The Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag | 2023

 

This is my 8th year doing this tag and it's always a fun one. I like pausing mid-year to take a look back at what I've read in the last six months. Which books have been real stand-outs, which authors have knocked my socks off, and what books I'm looking forward to in the coming months. So let me pull up my Goodreads shelves for reference and we'll get started.

I don't get too wrapped up in my Goodreads challenge  - I set a reasonable-for-me number and then don't think much about it - but here's where I stand halfway through the year. (Well, halfway plus a couple weeks.)

 

1. BEST BOOK YOU'VE READ SO FAR IN 2023

No-brainer! I read Wolfsong back in April and all I could think was: what took me so long?! This is a perfect example of the reason I save my 5-star rating. It's for books like this. These characters slayed me. Klune's ability to develop such longing, such conflict... it was exquisite torture. :) I haven't even brought myself to write a review because all I could say would be something like: Ox! Joe! Packpackpack! Gah!

2. BEST SEQUEL YOU'VE READ SO FAR IN 2023

I read the first book in the Hades Hangmen series last year, and this year I have been making my way through the rest of the series. And loving them. The second book, Heart Recaptured, was amazing and Ky and Lilah's story was raw, gritty, emotional - and put me through the wringer. In the best way.

3. A NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN'T READ YET BUT WANT TO

I didn't even have to think about this one. Fourth Wing has been out in the world for two months and I still have not read it. With rare exceptions, fantasy is not my genre, but I adore Rebecca Yarros and I get excited for whatever she delivers. Plus, there's no denying the raves for this one.

4. MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF 2023

      

There are a lot (obviously) but None of This is True and Glimmers of You are two that I'm excited about.

5. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

     

An obvious choice would be the latest releases from Abbi Glines (Smokeshow and Fireball) which are two of my lowest-rated books this year. But I also didn't expect much from them so they weren't really disappointments. That title goes to Right Man, Right Time and Love on the Brain. And I'd consider that a pretty unpopular opinion in both cases. Right Man, Right Time was likely my swan song with Meghan Quinn. And I truly did not vibe with Love on the Brain and Hazelwood's characters.

6. BIGGEST SURPRISE

I'd read two previous books by Shalvis and they fell into the good-not-great category for me. Maybe it was a case of the right book at the right time, but The Sweetheart List surprised me with how much I was invested in the characters and how much I enjoyed their story. 

7. FAVORITE DEBUT OR NEW-TO-ME AUTHOR

My favorite new-to-me author has to be Jennifer Hartmann. She delivered a story in Still Beating that grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go. I found myself thinking about those characters and their story long after I finished the book. And I now want to inhale everything she has written.

8. NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

Liam from the Consolation duet is pretty swoony... and a top notch book boyfriend. :)

9. NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

Ox. Just Ox. 

10. A BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

   

Have you met me? I cry in half the books I read. 😉 But these were the top offenders. 

Keep This Promise, Say You Want Me, Whispers of You, and Wolfsong.

11. A BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

Happy, you say? Um, I don't read a lot of happy books. I read books that are angsty and emotional and make me cry. But okay, sure, I can come up with one that made me happy. Come With Me made me happy because even though the duo of Kennedy Fox was no longer writing together, I could still enjoy their work separately. And Come With Me was a fantastic introduction to Brooke's new series. 

12. FAVORITE BOOK-TO-MOVIE ADAPTATION

Stop the presses! I actually have an answer for this prompt this year! I am not a tv/movie watcher so I usually skip this one, but I did go the theater back in April or May and saw the adaptation of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Super cute and nostalgic.

13. FAVORITE POST YOU'VE DONE THIS YEAR

This always seems like weird/impossible to answer question. But I'll go with my "If You Like That Author, Try This Author" post from back in March.

14. MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU'VE BOUGHT THIS YEAR

This special edition of Knotted by Pam Godwin (from Fabled Co) is stunningly beautiful. 😍

15. BOOKS YOU WANT TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR

   

How much time do we have? Obviously, I want to read All The Books, but for the sake of brevity, I'll leave it at these: Lotus, Forbidden Hearts, Coach, and Ravensong.

What's the best book you've read so far in 2023? 

The Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag | 2022

  

This is my 7th year doing this tag and it's always a fun one. I like pausing mid-year to take a look back at what I've read in the last six months. Which books have been real stand-outs, which authors have knocked my socks off, and what books I'm looking forward to in the coming months. So let me pull up my Goodreads shelves for reference and we'll get started.

I don't get too wrapped up in my Goodreads challenge  - I set a reasonable-for-me number and then don't think much about it - but here's where I stand halfway through the year. (Well, halfway plus a couple weeks.)

