The Desert Island Book Tag

While I can’t imagine being stranded on a desert island would be my idea of a good time I love travelling, my last holiday was to Cancun Mexico where I spent a lot of time on the beach, so this was the perfect tag for me. Also to be honest I’d rather be on a beach right now, desert island or not, than in freezing cold England.

I was tagged by Jesse at Books at Dawn; thank you so much for the tag Jesse. You can check out his post via the above link and you should definitely check out his blog while you’re there.

Water:
A book you can simply cannot live without.

Passenger by Alexandra Blake

If you’ve been following my blog for a while you must have heard me talking about Passenger at least once or twice. I read this book at the beginning of the year, right after it was released, and it has become one of my all-time favourite stories and at the moment my favourite book of the year.

There was literally nothing I could fault with it; I loved the characters and reading about their journey and their struggles, and I loved all the different places they travelled to. Of all the time-travel books I’ve ever read Passenger is one of the best.

“But she wondered if, in moving outside of the natural flow of time, they had forgotten the most crucial point of life—that it wasn’t meant to be lived for the past, or even the future, but for each present moment.”

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Food:
A book that is a close second on your favourites list.

The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry

I wasn’t expecting much from this book going in. The cover was gorgeous and people seemed excited about it but the blurb didn’t really grab me. Still I put it on my to-read list and, once it was released, I started reading. And I never wanted it to end.

The Love That Split the World completely blew me away, maybe it was because I wasn’t expecting much that this book not only exceeded my expectations but completely smashed them. This story is full of amazing characters with real and sometimes heartbreaking relationships. The writing is lyrical and beautiful, and will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.

“Sometimes the most beautiful moments in our lives are things that hurt badly at the time. We only see them for what they really were when we stand at the very end and look back.”

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Shelter:
A book that makes you feel at home and safe.

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone is the first book I can remember reading, and the whole series is very the first I fell in love with. Even though the last book was released over eight years ago, and the last film came out over four years ago, this series still remains one of my favourites. I try and re-read all seven books at least once a year and every time I do the stories remain just as fascinating, magical, amazing and unforgettable as they were the first time around.

It’s the series I go to when I want to pass away an afternoon reading but I can’t decide which book, the series I start when I’m in the middle of a reading slump. For me Harry Potter is never going to be over, not as long as I can continue re-reading it.

“Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.”
— J.K Rowling

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Flare gun:
A book you would recommend to a person that doesn’t read.

The Assassins Curse duology by Cassandra Rose Clarke

This series has everything; pirates, magic, assassins, a curse, shipwrecks, romance, adventure, fantasy, so there’s sure to be something for everyone. Reading the first book I loved Ananna’s character, she’s strong and independent and isn’t going to let anyone run her life for her. She flees from an arranged marriage, taking her chances on her own rather than being trapped with a husband, but she doesn’t make it far before the assassin hunts her down.

From there the story kicks into high gear and I didn’t stop reading until the last page, then I picked up the second book. There are some amazing reviews for this series and it more than lived up to my expectations. I think there’s something in The Assassin’s Curse that will appeal to everyone.

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan. But that only prompts the scorned clan to send an assassin after her. And when Ananna faces him down one night, armed with magic she doesn’t really know how to use, she accidentally activates a curse binding them together.

To break the curse, Ananna and the assassin must complete three impossible tasks all while grappling with evil wizards, floating islands, haughty manticores, runaway nobility, strange magic, and the growing romantic tension between them.

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Fire-matches:
A book that warms your heart.

The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick

While My Life Next Door seems to start warm and light-hearted, and suddenly take a darker path The Boy Most Likely To is the opposite. Instead we see Tim change from an alcoholic and a drop-out to someone sober, someone who can be relied upon when needed. Tim defies every expectation from his family and struggles so hard to turn his life around and actually make something of it.

There are a few hard choices made in this book but in the end the journey Tim takes makes him a better person. The Boy Most Likely To is a feel-good story that tells you no matter how badly things go, no matter how many punches life throws your way, it’s how you take them that really shapes the person you are.

“Maybe thinking any one person can show up and give you all you need is as much of a delusion as thinking you can find truth in a bottle. Maybe you can just find what you need in little pieces, in people who show up for one crucial moment – or a whole chain of them – even if they can’t solve it all.”

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Compass:
A book that directed you towards your love of reading.

The Mediator series by Meg Cabot

I wanted to pick something other than Harry Potter for this one because I have already included Harry Potter in this tag, so instead I’m going to say the Mediator series (but only the first six books because the seventh, though highly anticipated, was a massive letdown for me). This was the first young adult series I read, and the only reason I picked it up in the first place was because my friends were talking about it and of course I had to know what all the fuss was about.

Even today, years after I first read the first book, I still love this series. Suze remains just as witty and strong, the stories just as engaging and interesting. For me this series is timeless; I can read it over and over and it will still be something I love just as much as the first time.

“What’s a mediator you ask? Oh, a person who acts as a liaison between the living and the dead. Hey, wait a minute…what’re you doing with that strait jacket?”

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My Tags:

1. Anna at My Bookish Dream
2. Anna at Space Cats and Books
3. Ashleigh at A Frolic Through Fiction
4. Astra at A Stranger’s Guide to Novels
5. Beth at Hello Beautiful Book Blog
6. Kirstie at Upside-Down Books
7. Paige and Yasmin at The Wild Readers

And if there’s anyone else out there who wants to take part, consider yourself tagged. Just send me a link to your post in the comments so I can see what books you picked.