Memes Archives - Plaid Reader Reviews

Dessert-Chopped Tag

Posted on January 4, 2022January 4, 2022 by Plaid_Reader

This is it, you made it to the final and toughest round, the dessert round it’s just you and your competitor can you make the winning dish and become Chopped Champion. You are presented with these ingredients as a challenge, what kind of dish can you make?

Dessert

Sugar: A sweet book for dessert

This is a surprise sweet book as the protagonist at first doesn’t appear sweet but slowly embraces her sweet side. She was good all along she just had a dark chocolate outer layer.

The Dark Lord Clementine by [Sarah Jean Horwitz]

Amazon: Dark Lord Clementine

Flour: A hearty book.

The Dragon Egg Princess

Even though it was a short book I found it to be a hearty book because I was really taken into the world with dragons, fairies and Jiho and Koko, there was a great villain, a wonderful Raman stand and a great array of creatures and people both magical and not.

Amazon: The Dragon Egg Princess

Berries: A book about nature for dessert

The Last Windwitch is about a girl on the run from an evil queen because of her magic, before the queen took over there was a witch who wove the seasons with her magic and helped people. The main character Brida is going on a quest to find to learn about her family, her magic, and who she’s meant to be, this book reminds me of a delicate dessert maybe like a sponge cake.

Amazon: The Last Wind Witchwitch

Candy Canes: Something you’ve had to wait all year for.

Dark Waters (Small Spaces Quartet Book 3) by [Katherine Arden]

I’m not normally waiting all year for summer but this book is an exception. I think it would represent something like caviar because of the monster so it would be a wild card ingredient.

From all of this I would make a cholate sponge cake with dark chocolate truffles maybe adding on some gold leaf in a dragon scale pattern and topped with caviar.

If you’ve liked this as a meme, come join The Blind Scribe and I for the readathon version of this in Febuary, all I can tell you right now is the theme will be a Couple’s dinner and each ingredient will be a reading prompt. There is also a signed book as a prize that is unfortunately only available with within the US due to shipping. However I’m also offering a $20 Book Depository Card to one of our international participants.

Discussion, Feature, Memes

Entrée-Chopped Tag

Posted on December 31, 2021December 31, 2021 by Plaid_Reader

So for the late post today I didn’t sleep well last night and have been having migraines, plus my ankle has been hurting so yeah, just a big party of fun. I’m still doing better about making post in advance so this doesn’t hit me so badly, but I’ll try and do better next year. So here is the Entrée post for the Chopped tag.

Entrée

Has to be meatier to get you to the dessert round

Protein: Another book that was either long or hard hitting.

The Best Worst Summer Ever wasn’t long but it was surely hard hitting as it was about how friendships can fall apart as and get back together many years later and how new friendships can form.

Amazon: Best Worst Summer Ever

Vegetable: Something healthy, you reading something off your TBR.

Red, White, and Whole by [Rajani LaRocca]

Red, White and Whole was on my TBR as soon as it came out out it tells the story of a young Indian American girl who is growing up as a teen in the 1980s and pushing against her parents rules, it would be a normal story of rebellion except for what happens later in the book. It’s definitely healthy as it talks about healthy and her mother is a doctor.

Amazon: Red, White and Whole

Starch: A comfort read or something that had a found family.

Dragon Fury (The Unwanteds Quests Book 7) by [Lisa McMann]

Dragon Fury is the last book in the Unwanteds Quests books which has great found family and is a great series of comfort reads if you like dragons, magic and multiple worlds.

Amazon: Dragon Fury

Durian: A book that was tough to work with.

The Dark Lord Clementine

Though it turned out to be one of my favorite books of the year, it was difficult to work with at the time because I really didn’t know where the plot was going. I got about 2/3 in and finally got a better idea and then it was a much easier book to read. Great book and maybe it was just me but a little bit confusing in the beginning.

Amazon: The Dark Lord Clementine

Since this is the entrée I would make dinner and a drink I would make Indian Butter Chicken with spices from the Dragon World. Then my Drink would be a slushy with apples to represent both the Dark Lord Clementine and The Best Worst Summer.

