Taylor Swift Folklore Book Tag

It’s been 2 weeks since Taylor Swift dropped a surprise album on us, and we haven’t been the same since. Nor have we listened to anything else. But we managed to pull ourselves away from crying along to Exile or Illicit Affairs to make our own folklore book tag (and yes the all lower case is ~intentional~).

We know there are a bunch of other tags out there already (like Ilsa’s, Cielo’s and Star’s) but hey, the more TayTay love out there, the better right? Will we also do all the other tags despite no-one tagging us? Yes. Yes we will.

The rules:

1. Link back to the original creator of the book tag (that’s us!)

2. Thank the person that tagged you and link to their post

3. Tag as many people as you want!

the 1

“And if my wishes came true, it would’ve been you” – name a book character you would change the ending for

Nish: I would save lil baby Finnick from his cruel fate in Mockingjay. He did NOT deserve that no no no no no.

Ngoc: Honestly? Draco Malfoy deserved better. His redemption arc could’ve been GREAT, and instead all we got was Disappointment Soup.

Nish: Definitely top 10 worse soup flavours.

cardigan

“When I felt like I was an old cardigan under someone’s bed, you put me on and said I was your favourite.” – an old favourite that you always come back to

Nish: I am the QUEEN of rereading – I think it has to do with having anxiety and feeling a lot of comfort in knowing how a book is going to end/ how it is going to make me feel. I return yearly to The Deal by Elle Kennedy, which I have mentioned a few times before – it’s a contemporary new adult that has just a sprinkle of all the typical tropes I love.

Nish: Also if I may answer for Ngoc, it’s Pride and Prejudice. She will probably tell you more about it but I’m just telling you right now that’s what it is and to say she’s obsessed is an understatement.

Ngoc:

Ngoc: I’m not even going to pretend that I even considered putting anything else. Ask me to name the muscles in your forearm and I will ~struggle~, but ask me to recite the first paragraph of P&P? Child’s play.

the last great american dynasty

“She had a marvellous time ruining everything” – a time someone ruined a book or series for you

Ngoc: OH MY, DO I HAVE A STORY FOR YOU. My friend spoiled all the deaths in Deathly Hallows for me. Like, a few days after it came out. So in retaliation, I refused to read the last book for about 5 years (I know this reaction literally makes no sense and I was hurting no-one but myself, BUT I WAS YOUNG, WILD & FREE AND ANGRY, ALRIGHT?!).

Nish: WHY IS MINE ALSO A HARRY POTTER RELATED SPOILER? (This is just further proof Ngoc and I are the same human).

Spoiler for Half-Blood Prince

My friend found out I was up to Half-Blood Prince and said “oh my god I cried when Dumbledore died!” I HAD NOT READ THAT YET. I was absolutely wild and refused to speak to her for a solid week.

What we tell ourselves to not hurt people who spoil things

exile

“We always walked a very thin line. You didn’t even hear me out. You never gave a warning sign.” – a toxic relationship

Nish: Hardin and Tessa from After. I reviewed the book here if you want to know more of my thoughts – but I just cannot fathom reading their relationship and seeing anything other than RED FLAGS all over the place.

Ngoc: Remy and Elise from The Best Lies. Gosh, if this friendship isn’t the definition of a toxic, all-consuming, obsessive friendship. I was screaming at Remy the whole time – the amount of crap she put up with from Elise was astounding, but as someone once said to me, “hindsight is a b*tch” and it’s very difficult to recognise you’re in a bad situation until you’re on the other side.

my tears ricochet

“Cause I loved you, I swear I loved you, till my dying day” – a book or series you used to love

Ngoc: The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas (sorry Alexandra pls don’t kill me). I ADORED this series the first time I read it, but then I re-read books 1-4 in preparation for Queen of Shadows and guys. I JUST CAN’T WITH THIS SERIES/SJM’S WRITING IN GENERAL.

Nish: The Delirium Series by Lauren Oliver. When I first read Delirium I was in love – ironic since the story centres around love being illegal. And when I read the second and third books I thought they were okay, but looking back they were actually very bad, the “love triangle” was completely forced and the ending makes me want to run into a wall (and if you’ve read the series you should know exactly what wall I’m talking about).

Ngoc: I see what you did there 😏

mirrorball

“I want you to know I’m a mirrorball, I’ll show you every version of yourself tonight…I’m a mirrorball, I can change everything about myself to fit in.” – a controversial book/a book that means something different to everyone

Nish and Ngoc: We Were Liars – SO many people talk about how the tragic family themes in this book cut them to the core and wrecked them emotionally. And both of us are so confused…like did we even read the same book? 😂

seven

“your braids like a pattern, love you to the moon and saturn” – a book you loved in your childhood

Nish: I was obsessed with The Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. I am not sure how well known or received it was, but it was basically genetically altered kids versus the world – and for anyone else who may have read it, I shipped Max and Fang hardcore as a ten year old.

Ngoc: Oh THERE ARE SO MANY!!! Hating Alison Ashley by Robin Klein, Matilda by Roald Dahl, and Double Act by Jacqueline Wilson were my favourites and I re-read them any opportunity I got!

august

“cancel my plans just in case you called, back when I was living for the hope of it all” – a new release you would drop everything for to read right now

Nish and Ngoc, in unison: THE THIRD NOAH SHAW BOOK. MICHELLE HODKIN PLEASE.

this is me trying

“It’s hard to be at a party when I feel like an open wound” – a book that deals with depression or grief

Ngoc: The Strength In Our Scars by Bianca Sparacino – this is a stunning collection of modern poetry, and will resonate with you whether you’re grieving, or in love, or just trying to make sense of your place in the world (did I just reference another Taylor Swift song? Maybeeeee).

