It’s time for four — that’s right, five! — Mystery Blogger Awards! In other news, today, you guys get to learn just how terrible I am at doing award tags, as I was nominated for some of these as much as SIX MONTHS AGO.
I know, I’m ashamed of me, too. Moving on! I was tagged for this award by Dawlyn and Krista at Little Blind Book Finds, Camille at The Literary Empress, Adri at Little Fox & Reads, Liz at Stellar Kitten Book Reviews, and Amber at Ambsreads!
RULES
- Put the award logo/image on your blog
- List the rules.
- Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
- Mention the creator of the award (Okoto Enigma @ Okoto Enigma’s Blog)
- Tell your readers 3 things about yourself and answer the questions given by the person who tagged you
- Nominate 10 – 20 people
- Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
- Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
- Share a link to your best post(s)
3 things about me:
- I was born and raised in the Atlanta metro and it will always be one of my favorite cities.
- I love most genres of music, but especially music that either makes me really happy (Walk the Moon, Bleachers, Passion Pit, Drake) or really sad (Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, Frank Ocean, … Drake ?).
- My favorite movies are Jurassic Park and The Mummy (the 90s one with Brendan Fraser, obvs), and I’ve seen both of them at least 200 times each.
Dawlyn & Krista’s QUESTIONS
1. What is your favorite movie genre?
This one’s easy: horror! I don’t watch movies in general very often, but when I do, it’s usually a horror flick.
2. What is your favorite thing about being a blogger?
Definitely the people I meet! I’ve made so many wonderful new friends. <3
3. What is your favorite non book related thing to do?
Spend time with my family! As far as hobbies go, though, I’d say gaming. I also am a sucker for a nice long car ride on a breezy, sunny day.
4. Who is your favorite celebrity?
I honestly can’t imagine picking just one. A few noteworthy mentions, though, would be Martin Freeman, Trevor Noah, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hanks, Ed Sheeran, Drake (don’t judge me!), and Kumail Nanjiani.
5. What book got you into reading?
Honestly, I can’t answer this. I’ve been reading since before I can remember!
Camille’s Questions
1. If you could mash up any two characters and throw them together, who would it be? And which world would they be in?
Okay, this might sound wild, but hear me out… I would love to see Lada Dracul and Mia Corvere interact. Preferably in Mia’s world, because honestly, I could see Lada kicking ass and taking names in good ole’ Godsgrave.
2. Favorite supporting character deserving of a spin-off?
Nikolai Lantsov, of the Grisha Verse trilogy! Now, if only Leigh Bardugo were to write a book about him… (Oh, wait, she is! Hehehehe.)
3. What’s a story you would like a retelling of? And by which author?
This is a really good question! I’m going to reference a discussion I had with a friend recently: I would love a Hades/Persephone retelling, but with a gender-bent Hades, and it would be a slow burn where Hades is thoroughly convinced that Persephone is a spy, so they go from hate-to-love, and maybe Persephone has tons of misconceptions about Hades because of all the things people are raised to believe about her. I just think it would be amazing and I need it to be a thing, and I really want C. S. Pacat to write it. (Also, obviously, I want the actual story where Persephone stayed of her own free will, not the bastardization that makes Hades into a kidnapper.)
4. How are your bookshelves organized?
Soooort of by genre? The bulk of my shelves are SF/F, then the furthest bookcase to the right is mostly horror/mystery. The second-to-bottom shelf is a contemporary rainbow, and the bottom is books that need to be unhauled, nonfiction, graphic novels, and strategy guides.
5. Do you read with the dust jacket on or off?
Off! I always worry I’ll damage it.
Adri’s Questions
1. What’s your favorite book of the year so far?
That’s a really tough one. If I count books that I started last year, probably Kings Rising, but if I only include books I started and finished in 2018… To Kill a Kingdom, maybe? Nevernight? Obsidio?! There have been so many good ones already!
