I’ll go ahead and get this confession out of the way: I wasn’t tagged in this one. Nope. I’m a self-proclaimed tag kleptomaniac. YOU CAN’T MAKE ME STOP!
… ahem. Sorry. Moving on! I nabbed this lovely little tag specifically from two wonderful blogs I follow: Inspiration Pie and Stephanie’s Novel Fiction! I’ll tag Melanie, Sionna, Lois & David, Dani, Solomon, Chelsea, Alicia, Suzanne, Romie, and anyone else who wants to participate! If you post yours, please tag me and/or leave a link below so I can view it!
1. The best book you’ve read so far in 2017:
That’s such a hard question to answer, because I’ve read so many amazing books this year! I’m going to say this one is a toss-up between ACOMAF and Gemina.
2. Your favorite sequel this year:
(See previous answer.)
3. A new release that you haven’t read but really want to:
House of Furies! It just came out on May 30th, and I actually requested an ARC of this one, but sadly, did not get approved. Now I really want to read it, but I’m trying to stick to my book ban until the end of the month! It’s at the top of my wishlist for July, though.
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year:
I actually have a whole list of my most anticipated releases for the rest of the year here! I’ll also attach an image I compiled of the covers of each one, in case you just want to skim the covers.
5. Your biggest disappointment:
I wish this wasn’t such an easy answer, but out of all of the 2017 releases I’ve read, my biggest disappointment by far goes to Caraval. While it wasn’t a terrible book by any means, I rated it 3 stars – leaning more towards 2.5 – and the more I think back on it, the more I think it deserves a solid 2-star rating. I pre-ordered this book and was so excited for its release, because I love carnival-type settings and game settings, but the world-building was lackluster, the MC was self-contradicting and frustrating, and the insta-love was strong with this one.
6. Biggest surprise of the year:
Royal Bastards! When I first read the synopsis for this book, I thought, “Hmm, okay, sounds decent,” so I requested a NetGalley ARC, totally not expecting to get approved (because I’d never requested a Disney-Hyperion ARC before and had heard they could be hit-and-miss with approvals). When I did get approved, I was pleasantly surprised, but I still wasn’t expecting to be wowed. You guys… if you haven’t read my review, please do, and then do yourself a favor and go pick up a copy of this book immediately, because it was incredible. Definitely one of my top 5 reads of 2017 so far, and I can’t wait for the sequel!
7. Favorite new-to-you or debut author:
I have been introduced to so many wonderful authors this year – some debut, some not – that I couldn’t possibly narrow it down to just one. A handful I’d love to recommend that are either debuts or new to me are Andrew Shvarts, Jay Kristoff, Amie Kaufman, Ashley Herring Blake, and Noelle Stevenson.
8. Your new fictional crush:
It’s cliche, but the first one that comes to mind is either Rhysand or Cassian.
9. New favorite character:
Rhys, Cassian, Lucien, Nik Malikov, Cress, The Darkling, Ronan Lynch… we could be here all day.
10. A book that made you cry:
I cry fairly easily at books, I’ll admit, but the last book to totally wreck me was ACOWAR. I mean, I sobbed over the last, I dunno, 100 pages or so. It was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows all over again.
11. A book that made you happy:
Cress made me smile (internally, at least) throughout literally a solid three-quarters of the book. It was so delightful and Cress is such an enjoyable character, and her entire shenanigans with Thorne were just so much fun to watch.
12. Your favorite book to movie adaptation that you’ve seen this year:
I won’t include re-watches in this decision, so if we’re only basing it off of 2017 releases, I’ll go with the adaptation of A Monster Calls. It was beautifully adapted, but even on its own, the film stood brilliantly. I cried so many times I lost track, but it was totally worth the heartache to see how wonderfully Lewis MacDougall captured Conor’s distress.
13. Favorite book post you’ve published this year:
This is such a hard decision to make! Ultimately, I think I’d have to go with either my The Waking Land review or my ACOWAR review (spoilers inside!). They couldn’t possibly be any more different – one review is a rant, the other is a senseless raving. That said, they were both so much fun to write!
14. The most beautiful book you have bought/received this year:
I have accrued a lot of really gorgeous books this year, so I’ll just go with the most recent “OMG this book is so gorgeous!” addition to my personal library: The Alchemists of Loom. The cover is so gorgeous, and even without the dust jacket, the hardback itself is stunning. Luckily, the plot sounds amazing as well (it’s still on my TBR), so I don’t have to feel bad about basing my decision so strongly on the cover art!
15. What are some books that you need to read by the end of the year?
Well, that’s honestly about 50% of my owned-TBR collection, because I just keep adding books faster than I can finish them… but a few that I’m wholeheartedly determined to finish before December 31, 2017 are Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, NOS4A2, Throne of Glass, and Six of Crows.
Stephanie
June 18, 2017Aww, Destiny!! I so wish I had tagged you!! I thought last night by the time I did this tag at around midnight that pretty much everyone had already done it!! Thank you for going ahead and tagging yourself!! I’ll tag you in my next one!! I’ve got 2 that I have to do sometime this week…when I get time, lol!! I so need to read some of those books! I teach college English and all my students keep telling me to read Sarah J. Maas, and I have her books on my TBR but I just haven’t yet..I guess I just need to do it! 🙂
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 18, 2017It’s totally okay! 🙂 Thanks for not minding my thievery, bahaha. Oooh I would love that! Tags are such a great way to fill the days that I don’t have reviews or memes to do. Oooh, SJM is so fun! She’s not the most eloquent author ever, but she writes such enjoyable characters and plots. I love the three books out so far in the ACOTAR series, and I’m definitely wanting to start the Throne of Glass series some time this year.
Stephanie
June 18, 2017No!! I totally don’t mind you stealing, lol ? I was really not sure who to tag!! I’ve got 2 award to do, so I need to tag people for those, lol! Oh, I didn’t know SJM had 2 series,lol ! I only knew she had ACOTAR! Yikes, I guess I need to go look on Goodreads and add them all to my TBR..??
Life of a Literary Nerd
June 18, 2017Great choices!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 18, 2017Thank you!
Becky (coffeecocktailsandbooks)
June 18, 2017Love your answers! I definitely agree with Caraval being a dissapointment, though I’m hoping the sequel makes up for it. Roseblood was another dissapointment, for me.
Also your anticipated releases list, it’s so accurate! We have too many (hah, like that’s a think) good books coming out this year.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 20, 2017I’m not honestly sure if I’ll pick up the Caraval sequel! I think I’ll probably wait until some reviews get posted on it to see if it’s any better than the first was.
Becky (coffeecocktailsandbooks)
June 20, 2017Lol I understand that! It’s such a shame too. The premise seemed really cool. I had such high hopes for the book.
Dani @ Perspective of a Writer
June 18, 2017I had to get on my computer because there were so many of these I wanted to comment on! Thanks for tagging me BTW, I’m excited to do this one!!
I’m about a quarter of the way through Illuminae so I was excited to see you love the sequel!
I’m also anticipating Daughter of the Burning City and The Language of Thorns…
I’m really sorry to hear that Caraval did not have the world building it needed to carry the story off…
I have heard so many great things about Royal Bastards!! I’m kicking myself for not requesting it when I could…
Lewis MacDougall was so good as Conor in A Monster Calls. It was too depressing for me by far but I loved the stories inside a story and how the art looked, so good.
I have Alchemists of Loom to read soon too! It looks so good, actually I’ve read the first couple chapters and it’s very creative!
I want to read Six of Crows soon too!!
Such a great tag and I loved your answers!! (Sorry no emojis 🙁 )
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 20, 2017You’re welcome, and I hope you enjoy! I love that you were excited about a bunch of these, too. 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
lyndleloo
June 19, 2017I was tagged for this one by someone and have scheduled it for this Friday, I love your answers, we have really similar tastes! I haven’t read Caraval yet, should I bother? Have you read The Night Circus? I read that this year and really enjoyed it, so I might be really disappointed with Caraval if it’s nowhere near as good. I’m desperate to read Illuminae and Gemina, I put Jay Kristoff as my new favourite author because I just finished Nevernight and LOVED it!!! ?
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 20, 2017Ooh, can’t wait to read your answers! And thank you! I haven’t read The Night Circus yet, though I do own it. I’ve heard it was a lot better than Caraval! I won’t say DON’T read Caraval, because it wasn’t a total loss, but I wasn’t thrilled with it. Oh man, I have gotta get my hands on Nevernight! It sounds so awesome!
lyndleloo
June 20, 2017Yes you do, it’s amazing!!! If I had a physical copy I’d throw it at you ?
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 20, 2017Haha! It’s been sitting in my BookOutlet cart for, I SWEAR, like six weeks, but I’ve been trying so hard not to place an order. 😡
The Bookish King
June 19, 2017Thanks for tagging me friend!!! Also oml everytime I see “House of Furies”, I think it says “Furries” and i get super creeped out ??
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 20, 2017You’re welcome! BAHAHA that’s awful lmfao
romiewedeservelove
June 19, 2017Second time trying to comment, before looks like it didn’t work the first time ^^
When I saw you tagged me – THANK YOU SO MUCH – I screamed ‘YES!’ so loud I think my neighbours heard me :p
You definitely need to read Six of Crows! The duology is simply amazing and the characters so well-written!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 20, 2017Yaaaaay! Your comment made me smile so big lmao. I was worried people would be annoyed by being tagged. I’ll make sure to tag you in more of these when I do the in the future too!
Krista and Dawlyn (littleblindbookfinds)
June 19, 2017Krista: This tag looks so fun! Love your responses! Both Dawlyn and I are determined to get to Six of Crows and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by the end of the year too!!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 20, 2017Oooh, thank you! I hope you both enjoy them!
inspirationpie
June 19, 2017A tag kleptomaniac! LOL You are too funny!! I actually feel weird about tagging too many people because I feel like a pest! Haha I got you now, though! I’m tagging you for the Soul Sapping Romance Tag!
Jo-Ann
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 20, 2017Bahaha glad I made you smile. 🙂 Ooh yes, you can always tag me! I’m bookmarking that so I can use it for the next day I don’t have a post scheduled for lol.
inspirationpie
June 20, 2017Perfect! I’m looking forward to seeing your responses…it’s a fun one to do 🙂
Keely
June 24, 2017Thank you so much for posting this!! I decided to do this tag too 🙂
Also Rhysand is always a great choice for a fictional crush!! https://novelbakes.wordpress.com/2017/06/24/the-mid-year-freakout-book-tag/
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 25, 2017Yay! I’ll check yours out. 🙂