Apple, Pumpkin Book Tags

It’s Sunday and I’m here with a long tag post ’cause I’m feeling guilty for not going to an event. (Outside is overcast and rainy and I just prefer to stay in my cozy bed.)

I love to double up on book tags, though they make the post extra long, but I have a really good reason for doubling up on these two and that’s because they were both created by booktuber Josh of the Literary Gladiators! Also, they are both perfect for the fall season.

For me, apples make me think of the apple pies I crave in the fall, which is a recent thing because my family started to make apple pies about a year or so ago. We discovered apple pie a la mode and have been hooked ever since!

I like pumpkins. I like them in my soup and I love pumpkin-flavored foods such as pancakes, cakes, and, of course, pumpkin spice lattes, which I always get from Panera as soon as the leaves start to change. My family have a superstition that pumpkins are duppy, i.e. ghost, food, so my mom always warns me whenever I eat it (and make me feel scared).

Anyway, I’ll get on with the tag starting with the…

Apple Book Tag

(see the original video here)

Granny Smith: An overbearingly sweet work or character

Professor Umbridge

Though Umbridge is a horrid character, her personality is overbearingly sweet and girlish, which makes others uncomfortable. It makes me wonder if those who first meet her are uncomfortable because of the excessive femininity in her bearing, or if they are subconsciously aware that Umbridge’s girlishness is a mask for how mean she is.

Fuji: A work about a mountain

Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce

I haven’t read anything about a mountain, but one is mentioned in Pierce’s Lioness Rampant, the fourth in a YA fantasy series about a girl who wants to become a knight. The protagonist, Alanna, has to battle the old god Chitral, who guards a mountain pass where the powerful Dominion Jewel is said to be. When battling the god, Alanna proves that she’s more than worthy of the titles she carries.

Red Delicious: A book that would be perfect if it was only judged by its cover

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

A YA contemporary novel about a girl navigating her first year of college while managing her anxiety about the experience and caring for her family.

I loved the cover, which is why I bought the book, but I wasn’t a fan of the story. I didn’t care for the fan fiction parts, so I often skipped them; I didn’t like the protagonist though I could sometimes relate to her; and the ending was too abrupt so the conflicts felt unresolved. I guess I feel this way because I was more interested in girls’ relationship with their mother and wanted to know how that would be resolved, but the ending left that plot line dangling.

Golden Yellow: A book with yellow on the cover

World History for Dummies by Peter Haugen

Though I enjoyed it and thought it a pretty good read, I thought the title was misleading because the book focuses heavily on Europe and the U.S. and how both has influenced the world. Because of that, I jokingly call it Europe’s Influence on the World: A History or A Western View of World History. Still, it’s one of my favorite books because of how funny it is.

McIntosh: A writer that has influenced or would influence your writing

Hmm…

• Fairytales for tickling my imagination and making me attempt to write my own stories.
• Tamora Pierce for inspiring me to write fan fiction before I even knew what that was.
• Marlon James for showing that we can include our culture and language in our stories and people will read, understand, and enjoy it.
• My favorite writers of very descriptive prose for showing me that it’s possible to be descriptive in one’s writing yet hold the reader’s interest throughout the story.
• J.K. Rowling because of the immersive world she created in the Harry Potter series, which drives me to create my own.

Honeycrisp: A book you have read that is in great demand

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

A recently published literary novel about a single mom and her daughter who move to a suburban town in Ohio and befriends an all-American, White family, who the single mom works for part time so she can focus on her photography. The story touches on a variety of issues such as inequality, stereotyping, and racism.

This is Ng’s second novel and it’s one of the most highly anticipated books for this fall. I recently completed it and thought the book was great. Ng is a wonderful storyteller and writer. I was so impressed that I went out and purchased her first novel, Everything I Never Told You.

Baldwin: A writer you feel needs recognition due to stunted acclaim (whether it was due to something that happened to them or a premature death)

The Lost Years of Merlin by T.A. Barron

I always mention these books whenever this question pops up in a tag. The Lost Years of Merlin is the first in an early-YA fantasy series about the great wizard Merlin as a young boy.

I enjoyed reading these books back in middle and high schools. The books are slow paced but will keep one’s interest. I think this is one many would enjoy, especially anyone interested in Arthurian legend or Welsh mythology.

Empire: A work about or set in New York

Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older

A YA urban fantasy novel set in Brooklyn about a girl who must use her art and inherited magical abilities to protect those she cares about.

