While quarantine isn’t all that fun, it apparently has made us get to tags more quickly! You’ve heard us say again and again how busy we are with finals, and we’ve been using blogging as a fun way to relax whenever we need a break from staring at equations for hours. Thankfully, Ellyn tagged us in this really fun tag she created, and we immediately jumped on it because the questions were so perfect for our reality right now!
- Thank the person who nominated you
- Answer all the questions down below
- Pingback to the creator: Ellyn @ Allonsythornraxx
- Nominate 5+ bloggers you’d like to know more about, to do this tag
1) What are you currently reading?
Malka:
I’m actually reading two books at the moment and enjoying them both! Dear Edward was the pick for the book club Chana and I started months ago (in February) and I’m only getting to it now. So far it’s been amazing and I keep thinking about it whenever I’m not reading it. I got an e-ARC of The Boyfriend Project, and so I’m reading it now so that I can hopefully have a review up at the end of the month. For full disclosure, I haven’t been able to read well on my Kindle (probably from stress) and so Chana was kind enough to use a credit from Book of the Month, to get me one of their early release physical copies. So I’m actually reading the physical book!
Chana:
Haha. Nothing! I feel like we talk about school constantly here, but um yeah it’s finals. So I’ve been reading textbooks and class notes.
2) What’s your favorite ‘can’t-leave-the-house’ activity?
Malka:
Let me tell you my least favorite activity first. Studying! I can’t wait for May to be over just so I know that this semester is fully behind me. Finals time is not fun.
I’ve done some baking (by which I mean I baked banana bread once) and I’d love to do some more once I have the time! I really want to make a lemon meringue pie for some reason, so that will probably be my next culinary project!
Chana:
I haven’t had so much time to do it, but I love sitting down and painting/drawing for a little bit. I get to just have fun with it and color and it’s so relaxing! I’ve also been doing my nails about once every two weeks, which I guess is another form of coloring.
This gif has nothing to do with the post but I liked it, so enjoy
3) A book you’ve been meaning to read for forever
Malka:
I’ve been telling Chana that I’m going to read Rich People Problems ever since I borrowed it from her over a year ago. And yet it’s still hanging out with all the other unread books on my shelves. Ooops!
Chana:
The Ask and the Answer. It has been on my currently reading on Goodreads for almost two years now 😭. One day I will finish it! One day! Below you can take a look at my how my shame is eternalized for all to see.
4) An intimidating book on your TBR
Malka:
I honestly had a really difficult time answering this one. I don’t have any particularity large books that are usually what people find intimidating. I’m going to say The Glass Hotel for this one, just because of the expectations I have for it because of how much I enjoyed Station Eleven.
Chana:
The Priory of the Orange Tree! It’s so big and scary. But recently Caitlin @ Caitlin Althea has convinced me to just go for it so I may read it very soon. I even picked it off my TBR cart over the weekend, so, progress!
5) Top 3 priority books on your TBR
Malka:
All three of these books are ARCs in some kind of way. Take a Hint, Dani Brown is the only one of these that hasn’t released yet, and it’s a priority for me so that I can review it on time! Passenger is one of the really, really, super backlist NetGalley books that I never read. I now have a physical copy that I hope to read and review, and keep that ratio up! As for The Gravity of Us, this just released in February. I’d like to read it in the next few months so that it doesn’t become one of my ARCs that I read 45 years after they’ve been released, like Passenger. (Numbers are approximate. I’m becoming an engineer. Rounding up numbers wildly is kinda our thing.)
Chana:
I’m going to be responsible and list the books I’ve been meaning to read for Netgalley reasons. So. Ruthless Gods, Like Nothing Amazing Ever Happened, and The Extraordinaries are the top 3 priority books on my TBR!
6) Recommend a short book
Malka:
Not only is this book short, it’s also in verse, which makes it even shorter! I haven’t talked about this book in a while but it tells the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. If you like Greek mythology and want something to fill your craving until the Percy Jackson remake, you should definitely pick this one up!
Chana:
A short book that I recently read that was fantastic was Pet. It had been on my TBR for a while and I’m really happy that I decided to finally read it!
7) Recommend a long book
Malka:
The Name of the Wind is SUPER long! And the sequel is even longer! So you’ll have plenty of reading material while you’re stuck at home with just these 2 books!
Chana:
I feel like most books in this category are going to be fantasy since fantasy books are notorious for being thic. But I’ve been recommending the same 5 fantasy books over and over again, so to switch things up a bit I’m going to choose a Sci-Fi book! Technically speaking this book is only 346 pages long, so it’s not long. But! Network Effect is the first non-novella of the Murderbot Diaries series. I’m really just using this as an excuse to convince y’all to read this series because it’s so funny and sarcastic. The first four books are all around 136 pages, so itty bitty books, and Network Effect has more than double the pages! Hence, long.
