Mid Year Book Freak Out Tag 2020

We’re already halfway through the year and I’m slightly behind on my reading challenge, but my TBR pile has also doubled in size. I’ve discovered the joy of Maggie Stiefvater’s audiobooks on Spotify, and some incredible Kindle books for under £1. I’ve also been borrowing eBooks from my local library, and I’m looking forward to a time in the future when it’s safe for me to visit in person. Until then, my TBR will continue to grow and grow and grow.

Today, I’m doing the Mid Year Book Freak Out Tag, which is great because I’m currently looking at my reading challenge to remind myself what I’ve read, and I have no memory of reading any of them.

Let’s begin!

 

Best book you’ve read so far in 2020

I have a Goodreads shelf dedicated to the best books I’ve read each year which I update throughout the year and narrow down again at the end, so I can actually answer this question, even if I haven’t got round to reviewing everything and can’t remember why I liked it. I currently have four books on that list:

• Circe by Madeline Miller – I loved ‘Song of Achilles’ and her writing style so it was unsurprising that I loved this one too
• Call Down The Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater – I am obsessed with Ronan Lynch and magic and dreams and this just filled my heart
• Moonrise by Sarah Crossan – I read this book because I’m running out of YA contemporary eBooks to borrow from my local library and I didn’t expect this one to hurt as much as it did
• Hold Back the Tide by Melinda Salisbury – I went into this with no expectations because the kindle edition was 83p and had a pretty cover. It was incredible. I reviewed it here

 

Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2020

The thing that stands out to me the most is rereading the entire Raven Cycle series via audiobook (they’re on Spotify and they’re wonderful and you should definitely listen, even as background sound), but I’m going to focus on new reads. The sequels I’ve read this year are Wayward Son (reviewed here) and Vengeful. It was a rare situation where the sequels were as good as the first books, or so different in a way that they were better.

 

New release you haven’t read yet, but want to

I’m not too up to date on new releases (as usual), but one I have a copy of is Chain of Gold. It’s been months and I’m struggling through it and I desperately want to love it as much as I love the rest of the work. It was a very hyped book for me, but so far it feels more like a love letter to the Infernal Devices characters, rather than a new story.

 

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

I genuinely have no idea what’s coming out at any point this year. I’m sorry.

 

Biggest disappointment

There’s not too many books I’m disappointed with this year: I’ve finally accepted that I can just stop reading books and mark them as DNF rather than forcing myself to finish just for the sake of finishing them.

 

Biggest surprise

Hold Back the Tide. The description gave nothing away about the book and the first chapter set an entirely different tone to the rest of the story. There’s not much I can say that I haven’t already mentioned in my review, but this entire book was just surprise after surprise.

 

Favorite new author (debut or new to you)

Melinda Salisbury is someone who I’ve known about for years and have had a few of her books on my TBR pile, but it wasn’t until this year that I actually picked one up and fell in love with her writing style.

 

Newest favorite character

Ronan Lynch continues to be a favourite. I love Madeline Miller’s interpretation of Circe and I am in love with a lot of her secondary characters. I think I’m always in love with a lot of secondary characters.

 

Book that made you cry

Moonrise. I picked it up to read thinking it was a light hearted contemporary based off the cover and oh, I was wrong. I started reading and knew exactly how it was going to end but it still destroyed me emotionally.

 

Book that made you happy

I’ve read a lot of sad new reads this year, but the one thing that never fails to make me happy is rereading The Raven Cycle. The Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Lucky short story was delightfully awkward and adorable and exactly what I wanted from a novella.

 

Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)

Hold Back the Tide. I’ve been reading a lot of library books so this is one of the few that I’ve actually purchased, and I’m looking forward to getting a physical copy that I can admire off my phone screen.

 

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

I’m in the constant struggle of trying to read books I already own but haven’t read, finally read ‘classics’ that people make me feel guilty for not reading, and just continuing to read and reread whatever I feel like.

 

What is the best book you’ve read so far this year? Which was the biggest surprise? Have there been any disappointments?

 

Full list of questions:

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2020
   2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2020
   3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to
   4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year
   5. Biggest disappointment
   6. Biggest surprise
   7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you)
   8. Newest fictional crush
   9. Newest favorite character
   10. Book that made you cry
   11. Book that made you happy
   12. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)
   13.What books do you need to read by the end of the year?