Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag (2021)

Is it really that time already? I can’t believe it’s already time for the Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag! This year has gone by so quickly to be honest. I forgot it was even time for this post until recently. Overall this year has been fantastic so far. Amazing reads and found some new interests. I’ve read some pretty good books so far this year and I’m really excited to share my answers with you!

P.S. Feel free to tag me in your mid year book freakout tag posts. I would absolutely love to see them!

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BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2021

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I can’t for the life of me pick only one book, it’s just not possible. This year has definitely been a surprise because I read a couple of books that weren’t really my usual or go to genres/themes, and ended up loving them.

Okay, Pride and Prejudice was my first favourite from this year. I don’t read classics and I definitely was not expecting to love this but it happened. Bring on everything Jane Austen.

Now The Bone Season was fantastic. The perfect blend of sci-fi and fantasy, and unlike anything I’ve ever read before.

House of Hollow took me by storm. I went into it without knowing a single things about it aside from the fact that it was creepy, but it delivered. I just enjoyed it so so much.

Chain of Iron comes as no surprise to anyone I’m sure. Cassie Clare never disappoints and I will die on this hill. I loved this. I loved this so much! All my favourite characters in this world and of course the plot twists and surprises that Cassie doesn’t seem to ever run out of.

BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2021

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The Mime Order was so good! I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with The Bone Season but the books are amazing. Great if you’re looking to read more sci-fi. The Mime Order had me so invested and I couldn’t help but start the next book the moment I finished it. I don’t think I need to talk about Chain of Iron more, do I?

NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET BUT WANT TO

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I’ve heard amazing things about Arsenic and Adobo and I’m so excited to read it! I just know I’m going to love it. I don’t read much mystery but this one is definitely high on my tbr. Another book I can’t wait to pick up is Hana Khan Carries On because I seriously need to read more books by Muslim authors, and I’m pretty sure this would be an instant favourite.

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

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The Bronzed Beasts without a doubt. I can name a few others I’m excited about but this one takes the cake. Everyone knows how much I love Roshani Chokshi. This series means the world to me there hasn’t been a single thing I don’t love about it, and as much as I’m worried about what this book will bring, I’m also ecstatic.

Another mention would be The Vanderbeekers Make A Wish because I’m a sucker for middle grade and especially this series. I don’t think a book has ever made me cry like the ones in this series. They’re all so heartwarming and I just can’t help loving these children.

Another anticipated release is A Psalm of Storms and Silence! A Song of Wraiths and Ruin was such a good book. I loved it so so much. It was such a big surprise and I can’t wait for the sequel. This is your reminder to pick this book up!

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

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As much as it hurts me to write this, We Have Always Lived in the Castle was a huge disappointment for me. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad it was just so underwhelming. I expected so much more from this and sadly, it just didn’t deliver. A little creepy? Sure. But even the amount of creepy wasn’t enough to save this one for me.

Another one was The Girl on the Train. I didn’t enjoy this even half as much as I thought I would. It was interesting throughout the first half, and then at some point things sort of dragged for me and I just lost interest. The big reveal at the end wasn’t even that big to be honest and i kind of called it.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Pride and Prejudice is what comes to my mind instantly. I’ve never read classics and I’ve avoided them my entire life. I wanted to give Jane Austen at least a chance this year, and guess what? I’m obsessed. I read this book in January and it filled me with so much joy. I loved it so much and I’ve reached a point where I can’t stop talking about it. If this wasn’t a surprise then I don’t know what is.

FAVOURITE NEW AUTHOR (DEBUT OR NEW TO YOU)

Hands down, Samantha Shannon. I wanted to give her books a try and ended up reading two of her books (plus a novella) in one go and stopping half way through a third. Obsessed with her storytelling and in love with her characters and world. I haven’t read sci-fi in so long and this was the perfect blend of that and fantasy.

NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

I’ll be honest I’ve stared at this one question for about 15 minutes. Obviously, I forgot everyone from this year. But I remembered someone! I’m going with Aren from The Bridge Kingdom. Thank you Danielle L. Jensen for the masterpiece that is this book, and these characters. Read it. Just read it and you’ll probably know what I’m talking about.

NEWEST FAVOURITE CHARACTER

I’m going with Cordelia Carstairs from Chain of Iron. She was my favourite from before but she became a definite favourite now. I love her so so much!

A BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

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Crying while reading Jasmine Warga’s books seems to b a recurring theme. I cried when I read Other Words for Home and cried reading The Shape of Thunder too. Emotional and raw and so very deep. Full of conflicting feelings and I just had so many different thoughts coming up. Definitely recommend this. Another book I highly recommend is Home Is Not a Country. The book made me feel so many things at once in the best and worst way. The most incredible poetry books I’ve ever read.

A BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

I came across this book somewhere and thought it was the cutest thing, so I picked it up. I enjoyed my time reading this so much! I always forget how happy middle grade books make me. It was strange and whimsical and exactly what I needed at the time. I’m hoping I read more books like A Place Called Perfect this year.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT (OR RECEIVED) THIS YEAR

Most definitely this The Mortal Instruments box set! Despite already having a set of these books , I’ve been dying to get this set for years now and I finally splurged on them this year. No regrets whatsoever. I can’t get over these covers. I keep picking them up and staring at them. Definitely a worthy haul.

WHAT BOOK DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR

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*Sigh* A Sky Beyond the Storm is definitely one of the many. I’m not really pressed to read certain things by the end of the year to be honest but I’d really love to read this one. It was one of my highly anticipated last year and I want to know how one of my favourite series will end.

Saints and Misfits has been on my tbr for ages! S.K. Ali is one of my favourite books so I don’t really understand why I haven’t read it yet. Lets hope I’ll get to it this year.

Another one is Ayesha at Last. This books is a definitely must read. By the time this post goes up I might have already read it but if not just know that I want to.

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Tell me some of your best reads of 2021? Or answer any of the questions here, I would love to know ❤