Monday Moods is a weekly bookish meme created and hosted by Unwrapping Words (aka, me!). The premise is simple: every week, there’s a new ‘mood’, ranging from tropes to genres or actual moods (happy, sad, etc). On a Monday, feel free to post about books on your TBR, books you’d recommend, or a mix – whatever you like – that fits the ‘mood’ prompt. And of course, you can use your own if you’re not fussed on a particular one!
This one was a little difficult to pull together (who picked this prompt? Oh, right…me!). Well, it’s my birthday this Wednesday so I thought this would make for a fun prompt – I ended up choosing a mix of books that either feature birthdays, or I got as a present, or which have…some other link to my birthday! So let’s dive in…
This Week, I’m in the Mood For…
Birthdays
What Once Was Mine
Liz Braswell
Genre: Fantasy
Age: Young Adult
Format: Paperback
Published: September 7th, 2021
I Want to Read This Because I do love Disney’s Twisted Tales series, but I’ve fallen so, so far behind with it! I’m hoping at some point to catch up, starting with this one. And, of course, if you’re familiar with Tangled, you’ll know it’s Rapunzel’s birthday that sets off her desire to leave the tower, following the floating lights that appear every year on her birthday.
Whispers Under Ground
Ben Aaronovitch
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age: Adult
Format: Paperback
Published: June 21st, 2012
I Want to Read This Because I really need to get back into this series! I loved the first two books and have no doubt I’ll really enjoy the third. I’ve had this sitting on my shelf for a good long while now, since I received it as a birthday present. Hopefully I can find a place for it on next year’s reading challenges.
Blitzkrieg Bops: A Brief History of Punks at War
Alli Patton
Genre: Non-Fiction – Music/Pop Culture
Age: Adult
Format: Paperback
Published: July 1st, 2024
I Want to Read This Because I picked this up last year as a birthday present to myself – along with a few others in the 404 Inklings range. The only range looks truly fascinating, but I settled on this thanks to my love of punk music and because I really do enjoy reading about music history.
Mammy Banter: The Secret Life of an Uncool Mum
Serena Terry
Genre: Contemporary – Comedy
Age: Adult
Format: Paperback
Published: March 3rd, 2022
I Want to Read This Because I actually picked up the sequel – The Sh!te Before Christmas – and read it a while ago. It was so funny and heart-warming I knew I needed to read this at some point. I’ve picked it for this list as Tara’s age jumped out at me in the blurb…being the same age I’m about to turn! I likely won’t read this for a while, but I think I’ll really enjoy it.
What Sheep Think About the Weather: How to Listen to What Animals Are Trying to Say
Amelia Thomas
Genre: Non-Fiction – Science/Nature
Age: Adult
Format: ebook
Published: November 13th, 2025
I Want to Read This Because why wouldn’t I want to know more about how animals communicate with us? I picked this one out for this particular list as it comes out the day after my birthday this year. It sounds like a really fascinating, intriguing read.
Are there any birthday themed books on your TBR, or any books you’ve had as gifts (or gotten for yourself!)? Any books that are meaningful to you because of their association with your own birthday? I’d love to hear about them!
Unwrapping Words 