Well, looks like we’re going to keep this book tag magic alive one more week (last week I did my End of Year Book Tag for 2025!). This week we’ve got The Reindeer Book Tag, in which the categories are named after . . . well Santa’s reindeer. Fun!

I originally found this tag over at MyBookWorld24. It seems there may be multiple versions? The latest I could find that was still active was this post.

But you’ll notice the questions don’t quite line up. I think mine are from the other one which doesn’t appear to be live anymore. Rather than rewrite the tag I just used what I had in my notes (aka the old category definitions).

Anyway, enjoy!

Dasher

Implies speed and energy. Recommend a book you read in one sitting?

Already I’m stretching a bit on this one, but I’ll have to go with Martha Wells’ All Systems Red. This novella isn’t the same kind of page-turner as something like Fourth Wing (I challenge anyone to finish that book in one sitting), or a Dean Koontz novel, however it his highly engaging and also . . . not very long.

Very easy to finish on a long drive without even realizing you’re going to, and then rue the long drive home because you didn’t think to request the sequel at the same time and it has something like a three week wait on Libby. Not talking from personal experience or anything.

The first in the Murderbot Diaries, ASR is certainly a very character driven story — although it does have plenty of thrilling action — which stars probably the most relatable cyborg in Science Fiction, one which only does things in order to get back to watching shows.

Who doesn’t feel that DEEPLY in this year of our lord 2025.

Even putting this aside, there are so many aspects of this story which seem to predict our current mode. Reading it (again for the 3rd time) in 2025, I was stunned by how Wells was able to extract the signal from the noise.

All around a great book. Hoping to follow up with the sequels soon as I have a bit of a bet with myself of finishing them before buying myself Apple+ to watch the show. Wish me luck!

Dancer

Conjures images of gracefulness and rhythm. A character you feel is very graceful?

Oooh. It’s been a while since I’ve had the opportunity to preach the Green Bone gospel. It’s also been a LONG while since I’ve read these books, so hopefully my memory isn’t faulty. When it comes to a character that conjures images of gracefulness and rhythm, Kaul Hiloshudon or simply Hilo, just makes the most sense.

Four years ago (wow!), to promote the last novel in the series, Jade Legacy, author Fonda Lee introduces her characters and describes Hilo as:

“. . . the second brother and the middle child of the Kaul family. He starts out as the horn, the leader of the clan’s warriors. Hilo is a formidable, cunning, street fighter and he also has to step into responsibilities that he never anticipated. He is big-hearted, and he’s charismatic. He’s ruthless with the clan’s enemies and he’s also very caring and protective of his family. Hilo was my favorite character to write and one of the things that I’m most proud of in this trilogy is the decades of development of Hilo’s character.”

The man Hilo becomes — a man who by the end of the series will have you weeping — is undeniably incredible, but the Hilo who I feel best matches the “dancer” theme, is the Hilo we meet at the beginning of Jade City. The one Fonda Lee describes as “a formidable, cunning, street fighter”. In this stage of Hilo’s life, he is young, confident, and much to everyone’s chagrin, as good as he thinks he is. He’s slick with two C’s (I don’t think that’s a saying). A smooth operator. Just a fucking badass.

Just the man, though probably not a man you’d want to call a “dancer” to his face.

Prancer

Suggests a lively and spirited action. Recommend a book you feel took you on an adventure?

Of the books I’ve read (relatively) recently, His Majesty’s Dragon feels the most adventure-y. There’s ships, sailing and naval battles (in like the first two chapters), then dragons and the . . . dragon equivalent of naval battles!

Though the most intense scenes of His Majesty’s Dragon take place high above the ocean’s waves, the reader can still feel the salt of its spray as Novik’s MASSIVE dragons are essentially just flying naval ships. Seriously these things are so big that they can fly a crew of twelve and sometimes have like little structures built into the saddles.

