It’s time* for the 2023 mid year freakout book tag!
* Just kidding, this one’s pretty overdue.
Everyone has done this tag, but I’ve seen it vary a little from one post to another, so I’ll mention that I grabbed this one specifically from Caro! I know people usually post this one in June or July, but I kept forgetting about it and decided it wasn’t TOO late to squeak by with it. The tag was originally created by Earl Grey Books and ReadLikeWildFire.
Best book you’ve read so far in 2023?
I usually can’t ever pick just one, but this year, I can: Fourth Wing. Honorable shout-out to House of Earth and Blood, but yeah… I’m trash for those dragon babies.
Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2023?
Oh, this one was surprisingly easy, too: Kingdom of Ash! I absolutely LOVED the Throne of Glass series and feel like KoA is one of the best series finales I’ve ever read.
New release you haven’t read yet, but want to?
I’m gonna pick a few for this one because there have been SO many incredible sounding 2023 releases that I haven’t gotten to yet. At the top of my list are How to Sell a Haunted House, The Jasad Heir, and The Inconsolables.
Most anticipated release for the second half of the year?
Another easy one: Iron Flame. I need it NOW!
Biggest disappointment?
This one hurts me big time: Everything the Darkness Eats. You can read my review by clicking the title if you want to know why; I don’t want to re-hash it. 😭
Biggest surprise?
Probably the Four Horsemen quartet! I expected them to be fun, but I didn’t expect to adore them like I did. I even splurged on the paperbacks of the full set when the new covers (pictured below) came out a few weeks ago!
Favorite new author (debut or new to you)?
Rebecca Yarros. I loved the writing and character development in Fourth Wing so much that I really want to check out some of her backlist (though it seems to be mostly contemporary, so I’m not sure it’ll hit me quite like FW did).
Newest favorite character?
Andarna. 😍 Sweet tiny golden baby! This fanart was done by @imlouse_art over on IG. (I’m pretty sure Andarna is quite a bit bigger than she looks here, but it was my favorite art of her I found)
Book that made you cry?
The only books so far this year that I can remember sobbing over were Kingdom of Ash and House of Earth and Blood. Both of them had one scene each that absolutely devastated me, though the scene in KoA made me cry harder than any book has in years (iykyk).
Book that made you happy?
A recent read: Getting it On With Gargoyles! I just grinned from ear to ear like a sappy little fool throughout most of this book, it was so freaking CUTE!
Favorite book to movie adaptation?
Hmm… I don’t think I’ve seen any adaptations yet this year, actually! Not any new ones, at least. I really want to watch RW&RB soon, though!
Favorite review?
I think it might have been the first review I wrote this year: Mysteries of Thorn Manor. I had so much fun reading the novella that writing the review was the easiest, most gushing thing I had written in a very long time, and looking back on it now, I can feel how much joy I had in me when I was typing out those thoughts and it makes me happy all over again.
What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
This list could go on forever, really… 😅 but I’ll just say that I need to make some serious effort on my 2023 series goal list soon!
💖 TAGS 💖
I’m pretty sure everyone else who would see this and want to do this tag already did it for this year, so I’m not tagging anyone—but if you haven’t done it yet either, here is my reminder that it definitely isn’t too late! 🥰
— destiny ♥
dbsguidetothegalaxy
August 19, 2023Yes, Andarna’s such a sweetie pie! I’m going to try to get a bunch of holds in whatever different libraries I can (very much thank you to my sister in the States lol) just to make sure I can read it immediately haha. I’m going to try for the audiobook again because I really liked it? I read some people had issues with it but I didn’t see that? Also Xaden had an appearance and I need more of his narrator lol
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 31, 2023Andarna is so precious!! 😭 I love her. I haven’t checked out the audiobook but I want to get it soon for my re-read! I have heard some people say they liked his narrator 👀
mistysbookspace
August 19, 2023I did this tag pretty early but if I had waited several of our answers would have been the same!!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 31, 2023Haha that’s awesome!!
Tammy
August 20, 2023I just bout a copy of In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros, and I’ve barely started it, but I do love her writing, and the set up is fantastic. I hardly ever read contemporary romance but I’ll make an exception for her!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 31, 2023Oooh I’m so glad to see this comment because I’ve been eyeing it, but I haven’t been in a contemporary mood at all lately and I’ve been worried it wouldn’t catch my interest. Now I’m thinking I should check it out sooner rather than later! 😄
Lacy W
August 20, 2023I know that I need to read Fourth Wing and Divine Rivals before the year is up. I also want to finish another series as I finished the Giver quartet this year. It was the best feeling ever to finalllllly finish a series and now it’s all I wanna do. lol.
The covers for the Four Horseman quartet look absolutely breathtaking! I feel like the past couple of years, book covers have been coming out so strong and so well done.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 31, 2023I keep seeing Divine Rivals everywhere and it sounds so good! I know what you mean about wanting to finish more series – I finished a few this year that I’d been working on for a while and it really is the best feeling lol!
Lacy W
August 31, 2023If you ever wanna buddy read Divine rivals, let me know! Hopefully it would go better then our last buddy read where we read that one book. lol.
Caro @ bookcheshirecat
August 26, 2023Loved reading your answers 🥰 The Mid Year Book Freakout Tag is always one of my favorites to do! Aww the Andarna fanart is so cute! I really liked the Red, White & Royal Blue movie 😊
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 31, 2023Thank you friend! Isn’t Andarna so cute?! I love fanart of her so much 🥰 and I’m so glad you enjoyed RW&RB!