Post header background: Designed by Freepik
Hi guys! Since we are (almost) at the middle of the year, I thought it would be fun to take a step back and look at what 2017 has been like so far and also to take a look at what’s still to come with the Mid Year Book Freakout Tag (2017 version)! This tag is created by ReadLikeWildfire and Ely Jayne
At this moment I have read 38 books of my total goal of 75 books to be read this year. So looks like I’m right on track! Let’s get started!
1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2017.
This is a little bit of a repeat of this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, where I talked about my ten favorite books that I read in 2017 so far. However, these are my top 3! (Well, technically top 5, oops!) I can’t select a favorite between these. I adored all of them for different reasons:
- A Conjuring of Light by V.E Schwab
- The entire Red Winter trilogy by Annette Marie
- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2017.
- A Conjuring of Light by V.E Schwab
I have rarely read a series finale as amazing as A Conjuring Of Light. This is the perfect sequel and finale in my eyes and I can’t rave about it enough!
3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to.
- Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare
I REALLY want to read this one because I loved Lady Midnight and I need some more Blackthorn family in my life. But at the same time I’m also terrified to read it because once it’s finished I need to wait two more years for the final installment, which seems way too long!
- Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee
A romantic asexual main character? Be still my beating heart!
- Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
This is described as a love letter to fandom and online life. Sounds perfect to me!
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.
- 27 Hours by Tristina Wright
An epic new sci-fi series with a big cast of wonderfully diverse characters? BRING. IT. ON!
5. Biggest disappointment.
- The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich
Ok, even writing this pains me. Because this was my most anticipated release of the year, because Cale Dietrich seems like such a great guy and because I did genuinely enjoy the first three quarters or so of the book. But unfortunately the ending fell really flat for me and I just didn’t care for a certain plot twist that took ALL of my enjoyment out of the story. So while I hope other people will still enjoy this way more than I did, unfortunately this was my biggest disappointment of 2017 so far.
6. Biggest surprise.
- Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
This was on my TBR for ages and I kept procrastinating it because I had serious doubts it was a book for me. I’m not that big a sci-fi reader, I dislike the idea of zombies in any way and I feared that the format would make it difficult for me to get invested in the characters. But since I also heard so many rave reviews, I just had to give it a try for myself. And surprisingly… I fell in love. All my fears were swept away because this was just amazing and unique and fun and emotional and I need Gemina soon!
7. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you)
- Annette Marie
Since reading and falling in love with the Red Winter trilogy by Annette Marie, I’ve become convinced to try more of Annette’s books.
8. Newest fictional crush.
- Shiro from the Red Winter trilogy
Yes, the Red Winter trilogy made me fall in love with a Kitsune. Fox ears and all.
- Okami from Flame in the Mist
I realise I just went from a fox to a wolf boy, but I can’t help it. I love Okami.
- Rishi Patel from When Dimple Met Rishi
I’m concinced that Rishi Patel may be the most perfect book boyfriend ever. Dimple is one lucky girl!
9. Newest favourite character.
- Taylor from Queens of Geek
Because she was amazing and relatable.
- Jordan from Noteworthy
Because she was such a great main character and her dry wit spoke to me on so many levels
10. Book that made you cry.
- History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
What is it about Adam Silvera’s books? They break me and leave me a sobbing mess, yet I love them dearly. In fact, I’m already eagerly anticipating the next Adam Silvera book to utterly destroy me…
11. Book that made you happy.
- Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde
- Noteworthy by Riley Redgate
- Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum
For me 2017 has been the year of adorable and fluffy contemporaries. It’s been hard narrowing it down, but in the end I chose Queens of Geek (because fandom, friendship and inspiration), Noteworthy (because a cappella, squad goals and crossdressing) and Tell Me Three Things ( because pen pal romance, waffles and word love).
12. Favourite book to film adaptation you saw this year.
- Death Note anime
- Death Note movies
- Death Note tv drama
You didn’t think I’d go though an entire half-yearly wrap up post and NOT mention Death Note in any way, did you? Oh, my poor innnocent child… Let me introduce you to my love of Death Note.
13. Favourite review you’ve written this year.
Ehh, I’ve been feeling a bit unsatisfied with my reviews the past few months. However, I do always enjoy writing reviews about the series I really, really love the most. Gushfests are definitely the most fun reviews to write, even if they may not always be equally helpful… So these are the reviews for a few of my favorite books, which incidentally were also my most visited book reviews:
- Red Winter by Annette Marie
- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
- History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
14. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)
- Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
I received the gorgeous special edition hardcover with the blue stained pages in a Fairlyloot box this year and I just love staring at it because it’s so pretty. Unfortunately I’ve also been super intimidated by it for some reason and have yet to actually read it…
15. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
When will I finally read the Heroes of Olympus? WHEN? TELL ME, SELF!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who hasn’t read Lord of Shadows yet. I should be starting it next week finally!
