Under the Tree Tag: Lucky Money Edition

A long time ago, Morgan @ Morgan Is Reading Again tagged me to do Books Under the Tree tag (thank you!), which was originally created by Jessica and Christeena @ Game of Tomes. But growing up, I’ve never had a tree big enough to put presents under, I thought I’d put a little twist on the Christmas tag and make it about Lunar New Year.

This is the second Lunar New Year that I missed celebrating with my family. The New Year celebration usually lasts a few days and we consider the fifteenth day, Lantern Festival, as the last day of Lunar New Year festival.

1. What book would you like to get using your lucky money this year?

Traditionally, children and young people who haven’t started working full-time will receive red envelopes with lucky money in it on Lunar New Year’s Eve. Grownups will give red envelopes to their parents, too.

This year, I’d love to get (and probably will) Saleem Haddad’s Guapa, a novel about a young gay man in an unnamed Arab country. This book quickly became one I knew I had to read after seeing it on Carolina De Robertis’ list of books she’s teaching at San Francisco State University:

If you don’t know already, De Robertis is my favorite writer and I will read anything they recommend.

2. What is the best book you have ever got during LNY?

Taipei International Book Fair usually takes place in February (back when there was no pandemic), almost always after Lunar New Year. It is my go-to event to get English books as well as board games, and I went almost every year since I was a kid.

When I was in elementary school, I believe, my mom got me The Chronicles of Narnia even though I protested. I hadn’t wanted to read it, but I have to admit she was right; it became one of my favorite series ever, and I cannot wait to reread it after reading C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity hopefully later this year.

3. & 4. What book gives you all the Lunar New Year feels & puts you in the spirit?

Wow. This is difficult as I cannot recall many books with the characters celebrating Lunar New Year. But this year, I found myself wanting to reread Jin Yong’s A Deadly Secret (《連城訣》) during the festival despite its very dark theme. It is a wuxia (martial arts) historical novel about deception and murder. Very un-Lunar New Year-y, but I adore the storyline even after multiple rereads.

5. What book have you read this year that you would like to throw out with all the junk during Spring Festival cleaning?

Usually, right before Lunar New Year, each household will have some sort of cleaning, whether just to dust all countertops or a thorough KonMari exercise. And since the last lunar year started from January 2020 to February 2021, I am picking something I have read during this time.

No, I don’t really have any book I want to throw out. Over the past lunar year, I have read 201 books, but only 14 were physical copies, all of which were at least 3 stars for me. Maybe I’ll change my mind sometime in the future, but as of now, I enjoyed all the ones I’ve read and have no intention to aggressively throw out any of them.

6. What is a book from this year that you would like to buy for a friend?

Released in July 2020, Melissa Bashardoust’s Girl, Serpent, Thorn was one of my favorite books of the year. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Nikki Massoud, and it was stunning (my review here). I don’t have any particular friend in mind, but I think this YA fantasy will appeal to more readers than my other favorites of literary fiction or adult romance.

7. Challenge: create a stack of books in which the spines alternate red and gold! Share the titles.

Red and gold are considered lucky and prosperous so they are the most common colors you’d see during Lunar New Year. Did I just attempt to start a book stack challenge in Instagram? Yes.

Do you celebrate Lunar New Year? If you do, what is your favorite thing to do during the festival? Let me know in the comments down below!

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