Time for another bookish tag! Sarah J. Higbee recently did this one at her blog, and it’s a quick questionnaire about books and reading with a “seasonal” angle. Since spring is my favorite season of the year, I couldn’t resist picking this up. 🙂 Let’s go!
The Spring Book Tag Questions
1. What’s on your Spring TBR list?
Lots of books. 😉 Right now I’m reading Renee Ahdieh’s The Rose and The Dagger, which is the sequel to last year’s The Wrath and the Dawn, which I had enjoyed a lot. Here are a few more books I’m planning to read this spring:
- The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
- The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin
- The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May
- City of Light by Keri Arthur
2. If someone asked you for a spring release recommendation, what would it be?
Since The Rose and The Dagger is the only Spring 2016 release I’ve read so far, I’ll go with a February release that’s currently my favorite book of the year: The Immortals by Jordanna Max Brodsky. It’s an addicting urban fantasy that combines Greek mythology with a crime thriller. Think Rick Riordan meets HBO’s True Detective Season 1 with a dash of Deborah Harkness’s All Souls Trilogy. It might sound weird, but it really works. Check out my review of The Immortals here.
3. Which two books coming out before summer are you eagerly awaiting?
Definitely Elizabeth May’s The Vanishing Throne, which comes out in early June. I’ve already pre-ordered it, and I’m really excited to see how things continue after The Falconer‘s cliffhanger-to-end-all-cliffhanger endings. If you like Scottish fae lore and steampunk fantasies, make sure you check out this series. (Click here to read my review of the first book.)
I don’t have anything else pre-ordered until summer, but Masks and Shadows by Stephanie Burgis and The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi are two more Spring 2016 releases that have caught my eye recently.
4. Which character would make a great Easter bunny?
For some reason, I thought of Pantalaimon, Lyra Belacqua’s daemon from the Dark Materials Trilogy. Maybe it’s because he can change into any kind of animal, like a mouse, a mouse, or a wildcast. Why not an Easter bunny? 🙂
5. What book makes you think of spring?
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Any story about nature, gardens, and rejuvenation will remind me of spring. This was an adorable story, too. It’s wonderful to see how Mary and her new friends grow as their garden gains a new life as well.
6. Name a cover with flowers on it.
Lucy Cooper’s The Element Encyclopedia of Fairies – and it features not only flowers, but greenery and a fairy! 🙂 This is also a neat resource for anyone interested in learning more about fairies, nature spirits, and other similar creatures from all over the world.
7. Which two characters would you go on an Easter egg hunt with?
I feel unimaginative by copying Sarah’s answer, but Harry Potter and Ron Weasley when they were little would be AWESOME pals to have on an Easter egg hunt. Remember the candy trolley scene from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? (*lol*) These boys would be all over a hunt for more candy – but they better know that we have to divide the candy evenly between all three of us! 😉
8. What is your favorite spring bookish activity?
Reading by the beach. It’s more of a summer bookish activity, to be honest. But I brought Garth Nix’s Sabriel with me on my first Cape Cod trip of the year last month, and I read a good chunk of it by Town Neck Beach in Sandwich. Ahhhhh. 🙂
(Confession: I didn’t actually sit on the beach and read. It was a chilly, windy day, so I stayed in my car and read in the parking lot. But the ocean view was gorgeous!)
9. Which book did you enjoy that has a spring-like cover?
Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic! The bright colors and splatter-paint effect reminds me of Easter eggs. 😀 The book’s main topics of creativity and inspiration also fit the essence of spring beautifully.
10. Who is your favorite contemporary author?
That’s tough. I don’t think I can pick only one… In fact, the first four who come to mind are Patrick Rothfuss, Laini Taylor, N.K. Jemisin, and Leigh Bardugo. They’re all incredible world-builders and have smooth, engaging writing styles. Laini Taylor and N.K. Jemisin also have stunning imaginations that blow me away with every story.
My Nominees for the Spring Book Tag
You know how things work when I tackle a blog tag: It’s open to anyone who wants to participate! 😉 If you want to give this a try, just link back to my post so I can read your answers.
How about you? How would you answer any of these questions? What stories or book covers remind you of spring?
Enjoyed reading of your choice of books. I didn’t know a good part of it (good to discover, eh? 😉 )
Well, sorry, I don’t think I’ll pick this up. My TBR list is packed full with novels of friends I’ve promised to read, at different stages of editing. I’m enjoying it, but I don’t read that a good matter for this kindo f tag 😉
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That’s perfectly OK, Sarah. 😉 I’m glad you enjoyed reading this, though!
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I’m LOLing at all the Easter bunny questions (!) but I have to agree with you on The Vanishing Throne. SO excited!
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*lol* I thought the questions were cute, too, so I couldn’t resist answering them.
Yay for The Vanishing Throne! 😀
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I’d love to read Roshani Chokshi’s book too. I’m so curious about it especially after listening to this interview with her on Publishing Crawl podcast:
http://www.publishingcrawl.com/2016/04/28/pubcrawl-podcast-interview-with-roshani-chokshi/
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Oooh, thanks for the podcast link! I’ll have to listen to it when I have a chance. 🙂 Everyone I know who’s already read The Star-Touched Queen has really enjoyed it, so I’m eager to read it too.
