So next week I'm going to be seeing my best friend for the second time ever irl, the last time I saw him will be exactly 3 years ago by next weekend. During the time frame that he will be visiting I'll be turning 21, and I have a bookish plan. My friend is the reason I started reading, if I hadn't visited him 3 years ago he never would have been able to drag me to the nearest BAM and get me addicted to these silly little words on paper. Because of this, my plan is during his visit I want to get 21 books before he leaves. I think it would be something fun to do since I have no interest in drinking, and I think 21 books for turning 21 is just so me and I want to be able to remember what I did to celebrate. I know it'll be expensive but I never really go out or spend money on myself so I might as well just go for it.

The only problem is that 21 books is a lot of books, so I need help adding books to a list of ones to look for. I already have a list started with books that have already been on my tbr, but I'm curious to know what you all would recommend. What's your favorite book? Is there a book that you keep thinking about? Is there a book you always recommend to people? Do you know a book that's criminally underrated? What's the last book that made you feel something? I want to know it all. I'm mainly wanting to know the less popular stuff, your personal taste, the hidden gems, but I'll still gladly take popular book recs. All genres, fiction or not. I'll be making another post after my friend leaves on August 12th with all the books I ended up getting.✨️📚

Comments section warning: heaps of spoilers and opinions that may impact your reading experience

Just saw someone on tiktok describe a recent read as a Literary Catfish which is, firstly, HILARIOUS, and secondly, so true!

Has anyone had a book recently that had an enticing or promising cover and then catfished you into a story that was completely different in some way?

I feel like Catfish gives a very negative connotation, but on this post I also welcome Reverse Literary Catfish where it was a boring or abysmal cover and was a GREAT book! (New name suggestions for Reverse Literary Catfish are welcome lol).

I have no idea where the term came from but it made me laugh aloud. Happy reading! 🎣

For those who might not know, the blood supply is at a critical low in both the US and Canada right now. If you've never donated but have thought about trying it out, now's an excellent time! The time you're hooked up is a great chance to read an ebook or listen to an audiobook—Whatever format you can operate with one or fewer hands. I've got my appointment scheduled for Monday, and more likely than not I'll be reading An Unkindness of Ghosts. If I finish that before then, I'll probably start The Spear Cuts through Water instead!

High-stakes adventure or fluffy comfort read—Or both? Neither? What's your pick for a blood donation read?