Hi all!

Today I am going to be sharing with you the Astrological Book Tag, which I actually created myself because a.) I love book tags – who doesn’t? b.) I love astrology, hence the books I wrote on the subject and c.) I thought it might be fun to share some of the great books I’ve read this year so far. Each question relates to the personality/traits of the corresponding zodiac sign. Without further ado, let’s get into the tag!

ARIES – Name a book full of fire, desire and passion:

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

Empire of Storms is the fifth book in the Throne of Glass series, so I won’t spoil anything. All I will say is that this novel features plenty of steamy scenes, sexual tension and quite literally, a lot of fire (see cover). The relationships are passionate and intense, so expect some erotic reading. To put it simply, this series follows assassin, Celaena Sardothien, and her ultimate ascension to power. In reality, it is so much deeper than that. You will not believe the direction this story takes from the first to the fifth novel. It’s action-packed, character driven and full of emotion. I cannot wait for the final book (released in 2018). It’s been a helluva ride. If you haven’t started this series yet, what are you waiting for?

What book have you read that screams fire and desire?

TAURUS – Name a book that was beautifully written:

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

I read this book whilst travelling through Europe and it was so simple, yet beautifully written. In this story, we follow two Hispanic boys by the names of Aristotle and Dante. Wildly different, they meet as children and become best-friends. As the book progresses, we witness them grow into young adults that struggle with their identity. Aristotle (Ari) is a deep thinker, who finds it difficult to express emotions. Dante is an eternal optimist, who is pretty good at everything. Together, they unlock the secrets of their own universe. Prepare for some dark moments and important themes. What I loved most were the parents. In a lot of YA novels, the parents are hardly featured and if they are, they are portrayed quite negatively. In this story, the parents of both Ari and are constantly present, kind, supportive and caring. It was really refreshing. Those reading this post should definitely pick up a copy. It will warm your heart.

What book have you read that was beautifully written? 

GEMINI – Name a book that features twins:

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Rainbow Rowell is seriously one of my favourite female authors. I only discovered her this year and have already nearly finished reading all her works. Fangirl features twin sisters, Cather and Wren (together, they make Catherine). The girls have been inseparable since birth. However, at the beginning of their college year, Wren declares she wants a more independent life from her sister. She doesn’t want to be roommates or spend as much time together anymore. Cather is devastated and so our story follows her inability to let go. Much like Harry Potter in our world, Cather is a fan-fiction writer of a famous series named Simon Snow (hence the book title). She enrols in a creative-writing course, but to her dismay, her professor sees fan-fiction as a waste of time. This story is heart-warming, sad and funny all at the same time. There’s even a sweet-romance to top it off. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.

What book have you read with twins?

CANCER – Name a book that was a real tear-jerker:

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

I also read this book in Europe and watched the film adaptation on the plane. Both made me sob. My husband was literally comforting me as I cried. It’s not just that this story is undeniably sad, it’s also something I could unfortunately relate to. Set in present-day England, we follow Connor, whose mother is dying from cancer. He is bullied at school during the day and has horrible nightmares at night. As his mother gets progressively worse, Connor is visited by a monster in the form of a yew-tree, that tells him stories to help him let go. My own mother is a breast-cancer survivor, so to read about a little boy scared to lose his best friend was something I really struggled with. It was so well-written and the movie adaptation did it justice. I won’t say much more but it’s worth reading. The ending is very powerful.

What book emotionally broke you?

LEO – Name a book that featured courageous characters:

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

I’ve already done a full review of this book and its sequel, Gemina, so click here if you’re interested. The year is 2575 and teenagers, Kady Grant and Ezra Mason have just broken when their planet, Kerenza, is invaded by evil corporation, BeiTech Industries. Amidst the chaos of escape, Kady winds up on the Hypatia, a research vessel and Ezra on the Alexander, a fighter ship that responded to Kerenza’s distress call. Kady is a gifted systems hacker and Ezra, a conscripted fighter pilot. Through unobserved channels, Kady and Ezra begin communicating, to discern what is going on. Their captains are incredibly secretive and the Alexander’s Artificial Intelligence, AIDAN, is suspected of corruption. Both characters are extremely brave, risking life and limb to save their people. If you haven’t started The Illuminae Files yet, I highly recommend you do. It’s super action-packed and told through a series of dossiers, transcripts, interviews and images.

What book have you read that featured courageous characters?

VIRGO – Name a book that was pure perfection:

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

OMG this book is without flaw! It speaks to my geeky little heart. This story is set in the future, when the entire world is facing war, famine, devastation and mass poverty. The majority of the population spend most of their time escaping their miserable reality, by logging into the OASIS (a virtual world where anything is possible) created by genius billionaire, James Halliday. When Halliday passes away, a pre-recorded video of his goes viral, stating that he has no heirs to his vast fortune. Anybody who can locate his ‘Easter Egg’ (a hidden feature) within the OASIS, will inherit everything. Suddenly, the whole world is on the hunt, including protagonist, Wade Watts, a chubby impoverished teenager, dedicated to solving the mystery. When Wade discovers a vital clue, he finds himself facing off against evil corporations, friends and enemies in the race to the finish line. The movie adaptation comes out in 2018. I’m so excited for it!

