The Give Thanks for Books Tag

In the spirit of blogging more on my author site and keeping things a little lighter (i.e. more like me), I’ve been looking around for some appropriately bookish tags for this space. And, when you’re looking for blogging inspiration, look no further than my friend Rachel Kovaciny at The Edge Of The Precipice, who comes up with the best blog tags!

In honor of Thanksgiving, Rachel came up with a tag that is all about our gratitude for BOOKS. As you can see below, all the prompts spell out the words GIVE THANKS. Isn’t that darling? It looked like so much fun that I just had to play along. So are you ready? Let’s talk about the books we’re grateful for!

The Rules:

1. Thank the person who tagged you.  (Thank you, Rachel!)

2. Fill out the tag.

3. Share the tag graphic in your post.

4. Tag four friends.

5. Provide a clean copy of the tag for easy copying.

(note: all book pictures are mine from my Instagram account or Google images)

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The Tag:

G – A book you’re Grateful to a friend for recommending.

My good friend Mary has recommended a lot of marvelous books to me, but I am particularly grateful to her for recommending The Unicorn’s Tale by David Franklin.

This hilarious original fairy tale where every line is packed with humor. This zany adventure had me laughing out loud every few pages (a rare thing for me) and is ridiculously self-aware. If you’re looking for an unabashed fantasy novel that romps and mocks its way through every trope under the sun with a silliness that would put The Princess Bride to shame, this is the story for you.

I – A book that fires your Imagination.

I love this question. I’m going to go with Beowulf.

Wonderfully translated in glorious verse that stirs your blood and sets your heart to singing. I read it in one day. Full of doughty warriors, thrilling action, and mesmerizing locations, nothing fires my imagination more than some “old-fashioned” noble-hearted hero who charges fearlessly into battle.

V – A book with a Vivid setting.

Huntingtower by John Buchan.

This novel is absolutely enchanting. It is a modern-day fairy tale of brave knights and stout country lads saving princesses in distress. It is a sweeping historical novel full of mysterious castles and great escapades. It’s marvelous in every way, and one of my favorite reads. It’s not often that a book has the ability to completely transport me—but John Buchan’s vivid imagery and utterly immersive storytelling did. I was there, in the tumbled hills and coastline of Scotland, having the adventure of a lifetime.  

E – An Encouraging book.

Well, I’m going to plug my sister. Tor Thibeaux wrote a retelling of Shakespeare’s Tempest that is one of the most beautiful and uplifting stories I’ve read in a long time. My entire spirit felt revived, it was so incredibly powerful and beautiful. It washed the soul and ignited the imagination with noble things. I’m not exaggerating. It’s been a long time since a story has done that for me. It really is one of Tor’s best efforts.

Tor has not yet published this retelling, but you can check out more of amazing work right here.

T – A book that Taught you something.

I’ve only just begun dipping my toe into this fascinating book! A unique celebration of classical music that showcases one inspirational piece each day of the year, written by an award-winning violinist and BBC Radio personality who believes that, “The only requirements for enjoying classical music are open ears and an open mind.”

I’ve been a fan of classical music all my life, but so much of the information in this book was new to me. If you have the time to read one page of historical detail a day and listen to a piece of music rarely longer than ten or twelve minutes, then you have the opportunity to improve your mind and your knowledge in a way that is both easy and fun!

H – A Happy book.

The Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome never fails to make me happy!

There is something about this series that makes me incredibly, infinitely, happy. It’s glorious, free-spirited, happy-hearted childhood – condensed into a few hundred pages. It makes me incandescently happy and fills me to the brim. Few books leave me feeling so content as this delightful series.

A – An Amusing book.

Goldwater Ridge is a heartfelt adventure that definitely kept me amused! 

It’s a rambunctious, rip-roaring, high falutin’ tale full of large-than-life characters and one plot twist after another. The writing style made even the simplest thought hilarious—even the names in this book will make you smile. Hannah Kaye is dedicated to producing old-fashioned children’s literature that is not only clean and wildly entertaining, it’s a jaunty fist shake at those who take things too seriously.

N – A New-to-you book or author you discovered this year.

Bryn Shutt! I had followed Bryn on social media for a long time and loved her posts, but I only started reading her stories this year. Boy, was I missing out.

Dawnsong is a poignant and delightfully eerie novelette featuring strong themes of Truth and intriguing characters unfolding in a richly-detailed setting. This is merely one small installment in Bryn’s massive story-world that is brimming with beauty and complexity.

Bryn has some other work up on Wattpad and I can’t wait to dive into them! My recommendation; familiarize yourself a little with her world by exploring her epic Instagram feed, because there is SO much detail to her writing.

K – A fictional character you feel a Kinship with.

Hmm, I honestly don’t identify with a lot of fictional characters. I don’t open a book trying to find myself; I’m there to experience other perspectives!

I did think of one person. There are aspects of Paddington Bear that I can relate to.

He’s very well-meaning and jolly; just a happily trundling along in his own little world, very focused on his dreams and goals. Once he gets an idea in his head, he can be pretty stubborn. He doesn’t often lose his temper but when he does, it’s more of a righteous indignation and a cool censure.

Paddington doesn’t do well with long lists of verbal instructions. He’s somewhat forgetful and has a tendency to come up with the most roundabout methods of problem-solving. He is also a bit messy and has zero mechanical skills.

He’s very polite, and can be a bit too trusting and generous. He makes friends easily and is very loyal and has a strong sense of fair play.

He also LOVES to eat.

While he obviously isn’t exactly like me (for one thing, he’s very English and I’m very American) there are definitely aspects of Paddington that I find relatable.

S – A book you want to Share with others

Well, the books I’ve written come instantly to mind. Naturally, I want to share those with the world. *grins*

But, in all seriousness, I’m going to have to go with A God To Call Father by Michael Phillips. It is one of the most influential books I’ve ever read – after the Bible. This gentle and heart-changing book illuminated the Bible’s teachings and richly enhanced my relationship with God the Father, painting a picture that encouraged me to leap in faith towards a deeper place.

I wish every Christian would read this book. For anyone who’s ever experienced guilt or doubt, I recommend opening this book alongside your Bible and allowing it to enhance the Truth of the Holy Scripture as you run towards the arms of a Heavenly Father who is waiting to draw you ever deeper into the wild love of Love Himself.

And there you have it! Have you read any of these books? What would be YOUR answers to these questions.

If you want to do the tag yourself, here’s a clean copy of the prompts for you:

G – A book you’re Grateful to a friend for recommending.

I – A book that fires your Imagination.

V – A book with a Vivid setting.

E – An Encouraging book.

T – A book that Taught you something.

H – A Happy book.

A – An Amusing book.

N – A New-to-you book or author you discovered this year.

K – A fictional character you feel a Kinship with.

S – A book you want to Share with others

I tag . . . anyone who wants to participate! Happy Thanksgiving!