12 Days of Christmas Book Tag

I’m really trying to feel the festive this year, and with only a few days to go until the big C Day, it’s time for another book tag, I think! There’s been some really fun ones running around, like the Naughty or Nice Book Tag I did a few posts ago, but I decided to take on this one because it challenged me a little bit more. It’s one of the things I love about book tags; there’s often content that really makes you think about yourself as a reader, without wanting to sound like an armchair psychologist.

The Questions

ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE.
The partridge stood alone in the pear tree. What is your favourite stand alone?

What a question to start with! I sat here looking at my laptop screen like an idiot for a while before my husband started listing books that I have raved about over the years. I finished up with one of my top books of 2019, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. It was a book that I raved about to everyone, whenever they asked for a book recommendation, and I still do now. You can find my review here.

ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: TWO TURTLE DOVES.
Love is in the air! Who is your one true pairing?

No pause here! Feyre and Rhysand are my true loves pairing. Their development from A Court of Thorns and Roses all the way through A Court of Mist and Fury and then how they are in A Court of Wings and Ruin… it’s one of the most beautiful developments, and most honest developments, I’ve seen represented. They are Goals. (I found this beautiful image of them at Starfall on Pinterest but couldn’t find the artist, if anyone knows them please let me know so I can credit.)

ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: THREE FRENCH HENS.
In the spirit of threes, what is the best trilogy you have read?

This was a tough one, but I picked The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. I’m discounting the prequel because it doesn’t work within the original set up! I read this series to see what it was like before my son read it, and was completely captivated by it. It was great for me to dive in both to YA and dystopian worlds for a change, and this series will hold a special place in my heart. You can find my review of the series here.

ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: FOUR CALLING BIRDS.
Since series usually consist of four or more books, what is your favourite series?

Maybe it’s no great surprise after all my ravings about it this year, but my favourite series is A Court of Thorns and Roses. I can’t wait for the release of the next book early next year and I’m planning on rereading A Court of Frost and Starlight (and reviewing it) during this Christmas season.

ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: FIVE GOLDEN RINGS.
One ring to rule them all! Who is your favourite Villain/Antagonist?

I couldn’t find an image for this one, but my pick absolutely has to be Professor Moriarty from the Sherlock Holmes collection. I absolutely love these stories. I read them first when I was in my teens, and read them again now in the nice collection that a friend gifted me from a charity shop where each story is in an individual book. It’s a great throwback, and no matter how cunning a villain is, no one beats Moriarty.

ON THE SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: SIX GEESE A LAYING.
Creation is a beautiful thing. What is your favourite world/world-building?

The world creation in Holly Black’s Cruel Prince series is astounding. There is so much detail, so many myths wound into it, that you almost end up believing in faeries yourself after you finish reading them. Although I haven’t finished the series yet, I think it says a lot to pick it in that case; there really is so much going for it.

ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: SEVEN SWANS A SWIMMING.
Who needs seven swans when all it takes is one good animal sidekick? Who’s your favourite animal sidekick?
I’m actually planning a blog post about animal sidekicks so I’m going to skip this question… Tune back in in January for my answer!

ON THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: EIGHT MAIDS A MILKING.
Milk is so 18th century. Which book or series takes beverages/food to a whole new level?

For me the only possible answer to this question is The Ship of Shadows. No book has ever made me quite as hungry as this one, and I’m sure the sequel is going to do the same. Maria Kuzniar owes me a pair of stretchy trousers I think.

ON THE NINTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: NINE LADIES DANCING.
Dancing is just one skill of a Lady! Who is your favourite kickass female lead?

It was a hard choice, but I settled on Juliette Cai from Chloe Gong’s totally kickass book, These Violent Delights. I wrote a blog post earlier in the year about strong female leads, and could have picked any number of them, but Juliette really stayed with me as a character. This book broke me and fixed me and broke me again. You’ve been warned.

ON THE TENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: TEN LORDS A LEAPING.
How about your favourite leading lad?

After a bit of thinking, I decided that the answer was my gut reaction – Peter Grant from the Rivers of London series. Although I’m still early on in the series, I really love the character, and even in the first book became very fond of him. He’s a great leading lad.

ON THE ELEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: ELEVEN PIPES PIPING.
What is your favourite book or bookish thing with musical influence? (It can be about music, reference music a lot etc.)
I wrote a blog piece on books with musical themes a while back, but seeing as this says ‘bookish thing’, my answer is going to be that I love musical scores. Les Miserables is one of the most famous musicals of all time, and although it might not give us the entire history of the Battle of Waterloo (thanks, Victor Hugo), it’s beautiful. Similarly, I love the scores from books turned into films; The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, just to name a few.

ON THE TWELFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: 12 DRUMMERS DRUMMING.
Drum roll please…what is your favourite read of this year?
I’m always afraid of this question! This year I’ve discovered so many amazing books, and so many authors who I’ve fallen in love with. It’s hard to pick a favourite read, and I will be writing a post about my top books of the year very soon. Maybe this makes me a giant coward, but I promise that post will be worth coming back for!

As for who I’m tagging, I tag anyone who wants to join in and hasn’t yet!