Mid-Year Freakout Book Tag 2023

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I had this in my drafts already in early May and totally forgot about it until I saw a video on YouTube for this! It’s like I didn’t even realize it was June and time for the mid-year freakout book tag!

This is just a fun thing to do, I wasn’t tagged, I’m not tagging anyone but if you do post it, I’d love to see it in the comments!

My reading goal, like always, is 100 books for the year and I’m currently at 46 with three in progress. I was pretty far behind after March but am basically caught up now.

  • Thrift Books is one of the places I check when I’m looking for a book (old ones especially) and want it cheap. It’s great if you like buying used books. With this you can get a free book after spending $30!
  • Pango is one of my go-to’s for finding secondhand books affordably, sold by other readers! If you’re a new user, you can use HEYIMREADING at checkout for $5 off your first $10 purchase! Check out Pango Books here!
  • Libro.fm is the best for buying audiobooks AND supporting your local bookstore. Use code SWITCH to get two free credits (three total) when you sign up for a one-credit membership! Sign up for Libro.fm here!
  • If you want to listen to some of these, consider trying Audible! You can get your first month free (one free book).  Get that Audible deal here.
  • If you want to read more on your Kindle but don’t want to buy books, Kindle Unlimited is a good option, especially if you read a lot of indie authors. Get Kindle Unlimited here!
  • Shop my book lists here! You can find every book list I have on Bookshop.org (except my monthly round-ups) and I add everything I can but they occasionally won’t have some. I do occasionally add extras though. If any lists are empty, they’ll be filled in..eventually! Shop my bookshop.org book lists here.

You can see all the books I’ve read this year here

1. Best book you’ve read so far

Rice, Noodle, Fish was SO good. Food books don’t always do it for me but this made me feel like I was eating the food. I listened to this but want a physical copy because it has pictures, too. YUM!

In April I decided I need to go back to Japan ASAP so I’ve been surrounding myself with it and listening to this was part of that. I can’t wait too listen to his other two books, too.

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far

Defekt – I think I’ve only read two sequels this year (I’m into standalones right now) and the other one was just ok. And I DNF’d the third in the series.

But I really enjoyed Defekt! Finna was such a fun story and this was an interesting perspective to follow up with.

3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to

The Only One Left is like, new new and I just ordered and plan to start reading it immediately when it gets here!

I have no idea what to expect. I want to like it so bad but I’m worried I won’t. I’m actually fairly confident I won’t but I really, really want to!

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

I have a few! Singing All The Way Up comes out barely in the second half of the year (July 12) but I’m SO excited to read it!

Whalefall comes out August 23 although I did get an eARC of this and will likely read this before then. It sounds super weird and like the ocean horror I need.

Looking Glass Sound is the other and I actually also have an eARC of this but I don’t know if I’ll end up reading it before August 8. I’ll try though!

5. Biggest disappointment

Survive the Night. Ugh. I was SO excited for this but it just did not do it. I was so mad the whole time I was reading this. It just made no sense and the main character was not logical whatsoever. It’s only redeeming quality is that I was at least entertained. It’s my least favorite Riley Sager book.

6. Biggest surprise

I See London, I See France was a really fun one. I didn’t have that high of expectations and I know it’s not like, amaaaaazing literature, but it was exactly what I wanted.

Books like Love & Gelato (aka this), YA summer romance about traveling through Europe, are some of my favorites and an extremely specific genre I love.

7. Favorite new author

Taylor Adams I suppose. I love No Exit when I read that and was super excited about Hairpin Bridge and The Last Word and while I didn’t like them as much, I still enjoyed them a lot.

I haven’t really read enough of any other authors to be able to pick someone else though, so it’s kind of a default answer.

8. Newest fictional crush

None? I feel like I don’t have fictional crushes. Book boyfriends aren’t really a thing for me. I don’t know why, I just don’t think I have bonds with characters that much, character crush or not.

9. Newest favorite character

The kidnapped lady from The Quiet Tenant was definitely my favorite but like I said above, I really had to think to be able to pick one. But I liked her.

10. Book that made you cry

I rarely cry at books and didn’t think I was going to have an answer for this one when I was getting this post ready in May and then I read These Silent woods.

I wasn’t sobbing but I definitely cried a little toward the end. This was such a good book. I was expecting more of a thriller but this was more about family secrets and relationships and it was just SO GOOD.

11. Book that made you happy

Love & Olives. How could this not make you happy? It was sad, too, but it also made me happy. The end was so sweet. I knew I would love this though because I love the other two.

12. Most beautiful book that you’ve bought

Sundial for sure. All editions I’ve seen of this are beautiful but I saw a different one over the winter and it was so beautiful! It’s half the reason I got it!

13. Books you need to read by the end of the year

One of these (the first one) I just want to read but the others are what I have left for the 23 in 23 reading challenge I’m doing. Progress on that is..not great so far. But could be worse, I guess.

Mid-year freakout book tag prompts

Because I hate having too type out book tag prompts, you can just copy and paste the list below if you’re interested in participating!

1. Best book you’ve read so far

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far

3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

5. Biggest disappointment

6. Biggest surprise

7. Favorite new author

8. Newest fictional crush

9. Newest favorite character

10. Book that made you cry

11. Book that made you happy

12. Most beautiful book that you’ve bought

13. Books you need to read by the end of the year

How is your 2023 reading going? Have you read any of these? Which ones?

Author: Megan Johnson

I'm Megan, a cheesehead at heart currently residing in the Sunshine State. You can probably find me reading, watching Forensic Files, or both.

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