Tag: Mid Year Freak Out Tag

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag – 2025

It’s that time again! I already freaked out seeing this being posted on other blogs. How can it be mid-year?! Are we ready for the last half of the year? I don’t think I am.

BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2025

There’s been so many good books this year! Here are some of my highest rated books this year 4.5-5 stars.

  • Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by. Kylie Lee Baker
  • Sunrise on the Reaping by. Suzanne Collins
  • The Knight and the Moth by. Rachel Gillig
  • Nightshade by. Autumn Woods
  • Den of Liars by. Jessica S. Olson
  • A Desert of Bleeding Sand by. Lucia Damisa
  • Oathbound by. Tracy Deonn
  • Rebel Witch by. Kristen Ciccarelli
  • Holy Terrors by. Margaret Owen
  • The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by. Amélie Wen Zhao

BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2025

There were a few sequels I loved but I’m going to pick Oathbound by. Tracy Deonn. I can’t believe I thought this was the last book lol. It’s not!

NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET, BUT WANT TO

A few new releases I’m waiting to get a library copy of:

  • Great Big Beautiful Life by. Emily Henry
  • Never Thought I’d End Up Here by. Ann Liang
  • Atmosphere by. Taylor Jenkins Reid

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

  • Brimstone by. Callie Hart
  • Thief of Night by. Holly Black
  • Fallen City by. Adrienne Young

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

On Wings of Blood by. Briar Boleyn – I gave this book a chance because it was all over booktok and it was messy and entertaining but it didn’t blow me away. It doesn’t help that I don’t like the MMC.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

I thought I would be dragon-ed out with all the dragon books I have been reading, but I actually really loved A Fate Forged in Fire by. Hazel McBride and will be getting a hardcopy of it for my shelf so I can re-read it!

FAVORITE NEW AUTHOR (debut or new to you)

I kind of love all the mauve shades of these book covers, but these new to me authors really caught my interest!

  • Of Flame and Fury by. Mikayla Bridge
  • Thorn Season by. Kiera Azar
  • Embrace the Serpent by. Sunya Mara
  • Nightshade by. Autumn Woods

NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

Alex Corbeau-Green from Nightshade by. Autumn Woods – hot, rich, tattooed, smart, plays rugby, kind of the guardian of his 6 younger sisters and his mom who is dealing with some mental issues.

NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

Bartholomew the gargoyle in The Knight and the Moth by. Rachel Gillig – because he is so funny and silly.

Alissa from Thorn Season by. Kiera Azar because she’s a young lady at court and she’s not fragile. She’s savvy, cunning and strong!

Saphira from Embrace the Serpent by. Sunya Mara – I just thought her talent with gems and being a jewelsmith was cool! She’s also a strong character.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

This two books made me emotional and made me shed a tear or two. Sunrise on the Reaping by. Suzanne Collins and Holy Terrors by. Margaret Owen.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

The Exception to the Rule by. Christina Lauren – I just realized looking through all the books I’ve read this year, not a lot of them make me feel “happy” LOL, because they are dark. But this one was short and sweet.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT SO FAR THIS YEAR (or received)

The Fairyloot version of The Floating World by. Axie Oh is the prettiest book on my shelf. I had debated subscribing to the YA Fairylook Subscription because it’s so expensive that I passed it up on the first email I got. Then two months later I got another email saying a spot opened up again and I said to hell with it, I’m going to join just so I can get first dibs on any exclusives they have during the year.

WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR?

Version 1.0.0

I’m just choosing three arcs I have on Netgalley that I need to read in the second half of this year.

  • The Scammer by. Tiffany D. Jackson
  • And the River Drags Her Down by. Jihyun Yun
  • Wild Reverence by. Rebecca Ross

FAVORITE BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATION YOU’VE SEEN THIS YEAR

I haven’t seen any book to movie adaptations this year. But I did see that We Were Liars is on Prime Video and I read this a long time ago, before I made a blog and I know there is a significant plot twist but I don’t remember much of the book. According to Goodreads I gave it 3 stars but no written review. So I’m watching this series because I actually have the arc for the sequel and it would be nice to remember what happens.

