The Evermore Book Tag / sobbing at two of my favourite things

There are no words to describe what I felt when Taylor Swift was trending on YouTube right after evermore released.

I’m still in shock, honestly, how Taylor Swift blessed us with TWO surprise albums this year?? Just like when folklore was released, I settled down with my earbuds in a cozy chair, closed my eyes, and listened to the entire album for the first time. Ever since my first listen nearly two weeks ago the entire album has been on repeat, and I am sure it will be for an undetermined amount of time ahead haha :)) I am… absolutely in love with this album and everything Taylor has done and is doing. 

Thus, you can only imagine how elated I was when I saw that Rhi @ Marshmallow Harmonies  – one of my favourites on the blogosphere – created “The Evermore Book Tag”! Can we take a moment to admire and appreciate the ART for the graphics that Rhi made?? Don’t worry, I’ll wait because I have not recovered from how stunning everything is (everyone go give her some love). I loved how Rhi perfectly encapsulates the vibe of the album with the graphics she created for each song.

Without further ado, let’s fangirl, sob, and scream about evermore and books together because… is that not what life was meant to be?!

RULES

• Link to the original creator and her post: Rhi from marshmallow harmonies
• Tag at least 3 people.
• Declare the rules and list of prompts in your post (copy paste is fine!)
• Thank whoever who tagged you and link to their post.
• Pingback to original post so they’re all in one place to read ❤

Since Rhi added a line from the lyrics of each song on her original post, I’ll include them as well here because of how perfectly it fits with the blurbs in each graphic! However, I think it will be fun to include a quote from some of the books that falls under a similar “vibe” haha (what have I become). It will probably… take more time than I am anticipating…

edit: future Aria says yes. It did.

i’m begging for you to take my hand / wreck my plans, that’s my man

There’s so much love and support in Full Disclosure between Simone and Miles!! I loved how it felt like a genuine young romance and they both were honest about how they feel for each other. Even though the writing style is personally not my cup of tea, Camryn Garrett wholesomely illustrates all of the relationships (including platonic!) and captures what love looks like. 

Another quick mention is Ayla and Crier from Crier’s War duology aka my two loves. The slowburn romance is IT and they are both so so *beautiful and strong!! The passion, determination, and yearning between them… enemies to lovers done well *chef’s kiss*

“If longing is madness, then none of us are sane.”

*can anyone tell I’m seriously fangirling

because I dropped your hand while dancing / left you out there standing / crestfallen on the landing / champagne problems

I read Delirium a few years ago and decided to reread it again for the sake of it this year and oh MY. Lena and Alex felt extremely unnecessary to the inconsistent plot . There doesn’t seem to be any plausible reason for their attraction to one another except they both oppose the”treatment”. If they were friends instead then I would probably have entirely different views about the book overall. 

but i don’t like a gold rush, gold rush / i don’t like anticipatin’ my face in a red flush

Oh my goddess when will I ever shut up about my love for Darius the Great is Not Okay because I am too, clearly NOT okay!! It is such a beautiful story of a boy learning about his complete self. Not only was there so much character growth, we experienced every emotion he felt alongside him. Darius being in touch and exploring his Persian identity and culture was something I could resonate with on a personal level, it brought me to tears (something that rarely happens) to see how he was gradually learning to be at peace with himself.  

“Everyone wants you here. We have a saying in Farsi. It translates ‘your place was empty.’ We say it when we miss somebody.” I sniffed. “Your place was empty before. But this is your family. You belong here.”

so we could call it even / you could call me babe for the weekend

I feel… terrible that P.S. I Still Love You (tatbilb) seems to be the singular book that includes fake dating? And it feels even more awkward to be associating it to the trope that it is well known for? I don’t have much recollection regarding this book (or series in general), but I remember how John was an absolute darling and Peter was trash to Lara Jean. But then “things happen” and it all goes back to the almost-iconic (??) plot of the first book.

i know my love should be celebrated / but you tolerate it

Not afraid to admit that the cover drew me because it is so gold and shinyyyy :))) An Affair of Poisons was a refreshing and fast-paced real historical fiction that revolved around 17th century France and the poisoning murder cases of high profile aristocrats. The worldbuilding was done beautifully and it was an interesting take on a “what could have been”. I really enjoyed the main character and how everything about Mirabelle was so whimsical, elegant, determined and strong. If you’re into the royal-core aesthetic (is that what it’s called?), this just encapsulates its overall vibe. 

“I’d believe her capable of anything when she’s grinning like that. Her smile is dazzling. It could set the world ablaze.”

i think he did it, but i just can’t prove it / no, no body, no crime / but i ain’t lettin’ up until the day i die

Okay the Caraval series was probably the first one in a few years that I was seriously invested into and Finale truly did not leave any loose threads!! I’m pretty sure it took me a while after I finished the book to return back from the (good) mess that concluded when the final page was read. Even though I wasn’t able to love Scarlett more as much as I had wanted to, I remember that the final letter absolutely shattered my heart, mended it, but then destroyed everything again after I realized that there are no more pages left.

