The HOWL Book Tag

Hello lovelies!

It has been a while since I have done a book tag on my blog. I have been tagged by the wonderful Meghan @Whimsically Meghan. Meghan is the kindest and most supportive person ever! She’s always the first one to comment on my posts and support me and I’m very grateful for her. Everyone go check out her blog and return the love!

The HOWL Book Tag was created by Tova (Petyr Baeish Books) and is inspired by Rachel Lynn Solomon’s forthcoming enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance, Today Tonight Tomorrow!

1. Rowan: Name a book that features your favourite romance trope

The enemies to lovers trope is the superior trope. I’m ready to fight anyone on this.

Salome Totladze, @morgana0anagrom on instagram

I instantly thought about so many characters but I think Jude Duarte and Cardan Greenbriar from The Folk of the Air series and especially in The Cruel Prince represent this trope in a perfect way. The angst? confusion? hatred? and…love? Yes, please and thank you!

2. Neil: Name a fictional character, who turns out to be a lot more than you initially thought

Augustus “Gus Everett from Beach Read. He is rude and cold at first but he is really a soft boi™️ (and I love him for it).

3. Cinerama: Name a book that transports you back in time

I read The Selection series back in high school when it was the peak of my YA addiction and I miss those days, man.

4. The Fremont Troll: Name a fictional character who is always there for you, no matter what. In other words, what fictional character is the centre of your universe?

So this book is my all-time favorite book. And I used to pretend I was the main character  Allyson “LuLu” Healey because I wanted to be her so bad. What would Lulu do? What would she say? That’s pretty much it.

5. Pike Place Market: Name a book from your past that is kind of basic (popular), but will always remain special

The Hunger Games series is a very well-known and popular (rightfully so) series , and I miss waiting for the next movie installment to come out and the cast announcements etc. I loved that era. Finnick will forever have a place in my heart.

6. Starbucks (with your name wildly misspelled): Name a book that features a character who has the same name as you—especially if the name is spelled slightly differently

So my name is Karla and I haven’t come across a single character with that name and spelling. However Carla is derived from the name Claire so I went with Claire Fraser.

7. Seattle Public Library: Name a book that holds a special connection in relation to the library for you

I’m very ashamed to say it but I don’t go to libraries for the very good reason that I live in France and most of the books I read are written in English and I hate translations. However since I am moving to Paris in a few weeks I will try to find a library with a large selection of English books. The prompt made me think of Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson where the main character wants to become a librarian and has a close relationship with libraries and books.

8. Delilah Park & Nora Roberts: Name an author you’ve met and/or an author you’d love to meet!

I met Anna Todd!!! It was a very awkward experience for me because I was flustered and self-conscious about my French accent. And I’m sad to say that she wasn’t very….welcoming?

I would LOVE to meet Gayle Forman, Tahereh Mafi, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Holly Black, Stephanie Perkins, Gail Honeyman, Casey McQuinston, Jasmine Guillory, Talia Hibbert, Sarah J. Maas, Marissa Meyer and many others!!

9. The Seattle Skyline: A book that features a location that has a personal connection for you

My family and I went on holiday a few years ago in Barcelona because Isla and Josh went on a romantic getaway there. I went to every single place the characters went and I really felt connected to them somehow. It was a very beautiful time.

10. HOWL: Name a book that features a game that kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time

I was hooked from the beginning and I wanted to know who killed Simon. It was extremely interesting and made me want to explore the mystery genre further.

TAGS

 SOFII ⏐Rae ⏐Tanya⏐

TOP 5 TUESDAY –Top 5 books under 300 pages

Hello lovelies!

Here’s my weekly Top 5 Tuesday hosted by the wonderful  Shannah @Bionic Bookworm Blog (go check out her blog; it’s amazing!). This week will feature (as the title suggets) my Top 5 books under 300 pages. I love books under 300 pages since they’re usually quick reads and make me feel better about myself because they allow me to efficiently progress on my 2019 reading challenge! However, it’s hard to find well-developped plots because the length does not allow authors to develop the plot as much as they could if they went over 300 pages so I Here we go:

20 Questions Book Tag

Hello everyone!

I saw this book tag on @ A Little Haze Book Blog and it seemed like a fun tag so I decided to give it a try.

1. How many books are too many in a series?

I feel like 4 or 5 books are enough in a series otherwise you barely recognise the characters a-because they evolved so much and the plot drags on unnecessarily. However, if the writing is spectacular and you really get attached to the characters, I feel like you can have more books in a series. The perfect example of that would be Harry Potter where each book brings something to the grand finale in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

2. How do you feel about cliffhanger endings?

I have a love-hate relationship with them haha. If the next book is out then it’s fine but if I have to wait a year or so it makes me quite angry because I’m so impatient. It’s also a good sign and that means I’m invested in the plot enough to care!

3. Hardback or paperback?

My bank account says Paperback but my heart says Hardback.

4. Favourite book?

I say it all the time and by now you must know but it’s Just One Day by Gayle Forman. A must-read!

5.  Least Favourite book?

I don’t remember reading such a terrible book that it’s my least favourite but I remember strongly disliking Paper Towns by John Green.

6. Love triangles: yes or no?

When I started reading YA, love triangles were my favourite trope (The Vampire Diaries, Twilight…). But as I grow older I’m not so fan of the idea…

7. The most recent book you couldn’t finish?

I avoid DNF’ing books because I get frustrated by myself and try to finish them even if they’re terrible. However I cannot get myself to pick up Jane Eyre, I don’t know why….I’m going to give it another try though.

8. A book you’re currently reading?

I’m currently still reading Becoming by Michelle Obama and it’s just as incredible as I thought it would be! It’s taking me some time to read but I’m really enjoying it.