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You’re welcome. They discuss writing as well and had a discussion on including food in stories which might interest you.
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Looking forward to your thoughts on The Rose and the Dagger! I hope to be hitting that one sometime this spring as well, since I enjoyed the first book. And I second your recommendation of The Immortals! 😀
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Thanks, Mogsy! I should finish The Rose and the Dagger tonight, and maybe get a review up on Goodreads by this weekend.
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I love this tag! And I love your answers! Wrath and the Dawn is one of those books I’ve heard great things about and need to make an effort to pick up one day soon!
N.K. Jemisin is an author also on my TBR. Can’t wait to get to her novels 🙂
Enjoy your reading ❤
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Thanks, Faith! Feel free to give it a try, if you’d like. 😉
The Wrath and the Dawn is very good, and a great example of how sensory details can heighten the reading experience. Lots of food, colors, and smells!
N.K. Jemisin’s work is AMAZING. Absolutely read her stories when you have a chance. 😀
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Lovely to read your Spring Tag and thank you so much for the mention! I loved reading your book choices and thought they were perfect – particularly the idea of the Easter bunny being Lyra’s daemon and your Flower Fairies book:). Hm… I’m really going to have to track down The Immortals, aren’t I? And I’m chuffed you’ve got The Star-Touched Queen in your sights, because I think you’ll love it.
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You’re welcome! 🙂 Yes, The Star-Touched Queen really has piqued my interest. Several people I know (you included) have reviewed it recently and had wonderful things to say about it. I’m not sure how soon I’ll get a copy, since I already have SO many other books to read… So I might hold off until September, because Roshani is scheduled to be at this year’s installment of the YA author event I went to last September.
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I do recommend it – but there’s no rush if you have a number of books ahead of it in the queue:)
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I can’t wait to get into the Rose and the Dagger, how are you liking it so far? I’ve also heard nothing but good things about The Falconer and Bec gifted me a copy so I really have no excuse not to get into it haha. I just picked up a copy of The Star Touched Queen a few hours ago, actually! Hope we like it 🙂
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I finished The Rose and the Dagger a couple nights ago, and… I think I’m in the minority, because most everyone I know who’s read it has loved it and I… well… I liked it, but I was disappointed with it, too.
The Falconer is wickedly cool. The ending feels like a rollercoaster track that ends right at its peak – but otherwise, it’s a fun story, and a fantastic steampunk version of 19th century Scotland.
Ooooh, nice! I look forward to reading your thoughts on The Star-Touched Queen. 🙂
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Good choices! I love the Secret Garden. That book definitely reminds me of spring. ^ ^
storitorigrace.blogspot.com
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Thanks, Tori! 🙂
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I love your choice of The Secret Garden for a book that reminds you of spring. I might have chosen it as well. I read it as a child, and don’t remember that much of it, but I was left with the impression of something coming to life, almost like breathing new air. 🙂
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^^ That’s exactly why I picked it. I was trying to think of stories that had gardens or gardeners as characters, since flowers and growth and such always remind me of spring. The Secret Garden was the first book that came to mind.
Thanks for stopping by, Phoenix!
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I like all these spring choices! Thinking of spring always makes me happy. ^_^
I cannot wait for The Vanishing Throne! That cliffhanger just…I need to know what happens now!
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Yay! 😀 Spring really is a time of happiness, isn’t it?
Have you pre-ordered The Vanishing Throne? I got an email saying the release date has been delayed until June 21st…
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It is!
I haven’t pre-ordered. Is it a better deal price wise to pre-order?
Delayed, whaaaat? *sigh* Well, I guess it means more time to catch up on other books while waiting.
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I typically use Amazon for pre-orders, and they have a pre-order price guarantee. If you pre-order physical copies of DDs, books, DVDs, etc. and the price drops between your date of order and the release date, Amazon will honor the lowest price during that time range. Sometimes I’ve saved as much as $4 that way.
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I didn’t know that. Thanks for the tip! Do you buy from Amazon itself or sellers on Amazon to get the best price?
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The only time I’ve ever used “secondary vendors” on Amazon is when I’ve purchased hard-to-find or out-of-print books or CDs. So it depends on what’s available, I guess? But usually it’s straight from Amazon.
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I still haven’t read The Wrath and the Dawn, but I think I would like it.
Secret Garden – yesss – wouldn’t you just love to find a secret garden? That’s something I (still) daydream about, lol.
I always bring a book to the beach (and everywhere else). If I can’t swim (for whatever reason), I can always read.
Do you plan on reviewing The Girl from Everywhere?
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The Wrath and the Dawn was very good, and IMO it’s better than The Rose and the Dagger. (My review of Rose is already up on Goodreads.)
Oooh, yes, I’d love to find a secret garden! Though I’m not known for my green thumb, so I might be better off visiting the garden than taking care of it. :S
I do plan on reviewing The Girl From Everywhere, yes. You had asked me to let you know what I thought of it, right?
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The only thing I ever kept alive was lucky bamboo, so we’re even.
Yes, I did, I look forward to reading your review 🙂
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I have a bamboo plant, too! It’s one I received for my housewarming party 5 years ago (how has it survived this long?!). I have OK luck with orchids, too, though I haven’t figured out how to get them to rebloom.
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