Mid-year book freak out tag

We’re heading into the second half of the year already, how time flew by! And so here I am with another tag to celebrate that we’re almost in 2020! I was inspired by Sahi, who did the same tag on her blog – so be sure to check out her great blog, and let’s start!

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

I’m extremely, beyond happy that I listened to Kaya who reviewed this book on her blog a while ago and said it’s here favorite of the year! If We Were Villains was a total blast, the characters brilliant and the story line gripping and I was completely hooked! The best aspect, besides many others, was the connection to Shakespeare, as it tells the story of uni students graduating in becoming theatre actors with a emphasis on performing Shakespeare’s plays – from Romeo & Juliet, over Hamlet to Macbeth – and reading them perform these on stage was an amazing experience!

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

Praise for Holly Black! The Wicked King was by far the best sequel I read this year, but it’s even high on the best sequels of all time! This series never ceased to amaze me because of all the intrigues. No one can be sure of any loyalty and the intentions of Cardan remain, up to this day, a mystery to me. Does he love Jude, does he hate her? Will they end up together – I literally never had so little idea of what’s gonna happen next and how this story will end.

#3 New releases you haven’t read, but want to

I read Roomies by Christina Lauren in December and I really liked how it’s written. They (the two ladies, they set their name together!) make you forget all your problems and dive into the story and that’s a wonderful gift! The Unhoneymooners seems like the perfect book for the summer, as it’s set in Hawaii and the cover alone gives me major summer, sun and happiness vibes. It was released May 14th and I haven’t read it yet, so it’s the perfect fit!

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

Although I’m definitely excited for Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House (it deserves to be mentioned!), nothing tops The Queen of Nothing. I believe I’ve already made it clear that I am a true fan of Holly Black’s series while I answered number 2, so I won’t repeat myself here! This book, I’m sure, won’t be disappointing and will surely live up to the hype – as the previous ones have already!

New update: I hadn’t read the synopsis on Goodreads yet (it wasn’t out before!), but now I did: and OMG I can’t wait – go check it out if it’s news to you – or maybe I’m just behind on everything these days…

#5 Biggest disappointment

The biggest disappointment would have to be the book I had to read for French class, which means I read only great books if I have to resort to the school reads. It was called Un Sac de Billes by Joseph Joffo, an autobiography about the escape of two Jewish boys in France during World War II. It actually wasn’t that bad, just some chapters really weren’t necessary and the writing wasn’t brilliant – but at least I read a proper French book!

#6 Biggest surprise

iBoy by Kevin Brooks would definitely be my biggest surprise as it was another school read and I ended up giving it 4.5 stars! The story was really strange at first, but it turns out you just have to get used to his visionary ideas first and then I was able to enjoy the book immensely and to really get hooked!

#7 Favorite new author (debut or new to you)

Rainbow Rowell! After reading Fangirl, I was absolutely in love with her simplistic yet gripping way of writing books! Fangirl was a great and relaxing contemporary read and I am super excited to get my hands on Eleanor & Park and then, when it comes out, Pumpkin Heads! I’m normally not the biggest fan & reader of contemporary and coming-of-age books, but she really got to me and I was able to connect with Cath in a way I definitely hadn’t anticipated and expected!

#8 Newest fictional crush

Probably Kell? I don’t know, I’m only 200 pages in, but I’m really enjoying A Darker Shade of Magic. Kell as a character is really sympathetic, funny and realistic. He is scared of dying, not like a lot of other YA characters, who are ready to fight anything and anyone at all times and under any circumstances. I don’t know, despite the magic in his blood, he’s just really human and that’s refreshing!

#9 Newest favorite character

Especially in Siege and Storm and Ruin and Rising, Nikolai was a blast!!!! After reading Crooked Kingdom, I fell in love with this character – however, I had no idea I would meet him again while reading Shadow and Bone: and now he has a huge role! He’s just the funniest and cleverest prince ever and what would Ravka have done without him?

#10 A book that made you cry

I don’t think I’ve ever been sadder than after finishing Queen of Air and Darkness. This series meant the world to me: as the first series I read written by Cassandra Clare, it not only introduced me to the wonderful world and characters of Shadowhunters, but to the genre of YA. The story of Emma & Julian is touching, brilliant and they have a huge space in my heart.

#11 A book that made you happy

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows did make me sad – but also incredibly happy. A joy that comes with incredible sadness of finishing a story that meant the world to you. The characters you knew better than yourself and the world you basically grew up in – ok, I’m sentimental, but I guess you know what I mean? I reread almost the whole series the past few months and it’s made me beyond happy!

#12 Favorite book to movie you’ve seen this year

Not only have I been rereading all the Harry Potter books this year, I’m also in the middle of a never-ending movie marathon with my mother! We’ve always been great fans of the movies and now we basically watch one (or just a half) every day and it’s been great bonding time and we never get bored!

#13 Favorite post you’ve written this year

My bookshelf tour! That was a great post because it combined my three favorite things about my blog: my shelves, takings pics and obviously books – that didn’t make sense, haha!

I loved this post because it was just a little more creative and picturesque than my other entries and so it’s a clear favorite!

PS: this one is my favorite shelf-part!

#14 Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)

Mine would be my Penguin Classics edition of Sense and Sensibility which my aunt bought me during our stay in Paris this January. I love these editions and this was my first one, I now also own Oliver Twist, but this one is clearly my favorite – it’s gorgeous!

#15 What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

This is going to be a long list – so be prepared!

Renegades by Marissa Meyer would be the most urgent book on my list because I love her and there’s just no way that I didn’t read anything else written by her except the Lunar Chronicles!

Next on the list would be the sequel to An Ember in the Ashes because I was absolutely stunned after reading that incredible book, but haven’t continued yet – why, I just don’t know.

Other books would be:

• Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas – sequel to Throne of Glass
• finishing King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
• finishing Broken Throne by Victoria Aveyard

#16 Favorite book community member

There are many favorites, but right now, I am having a lot of fun writing comments and exchanging thoughts and opinions with Sahi and Ruqs! Both of them are super sweet and have both almost exactly my taste and we agree on almost every tiny detail – except for Dorian, Sahi, you know what I mean, haha!

I tag: Ruqs, Ash, Kaya, Evelyn – obviously, don’t feel obligated to do the tag, it was a lot of work!!

This took me forever – but I had tons of fun answering everything and I hope you had just as much fun reading! Enjoy your day and especially: the second half of 2019!