Mondays, and more specifically, Mondays after a vacation are the literal, actual and factual worst. Vacations are amazing and I love the time off but honestly, getting back into the groove of working is such a pain. However, I can’t complain too much because I didn’t think with the transplant surgery we’d get in any real skiing and we were able to fit in a ton of that and it was *magical* so I’m mostly just bitter that I can’t go skiing right now. I was tagged in this little quiz a few weeks ago but I’ve just really dove back in with reading more consistently following my massive book slump so I’m just now getting around to it! Thank you to Eternity Books for the tag!! If y’all haven’t checked out this blog I definitely suggest it!
So full disclosure, I’m *barely* an 80s baby and I don’t really think I can call myself that since I was born in 89. So when I say “80s baby” I don’t mean that in the sense that I grew up in the 80s, I just happened to breathe the last bit of 80s air after I was born. So while I’ve seen some of these, I haven’t seen them all. However, why not – lets get to gettin’!
Nightmare on Elm Street (a book that kept you up all night):
No Exit by Taylor Adams! This one is a recent add to my “read” list and for being such a short lil guy it packs a wallop of a thriller punch! It’s definitely not one to start right before you go to bed because a) creepy children hands, locked in cages during a raging snow storm with no one to save you for miles and b) once this baby gets going it literally doesn’t let up until the book is over.
Favorite Quote: Death is supposed to transform you from a person, into an idea.
The Princess Bride (a wonderfully quotable book):
ARE YOU SURPRISED? No? Good. But obviously The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I likely don’t need to tell any of you how I feel about this book because I’ve made it abundantly clear. However, this book taught me lessons I didn’t even know I needed and line after line delivered an emotional and raw punch to the gut that I adored.
Favorite Quote: Never let anyone make you feel ordinary.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (a character who loves breaking the rules):
Gwen Proctor (Gina Royal) of the Stillhouse Lake series by Rachel Caine! After Gina Royal’s husband Melvin is found to have been murdering young women in their garage Gina’s entire life changes and when she packs up her kids and runs from Melvin’s mind games she becomes Gwen Proctor. Eventually, Gwen gets tired of running and wham-bam a bad ass is born. Gwen is takin’ names but she ain’t takin no shit. I ADORE Gwen and her ability to break away from what she was taught was her “proper place” in order to own her bad-assery.
Favorite Quote: But everyone runs from the monster. Everyone except the monster slayer.
When Harry Met Sally (a book couple that took forever to get together):
The Bargainer Series by Laura Thalassa! So, technically Des and Callie kind of together the entire time so the reader doesn’t have to wait that long (thank ya Jesus) but due to some *magic* they have to spend 7 years apart and the book functions in flash back and flash forward format between the past and the present so they technically don’t get together for like 8 years even if it doesn’t feel that way to the reader. I don’t read too much romance so I didn’t have much to choose from!
Favorite Quote: Until darkness dies.
Back to the Future (a book involving time travel):
I AM TICKLED BY THIS! Recursion by Blake Crouch! I don’t want to say too much about this because I’m going to be putting up a review for it, along with a recipe for huevos rancheros tomorrow! But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity because there is time travel and it is another mind-fuck of epic proportions. Crouch is quickly sky rocketing himself to my auto-purchase and favorites shelf! This is a real doozie y’all.
Favorite Quote: What’s more precious than our memories? They define us and form our identities.
Pretty in Pink (a character with unique style):
#FashionVictim by Amina Akhtar! So to be honest, I really, honestly don’t even know about this one. I don’t read a lot of books about style/fashion and if it IS discussed I guess I don’t really pay attention to that aspect so I’m kind of cheating. I assume Anya St. Claire has a unique style since she works at a style magazine but what I am 100% sure of is she is a super crazy, super out there character and I had a surprisingly fun time reading this one!
Favorite Quote: God, there was always so much work to do. Update this, kill so-and-so. I wish people understood how hard we worked in fashion – all to make it look effortless, easy.