“Occasionally, there are minutes that get extra seconds. Moments so precious the universe stretches to make additional room for them.”

there’ll be happiness after you / but there was happiness because of you, too

I need to stop feeling the urge to scream again but I need to now because we’re talking about You Asked for Perfect. Ariel, my son, is exactly like a cozy sweatshirt or the aroma from a loaf that just came out of the oven. Everything on the page about Ariel seemed to be exactly… me; reading about Ariel and his journey felt like staring into a mirror. My heart hurted so much for him, but ended up cheering with him in the end. His character arc was a beautiful and raw reminder for me how far I have come already.  

and damn, dorothea, they all wanna be ya / but are you still the same soul i met under the bleachers

At this point, this post is just essentially me being a fangirling mess. They Both Die at the End has such pure and wholesome friendship groups, whether it’s The Plutos, Mateo and Lidia, or even most of the book for our two precious boys *wink*. I love how Silvera keeps on reinforcing the definition of “family” and the importance of having meaningful friendships in our lives. Don’t get me started on Lidia because I will CRY. I think it’s important to note that even though the book talks a lot about death (given the world they live in), ironically it is exactly opposite of what its theme is. Instead, it’s about the beautiful fragility and preciousness of life itself.  

“You may be born into a family, but you walk into friendships. Some you’ll discover you should put behind you. Others are worth every risk.”

the mischief, the gift-wrapped suburban dreams / sorry for not winning you an arcade ring

Okay so I got two and the indecisive me can not decide. Of course, how can I not mention The Young Elites by Marie Lu? It was the first work of hers that I read and I was absolutely blown away by the intricacy and descriptiveness of the writing. It truly lived up to the hype which I am so so glad for. The other one would be The Rain Came by Grace Ogot – a short story I read for English haha. The short few pages showcase her imaginative world-building ability and proves that telling a story full circle does not equate its length. 

i can’t stop you putting roots in my dreamland / my house of stone, your ivy grows / and now i‘m covered

The Beauty that Remains could technically also fit under the marjorie prompt, but hard choices could define so many different things for everyone. In this case, I think the stories of Autumn, Shay, and Logan suits well. Redefining something that used to bring them together but eventually shattered everything was heartbreaking yet uplifting in a sense. It’s so important to talk about grief for everyone because it is part of life. I loved how the three povs showed different ways they dealt with losses. All in all, a beautiful story that needs to be reread in the near future.

“Everything is different without you here. Especially me. But I’m starting to think that maybe that’s okay.”

and the skeletons in both our closets / plotted hard to mess this up

Ahaha I will mention the series again later but Spin the Dawn (as in the first book) is a must only because I want to see the SCISSORS. The beautiful magical scissors that sew perfectly for you – honey I need this is my life as of two years ago. I also need to see and bow to the three dresses in all their glory. This is totally not because of the notions and fabric that were mentioned in the book…. 

no more keepin’ score / now i just keep you warm

I have no idea why I enjoyed The Problem With Forever so much… but I did?? Every time I see the book cover I just melt into a puddle of emotions and it is somewhat concerning. Mallory and Rider’s stories are so beautiful, both individually and… eventually together. The entire process of getting through the book is constantly switching between sobbing and swooning like WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO FEEL.

“Forever was something we all took for granted, but the problem with forever was that it really didn’t exist.” 

all your closets of backlogged dreams / and how you left them all to me

Summer Bird Blue was such a raw, honest, and beautiful story about family, relationships, loss, and grief. It’s a topic that hits close to home for me – even though it was already heartwrenching when I read it around a year ago, I don’t know if I will be able to reread it again now haha. Seeing Rumi go through the loss of her sister and learning how to live life without her was so meaningful. It is extremely difficult to go through the loss of a loved one. However, they really don’t leave you as a person because of the time and memories you shared with them. Things like that… they will forever be alive in your mind.

yes, i got your letter / yes, i’m doing better / i know that it’s over / i don’t need your closure

Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk will forever be ingrained into my soul for so many reasons. I am absolutely in love with the way Elizabeth Lim writes and the world she created within this duology. Even though there were some conflicting reactions for me about how it all ended, I would have loved to read more if this series continued! It was an unforgettable and whimsical experience, especially how I was able to relate to the fashion design element haha! 

“We were like the sun and the moon, sharing the same stars and the same sky.”

i had a feeling so peculiar / that this pain would be for / evermore

Crooked Kingdom. Do I need to say more about the ENDING I WANT TO START CRYING AGAIN.

“I would have come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we’d fight our way out together-knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.”

nominations: anyone who wants to do this tag! This tag was so much fun to do, and I hope that I can share it with whomever interested! Be sure to give love to Rhi as well – thank you so much for creating this tag, and thanks for letting me do this one! I so so loved it.

Right away after evermore was released, I thought of olivia @ purely olivia <33 (no pressure at all, my friend!)

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what song from evermore is on repeat right now for you? (if it’s the entire album, I completely understand 😉) any cozy reads this winter? let’s cry about the taylor swift and books together!!