Hope you’re all having a lovely Friday! Today I’m here with the Totally Should’ve Book Tag, which I was tagged for by Norees @ Nor Reads Too Great. This tag was created by EmmmaBooks. I’ve done this tag once before, but I always like repeating tags because it’s interesting to see how my answers change (if you’d like, you can check out my first version of this tag here). Without further ado, let’s get to it!
Totally should’ve gotten a sequel
I would love to know what happens to Ifemelu next in Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I feel like there’s so much of her story left to tell, especially since the novel doesn’t leave off on a particularly conclusive note. And this book was so popular that I feel like she would definitely have an audience for it… just saying! (*hopes that somehow Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is listening*)
Totally should’ve had a spin-off series
I would gobble up a spin-off series based on one of the side characters in Maggie Stiefvaters Raven Cycle. Can you imagine a series based on Gansey? Or Ronan? Or Noah? Or any of Blue’s family members? Or even someone else living in the same town experiencing similar fantastical things? I would even take a series of novellas about different characters… honestly, these are golden ideas here!
An author who should totally write more books
I adore both of Mindy’s Kalings books (Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) and Why Not Me?) and have been (im)patiently waiting for her to write more. I love reading personal essays/memoirs like these, especially when they’re written with the humor, wit, genuineness, and eloquence of Mindy Kaling’s writing style.
Totally should’ve ended differently
Although I thought Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel was excellent, I thought it would have gone in a very different direction than it did. I’m not necessarily saying that it needed to end differently, but it would be interesting to see what the novel could have been like had she taken another path with it. (Really, I would have liked more answers. I just want closure!)
Totally should’ve had a movie franchise
Honestly, Sarah Dessen deserves a movie franchise more than any other author I know. She’s written so many novels that could have been turned into teenage rom-coms by now!! Why hasn’t anyone picked these up? Why has all the glory gone to Nicholas Sparks, or even John Green? (Although don’t get me wrong, I love a good John Green book/movie.) This may be the greatest wonder of the world.
Totally should’ve had a TV series
Rather than be a four hour film, I feel like Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell might be better suited to being a TV series. Imagine all the details that could be expanded upon in a TV series! They could include all the little events of this 1057 page tome and have plenty of time for fully explained character development. And think of the time they could spend showing the setting! Ah, this would be such a good television series…
Totally should’ve only had one point of view
Although I really admire Yvonne Vera’s novel The Stone Virgins for its striking, powerful look at violence in Zimbabwean society before, during, and after the war for independence, the alternating perspectives between the victim and the rapist/murderer are very, very, very unsettling. I understand that the novel wouldn’t have the same hard-hitting impact without it, but having to read and write about this book over and over and over again was pretty challenging emotionally.
Totally should’ve had a cover change
I love a good random Faulkner novel, but I feel like there are very few pretty editions of his books. Are cover designers trying to match the often somber, dark tone of his novels? Or have they just given up because they figure Faulkner novels are dull classics that aren’t really worth spicing up with a pleasant cover design? (I beg to differ!) All I’m saying is that we Faulkner fans would greatly appreciate a little bit of pizazz when it comes to his cover designs (or some attractive font at the very least).
Totally should’ve kept the original covers
I’m going with Sarah Dessen again for this one (maybe because summer always nostalgically reminds me of Sarah Dessen?). I grew up with the older covers, the ones with the girls without heads, and now whenever I see these new covers I’m so confused. Although I admit that these may be more aesthetically pleasing to look at, I can’t help but miss the old ones!
Totally should’ve stopped at one book
I’m pretty sure this was my answer for this prompt when I did this tag the first time, and if so I wholeheartedly stand by it: I just saw no reason that Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games had to be a trilogy that seemed to drag and repeat itself. Personally, I feel like The Hunger Games would have been perfectly fine as a longer novel, or at the very least a duology.
There you have it! Thanks again to Norees for tagging me! To pass along the fun, I’d like to tag Christine @ Life with All the Books, Jenna @ Bookmark Your Thoughts, and Emma @ Daylight Awaits–and anyone else who would like to do this tag!
