The Mid-Year 2019 Book Freak-Out Tag

Posted June 22, 2019 by Kate

hello, lovely book dragons!

It’s that time of the year!! The Mid-Point, wherein we all break out into sweats about meeting reading goals and all the books that you still need to read and all the new releases you haven’t gotten to yet! Fun!

I’ve sworn to read 120 books this year on Goodreads, which is much lower than my normal declaration, but as I just finished my last semester of high school, as Editor-in-Chief of the #1 student newsmagazine in the country, and am starting college in the fall… I thought I’d better take it easy this year.

Well, screw that because I’ve already read 80 books towards my goal of 120, so I’m oddly not freaking out at this point of the year about my goal. But I’m far behind on new releases this year, so there’s that … *bites nails*

1. Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2019?

Love Lessons by Heidi Cullinan

Hands down, the answer is Love Lessons by Heidi Cullinan. I read this book in one complete sitting (twice already!) and sacrificed so much sleep for my love for this book. It perfectly encapsulates being in college, first love and there is so much feeling and emotion, that it just pours out of the book and sucks me in. It’s the best kind of boy-meets-boy and I just absolutely melted while reading this one.

“Hands down,” I would also have to argue for The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic. I was so surprised by this one … which is why you’ll see it down at number six.

2. Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far in 2019?

Ocean Light by Nalini Singh

You guys know I ADORE Nalini Singh’s books, and this one was just another example of her completely shooting it out of the park. Her worldbuilding, plus her amazingly dynamic side characters and stunning writing style makes her books a win every time in my book.

Her books all have the small-town, small-but-very-involved-community-with-large-and-loving-hearts feel that I adore. It was, simply put, a very sweet and innocent and fresh enemies-to-lovers romance.

It was perfection.

3. New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To?

Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh

Nalini Singh, again! I have ALL of her urban fantasy/paranormal books in mass markets, and her contemporary’s in paperback. But her mass markets aren’t out yet! I’m on the waitlist at my library to read the e-book sooner… but we’ll see. Regardless, I’m buying the mass market copy, just as soon as it becomes available.

CAN’T WAIT to read this next installment of the Psy-Changeling Trinity, after the wonders that have been Silver Silence and Ocean Light!! And we’re returning to the wolf pack :)

Read my review of book one

4. Most Anticipated Release For Second Half of 2015?

Sweep the Blade by Ilona Andrews

Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews

Quiet Man by Kristen Ashley

Archangel’s War by Nalini Singh

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater

… shall I go on?

5. Biggest Disappointment?

Cruel Prince by Holly Black

This one was hyped up so much in the YA book community, and I waited to read it until after the Wicked King came out. But I was just so … underwhelmed by the duology. I connected with and was intrigued by Jude in the beginning, but by the end of the second book, I felt so disconnected from her and just thought her a thoughtless and petulant child who was so in over her head. I waited for her to have the Badass Moment that would dissuade me and bring her back into my graces, but it was just a stretch of dumb and dumber and I just … sorry, but didn’t love this one :( It was the first Holly Black I have this to say about! But I missed her usual writing style and spiciness in this one.

6. Biggest Surprise?

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic

GUYS A NEW DEFINITE FAVORITE FOR SURE. This and Love Lessons were infinitely tied for Best Read (and I have a feeling they’ll stay there), and I reread both twice already this year. But what finally won The Foxhole Court for this spot was that I definitely was NOT expecting to love this as much as I did. I’m not sure what I was expected going in, I knew it was a sport, that Cait @ PaperFury loved it and there were sweet troubled boys.

BUT THIS BLEW ME OUT OF THE WATER. I read this series 24/7 for three days straight and then reread the whole series again a second time in two additional days. My whole family knew how shocked and in love, I was with this trilogy… and honestly? I’m up for a reread, even now.

7. Favorite New Author?

Stay by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

This book was sooo cute!! Emailed / electronic love is one of my favorite tropes! That’s not the actual correct name, but I can’t think of one that’s more apt. It’s a sweet, slow-ish burn romance that starts over steamy DM’s over a virtual assistant app (which I LOVED).

The main character, Hailey, was super innocent and kind. Before meeting Matt, she was married to her best friend and, for all intents and purposes, had never been out on a date, had to ask a guy out, or do any of the guesswork. It was fun to watch her figure it out with Matt! Seriously, it was soo cuuuttee, despite the harsh and kind of aggressive cover. Will definitely be reading more from this amazing author duo :)

8. Newest Fictional OTP?

Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews

It’s no secret that Mr. and Mrs. Andrews are serious favorites of mine and have been on the auto-buy authors list for years. But this new one was a celebration for me, because it was new!! I adore their Kate Daniels series, the Edge series, the Innkeeper Chronicles, and the Hidden Legacies series, and they are all five-star reads that I consistently re-read, I love them so much. But it was awesome to see them getting back in the game with a new set of characters! They never left the game, but it didn’t stop me from thinking “They’re Back!!” the whole time I was reading this. It was set in the Kate Daniels world, but with a fresh new set of characters and a fresh storyline that I can’t WAIT to get more of :)

9. Newest Favorite Character?

Work in Progress by Staci Hart

Ms. Hart completely stole the show with this one for me. I ADORED it!! I connected so much with the story and especially the main character, Amelia. She was super, anxiously shy, but a huge book nerd, looking to make it big in the publishing world as a publisher. But she was also a book blogger. And she got to work with an author whose books she consistently ripped apart. And not just work with him… but engage in a marriage of convenience. Can you say “YES YES YES???” This checks ALL my boxes!! It was an adorable friends-to-lovers story, and as a book blogger and book nerd hoping to join the publishing community as a publisher, it struck my heart.

10. Book That Made You Cry?

Son, all books make me cry. Little known fact.

I cry all the time while reading, picking one would just be unfair.

11. Book That Made You Happy?

The Fragile Ordinary by Samantha Young

I knew Ms. Young could write a good contemporary romance. I’ve known it so for years. But one day, I was feeling in the mood for a cute romance, so I looked up her name in my library app, Libby, intending to get her first available book. Then I struck gold in the form of The Fragile Ordinary, which I absolutely ADORED! It was so adorable!! It was a YA contemporary fiction, 100% adorable boy-meets-girl, girl-meets-boy love and it was just what I needed and puts a smile on my face just thinking about it.

The main character is sassy, unique, and also a shy book nerd, which ratchets up the relatable factor tenfold. Ms. Young has a fan for life if she can do YA like this. More in the future, yeah?

12. Most Beautiful Book You Bought So Far This Year?

The Boy Who Steals Houses by CG Drews

This really is a stunning book. The blues, keys, and stars, plus the title being inside the silhouette… it’s gorgeous!!

I’ve heard only wonderful things about this book .. and if it’s anything like her debut, A Thousand Perfect Notes, I know that I’ll love it. CG Drews, or Cait @ PaperFury, knows how to rip your heart out and write perfect, troubled little cinnamon roll boys (as she refers to them, aptly) that you just want to hug and make warm and protect. Cait is brilliant at manipulating the reader’s emotions, all while maintaining her stylistic flair for comedy and making her books an emotional, and often hilarious (in parts) read. I can’t wait to dive into this one!

13. What book do you need to read by year’s end?

Any Brandon Sanderson novel cries

ANY Sanderson novel will do, really!!

But I’ve heard such amazing things and I know I’ll love it ONCE I FREAKING READ IT. Here’s to hoping …