Mid-Year Book Check-In 2021

 

I cannot believe it's already July. Oh, I haven't posted here for so long. I think this tag usually goes up in June, with that actually being the middle but well here we are.

I have read 24 books by now, which is pretty great because my end year goal was 25 books. So here are a few reading highlights from my first half of the year.

BEST BOOK YOU'VE READ SO FAR

This has been a pretty great reading year, with mostly 4 and 5 stars reads. I think it was These Feathered Flames (one of my most anticipated releases) and Ace of Spades. They were both straight five stars. I was a little skeptical about Ace of spades because it is a YA thriller and not really my usual genre but then I finished it in a single day. Highly recommend.

BEST SEQUEL YOU'VE READ SO FAR

I haven't read a lot of sequels this year. Mostly debut books or just standalone. I think I’ll go with Down among the sticks and bone (wayward children #2). I actually liked it more than the first book. If you don't know Wayward Children is a portal fantasy novella series. Each novella has different characters and different stories so you can pretty much start with any book in the series.

NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN'T READ YET BUT WANT TO

So many, The Jasmine Throne and The Unbroken I just kept waiting and waiting for them, and now that it’s out and I haven't touched them. Another one is The Mask of Mirrors, a January release that now already has a sequel arcs out. Oh also Crownchasers, it sounds awesome.

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

I have so many but I think She Who Became the Sun and Our Violent Ends are on the top. Also Iron widow, All of us villains, The grimrose girls, Jade Fire Gold, maybe I could do another post for this.

BIGGEST DISSAPOINTMENT

Ok, Roman and Jewel by Dana L. Davis. Here’s my review (in goodreads). I’m pretty sure it is a case of really high expectations but it was a Romeo and Juliet musical, it sounded amazing.

BEST SEQUEL YOU'VE READ SO FAR

The Girls I've been. I thought this would be it would be a simple straight forward thriller (well as straight forward as thrillers are). I finished it in a say and really the pace of this is so consistent, so fast and it's really well done. Still do check out the trigger warnings before picking it up. Book trigger warnings

NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR


















S.T. Gibson. The Dowry of Blood was one of my first reads of this year and the prose is just *chef's kiss.*

A BOOK THAT MADE YOU WANT TO CRY/ A BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

Both these prompts are fulfilled by The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. This was just a fluffy, sweet and just happy found family. Tea dragon society was so beautiful and delightful.

MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU'VE BOUGHT OR RECEIVED

I mostly read ebooks and there has been an on and off lockdown still happening so there haven't been a lot of buying books. Still The Priory of the Orange Tree. The map, the art inside it, and the dragon outside it. It's blue and shimmery, it's beautiful.

NEW FAVORITE CHARACTER

Ok weirdly enough there is no fictional crush. Yet. I am reading The Jasmine Throne so yes that may change. for favorite character, it's Izaveta from These Feathered Flames. She was so manipulative and just political. And Nirrim from The Midnight Lie. Oh they were amazing. WHAT BOOK DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR

Except for the pile of arcs that I'm so excited for, and my physical tbr, I still have 400 books in my tbr, I don't know there are so many. Definitely want to finish The Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy (I'm reading the second book right now). I think rather than some books I just want to make my way through my actual physical tbr.

What are you favorite reads of this year? The book that made you cry or made you happy? What are some of your anticipated releases?