The Wanderlust Book Tag!

I had an upsetting work week last week so over the weekend I decided I was done with adulting and was going to spend a couple days absolutely not being an adult. That comprised of busting out some sidewalk chalk I had lying around, lounging on a splash pad in the sun, and getting a lot of use out of my Disney+ subscription. I did get some reading done, but I tried to read things that were a little more light-hearted.

I’m back at work today and things are slightly better, but to try and keep a good vibe going I decided to start off my blogging week with some book tag fun.

This is about the time of year we all start packing our suitcases for get-aways, but for just about everyone holidays are currently postponed. At least I know mine are. So instead I will be traveling this summer vicariously through books!

(P.S. I’m having serious trouble with formatting tonight and after battling HTML code for over an hour I give up, so apologies if this post is a little wonky)

THE RULES:

• Mention the creator of the tag [Alexandra @ Reading by Starlight]
• Thank the blogger who tagged you (I wasn’t tagged- I saw this on The Orangutan Librarian’s blog)
• Answer the 10 questions below using any genre
• Tag 5+ friends (I tag anyone who wants to do it!)

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1. Secrets and Lies: a book set in a sleepy small town

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Judging books by their covers is something I’m very guilty of doing, but luckily in this instance I decided to go against my judgment. Looking at the cover, I figured it would be a flitty chick-lit novel and because of that I would normally dismiss it. For some reason, though, I decided to check it out of my library and I’m so glad I did.

What a charming, yet emotional story this book was! I adored the movie as well. It taught me a lot about the island of Guernsey, its history, and what life is like out there in the English Channel. Once travel is back on I’d love to visit there someday.

2. 2. Salt and Sand: a book with a beach-side community

Rebecca by Daphne Du Marier

Not quite what I would call a “beach read,” Rebecca is my favorite book of all-time. Set on the Cornish coast, it is a perfect novel of gothic horror, romance, and mystery. The Alfred Hitchcock adaptation really does it justice, too.

If you haven’t read it, you’re missing out on one of the most gripping and atmospheric books ever written.

1. 3. Book with a Voyage on the High Seas

   The Deep by Alma Katsu

   

   A little bit of a cheat given I haven’t read this yet. It was a birthday gift and I’m seriously looking forward to reading this alternate telling of one of the most infamous disasters of the 20th century.

   4. Tread Lightly: a book set down a murky river or a jungle

   King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa by Adam Hochshild

   

   An often graphic exploration of a dark period in Colonial Africa’s history. Given that few good stories come out of colonization of the continent, that’s really saying something. King Leopold was quite a piece of crap and the outrage I felt while reading this book was real. The sheer amount of war crimes committed is astounding. Despite its difficult subject matter, it’s an important book that everyone should read.

   This book is also the reason why when I was in Brussells I kicked his statue just a teensy bit.

   5. 5. Frozen Wastes: a book with a frostbitten atmosphere

   At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft

   

   Written in the 1930s, this novella takes place in one of the iciest regions of the planet, Antarctica. An exploration group is sent out into the mountains of Antarctica to research several prehistoric life-forms that defy the geological timescale. Catastrophe soon ensues when they realize that the forms they’re investigating are far more sinister than anyone thought possible.

   6. The Boonies: a book with rough or isolated terrain

   The Martian by Andy Weir

   

   I mean, of course I was going to find a way to bring The Martian into this.

   It doesn’t get more rough or isolated than being stranded alone in the hostile environment of Mars. Just like Rebecca, The Martian is another example of a perfect book. It’s a thrilling ode to science, space exploration, and humanity. It’s also hilarious.

   1. 7. Hinterlands and Cowboys: a book with a western-esque setting

   The Big Sky by A.B. Guthrie, Jr.

   

   Many of the books on my shelf are from my mother, the person who instilled a love of reading in me. It took me a few years to get to it, but once I did I was swept away by this lyrical tale of the dying Wild West. Some of it was a little dated in terms of its barely veiled racism that occasionally emerged, but overall it was a wonderful story.

   8. Look lively: a book set across sweeping desert sands

   Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness by Edward Abbey

   

   Edward Abbey was a champion of American national parks and natural spaces. His novel Black Sun is high atop my favorites shelf, but it’s Desert Solitaire where his admiration for the dangerous beauty of America’s deserts come alive.

   9. 9. Wild and untamed: a book set the heart of the woods

   The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

   

   We finally decided to book our bucket list trip this year only for the virus to completely derail those plans. A two-week cruise that would take us to seven different Baltic and Scandinavian countries, the stop we were looking forward to the most was St. Petersburg.

   To prepare for the trip I started reading books set in Russia as much as possible and during my search for reads The Bear and the Nightingale came up highly recommended by other reviewers. It was a magical tale set in the Russian woods, weaving folklore and fantasy into a well-woven narrative. It’s the first book in a series so once I’m feeling a little less disappointed about our cruise being canceled, I’ll check more of the books out.

   10. Wildest Dreams: a whimsical book shrouded in magic

   The Return of King Lillian by Suzie Plakson

   

   Another magical book where the woods are almost another character in itself, The Return of King Lillian is the impressive self-published debut of Star Trek actor Suzie Plakson. If this delightful novel is anything to go by, Suzie is just getting started on what is going to be an exciting career to follow.

   I was so happy to be able to meet her at the most recent Destination Star Trek convention- where she seemed just as happy to have a fan bring her book to sign. It was one of the highlights of my year!

   

   Have you read any of these books? Do you have suggestions of your own? Let me know in the comments! Or, better yet, have a go at this book tag- just be sure to link me in so I can see your answers.