2022 Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag

September 30, 2022September 29, 2022 meltotheanyAside12 Comments

MidYearBookTag
The original tag was created by ReadLikeWildfire and Earl Grey Books!

Hello, friends! Okay, I know this is more like a… 75% year freak out tag, but this is kind of a tradition I always do, and you all know how much I love a good tradition! Also, this summer I was just so busy and I was not reading! I am not sure what happened this september, but I think I could possibly be back in my reading era (it all started on namjoon’s birthday, too, his power always will be unmatched, hehe)! But maybe a post soon about my summer and all the things I am reading, let’s get into some book statistics and some faves so far! 💗

So far in 2022, I’ve read 28 books

I’ve generated these statistics by using Brock at Let’s Read‘s spreadsheet!
(i normally do track more data, and i hope to add a lot more before the end of the year, but i still hope these graphs + charts still make your heart happy to visibly be able to see my reading so far this year!)

➽ 1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2022:
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala

➽ 2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2022:
Misrule (Malice Duology #2) by Heather Walter

➽ 3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to:
Babel by R.F. Kuang

➽ 4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year:
Into the Riverlands (The Singing Hills Cycle #3) by Nghi Vo

➽ 5. Biggest disappointment:
Neon Gods (Dark Olympus #1) by Katee Robert

➽ 6. Biggest surprise:
Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente

➽ 7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you):
Heather Walter

➽ 8. Newest fictional crush:
listen… it has been a rough year for romance books + me ;___;

➽ 9. Newest favorite character:
Chih

➽ 10. Book that made you cry:
The Tangleroot Palace by Marjorie M. Liu

➽ 11. Book that made you happy:
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

➽ 12. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received):
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
(maybe i will take an actual picture of it soon because this stock cover photo is not doing this book justice. every part, from the spine to the end-pages, are perfection!)

➽ 13. What book(s) do you need to read by the end of the year?:
Silver Under Nightfall, Moon Dark Smile, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Whew, okay friends, I hope you enjoyed! I feel like I could add so many to that last question! especially because right now I really am finding so much magical joy in just looking up books that look good to me. I am so used to knowing most upcoming releases and all my friends fave books, but this year it feels different but in a really good and indiscernible way. I really am having a lot of fun with reading right now and just falling in love with it again… I don’t know who needs to hear this right now (or maybe a reminder for me again in the future), but: you will always be a reader and that magic will come back. even if that means you’re doing a mid year freak out tag in september, hehe!

thank you to everyone who read all of this, and who just stayed around and is always kind to me, even when i wasn’t producing book content, I love you a lot. and it really means more to me than you’ll ever know, truly! 💗

my 2017 tag | my 2018 tag | my 2019 tag | my 2020 tag | my 2021 tag

Also, what I was listening to on Spotify for the first half of 2022

2020 Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag

July 1, 2020July 1, 2020 meltotheanyAside77 Comments

MidYearBookTag
The original tag was created by ReadLikeWildfire and Earl Grey Books!

Hello, friends! I know, it’s been a while. And I have very sadly not been the best blogger this entire year, but I truly hope to change that, and come back to a place in the book community that has always made me feel very safe. I hope you will see so much more content here from me, while I also hopefully remember how to write in-depth reviews again! But I thought this would be the perfect start to kick blogging back off, while also letting you know what I’ve read so far during this wild year that is 2020. 💗

So far in 2020, I’ve read 46 books

➽ 1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2020:
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Yeah, truly no one (including my damn self) would have guessed a Victoria Schwab book would be my favorite of 2020 as of now, but here we are. This was just utter perfection, one of the best things I’ve ever read. I am still in awe of the beauty of this book and I think it’s gonna be a hard one for any other book to top this year!
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➽ 2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2020:
Chain of Gold (The Last Hours #1) by Cassandra Clare
I get that this feels a little like cheating, because it is the start of a brand new series! But since it is the 500th Shadowhunter book, and you need to read 200 books before this one, I still feel confident putting it as my favorite sequel! Also, this is the only “sequel” I’ve read (and not reread) that I’ve given five stars to!
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➽ 3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to:
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
This has almost every key-word I’ve ever want in the synopsis, and Station Eleven is one of my favorite books of all time. I truly cannot believe I haven’t picked this up yet!

➽ 4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year:
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (The Folk of the Air #3.5) by Holly Black
Are we really surprised? I might be a bit depressed but I can still stay on brand easily.
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➽ 5. Biggest disappointment:
Docile by K.M. Szpara
This book just made me feel so uncomfortable when it came to horribly unbalanced power dynamics (and romance) and with how people of color were treated and written.

➽ 6. Biggest surprise:
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins
Yeah, without question, the biggest surprise of my 2020 reading year has been the fact that The Hunger Games is still deserving of a five star rating. Truly perfection. Wow.
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➽ 7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you):
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
I actually think about lowering this rating to a 4 star a lot, but I still think that it is probably the best debut that I’ve read in 2020 so far!
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➽ 8. Newest fictional crush:
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone
This was the first book I read this new decade and I think it will be a favorite forever. Easily the best 2019 release and I regret not reading it in 2019, truly. As for fictional crush, I feel like I am more in love with the writing and the feeling of true love on every page of this story. But Red and Blue are very much romance goals too.

➽ 9. Newest favorite character:
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
Everyone, literally every character in this book is my favorite new character of 2020! This is my second favorite book of the year so far, and I am still smiling like an idiot thinking about it. I honestly think this could also be my favorite found family of all time. Truly, some of the best written characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading!