What book have you read that can do no wrong?

LIBRA – Name a book that was neither good nor bad:

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler 

I heard a lot of hype about this book earlier in the year, so I had to get my hands on it. It’s beautifully illustrated and presented in quite a unique way but unfortunately, the story itself didn’t blow me away. The entire book is designed as a letter from character Min to Ed, detailing exactly why they broke up. Each chapter has a different illustrated object (for example, a matchbox) which ties into a reason. Firstly, the writing style didn’t really suit me, although having said that, I flew through this book quite quickly. Secondly, both Min and Ed weren’t likable characters, in my opinion. From the beginning, Ed is clearly a jerk and Min has super high expectations of him. It’s no surprise their relationship ended. I didn’t dislike it entirely though. As mentioned, the layout is gorgeous, the story is interesting and it’s an easy read. It just didn’t grab me like other books have.

What book have you read that was just so-so?

SCORPIO – Name a book that was dark and mysterious:

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Everybody says the same thing about this book – go into it not knowing anything. I completely agree that is the best approach. This story is shrouded in mystery. It’s super dark. For this reason, I don’t want to go into detail. I’ll just provide you with some key words: private island, families, wealth & greed. It’s a very short novel, which I easily devoured in one sitting. There is a mind-blowing twist at the end that I never saw coming. I am still slightly haunted by it. This book will leave an impact. I commend E. Lockhart for creating a story that readers cannot stop talking about.

What book have you read that was dark and mysterious?

SAGITTARIUS – Name a book that was full of adventure:

Paper Towns by John Green

This may be a highly unpopular opinion but Paper Towns is my favourite John Green book. I really related to the protagonist, Quentin Jacobson and his romanticised view of the world. This novel is a perfect summer read full of adventure, road-trips, friendship and life-philosophies. Set in Florida, we follow Quentin and his unrequited love for the quirky Margot Roth Spiegelman. After the pair share an epic evening together, Margot disappears completely. Quentin and his friends band together to follow the clues she leaves behind, hoping to find her before they all graduate from highschool. I wouldn’t call this a love story but rather a tale of friendship and embracing change. It reminds me of how nostalgic I felt about finishing highschool, before moving onto the next chapter of my life. The movie adaptation was also fantastic. I highly recommend watching it after reading the book.

What book have you read that makes you think of adventure?

CAPRICORN – Name a book that made you think:

My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier

I want to hand this book out to everybody, demanding they read it. It’s one that stays with you long after you’ve finished it. In this story, we follow Che, an Australian teenage boy who has moved to New York with his parents and little sister, Rosa. Rosa is described as a blonde, adorable, ten year old angel but there’s just one thing – she’s a psychopath. Che is the only person who sees Rosa for who she really is. He takes it upon himself to watch her closely. Rosa enjoys killing small creatures, deceiving others and manipulating situations to get what she wants. She’s brilliantly intelligent and quite vocal to Che about not being able to feel empathy. I won’t say much more about this creepy storyline, just that the twist at the end completely threw me. It messed with my head in the best possible way. Rosa is the most disturbing child and that’s all you need to know. I could not recommend it more.

What book have you read that messed with your mind?

AQUARIUS – Name a book that was really quirky:

Thanks for the Trouble by Tommy Wallach

I LOVED this book! 5/5 stars! It was so weird, wonderful and well-written. The story takes place in San Francisco, where we follow Parker Sante, who hasn’t spoken in years. He literally carries around a notebook and pen to communicate with others. Parker spends most of his time at a hotel, thieving from rich guests when they aren’t looking. His father was killed in an accident years ago (which is when he stopped talking) and he doesn’t have any friends. This book takes place over the course of three days, starting on Halloween. The morning of October 31st, Parker meets a girl named Zelda (who claims to be hundreds of years old) at the hotel, who changes his life forever. I won’t say much more than that. It’s a very short book but so much fun to read.

What book have you read that was really strange?

PISCES – Name a book that was very imaginative:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

This book is full of vivid imagery, magic and enchantment. It is quite literally about a night circus that randomly appears, opens late and closes before dawn. There is a deeper, darker storyline involved but similar to We Were Liars, I believe readers should go in blind. It definitely wasn’t what I expected but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was so captivated by the circus itself. Erin does a brilliant job at awakening your senses. I felt like I was part of the mysterious setting – walking through the attractions, food stalls and performers. Pick this up if you haven’t already and let it take you on a mystical journey.

What book have you read that awoke your imagination?

So there you have it! I hope you enjoyed this book tag. Please feel free to do it yourself. If you do, let me know – I would love to read your responses. Also, let me know if you have read any of these books and what you thought. I’m looking forward to all of the amazing books I’m going to read in the second half of the year. Thanks for reading.

Peace & Love xoxo