2. What’s one trope you’d kill with fire?
Insta-love, as in, like, “I literally met you five minutes ago but I would take a bullet for you.”
3. If one book could be adopted into a movie/TV series (a good one), which would you want it to be?
If it could be a legitimately good show or movie? The ACOTAR books, hands down.
4. What’s your favorite non-canon ship?
Harry/Hermione for life.
5. Which authors do you want to see collab? And what type of book/premise/setting would you like to see them work on?
I had to reeeaaaally think on this one, but ultimately, I would love to see Ashley Herring Blake and Sarah Dessen collaborate on what would be THE cutest f/f YA contemporary to ever hit the shelves.
Liz’s Questions
1. Describe your favorite book/series with a song (link it so we can hear)!
I know, I never shut up about this book, but every time I hear “I Dare You” by The XX, all I can picture is the Feysand progression arc in ACOMAF.
2. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Green tea. <3
3. Tell us about a hobby of yours (besides reading) or one you’d like to take up.
I’ve already mentioned gaming as my favorite non-bookish hobby, so one I would like to pick up is knitting!
4. What’s something that’s been on your wishlist for a while (book or other item)?
Probably this deluxe pocket set of The Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy.
5. If you could pick two writers to write a book together, who would you team up and why?
See previous set of questions for this one!
Amber’s Questions
1. If you could have five minutes alone with anyone in the world, who would it be? Explain why? This may be to reconcile something or simply scream at them.
This is a super insightful question, and I had to think about it for a moment. Ultimately, I decided on Barack Obama, because I genuinely respect the man immensely and just have so many questions I’d love to ask him.
2. What genre of book do you typically read? What’s your favorite book in that genre?
My most common genres are fantasy, contemporary, and horror, depending on my mood and the time of year. My favorite fantasy novel is probably ACOMAF, honestly. My favorite contemporary… maybe How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake? And my favorite for horror is Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill.
3. What is your favorite flower?
Tiger lily.
4. Have you got any tattoos? If not, do you want any?
I have 10, and am constantly wanting more.
5. Tell me the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word Australia!
Steve Irwin. I don’t mean to sound cliche or anything – it’s just that he was a tremendous part of my childhood and helped form so much of who I am today and how I view nature, and I miss him all the time. <3
MY BEST POSTS
I decided to link to my most popular post of 2017, which was my review of All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater (I still constantly gets search hits on “all the crooked saints controversy” from Google, whoops), and my most popular post of 2018 so far, which is my 2018 Bookish Resolutions post for Top Ten Tuesday.
MY QUESTIONS
1. What was the last book you UN-hauled?
2. What is your favorite and least favorite book-to-movie adaptation, and why?
3. How many books have you DNFed this year, if any?
4. Book sleeves: a necessity, or a pointless luxury?
5. Do you own any bookish merch? If so, drop a link to your fave merch shop!
I tag…
Kathy @ Books and Munches
Kelly @ Another Book in the Wall
Dorine @ Lost in My Paperworld
Elise @ Roaming Reader
Avery @ Red Rocket Panda
Flavia @ Flavia the Bibliophile
Heather @ The Sassy Book Geek
Melanie @ Mel to the Any
Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense
Louise @ Foxes & Fairytales
Taylor @ Nerd Narration
Danielle @ Life of a Literary Nerd
Sionna @ Books in Her Eyes
Annemieke @ A Dance With Books
Norrie @ Reading Under the Blankie
{TWITTER . BOOKSTAGRAM . FACEBOOK . GOODREADS}
RedRocketPanda
March 23, 2018Eyyyyy thanks! Also can I just say that I am HERE FOR that Hades/Persephone story?! I want to read it right now. Make someone write it :’)
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 27, 2018Right?! I seriously just wish I had tons of money and could afford to commission C.S. Pacat to write it.
