The “Do I Have That Book?” Challenge
This blog was written by a humanHi readers and writerly friends!
This week in Reader Life, I decided I’d take it back a few years to the “Do I Have That Book?” challenge and try it for myself. I didn’t really use social media and I sure as heck didn’t have this blog when the challenge took the bookish community by storm but I’m not missing out, even now!
Do you have a book with deckled edges?
I do! My first run-in with deckled edges consisted mostly of confusion because I thought it was just some overlooked print error, but no! They come like that! Now, I have a tender appreciation for the quaint, uneven edges.
The book I chose for this question is my hardback copy of Tell Me One Thing, by Deena Goldstone, a book that caught my eye in Dollar Tree with it’s unravelling orange on it’s front cover and charming deckled edges.
A photo of Tell Me One Thing, by Deena Goldstone against a black backdrop. Photo by Payton Hayes.
A photo of the World of Warcraft Mage graphic novel against a black backdrop. Photo by Payton Hayes.
Do you have a book with three or more people on the cover?
Yes! This one was actually pretty tricky to find a book on my shelf with 3 or more people on the cover. At first I wondered, do statues count? And decided no—no they don’t. Then I wondered, do reflections count? And also decided no. Finally, I found a book with three characters on the cover—Mage, a World of Warcraft graphic novel written by Richard A Knaack and illustrated by Ryo Kawakami—which had two spellcasters and two dragons on the cover. I wondered, do dragons count? And decided yes—yes they do, because in the Warcraft universe, dragons have humanoid forms as well.
A photo of the two books in the White Rabbit Chronicles by Gena Showalter against a black backdrop. Photo by Payton Hayes.
Do you have a book based on another fictional story?
I do! Well, technically I don’t own them, but I’m borrowing the White Rabbit Chronicles by Gena Showalter from my good friend Gary. It’s inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll. It totally counts!
Do you have a book with a title 10 letters long?
I actually had to count titles for this one, how fun! As it turns out, Shadowland by Alyson Noël fits this criterion! Shadowland is exactly 10 letters long!
Do you have a book with a title that starts and ends with the same letter?
Hmm. Let me check. Nope! Not a single one! I tried to think of any I’d read that started and ended with the same letter and still nothing. The closest I got were The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and The Slayer Chronicles by Heather Brewer coming up short only because of the articles in their titles.
A photo of my old bookshelf filled with books, trophies, and trinkets. Photo by Payton Hayes.
Do you have a mass market paperback book?
Do I ever? Absolutely. Most of my books are mass market paperbacks!
Do you have a book written by an author using a pen name?
Does the Angel Trilogy by L.A. Weatherly count? Technically her first name is Lee, but she publishes under L.A.
Do you have a book with a character’s name in the title?
I do! The entire Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson. All the books have a character’s, name in the title—Maximum Ride in the first, second, third, eighth and ninth books, Max in the fifth book, Fang in the sixth book, and Angel in the seventh book—except The Final Warning, which contains no name in it’s title. Man, why did it have to break the pattern?
Do you have a book with two maps in it?
Yep! The Mooncallers series by Leda C. Muir has at least three maps in each book!
Do you have a book that was turned into a TV show?
I have the City of Bones by Cassandra Clare which the rest of the series was not only turned into the movie, The Mortal Instruments, but also the Shadowhunters tv drama series.
Do you have a book written by someone who was originally famous for something else? i.e. celebrity, athlete, politician, TV personality, etc.
Yes, I have Channel Kindness: Stories of Kindness and Community by Lady Gaga, and both of Amy Landino’s books, Vlog Like A Boss and Good Morning Good Life! (Check out my GMGL book review here!) I used to have an autobiography written by Jennifer Lopez but I donated it to the Midwest City library a few years ago.
Do you have a book with a clock on the cover?
Nope! I have one with gears on it which is giving me some very steampunk vibes, but no clocks.
Do you have a poetry book?
Oooh, I’ve got this one! I have two poetry collections from the Poetry Foundation, four consecutive years of Pegasus from Rose State College (2016-2020—all of which I’m published in!) Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur (If we can really call that a collection of poetry).
Do you have a book with an award stamp on it?