What are your answers to these prompts? What do you think of mine? Let me know in the comments section below!
Yours,
HOLLY
Nut Free Nerd 
Great post and thanks for the tag! I think I heard that The Raven Cycle is getting a spin off with Ronan? I never finished the series, but Inside My Library Mind mentioned it (I think).
I actually really enjoyed all three books of The Hunger Games, but it’s neat to see someone thinking it should’ve ended at book one! I think I would’ve been disappointed because I would’ve wanted to see more about the uprising and fighting for rights, and I loved in Catching Fire seeing all the other districts. Again, neat thought though!
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Oooh that’s so exciting that it’s actually getting a spin off! I’ll have to keep my eyes peeled 🙂
Yeah I think to me Catching Fire just felt like an expanded repeat of the Hunger Games–maybe I would have even preferred a duology with Hunger Games and Mockingjay? But seeing the other districts was really interesting! 🙂
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Great answers for this tag!
Yeah, there is going to be a Raven Boys spinoff. They are passing out samplers at BookExpo this year and the first book will be out in November. The first book is called Call Down the Hawk, and it will be a trilogy following Ronan.
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Thanks! OMG that’s so exciting!!! I’m behind on a lot of bookish news, so that’s music to my ears 🙂
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Haha, well I’m glad to be the bearer of good news on the spin-off. Perhaps it will motivate me to finish the Raven Boys Quartet, because I’ve only read the first one.
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Oooh yes!! The rest of the series is so good too!
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Yeah, I own them all; I just need to read them, which at this point means rereading The Raven Boys because it’s been a few years. I still continually hear great things about the series, which only makes me want to get back to them more.
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They’re so good–definitely worth a reread! Hope you enjoy them whenever you get around to reading them 🙂
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Me too!
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Wait–do you not know about Maggie Stiefvater’s Dreamer trilogy that’s coming out that’s about Ronan? The first book, Call Down the Hawk, comes out in November!
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So everyone has been saying! That’s so exciting!! 🙂 I’ve been locked in a vortex of school for a year, so I’m pretty behind on bookish news haha
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there are few things i missed in my weird hiatus more than your spot-on answers to tags. YES to more Mindy Kaling, YES to more Raven Boys (thank god it’s happening), YES to Sarah Dessen movies.
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hahaha awww thank you!!! ❤ Omg I know right?! And I saw on her instagram the other day that apparently Mindy Kaling IS writing a new book of essays?!?! SO EXCITED.
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NO WAY OMG YOU BRINGER OF GREAT NEWS
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YES! Gone with the Wind should absolutely be a TV series. I love the old movies, but would love to see the story in more details. Maybe we can pitch this idea to Netflix or HBO?? 🙂
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Haha YES absolutely, let’s pitch it! 🙂 Glad you agree!
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Thanks for the tag! I love your answers – I was just thinking last week that Mindy Kaling should write another book and then I found out a couple of days ago that she has a new one coming out next year so yay! 💛❤️💙
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SO EXCITED. Mindy Kaling is a QUEEN ❤
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Great post! I loved the first book in the Raven trilogy but I was so disappointed with the other two books. I’d be happy to read something with Blue’s mom as the MC!
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Oooh a book with Blue’s mom as the MC would be so great! I feel like that’s one gap in info that never really gets answered–I would love to learn more about her life
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Okay, don’t judge me for what I’m about to say, but if I told you I haven’t read any one of these yet (go on, you can say a “you’ve got to be kidding me” out loud :P), but which one out of these, would you recommend for me to read first?? ^_^
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Oooh a tricky question!! Maybe Mindy Kaling’s books? They’re pretty easy to fly through provide plenty to think about!
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Sold!! I’ll be sure to check them out! Thank you! 🙂
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Awesome answers! Don’t know if you know, but I actually saw the other day that three sarah dessen movies have been picked up by Netflix to be made into movies!! 😀 And I’d love a spinoff of the raven boys!
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OMG!! ALL MY WISHES ARE COMING TRUE!! 😀 That’s so exciting!!!
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I know right!! I’m so excited! Netflix have been doing really well with ya adaptations as well 😊
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