Hi everyone! Welcome to the 2020 edition of the Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag! I can’t believe we’re already almost halfway through the year. 2020 has been a wild ride, and many of us have been struggling to read lately, myself included, so my answers to this tag might be repetitive. Nevertheless, I like doing this tag to help keep a record of my reading year, and I’m going to try to do it every year as long as I have a blog. If you’re interested in seeing last year’s edition, you can go read that here.
Otherwise, let’s get started with the tag!
Best book you’ve read so far in 2020
Not counting rereads, the best book I’ve read so far this year was probably Sightwitch by Susan Dennard. I’ve really fallen in love with her books recently, and I really need to get to Bloodwitch soon (probably in July). In case you don’t know, Sightwitch is part of Susan Dennard’s Witchlands series. The first two books in the series are Truthwitch and Windwitch. Sightwitch is set before the events of the first book, following some familiar characters that we meet in the main series. As I understand it, even though the book is a prequel, you have to read it before Bloodwitch.
Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2020
I could say Sightwitch for this one, too, I guess, but in the interest of not being too repetitive, I’m going to say Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson. I’ve been working my way through a reread of the Stormlight Archive in preparation for the fourth book, which comes out in November. Words of Radiance is the one I reread most recently. I’ve talked about this series, and Sanderson’s books in general, endlessly on this blog, so I’m not going to spend too much time here. Suffice it to say that I loved this book just as much if not more than I did the first time I read it.
New release you haven’t read yet but want to
I don’t own this book yet, but I really want to read A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown. This book has been all over Book Twitter recently, but if you haven’t heard of it, it’s the first book in a West African-inspired fantasy duology about Malik, a refugee coming to the city of Ziran to escape his war-torn home, and Karina, the Crown Princess of Ziran. It just came out at the beginning of June, and I really need to get my hands on it.
Most anticipated release for the second half of the year
Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson. It’s supposed to come out in November, and I’m so excited. Waiting three years between every Stormlight book isn’t fun, but when the new book finally comes out, it’s always so worth it.
Biggest disappointment
My most disappointing read so far was A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I loved the movie when I was younger (though I don’t know how I would feel about it now), and I read another book by this author, The Secret Garden, a long time ago and liked it. I really thought this would at least be good, if not great. But it took me four days to read this 250-page children’s book because it was so bland.
Biggest surprise
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. I didn’t necessarily go into this book thinking I would hate it, but the hype made me wary. I was pleasantly surprised when I ended up liking the book. It’s not my new favorite thing or anything, but it was definitely very good and I intend to read the rest of the series eventually.
Favorite new author (Debut or new to you)
Unfortunately, I haven’t yet read many books by debut or new to me authors (actually, I don’t think I’ve read any debuts). Of the ones I have read, though, I would like to read more from Holly Black, Brent Weeks, and Margaret Rogerson.
Newest fictional crush
No one. I don’t get fictional crushes. I’ve talked about that before in its own post if you want to know more about it (though I don’t know why you would).
Newest favorite character
I really like Morrigan from The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend.
Book that made you cry
None of the books I’ve read this year have made me cry. It takes a lot for a book to make me cry.
Book that made you happy
Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 1. I don’t have a ton to say about this book because it is only the first volume in a long(ish) manga series, and I haven’t yet read any of the others. But I thought this one was great, and it had an overall happy vibe, even though it does also have some darker elements.
Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)
I’m not sure whether or not I actually bought this book this year or not (if I didn’t, it was near the end of last year, because it was relatively recently), but I think the cover of The Cruel Prince is beautiful. I like the Barnes & Noble edition with the gold on a black background the best, but the regular cover, the one I actually own, is pretty too.
What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
So many. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin, American Royals by Katharine McGee, Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard, all the books I’ve hauled recently. I also really want to finish reading the last few stories in Arcanum Unbounded this year. I could probably list books I want to read for a while, but those are some of the big ones.
That was this year’s edition of the Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag! Thanks for reading. Let me know down in the comments, what books do you need to get to before the end of the year?
I’ll see you next time!
-Ariel