When I was reading Sam's Mid-Year post, she shared her percentage of 5-star reads for the first half of the year and that got me curious. I am super stingy with my 5-star ratings. I save that for those most rare books, the ones that become instant all-time favorites or made an indelible impression on me. I typically have 2-3 of those a year, so naturally I wasn't surprised to learn that the percentage of books that I gave 5-stars is just 1%. 😄 That being said, there have been five books that I gave 4.5 stars, so it's not like there hasn't been plenty of good reading happening!

1. BEST BOOK YOU'VE READ SO FAR IN 2022

My only five-star read of the year came pretty early this year. I read Most of All You in February and it slayed me. The close runners-up, the ones that got 4.5 stars, were all excellent, as well: Credence, Once We Were Starlight, The Wall of Winnipeg and Me, Reminders of Him, Kulti.

2. BEST SEQUEL YOU'VE READ SO FAR IN 2022

  

I suppose these aren't sequels in the literal sense, more like companion novels, but I'm going with it. A Chance for Us was an excellent finale to the Willow Creek Valley series, Fallen Jester was one of my favorites from the Tin Gypsy/Clifton Forge series, and Hidden Waters was an amazingly emotional entry to the Tattered & Torn series. 

3. A NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN'T READ YET BUT WANT TO

This question might as well be called Reader Hall of Shame. Because let's be real - those new releases keep cranking out every single Tuesday and maybe some of you speedy readers can keep up but I can't! I was beyond excited for Help Me Remember, Reason to Believe, and The Unknown Beloved, but have not read them yet. Too many books and too little time... it's the story of my life.

4. MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF 2022

There are a lot (obviously) but topping the list are It Starts With Us, Before I Let Go, and Shattered Sea.

5. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

 

Disappointment is a bit harsh, but I guess it kind of fits. Corinne Michaels is a favorite of mine so when I decided to do a deep dive into her backlist earlier this year, I expected good things. Beloved and Beholden were her first two books and they did not do it for me. I love Corinne's emotional stories, but these went way past emotional and into overblown angst and melodrama. Lesson learned: stick to her newer releases, which I love.

6. BIGGEST SURPRISE

I'd been meaning to start the Psy-Changeling series for years, and I was pretty sure I would enjoy it. Even so, when I read Slave to Sensation, I was surprised at how quickly I was pulled into the world and was totally invested.

7. FAVORITE DEBUT OR NEW-TO-ME AUTHOR

     

This one was easy because there have been two new-to-me authors that have made a big impression on me this year: Catherine Cowles and Mariana Zapata. Both are authors that I had been meaning to try for quite a while and now, of course, I'm kicking myself for waiting so long. Cowles writes the kind of small town, emotional romance (with just a hint of suspense) that I love. That stuff is my catnip. She reminds me a lot of Devney Perry, in the very best way. And Zapata... I finally experienced the Queen of Slow-Burn Romance for myself and I ate it up with a spoon and asked for more. 😍 Both are authors that I have since read multiple books from.

8. NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

      

Gabriel (Most of All You) was the sweetest cinnamon roll ever. And then there's Kulti. No need to say more, just... Kulti. 💕

9. NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

      

So many new favorites, but these made an impression. Marie from Running Wild impressed me with her resilience. And Stone's journey through grief, guilt, and the breakdown of his family really touched me. 

10. A BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

 

Have you met me? I cry in half the books I read. But these were the top offenders. 😉 

Tattered Stars, A Chance for Us, Most of All You, Reminders of Him, Between Hello & Goodbye, Falling Embers, Goodbye Paradise, and Hidden Waters.

11. A BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

Heartstopper Volume 4 brought all the Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson goodness. While this one delved into some pretty serious issues with Charlie, I was still smiling ear to ear. These two boys are like a hug to my heart.  

12. FAVORITE BOOK-TO-MOVIE ADAPTATION

So, I usually just rehash the same answer year after year and say Love, Simon, but I actually have a legit answer this year (gasp!). Heartstopper! Yes, it's a tv series, not a movie, but whatever. The girl who never watches TV actually got Netflix just so she could watch Heartstopper. And it's perfection. 💗

13. FAVORITE POST YOU'VE DONE THIS YEAR

This is always such a tough question. But after browsing six months of posts *yawn* I do remember how much I enjoyed putting together my review of the Tin Gypsy/Clifton Forge series by Devney Perry. 

14. MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU'VE BOUGHT THIS YEAR

This special edition of Help Me Remember gives me heart eyes every time I see it on my shelf. 😍

15. BOOKS YOU WANT TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR

How much time do we have? Obviously, I want to read All The Books, but for the sake of brevity, I'll leave it at these: A Court of Silver Flames, Wolfsong, and No Tomorrow.

What's the best book you've read so far in 2022?