Ah great, I hope you like it! And I hope I’ll get to it soon as well 😉
Hello, fellow Death Note lover!!!! I still need to watch the films though! Let’s geek out about them after I do, ok?
I also want to read Eliza and her Monsters, and Illuminae. Aaaan Strange the Dreamer is on my ‘to buy’.
Will be making a similar post like this to wrap up my June!
Hi there! And yes, please feel free to geek out with me about Death Note any time 😀 I’d love nothing more! Hope you’ll love the films!
Hope we’ll both get to all the books on our TBR list soon 🙂
That’s cool that you liked the Death Note Adapatations. 🙂 I prefer the anime to the live action. I really need to read this Red Winter trilogy. You talk about it so much.
I do really like the films, but of course the anime is still the best of them all, hands down <3
Oh yes please do read the Red Winter trilogy 😉 I do talk about it A LOT, haha! Hope you'll love it though!
Sounds like you’re making great progress towards your reading goal. I’m right there with you on A Conjuring of Light being a perfect series ender. I couldn’t have asked for more.
And you definitely have me convinced that I need to read the Red Winter trilogy 🙂
Yes, ACOL was so amazing and really one of the best series enders out there <3 SO happy you loved it just as much!
And yay! I definitely hope you'll love the Red Winter trilogy 😉
Oh The Love Interest is one of my most dissapointing reads of the book as well. Just not what I was expecting, at all.
Ah I’m sorry to hear The Love Interest disappointed you as well! It’s a pity when a highly anticipated book turns out to be not at all what we expected…
A Conjuring of Light is one of my favorite reads of the year so far too – Schwab REALLY pulled all her punches. I loved most everything about it, and I shed tears basically throughout, ha. Sorry to hear The Love Interest was such a big disappointment. I’m so bummed because I really wanted to love that book, but I’ve heard really mixed reviews. Hope the second half of your year is wonderful! 🙂
Oh, same! ACOL made me cry because it was just soo good and I didn’t want to say goodby to these characters and this world!
I hope you’ll still enjoy The Love Interest more than I did! Maybe my expectations were just too high and I hyped myself up too much for it…
Thanks so much Aimal, I hope you’ll have an amazing second half of 2017 as well!
I see so many books up there I want and just need. 🙂 I really want to start the Red Winter trilogy and the Schwab book. Oh and there is When Dimple Met Rishi… oh heck.. all of them. 😀
Haha sorry to add to your TBR so much 😉 But I hope you’ll love the Red Winter trilogy and the Schwab books though!
So many of my favourites books from this year are on here ?? I loved ACOL, Queens of Geek and Noteworthy!! I’m so happy that you loved Illuminae!!!!! 27 Hours sounds so interesting and I can’t wait for it!!!
I’m glad we have so many faves in common 🙂 ACOL, Queens of Geek and Noteworthy definitely earned their spot in my favorites list! And so happy I FINALLY got to Illuminae 🙂
Another really fun tag. Love discovering all these “new” (to me) tags to potentially use for blog posts!
Glad to see more love for “When Dimple Met Rishi.” That one (as I continue to say, so… Note to self: READ THE BOOK!) is highly anticipated. It looks so darn cute, and I love all the hype it’s been getting. I also just picked up “Tell Me Three Things,” and as I did like Julie’s new novel, I’m hoping I’ll like this one too. 🙂
Oh yay, glad you loved this tag! I’d love to find out your answers if you decide to do it as well!
Hope you’ll love both When Dimple Met Rishi and Tell Me Three Things, as they were two books I definitely enjoyed! 🙂
I’ve seen this tag everywhere and I really want to do it! I love the Schwab book covers, they’re all so pretty and I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy The Love Interest, I was looking forward to it but then the early reviews were not so good so I’m disappointed…
Oh please do consider yourself tagged if you’d love to do this tag as well! I’d love to find out your answers 🙂
The Schwab covers are so gorgeous indeed, I love them too! And yes it was a pity about The Love Interest, but I still hope you’ll enjoy it more than I did!
Hi Lindsey! You definitely have a wonderful collection here. The Shades of Magic trilogy has been on my TBR forever and I still have yet to read it, no matter it being everyone’s new favorite series, it seems. Yay Team Rishi – I have yet to find such a thoughtful and sweet guy as Rishi, I wouldn’t mind trading places with Dimple if that means I can have him -haha. I so agree with you on the Strange the Dreamer cover – so enchanting!
I look forward to more posts from you in the future… Happy Reading! 🙂
Hi Delphine! Thanks so much 🙂 I adored the Shades of Magic series so I definitely hope you’ll enjoy it just as much when you get to it. Rishi was so sweet and thoughtful indeed, he was the best! And the Strange the Dreamer cover is indeed so gorgeous <3