I was excited to read this when I heard the story is set in Brooklyn and that the magic system is based in Caribbean folklore. Since I often visit Brooklyn, I recognized some places in the novel and I liked that Older touches on gentrification in that part of the city. The story is fast paced and entertaining, and the protagonist is a POC. If you’d like to read about magic in an urban setting, give it a try.

Gala: A work that fits under many genres

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

A story that traces the experiences of Black people through the descendants of sisters from (now) Ghana.

I love this book. It was one of the most popular books published last year and now I see why everyone was raving about it. It’s a GREAT read. Because the novel is composed of chapters narrated from different points of view, it felt like a short story collection. Also each story/chapter has a unique quality because of the character point of view it’s told from, which made me think that the book as a whole can be placed in several genres. I categorize it as historical fiction, but it is also literary and has elements of magical realism and can be considered contemporary in some aspects.

Ambrosia: A long work that was easy to follow

A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin

That would be the Song of Ice & Fire series by George R.R. Martin, or rather any really long and drawn-out fantasy series I’ve read, such as the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and the Realm of the Elderlings series by Robin Hobb. Although these series are long and contain thick books of more that 700 pages, sometimes more than 900, I’ve never had difficulty following the plot or remembering the characters, except after taking a long break from the series.

Jazz: A work written in or after 2010 that demonstrates freshness and originality

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

A YA fantasy novel about kids who have visited and returned from fairy lands.

This was a refreshing read because it puts a spin on the alternate realm/fairy lands/portal fantasy stories by giving us a perspective that’s not often explored. I don’t think we often get to see what becomes of the people who visited fantastical worlds and returned to live in the real one. This story explores how such an experience affect those who return.

Mutsu: A big book that you indulged

Assassin’s Quest by Robin Hobb

The third book in Hobb’s Farseer trilogy about the bastard son of prince who becomes an assassin.

The word “indulge” made this question very open-ended so I didn’t know how to interpret it. I decided to choose a big book, over 700 pages, that was engrossing. As previously mentioned, the books in Hobb’s series tend to be quite large but I’m always interested in the story, though the plot plods in some sections. With Assassin’s Quest, however, I was on edge the entire time and hardly parted from the book because I was eager to see how the trilogy would wrap up and whether or not people would be saved.

What is your favorite apple?

Jamaican apple

Jamaican apple is the only apple I love! 😀 ❤ It’s so yummy and it’s been years since I’ve eaten one. Just looking at this picture is making my mouth water. As you can see, the apples are pear-shaped and are red on the outside and brilliantly while on the inside with a large seed in the middle. The darker the skin, the sweeter it tastes; so my favorites are always the ones that are so dark they look purple. Mmmhhh…wish I had some right now!

So I had to google the name of it because I call it apple or Jamaican apple, if I’m speaking to someone from another country. It’s also called the Otaheite apple and, according to Wikipedia, is also referred to as the Malay rose apple.

Apple Tree: Who do you tag?

Well, if you love apples or apple-flavored things, then you are definitely tagged.

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Pumpkin Book Tag

(see the original video here)

Pumpkin: A writer you always make a point to read in October

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

The first in a YA horror series about a boy who is an apprentice to a monstrumologist, a scientist who studies monsters. The story is set in the late 1800s in northeast U.S. (I forgot where exactly) and in this one the monstrumologist is investigating anthropophagi, headless monsters that resemble humans in stature but its mouth is in its chest.

I don’t really make a point of reading Yancey’s books in October, but I do tend to pick up a copy of his Monstrumologist series, or place it on my TBR, around this time because it’s perfect for Halloween. The books are engrossing and character-driven, which I love. I also like the atmosphere and the setting of the books, which can be haunting sometimes. The story isn’t scary, but there’s much suspense and thrill and gory scenes. I’ve only read two or the four-book series so far so I might pick up the third soon.

Pumpkin Spice: A work you would read to impress a millennial

None.

I’m a millennial and I wouldn’t read a book to impress other millennials. I’d probably listen to a podcast and discuss it with other millennials though. Like this one:

Witch, Please

This is a fortnightly podcast hosted by two lady scholars who discuss the Harry Potter books. Most millennials have read, and probably love, the Harry Potter books so I’d discuss/share this podcast with them.

By the way, if you’ve never listened to this podcast before, definitely give it a listen. I’m hooked!

Pumpkin Pie: A work that makes you think of autumn

by Celine Loup

Since the question asked for a “work”, I decided to feature this illustration by Celine Loup that I bought at the Small Press Expo. I bought it because the colors made me think of autumn.

