It’s that time again! That half-way mark, that milestone that urges us to reflect back on the first half of the year and the books we’ve read so far. What did we like? What did we not like? What are we still looking forward to, and what, for the love of books, do we damn well still need to read?
It’s great fun, so let’s get into it! And if you feel so inclined, comment below on if you agree, disagree, and what YOUR answers would be! (Or link to your Mid Year Book Freakout tag post/video!)
NOTE: Read to the very end to find my newest book Giveaway!!
Best book you’ve read so far in 2020
I enjoyed Beach Read by Emily Henry so, so much. More than I expected to going in. It looked like a light, fun read, but it ended up being so much more!
Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2020
This will have to be both of the sequels in The Folk of Air series by Holly Black. Yes, I’m just now reading this series in 2020, and yes, I cannot stop thinking about how good this was. But then, I’m usually a major sucker for enemies to lovers, and this trilogy did that trope really, really well.
New release you haven’t read yet, but want to
I just this month in June read Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert, and it was the just fun, lighthearted read with touches of serious themes I’ve been looking for. So naturally, Take A Hint, Dani Brown will be at the top of my must-read list, along with Kevin Kwan’s newest release, Sex and Vanity (which reviews are already saying is just as good as Crazy Rich Asians).
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London is also on this list, even though the official release date hasn’t quite come yet, simply because it was my Book of the Month pick this month and I already have it in my hands. So looking forward to that one, too.
Most anticipated release for the second half of the year
Who can honestly pick just one for this question?
Tele-novela stars making all the drama in the vein of Jane the Virgin? Uh, yes, please! Pass me You Had Me At Hola, stat! Also, that enemies to lovers trope I told you I loved so much? Yeah, Serpent and Dove’s sequel, Blood and Honey is coming soon, and I’m already here for it. And unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll have probably seen that Midnight Sun is finally, finally, FINALLY coming out in August. Copy preordered.
Biggest disappointment
I wanted to like these so much. Sadly, I just didn’t.
Holly Banks Full of Angst was supposed to be this fun, quirky, energetic women’s fiction. What it really was, was one annoying character after the other that grated on my nerves so damn bad, I could not continue. Sorry.
And the Dressmaker’s Gift was a local book club pick for my Women’s Fiction group that meets monthly at a local winery. It wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t good. Generic is the best word I can think of to describe it. If you’ve read ANY other WWII historical fiction set in Paris, you won’t be missing anything.
Biggest surprise
Okay, who knew I’d like sci-fi so much? Both of these were AWESOME. Yes, all caps!
Favorite new author (Debut or new to you)
This is an author who’s been around for a while, and I’ve heard how good her books are, but I barely picked up my first Kennedy Ryan book this month, and I was just absolutely blown away by how much I loved her writing. Trigger warnings up the wazoo, btw! My goodness, I’m not triggered by much because thick skin, but even I was uncomfortable with how graphic some of this book got, like I could feel it in my bones and it disturbed me on a profound level. I’m talking about rape and domestic violence, by the way.
So, naturally, I want more, more more!
Newest Fictional Crush
Having just finished a re-read of the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare – over 10 years since my first read-through, I was actually surprised that I have a greater appreciation for James “Jem” Carstairs this time around.
Newest Favorite Character
Um, this will have to be James Fraser from Outlander. Yes, I also just barely read this book in 2020. I’ve been under a rock myself, apparently. I’ve also binged all the seasons on Starz so far, too, and apologies for the drool.
Book that made you cry
There may have been more, but these are the ones that stood out that I remember distinctly.
Book that made you happy
Can I just say how much I loved Felix Ever After? Seriously, I felt so happy when. I finished that book. It’s YA contemporary LGBTQ+ about a trans teen born as a female who identified as Pan male. It’s a friends to lovers love story that just glossed over some deep issues in a lighthearted way that was eye-opening but not so heavy that it made me depressed. I still gush over this book.
Also, Love Her or Lose Her was a fun read about a couple already married but on the rocks, so it was fun to get that fresh perspective on a romance instead of two people just meeting or beginning a relationship.
Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)
I mean, need I say more?
What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
I really need to get caught up on my Netgalley books. My review rate is only like 36% right now, so I feel a responsibility to do better. Oh, the guilt and shame! So… this is going to be a handful.
That’s it! I hope you enjoyed my mid year book freakout. That last question actually does have me freaking out, actually, a little bit. (Nervous laugh)
Keep scrolling to enter my newest Win My Books giveaway!!!
