Hello Everyone!

It’s July, which means we’re officially done with the first half of 2021, which means that it’s time to do The Mid-Year Freak Out Tag again. I did this tag last year but seeing it on Fi’s Bibliofiles reminded me that it was this time of year again!

In the first half of 2021, I managed to finish reading 37 books, which puts me on track to have my best reading year ever! I’ve been fortunate enough to stumble upon some new favourites this year, and I’m hoping that the rest of the year is just as good reading-wise.

What Is the Best Book That You’ve Read So Far in 2021?

It’s impossible for me to pick just one best book for this question, so I’m going to name off a few recent favourites! I absolutely adore the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch, and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series this year. I also fell in love with Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon, even if it made me ugly cry. I also adored Well Met by Jen DeLuca, and it made me want to give up my current life to become a tavern wench and hopefully fall in love with a pirate.

What Has Been Your Favourite Sequel of The First Half of The Year?

I am bad at reading sequels, but I’m happy to say that I’m currently buddy reading my way through the Rivers of London series, and I love it. During the first half of the year, I read the first four novels in the series and the first graphic novel, and I can’t pick a favourite yet because they’re all so amazing.

Is There a New Release That You Haven’t Read Yet, but You’re Really Excited To?

There are so many new releases that are sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. The one that I’m most excited to dive into is The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson because I need more Stevie Bell in my life.

What Is Your Most Anticipated Release for The Second Half of The Year?

I cannot wait to read The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. The Inheritance Games was one of my favourite books of 2020, and I need to know what happens next for Avery and the Hawthorne brothers.

What Is Your Biggest Disappointment So Far?

I think my biggest disappointment so far is The Last Spell Breather by Julie Pike. This was a pick for the Middle-Grade Marvels book club, and it fell short for me. It has a gorgeous cover, and the premise seemed really promising, but there were too many plot holes in the story, and it was a bit of a letdown.

What Is Your Biggest Surprise So Far?

I think my biggest surprise so far was Karolina Dalca, Dark Eyes by M.R. Noble. I was fortunate enough to read this book for a blog tour hosted by the fantastic The Write Reads, and I thought the book was awesome. There were a few moments in this book that made me question what I was reading, but overall, I struggled to put it down and can’t wait to read the sequel.

A Book That Made You Cry?

Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon made me cry my eyes out. I cry easily, but the ending of this book was just a whole other level of heart stomping and ugly tears.

A Book That Made You Happy?

I’m going to cheat for this question and pick two books that made me happy. Well Met by Jen DeLuca was such a fun read, and it brought me a ton of joy while reading it. Malamander by Thomas Taylor was the June pick for the Middle-Grade Marvels book club, and I loved the whimsy and creepiness of Eerie-on-Sea, and I can’t wait to read the sequel.

What Books Do You Want to Read by The End of The Year?

There are so many books that I want to read before the end of the year! A few that came to mind right away are the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series by Holly Jackson, the Brown Sister’s trilogy by Talia Hibbert, and Well Played and Well Matched by Jen DeLuca, and many more. I also want to make a dent in my NetGalley queue of shame so I can stop feeling bad about all of my overdue ARCs.