Hello! This week, I was tagged to do the Spring Cleaning Book Tag by Alys in Bookland. Here’s to wishing it was still spring because I can’t deal with the Los Angeles heat, but also not because I love my summer job and don’t want to think about being at school. Without further ado, here it is:
The Spring Cleaning Book Tag!
1. The struggle of getting started: a book/book series that you have struggled to begin because of its size.
The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Mass. Everyone keeps on telling me to read this series, but there have been so many books released in the series at this point that I’m scared to begin because if I like them, I’ll binge read them (I have about 0 self control in this regard) and I can never seem to find the right time to be okay with the thought of binge reading a ten book series as a college student.
2. Cleaning out the closet: a book and/or book series you want to unhaul.
That would probably have to be my copy of Replica by Lauren Oliver. I picked this book up at my local library bookstore a couple of years ago, and I would have unhauled it already, except it was the first physical ARC (advanced reader copy) I acquired (that’s literally why I bought it; I usually only buy books I’ve read and love and think I’m going to read again). I was fully intending to read it, but I never got around to it for some reason, and now I have so many more exciting books on my TBR that I don’t think I will 😦
3. Opening windows and letting fresh air in: a book that was refreshing.
This one’s probably going to be a surprise to you if you’ve been reading my blog for a while. I’m picking Once and For All by Sarah Dessen (yes, a romance novel!) because it was unlike any other YA romance novel I’ve read in a long time. Most involve cliché high school stereotypes and a lot of other tropes that I am not a fan of, and this one somewhat started off that way as well. However, the other struggles the main character was facing and the subtle ways they were revealed throughout the novel really surprised me, in a very refreshing way. Everyone has issues they’re dealing with other than their love life, and it was great to see that actually represented in a young adult romance.
4. Washing out sheet stains: a book you wish you could rewrite a certain scene in.
I somewhat wish I could rewrite the concluding chapter of Jane Austen’s Persuasion (not that I could ever compare to her writing in any way). The reason I say somewhat is because the first time I read the book, it was for pleasure, and I really wanted there to be a bit more romance at the end, especially because it felt like the entire book was about Anne finally being able to be with the person she loved. I was so disappointed because the written ending felt so summary-like and apathetic, with no drama. But then, I read it for my English class last semester, along with the original ending Austen wrote from the novel which included all of the things I had wanted, and I realized and appreciated (so much so I chose to write my final paper on the view) that the published ending was necessary for the overarching theme of developing female agency. However, I think an in-between with both romance and developing agency is possible, and that’s what I would write.
5. Throwing out unnecessary knick-knacks: a book in a series that you didn’t feel was necessary.
The last two books of The Selection series (The Heir and The Crown). I was honestly kind of excited about them, but they didn’t leave me with a more satisfying conclusion that The One did, so I don’t really understand what the point of them was…
6. Polishing the doorknobs: a book that had a clean finish.
Do any books really have a “clean finish?” The closest I can get is City of Glass by Cassandra Clare, the third books in The Mortal Instruments series. The reason I say this is because I was so ready for the series to be over once I finished that book. In fact, I thought it was over because I hadn’t bothered to check the length of the series before I started (I was binge reading them), and I felt a strong sense of finality as that book ended. I was pretty confused when I discovered that there were three more books, and I was even less of a fan of the latter three than I was of the initial trilogy (I’m sorry, don’t hate me!).
7. Reaching to dust the fan: a book that tried too hard to relay a certain message.
I would have to go with Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers. The premise of this book was really interesting at first, but I felt like it tried a bit too hard to convey the “historical” part of its historical fiction genre. It probably would’ve been fine if I had gone in expecting solely fantasy or found myself attached to the plot and the characters, but I wasn’t really able to connect.
8. The tiring yet satisfying finish of spring cleaning: a book series that was tiring yet satisfying to get through.
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket! This is probably the longest series I’ve ever read, and I remember it felt like those were basically the only books I read during the first half of fifth grade. I’m not generally into mysteries or disconcerting tales, but these books had me hooked and I would read them incessantly. I was so proud of myself when I got to the shocking ending, but I remember also feeling sad because I wanted more despite the fact that they kind of scared me. (And by more, I did NOT mean the 2004 movie adaptation, which is all I got at the time).
9. Looking forward to next spring: Tag 4 people you want to do this tag.
Kristin @ Kristin Kraves Books
Ashley @ Socially Awkward Bookworm
Lauren @ Laureads
Jess @ thebookofjess
And anyone else who wants to do this tag but hasn’t been tagged yet!
As always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day 🙂
Feel free to let me down below what you think about any of these questions; I’d love to discuss!
<3, g
Book Noted 