Pumpkin Cheesecake: A work that was challenging to read but was a rewarding experience

Jason and the Argonauts by Apollonius of Rhodes

The epic poem about Jason’s quest to steal the Golden Fleece.

This was a surprise. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did or to later consider it a favorite. My reaction is, of course, due to Aaron Poochigian’s translation of the poem. The book was easy to read and I even found myself repeating verses afterward. I enjoyed both how it’s written and the story told. It was a challenge because I’m not a fan of poetry, much less a classic such as this, and don’t often read them. I struggled a bit at first to get used to the verses and the writing, but then I began to get it and admire it.

Pumpkin Bread: An underrated work from a well-known writer

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

An early-YA fantasy novel set in Nigeria about an albino girl who learns she has magical abilities.

I don’t really have an answer for this. I decided to feature Akata Witch here because I think it could use some more buzz. Nnedi Okorafor is quite popular for her adult fantasy/sci-fi novels, like Who Fears Death, but Akata Witch is well worth the read too. I recommend it to those who enjoy books about characters attending a school for magic. It has received some attention recently in the blogosphere because the second book, Akata Warrior, was published earlier in October.

Pumpkin Soup: A work that you first enjoyed, but then lost interest

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

A YA fantasy novel about a girl who makes a deal with the Goblin King to get her sister back.

I love Jae-Jones’s writing and I was interested in the story when I started but about a quarter of the way in, I started to lose interest as the story began to lean heavily toward the romance part of the plot. By the story’s end, I came to the conclusion that I had read a romance novel rather than a fantasy one and was disappointed.

Pumpkin Doughnut: A light, five-star read

The Sound of All Things by Myron Uhlberg, illus. by Ted Papoulas

An illustrated children’s book set in Brooklyn during the 1930s about a young hearing boy hanging out with his deaf parents at Coney Island and describing the sounds to his father.

It’s a wonderful story that I highly recommend. It’s drawn from the author’s experiences as a hearing child to deaf parents living in Brooklyn. The story is accompanied by large, detailed, realistic illustrations that I enjoyed looking at.

Pumpkin Picking: Within the last year, in which genre did you purchase the most books

Fantasy

And I believe it will be the same for this year. I’ve discovered so many new-to-me fantasy novels and comics and have purchased many of them.

Pumpkin Carving: A work that could have been trimmed down

(This post maybe.) 😛

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

The first in a fantasy series about farm boys who learn they’re special and need to save the world.

In the apple section, I mentioned three series that contain long books. Of the three, I think the Wheel of Time series could use the most trimming. The series is about 14 books long, excluding the prequel, and all the books are thick as bricks. I’ve made it to book six and am struggling through it because it’s overwritten and the characters are annoying.

Pumpkin Painting: A book with magnificent illustrations

The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 1: The Faust Act by Kieron Gillen, illus. by Jamie McKelvie with colors by Matthew Wilson

A fantasy comic book series set in present day U.K. about mythological gods who are incarnated as humans every ninety years but die after two years. This time, the gods appear as pop superstars.

I highly recommend this comic book series to everyone. The story is very interesting and keeps getting better with each volume. If, like me, you read the first volume and gave up on it, I urge you to give it another chance. It gets really good in the second volume. However, what I love the most about this series is the artwork. It has the cleanest, sharpest, smoothest, thinnest line work I’ve ever seen in all the comics I’ve read (which isn’t saying much since I only started reading comic books about 2 or so years ago, but believe me, the illustrations here are AWESOME). The colors are also enticing and fits the characters well. I just love the aesthetics of this comic book series.

Pumpkin Ice Cream: The most random work you would recommend

God is Disappointed in You by Mark Russell, illus. by Shannon Wheeler

This seems to be a humorous retelling of the Bible. I haven’t yet read it, but if you’re interested, here’s a great review of the book.

I couldn’t think of a book for this category that I’ve read, so I looked at other books I own and chose one with an odd title, hence God is Disappointed in You.

What is your favorite way to enjoy pumpkin/what is your favorite dish where pumpkin is the main ingredient?

Pumpkin spice latte. Yum! 🙂

Pumpkin Patch: Who do you tag?

Everyone who loves pumpkins, of course!

And also these peeps:

(I tag you all for whichever tag, or fruit (is pumpkin a fruit?) you prefer.)

Orangutan Librarian

Embuhlee liest

Dragons and Zombies

Milliebot Reads

Icebreaker 694

Life of a Female Bibliophile

Bookidote

Graphic Novelty

Lair of Books

Green Onion

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