Hi Friends,
Honestly, I cannot believe we are halfway through the year. It feels like just yesterday we were still dealing with the mess that was last year, and setting goals for 2021. I am happy that this year is turning out to be much brighter than the previous. And I have been reading more books than ever. I am going to be doing the “Mid-Year Book Freakout” tag. This is a book tag that was created a couple of years ago that has question about how your reading year has been going thus far.

Best Book You’ve Read So Far This Year?
Out of all the books I’ve read so far my favorite two are You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson and If I’m Being Honest by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley. I gave both of these books five stars and have reviewed them as well.

Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far This Year?
Sadly, right now I have only read one sequel, “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” by J.K. Rowling. I had never read the entire HP series before, so in 2019, I decided it was time to see what all the hype was about. Although the author is not my favorite person, to say the least, I still wanted to continue reading the books.

New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To?
I am sure there are a ton, but one that comes to mind is Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales. It was released in March, and is, Leah On The Offbeat meet To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. It has a bisexual main character and what seems like a complicated romance. For me, this book could either be a two-star read or five-star, so I am nervous to pick it up.

Most Anticipated Release For The Second Half Of The Year?
I had to do a little research for this question, and a book that caught my eye was Kendare Blake’s “All These Bodies”. I don’t know if it’s the fact that it reminds me of the Freeform series Cruel Summer, or that I am dipping my toes into the thriller side of reading. But I am interested in picking this book up as soon as it is released, on September 16. The story takes place in 1958—correct me if I’m wrong, and is about a serial killer that drains the blood from his victims. But when the Carlson family is murdered, the lead suspect is Marie Hale, who was found at the seen covered in blood. Does that not sound creepy and gripping?

Biggest Disappointment?
I hate raging on books, but there are some that haven’t lived up to my expectations. The biggest disappointment for me was Time Of Our Lives by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka. To say my that I had high-hopes for this book is an understatement. I was very frustrated with the book, and it was a major letdown for me.

Biggest Surprise?
The Thousandth Floor (The Thousandth Floor #1) by Katharine McGee automatically comes to mind. I am not a sci-fi fantasy reader normally, but this book was amazing. I loved most of the characters, and all the plot twists and turns. I hope that the rest of the series falls in the first books footsteps and surprises me as well.

Favorite New Author (Debut Or New To You)?
This year I have read a few new-to-me authors, but I wouldn’t say any of them have become a favorite. I have liked some more than others, yet I haven’t discovered a new instant-read author.

Newest Fictional Crush?
I am a happily married woman and love my husband dearly. But I do occasionally find some fictional characters very charming. Funny enough, my newest fictional crush is from a one of my disappointing reads of the year. I fell head-over-heels for the awkward, nerdy wordsmith that is Fitz Holton in “Time Of Our Lives.” He was sweet, smart and innocent, and he always put his family first. What girl can resist a guy like that?

Newest Favorite Character?
Is it bad to say I don’t have one. I have read many books with great characters this year, but none of them stand out to me as a favorite.

Book That Made You Cry?
100% Tunnel of Bones (Cassidy Blake #2) by Victoria Schwab, which might be a strange answer. For some reason this story book my heart. This series falls a young girl who can see ghosts, and along with her ghost best friend, Jacob, they help other spirits to move on. This book was a tad spine-chilling, but what pulled at my heart strings was the tragedy of the ghosts death. It was hard for me to read, and I shed some tears.

Book That Made You Happy?
Geekerella by Ashley Poston, since it was your typically lighthearted YA contemporary. The story was sweet and simple, as was the romance. I thought Ashley Poston did a fantastic job turning the classic story of Cinderella and turning it into a modern-day teen romance.

The Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought So Far This Year (Or Received)?
I haven’t bought or received any books so far this year. I do love the cover of House Of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland. I wouldn’t say it describes the book plot as at all, but it is a very spring and summer cover with an unusual element.

What Books Do You Need To Read By The End Of The Year?
I don’t think there are any books that I have to read before the years end. But I have a lot of books that I would love to get to read. I want to finish some of the series I have started, and some hyped books I never got a chance to pick up. I would be happy to finish the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins that I started back in 2018.

This tag is a fun way to catch you up on my reading before the end of the year. I will likely be doing this tag in the years to follow. If you do this tag, please let me know in the comments below. Also, you can leave me a comment letting me know how your 2021 reading is going. Please support my blog by liking and sharing this post, or following the blog via email.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny