Mid-Year Freak Out 2021!

Published on by theorangutanlibrarian

Hi all! It’s that time of year again: I’m gonna (calmly) freak out about all the brilliant books I’ve been reading. Because no matter what a rollercoaster this year has been (so far) one thing that’s been consistently awesome is *the books*. Thanks to much to the *sensational* Sophie Li for tagging me to do this last year!  

BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ YET IN 2020

Where the Crawdads Sing– this book sings to my soul. It was simply spectacular.

BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2020

A Heart So Fierce and Broken– which is kind of a weird pick, because I didn’t love the beginning or ending of this trilogy. HOWEVER this middle book was FIERCE! It made the whole series worth it for me!

NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET BUT WANT TO

Rule of Wolves, The Ivies, Tales from the Hinterland– I have copies of all of these and hope to get to them soon! 😊

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

I love all of these authors, so I’m bouncing off the walls waiting for these!!

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Quiet at the End of the World– ach this got off to such a good start… and then it went out with a whimper. I really philosophically disagree with the messaging behind this story and hated the ending.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Wolf Hall– I know, I know- saying Hilary Mantel is excellent is hardly a revelation. But for various reasons- including the fact I didn’t used to read much historical fiction- I didn’t think it would be for me. HOW WRONG I WAS! I’m currently making my way through the audiobook versions of this series and keep being blown away by its brilliance!

FAVOURITE NEW AUTHOR

Hilary Mantel– I know I’m going to read so much more by this author.

NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

Grey from A Heart So Fierce and Broken– yes, I know I’m repeating books a bit here, but I haven’t read very many romances yet and this is basically my reason for liking that series- so now you know 😉

 NEWEST FAVOURITE CHARACTER

Echo North– she’s so different to a lot of other YA main characters (one could even say she’s “not like other girls” 😉). I loved how she felt both unique and inspired by traditional fairy tale characters. And I loved how the plot was very much dictated by her personality.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

Code Name Verity– ye gods this book is so emotional.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

Pumpkinheads, Road Trip and the Tea Dragon Society!

(Happily) I can’t pick just one for this question- there were so many that made my heart squeeze!

FAVOURITE BOOK TO FILM ADAPTATION

Shadow and Bone– it’s got to be- I couldn’t have asked for a better adaptation!

MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT THIS YEAR

Once and Future Witches- this is weird cos I mentioned my plans to buy it last year, though I only went and bought it this year. It’s the most beautiful addition to my shelf.

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

I’m just embarrassing myself at this point, cos it’s the same books every year and I even made it my goal to read them this year… and I still haven’t done it (*insert the usual excuses about mood reading/lots to do/being a fickle bookish fiend etc).

And that’s all for now! As this is an annual tradition, I’m not tagging anyone specific- just feel free to do it if you like! What I wanna know is what’s your favourite book so far this year? And what are you most looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!

58 thoughts on “Mid-Year Freak Out 2021!”

  6. I need to read The Tea Dragon Society. Everyone has such nice things to say about it, and I love books that make me happy. I am standing in line with you eagerly awaiting the new Helen Hoang book. It’s been a long wait.

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  11. I’m looking forward to start Six of Crows duology once I finish ruin and rising by this weekend. I’m also waiting for Six Crimson Crane by Elizabeth Lim and Untethered by KayLynn Flanders, I’m relying on publisher’s email with NetGalley widget in beginning of July.

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  12. I was on the fence about reading Rule of Wolves, but Krysta convinced me I should, so I need to get around to that eventually too.

    I also loved the Shadow & Bone adaptation (who didn’t, really?), and I recently read Pumpkinheads, which was super fun even though it’s not autumn, which is when I originally wanted to read it.

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    1. Oh yes I remember your review of king of scars.

      Ahh I know!! It was so good!! It was!! I also wanted to read it in autumn, but there was a six month wait for it at the library and beggars can’t be choosers 😉 (also didn’t want to keep the next person waiting 😉 )

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  13. I was reading Echo North because you gave it such a glowing review, but to me it was some kind of disappointment. Its main protagonist keeps get mistreated, cheated and tricked by some kind of a werewolf but she keeps going back to him to ask for more. And in the end she delivered him from his ugly spell, he decided he always loved her but couldn’t help it that he was such a bad boy. She forgives him, and then they live happily forever. What kind of character arc is that? Love conquers all? A modern girl would have given him the boot before the story was halfway!

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    1. Shame you felt that way. Obvs I stand by my review- but you’re entitled to your opinion. I didn’t really see her character arc the same way- I saw it as someone who had to overcome a great deal of suffering and who, it turned out, actually sacrificed her looks to save someone else’s life (which was heroic to me).

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      1. I saw that life-saving thing as a compassionate child that was doing something stupid. There goes a saying that “no good deed goes unpunished”. For my part they can use this book to explain teenagers what the Stockholm Syndrome is about.

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  14. Fun list! (Mine will be going up later this week, too. I love having annual traditions like this that I can look back on.)

    And yes! Tea Dragon Society! I’m really looking forward to reading the third (and final, sigh) book in the series soon, too. I don’t have my copy of it yet, though, so I have to wait.

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  17. Wolf Hall has been on my TBR for a long time. I’ve heard conflicting things: one person will say I should read it ASAP, and anther will say it’s overrated. I do really want to get to it at some point and decide for myself!

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  18. Ten Thousand Doors is truly stunning. I don’t think I’m ever going to get over that cover! ROW ended up being a very satisfying sequel, so much so that I raced through the second half of it. I’ve done a lot of rereading this year, as well as been disappointed by a lot, so it’s actually kind of slim picking for favorite book so far, but I think it’d have to go to The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley, I think. It kept me up until 1AM reading, and it made me shout a whole lot, plus ugly cry, so feels fitting!

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  19. Pingback: Mid-Year Freak Out 2021 – Where Stories Lie

  21. I always love mid-year freak out tags! They introduce me to so many books I want to read (and expand my TBR exponentially). This tag looks like so much fun 🙂

    -Megan Bookstacks & Golden Moms

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  22. SAB really spoiled us!!! The adaptation is so good; I can’t get over it. I’m super close to reading ROW, probably going to finish King of Scars sometime tomorrow. I’d really like to read Where the Crawdads Sing sometime this year, considering there’s an adaptation coming out that looks really promising :’)

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  24. Pingback: Tag: Mid-Year Freak Out – Mary and the Words

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