Flavia
March 23, 2018Ahhhh thank you for the tag! :O <3
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 27, 2018You’re welcome, lovely! <3
Kelly | Another Book in the Wall
March 23, 2018Thanks so much for the tag!! (I’m also a huge shipper of Harry x Hermione haha). Loved all your answers! ?
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 27, 2018You’re welcome, love! <3 Haha I love it!
confessionsofayareader
March 23, 2018Love your answers. Especially Steve Irwin!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 27, 2018Thank you! <3 He was gone way too soon.
confessionsofayareader
March 27, 2018Very. I love how his kids are continuing with his work. He son is so much like him and his daughter has been doing work for animals for so long already. Such a great family.
karathehuman
March 23, 2018Another Atlantian, hello! Loved your answers. And your choices for favorite movies. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen both of those.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 27, 2018Hahaha hellooooo! <3 Always nice to meet a fellow Atlantian. Thank you! Aren't they great? 😀 I never tire of them!
celestialblackrose
March 23, 2018I loved reading through all your answers! And to be honest, I think of Steve Irwin too xD he was great and I always loved learning about different animals from him. He just had so much passion! Ugh, and that song fits ACOMAF so well <3 Now I want to go run and pick up my copy so I can read all my quote highlights!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 27, 2018Thank you! <3 He was so wonderful. A real, genuinely amazing person and I don't think the world will ever quite fully recover from losing him. <3
You're the first person who's said they agree with me about the song fitting ACOMAF and I'm so happy right now haha! <3
celestialblackrose
March 27, 2018He was <3
And it just makes me think of Feyre painting the stars on her dresser drawer and how Rhys told her he shared that with her before they met! <3 That whole scene where he confesses will always give me feels.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 29, 2018Ugh yesssss! That scene makes me cry like a baby every single time and I’m not even gonna try to deny it. I love it so much.
celestialblackrose
March 29, 2018I cried so hard for those chapters, not gonna lie. I don’t think a book has hit me with the feels so hard in a while. I was okay with ACOTAR until ACOMAF–then I fell in love <3
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
April 2, 2018Right?! So good. <3 Talking about it always makes me want to reread it, or at least those chapters!
celestialblackrose
April 2, 2018Yesss! I might just do it Friday when I finally pre-order A Court of Frost and Starlight haha.
Norrie
March 24, 2018Thank you <3
I tend to also not watch that many movies. Prefer TV series instead.
I used to love horror when i was in my teens, but i haven't seen a really good one lately. Any recommendations? 🙂
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 27, 2018You’re welcome!
Oh, man. Okay, recent-ish releases, let me think… I mostly feel like I watch a lot of more “indie” horror, like Ti West films? Those are super enjoyable to me, but they’re more of a slow dread sort of horror. What types of horror do you like? (Slashers, ghosts, home invasions, etc.)
Norrie
March 27, 2018Ha! Never heard of Ti West… just checked his stuff and it looks interesting! Thanks for recommending 🙂
I love horror movies like The Village or 1922. Stuff that is super creepy, but not overly slashery 😀
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 29, 2018You’re welcome! 😀 Okay, in that case, I think you would like Ti West. I love The Village – such an underrated film IMO. <3 Also, if you like slow "dread" horror like that, I recommend I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, if you have Netflix? it's a Netflix original film, and it's really weird and slow-paced, but it builds such a solid sense of dread. It reminded me a lot of The Village in that sense, where you never know exactly what's going on, if that makes sense haha.
Norrie
March 29, 2018Awesome, thanks! <3
Kathy @ Books & Munches
March 26, 2018Yes to the Hades/Persephone story! Now that I would read. Maybe you should just write it yourself? Just a thought. 😀
Australia = MASTERCHEF. I cannot help it. I’m addicted to that show and it is the first thing I think of when I hear “Australia”. That or “FOOOOOD”. The show brainwashed me. :’)
You have more tattoos than I do and I do not agree with that. I need more.