9. Last book you recommended?

It was the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout! It’s a great series, all the books are incredible, entertaining and gripping and it features a fellow bookworm and sexy aliens. What more do you need?

Thank you, Next – Book Tag

Hello lovelies!

I’ve seen the Thank You, Next Tag on Jenna’s @ Bookmark Your Thoughts blog. The tag was originally created by thisstoryaintover, and it is inspired by Ariana Grande’s song “thank u, next”. Each of the prompts are inspired by the lyrics. If you haven’t heard the song you can still do the tag! (But the song is very good so you might want to check it out).

My Favourite Book Quotes!

Hello everyone!

I love books, especially if they’re well-written. They are also punctuated by beautiful quotes sometimes so I thought I’d share some of my favourite quotes.

Book-related quotes:

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”
-John Green, The Fault in Our Stars 

“I think it’s bullshit that the only meaningful stories are the ones that are deep and pondering and boring, saying all this nonsense without ever saying anything, and you’re supposed to, like, read meaning into the yellow wallpaper or something.” She rolls her eyes. “You know what I think? I think sometimes the stories we need are the ones about taking the hobbits to Isengard and dog-human dudes with space heelies and trashy King Arthurs and gay ice-skating animes and Zuko redemption arcs and space princesses with found families and galaxies far, far away. We need those stories, too. Stories that tell us that we can be bold and brash and make mistakes and still come out better on the other side. Those are the kinds of stories I want to see, and read, and tell. ‘Look to the stars. Aim. Ignite’—that means something to me, you know?”  – Ashley Poston, The Princess and The Fangirl 

“Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only Beauty. There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Love-related quotes:

“If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.” – Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights

“Many boys will bring you flowers. But someday you’ll meet a boy who will learn your favorite flower, your favorite song, your favorite sweet. And even if he is too poor to give you any of them, it won’t matter because he will have taken the time to know you as no one else does. Only that boy earns your heart.”  – Leigh Bardugo, Six Of Crows

“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same” – Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights

“And that’s when I understand that I have been stained. Whether I’m still in love with him, whether he was ever in love with me, and no matter who he’s in love with now, Willem changed my life. He showed me how to get lost, and then I showed myself how to get found.”  – Gayle Forman, Just One Day 

“Being vulnerable, letting people in, getting hurt… it’s all part of being in love.”
― Jenny Han, Always and Forever, Lara Jean

“Happily ever after, or even just together ever after, is not cheesy,” Wren said. “It’s the noblest, like, the most courageous thing two people can shoot for.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl

Inspirational quotes:

“You have to try. You have to take your chances. Go and attempt and see what happens. And even if you fail – especially if you fail – come back with your experience and your hard-won knowledge and a story you can tell. And then later you can say, without regret or hesitation… ‘Once, I dared to dare greatly”  – Morgan Matson, The Unexpected Everything

Top 5 Tuesday – Books Beginning With F – G – H – I – J

Hello everyone!!

I’m back for a TOP 5 TUESDAY hosted by Shannah @Bionic Bookworm Blog (go check out her blog; it’s amazing!). So this month we’re doing letters instead of topics and I really like the idea so thank you, Shannah! Here we goooo.

LETTER F-

 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I absolutely adored Fangirl. I had a hard time with Eleanor and Park but Fangirl reconciled me with her writing. I love how the book deals with settling into college, the question of fan fiction considered as real literature and the relationship between Cath and Levi. Bonus is that Cath (the main character)  has a twin sister, just like me and I loved how we can see their dynamic and the challenges they face as twins. I recommend!

LETTER G-

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

I read Geekerella when I was struggling with my first year of college, and I just lost the envy of doing anything, especially reading. And this book saved me. I loved the modern twist to the classic Cinderella tale. I loved all the pop culture references and it made me realize that I was in fact, a geek. The love story is so so so cute! The second instalment in the series is amazing too; you check out my review here.

LETTER H-

 

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling 

I could not, not include the Harry Potter series. I did not read the books as a child, so I sometimes feel like a fraud in the Harry Potter-verse but I just adore these books. They’re entertaining, funny, gripping, make you cry or bite your nails in fear and they have amazing complex characters and storylines. If you haven’t read them, it’s not too late.

LETTER I-

I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman

How could I not include my favorite author? This book is her latest and I loved it! It deals with three completely different characters who have lost something in their lives (parents, boyfriends, sisters) and they spend the day together and finally find themselves again. It’s about love, passion and friendships.

LETTER J-

Just One Day by Gayle Forman 

MY FAVORITE BOOK EVER. No joke.  You know how some books shape you? Well, this was the case for this one. It has Shakespeare, stage actors, love AND Paris!

 

Do you agree with my picks? What are yours? Let me know in the comments! Also, if you did the tag, feel free to put the link in the comments so I can see your picks! 🙂

Karla xx

Top 10 All Time Favourites

Hello everyone!

Today I’m doing the TOP 5 TUESDAY hosted by Shannah @Bionic Bookworm Blog.I’m a little late on the wagon but I thought it’d be a great way to post regularly on my blog through a fun tag! So today instead of doing five favourites (because, c’mon, only five??), we”re doing my ten favourite books of all time!

Upcoming and New Releases! (TBR)

Hello everyone! This month is very exciting because so many many authors that I love are releasing books and I can’t wait to get my hands on them! Here are my picks.  Also maybe I could host a bookclub and we could read them together? Let me know 🙂 xx Karla

My favorite Duologies

Duologies are a rare and almost extinct species. They also happen to be my favourite kind of books. In honour of me finishing my favourite duology-turned-trilogy “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”  (ironic, I know), I decided to share a list of some of my favourite duologies! The order is random, and not ranked to favourite-to-least favourite.