We Were Liars by. E. Lockhart

But I am also looking forward to season three of The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon Prime.

I’ve been reading so many books this year already that I’ve already surpassed my Goodreads reading goal of 100 books. I’m at 125.

How has your 2025 been so far?

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag – 2024

I’ve been seeing this tag all around the blogosphere so I have to do mine too!

BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2024

I feel like this year I have gravitated to more contemporary reads and less fantasy? I read a lot of fantasy but I don’t know there was anything that really wowed me yet this year. But these three books are my top three so far: The Women by. Kristin Hannah, Not Another Love Song by. Julie Soto, and Funny Story by. Emily Henry.

BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2023

I thought Ruthless Vows by. Rebecca Ross was a great conclusion to the duology!

NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET, BUT WANT TO

This one, Poison in Their Hearts by. Laura Sebastian, just came out and I want to read it. I hope I get to read it sometime this year.

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

  • The Grandest Game by. Jennifer Lynn Barnes
  • The Songbird and the Heart of Stone by. Carissa Broadbent
  • Heir by. Sabaa Tahir

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

King of Sloth by. Ana Huang, one was my least favorite of the series and least favorite book of the year.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

The Last Bloodcarver by. Vanessa Le was such a surprise to me, actually it’s one of my top reads of 2024 also.

FAVORITE NEW AUTHOR (debut or new to you)

I really liked the world building in this one and that it’s an academy book. I’m excited to read book two.

NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

I don’t think I’ve actually had a new fictional crush this year, which is so surprising! The one fictional guy though that had me in my feels a little is Miles from Funny Story by. Emily Henry. Usually I like the alpha guys buy Miles was the totally opposite of being an alpha and I loved him.

NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

Nhika in The Last Bloodcarver because she’s a survivor.

Arthie and Jin from A Tempest of Tea because their friendship is everything.

Rune from Heartless Hunter because she’ll do anything to help the witches who are being hunted.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

I don’t think a book made me shed too much tears this year so far but I did tear up at the ending of the The Last Bloodcarver by. Vanessa Le.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

Dungeons and Drama by. Kristy Boyce made me feel happy!

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT SO FAR THIS YEAR (or received)

I definitely broke my book banning to get this hardcover: Heaveneaker by. Sara Wolf

WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR?

I have The Wren in the Holly Library by. K.A. Linde on my bookshelf so would love to read that by the end of this year. I have Heir by. Sabaa Tahir as an arc so I know I’ll be finishing that this year! And I can’t wait for The Songbird and the Heart of Stone by. Carissa Broadbent.

FAVORITE BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATION YOU’VE SEEN THIS YEAR

I haven’t seen any book to movie adapations this year – at least books that’s I’ve read but I did watch Dune 2! Haven’t read the book though but I’m a fan of the movies because they are so visually stunning.

Oh and I also watched The Idea of You and I know there is a book The Idea of You by. Robinne Lee but that’s also one I haven’t read.

It’s been a fairly slow reading year for me this year I think. But I’m totally okay with that because that just means my attention and energy had to be elsewhere. I’m 59/125 on my Goodreads reading challenge so I think I’m on a good pace!

How has your 2024 been so far?

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag – 2023

We are in July so let’s take a look back at the first half of the year!

BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2023

I love these 2023 releases! Fourth Wing is a very hyped book right now but if you like dragons, you may enjoy this one also. Divine Rivals made me cry and The Sweetest Betrayal was the perfect conclusion to an underrated series.

BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2023

This is a great sequel and brings all the gothic, creepy vibes from House of Sea and Salt, but on another level! I love the story telling.

NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET, BUT WANT TO

I’m waiting for a library copy to be available but I hope to read it before the summer ends because it’s Emily Henry and should be read in the summer right?

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

There are a few more…

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

This cover is gorgeous but this was a DNF for me. I kept trying to get into it but I just couldn’t.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

I read this as an arc but it will be coming out this month which is the later half of the year BUT…this surprised me because I thought it was going to be a DNF by chapter 2 and by the end I was shocked at the wild finish of this book. I can’t wait for book 2 but I do wish sometimes Chloe Gong books were easier to get into, don’t get me wrong, I love her books, but there can be a lot of info dumping. Once you get past that it’s usually a wild ride!

FAVORITE NEW AUTHOR (debut or new to you)

I just read this one and loved it!

NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

I mean come on…Xaden.

NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

Wren in Bonesmith because she’s a fighter and fights the dead..

Zilan from The Scarlet Alchemist because the love she has for her cousins and she can raise the dead.

Channi from Her Radiant Curse because the love she has for her sister.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

This one made me shed a tear or two – Rebecca Ross just knows how to pull on those heart strings.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

Even the covers make me happy because the colors are so bright but yes these definitely left me feeling happy inside.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT SO FAR THIS YEAR (or received)

I’m surprised there hasn’t been as many book covers this year that has wowed me. But I think this one is pretty.

WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR?

I bought the ebook for From the Grave so I can finish that at anytime but want to read it this year if possible and complete the series. Painted Devils I have as a borrowed hardcover so I would like to finish that before the month is through. The Bone Shard Emperor because I’d love to finish the series.

FAVORITE BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATION YOU’VE SEEN THIS YEAR

I actually never read the book but I thought the Amazon Prime series was so good! I hope I can read the book this year!

And that’s what I got half-way into 2023! I think it’s funny how I’m already requesting arcs for first half of 2024 on NetGalley – like wait….the holidays aren’t here yet. 😅 It’s kind of exciting and nerve wracking thinking 2024 is just around the corner! Anyway, how was your first half of 2024?

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag – 2022

I was supposed to do this in June but I was recovering from covid and then things got crazy busy! SO let’s do it now since we are now in July.

BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2022

I don’t have many 5 star reads this year. Guncle made me laugh and hurt my heart at the same time and it was my most recent 5 star read, so it’s my favorite so far!

BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2022

I know this one was published at the tail end of 2021 but it is still the best sequel I’ve read in 2022!

NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET, BUT WANT TO

I just read my first book by Tessa Bailey and loved it. I so want to read this one, hopefully I can borrow it sometime this year.

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

I’m a broken record at this point! I think you’ve seen this book on so many of my TTT TBR lists. 😅 SOON!! I can hardly wait!

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

I was bummed I didn’t like this one especially because I thought the first was so wacky, wild and funny! For this one the humor wore out for me – maybe I wasn’t in the mood for it? Not sure.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

This one surprised me with how much I ended up liking it! The dog was just a fun, sassy character that made the whole book wholesome and funny.

FAVORITE NEW AUTHOR (debut or new to you)

I enjoyed this book a lot and look forward to reading the next book and other books that author writes! And come on – look at that cover!!

NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

How could I not crush on Brendan? I like a guy who can fix things, build things, not afraid of working hard and a generous lover! 🤷🏻‍♀️

NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

I love an antiheroine – especially one as snarky as Violet.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

Anything with grief, dealing with abuse, broken families…UGH…these books made my heart hurt so much.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

Romance makes me happy and I had to throw in Guncle again because the kids made me happy.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT SO FAR THIS YEAR (or received)

I wish I had a copy of A Magic Steeped in Poison – I borrowed it from the library. But I did just get a copy of Ramon and Julieta. I love the colors!

WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR?

FAVORITE BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATION YOU’VE SEEN THIS YEAR

Heartstopper is so heart-felt and sweet! You can’t just help but melt as the characters fall in love.