Thanksgiving Book Tag

I’ve seen this on a few blogs, but it was on Bookstooge’s Reviews on the Road that I decided to do it myself. I don’t know where this originated, so I can’t credit them.

I really tried not to let recency bias rear its ugly head on these responses, but I ended up listing two books I read this year. Whoops.

1. Bread- What book is purely fluff, and has no real plot line?

I’m left scratching my head here–what doesn’t have a plotline?

Love by Roddy Doyle

There’s a plot here, but it’s slight–and covered under layers and layers of clever dialogue. (none of which is a criticism, it worked wonderfully)

2. Turkey- What book made you want to fall asleep?

Zorro by Isabelle Allende

It is Zorro–the swashbuckling, womanizing, swordsman who’s a proto-Batman figure. How do you make him dull? I still don’t know how you do it, but Isabelle Allende must, because she nailed it. The only reason I finished this was because I had to see if it ever got exciting. According to my logs, I read this in 2010–but at the time, I felt like I spent more than a decade reading it. So, I guess I might still be reading it.

3. Gravy- What book makes the whole series worth reading?

I’m struggling to answer this one–it seems to suggest that the others aren’t up to snuff, or aren’t even worth the time, “but this one book…” I’m sure there are some, but I can’t think of any. I’m tempted to say Red Dragon or The Silence of the Lambs are so good that it makes Hannibal worth it–but it’s easier to just skip the others.

I guess…

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

I have problems with The Wise Man’s Fear. And, sure, I’d love to read The Doors of Stone. But you know what? I loved The Name of the Wind enough that I can live with what ever’s lacking in the others (including, but not limited to, not being published).

4. Stuffing- What book is stuffed full of action scenes?

A Wanted Man by Rob Parker

The first Ben Bracken novel is as non-stop as you could ask for. Pound-for-pound there’s more action in this book than any other I can remember. Sure, Parker can go whole paragraphs without much in the way of action–but he doesn’t do that often here.

5. Mashed Potatoes- What book looked good, and then wasn’t?

Behind Her Eyes by Sara Pinbrough

A Killer hook. A lot of hype. Some compelling writing. And an ending that made me want to hurl it across the room and into a shredder. It was a library book, however, so I really couldn’t indulge the impulse.

Also…really? l;ike Bookstooge said, what’s up with this slander against Mashed Potatoes? (not just saying this as a reflexive defense of the crop Idaho’s best known for)

6. Cranberries- What book has the sweetest romance?

Not Famous by Matthew Hanover

The first romance that jumped to mind was Nick and Alli from Hanover’s first book. (sure, most of the sweetness came from Alli, but Nick’s not bad, either).

I’m not convinced that cranberries are really all that “sweet,” however. Tart? Sour? Sure. Sweet? Eh, only with anough sugar added. Unlike everything Hanover’s written.

7. Corn- What’s the corniest book you’ve ever read?

The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists
by Gideon Defoe

This is just a ridiculous novel–I laughed a lot. I cringed a lot, too. It was a delightful batch of corny silliness.

8. Green beans- What book is too long and needs to be shortened?

Lethal White by Robert Galbraith

Part of the reason that I haven’t jumped on Troubled Blood is that this one was just too long. At the time (or since), I couldn’t figure out what needed to be cut, but something sure needed to.

Unlike any green bean dish I’ve ever had, however, I enjoyed Lethal White in the end.

9. Pumpkin Pie- What book do you read to get out of a reading slump?

Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin by Rex Stout

It’s been a while–a very long while–since I’ve been in a slump. But I could always count on some of my favorite Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin novels. They’re pure comfort food–tasty and sweet.

10. Dog/Cat- What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food that you would steal from the table?

This varies a lot from year to year, but more often than not, I’d say stuffing.

(image borrowed from Happy Life Blogspot)

As usual, I’m not tagging anyone in this—but I’d like to see what you all have to come up with.