Bookmas, Memes

Appetizer-Chopped Tag

Posted on December 28, 2021December 28, 2021 by Plaid_Reader

Yesterday I put up the Chopped tag but I didn’t fill it out, you guys deserve to read my version of the tag to see how I want it done. I was just was too tired yesterday to fill it out. I’m going to do part of it everyday because it’s the end of the year and I’m tired so today I’m doing the appetizer

Appetizer

Needs to be light but still impress the judges.

Light Book: A Book under 300 pages

This book would Just Pretend a graphic novel that has that is sweet and focuses on the power of the written word as the protagonist focuses on her own version of reality through her stories, to deal with her parents divorce.

. Amazon: Just Pretend

Protein: This section of books still needs to have some impact. A book that hit you in the heart or a meaty book

For this book I’m choosing American as Paneer Pie, because it really hit me in the feels and was overall just a good meaty book, and not just because it was about food, it dealt with important issues in unique ways and showed the main character’s strength.

American as Paneer Pie by [Supriya Kelkar]

Amazon: American As Paneer Pie

Vegetable: A book that was on your TBR.

For this prompt I’m picking a book I’ve been trying to read all year Five Things about Ava Andrews. I kept wanting to read it but I could only find it in audio book form and I really don’t have the patience for audio books.

Five Things About Ava Andrews by [Margaret Dilloway]

Amazon: Five Things about Ava Andrews

Wild Card: An book that surprised you or was unique.

I picked this book because it’s the first published indie I’ve read and actually liked. It’s plot was very good and the worldbuilding and thriller aspects were used very well to make the story well rounded and and believable.

Amazon: A Place Inside the Storm

I call my dish from these book, the Imaginative Improv Neurodivergent Pizza Pie. Come back and see what I do tomorrow with Entrée and Dessert.

Discussion, Feature, Memes

Chopped Tag

Posted on December 27, 2021December 27, 2021 by Plaid_Reader

For those who don’t know I’m a huge fan of cooking shows, that’s usually what’s in the background when I’m writing the blog. One of my favorites is Chopped, for those of you not familiar with Chopped four chefs get baskets with four ingredients, these ingredients are usually a little oddball and the chefs have to make a cohesive dish to impress three judges

Now I thought I’d apply that to books, there are three rounds in Chopped. Appetizer, Entrée, and Dessert. Can you bring through four different books to make a cohesive reading experience?

Appetizer

Needs to be light but still impress the judges.

Light Book: A Book under 300 pages

Protein: This section of books still needs to have some impact. A book that hit you in the heart or a meaty book.

Vegetable: A book that was on your TBR.

Wild Card: An book that surprised you or was unique.

Entrée

Has to be meatier to get you to the dessert round

Protein: Another book that was either long or hard hitting.

Vegetable: Something healthy, you reading something off your TBR.

Starch: A comfort read or something that had a found family.

Durian: A book that was tough to work with.

Dessert

Sugar: A sweet book

Flour: A hearty book.

Berries: A book about nature

Candy Canes: Something you’ve had to wait all year for.

I’m going to fill this out tomorrow. I was also wondering if people would be interested in this a a readathon. Please comment if you think it would be a decent idea for a readathon or something you’d be interested in, I’d do the readathon on a theme most likely. But I think there is a lot of material to work with here so I think it would be worth a try.

Bookmas, Memes, Uncategorized

Jingle Bell Book Tag

Posted on December 9, 2021December 9, 2021 by Plaid_Reader

We all know I love book memes, blogs, tags and quizzes. Or at least you all should if you’ve stuck around this long.

1. “All I Want For Christmas Is You…” | What book do you want to see under the Christmas Tree? I’d really like to see some more of the Keeper of the Lost Cities Books as I’m trying to collect them all. But I’d also like to see some of the books I’ve read this year, especially some the arcs.

2. “Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time…” | What book that you have read this year have you enjoyed the most? It’s a tie between Sweet and Bitter Magic and Vespertine. I know I shouldn’t say it’s a tie but they are seriously right there. One I enjoyed because of the sweetness of the story, and the other I enjoyed just because of the characters and the powerful story.