I have a couple actually. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, for one. Looking for Alaska by John Green, for two. I’m sure there are more but I cannot remember them all. (Check out my Station Eleven book review here!)
Do you have a book written by an author with the same initials as you?
P.H.? Nope.
Do you have a book of short stories?
Yes! I have a paperback copy of Kiss Me Deadly, a collection of 13 paranormal romance short stories from authors such as Diana Peterfreund, Becca Fitzpatrick, Maggie Stiefvater, and Michelle Zink, to name a few.
Do you have a book that is between 500 and 510 pages long?
Do I?
Do you have a book that was turned into a movie?
Yes, I have a ton of books that were adapted into films. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, Maximum Ride by James Patterson (possibly the worst adaptation ever), The World of Warcraft novels and graphic novels, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, The Great Gatsby by Scott F. Fitzgerald, Dracula by Bram Stoker, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien (definitely the best adaptation ever), Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, and Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Ulysses by James Joyce, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Atonement by Ian McEwan, and Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier.
As you can tell, most of my books that have been adapted for the screen are classics!
Do you have a graphic novel?
I do! Do comics count? I have various World of Warcraft comics and the first installment of the Haunted Youth comic, by Alister Dippner. I also have some stellar World of Warcraft graphic novels and some Maximum Ride graphic novels. Beyond that, the only other novels I own, that have any artwork are my many fantasy novels with their maps, the Dragonriders of Bresal by Salamanda Drake, which has illustrations scattered throughout the duology, and the Mooncallers series by Leda C. Muir which has intricately drawn chapter headers.
A photo of the upper shelves of my bookcase brimming with YA fantasy books, figurines, crystals and more. Photo by Payton Hayes.
Do you have a book written by two or more authors?
Yes—The House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast, Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings.
And that’s it for my take on the “Do I Have That Book?” challenge! This was actually a really fun challenge! I had a lot of fun looking over my shelf and trying to answer the questions! I wish I could have said yes to all of them, but that just goes to show—I need more books! Let’s start a discussion below! What is your favorite book-to-film-adaptation? Which one is your least favorite? Do you have/enjoy reading graphic novels?
Bibliography
Pixabay. “Books in Black Wooden Book Shelf”(Thumbnail photo). Pexels photo, uploaded on August 29, 2016. Accessed December 25, 2020.Hayes, Payton. “A photo of Tell Me One Thing, by Deena Goldstone.” December 25, 2020.Hayes, Payton. “A photo of the World of Warcraft Mage graphic novel against a black backdrop.” December 25, 2020.Hayes, Payton. “A photo of the two books in the White Rabbit Chronicles by Gena Showalter against a black backdrop.” December 25, 2020.Hayes, Payton. “A photo of my old bookshelf filled with books, trophies, and trinkets.” December 25, 2020.Hayes, Payton. “A photo of the upper shelves of my bookcase brimming with YA fantasy books, figurines, crystals and more.” December 25, 2020.
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Before You Go
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This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.
3 Bookish Things Tag
The Hush, Hush Saga, Black Ice, and Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick. Photo by Payton Hayes.
I didn’t come up with this and in fact, found it first on Instagram and then saw it on another bookish blog! It’s the perfect tag for those of use who love the perfect aesthetic of things that come in threes! (Or for those of us who can’t count very high, whichever applies, maybe both.) I’ve got books to read and review, manuscripts to edit, and stories to tell which means three items per category is perfect for me—the editorial do-it-all person that I am. Call me an editorial renaissance woman or jack of all (written word) trades, but all I’m getting at is that I’ve only got a little time to accomplish everything and if you’re the same way, then this tag is awesome for both of us! Let’s get on to the tag, already! Of course, I have some honorable mentions in this list because I just can’t pick favorites, apparently. What can I say? I love them all.
3 Favorite Authors
Richard A. Knaak. Of course, I adore everything he’s done in the World of Warcraft book universe —the game has such a special place in my heart and his incredible, fantasy writing does as well.
J.R.R. Tolkien. I don’t have to read a series more than once to know it will be a favorite. I’ve treasured the Peter Jackson films since I was a little girl and I always knew when I finally sat down and read the novels, I would love them just as much, if not more. 2019 was my first year reading the Lord of The Rings trilogy and while I am still working on it (yes, in 2020) it already is a favorite of mine and will be for years to come.