Karate Kid (favorite book involving training/mentor trope):
Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass series, book 3) by Sarah J. Mass! So, again, apparently not a trope I read very often because I found this one hard. However, while I may have fallen of the Throne of Glass series a bit this installment was by far my favorite. Aelin learning about her heritage and her powers and her relationship with Rowan was amazing. I absolutely love a young woman coming into her own and being a total bad-ass so this was right up my alley!
Favorite Quote: She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one.
Die Hard (a book with a trip that doesn’t go as planned):
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch! Talk about the ultimate, innocuous trip that doesn’t go as planned my dudes. Jason is literally just walking to the pub down the road to meet an old friend and then wham-bam he’s in an alternative universe he doesn’t recognize and goes on a crazy journey to get back to his home and the life he didn’t even want to leave behind. Crouch seriously delivers crazy stories.
Favorite Quote: We all live day to day completely oblivious to the fact that we’re a part of a much larger and stranger reality than we can possibly imagine.
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (a book with the central character(s) in the name):
The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence! Y’all, I seriously can’t plug this tale of an unlikely friendship enough! It just absolutely warmed my heart and soul right on up. Alex Woods was hit my a meteor that fell right through his bathroom ceiling when he was just a boy. That, coupled with his clairvoyant mother made for an odd childhood. When he meets Mr. Peterson, neither have any idea how their friendship will blossom and change them both for the better. A truly heartwarming story.
Favorite Quote: The first thing I learned that day was this: what you think you know about a person is only a fraction of the story.
Dirty Dancing (a female character who comes out of her shell):
The Air Awakens series by Elise Kova! Vhalla Yarl is one of my all-time favorite characters. I loved her from start to finish and her character arc is also one of my absolute favorites. She’s constantly turning the patriarchy on it’s head and showing that women, even when they’re underestimated are just as strong, if not stronger than the men of this novel. If you love a woman overcoming adversity to become amazeballs, this one will be right up your alley!
Favorite Quote: She hadn’t studied and trained to be the woman she had become; it had been carved into her by the world’s demands.
Top Gun (a death that took you by surprise):
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin! I’m going to go ahead and say *spoiler alert* but if you some how don’t know about this then you’ve either a) been living under a rock or b) don’t have any interest in reading / watching this series and so I’m assuming you don’t care. But GAH-DANG, Martin is the freakin’ master of killing off important characters that his fans love. This first comes into play in book one when my good ol’ Neddy boy gets his pretty lil’ head lopped off. From there, literally no one is safe. As we currently await the next book AND the series finale I don’t know how I’m going to handle this at all. NO ONE IS SAFE.
Favorite Quote: When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives.
ET (an ending that left you both happy and sad):
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein! Has anyone ever read a book about a dog that didn’t leave them a little bit heartbroken? No, I don’t think so. They seem to go hand in hand and that’s no different with Enzo. I ADORED Enzo and his story and it was painfully charming. While the ending is a tad bit sad, there’s also a lot of happy tears in it as well. As I mentioned in a previous post, I’d LOVE to see another book based on the ending of this one but I doubt that’ll happen.
Favorite Quote: The true hero is flawed. The true test of a champion is not whether he can triumph, but whether he can overcome obstacles – preferably of his own making – in order to triumph.
Well there you have it folks! As I mentioned above, I’ll be bringing y’all a review for Recursion by Blake Crouch along with a recipe for Huevos Rancheros tomorrow! Later this week I’ll also have a review for Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough along with a recipe for a braised chicken Thai curry! I’m back on the reading/blogging wagon and the recipes and reviews are comin’ in hot! I’m not tagging anyone in this today but as always, if this one strikes your fancy feel free to participate! I love reading everyone’s answers to these types of tags.
What are some books you think match up to the prompts? Have you read any of these books, if so, do you agree with me? Drop me a note in the comments and let me know!
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Gotta love some of your choices and their tag associations! Ha! Ha! And some newbies there for me, so going to check them out and I think I have Stillhouse Lake on my wish list because you gave it a great review … or someone did? 😉
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Stillhouse Lake was a surprise win for me! I didn’t think I’d be super into it but both installments have left me very pleased! 🙂
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