8) Something you’d love to do while stuck at home
Malka:
I really want to start doing yoga more often. I went to classes occasionally before isolation began, and I while I bought myself a yoga mat for this quarantine, I haven’t had a chance to use it because I’ve been too busy with school. So after finals are over I’d love to insert yoga at least once or twice into my weekly routine.
Chana:
There are so many things! There are a bunch of foods I want to try cooking (it’s mostly different types of dumplings, but still), I also would love to read more, and maybe even pick up my violin again? I think I just want to start having hobbies again.
9) What do you plan on reading next?
Malka:
I’m a mood reader, so I honestly have no idea! But my copy of Time of Our Lives arrived a few days ago, and so I’ll hopefully be reading that soon! But it may not be next. We’ll see what happens once I finish my current reads!
Chana:
I have a bunch of books out from Overdrive right now that I’d love to read next! Right now my next read is between A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Into the Drowning Deep, War and Speech, The Library of the Unwritten, or Picture Us in the Light. If you’ve read any of these and have a recommendation of which one I should try first, let me know!
We tag:
Mandy and Sha @ Book Princess Reviews
Sabrina and Vera @ Wordy & Whimsical
What have you been doing while stuck at home? What books are you currently reading? Have you read any of the books we mentioned?
Paper Procrastinators 
Such a fun tag! I’ve been wanting to get into yoga at home for the LONGEST time, but for some reason I just never do. Definitely something I’d like to try soon!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It really was a lot of fun to answer! I’ve never really done yoga at home before either, so it will be an interesting experience for me! But I’ve heard that Yoga With Adriene on YouTube has some great videos specifically for yoga at home, so I plan on trying those out!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You just start with Priory of orange tree, i bet you will forget the size in few pages. I’m doing what I did before lockdown- reading, blogging, cooking, and playing with my kid. Currently reading As Much As I Ever Could by Brandy Woods Snow.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! That’s my plan, everyone says that it’s amazing so I expect to be drawn in as soon as I start, it’s just the fear of starting it 😅 Yayy, it sounds like you’ve been super productive! I definitely want to cook more myself. I hope you enjoy your current read!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh this tag looks fun, though there’s a couple questions I have no idea what i’d answer to them xd (like short & long stories.. I tend to aim for “medium-ish” ahah)
I’ve also been doing some yoga lately! although the program was originally only 3weeks.. im doing it twice a week so erm.. it’s been like a month already xd work had been tedious with 10hrs shifts consecutively so ermm- yeah.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was definitely a lot of fun to answer! To figure out what I should answer for long/short stories, I usually just go to Goodreads and sort my read shelf by page number if nothing comes to mind immediately! Also, long and short are subjective! Basically, if you want to do the tag, don’t let those questions stop you!
Wow! Your work sounds tough! Don’t be too hard on yourself! 10 hour shifts are no joke! As for me, I don’t know if I’m going to be doing a specific program or not yet. I think once I have the time to do yoga I’ll start figuring out what works best for me!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s not as tough as just the fact that we’re walking around all day.. just got myself some new sneakers because boi mines were due for the trash 😂 but in the middle of the lockdown well…
Yeah ! I’ve seen some apps with different types of yoga on it, but I kinda like it best with all kind of stuff on it (yoga/dance/weight/etc) so you can always varsify! But it’s up to you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for tagging me! This was so much fun to read.💖I definitely want to participate, I love how this puts more of a positive spin on being stuck at home, haha!
I want to start doing yoga too! I’ve been doing a lot of online dance classes so I haven’t really thought about doing yoga, but I think it might be a nice way to relax and hopefully there are a lot of free resources on the Internet for doing it. Also, you both mentioned a lot of books on my TBR and this reminded me to get reading, haha! Hope you’re both well xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course! I can’t wait to see your answers! It’s definitely a more positive way of looking at being stuck at home! I know it made me take stock of all the books that I wanted to read, and all the things I want to do now that I’m home all day. And thank you so much! 💕 I’m so glad you had fun reading all our answers!
Yay! A yoga buddy! I’m terrible at doing physical activity. Normally I rely on walking and such, but I don’t really like walking around in a mask, so I tend to stay either inside or in my backyard, which limits my exercise options. While I don’t take any dance classes, I do usually have an impromptu dance party at least once a week, where I just do random exercises while listening to music. I’m not quite sure it can accurately be called dancing, to be honest. But I have issues regulating my breathing, and yoga is the perfect exercise option for someone with that problem! And if you need a resource, I’ve heard that Yoga With Adriene on YouTube has some great videos. That’s who I plan on checking out once I have the time!
