Portobello Book Blog

It’s my younger daughter’s 21st birthday today so happy birthday to her! I know that there will be bookish presents as she’s a real book lover and avid reader – she’s even studying Scottish Literature at Uni. I thought I’d do a birthday booktag in honour of the day and saw this one on The Bibilophile Girl’s blog. It was originally created by Antonia at Always Books. If I’ve already reviewed the book, if you click on the title it’ll take you to my review.

BIRTHDAY CAKE – a book with a plot that seems cliché but you adore it anyway

I suppose that many romantic fiction books could be said to be cliched. Boy meets girl and we all know where it’s going to end. Well, yes that’s true but the journey makes it all the sweeter to read and it’s not always straightforward. I’m going to choose a favourite from Jaimie Admans for this one: The Little Bookshop of Love Stories

PARTY GUESTS – your most anticipated book release this year

Maggie O’Farrell’s The Marriage Portrait. I love her books and can’t wait to read this one. I’m looking forward to hearing her talk about the book at an event at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival later this month.

BIRTHDAY PRESENTS – a book that surprised you with how much you loved it

Quite often a book group choice surprises me. I remember groaning when my friend chose The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton and then I loved it!

THE HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG – a book that certainly deserved all the hype it got

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a fantastic book. Rather controversially, I think it’s better than Daisy Jones and the Six…

HAPPY MUSIC – a book with some very beautiful and truly memorable quotes

I am more likely to quote from a film than a book which is a shocking admission for a booklover! However, I think that many of Jane Austen’s books have brilliant, witty and wise lines. I’m going to choose Sense & Sensibility, my favourite Austen novel, for this line: “It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.”

GETTING OLDER – a book that you read a long time ago, but you think that you
would appreciate it more if you read it as a more mature reader

This is quite difficult actually. I suppose maybe it would be something I read at school. When you have to study and almost dissect a book it can really put you off! Having said that, I can’t recall not liking many of the books I studied at school or uni. I think I would certainly understand something by George Orwell better now than when I read it as a teen – maybe Animal Farm. I think it’s one of these books you can read and understand on a certain level but as you get older and more familiar with politics, you can read with a deeper understanding.

SWEET BIRTHDAY MEMORIES – a book that kept you incredibly happy
during a sad or demanding period of your life

I’d choose Shari Low’s Another Day in Winter for this one. I was reading it when my late dad was very ill and although it also featured a storyline about an older relative dying, it was such a comforting read. I wouldn’t say it made me incredibly happy but it was the right book to be reading at that time.

So that’s my choices for the Birthday Book Tag. Have you read any of them?
What would you choose for each category? If you fancy taking part,
please tag me so I can read your Birthday Book Tag post too.