firewhiskeyreader

It’s been one month and eleven days since Reputation by Taylor Swift was released and I just found these book tags, so I feel betrayed and now I have three that I’m super excited to do. Fortunately, I’m going to two Taylor concerts this coming summer so I have appropriate points in time that I can be extra about Taylor Swift that make sense. First up, I bring you this tag by Sarah’s Bookshelves that made me subscribe to her immediately because ARE YOU KIDDING? This tag is the best. I am adding one element since I can’t play the music, which is that I’m inserting my favorite lyric from each song. So let’s get started.

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1. Ready for It: A 2018 release you are READY FOR

Favorite Lyric: Every love in comparison is a failure

A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole, which I feel like I can’t stop talking about? Prince Harry’s engagement certainly didn’t curtail my excitement for this beautiful book. Also, the title of this series is Reluctant Royals? I’m so on board, it’s not even funny.

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2. End Game: Characters that either SHOULD have been end game, or should NOT have been end game

Favorite Lyric: I don’t wanna miss you, like the other girls do; I don’t wanna hurt you, I just wanna be drinking on a beach with you all over me

There is no other option for me here than Dramione, as in Draco x Hermione because a) Draco deserved a redemption arc and b) Hermione deserved someone intelligent and ambitious and who would respect her for those things. And while Draco was absolutely awful to Hermione, this is where a) the redemption arc comes in and b) Draco never pretended to be anything but Hermione’s enemy. The thing that kills me the most about her relationship with Ron is that he was supposed to be her friend and yet he belittles her interests often. And that’s setting aside that fact that he left them in Deathly Hallows and everyone still insists he’s loyal. Bye.

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3. I Did Something Bad: A character decision that was terrible, but you loved reading anyway

Favorite Lyric: If a man talks shit, then I owe him nothing

(Quick side note: I literally screamed when I heard this line, because Taylor Swift has embraced being 28 and I am LIVING for it.)

Hmm… The Female of the Species? It probably makes me a terrible person that I was cheering Alex on when she was engaged in violence, but like, don’t commit sexual violence, ya know?

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4. Don’t Blame Me: A book or series you are shamelessly addicted to

Favorite Lyric: For you, I would cross the line

I know that Harry Potter is a thing that we’re all cool with loving now (WHERE WAS THIS ATTITUDE DURING HIGH SCHOOL?), but uh, I’m legitimately shameless. I wore my new Hufflepuff shirt to work out in today. I wore my Hufflepuff hair tie to the bar exam for good luck. I wear my Hufflepuff sweatpants with my Hogwarts t-shirt and Hufflepuff sweatshirt and it is a LOOK. My obsession is beyond what I feel like is cool, but I cannot be bothered. Plus, I got complimented on my shirt this morning so thanks for making my day, music teacher woman! I’m glad your kids love your Harry Potter decorated classroom.

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5. Delicate: A book that has a bad reputation, but that you enjoyed

Favorite Lyric: We can’t make any promises now can we, babe? But you can make me a drink.

Oh buddy, unpopular opinion alert, but I enjoyed Fifty Shades of Grey. Listen, I think this book is hella problematic and even though I didn’t know it started as Twilight fanfiction, I still kept expecting Christian to turn out to be a vampire, but I enjoyed this book on several levels. For one, I enjoyed analyzing Christian as a character because he is one messed up dude. For another, I really liked watching Anastasia come into her own. If I re-read it today, I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to get past the problems, but at the time, I definitely enjoyed it.

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6. Look What You Made Me Do: A book that book tube made you read

Favorite Lyric: Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time

The Night Circus! A Clockwork Reader on YouTube hauled yet another copy of it and I was like, dang, maybe I should read that? So I did–several months later–and I really enjoyed it (though not as much as she did!).

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7. So It Goes…: A book you read but can’t remember anything about

Favorite Lyric: I’m yours to keep and I’m yours to lose

I’m relatively sure that I’ve in fact read all of Persuasion by Jane Austen, but I remember literally none of the details, which is making me question myself. It’s such a problem.

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8. Gorgeous: A book with a gorgeous writing style

Favorite Lyric: You should take it as a compliment that I’m talking to everyone here but you (but you)

(This song is so relatable to my anxiety and the way I avoid people I like…)

I’m struggling so much to come up with an answer for this question and I cannot figure out why. I know I was recently raving about Kelly Bowen’s writing though, so we’ll go with The Lady in Red, which is the novella of hers I read recently. It was very good, though I’m still unclear why it’s holiday themed because, it’s set in the summer? I thought? Maybe I misread… But there’s definitely no holiday celebration.

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9. Getaway Car: Your favorite love triangle

Favorite Lyric: I wanted to leave him, I needed a reason

I actually really enjoyed the love triangle in the To All the Boys I Loved Before series. I understood the progression and shifting dynamics in the relationships Lara Jean had with both Peter and John. But it ended the way I wanted, so I was pretty pleased. I haven’t read Always and Forever, Lara Jean yet though. It’s on my list!

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10. King of My Heart: What character is the king of your heart? Fave character of all time.

Favorite Lyric: Say you fancy me, not fancy stuff and all at once this is enough

Oh my goodness, what a question… Probably Hermione Granger. Actually, definitely Hermione. I swear I tried not to answer Harry Potter things for all of these questions!

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11. Dancing With Our Hands Tied: A book that started off great but had a bad ending

Favorite Lyric: I’m a mess, but I’m the mess that you wanted

Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe. Now, to say that it started off great is a bit of an exaggeration, but it started off in a way that I was enjoying: light, fun, not taking itself seriously. And then it went off the rails into completely ridiculous in a way that I hate, resulting in my rant post about it.

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12. Dress: A new adult book you loved

Favorite Lyric: I’m spilling wine in the bathtub, you kiss my face and we’re both drunk

Hi, hello, have you read Sarina Bowen yet? Because I fell off the deep end and have read almost her entire backlist and I did it all in a month and a half because OH MY GOD, I love her. The The Ivy Years seriesis so obnoxiously good, I can’t handle it. Seriously, highly recommend if you haven’t tried them. SO GOOD.

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13. This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things: Book that made you want to break everything you own (out of frustration, sadness, anger…)

Favorite Lyric: Because forgiveness is a nice thing to do… *maniacal cackling* I can’t even say it with a straight face

Well…. I threw Me Before You across the room because I was so upset so, we can go with that one. I might have been channeling the scene from Silver Linings Playbook where Bradley Cooper chucks his book out his window. It seemed cathartic. It wasn’t. Crying for ages afterward helped a bit.

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14. Call it What You Want: A book title you would have call something else

Favorite Lyric: You don’t need to save me, but would you run away with me?

Honestly, The Lady in Red makes no sense as a title for that book. I do not get it. I know I need to stop repeating books in the same tag, but I can’t help it! I’m stuck on this one.

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15. New Years Day: A book that you finished, but stuck with you the next day (and for life)

Favorite Lyric: Don’t read the last page, but I stay…

Do not say Harry Potter, do not say Harry Potter.

Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner pops in to my head at various moments in my life. It was the first book I read where a fat main character gets a happy ending even though she has to go through a lot to get it. A lot does not include losing weight though. I appreciate everything about that book, honestly, which is why I want to re-read it this year.

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And there you have it! This tag was so fun for me to do and I hope you enjoyed it as well. If you also love Taylor Swift or you have a favorite lyric of your own, please leave it in the comments below because fangirling over Taylor Swift is so much a part of my life that my co-worker made a tally sheet to count how many times I talk about her. Whoops.

xx