Hello lovely readers! Today I am doing a type of post that I don’t think I’ve ever done before – a book tag! Not only am I doing a tag, but I was actually tagged to do it by another blogger. Thank you so much @whisperingstories for tagging me! I was very excited to receive my first tag.
As you have seen from the title, today I am doing the “To All the books I’ve Loved Before Book Tag.” I did a bit of research and it looks like this tag was initially created by a YouTuber whose channel is called Franky Days. The tag was created a few years ago now, and unfortunately it doesn’t look like she’s still creating videos, but you can check out her introduction to the tag video here.
This tag is based on the book “To all the Boys I’ve Loved Before” by Jenny Han, which was also made into a movie within the last couple years. Moment of truth? I have not yet read the book or seen the movie… I know! I know! It’s scandalous. I have been trying to read the book recently. The audiobook became available from my library recently, but I had so many other books come available at the same time that the loan expired… it is now back on hold and hopefully I’ll be able to read it by the end of the year *fingers crossed*.
Despite not yet having read the book, I still thought that this tag looked fun, and the prompts are general enough that I can answer them without any knowledge of the book. I had the most difficult time picking books for each category (how do you choose between all the books you’ve ever read?!) But I think I am satisfied with my choices.
1. Kenny from Camp – Your first book love
I have two answers for this question (look at me breaking rules right out of the gate). The first is one of the first novels that I remember loving as a very small child and that is Brown Ears at Sea by Stephen R. Lawhead. I absolutely loved it. I don’t think that many people have actually heard of this book, so let me know in the comments if you’ve read it.
My second answer is Nancy Drew. I have gone back to this series over and over again since I read my first book and I think that I will always love it.
The other reason I want to put this one here is that Ned Nickerson was my first real book crush (at least the first one I can still remember). To this day I have refused to read any of the series’ where Ned and Nancy are not together. Because I am weird that way. (Don’t even ask me about my feelings regarding Nancy’s love life in the new CW show… I am a hot mess of contradictions about that)
2. John Ambrose McClaren – The book that got away
(a book that may not be your all time favourite now, but you’ll always love it)
I had a really difficult time with this answer (something that was a recurring theme for this list). I have a difficult time picking favourites at the best of times, and there are so many books that I wouldn’t consider to be my favourites but will still always have a special place in my heart.
I decided to go with the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. I have not read all of the books in this series, I haven’t even read most of the books in this series. But I did start the series (and read the first 3 or 4 I think) back when they initially came out. And I enjoyed reading them – they were such a roller coaster ride of emotions!
After my first initial wave of reading, I kind of just stopped and never went back. I have toyed with the idea of picking up the series again, especially when I hear some of the reviews for the more recent books, but I also worry that they won’t live up to my expectations. In some ways I would rather just enjoy the memory of that first experience.
An honourable mention for this category would be The Little House on the Prairie series. Though it is a series that I hope to revisit with my own children or nieces sometime in the future, I don’t think it’s a book series I would go back to on my own. Even though I loved it when I was young (and am toying with the idea of rewatching the show soon…)
3. Lucas from Homecoming – Your favourite LGBTQ+ character or book
I had a few choices for this category that I went back and forth between, but I ended up going with one of my more recent reads. I loved Calamity Jane from My Calamity Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows. This is book 3 in the the Lady Janies series. I had so much fun reading it and I loved Jane as a character.
An honorable mention for this category would be The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee. I thought Monty was such a great (and also at times terrible) character and I had lots of fun with that book, even though I have yet to pick up the later books in the series.
4. Josh Sanderson – the book book next door
(a book that you’ll love no matter how many times you read it)
Even just looking through this list here, there are so many books that I have read that could be put into this category, but in the end, there was only one that really called out to me, and that’s Going Postal by Terry Pratchett.
This was the first Pratchett that I read, and I think it will always be my favourite. It doesn’t matter how many times I read it, it is always laugh out loud funny and it always makes me happy. I also just couldn’t go this whole list without including a Pratchett title somewhere.
4. Peter Kavinsky – your one true book love
Is it even fair to ask a book lover to name their one true book love? Isn’t that like asking a parent to choose between their children?
That being said, I picked The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I can’t decide if it’s truly “my one true book love” but the Narnia series is probably the one I have re-read the most of all the books I’ve read in my lifetime, and it never fails to disappoint. I will forever wish to find a secret world in the back of a wardrobe… actually, let’s be real. I will forever hope to stumble upon Narnia itself in the back of a wardrobe. Even though I know that Tumnus couldn’t possibly be there to greet me.
I want to include an honourable mention for this category as well since it seemed wrong to only include one… The other series I considered for this category was Anne of Green Gables. I will always have a soft spot for the Anne series, and it has had such an impact on my life. Also – Gilbert Blythe may be my one true love book boyfriend… just saying.
I completed a book tag! While I was working on it, I felt sure that I wouldn’t be able to come up with any books to fit into the categories, but I did it, and I had a lot of fun doing it. As much as I don’t like being forced to make choices about the books in my life, it is also good to stretch out of my comfort zone from time to time. I may just seek out some more tags to do in the upcoming months.
Now, onto the people I tag! I am still fairly new to the Book blogging world, but these are just a few of the blogs I’ve been enjoying lately.
1) Elaine Howlin
2) Cherelle the bibiophile
3) Soph’s Book World
4) You! If you are reading this post and think that it would be fun to participate, then consider yourself tagged! And let me know if you’ve done it in the comments so I can check out your picks!
Until Next Time,
