Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag

Woohoo, my first book tag!  This is blog milestone, right?

I feel great shame in saying that I haven’t read that much this year.  I can feel the gods of literature frowning down at me as I say (or rather, type) this, but nevertheless I will complete the Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag.  Kourtni from KourtniReads nominated me to complete this tag and I would so hate to waste her nomination, so let’s get started.

Best Book I’ve Read So Far in 2017:

I’m still reading this book, but I just know that it’s going to be my favorite: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.  This book is just too good, you know?  I chatted about my favorite read of the year (thus far) in my first Writing and Reading Update, so go check it out!

Best Sequel I’ve Read So Far in 2017

I haven’t read any sequels yet.  I suck.

Most Anticipated Release for the Second Half of the Year

I’m really looking forward to reading They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera because I think it’s going to be a beautiful, beautiful book.  As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a crier, but this book might do me in.  Stay tuned.

Biggest Disappointment

I spoke too soon–I have read a sequel this year.  Maybe that was a Freudian slip because I was really disappointed by The White Rose by Amy Ewing.  The White Rose is the second book in its series and, while I was just short of satisfied after reading its predecessor The Jewel, I was expecting something a little more… explosive?  Enticing?  Connected to the first book in a logical progression?  I felt like they had two different aesthetics: The Jewel is velvet curtains adorning lavish palaces while The White Rose is… a cabin in the woods?  I was confused at how so many different “worlds” could exist on the same island.

Is it okay to include two books under the same category?  I’m going to do it anyway because I’m so adamant about not reading this book.  I didn’t even finish The Gender Game by Bella Forrest because it was fabricated entirely of dystopian stereotypes.  For all the hype I’ve heard about it, I was expecting something with dynamic characters (spoiler: it had none).  The idea was original-ish, but I could only stomach about ten pages at a time before I decided that it wasn’t worth it.

Biggest Surprise

The final plot twist of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard hit me like a truck.  I remember throwing my book across the room, but then sprinting to pick it up because I couldn’t believe what I’d read.  It was one of those surprises where I should’ve seen it coming, but I didn’t.  My advice to future readers?  Buckle your seatbelts, kids.  (You can check out my full review here.)

Favorite New Author

I’ve been digging Livia Blackburne lately.  Her novel Rosemarked is set to be published in November and I obtained an advance copy through NetGalley (you can read more about it in my latest update).  She has a great tone that’s somewhere in between factual and establishes characters in a way that feels seamless and, get this, real.  In my literary escapades I’ve found few young-adult authors who can world-build like Blackburne can.  I’d certainly recommend preordering Rosemarked before it’s snatched off the shelves in November.

Newest Fictional Crush

I’m about to read Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and I think I’m going to like Will Traynor, partially because I’ll be picturing him as Sam Clafin in my head.

Newest Favorite Character

Ugh, must I choose just one?  Okay, I’m going to name my favorites rapid fire-style: Xander from Matched by Ally Condie, Esther from The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Carla from Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon, Carrie Meeber from Sister Carrie by Theodore Dresider, Jake from 11/22/63 by Stephen King.  I’ll stop there.

Book that Made Me Cry

Have I ever mentioned that I’m not a crier?

Book that Made Me Happy

Everything, Everything made me smile like an idiot.  The romance between Olly and Maddy was caustic in nature and fallout, but it was still innocent and full of sacrificial adoration.  I may or may not have ran around my house shouting to the rafters how stinking cute it was.

Favorite Book-to-Film Adaptation

This one defaults to Everything, Everything since it’s the only book-to-film I both saw and read this year.

Favorite Post I’ve Done This Year

I’m partial to my post on a book store in Annapolis and the thoughts I had there.  You can read it here.

Most Beautiful Book I’ve Bought This Year

I’ve yet to read Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt, but the cover is gorgeous.  A friend of mine was reading this at school and I bought it that day without even reading the synopsis.  I’ll let you know if the inside is as lovely as the outside.

New Release I Haven’t Read Yet But Want To

I hate buying books full-price after finding ThriftBooks, which sells tons of books (including textbooks) for next-to-nothing, but I might cave and buy When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon.  I’ve heard only the highest praise from those who’ve read this book and I want to get in on the action.  What do you think, should I bite the bullet and buy full-price?

Book I Need to Read by the End of the Year

I read the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer in middle school but never read Breaking Dawn because, like most at that time, my mother thought it was too mature.  I think it’s time I put my big girl pants on and finish the damn thing just to say I did it.

My Distinguished Nominees:

You.  Yeah, you there in the front, the one looking at Annie’s blog post.  No, not the guy behind you.  Yes, you.  Can’t wait to hear about your year (so far) in books 🙂

XO, Annie