Nish: Mine would be They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera. It deals with grief in a very obvious way (if you couldn’t tell from the title). However, it was also a really inspiring read too, but in an absolutely heart-breaking, bawl-your-eyes-out kind of way (I was listening to the audiobook so I began crying whilst I was driving).

illicit affairs

“And you know damn well, for you, I would ruin myself a million little times” – a book or author that hurts you with every read but you keep coming back to

Ngoc: Cassandra Clare. I’d dare say her books hurt more than open heart surgery without anaesthesia, and yet not only do I DEVOUR anything she writes, I then RE-READ THE BOOKS KNOWING WHAT I’M GETTING MYSELF INTO.

Nish: Mine would also be Cassandra Clare, but to add some variety and attempt to convince you all that Ngoc and I do not share one single brain cell, I will pick Laurie Halse Anderson. Every book I have ever read by her has broken my heart. Her writing and portrayal of mental health is exquisite and I think everyone should read her novels.

Us willingly inflicting pain on ourselves and then having the audacity to be upset at the author

invisible string

“And isn’t it just so pretty to think, all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?” – a book or series that sparked your love of reading

Nish: I read quite a bit as a child, but the books that really kicked off my reading habits was definitely The Twilight series by good old Stephanie Meyer. I still remember being obsessed with these books in high school, and rushing to a bookstore to buy them so I could keep up with my friends. Twilight launched me into YA reading, and I honestly don’t think my life would be the same without that series.

Ngoc: I genuinely think I came out of the womb with a book in my hand, but my earliest memory of reading was with Enid Blyton books gifted to me by my neighbour. I especially loved the Wishing Chair and The Faraway Tree series (Nish: honestly hearing the name Enid Blyton hit me with so much nostalgia – Scholastic book fair anyone?)

mad woman

“No one likes a mad woman, you made her like that” – a ‘mad’ woman you love

Nish: 100% Mara Dyer from The Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkin. She’s possibly insane, but also very kick-ass and I love (and am terrified) of her.

Ngoc: I’m with Nish on this one, but I can’t keep stealing her answers so I’m gonna go with Luna Lovegood – people always thought she was a bit looney, but she had a heart of gold and was probably more of a friend to Harry than Ron was at times.

epiphany

“Just one single glimpse of relief to make some sense of what you’ve seen” – a book or series you needed time to process once you’d finished

Ngoc: The Hate U Give – the fact that this is still the reality for so many Black people around the world is both tragic and sickening. It definitely took me awhile to process my feelings once I’d finished the book and even a year later I’m still coming to terms with what I read.

Nish: I read Burial Rites by Hannah Kent a few years ago – I used to work as an English tutor for year 12 kids doing their final exams, and that book was on many school lists. When I finished that book, I couldn’t think about anything else for a solid week, it just haunted me.

betty

“The worst thing that I ever did was what I did to you” – the worst book you have ever read

Ngoc: Ohohohoho. 29 Dates is one of only two books I’ve ever given a 1-star rating to. You can read my extremely salty review, with a side of salt, and a large serve of salt pudding for dessert on my old blog here.

Would you like some salt with your salt? 😎

Nish: (Omg folks I forgot the names of these books and had to actually call my mother who is interstate, make her facetime me to show me where I had hidden these atrocities at the back of my bookshelf – so if that’s not hate idk what is). The Evermore series by Alyson Noel. I was so excited when I first saw these book that I purchased FOUR of them in a little box. I only read the first book and it was so bad I stopped reading. I’ve really repressed most of it (please don’t make me think of it again).

peace

“But the rain is always gonna come, if you’re standing with me” – a book couple you love that has the world against them

Eeeeeeeeeeeek

Nish: My pick for this is Kat and Daemon from the Lux series. Within the series, they not only have to tackle their own issues when it comes to their romance, but also have the US government and an ENTIRE alien race against their union. Amazing.

Ngoc: Celaena and Chaol from the Throne of Glass series. One of the reasons I don’t like SJM’s writing is the way she treats her MC’s love interests once they’ve moved on  – she just puts them through a few rounds of casual character assassination. Chaol was the best thing that ever happened to Celaena, and he deserved better CHANGE MY MIND.

hoax

“Don’t want no other sad of blue but you, no other sadness in the world would do” – a book that makes you sad

Nish: I am a very easy crier in books. A book series that made me very, very sad was The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. Do I love this series with all my heart? Yes. Does it also manage to stomp on my heart and crush it? Also yes.

Ngoc: Specifically Clockwork Princess YOU KNOW THE SCENE I’M TALKING ABOUT, CASSIE CLARE STANS. I recently re-read the TID mangas and I was bawling my eyes out in my room at about 1am in the morning. Don’t think anyone IRL has ever made me do that, but Cassie Clare books just hit different, ya know?

And that’s a wrap!

We just want to say a big thank you to everyone who nominated us for the annual Book Blogger Awards – we almost cried reading your comments about us, and we’re so, SO sorry that we missed the deadline to nominate our fave bloggers (no seriously, words CANNOT encompass how sorry we are). It’s been a hectic few months back at placements, and we’ve had assignments hit us left, right and centre but we appreciate you all so much and have a shoutout post planned to prove just how much we love you! Thank you for sticking with us ❤️ 

*WE love you more than words can say

Tag, you’re it!

We can’t not tag our fellow folklore tag creators – Ilsa, Cielo and Star

And of course, we tag YOU!

With Love,