12 Days of Christmas Tag

Happy Boxing Day!!! 😀

Yes, I know Christmas has passed, but I was so busy last week that I didn’t get the chance to do all the Christmas tags I planned to do and I really want to post something today so… here’s a Christmas-themed tag! 🙂

I hope you all had a wonderful, fun Christmas filled with lots of love and cheer. Mine certainly was. All my family members weren’t here to celebrate, but I had a good time with those who were present. As for presents, I received a few but didn’t give any. I guess I’m a bit of a Grinch this year, eh.

Well, let’s get to the tag.

I found it on Aoife’s blog, Pretty Purple Polka Dots (say that 12 times very fast). It was created by Ashley at Falling Down the Book Hole.

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 favorite stand alone?

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern because it’s a YA stand-alone fantasy novel that is wonderfully written and engaging from start to finish. And it’s one of my favorites. I tried to select a different book since I’ve mentioned The Night Circus in many tags, but if I were to recommend a novel based on this question, I would say Morgenstern’s book. (But I so wish it was a series or at least a duology. I want more.)

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?

Alanna and George from the Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce, a YA fantasy series. I just love them together. Another would be the couple in The Night Circus. ❤ Ahh, love. 🙂

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?

I hardly complete series, but one I started and completed and loved this year was the Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb, which includes: Assassin’s Apprentice, Royal Assassin, and Assassin’s Quest. It’s a fantasy series about the adventures of a prince’s bastard son. I think it’s a great starter series for those new to adult or epic/high fantasy.

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 favorite series?

I wasn’t going to say Harry Potter at first, but it’s Christmas and I think we should all indulge in our favorite things and Harry Potter is a good Christmas read too (well, maybe books 1-3, before it starts getting really depressing) so why not say the great HP! 😀

On the fifth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Five Golden Rings

One ring to rule them all! Who is your favorite villain/antagonist?

Cersei Lannister, always. I think she’s awesome. She just wants power and respect and not be limited by her gender.

On the sixth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Six Geese a Laying

Creation is a beautiful thing. What is your favorite world/world-building?

I chose Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley because magic is infused in almost everything in its world. The story is a wonderful retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a bit of a twist at the end regarding who wakes the “princess.” I love how McKinley builds her worlds and I could use any of her books for this answer.

Harry Potter is also a favorite and so too The Night Circus and the Song of Ice and Fire books by George R.R. Martin.

By the way, it’s the first I’ve seen such a question in a tag. Good one, Ashley!

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 to make a hero rock! Who’s your favorite animal sidekick?

Nighteyes illus. by John Howe

Nighteyes, of course! I love his relationship with Fitz in the last book of Robin Hobb’s Farseer trilogy, Assassin’s Quest. Nighteyes is intelligent and fun to be around. Many times his character makes me laugh. I also like the friendship between him and the Fool.

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?

Actually, it was hard to answer this question without saying Harry Potter. That start of school year feast and Christmas feast and wherever else there’s a large amount of food always makes me hungry because of how Ron attacks his food. But because I’m trying to challenge myself here, I chose Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins instead. It’s a YA contemporary novel about a teenage girl studying abroad in France. I like the part where she visits all the pastry shops.

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 favorite kick-ass female lead?

To keep this answer short, I’ll just say Maika from the epic fantasy comic book series Monstress by Marjorie Liu, illus. by Sana Takeda. If you haven’t yet read this comic book, I highly suggest you give it a try. For more kick-ass female protagonists, check out this post.

On the tenth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Ten Lords a Leaping

Leaping lords? How about who is your favorite leading lad?

Mark Watney from Andy Weir’s The Martian. I just love how optimistic and resourceful he is.

On the eleventh day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Eleven Pipers Piping:

Where would we be without music? What is your favorite book or bookish thing that deals with music? (It can be about music, reference music a lot etc.)

Well, I don’t have an answer so I chose the Seraphina series by Rachel Hartman, a YA fantasy series, because the protagonist is a musician.

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?

Weelll…. the year isn’t over yet annnddd I don’t really know. Gosh darn it! I guess it is

I’m just stuck on The Night Circus. I think I want to reread it.

And that’s it. I hope you all are doing well this holiday! 🙂

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