Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag!

The weather is too nice to stay indoors (so I camp out on a blanket in my backyard), the year is half-done (what a terrifying yet hopeful occasion for 2020), and it is time to look over the things I have read so far: give credit where credit is due, and, of course, assess the scope of disaster that is my remaining (never-ending) TBR. Anyone relates? *laughs nervously*

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2020

Most books I read this year were simply good. I think if I had to pick just one, it’d be Ruthless Gods, because I was most excited for it and it made me super happy!

2. Best sequel you've read so far in 2020

Again, Ruthless Gods for sure! I’m also a fan of the Percy Jackson series now, so I guess most books in that series are The Best So Far. I expect the list to expand because I'm planning to get to at least three other series this year🔖

3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern!!!! Docile by K.M. Szpara!! And also Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (it releases this week so technically? Cheating? Idk?)!!! so many more books to get to but they’re technically older than “new”, I guess. I’m trying to not add too many new books to my already huge list of unread books; I can proudly announce that I'm succeeding in ignoring most of the new releases, with a few notable exceptions.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab and Come On In (a YA anthology) edited by Adi Alsaid.

5. Biggest disappointment

Only Human by Sylvian Neuvel, a disappointing and messy ending to an INCREDIBLE sci-fi series. I think I spent most of the time listening to it bored out of my mind, and that's with knitting a sweater in my hands. The characters were destroyed, and the ending was wholly unsatisfying. I'm sad just thinking about it. With all that said, please still read the Themis Files series haha x

6. Biggest surprise

Destroyer by Victor LaValle. I usually don’t feel that strongly about comic books, but, fuck. I’ll make a full post about this book soon; it's definitely a great read for the fans of Frankenstein like me, but with the active #BlackLivesMatter anti-police protests going on, it is especially a burning hot book. A must read, for sure!

7. Favourite new author (Debut or new to you)

Y’all can laugh at me all you want but this year was the first time that I read Shakespeare in English. And. I mean. No comment.

Less shocking though is probably my current read, Алмазный Меч, Деревянный Меч by Nick Perumov: he’s a classic Russian fantasy writer and BOY is he doing THINGS to me. Around eight (!) main characters from four (!) different locations in the same world are the focus of this particular book, the storylines are distinctly different and all equally intriguing, but even now less than 200 pages into a 700-page book i can see the connections start to emerge. With super complex magic system, political intrigue, personal desires, the characters are vivid and real.

Yeah, I did just gush about a book that is not translated into English. I am fully aware😌💕

8. Newest fictional crush

I don’t really do fictional crushes that often, and this year so far I have only adopted a few kids!!

9. Newest favourite character

Jaskier….. I’ve only watched The Witcher and read The Last Wish but let us be honest. Who doesn’t love a good bard. Especially with an excellent British accent of Joey Batey. Huh?

10. Book that made you cry

Sleeping Giants and/or Waking Gods. I’m pretty sure I teared up at least a couple times. All the more reason to be angry at the Bad Ending That I Mentioned Before👿

11. Book that made you happy

Again like, PJO…. Because it was so wholesome and fu, especially The Last Olympian. I really loved how the series wrapped up (stay tuned for a PJO-specific post very very soon👀)

12. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received)

Truly most of my new books are as cheap as I can get them, and I don’t care what they look like. I think the Russian edition of The Foxhole Court is the prettiest physical edition I got this year ;-;

13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

SO MANY WTF!!! So many. I have a whole owned-tbr shelf on my goodreads, with around 80 books there right now. Refer to it if you really wanna know😶

Thanks for reading! :)

See you on my Instagram and Goodreads.

xxx