Just you wait. The day my car’s paid off, I’m either going book shopping like a crazy person or heading straight to the tattoo shop. Or both. Probably both. :’)
Thanks for the tag, girl! [I think..]
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 27, 2018HAHAHAHAHAHAHhahahahahahaa…. no. Trust me, you do not want to read my writing, LMAO. I haven’t written anything since I was a wee little 14 year old, writing about dragons and elves and totally, blatantly ripping off Eragon.
Dude, I always feel like I need more tattoos! Everyone needs more tattoos. All the time. <3
Kathy @ Books & Munches
March 27, 2018Okay. Now I actually kind of do. That’s been over 11 years! There must’ve been progress! I DARE YOU!
True, true that. I’m looking forward to the day my arms will get some coloring. Byebye regular skin; GIVE ME THE BEAUTIES.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 29, 2018Lmao! I doubt it! I’m rusty and out of practice. Actually, I just realized that, to be totally fair, I was still role playing on Gaia Online when I was like, 20? So I guess that would be the last time I “wrote” anything. (I can hear you laughing from here, I think…)
Kathy @ Books & Munches
March 29, 2018I am seriously not even laughing right now – although that might have something to do with my squinting because the SUN IS BURNING MY EYES and my colleague won’t shut the curtains but hey, what else is new.
If you’re rusty and out of practice, it’s time to get some oil and get in practice! You never know; it might be freaking brilliant!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 29, 2018Your colleague should quit being such a sun-worshipping jerk! Here, put them at your keyboard, lemme talk at ’em
KATHY’S COLLEAGUE: PLEASE STOP BLINDING MY FRIEND. I need her eyeballs to function so she can respond to my ridiculous, sleep deprived comments. Thank you, and good day to you.
You know, I have actually thought about it, but at the end of the day, I think I just like reading other people’s writing more than I would like writing my own things? I dunno. Plus, I mean… other hobbies take up READING and BLOGGING time…
Kathy @ Books & Munches
March 29, 2018Hahahaha. Omg. I snorted. She gave me the stink-eye and her eyes almost rolled out of her head. :’D
I just went over and closed the freaking things myself. “Sorry, sun’s in my eyes.” Two colleagues immediately went “Oh, okay!” and she couldn’t say shit about it anymore. BEAT THAT. [Pretty sure as soon as I leave the room for two seconds, they’ll be open again but hey.]
Ha, I know what you mean. Like, a couple of months ago, I suddenly had somewhat of an idea for a story and typed out what I was thinking at that time but eventually I was just.. “Yeah, just let me read and review; that’s my happy place.”
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
April 2, 2018Lmao… she sounds like quite the little cupcake.
EXACTLY. I know people say it’s good to get out of your comfort zone, and I agree with that at times, but… not when it comes to this!
Kathy @ Books & Munches
April 4, 2018The little cupcake is mean and then thought she could take one of the cupcakes I baked to celebrate my contract. I don’t know if she ended up eating it, but I looked at her in a “I might’ve poisoned that one, just saying”-kind of way.. :’D
Indeed! I’d rather leave it to the people who’d go “YES THIS IS AN AWESOME IDEA NOW I NEED TO WRITE THIS BOOKS” instead of us just going “uuuuh, yeah no.”
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
April 6, 2018LMAO. I love it.
Exactly haha! You get me.
Annemieke
March 30, 2018Thanks for the tag. (I’ve taken up to a year to do tags so haha I wouldn’t feel too bad).
Oh my gosh yes Nikolai. I’m so glad we are getting that story. 😀
That Hobbit Lotr set is just so pretty. I actually managed to get that copy of The Hobbit a few years ago. It is gorgeous.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
April 2, 2018Haha you’re welcome, and thank you for letting me know I’m not alone in skipping out on tags for waaaay too long!
YESSS. I need so much more time with our sweet little blondie. <3
It is gorgeous! I just drool over them every time I see them in a bookstore!