3. Elf – What book unleashes your inner child? The Tea Dragon Tapestry, I feel caught up in the illustrations every time I read it. They feel very childlike and happy even though they deal with serious topic, so I always feel relaxed when reading them.

4. “It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas…” – Which book has most festive look to it? The Christmas Witch, I loved it’s a picture book and the front illustration is stunning

5. The Holiday – Name your favorite TWO couples… The couple from Sweet and Bitter Magic and the couple from Luminous. Both fit together perfectly for different reasons and helped each other accomplish their quests while still retaining their own individual autonomy .

6. What book would you like to give as a present to your followers? Starfish by Lisa Fipps, just because it’s the first fat positive middle grade book that I’ve ever seen and that I think everyone needs to read.

I Tag:

@OliviaTempleto6

@cosychapters

@lostinink_

And anyone else who wants to do it!

Bookmas, Memes

Cozy Books for Winter

Posted on December 6, 2021December 5, 2021 by Plaid_Reader

It’s that time of year. Fluffy pajamas and a fire in the fire place. Or on the TV. Even if winter is 65 degrees it’s starting to feel festive and you want to curl up with a drink and good cozy book. Here are some of my favorite for general coziness at this time a year.

Anything by K.O’Neil

These books are built for cozy. You feel like you are sitting down to tea with the characters or swimming in the ocean to explore new creatures under the sea. The art style is relaxing the content is relaxing. Sit me down with a K. O’Neil book and a cup of tea and it’s a find way to spend a winter evening.

Amazon: The Tea Dragon Tapestry

Sweet and Bitter Magic

Sweet & Bitter Magic by [Adrienne Tooley]

This by far gets the award for sweetest cozy book this year, I’d love to curl up and read it again. There is magic, lesbians and a sweet story of forgiveness. I might just have to give this a re-read during the holiday season.

Amazon: Sweet and Bitter Magic

Finding Junie Kim

While this book shows images of war and the horrors associated with it. The cozy part comes in because of the Junie’s time with her grandparents and family. It’s one of the sweetest most tight knit families I read about all year long.

Amazon: Finding Junie Kim

A Kind of Spark

Maybe this one was just cozy for me because I’m autistic, and it had two maybe three neurodivergent characters and it was written by a neurodivergent author, so the character’s head felt very cozy to settle into even though the there was some serious subject matter dealt with in the book.

Amazon: A Kind of Spark

These were some of my favorite cozy books that I’ve read this year. Hopefully I’ll find some more in December to add to the list. What about you, any cozy reads you are ready to settle down with this winter?

Bookmas, Memes

Advent Calendar Challenge Day 3

Posted on December 3, 2021December 3, 2021 by Plaid_Reader

So year it’s the third day of December and I’m already enjoying all my Christmas-y stuff. Including the Advent Calendar Challenge I’m probably picking up too many Christmas projects and readathons, but over readthoning is not a problem (it’s not). I’m trying to get to 100 books so I need all the help I can get.

I’m only 14 books away but I thought as many challenges as possible could help. Though for the Advent Calendar Challenge I’m mostly looking back on the year, I think that will help too when I right my end of the year posts.

So today’s prompt is my favorite book of the year so far. It really is a tie between Vespertine, and Ancestor Approved. Both of them I wish I could read again without having read them, both of them I want a sequel. But at the final count I think Ancestor Approved has to win for its diverse mix of Indigenous authors. I loved every story in there and every story was different it was a wonderful anthology and I really hope there is another one like it in the future. Come on Heartdrum, if you’re listening it was amazing and I need more.

If you haven’t read the book here’s more information.

Ancestor Approved

Native families from Nations across the continent gather at the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In a high school gym full of color and song, people dance, sell beadwork and books, and celebrate friendship and heritage. Young protagonists will meet relatives from faraway, mysterious strangers, and sometimes one another (plus one scrappy rez dog).

