatic event that pushed them together, they get together in spite of the potentially traumatic events happening around them. They’re just a lovely, realistic couple.
2. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”
Name a book where a character is away from home (school, vacation, etc.).
‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware
Laura ‘Lo’ Blacklock is on a cruise ship with a select group of others as she writes an article for travel magazine Velocity when she sees a woman thrown overboard. But no one on the ship is missing. Did she imagine it? Or is there somethihng more sinister going on?
Well obviously there’s something more sinister going on, or else it wouldn’t be a very good book. But yes, in this book, Lo is away from home on a stunning cruise ship when all the havoc ensues.
3. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
Name your favorite “little” book (children’s book, short story, novella, etc.).
‘The Twits’ by Roald Dahl
I love this book, loved it as a kid and still love it now. It’s gross in all the right ways (wormy spaghetti and bird pie are two dishes I never want to try!), it’s funny in even better ways (Mr Twit making Mrs Twit think she’s got ‘the shrihnks’ because he added bits of wood to make her walking stick longer will never not make me laugh). And it’s one of the best stories of unlikeable characteres getting their comeuppence that I’ve read. Just a great little book overall.
4. “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”
What book(s) do you hope Santa brings you this year?
‘Forever Home’ by Graham Norton
I’ve loved every single other Graham Norton book so far, so I’m definitely excited to read his newest one, and I’m hoping Santa read my list and brings it for me on Christmas. I love the kind of family dramas his books bring to life. I’ve only just recently finished reading his last book Home Stretch and it made me feel all kinds of things (I’m not ashamed to say there were some tears shed). I don’t doubt that this new book will be just as good.
5. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
Which book turned your nose red (made you cry)?
‘Goodnight Mister Tom’ by Michelle Magorian
I read this book in school originally, and it’s still one of the saddest books I’ve ever come across. It’s an amazing book and I’d recommend it to anyone, but be prepared to bawl your eyes out. A kid being evacuated from his home during WWII was never going to be a barrell of laughs and *potential spolier alert* I’m still not over Zach.
This is a beautiful book and it is heartwarming at its core, but by god do you have to work through some pain to get there.
6. “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
Your favorite book/kind of book to read during the holidays.
Cosy Mysteries like ‘Slay Bells’ by TC Wescott
I absolutely love a cosy village mystery at this time of year. There’s nothing better than curling up with a hot drink, a blanket and an amateur sleuth trying to solve the murder of one of the Christmas festival entertainers. I don’t want anything too heavy at this time of year, so these types of books are perfect and always give you a feel-good ending, even if a couple of murders have to happen to get there.
7. “We Three Kings”
Your favorite trilogy.
I’ve never actually read a trilogy, so I’m struggling with this one. I saw the first two Hunger Games films, but I never saw the last one, or read the books, so that doesn’t really count.
Does anyone have any good trilogy recommendations?
8. “Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow”
A character you would love to be snowed in with.
Hercule Poirot
This actually might be a terrible idea because 1) if you’re snowed in somewhere with Poirot that probably means there’s a murderer on the loose, and 2) he’d actually probably be quite insufferable if you’re around him for a long time. But I would sort of love to be snowed in somewhere with Poirot because I’d say it would be fascinating to watch him work and see how his murder-solving brian works in person.
9. “Last Christmas”
A book that seriously let you down.
‘The Good Girl’ by Mary Kubica
This is a book that was marketed towards fans of Gone Girl, so I was excited when I started reading it because I am most definitely a fan of Gone Girl. But, let me tell you, this book was so far from being anywhere near as good as Gone Girl that it was actually painful to read. This is the book that made me realise life is too short to finish a book you’re not enjoying, because I will never get back the time I spent reading this. The story of a kidnap victim getting stockholm syndrome and falling for her kidnapper is forced, and the ‘twist’ at the very end really seems like it was wedged in there purely so it could be compared to Gone Girl.
I’d actually love to know if anyone else has read this and how they found it, so please let me know if you have!
10. “White Christmas”
An upcoming release you’re dreaming about.
‘Strange Sally Diamond’ by Liz Nugent
I have no idea what this book is about, I haven’t read any blurbs or reviews of it. But I am 100% confident that I will love it because Liz Nugent has yet to write a book that I haven’t adored. I think it’s meant to be coming out in March 2023, so I’m counting down the days until then.
So there you have it, my Christmas Songs books. What are yours?
Stuck in a Good Book 