Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag 2019

We are officially 7 months into 2019 and I do not know where my time went. Actually, I do - it went towards my dissertation, but now that I have finished university that feels like a lifetime ago. As a result, I have tried to lower the pressure of my reading goals this year and maintain my Goodreads Challenge by reading MANY graphic novels, which are short and I can get through in a day. Now that it's summer though, I have more time to read, and I'm hoping to get through a decent stack of books before the year is out.

This is my first time doing the Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag, so it makes sense that I am about a month late in participating! I'm not sure who created the tag originally, but I found these questions over on The Literary Huntress, The Bucket List Book Blog, and Paper Fury, so be sure to check them out! (and let me know if you know who created this tag so I can credit them too)

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2019

I have had an unusual variety of favourite books so far in 2019. That The Adventure Zone is on here shouldn't be too much of a surprise as I adore the podcast it is based on, and I have been reading Heartopper online for years. I expected to be deeply moved by Summer Bird Blue, but An Absolutely Remarkable Thing and Sadie are the true surprises here. The former is a sci-fi and the later is a mystery, neither genre of which I read particularly often. But these two novels absolutely swept me away and I have not been able to stop thinking about them since - Sadie so much so that I need to re-read it before I can be satisfied with any review I attempt to write for it.

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2019

This shouldn't come as a total surprise given my love for anything and everything Alice Oseman creates. Other notable mentions include King of Fools by Amanda Foody and all 16 volumes of My Hero Academia that I have read this year.

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

Most of these are sequels that I have yet to get my hands on, except for Sorcery of Thorns, which I have an eARC that I've seriously been meaning to read.

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

I have adored Maggie Stiefvater, Victoria Schwab, and Akemi Dawn Bowman's previous books, so anything they write is an automatic anticipated release for me. Harley in the Sky isn't actually out until 2020, but I'm in the Street Team for this book so I'll be reading an ARC this year hopefully! Slay also made this list - I spotted it on Netgalley and loved the concept.

5. Biggest disappointment

They were okay, but I expected bigger things from classics that receive such high praise.

6. Biggest surprise

I don't read a lot of anthologies, but Proud was so hopeful, and I think it needs to be in every school library.

7. Favourite new author (debut or new to you)

I already loved Hank Green from his videos and podcasts, but after reading his debut novel I'm really eager to watch his writing develop.

8. Newest favourite character

Is the answer "every character that Alice Oseman has ever written" allowed? (except for Aled's mum in Radio Silence - she's the worst)

9. A book that made you cry

No outright tear-jerkers for me this year, but Sadie did leave me shaking.

10. A book that made you happy

I've already mentioned Heartstopper and The Adventure Zone so I'm giving this one to The Tea Dragon Society. It seems to be a graphic novel filled year for me.

11. The most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)

Unsurprisingly, I've read a grand total of 0 of these books.

12. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
Like, all of them? I'm trying to avoid saying I have to read x y and z so I don't take the enjoyment out of reading for myself.

13. Favourite book to film/TV adaptation

 I haven't read the books for any of these, but they were all an absolute joy to watch.

14. Favourite post I've done this year
I quite liked writing my list of Things That Make Me Pick Up a Book, and it's definitely the one people have engaged with the most. I'm also quite fond of my reviews for An Absolutely Remarkable Thing and Heartstopper Volume 1, as well as all of the Latest Love posts I've written so far this year (1, 2, 3), which almost no one seemed to read. So please give them a bit of love 💗

15. How many books have you read so far?
44! Graphic novels have definitely been my saving grace in maintaining a decent number of books this year for my Goodreads Challenge, particularly My Hero Academia - I read 16 volumes this year alone and each one only took a day! I'm currently 12 books ahead of schedule, and my goal is 60 books. I think I'll get through the remaining 16 books of this challenge pretty easily, especially if more graphic novels are on the agenda. I'll try and push for a 70 book total, but I have Life Things™ to be getting on with as well, so we shall see.

Have you been enjoying your reading so far this year? Are you on track with your reading goals? How many books have you read? What are some of your 2019 favourites?