And I’m glad that this tag got you in the reading mode!
I hope you’re doing well yourself! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved this tag!! And I loved the gif too! May seem out of place but it’s so colorful and gives off such happy vibes! 🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aaah, thank you!! I saw the gif and it was just so aesthetically pleasing and fun. I also love fruit loop cereal, so it was the perfect gif 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Omg Malka you’re baking! I have also been doing a lot of baking so I hope you enjoy the experience!
I also find Priory and The Glass Hotel intimidating so you’re not alone there!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yup! I’m baking! I used to bake all the time, but since college I really haven’t done any baking at all up until recently, when I made banana bread! I can’t wait to have more time to try out new recipes!
And if you’d like we can buddy read The Glass Hotel in June once my semester is over. That way we both get to tackle an intimidating read!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha, I was baking banaa bread at th start of self-iso too!
Ooh hell yes! I’d love to read The Glass hotel with you!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m happy to hear I wasn’t alone!
And I’m in my last week of finals, so I haven’t even thought about my reading plans for June yet! But I’ll DM you on Insta probably next week, so we can figure out the details! I’m very excited!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Studying occupied a lot of my time as well. I’m relieved finals are over for me! I would also recommend The Name of the Wind (the writing is gorgeous and poetic). The Priory of the Orange Tree is also an intimidating read for me because of the length! I’m currently reading Leviathan Wakes for my book club.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations on being done with finals!! I’m so close to the finish line right now, I can’t wait to be done with this weird semester 😅 Name of the Wind is such a great book, I know it’s a long shot but I really hope that the third book will come out soon. I hope you enjoy your current read!
LikeLike
Thanks so much. Best of wishes with your finals, Chana! Yes! I still have hopes for book three!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great tag! Agh studying what a mood I still have another month 😦 Yay for baking and I say go for it and make that lemon meringue pie haha because that’s always a good idea ❤ I've been meaning to read Rich People Problems forever and also really want to read Time Of Our Lives!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Yeah, studying is not fun. I hope all your exams go well though!
Baking is the best! I can’t wait until I have time to make that lemon meringue pie! Hopefully it will end up really pretty and I can include some pictures of the result on the blog next month!
It’s honestly ridiculous how I haven’t picked up Rich People Problems yet! Hopefully I get to it really soon! And I’m super excited for Time of Our Lives! That writing duo has provided me with wonderful books up until now, and from reviews I’ve seen this book is just as great!
LikeLiked by 1 person
loved this tag! will definitely have to give it a go now I’m back blogging more. I always get these random bursts of energy to blog so I’m excited to get some posts written!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yayyy! I can’t wait to see your answers! I’m the same way. Sometimes I have ALL the energy to write posts and blog hop and sometimes it just all goes away 😅😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooh, this tag looks soooo fun. Thanks for tagging Mandy and I, can’t wait to get into it. I loved your answers. If I had Chana’s “What Do You Plan on Reading Next” books on my physical bookshelf, I would be in reading *bliss*. Definitely want to get my hands on War and Speech and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
At the beginning of lockdown I was cooking and baking almost daily, but I’ve lost a lot of motivation so now I’m kind of puttering around. Hopefully I get back into it soon. x Great post girls!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was so much fun to do! We can’t wait to see your answers 😊 Ooh, I’m so bad with books that I take out from Overdrive. I think it really just helps me realize how fast three weeks can pass. I’ll put loads of books on hold and then they’ll all come in at once and I’ll say, It’s fine! I have time! And then there are only 3 days left on 12 different books 😅 One of my friends has been *raving* about A Good Girls Guide to Murder, so hopefully I’ll have the motivation to start that one before it expires!
Motivation is so hard to find these days, especially with the shelter in and shutdowns getting extended for so long 😪 I hope you get back into the swing of things soon, but also remember that it’s ok to just lay around and do nothing! I feel like there’s been such an upswell in people being uber-productive while stuck at home, and we all need a reminder every now and then that it’s ok not to be writing plays and discovering calculus.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😅 It’s amazing how fast time passes when you’re not watching. I’m looking forwards to your review!! I hope that you enjoy AGGGtM! and that you finish it before the expiration, haha.