Becca Fitzpatrick. I love every.single.book. she writes—especially the Hush, Hush saga. Black Ice and Dangerous Lies a VERY close second and third. I just wish she’d write more because I absolutely adore her paranormal romantic thrillers!
The Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson. Photo by Payton Hayes.
Honorable mention: James Patterson. I knew this one would be swapped out for another author eventually, but before I discovered Fitzpatrick, Patterson was my all-time favorite author, with Maximum being my all-time favorite series. I’d read it several times, and while I do still enjoy the series, I don’t again see it being a forever favorite.
Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings. Photo by Payton Hayes.
3 Weirdest Things You’ve Used As a Bookmark
Okay, seriously? An empty Kit-Kat wrapper. Or was it a Hershey’s? I don’t remember. All I know is that the book still smells of chocolate, even though I got zero candy in the pages.
A faux tortoise shell bracelet. Okay, maybe this isn’t an uncommon household item, and well, neither is chocolate, but it’s still a pretty strange bookmark, if you ask me. It was just laying on my desk, and when I needed a bookmark, it seemed a likely contender. Of course, that was until I put the book back and lost the bracelet until I reopened the book and it fell out. Oops!
Receipts. Yes I, like every other stylish, bookish girl out there, go shopping on occasion aaaand I may have a few receipts laying around at any given time. So, I just used one of those! It was likely a Taco Bell receipt though, let’s be real.
You think bookworms use actual bookmarks? Hahaha, you’re clearly joking. Right? I don’t even remember the last time I used a proper bookmark.
3 Series Binged
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. If you read the first part, then you already know what I am going to say. This is my absolute, indisputable, all-time favorite series and I devour it every. single. year. I love this series and it never gets old.
Maximum Ride by James Patterson. Although it’s been a few years since I’ve reread the series, every time I do, I burn through all nine books in about two weeks’ time. The books are so action-packed, and the pacing is so good, I can’t not get stuck in them and neglect my adult responsibilities until I’ve finished the novels and have nothing else to do with my life. It’s the obvious reaction.
Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan. I read this series around the same time I’d discovered Maximum Ride (in early high school) and I blew through them so fast, and somewhat out of order, oops! I hardly remember what happened and in what book. It’s about time to reread this series as well because everything is a sort of Percy-shaped blur.
3 Characters You Love
Patch Cipriano from Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. Duhhh. Tall, dark, brooding, and handsome? Angsty angel of my dreams? Helloooo. of course, he’s my all-time favorite novel character. Truth be told, I wish he was real.
Ares Lavrenthea from Mooncallers by Leda C. Muir. I’m sensing a theme going on here, but I don’t even care. Ares is dragon daddy and honestly one of my favorite book characters. He’s such a dynamic fantasy character and when he’s not sipping tea or smoking roseleaf cigarettes, he’s out on an adventure with Luxea and I love both his personality and their relationship. Besides, his backstory is so good. If you haven’t read this book, you must.
Tom Bombadil from Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien. I absolutely adore this guy. He is such an enigma. Tom’s lighthearted, charismatic, and benign demeanor was so fun to read in the series. I love all of his little songs and dances and I just want to spend a day with him because he’s essentially the Bob Ross of Middle Earth. How can you have a bad day when you’ve got someone like that at your side?
Patch Cipriano from the cover of The Hush, Hush Saga by Becca Fitzpatrick, Tom Bombadil by Hildebrant from J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord of The Rings Trilogy, and Ares Lavrenthea from The Mooncallers series by Leda C. Muir.
3 Unpopular Bookish Opinions
Divergent genuinely did want to like the Divergent series and can fully see why they’ve been so successful. I just wish it was done better. The first chapter seemed promisng, but it sort of went downhill from there and I just couldn’t get into the books.
Bookish Subscription Boxes. I just don’t understand these. Why would I subscribe to a book box subscription when I can just buy books I know I’ll love. And if this blog post has taught you anything, it’s that I definitely don’t need the subscription for the bookmarks. I wouldn’t use them anyway.
