I saw that Beth @ Reading Every Night did this tag and I just had to do it too! I love reminiscing about my past reading life, even if I sort of had to make educated guesses for some of these questions!
No. 1: The first book you ever read (or was read to you)
I feel like the first book that I ever read on my own had to be Nancy Drew! I distinctly remember checking Nancy Drew books out of the school library whenever I had the chance. The Hidden Staircase is the one that I remember best and I think that I read it many times.
No. 2: The first book you ever brought with your own money
When I was younger I would not use my own money to buy books! I saved it for going to the movies, clothes, etc. I usually took books out of the school library, received them as gifts, or borrowed them from friends! The first book that I can remember buying with my own money was Twilight!
No. 3: A book you stayed up all night reading
I do not think that I have ever stayed up all night reading a book, but I definitely have stayed up a lot later than I normally would reading Only Human! It is the last book in my favourite series and I just had to know how the story ends. I knew I would not be able to sleep until I finished it, and it was so worth it!
No. 4: What book or series will you never forget
The Lonely Hearts Hotel was the best books that I read last year, and it is a story that I won’t soon forget! The plot, the characters, and the setting are all so memorable! I think the story is very dynamic and the characters are well developed so that makes it hard to forget.
No. 5: A book you frequently think about
There are a lot of books that I still think about, but no book has had quite the same impact on me as Never Let Me Go. I mentioned how haunting this book is in a recent post and so many people commented that they felt exactly the same way. I have no doubt that ten years from now I will still be thinking about Never Let Me Go.
No. 6: A scene that has haunted you for years after reading it
I do not want to say too much because I do not want to spoil The Kite Runner. If you have not read it, I HIGHLY recommend it! There is a scene that takes places in an alley that is both shocking and disturbing. I had such a hard time reading this particular scene.
No. 7: An unforgettable character
Okay Okay I know I talked about Only Human and The Themis Files already, but there is such a unique character in this series that I just had to talk about him! There is an unnamed narrator that is morally grey and you never truly understand his motives. He always keeps the reader at arms length, and that only serves to intrigue you more! I would love to read more books with characters like that!
No. 8: A book that changed your opinion about something
I always thought that SciFi would be boring and ‘too science-y’ but Red Rising proved to me that this is not the case. Red Rising opened up a whole new world of books for me! SciFi has quickly become one of my favourite genres and I have Red Rising and Pierce Brown to that for that!
No. 9: Share another random bookish memory
Growing up my family and I spent every summer at our condo in a little beach town that had a small independent bookstore. I must have been about twelve at the time! I remember asking the shop owner for a recommendation and she showed me The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants. I distinctly recall thinking “Wow that is a dumb title and weird cover” but I trusted her recommendations. I fell in the love with the series and it became a tradition that I would read the next book ever summer.
It was interesting to sit back and think about all of these bookish memories! I tag all of you to do this because I am dying to read your answers!
Your love for The Themis Files definitely makes me reconsider where they’re placed on my TBR list. I’m going to have to move them up! Also, I own Never Let Me Go but haven’t read it yet. Going to have to prioritize that too! Great tag, Kristin! 🙂
Yes I would love to hear your thoughts on The Themis Files!! Ah Never Let Me Go is beyond amazing. Thank you!
Nancy Drew books were my first books too! I was just thinking I should hunt down a complete collection of them. Great choices all around!!
I love the way the complete collection of Nancy Drew looks on a shelf. So nostalgic! Thank you!
I love this tag! It was fun reading all your answers. I can still remember buying Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. That was my first that I remember spending my own money on. The Hidden Staircase is one I remember reading too. I regret not reading more Nancy Drew though. My young readers still enjoy them after all these years. 💖 Awesome job on this!
Harry Potter is the perfect book to first buy on your own! It’s funny how The Hidden Staircase stands out among all of these Nancy Drew books. They really do hold up!
I totally agree about Kite Runner. That scene haunts me too. I had to read that for a college class in my first year, which made it far more shocking after all those years of curated/censored high school reads.
Kite Runner was probably one of the first books I read that really punched me in the gut. It’s an eye opener for sure!
Love this tag!! Gives me all the warm bookish memories!
Yes! It was so fun coming up with these answers!
I decided to participate too! Here’s my link 🙂
https://munchreviews.ca/2018/05/18/unforgettable-bookish-memories-tag/
Awesome! Excited to read your answers!
I never read Never let me go, or Pierce Brown… the kite runner on the other handThe Kite Runner is a book i picked up once, read a few chapters and put it down. There was so much hype around it, it was just not what i thought it would be.
I liked this tag.
Thank you! I could see how Kite Runner is not for everyone. I was not prepared for how emotional is would be.
The Kite Runner smh. An incredible book. But that scene. Oh god, that scene. I cried for days.
Loving all the nostalgia! Really enjoyed this post! <3
I feel like I haven’t reread the Kite Runner partly because of that scene! Thank you!
Same!
Fun tag! I might have to do this one too ☺️
Yes! Can’t wait to see your answers!
Great answers for this tag, and I’m glad you took part in this one because I loved reading your post. 🙂 Even though it wasn’t the first book I brought with my own money I have a really clear memory of buying Twilight, like I can picture everything about that purchase so clearly in my mind because it’s kind of a defining book for me you know?
Also I’m so glad Red Rising was the sci-fi book to change your mind about the genre. It’s an incredible read right? I love the whole series and can’t wait for the next book to be released. 🙂
Thank you! I loved thinking up these answers! Twilight was such a defining moment for all of us! That is why it will always have a special place in my heart. Ah Red Rising is incredible! I still need to finish the series. I have heard that it just gets even better!
That’s all right. I feel like there are different stages for Twilight readers; first we love to death, then we hate it, but not looking back we realise it gave us a lot you know? At least that’s how it is for me. 🙂
That’s exactly how it was for me as well!
I feel the same way about Never Let Me Go! I read it in April and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it!
I have read a lot of books that impacting me but none quite like Never Let Me Go!
Such great books! Love Red Rising! One of the few books that actually made me cry.
I also need to read Never Let Me Go. Got as far as buying a copy of it 😀
I really need to finish the rest of the series! You’re going to really enjoy Never Let Me Go.
Definitely doing this tag. I have alot of memories about books. I haven’t read never let me go yet but hear so much about it. Themis files looks good too, I’ll check it out. I only read the first book in the sisterhood of the travelling pants series and I loved it. Brings back so many memories.
It is a really fun tag! I’m excited to see your answers! I think you’ll love both of those books. The Sisterhood books are so nostalgic for me!
Really great answers- Never Let me go feels like the kind of book you have to think about a little. And kite runner is an amazing book- but I completely get what you mean. And I love your answer for book that changed you- I felt the same way about Red Rising. Love your bookish memory! (and the travelling pants series is wonderful!!)
Thank you! It feels like Red Rising opened up the world of SciFi for a lot of people! It always makes me happy when other people love The Travelling Pants series!
You’re welcome! Totally agree!! Me too!
This tag looks so fun! It’s like a nostalgic throwback, I think I’m going to do it too 😊
Awesome! Can’t wait to see your answers!
Ahh, the old Nancy Drew covers! My mom has every single one at her childhood home, and they have such great memories for me too because I used to read them when I went to my grandma’s house. Great post! 🙂
Aw that is a great memory! So many of us have a connection to Nancy Drew. It is really amazing!