Mid Year Freak Out Tag

~ Azia

I was tagged by Mandy @ Book Princess Reviews  and Emma @ A Dreamer’s Library to do this tag! If you haven’t already, PLEASE check out their wonderful blogs!

I can’t believe we’re already half-way through 2017. It feels like yesterday that I was setting up my new year resolutions! So far I’ve read some really amazing books, so I think it might be a bit hard to choose which ones I’ve liked best! This one’s gonna be fun!

1. Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2017?

Umm, okay hold on now. JUST ONE? I think not.

These are just a FEW of the books I’ve loved so far. I’ve enjoyed the entire Shades of Magic trilogy as well as Strange the Dreamer and The Song of Achilles, all of which are my new favorites!

2. BEST SEQUEL OF 2017 SO FAR?

I couldn’t choose between Lord of Shadows and Crown of Midnight, although I’m leaning more towards LoS. Even so, both of the sequels were PHENOMENAL.

3. NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET, BUT WANT TO?

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This is a book I’ve been dying to read ever since I’ve heard of it. I have it on my shelves but I just haven’t been in the mood to read it just yet!

4. MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE OF THE SECOND HALF OF 2017?

I’m torn between these two:

I love both Maggie Stiefvater and Marie Lu so I can’t decide which one I’m more excited for: All the Crooked Saints or Warcross! Both seem like they MIGHT be fantastic 😀

5. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT?

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I haven’t written a review for Cale Dietrich’s The Love Interest just yet, but after thinking about it for a while now, I think I’ve decided that I was not as impressed with it as I initially thought. The characters fell a little flat for me, the ending was rushed, the spy action was near nonexistent, and the romance felt a bit contrived. Even though I enjoyed it (a bit more than Splintered, actually), it ended up being a bigger disappointment to me as I was expecting SOOO much from it and it didn’t quite get there for me 😦

6. BIGGEST SURPRISE?

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When I bought And I Darken, I didn’t know much about the plot. I bought it because of the cover. I mean, LOOK AT IT. Even after attending a conversation with the author and reading the book afterwards, I didn’t expect to LOVE it as much as I did!

7. FAVORITE NEW AUTHOR (DEBUT OR NEW TO YOU)?

I feel like these are two different things. So, my favorite debut author is Robin Roe and my new favorite author (that is new to me) is V.E. Schwab!

8. NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH?

*Sidles up next to Kell Maresh* Why, hello there. How YOU doin’?

9. NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER?

Because I don’t want to say Kell again and I’ve made it clear to some of you that I LOVE LOVE LOVE Adam from A List of Cages, I’ll name another character I fell in love with.

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Lazlo Strange from Strange the Dreamer. Isn’t he just the sweetest, purest cinnamon roll you’ve ever seen!? He loves books and fairytales, and he even narrates his life aloud when he gets excited. Too cute!

10. BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY?

I don’t cry. I am made of stone. But the one book that made me come close was:

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And only because of that evil, horrid, torturous cliffhanger. How dare you play with my heart like that Cassie Clare. HOW DARE YOU?

11. BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY?

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Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins was like a little ball of fluff. It was so cute, and sweet, and simply made of good vibes. Despite all the drama and angst, I couldn’t stop smiling from beginning to end!

12. FAVORITE BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATION YOU’VE SEEN THIS YEAR?

I don’t think I’ve seen a book to movie adaptation this year! Unless Beauty and the Beast counts. That was a book before, right? So, I say Beauty and the Beast.

13. FAVORITE REVIEW YOU’VE WRITTEN THIS YEAR?

My review writing has been absolutely dreadful this year. I am SOOOO behind. I suppose the reviews I enjoyed writing the most were Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor and A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab.

14. MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU BOUGHT OR RECEIVED SO FAR THIS YEAR?

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I absolutely ADORE the cover to Stephanie Garber’s Caraval. It’s a book that is just as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. The pages within are also well-designed. I’m so happy to have this one on my shelves! 😀

15. WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR?

Quite a few actually….The Harry Potter series, the Raven Cycle, Of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor, Vicious by V.E. Schwab, the rest of the Throne of Glass series, Winter (and the rest of the Lunar Chronicles installments) and so many more. I have way too many books on my TBR that I’d like to read before the year ends!

My Tagees

Shouni @ Through the Book Portal

Izzy @ Ravenclaw Book Club

Gretchen @ Chic Nerd Reads

Lia @ Lost in a Story

Maxxesbooktopia

Megan @ Bookslayer Reads

Lu @ Lu Reads

Jacquie @ Rattle the Stars

Kristin @ Kristin Kraves Books

And for those I haven’t tag but really want to do this one, then go right on ahead. I’d love to see your answers!

All right, I’m out. See you guys soon! ❤

 

 

38 thoughts on “Mid Year Freak Out Tag”

  2. Great post! This year I also really need to read the Harry Potter books, the Raven Cycle, Vicious by V.E. Schwab, and Lunar Chronicles! Thank you so much for the tag, but I’ve already completed this tag,… whoops!!