Ah, yes, it really is. I can have days where I feel entirely fine with my productivity level–I mean, look at us, we’re running whole blogs! That in itself is a huge amount of productivity, right? But then sometimes I’ll chat with friends and they can be well meaning, but that whole “what are you doing in lockdown” question makes me go… Is it enough? Just shows how we’re trained to always be going! Also… I didn’t realize there was still calculus to be discovered? O:
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eep thank you so so much for tagging me! This is such a fun tag and will definitely do it in the future. 🙂 Best thing about this post was the yoga love, hehe! 😍 I started doing yoga consistently during quarantine and absolutely love it. It’s so calming and meditative and just wonderful! Also, thank you for these lovely book recommendations! Our libraries are starting to open up for curbside service so I’m back in reading business! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course! We’re so excited to see your answers whenever you get around to doing it! 💕
I adore yoga! I really only discovered how great it is a year and a half ago, when one my roommates introduced me to a wonderful yoga studio. I haven’t had the time to be consistent with yoga, but once finals are over, it will be a wonderful way to help all the tension from finals leave my body.
I’m so glad you enjoyed our recommendations! I’m always so happy when people mention that they liked them! ❤
And I’m so jealous that you have a library again! I miss mine so very much! 😭
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, Chana, I’m so happy that I convinced you to go for Priory 🥰 It really is big and scary, and I keep saying this, but the worldbuilding really isn’t that hard to understand. And I think that your reading experience will go way smoother if you don’t pressure yourself to finish the book as quickly as possible, because it really is a long tale. Also, I really, really want to read The Library of the Unwritten, because the concept sounds amazing—excited to know your thoughts on it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aah, I can’t wait to start reading Priory! I think I was intimidated by it before since I usually try to read books that I have physical copies of over the course of one day. But I realized that it makes more sense to just take Priory bit by bit, and not force myself to finish it right away. The Library of the Unwritten sounds so good! I’m really excited to read it 😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
i see picture us in the light on your soon to read list and i am very happy!!! i hope you love it and i can’t wait to see your thoughts on it, chana (and also into the drowning deep! i’ve heard such good things about it) and i just did this tag and used priory of the orange tree for the intimidating prompt as well — it’s so giant but it looks so good 🥺 and good luck with trying out yoga, malka! i tried to be more physically active and it worked for about two weeks when i did an exercise program, but now i’ve gone back to being lazy 😭 loved reading this post!! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yesss, it looks so good, I put it on hold at the library right after I read your 20 Books by AOC post! Priory is just sooo intimidating. It looks like a beautiful brick and I can’t wait to read it, but it has taken me months to work up the nerve 😅 I fully support being lazy right now! Malka’s trying out yoga while I’m laying around and watching Criminal Minds. Maaaybe sometime over the summer, I’ll try to motivate myself to be active, but it’s incredibly unlikely 😂
LikeLike
AH lemon meringue pie, I’m so hungry right now haha. ❤ I love baking (and eating, not going to lie) and I've been baking a little more lately, too and it's lovely ❤
I'm so happy to see Time of Our Lives here aaaaaaaaaaah I hope you will love love love love it as much as I do ❤ and also curious to hear your thoughts on The Gravity of Us, this book sounds so good 🙂
Happy reading! ❤ ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I used to only love baking, but now I enjoy cooking as well! I can’t wait to do more of both! I’ll probably end up sharing pictures of whatever I make in our wrap ups, as long as it turns out reasonably well!
I actually plan on reading Time of Our Lives this weekend! (Although, don’t hold me to that since I’m a mood reader!) I’m really hoping that I love it as much as you did! 💕 And now that I know you’re interested, I’ll be sure to mention my thoughts on The Gravity of Us in more detail than I would have otherwise!
Thank you! 💗
LikeLike
That’s a really fun tag! And thank you for the book recs too 😉 Network Effect has been piquing my interest ever since I saw it around Twitter for some time. Hopefully I can get to read it soon!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aah, Network Effect was SO good!! I had no idea that there was going to be a continuation of the series so I was really excited when I heard it was coming out. It definitely didn’t disappoint!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ive been baking more recently (: I hope you get more time to soon. And I honestly thought that the second answer was going to be eating cereal because or the gif 😂 I love colouring though.
Omg that’s a lot of options for a next read!! I hope you enjoyed whatever one you picked.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love hearing about everyone baking more often now! Is there anything you’ve baked recently that you especially like? Hahahha, honestly I should really put eating cereal down as a hobby, I definitely wish I did more of it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve kind of got into making scones tbh. I did make an awesome white chocolate and rasoberry cheesecake the other week though. 😂 It is something that you randomly crave sometimes.
LikeLiked by 1 person