Winter Book Tag

Hey hi hello friends, and welcome back to my blog! 

I've got a super quick tag for y'all today. This is the Winter book tag, though sadly I'm not sure who originally created it. If one of you knows, please tell me in the comments or DM on Twitter and let me know, and I'll edit this post accordingly. 

Alright, let's just get right into it, shall we?

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1. Falling snow: the colors of winter are muted. Choose a book whose cover has white, light blues, and grays.

There are so many books that would fit this question. There's Great Goddesses by Nikita Gill, and The White Book by Han Kang, and The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang. And of course the insides of these books are just as incredible as the outsides!

2. Crackling fires: colder weather makes it the perfect time to sit by a crackling fire in the fireplace. What book is the best to curl up by a fire with?

I'm going to be super basic here and say nothing beats a fairy-tale, or fairy-tale retelling. You really can't go wrong there. You can plug in pretty much anything, but I'll pick The Near Witch by V.E. Schwab. It's definitely fairy-tale adjacent, even if it is an original story. But the tone reminds me so much of Grimm's that it's a perfect fireside read to me. 

3. Ice storms: winter storms can be brutal. What book do you love that puts its characters through a brutal season?

Not to be a book repeater, but this question literally describes the Poppy War trilogy by R.F. Kuang. Every horrible thing you can imagine, happens in this story. But the writing is just so good. I can't look away! 

4. Winter wishes: spending more time indoors allows for more time to dream and wish. What character is living a life that you dream about?

Hmmm, I think I have to go with Izumi from Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean. I mean, who wouldn't want to be a real-life princess? And with a hot bodyguard too? Um, sign me up, please and thank you! I know that Izumi goes through a lot in the book and there are definitely some not so glamorous moments, but I definitely think the good outweighs the bad there. Plus, I've always wanted to visit/live in Japan!

5. Hot chocolate: there's nothing like a hot cup of cocoa during the winter. What book do you think should be the next big thing?

Ah, geez. I'm not really someone who looks for under-the-radar reads. I'm most definitely someone who rides the trends (if the book seems interesting to me, at least). But I'll say the Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger. I'm well aware that this is a super popular middle-grade series, but I think it could totally become the next big middle-grade obsession (like a certain series that shall not be named). There's currently nine books out, and I'm not sure how long the series is going to be, but it will be at least ten books. And it's super cute, has a ton of representation for all walks of life, and an overarching mystery that will leave you scrambling for the next book in the series. I highly recommend!

6. Lip balm and lotion: soothing dry skin is part of the winter season for many people. What book is full of soothing and comforting words?

This feels like a bit of a cop out answer, but I'm gonna go with Life by Paulo Coelho. I say it's a cop out because this isn't an actual book, but a collection of inspiring quotes taken from Coelho's novels. But it definitely gives me the warm fuzzies inside, so I say it counts. 

7. Peppermint mocha: what is your go-to winter food or drink for all those reading marathons of winter?

Oh man, I'm a big advocate for winter food and drink. My first instinct is to say hot chocolate, but to be honest I drink that all year round, so I'm not sure if I can call it a winter drink. I guess I'll go with eggnog. Fully doctored, of course. Plain eggnog is way too rich for me, so I really need that brandy to cut through the sweetness. (Please remember to drink responsibly!)

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Okay, that's all for today! Tell me, what is your favorite thing about Winter? While I don't live somewhere that gets it, I do love snow. I went to college in a place that got snow and it was always so magical...well, it was magical until the school refused to shovel the walkways and parking lots. Anyway, let me know in the comments or tweet at me @AllyEmReads.

Until next time, friends!