mid year book freakout tag // 2021 edition

Hi everyone!

So…it’s really been over a month since I last posted. I hope you’ve all been doing well! I apologize for my inactivity and unannounced hiatus. It’s summer here but there have just been so many activities filling up my plate. I also unfortunately haven’t been reading as much lately, and I guess I just wasn’t sure what to blog about?

But I’m back for now, and I’ve decided to do the Mid Year Book Freakout Tag! I’ve been looking forward to this tag, so I hope you enjoy the post.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

The best book you’ve read so far this year

Becoming by Michelle Obama and Atomic Habits by James Clear!

Becoming was such a powerful memoir. Inspiring, powerful, poignant, insightful, and above all, hopeful. Michelle Obama takes us through her journey, from when she was growing up in the South Side of Chicago with her family to her pursual of a higher education and a perfectly planned out life to her experience in law and meeting Barack Obama to raising her daughters while trying to truly find herself, and of course her years in the White House, organizing initiatives such as Let’s Move and Joining Forces. Reading about her well-documented experiences was truly fascinating, and whenever I had to put the book down, I was eagerly waiting for when I could pick it up next!

Funnily enough, that same thing happened with Atomic Habits. Before I picked it up, I didn’t know what to expect—I just knew that it was a wildly popular nonfiction book. I admired James Clear’s approach to the subject of developing sustainable habits and maintaining the motivation to continue them. I think that this topic is especially relevant as we continue to stay at home!

The best sequel you’ve read this year

Siege and Storm, sequel to Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone.

The Shadow and Bone Trilogy isn’t as popular as the Six of Crows Duology. In fact, I read the trilogy after the duology, and before the TV show dropped, because I just wanted to make sure I didn’t miss out on any important information 😅 Interestingly enough, I think Siege and Storm itself isn’t as popular either, but I don’t know, I actually liked it! I think Alina’s struggle with her thirst for power was explored most realistically and interestingly (lots of lys lol) in this book, although I was surprised they found the second amplifier so quickly 🙈

New releases you haven’t read yet but want to

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim.

I’ve been looking forward to this recent release for a while! Forbidden powers, cranes, siblings, political intrigue—sign me up! Plus, Ahaana’s beautifully written review promises there’ll be great character arcs and even a good YA romance 😀

Most anticipated releases for the second half of the year

The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart and Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach.

The Bone Shard Daughter was one of my favorite books last year, and I need the sequel now! I want to know what kind of ruler Lin will be, how her dynamic with Jovis will work, and of course see Mephi again…while a certain woman makes her way to them, and she is not someone you want to mess with 😄

Not Here to Be Liked promises a nuanced take on feminism and a complicated main character, according to the Quiet Pond’s excellent review. Plus, that cover alone is just 😍

Biggest disappointment

The Lost Fairy Tales by Anna James.

Pages & Co. is a lovely middle grade trilogy—the type you’d want to read under the blankets with sweet candles setting the atmosphere. The first and third book were really good, but the second one just fell flat for me. Too many of the decisions Tilly and Oskar made were based on recklessness and it was as if they trusted the wrong people too much too quickly, so I was quite annoyed by the time I finished 😅

Biggest surprise

Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed.

This book wasn’t one that was recommended to me or in a reading list online. I just happened to stumble upon it when looking up possible books for my post about guessing the synopsis based on the cover. And it was definitely an enjoyable read! The quests and clues through artwork, paired with history, Khayyam’s journey, and the themes we got—it was done so well!

Favorite new-to-you or debut author

How do I not know 🤦🏻‍♀️

Newest fictional crush

For this, I’ll choose a new fictional SHIP and I’m sorry it’s not a book but Wanda and Vision from ✨ WandaVision ✨ are just amazing! The scene where Wanda says “I can’t feel you” saw me crying, just so you know. If they could just have their suburban life together with Billy and Tommy and NOT be mind controlling all those Westview citizens, now that would be ideal.

Newest favorite character

How do I still not know 🤦🏻‍♀️

Book that made you cry

Rajani LaRocca’s Red, White, and Whole for sure.

This verse novel was full of so many emotions expressed in stirring prose, how could you not cry?

Book that made you happy

Clues to the Universe by Christina Li.

I stand by what I wrote in my review: “Can a book make your heart burst with joy yet ache with longing at the same time?”

Favorite book-to-film adaptation

Shadow and Bone of course!

My professional, somewhat eloquent review: Excellently cast, with exquisite period costumes and designs, an extraordinarily clever way to tie many of the Grishaverse characters together, and an explosive finale, Shadow and Bone is the Rosetta Stone of how a book to film adaptation should be done.

My fangirl review: THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, SEASON 2 CANNOT COME FAST ENOUGH, TOO MANY GOOD MOMENTSSSSSSS

Favorite post you have done this year

Probably my Insights of the Writes series that I did in February!

Most beautiful book you’ve bought this year

I haven’t bought a lot of books this year hehe.

Books you need to read by the end of the year

I don’t want to pressure myself, but I hope I can read 40 books this year, so I need about 5 more. I already have 3 picked out—Six Crimson Cranes, The Bone Shard Emperor, Not Here To Be Liked—so I think I’ll add To Kill a Mockingbired and The Silvered Serpents to the list!

Not ambitious at all, I know…if you have any recommendations, please feel free to comment them below. I’d really appreciate it!

I had a lot of run reading other bloggers’ Mid Year Book Freakout Tags, so please do visit…

Margaret’s

Ahaana’s

and Abby’s

And…that’s a wrap!

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my responses to the Mid Year Book Freakout Tag’s prompts! It was great fun to do this post and hopefully get back into blogging again.

And thank you all for almost 150 subscribers! My one-year blogiversary is coming up at the end of July, and to have so many of you supporting means a lot ☺️

In the comments, tell me—what were your biggest disappointments and surprises this year? Any new favorite authors? A book you want to recommend? I look forward to chatting with you…