Taylor Swift's Reputation | Book Tag

Hello everyone,
The only music I've listened to a past few weeks is Reputation by Taylor Swift. I can confidently say that it's my favorite of all of her albums she had put out. I am OBSESSED.

So, of course, when I came across the Reputation book tag on YouTube (original tag) I had to do it. Also, it's ALWAYS fun to highlight my favorite books and characters so here we go... 😁😁

...Ready For It?— Your favorite first book in a series.

Some boys are tryin' too hard / He don't try at all though / Younger than my exes / But he act like such a man so I see nothing better / I keep him forever

Hands down The Deal is the best first book in a series. That Garrett Graham tho. I will forever compare him to all other NA hotties.

End Game— The biggest endgame you've ever rooted for.

Big reputation / Big reputation / Ooh you and me we got big reputations / Ah and you heard about me / Ooh I got some big enemies / Big reputation / Big reputation / Ooh you and me would be a big conversation

Rhysand and Feyre. I only read ACOTAR this year so I knew they're THE ship, but I was like how? when she was in love with Tamlin in ACOTAR. Then, I read ACOMAF and I fell in love with these two together.

I Did Something Bad— A book you spoiled for someone.

They say I did something bad / Then why's it feel so good? / They say I did something bad / Then why's it feel so... good? / Most fun I ever had / And I'd do it over and over and over again if I could

I'm always spoiling stuff for my sister whenever I read a book before she does. I get overly excited after I finish a book I really enjoyed and want to discuss it right away, but she hasn't read it yet so I'd drop hints--often straying to spoiler territory. One such book is The Rose and the Dagger.

Don't Blame Me— The most embarrassing/unlikely book you were crazy for.

In the darkest little paradise / Shaking, pacing I just need you / For you, I would cross the line / I would waste my time I would lose my mind / They say 'she's gone too far this... time'

Sorrid by Nikki Sloane is the darkest romance I've read this year, if not ever. I mean, this book was banned on Amazon for a while (although it's available now). It involves dubious consent, the sex scenes were very graphic, and the characters' relationship for most of the book really left a bad taste in my mouth. Yet, I couldn't stop reading and in the end I ended up liking it (3 disturbing stars!), which made me question my sanity and my morals.

Delicate— A book you fell in love with from the first page.

My reputation's never been worse so / You must like me for me

"Almost every night, between nine and ten past, Lainie Graham passionately kissed her ex-boyfriend. She was then gruesomely dead by ten o'clock, stabbed through the neck by a jealous rival." It was love at first page for me when I finally picked up Act Like It by Lucy Parker. Then, I kicked myself in the patootie for not picking it up sooner.

Look What You Made Me Do— A character that rose up from the dead. (Figuratively. Like they came back 2.0)

But I got smarter / I got harder in the nick of time / Honey, I rose up from the dead / I do it all the time / 

"Look What You Made Me Do" is my least favorite song on the album. It's the only song I skip over every time. The character who rose up from the dead and came back 2.0 is Juliette from the Shatter Me series. I did not like Juliette in Shatter Me--she was so weak and didn't have much agency. But, by Ignite Me, her character was a complete 180 from book 1, finding the strength within her and finding confidence in herself. I love how she got progressively stronger in each book in the series. I can't wait for Restore Me next year!

So It Goes...— A series that made everything else disappear.

See you in the dark / All eyes on you, my magician / All eyes on us / You make everyone disappear / And cut me into pieces

I binged the entire Diviners series on audiobook during my fall break in October--ONE FREAKIN' WEEK AND 60+ HOURS OF LISTENING GOLD! Each book was about 20+ hours long, and I listened to all three in normal speed because I didn't want to miss anything. I basically locked myself in my room that whole week, popped on my headphones, and everything disappeared and I was transported to the 1920s.

Gorgeous— A character so gorgeous they make you want to sink and drown and die.

You're so gorgeous / I can't say anything to your face / 'Cause look at your face

Jay Harris. I swoon. He's sweet, funny, smart, GORGEOUS, selfless, sexy, and all the wonderful things. He's my newest NA hero fave.

Getaway Car— A book or series you abandoned.

It was the great escape / The prison break / The light of freedom on my face

I read Throne of Glass many years ago and I liked it well enough, but I never picked up book 2 and really have no interest in doing so. My interest in the series also waned over the years of being spoiled of major plot points and all the discussions and rants about it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

King of My Heart— Your OTP.

And all at once / You are the one I have been waiting for / King of my heart, body and soul 

Khalid and Shazi. They are my forever faves. Hollywood better not fuck them up.

Dancing With Our Hands Tied— A character you would stick by through an avalanche.

I, I loved you in spite of / Deep fears that the world would divide us / So baby can we dance / Oh, through an avalanche

I already mentioned Garrett Graham and Jay Harris, so I gotta give a shoutout to my other ultimate fave, Drew Baylor. I would stick by this guy through anything.

Dress— Characters you don't want to be best friends. (wink wink)

Say my name and everything just stops / I don't want you like a best friend / Only bought this dress / So you can take it off / Take it off / Carve your name into my bedpost / 'Cause I don't want you like a best friend

"Dress" is hands down my favorite song on the album. And it's basically the theme song to every swoon-y romance I've read. Gray and Ivy's story is the epitome of a friends-to-lovers romance. These two were soulmates right from the start, but they took a while to actually get together and I didn't want them to just be best friends. **swoon**

This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things— a book you physically ripped or damaged.

This is why we can't have nice things / Darling / Because you break them / I had to take them away

I sometimes snack while I read and my favorite snacks to eat are cheeseballs and Cheetos so often I stain the pages of my book with my cheesy fingers. The latest victim is my copy of Moxie (amazing book, btw--my review).

Call It What You Want— A book you finally finished this year.

Nobody's heard from me for months / I'm doing better than I ever was

I bought Pucked back in 2015 when it first came out, and I finally got around to read it this year. Yay me! It's a fun read overall, but some of the beaver jokes were kind of trying too hard.

New Year's Day— A book-related memory you will always hold on to.

Hold on to the memories / They will hold on to you

I'll always credit my brother for helping me discover the Harry Potter series when I was in the 8th grade. He was in the 5th grade and his school had this reading program where every month, they get to choose a free book. He picked Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and it just sat in our living room for months until I picked it up and started reading it and became OBSESSED. The first three books were already out then so I marathoned them. Then, the next 7 years (until my junior year of college) were just cycles of rereading the published books, waiting for the next book to come out, binge reading it, and rereading the series all over again until the next new one. I'll always cherish the years my life was ruled by the next publication of a new Harry Potter book. They were glorious.

That's the Reputation Book Tag. If you're as obsessed with the songs as I am, I tag you to also do this tag and let me know so I can see the books you picked.

Happy reading,
Michelle