➽ 10. Book that made you cry:
The City We Became (Great Cities #1) by N.K. Jemisin
No one, and I mean no one, writes like NK Jemisin. The emotions that she is able to pull and evoke from me is unreal. The parallels and underlying messages from our world bring me so many tears of sadness, but the hope and beauty of what we can have brings me so many tears of hope. This book is a work of art in every way and I truly wish I could put it in everyone’s hands. Masterpiece. My 3rd favorite of 2020!

➽ 11. Book that made you happy:
The Tea Dragon Tapestry (Tea Dragon #3) by Katie O’Neill
At this point in my life, I’m unsure if any series will bring me as much joy as this one does. I love the art, the story, the messages, the characters, and everything else so much!

➽ 12. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received):
Chain of Gold (The Last Hours #1) by Cassandra Clare (Waterstones Edition)
I’ve truly only bought 2 books this year, but honestly… both are gorgeous!
(what even is this picture though? lmaoshfjddshk!)

➽ 13. What book(s) do you need to read by the end of the year?:
Horrid by Katrina Leno | These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong | The Lost Book of the White (The Eldest Curses #2) by Cassandra Clare & Wesley Chu
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➽ 14. Favorite book community member:
My original reviewing friends who I would die for: Chai | May | Elise | Ju | Imi
My book club hosts who I love more than words: Amy | Romie | Maëlys
My best friend who makes everything so much brighter: Lea
I’d also just like to thank you if you’re reading this post and if you’ve supported me and my reviews for the last few years of my life. Your unconditional love and support never went unnoticed and they are such a great source of comfort to me right now in this strange period of my life. I love you, with everything that I am, truly, honestly, with my whole entire heart. Thank you.

Whew, okay! It really felt healing just to write up this post and look forward to posting it! I hope you’re all well. I hope this first half of 2020, strange as it is, has treated you kindly, but I hope the last half of the year is even nicer to you and your reading! If you would like to see, HERE is my 2019 tag, HERE is my 2018 tag and HERE is my 2017 tag! 💗

2018 Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag

June 21, 2018June 21, 2018 meltotheanyAside82 Comments

The original tag was created by ReadLikeWildfire and Earl Grey Books!

Happy summer solstice, my loves! I love seasonal equinoxes so very much! And what better way to celebrate than to do one of my favorite posts of the entire year? 💛☀

So far in 2018, I’ve read 87 books and, thanks to the amazing Brock at Let’s Read, here are some other statistics that I was able to gather from his amazing spreadsheet:

For this tag, I also made it a point to not use the same book twice (or else you all would just have a list of mostly Circe and The Cruel Prince). Also, all of these books are 2018 publications that are already released (or else you all would just have a list of mostly The Wicked King and Spinning Silver).

➽ 1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2018:
Circe by Madeline Miller

➽ 2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2018:
Grey Sister (Book of the Ancestor #2) by Mark Lawrence

➽ 3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to:
High Voltage (Fever #10) by Karen Marie Moning

➽ 4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year:
Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer #2) by Laini Taylor

➽ 5. Biggest disappointment:
Immortal Reign (Falling Kingdoms #6) by Morgan Rhodes

➽ 6. Biggest surprise:
Inkmistress (Of Fire and Stars 0.5) by Audrey Coulthurst

➽ 7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you):
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan

➽ 8. Newest fictional crush:
Cardan from The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black

➽ 9. Newest favorite character:
Kalen from The Heart Forger (The Bone Witch #2) by Rin Chupeco

➽ 10. Book that made you cry:
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

➽ 11. Book that made you happy:
Beneath the Sugar Sky (Wayward Children #3) by Seanan McGuire

➽ 12. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received):
The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

➽ 13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?:
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

➽ 14. Favorite book community member:
I’m actually going to write up a shout out post, featuring so many of my lovely friends, in July! But in the meantime, you all should check out some of my favorite Bookstagrammers!

That’s it, loves! I hope you all enjoyed, even though you all probably weren’t too surprised! I know I need to be better about reading books by authors that aren’t living in The United States, and I’m really going to make a conscious effort in the following half of 2018! Also, if you guys want to check it out: here is my 2017 Mid-Year Freak Out Tag, that is still filled with so many of my favorites (and even more pretty charts)! And happy first day of summer! I’m wishing you all the love, happiness, warmth, health, and good books always and forever. ☀💛

2017 Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag

June 21, 2017June 10, 2018 meltotheanyAside36 Comments

The original tag was created by ReadLikeWildfire and Earl Grey Books!

So far in 2017, I’ve read 57 books and, thanks to the amazing Brock at Let’s Read, here are some other statistics that I was able to gather from his amazing spreadsheet:

For this tag, I also made it a point to not use the same book twice, or else you guys would just have a list of mostly Tyrant’s Throne and Strange the Dreamer. Also, all of these books are 2017 publications.

➽ 1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2017:
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

➽ 2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2017:
Tyrant’s Throne (Greatcoats #4) by Sebastien de Castell

➽ 3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to:
Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde

➽ 4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year:
The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo & Sara Kipin

➽ 5. Biggest disappointment:
Into the Fire (Night Prince #4) by Jeaniene Frost

➽ 6. Biggest surprise:
Feversong (Fever #9) by Karen Marie Moning

➽ 7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you):
Kings of the Wyld (The Band #1) by Nicholas Eames

➽ 8. Newest fictional crush:
Pyrre Lakatur from Skullsworn (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne 0) by Brian Staveley

➽ 9. Newest favorite character:
Nona from Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1) by Mark Lawrence

➽ 10. Book that made you cry:
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

➽ 11. Book that made you happy:
Geekerella by Ashley Poston

➽ 12. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received):
Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children #2) by Seanan McGuire

➽ 13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?:
All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater

➽ 14. Favorite book community member:
I actually just wrote up a post about some of the book reviewers that I absolutely love, and let’s be real, I could never pick just one! Please go check out that post HERE!