The Hunger Games. I had a hard time figuring out this once, primarily because I didn’t even have these books on my shelf anymore! I donated them to the local library last year, and while I am probably going to get some hate for saying this, I can’t say I miss them. I read the first novel, and it was alright, but I just didn’t think it warranted all the hype. I tried to get into the second book and didn’t. When I caved and watched the movies, I realized I probably wasn’t missing out on much. For the record, I am not really a fan of the dystopia genre anyways.
Click here to read more of my unpopular bookish opinions.
3 Popular Bookish Opinions
Hyped books. I love hyped books, just like the rest of us, and I tend to jump on the hype train along with everyone else. Sometimes the books suck, and I’ll be the first to point it out, but most of the time, hyped books are popular for good reason.
Hardcovers are better. In my 7 Unpopular Bookish Opinions blog post, I say I like both hardcovers and paperbacks, but I will concede that the hardbacks are the superior of the two. They’re durable and they stand on their own like strong, intelligent, independent, bookish creatures. The only problem is that they cost more. :/
Spin-off Series. I actually really love spin-offs. They’re awesome! My favorite spin-off is Rick Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus. Spin-offs are a delicate balancing act between overdoing a story and not doing enough to it, but the HoO series is an example of one that does this balancing act well. I think the Harry Potter series has had enough spin-offs though, just let it go, Rowling.
3 Favorite Book Covers
I won’t even pretend to behave here. These are all my favorites. It was so hard to even narrow them down to 14.
Fourteen of my favorite book covers. Collage by Payton Hayes. Cover art credits belong to their respective owners.
Do you see what I did there with the color scheme? Just because I don’t follow the tag rules doesn’t mean my graphic can’t still be pretty. Truthfully though, I do love all of these covers. Another truth? I haven’t read most of these—Gasp!
3 Bookish Goals for 2020
Okay, I already have an entire blog post about this, but I think I’ll put my top three here anyways.
Read 30 books. I truly do want to read 30 books and I think that goal will be easily surpassable this year. I figured out a way to get myself out of reading slumps quickly and I even beat my goal for 2019—23/20 books! I think I am ready to kick it up a notch.
Join an IRL Book club. I know there’s a psychology book club at my school but this might be the year I charter and star up the official book club there, or at least join a club if I can find one. I’ve always wanted to be part of a book club and be around like-minded individuals where we can just nerd out about books and reading.
Review more books. If you’ve been around this blog for any period of time, you can tell my book review section on the book blog is severely lacking. In 2020 not only do I want to read more books, but I want to review them as well. I think thinking critically about novels is important to understanding the bigger picture part of them and not getting completely wrapped up in the little parts of the story.
Click here to read my 20 Bookish Resolutions For 2020 blog post.
And those goals bring me to the end of the 3 Bookish Things Tag! I broke some of the rules, but can you really blame me? I think some of these are almost too hard to pair down to three and to those of you who can do it—I both applaud and envy you. I just have too much bookish love to give to all of my wordy babies. (Shhh, it can be a thing—like fur babies. It’ll catch on, right?)
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and I’d also love it if you did this tag to let me know so I can check out your 3 bookish things!
Bibliography
Thumbnail photo by Marta Dzedyshko.
Further Reading
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Do I Have That Book? Challenge20 Bookish Facts About Me3 Bookish Things Tag5 Unpopular Bookish Opinions10 Times A Book Made Me Hungry10 Times I Was Attacked By the Five Senses While ReadingSee all Bookish Tags and Challenges.
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How to Read More Books10 Tips For Planning Your Reading Challenge (2020)How I Read A Book: My Book Reading RoutineHow I Got Started Reading When I Hated ItSelf Care Tips for BookwormsImmersion Reading: Audiobooks & AmbianceReading Slump Emergency Kit: 15 Surefire Ways To Break Out of a Reading Slump!Check out more of my Bookish Things and Bookworm Life blog posts!
Before You Go
Looking for your next read? I've got you covered. See my Reading Guides, Reading Recommendations and Reading Challenges for ideas about what to read next!Oh, and don't forget to Get Your FREE Story Binder Printables e-Book!
Recent Blog Posts
This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.