The Get To Know Ya Book Tag

I’m pretty much always reading. There’s really not a time when I’m not in the middle of a book, that’s why I was so excited when my friend and fellow blogger E.G. Runyan tagged me in this book tag.

What is this little book tag? Well, it’s a trend that’s been floating around on the blogosphere for a little while now, where the blogger answers questions about books they’ve read, loved, hated, etc.

Sounds fun right?

So, let’s get into it.

Your Favorite Book of All Time
    
This one isn’t going to be a shocker to any of you (I don’t think). I have ranted about this book again and again. I have soliloquized about it, I have written poetry and short stories inspired it. 

My favorite book of all time is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. There is so much about this story that I love. It’s so cozy and comforting, the story is so beautiful, nostalgic, and special to me, and there are so many lessons woven through the entire book. I have owned so many copies of this book over the years and always love to flip through it and re-read my favorite parts. 
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It’s my ultimate favorite and I don’t think that is ever going to change.

Your Favorite Book 5 Years Ago
    
When trying to figure out what my favorite book from five years ago was, I flipped through old homeschool group yearbooks to see what I would have said. But… I couldn’t find an exact answer from me all those years ago. So, in looking back I have two books that were my favorites from that general period of my life. Those two books were Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, and The Candymakers by Wendy Mass. 
  
Ella Enchanted is a Cinderella retelling that won the Newberry Medal. I love this book so much that my copy is worn to tatters. I can quote most of this book, and it’s just the best book for a romantic middle-schooler!
    
​The Candymakers is a middle-grade mystery that takes place in a chocolate factory. It's about four kids who all come from very different lives, but their lives may be connected as well. This book is kind of like Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl) meets Spy School (Stuart Gibbs).

Your Favorite Duology/Trilogy/Series
    
​If I’m being completely honest, my favorite series is a little embarrassing, but it's true.  My favorite, comfort series is The Mother Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick. This is a middle-grade series (7 books) about five girls and their moms as they embark on reading the classics. It’s set in Concord Massachusetts (in the early side of the 2010's) and is so cozy and fun (though a little unbelievable sometimes). 

The Last Book You Read
    
As of writing this (it will be different by the time I upload this) the last book I read was Emma by Jane Austen. I am on my journey to read Austen’s entire body of work (only one more of the original six to read!!!!! If you must know, the one I have left is Mansfield Park). 

Emma for me was kind of underwhelming. I didn’t really relate to her, I felt like she got too caught up in meddling in other people’s lives, I also felt like parts of the book dragged on. 
    
​But one thing that does set this apart from other Austen books is the characterization. Every character is so very unique which makes for a fun read. I also loved some of the descriptions of the countryside. Defiantly not my favorite Austen book, but still worth the read.

The Last Book of Poetry You’ve Read
    
I don’t know about you but I rarely read a book of poetry straight through. That being said, I do read a lot of poetry. I am currently reading Emily Dickinson - The Gorgeous Nothings, I haven’t read the whole thing, but I really love it. This book is full of facsimile scans of Dickinson’s actual poetry, she often wrote on random scraps of paper or envelopes. It’s so interesting to see how commonplace her writing of these poems was, and it shows how she just wrote for herself.  This book is in a way, visual art complimenting the written word.
    
​And of course, Emily Dickinson's poetry is always beautiful. Would highly recommend you check out this collection.

​This isn’t a good book to read if you haven’t read much Dickinson, it’s more academic and about the actual construction of her poems. For starting on Dickinson I would recommend the Dover Thrift Selected Poems of Emily Dickinson.

A Book That Most Influenced Your Life
    
Other than the Bible and Little Women, a book that has greatly influenced my life is Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends And Influence People. It’s a non-fiction book about how to win friends and influence people (bet you couldn’t have guessed that). 
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This book was written in the earlier half of the 20th century, but the things it teaches still hold up. Carnegie shares how to make friends, how to make a good business deal, how to keep relationships healthy etc. He teaches these things through research and history, quoting  both famous people and everyday people. So many things I read about in this book I try to apply almost daily.

A Book That Made You Cry
    
I have to be honest, I don’t cry a lot when reading books. I often count tearing up or almost crying the same as crying. 

But I just read a book that made me cry four times. Yeah, four. That’s a lot. 
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The book was Me, Myself, and Bob by Phil Vischer. It’s the story of the rise and fall of VeggieTales and Big Idea Studios. Visher talks about his journey and God’s faithfulness through it all. It’s so heartwarming and sad at the same time. I love the way the story is told, it brings a whole new light to the story of VeggieTales. He talks about how to have God at the center of your dreams and how the most important thing as a business person or a creative is a relationship with Jesus.

A Book That Made You Laugh

​I also don’t laugh a lot when I read. But a book that had me genuinely laughing out loud was Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. I did not expect this book to be so genuinely funny, but it was! It’s a parody of gothic literature, and the naivety and snark the characters have, is so funny. This book isn’t for everyone, but if you read a lot and know the tropes that are common in gothic literature, this will be a fun read for you.

A Character You’d Like To Be For A Day
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​Ooh, this question is really hard. But I think I’d have to choose Anne Shirley. She has so much joy in life, I would love to spend a day in her shoes, wandering the haunted wood, writing stories and having tea with Diana, and giving Gilbert Blythe the cold shoulder.

A Book You Did Not Finish (Dnf’d)
    
​The most recent book I DnF’d was Storybound by Marissa Burt. There wasn’t anything morally wrong with it or anything, it was just really slow, and boring and I felt like it didn’t explain the worldbuilding well. I quit on this book 188 pages in, which is quite a long way in, but I don’t like to force myself to finish a book I don’t enjoy.

A Book You Are Excited To Read
    
​I have quite a few books I am excited to read, specifically books that are coming out this year. But my most anticipated book is Ignite by Kara Swanson! It comes out in August and is about Mara, a phoenix girl who for so long has believed that humans are evil, only now she is learning they may not be as bad as she thought. She also learns about who she is, and that the fire she has isn't as dangerous as people told her.

Tag Some Bloggers

You guys don’t have to participate, but I thought I’d invite you!

Laura at Life’s Love

Ann and Grace and Where Brook and River Meet

And literally, any blogger who may be reading this, consider yourself officially tagged.
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Didn't get tagged? Don't have a blog? Let's chat in the comments about your answers to these questions!

Belle Thomas

​Belle is the writer behind An Old Fashioned Girl. She is passionate about Jesus, good books, and living a beautiful life.