Mid-Year Book FREAK OUT Tag 2020

Can you believe we’re halfway through the year already? This first half of 2020 has been the absolutely craziest. It gives me a weird feeling in my stomach just thinking about it! The year started off great in terms of reading, but with everything that happened so far, I’m now seven (!!!) books behind on my challenge of 50 books! I’ve got some catching up to do, but let’s dive into this tag first, shall we?

Best book you’ve read so far

Definitely Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin and Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman. Serpent & Dove is a new favourite and reading Summer Bird Blue was such an amazing experience; it’s such an incredibly emotional book and I loved every second of it.

Best sequel you’ve read so far

I guess that’s A Heart of Fierce & Broken by Brigid Kemmerer. I haven’t read all that many books so far this year and only two of them were sequels. This was was simply more memorable than the other one I read!

New release you’ve not yet read but want to

There aren’t actually that many… Which sounds crazy! I’m so out of the loop with new releases. I bought A Song of Wraiths & Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown recently and I can’t wait to read it! The others are sequels like Ruthless Gods by Emily A. Duncan and The Deck of Omens by Christine Lynn Herman. 

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

Like I said before, I’m pretty out of the loop when it comes to new releases. However, there’s a few I’m really excited about! There’s The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue by V.E. Schwab, Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin (I’ve got the audiobook on preorder!) Queen of Volts by Amanda Foody (can’t wait!!!) and Bookish & The Beast by Ashley Poston. Oh, and Iron Heart by Nina Varela! 

Biggest disappointment

Genuinely none of the books I read so far have been a disappointment. Or not that I can remember anyway! Actually, I do remember listening to A Heart of Fierce & Broken and being a little let down by the fact that it had different main characters and narrators, but I can’t count It as a disappointment because I loved it so much!

The biggest surprise

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin was definitely the biggest surprise. This book had been following me all over the internet, but I didn’t care enough to check it out. My Audible credits were stacking up so I decided to check it out. The synopsis was actually so great?! And one of the narrators was Holter Graham?! SIGN. ME. UP. I loved it so much it’s actually ridiculous. 

Favourite new author (debut or new to you)

Shelby Mahurin! Serpent & Dove released last year, but I only read it this year so it counts, hahah! 

Newest fictional crush

Ehm, don’t really get crushes. Skipping this one! 

Newest favourite character

I think it’s a tie between Rumi from Summer Bird Blue and Eliza from Eliza & Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia. Although I think I can related to Eliza just a bit more.

A book that made you cry

Summer Bird Blue! It was so sad and lovely and beautiful and OH MAN I BAWLED MY EYES OUT.

A book that made you happy

Also Summer Bird Blue? Yep, definitely made me happy. What an emotional rollercoaster! Serpent & Dove also made me very happy. I loved the plot, characters and the way it surprised me by how much I loved it!

The most beautiful book you’ve bought/received this year

I wanted to say Crier’s War by Nina Varela but that’s cheating because I got it last year! (Only read it this year, though). So even though I got Serpent & Dove as an audiobook, I think I’m going with that one for this question. The cover is just so gorgeous! And I’m planning on buying the Fairyloot edition with their Blood & Honey box, so fingers crossed!

What books do you need/want to read by the end of the year?

There are just so many! There’s like 15 books in my TBR cart, most of which have been there since Amazon’s Black Friday sales last year. I also recently (pre)ordered some books which I want to read before the end of the year. And some sequels! I’m probably forgetting some future releases as well… I’ve to plenty to read till the end of the year, for sure!

I’m seven books behind my challenge of 50 books so I’ve got some catching up to do… Can’t wait to see if I’ll still reach my goal! Once I get into the flow, I can usually finished a couple of books in a week. I’m still on holiday for a week and a half as well! And I might squeeze in soms graphic novels or shorter books, hehe! Wish me luck!

Before you go, let’s chat! What was the best book you’ve read so far this year? What’s your most anticipated upcoming release? And how’s your reading challenge going?