The Christmas Stocking Tag

Last year during Blogmas, I created my own original festive book tag, about the things you find in a Christmas stocking. Since we’re well into the Christmas season, I decided to do it again this year.

Rules

Link to the person who tagged you
Link to me, as I’d love to read your answers
Answer all 10 questions, choosing books for each theme
Tag five people

You get up on Christmas morning and your stocking is full! You take it down and start to unwrap the treats inside. The first thing you see is…

An orange! Which book is refreshing and vibrant, both inside and out?

I read this on audio and really enjoyed it. The main character and her family are the epitome of vibrant and at one point in the novel they host a festival, which couldn’t be more vibrant if it tried.

The next thing you see is a bag of chocolate coins. (Yum) Which book have you recently bought that was expensive, but totally worth the high price?

So I maaaaay have treated myself to a copy of this in Forbidden Planet a few weeks ago. It’s one of the limited edition signed and numbered so I couldn’t resist. Plus it was £3 off, which I took as a sign from the Gods that I should buy it.

You also pull out a bath bomb. Tell us about a book that had explosive action scenes.

I finally finished this book and boy did it punch me in the heart. The battle scenes were some of the most bloody and intense I’ve read in a while, so there was no contest for this question.

Next is a pack of playing cards. Which series won you over?

I put this book down earlier this year, but when I picked it back up again it definitely won me over. Both the main characters are powerful women with gifts and I loved the political intrigue and drama.

You also get a candle. Which character is a symbol of hope in their story?

Kamala Khan, light of my life, is definitely a symbol of hope in her story. She’s a Muslim, teen superhero and has a heart of gold. (Can you tell I like her?)

There are socks inside too. Is there a book that you think really encompasses all the distinctive tropes of its genre?

This book doesn’t actually release until early 2020, but I read it a few months ago and had so much fun. It has all the best tropes of a YA romance: angst, ‘will-they-won’t-they’ moments, a case of unknown/mistaken identity, teasing, break ups and makeups, and foody dates.

There’s also a notebook. Which author’s writing process do you find most interesting/inspiring?

Sorry pals, I know I chose V for this question last year too, but after listening to her talk on her Near Witch tour and at YALC this year, I had to pick her again. There other authors whose writing processes I find interesting, but V’s is the one I find most inspiring.

She talked about how she has to know the ending before she can begin writing a book and how she always has four or five pots on the stove; one is at the front, being added to constantly, and the others are on a lot heat at the back. They’re not the priority, but they’re cooking slowly and she’ll occasionally add extra ingredients to them until it’s their time to be moved to the front. I just love this metaphor.

To go with the notebook, there’s a fancy pen. Is there a book or a series that you’d change if you’d written it yourself?

I really enjoyed this book, up until the ending/final fight scene. I found the last few chapters rushed and some parts didn’t make sense, so if I were to take control of The Gilded Wolves (in another universe) I’d rewrite the ending to make it more cohesive.

And there’s a small bedside clock. Which book took you a long time to pick up but was worth it in the end?

I’d had this on my TBR for ages, but I finally picked it up this year and adored every page of it. It explores asexuality in a positive, open-minded way, and I loved the interactions between Tash and her friends. 10/10 would highly recommend.

Your pile is getting really big. You reach in to pull out the last gift and it’s… a lump of coal? You’re a little disappointed. But you look closer and realise there’s a crack in the coal. You split it open and sitting inside is a tiny golden snitch. Tell us about a book that surprised you in some way.

Without giving too much away, something happens to a character in this book that really took me by surprise. It changes the dynamics of character interactions, but makes for a really interesting twist in the story.

I had a lot of fun creating this so I hope you enjoyed reading it. In the rules I suggested tagging five people (or as many as you like) but it’s entirely up to you.

I’m tagging:

Caro @BookCheshireCat

Mogsy @TheBiblioSanctum

Kal @ReaderVoracious

Lauren @NorthernPlunder

Jenn @Jenniely

Hollie @Hollieblog

Layla @ReadableLife

And you, if you want to!