And while the kind of Regency era language makes the book feel like it might become a Jane Austen novel at any moment, the wholesome and organic bond which grows between dragon and rider is the stuff of pure fantasy. An adventure through and through!

Vixen

Traditionally denotes a female fox, suggesting cleverness. Recommend a book/character that was cleverly written.

I had a few good options for this one, but I wanted to keep my answers to things I’d already reviewed on the blog.

So Gillian Flynn’s The Grownup takes the prize here. I’m really starting to think that Flynn’s sole purpose in writing (life?) is just to come up with twists we aren’t expecting. Even the first line of this story feels like a twist, and while the twists in The Grownup might not be as gut-punching or soul-wrenching as some of her other work (I am SO close to finishing Gone Girl), anyone who tells you they spotted this ending a mile away is simply lying.

Comet

A celestial body implying brilliance and speed. Recommend a book with a cover that has a light source on it. (mybookworld24 had a book with a lit Xmas tree on it)

If we take this one extremely literally, I think we can go with Mickey7 here. The cover features a man floating through space, and a big planet (which he is possibly falling towards). Some kind of sun or star lights of up the horizon, just peeking out along the curve of the planet outline.

Cupid

The Roman god of love, indicating affection and warmth. Recommend a novel which gave you a loving feeling.

You’d think with all the Romantasy I’ve been reading lately this would be an easy pick, however most of these books feel a bit more lusty to me than love-y.

So, I’ll steer clear of Romantasy for a bit and reminisce about Penric’s Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold. Desdemona and Penric don’t really have the type of relationship that the moniker “cupid” might imply, but they form a kind of bond all the same. Plus there’s humor, and magic, and just an all-around great story.

Donner

Deriving from the Dutch word for “thunder”. Recommend a book you want to read on a rainy day.

Veronica Roth’s When Among Crows and To Clutch a Razor might be good choices for this one. They’re not exactly cozy-rainy-day-reads; they’re actually quite brutal and violent in parts. But I think in order to get the mood right, there’s lots of fog and rain in the book (I guess I’m being literal again!).

Blitzen

The German word for “lightning”, indicative of swift motion. Recommend a short read.

I feel like I’ve been reading a lot of novellas recently, so you’d think I’d maybe go with something on that list but no, I’m gonna be a bit silly and recommend something from The Experiment Publishing‘s ‘Shortest History’ series.

The Shortest History of Music and The Shortest History of the Dinosaurs are the two I’ve finished so far. They’re essentially subject 101 style books and I’ve honestly enjoyed them quite a bit. Although TSHotD is technically not the shortest book about Dinosaurs I’ve read. That would be Kenneth Lacovara’s Why Dinosaurs Matter, also a great choice!

Rudolph

Noted for his glowing red nose that cuts through the fog and darkness like a guiding light. Recommend a red holiday cover that’s pretty to look at.

In my Mid Year Freak Out Book Tag 2025, I mention the Godkiller books as the most beautiful book covers I’ve bought this year, and mostly I still think that’s true, but for the sake of variety (and because I didn’t by it THIS year), I’m going mix it up and choose Tress of the Emerald Sea for this post.

I actually think the cover is a bit plain looking when you see it as an image, but it is beautiful to see in person, and the entire book itself is just a glory to behold. I especially enjoyed the random pieces of artwork placed throughout the book which add to the experience. They seem to be placed just off center from whatever scene they depict, possibly so that when you’re reading you have the chance to imagine the scene for yourself?

In any case, the inserts are simply amazing. Also, color and the beautiful but somewhat alien visuals are kinda this book’s whole aesthetic. And to tie it back to our tag, there’s a whole ocean of red spores with red storms and giant red crystals . . . Shine bright Rudolph. Shine Bright!

Tag You’re It!

Once again, I’ve failed main premise here. If you’re reading this, TAG! You’re it!

What are some books that fit these categories for you? Any other fun tags you’ve seen during 2025?

As always, leave your thoughts in the comments. Looking forward to discussing this post!