GIVEAWAY WINNER | and another Meme Book Tag

Before I get to the tag, I’d like to announce the lucky WINNER of my recent GIVEAWAY. The WINNER is

LAURA!!

She has been notified that she has won a free pair of writing gloves from Literary Book Gifts and should be selecting a pair by now. CONGRATS to LAURA!!! 😀

For those of you who missed out on the prize, you can visit Literary Book Gifts and use the promo code ZEZEEWITHBOOKS20 to receive 20% off your purchase.

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Meme Book Tag

And now for the Meme Book Tag! I did one a couple weeks ago but didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to do this one as well because I love me some book tags. This one was created by booktuber Saajid of Books are My Social Life.

Crying Kim Kardashian

A book that made you cry

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2

I don’t have a book; I have a movie. Now, don’t laugh at me, but I cried when they had the little funeral/remembrance thing for the blue dude. Trust me, I know it’s weird and makes no damn sense. I didn’t expect it either. There I was watching the movie and enjoying myself when this scene happened and tears started rolling down my cheeks. I don’t know what came over me. It’s ridiculous.

Salt Bae

A book that needed a little something more

Behind the Canvas by Alexander Vance

It’s a middle-grade fantasy novel about a girl who can enter the world depicted in a painting. She does so to save a friend. I like the concept of this book and have wanted to read it ever since hearing of it. However, I recently did so but didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. It was interesting but felt as if it was missing something more. I think it needed a sense of wonder about it. I didn’t get that from it.

Guy thinking

A book that made you think

Dopesick by Beth Macy

I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by the author. It’s a nonfiction book about America’s opioid epidemic. It sure got me wondering about the prevalence of opioid addiction, how it started, and how much it has grown.

Confused guy

A book whose hype you don’t understand

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

A YA contemporary novel about a girl who has cancer who falls in love with a boy in remission. I didn’t like this book and didn’t get why it’s so popular.

Evil Patrick

A guilty pleasure read (whatever you consider guilty pleasure to mean)

A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole

Most of the books I often read — fantasy novels and comics — are generally considered guilty pleasure by many, but I guess romance is my guilty pleasure read. I don’t read many romance novels, but I read a few last year that I enjoyed, such as A Duke by Default, which is about a young African American woman who visits Scotland to apprentice with a sword maker. The story made me want to go visit Scotland….and meet a Scot man. 😉 lol!

Meryl Streep

A book that you’re always hyping up

Bad Blood by John Carreyrou

Usually it’s a Robin Hobb book. Last year, it was Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus and Kintu by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi. So far this year, it’s Bad Blood, a nonfiction book about the Elizabeth Holmes/Theranos scandal. Basically, she raised millions of dollars to build a product that never worked. The book is a quick read and is so damn thrilling (despite the horrible things mentioned) that you’d finish it in a few days or so. I’ve told everyone about this one. Highly recommend it.

Successful baby

A book (whether you liked it or not) that you felt accomplished after reading

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

These days I feel accomplished every time I complete one of Robin Hobb’s tomes, but I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I completed Jane Eyre. It was a bit surprising because I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did.

Pennywise

A book with a promising concept/a book that you had high expectations for but ultimately let you down

The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie

I chose a book I haven’t read yet, so I have no idea whether or not I’ll like it. However, I do look forward to reading it. I enjoy fantasy stories that tackle the relationship between god(s) and humans, religions and belief systems. This story seems to be about a new god encroaching on the belief system of the old one…? Maybe? I’ve read two reviews of the book so far and both were negative but, funny enough, they made me even more curious about the story.

Headphones guy

An audiobook that you enjoyed

You by Caroline Kepnes, narr. by Santino Fontana

One of the best audiobooks I’ve ever listened to. Fontana does such a great job capturing the voice of the protagonist. He matches the protagonist’s tone and vocal mannerisms so perfectly. You is a psychological thriller, I guess, about a guy stalking a girl. It’s told in second-person from the guy’s perspective.

Distracted guy

Two books: one you’ve been neglecting on your TBR for a long time and a new one that’s distracting you/piquing your interest

Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Jane Steele has been on my TBR for a while now. I was supposed to read it shortly after Jane Eyre a couple years ago, but that plan fell through. And I’m tempted to start reading Becoming right this minute. It’s just staring at me from my desk, tempting me.

Cash me outside girl

A book that tried to be something that it’s not (pretentious, didn’t live up to what it was marketed as, etc.)

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

A YA fantasy romance novel about two sisters who run away to a carnival and become the center of it. I was so disappointed by this book. I expected it to be like Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus because it was marketed that way, but it wasn’t. No magic enveloped me as I read. It fell flat for me.

Dog in fire

How many unread books do you own?

Too damn much. I’m sure it’s over 600.

BONUS

Pick a meme that wasn’t featured in this tag and pair a book with it.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

No meme in mind. I just wanted to show this book because I recently completed it and liked it.

That’s it then.

Conder youself tagged.