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  3. Great answers for this tag Azia, oh I could not choose just one book I loved this year. Most of the ones on your list are mine as well. ACOL was brilliant, and even though I read them last year I agree that My Lady Jane and Simon Vs were brilliant reads as well! 😀
    I am sorry to see The Love Interest was your biggest disappointment. I have that on my to-read list still (it’s not released in the UK for another week or so) but I’ve heard a few mixed things about it so I’ll be going in with lowered expectations to say the least.
    Again great answers for this tag, and I hope the books you read during the second half of this year are just as good as the books you read during the first half! 😀 ❤

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    1. Thank you, Beth! There were just so many good books on my TBR this year. I’m excited to read the other ones I have up next 😀 I really enjoyed ACOL, Lady Jane, and Simon. They’re all arguably my top favorite reads of all-time now!
      And yeah, I’d encourage keeping your expectations a little low for The Love Interest. I’ll try to send out my review this coming week to share my thoughts but in sum, it was good but not quite good enough.
      Thanks again! I hope you enjoy all the books on your reading list for the rest of this year, too! 😀 ❤

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      1. That’s all right! 😀 I know the feeling, there are so many good books on my TBR list this year as well.
        My expectations are low, may even help me enjoy the book a little more than I would have otherwise. Either way I’ll make sure I check out your review after I read the book myself.
        That’s all right! 😀 ❤

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      2. I really do hope you enjoy The Love Interest more than I did! I think I would have enjoyed it much more if I hadn’t held it up to such high standards 😀 Can’t wait to see what you think of it!

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  6. Thanks so much for the tag! I haven’t read that many books this year but it will be fun to review them. Just wait until you read Now I Rise, the sequel to And I Darken. It’s even better than the first one. A total powerhouse.

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    1. No worries! And that’s all right. Looking back, I actually haven’t read as many books as I usually do 🙂 I still have to order Now I Rise but I will have it in my hands on the day it is released. I just loved the first book so much! And that makes me really excited to hear! Can’t wait to read it 😀

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  7. THANKS FOR THE TAG! I also just discovered V.E Schwab books and I love them! The Darker Shade trilogy was so good! I will never get over Lord of Shadows, it’s not possible. How do we wait two years for the next one??!! The Hate U Give is fantastic! I hope you love it when you get to it!

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    1. Of course! And isn’t V.E. Schwab just the greatest? I can’t wait to pick up Vicious and This Savage Song one day 🙂 It’s gonna be a hella long wait for that last book. Cassie Clare how could you do that to us!! *shakes fist in the general direction of Ms. Clare* And I can’t wait to read THUG. It sounds like a fantastic read. I hope I love it, too! Thanks 😀

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      1. YES she is! I’m reading Vicious now and loving it so far! Morally ambiguous characters are great. I KNOW! I understand these books are huge and takes a lot of time to write but I NEED to know what happens! 😀

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      2. Oh I love it! Morally ambiguous characters are wonderful. It’s encouraging to hear that you love Vicious! I’ve already heard so many amazing things about it. Your opinion is making me want to read it even more 😀 And I know! It’s so painful to have to wait lol

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  9. Ooooooh, your answers were brilliant, Azia! And that first question always makes me laugh – we’re book bloggers and you expect us to just choose one??? Loved your choices, though! My Lady Jane was brilliant. And I’m super sad about The Love Interest. I wanted to read that one so badly, but I’m a bit scared now. And I superrrrr need to get on reading And I Darken. Brilliant post, Azia!!!

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    1. I know, right?! Just one?? Impossible LOL. So happy you loved My Lady Jane. It’s just so hilarious and sweet. And I say The Love Interest was good but not as good as it could have been. I’d still encourage you to give it a go! Yaaaas, please read And I Darken. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed by it 😀 Thanks so much, Mandy!! ❤

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      1. Yes! And yessssssssss again. I never thought that it would be as funny and sweet as it was but it was just so much fun. And okay, I’ll still give it a try. 😀 I know better now, though, to not have super, super high expectations. And oooh, yes, I really need to move it so crazy high up the TBR. And you’re welcome! ❤

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  13. I’m glad you choose many books as your favorites because I can’t choose one either 🙂 I am the same way with you about pretty book covers haha.. Caraval is definitely attention grabber! And I Darken, I do love this cover more than the other one with the girl and paint on her face. I’ll put The Love Interest to the bottom of the TBR pile then since it’s a disappointment for you 🙂

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    1. It’s too hard to choose just one! There are too many great books out right now. I actually liked the cover of the girl with the war paint, but certainly not as much as the cover with the arrow and flower petals. Much more artistic and stunning, imo. While I didn’t enjoy The Love Interest as much as I hoped to, I really hope you manage to enjoy it much more than I did, whenever you decide to read it 🙂 I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!

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      1. Thanks! I do notice the mixed reviews on Goodreads. Some readers said they really love The Love Interest.. so I’ll just have to read it to know for sure haha..

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