Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag 2020

Hey friends!

I watch a LOT of BookTube. At some point, I do plan on starting to post videos to a BookTube channel of my own. One of the biggest video trends I've seen recently is a tag that has been going around for a few years. According to Super Space Chick, it was started by Chami, so thanks to her! I'm adapting it a little bit to keep it shorter and easier to read for the blog. It keeps coming back because it's supposed to be completed halfway through the year as a check-in. All of the videos I've been watching of it have been so fun that I decided I wanted to post about it on my blog! Here we go:

Best Book of 2020 So Far

Goodreads

This is one of the only questions on this list that I think I can narrow down to just one book. I read Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir back in March and it is full of so many things I like about books. I gushed about it already in my pride months faves post. It's gothic, it has spaceships, swords, murder, necromancy. What more could you want from a book? 

Best Sequel of 2020 So Far

Goodreads

I've been a fan of the Illuminae Files since the first book came out and my school librarian let me take it home before entering it into the system. Of course, now that I've finally read Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, the final book in the series, I consider it the best sequel I've read all year. This is one of the only series where I've given every book 5 stars. Every single one of these books presents an unbelievable story where teens save the day in space, told as a mixed-media collection of files. I thought the stakes couldn't get higher from the first book, and they did in the second, and this repeated again into the third.

New Releases You Haven't Read Yet That You Want To

Goodreads

This is where I start not being able to make up my mind. First up, we have Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Many of Moreno-Garcia's past books are already on my absolutely-must-read list, but I think this is the one I'm most excited about. As I'm sure you can tell, I love dark books, especially ones with a great sense of place. I've heard that's what I'll get in this book. Also, the cover is gorgeous. 

Secondly, we have We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry. Having grown up in the area, I'm always on the lookout for books that mention the Salem Witch Trials, bonus points for calling out Danvers as the actual place where they occurred. This book follows a field hockey team at Danvers High that is very bad and has them dabble in dark magic in the midst of the 1980s. It sounds hilarious. I'm so in.

Finally, I definitely want to read Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas. Of course, with my love for all things gothic-tinged, I am very interested in novels about dark academia. I've only read a few (I LOVE Ninth House), but I definitely want to read more. This one takes it a step further by forcing the students to cut all ties to get into an elite school. I'm so excited for the dark shenanigans.

Most Anticipated Releases for the Rest of the Year

Goodreads

I have had The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab on preorder from a local bookstore through bookshop.org for at least a month already. I don't normally preorder books. Especially this far out (it isn't expected to be released until October). I mean, you take V.E. Schwab's writing, which is gorgeous, and add faustian bargains and romance? How could I not preorder. Now to convince my preorder to come in faster.

In terms of my other most anticipated release, I don't think I really have to explain it. Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir is coming out this year, it's the sequel to Gideon the Ninth, and it's bound to include more swords, necromancy, etc. HYPE HYPE HYPE

Biggest Disappointment so Far

Goodreads

I requested this book on NetGalley, so obviously I wanted to read it. It's the only 1 star I can remember giving since I've been on Goodreads. It was boring and parts of it were problematic. I don't want to rehash everything, so check out this Goodreads review for more.

Biggest Surprises so Far

Goodreads

These books were both ones I requested on NetGalley, but I'd never heard of them before seeing them on NetGalley and I was not expecting them to become new favorite books.

The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso is a dark fantasy novel about a woman whose magical powers don't work, unlike the powerful rest of her family. It turns into a book full of mysteries, court intrigue, and the coolest chimera sidekick. 

When the Stars Wrote Back by Trista Mateer is a book of poetry, which is part of the reason why it surprised me so much. I like poetry, but I can't remember the last time I sat down with a poetry collection since I have so much else to read. I was enchanted by the poetry. It covered some really heavy subjects in such a poignant way. I actually ordered a finished copy of this book immediately after finishing so I could refer back to it again and again.

New Favorite Author

Goodreads

Aside from the obvious (how many times can I talk about Tamsyn Muir), I discovered a love for Margaret Rogerson this year. At one point in quarantine, my boyfriend and I decided to do a book swap where we each sent each other a new book under the parameters that it had to be a YA SFF novel with a blue cover. He bought me Sorcery of Thorns, which I think bends the rules a little since the cover is more teal, but it's fine, because I loved it. I liked it so much I put her other novel An Enchantment of Ravens on hold on Libby and I'm currently reading it. What I like about her writing is the world-building. She takes familiar archetypes and completely transforms them and makes an incredibly immersive world. Her writing is also funny, and the books are both standalones so I don't have to worry about keeping up with a series.

Book That Made You Cry

Hi, it's me, Gideon the Ninth trash.

Book That Made You Happy

Goodreads

I have been an Ally Carter reader since one of my elementary school friends introduced me to the Gallagher Girls series. I was excited to read a new Ally Carter recently, Not if I Save You First. This book is about the daughter of the head of the Secret Service. After an incident at the White House, she moves up to the middle of nowhere in Alaska with her dad. Finally, after years of living alone with her dad, her best friend shows up. She's upset with him because he never wrote back to any of her letters, but she needs to use her survival skills to try to save him when he's kidnapped. This book was the exact brand of feminine badassery I expect from Allly Carter, which made me so so happy.

That's all I have for today! How's your reading year been so far?

Kyra