Contributors include:

Joseph Bruchac
Art Coulson
Christine Day
Eric Gansworth
Carole Lindstrom
Dawn Quigley
Rebecca Roanhorse
David A. Robertson
Andrea L. Rogers
Kim Rogers
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Monique Gray Smith
Traci Sorell,
Tim Tingle
Erika T. Wurth
Brian Young

It was really a great book with some of the biggest names in Indigenous children’s literature.

Amazon: Ancestor Approved

Join me tomorrow for more Christmas goodness as I look back over the year, as well as Christmas tags, and reviews.

Feature, Memes

Christmas Stocking Tag

Posted on December 1, 2021November 29, 2021 by Plaid_Reader

I found the Christmas Stocking Tag on Reading through Infinity last year and thought I’d and thought I’d try it again. The Christmas Stocking Challenge is a pretty easy tag especially if you’ve been tracking your books for the year which you totally should via Kal @ Reader Voracious’ wonderful spreadsheet which I’ve used for the past two years and you can find here.

Rules

Link to the person who tagged you
Link to me, as I’d love to read your answers
Answer all 10 questions, choosing books for each theme
Tag five people to do this

An orange! Which book is refreshing and vibrant, both inside and out?

Starfish

This book had to make the Christmas Stocking Tag List this book let me feeling refreshed because it was one of first children’s books I’ve seen where the characters are being fat positive. So it’s my refreshing book.

The next thing you see is a bag of chocolate coins. (Yum) Which book have you recently bought that was a little expensive, but totally worth the price?

Steelstriker

I did the pre-order for the pretty extra art gift. So I spluged a little with this book but the quality art I got in return was totally worth it.

You also pull out a bath bomb. Tell us about a book that had explosive action scenes.

Vespertine

Vespertine totally won the action award for the Christmas Stocking Tag this year I won’t spoil anything but there are some awesome action scenes.

Next is a pack of playing cards. Which series won you over?

The Revenge of Magic Series

Normally I’m not a huge fan of a male protagonist but the action and the world in general won me over in the end. I also especially liked some of the side characters.

You also get a candle. Which character is a symbol of hope in their story?

Five Things About Ava Andrews

Ava becomes a symbol of hope not only to herself but to her whole community when she learns how to speak up. I really think she fits this prompt very well.

There are socks inside too. Is there a book that you think really encompasses all the distinctive tropes of its genre?

The Tea Dragon Tapestry

I think K. O’Neill’s works show the the best parts of the graphic novel genre, from their content to their illustration they really are at the top and show off the best qualities of what a graphic novel can be.

There’s also a notebook. Which author’s writing process do you find most interesting/inspiring?

I’m very interested in Marieke Nijkamp, Rajani LaRocca, and Katherine Arden think and write. Also I want the answers to some cliffhangers they’ve left me!

To go with the notebook, there’s a fancy pen. Is there a book or a series that you’d change if you’d written it yourself?

The Brave by James Bird is the book that has the lowest ranking this year. However it’s because it was criticized by other Indigenous people like the author. I’m definitely not the one to change it however if it were to be changed I think someone with better knowledge of the culture represented to should be the one to do it.

There’s also a small bedside clock. Which book took you a long time to pick up but was worth it in the end?

The Dragon Egg Princess

I put it down a couple of times but I eventually finished it and it was a great read.

Your pile is getting really big. You reach in to pull out the last gift and it’s… a lump of coal? You’re a little disappointed. But you look closer and realise there’s a seam running through the coal. You crack it open and sitting inside is a tiny golden gem. Tell us about a book that surprised you in some way.

The Infinity Courts

This book surprised me in a lot of ways. I thought it was just going to be another YA I wouldn’t like. But it had so many surprising twists and turns it ended up being one of my favorite book of the year and I can’t wait for the sequel. (April 2022 for those wondering). It’s definitely a five star read and I’d totally recommend.

Five tagged people

@bookworm_blue

@ImogenTypes

@emmaferrierx

@cosychapters

@kalventure

Memes

The Reread Tag

Posted on February 17, 2021February 16, 2021 by Plaid_Reader

This tag was created by Brianna’s Books and Randomness. I found it at Books are 42.

A Childhood Favourite That You Could Read 100 Times and Still Love

Even though I’m aware of the problematic nature of his work, I still enjoy J.R.R Tolkien. I try to read the books at least once a year. And while some portions don’t always hold up, his decscriptions tend to go on. I still enjoy both the books and the movies.

A Book You DNF’d But Would Be Willing to Give A Second Chance To

I sort of just put down the Mystwick School of Musicraft and forgot about it so I didn’t really DNF it, but I’m trying to get back to reading it because I enjoyed the story far as I read into it but I just put it down and forgot.

A Newer Favorite You Would Reread

.I’d read A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi. It was such a sweet story and I’d be happy to jump to it again.

A Book You Hated and Never Want to Read Again

I don’t want to drop names because it was an ARC I read but it was terrible, the main character had no common sense. It was very anti-feminist and couldn’t really find a message to save it’s life.

A Classic You Read in School but Want to Try AgainI

Honestly I’m not big on classics and would much rather read the tons of diverse books coming out now as oppossed to the mostly white authors we were taught in school.

An Author You Would Reread Anything From

I’d reread anything from Shannon Messenger or Lisa McMann. I’ve reread both their series multiple times.

A Series You Want to Reread for The Fun of It

I’d like to reread the Cassidy Blake series since the third book is coming out.

A Book You’ve Read but Want to Listen to The Audiobook

I’d like to listen to more to the Story by Hena Khan in Audio book.

Tagging:

Photo by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash

Challenges, Memes

Would you Rather Tag

Posted on November 23, 2020November 22, 2020 by Plaid_Reader

I was tagged by Jenny at JenJenReviews

The Rules

Answer the questions given to you by your nominator
Make your own questions and tag others

My Questions

1)Would you rather have a giant personal library in your house or own a bookstore?

As tempting as owning a bookstore is, I’ve worked in a bookstore and it’s not as fun as it seems, so I’m going with personal library on this one.

2)Would you rather drink one beverage for the rest of your life or eat the same meal for the rest of your life?

I could deal with just water for the rest of my life and be okay. I think I need a little more food variety. Would you rather only be able to read during the day or only be able to read at night?

3)Would you rather only be able to read during the day or only be able to read at night?

I read most of my books at night so I’d probably be okay with only reading at night.

4)Would you rather have every book you rate 5 stars spontaneously combust after you read it, or never read a 4/5 star book again?

This is a tough one! I think the books would have to spontaneously combust. I can’t imagine reading only three star books for the rest of my life.

5)Would you rather meet your favorite author or meet your favorite actor?

Author, though then I’d have to narrow down who my true favorite is

6)Would you rather be an author or be an editor (assuming you can’t be both)?

Author definitely.

7)Would you rather be banned from all your local libraries or be banned from all your local bookstores?

Bookstores, I can’t afford most hardbacks anyway.

8)Would you rather read a book where the villain wins or read a book where the hero dies?

A book where the hero dies, I can deal with a heroic death but not a villain winning

9)Would you rather only be able to read the first half of every book or the second half of every book?

The first half, then I can at least imagine how it ended.

10)Would you rather read a trilogy or a series of 20+ books (assuming they’re both good)?

Series of 20+ books I love a long series!

My Questions

Would you rather have a five star book with a cliffhanger, or a three star book that resolves everything?
Would you rather go to the future or the past to grab a book for your collection?
Would you rather have a sympathetic villain one that is evil for evil’s sake?
Would you rather have a perfect Instagram setup or enough posts for another platform (blog, Twitter, etc.) you never have to worry?
Would you rather be limited to your favorite genre or banned from your favorite genre (and allowed to read everything else)?
Would you rather be stuck with only digital or only physical books?
Would you rather give up your favorite food for a year, or be able to read/listen at double speed?
Would you rather see an aspect of yourself that hasn’t been published much in print or be the one to write the novel that focuses on that subject?
Would you rather build a magical world from scratch or write a contemporary novel?
Would you prefer to read only Middle Grade or only YA?

I’m tagging

Helen at Crispy Confessions

Twisted in Pages

Intisar at Intisar Speaks

Simone at Leafing Through Time

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay