So this sounds like the most fun book tag ever!!

I first saw Katie over at Melting Pages post about the mid year book freak out tag and it looked so much fun (you can check out Melting Pages’ Book Tag post here). And then I read Bionic Book Worm’s (check it out here) who tagged me and gave me all the reasons to do this post myself!

Beware, indecisiveness below.

Book stats

I’ve read 45 books so far this year (four books more than my entire 2018 total) and my goal of 55 books looks like it will be easily met this year.

1 – The best book you’ve read so far in 2019

No surprises here, the best book I’ve so far is of course The Fever King by Victoria Lee. This book blew me away, I was an emotional wreck and couldn’t see all night after I finished it, I’ve reread it since, and I just want everyone to read this book! It’s a dystopian YA, combining element of sci fi and fantasy – where magic is caused by a virus that kills most of the population. It features diverse characters, some dark topics, and is just so fantastic!

Okay so we all knew that was going to be my favourite book – but I do want to also shout some of the other incredible books I’ve read this year.

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2 – Your favourite sequel this year

I have read pretty much no sequels this year, so the book I’m going for is technically not a direct sequel, but a companion novel – Before Mars by Emma Newman. This is the third novel in her Planetfall series, each book is set in the same universe but follows different characters. Before Mars follows Anna, an artist who is sent to Mars to create art for her rich employer. But when she arrives, she finds a note in her own handwriting warning her not to trust the colony psychologist. The portrayal of mental illness in this book is phenomenal, and I really need to actually read the other books in the series now.

3 – A new release you haven’t read yet but really want to

And the indecisiveness begins! This is such a hard question, there’s so many I want to read. I’m really looking forward to Deposing Nathan by Zack Smedley, which was sitting on my shelf waiting for me to read when I first wrote this post, but I did now start today! I’m also hugely excited to read The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg but I haven’t bought myself a copy yet, and The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling which is a little (read: LOT) more horror-esque than what I normally read but I’m trying new genres this year, so really want to see what it’s like.

4 – Most anticipated release(s) for the second half of the year

Ooooooh this is another really difficult question!! I literally have a notepad just for listing all the upcoming releases I’m excited for by month (and using pretty coloured pens) because my Goodreads organisation is beyond help so I needed a new place to keep track of upcoming releases. If I had to say just one, it would be Gideon the Ninth by Tasmyn Muir (lesbian necromancers anyone?!) but some others following in close second are Wilder Girls, I Hope You Get This Message, The Light at the Bottom of the World, and Crier’s War.

5 – Your biggest disappointment

I’ve had a fairly good reading year so far, very few lower rated books, but I think the one I’m most disappointed in would be Rosewater by Tade Thompson. I had such high hopes, it opened SO well with such a cool technology, but I just couldn’t get past the main character and the misogynistic language + behaviour he used constantly.

6 – Your biggest surprise of the year

Biggest surprise for me isn’t title based, but genre based. This was the year I started reading contemporary YA and I have fallen in love with the genre. The first book I read was Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorran and it was fantastic and every other book I’ve read so far has also been so bloody good. I’m so happy I gave this genre a chance!

7 – Favourite debut or new to you author

So many favourite new authors, as I’ve really been trying to read more widely this year. I loved R.F Kuang’s The Poppy War which I read earlier this year and can’t wait for The Dragon Republic. Definitely added to my list of ‘always read’ authors.

8 – Your new fictional crush

Fiona from Her Royal Higness, beautiful Scottish princess (though may be a little biased to this one since I’m also Scottish). I just loved her fire and passion and how she grew throughout the book. Also, I have to mention Alex, bisexual ICON from Red, White and Royal Blue. He was just so confident and fierce and sarcastic. And if we’re on fierce, bisexual icons I should mention Serefin from Wicked Saints too!

9 – Your new favourite character

My new favourite character is definitely Dara from The Fever King. He’s so broken and soft and I fear so much for the sequel! PLEASE GIVE DARA HIS FARM AND GOATS.

10 – A book that made you cry

I’ve cried at quite a few books this year (several times on public transport – I get far too emotionally involved!) But the one I’ll mention here is I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver because I’ve wanted to mention it for so many other of these questions! This debut is phenomenal – it’s about a nonbinary teen who comes out to their parents and is then thrown out of their house and it hurts every part of my heart.

11 – A book that made you happy

I’ll be honest, I usually read books that make me cry over books that make me happy. But, a little behind everyone else, I finally read A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet this year and it was so fun and so happy, I loved all the characters and it was just such an enjoyable read.

12 – Your favourite book to film adaptation you saw this year

I don’t think I’ve actually watched any book to film adaptations this year… I don’t watch a huge number of films in general. I think the only films I’ve actually watched this year have been Marvel movies. Which I guess kind of count since they are technically based on comics…? So Captain Marvel all the way then!

13 – Your favourite review/post you’ve written this year

Well I’ve only had this blog for just over a month, so don’t have a huge number to choose from! And so far I’ve kept it fairly simple as I get into my blogging groove, with lots of reviews and TBRs. Which I guess makes this a lot easier. I’m actually going to go with my Pride month TBR post because it showcases such incredible queer books and it took me SO long to actually narrow it down to that list and I am proud I managed to get it down to just 15 books.

14 – The most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year

Descendent of the Crane is just stunning. That cover is so beautiful and is even more beautiful in person.

I also wanted to mention Missing, Presumed Dead, which is beautiful to me for a very special reason. I won a copy of this book in a Twitter giveaway arranged by the author (Emma Berquist) and Vicky Who Reads, and it arrived about two weeks ago. I hadn’t at all expected it to be signed, and this is the first book I’ve ever had signed by any author, and it made me a little emotional so it is incredibly beautiful to me because of this. (Also, having now finished it, it is AMAZING!!!)

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

Ooooh I have so many I want to read! Image below is of my current ‘immediate TBR shelf’ – I hope to have a lot of these read during the rest of Pride month (per my TBR post, which I’ve actually managed to follow pretty well so far!)

Let me know how your year is going in books! I would love to see more of these posts – so if you’re still reading, consider yourself tagged!

Paws out,
Rach + Draco