Half Year Book Tag: 2019

I know I just did the Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag, but I still want to do this one as well because the questions are a little different, and I just love doing book tags.

The Half Year Book Tag was created by BexnBookx.

Favorite standalone book hauled and read so far in 2019:

To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan & Meg Wolitzer

This was included in a library haul. It’s a middle-grade contemporary novel that’s reminiscent of the Parent Trap movies. It’s about two girls whose dads are dating. The dads want their daughters to meet and get along, so they send the girls to summer camp. But the girls have no intention of being friends or allowing their dads to date each other. The story was quick and fun and sweet. I enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down once I started reading.

Favorite series that I started or continued to read in 2019:

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Fool’s Assassin by Robin Hobb

I started the middle-grade fantasy series Nevermoor this year and so far I’m enjoying the books immensely. I love the characters, the world, and the charm of the story. I can’t wait to read the third book (whenever it comes out).

I’m nearing the end of Robin Hobb’s Realm of the Elderlings series. Fool’s Assassin is basically the first of the last set of books. In it, we experience Fitz as a lord managing his estate and living happily with his family… for a time.

Favorite bookish items purchased or received this year:

this dragon pin

Y’all! I am in LOVE with this dragon pin I bought from Holly Dunn Design! It’s so cute, and now I need to find the perfect blazer to wear it on in the fall. Holly is an illustrator who also runs a booktube channel. I also bought from her this cute bookmark inspired by The Little Mermaid.

I love her stuff so much! And, if you are a Harry Potter fan, you should check out her postcards and bookmarks inspired by it. I bought a couple of the postcards in the past, but I’ve yet to frame them. Yes, I plan to frame them, not use them. They are so lovely. Check out her website to see more of her work.

Favorite debut author:

Gregory Funaro

So far, it’s Gregory Funaro because I really enjoyed his middle-grade horror novel, Watch Hollow, which was published earlier this year. It’s about a girl who moves to a house surrounded by scary woods with her father and brother so that her father can fix a clock there. The story isn’t scary, but it’s a touch creepy and has lots of fantasy in it. It was a fun read that I enjoyed.

Favorite under-hyped book that I read this year:

Middle Passage by Charles Johnson

Middle Passage blew my mind. It certainly wasn’t what I expected; though I didn’t know what to expect from a historical fiction novel about a former slave living in New Orleans who boards a slave ship headed for Africa to pick up new slaves so that he can get out of marrying a woman and escape his debts.

It was actually pretty funny because the protagonist, Rutherford Calhoun, the former slave, is damn sarcastic. It’s also very well written, and, because it’s set mostly aboard the slave ship as it sails across the Atlantic, it has a touch of high seas adventure to it. I don’t mean to make it sound light-hearted, however. The story, of course, tackles serious topics as well. I highly recommend it if you love historical fiction or fantasy or adventure reads.

Favorite book read this year that you were late to the party on:

The Little Red Wolf by Amélie Fléchais (illus.)

Other than the Nevermoor books, which I’m also late to read, I also loved The Little Red Wolf, a children’s picture book inspired by the fairytale, Little Red Riding Hood. It’s such a sweet story and the illustrations are beautiful. It’s certainly worth reading.

Potential favorite that you haven’t gotten around to reading yet:

Difficult Women by Roxane Gay

Ayiti by Roxane Gay

Within the past couple weeks, I’ve listened to a few podcasts featuring Roxane Gay. The more I listen to her, the more I want to read her books and think I’d like them; so I predict that I’ll love these.

Favorite re-read in 2019:

Fullmetal Alchemist, Vols. 4-6 by Hiromu Arakawa (illus.)

I love this manga/anime series!! 😀 I’m so glad to revisit them. I’ve watched the majority of the anime. Now, I just need to complete the manga.

Favorite cover on a book released this year:

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, illus. by Vashti Harrison

Of the books I’ve bought this year that were also published this year, the cover of Hair Love is one of my favorites. I love Harrison’s illustrations, and I just love that this book promotes love and positivity for natural Black hair. It’s a children’s picture book about a dad who must do his daughter’s hair while his wife is away.

(Optional) Favorite book box this year:

I’m done with book boxes. They don’t work for me. But here’s my favorite box-set of books I bought so far this year:

the leather-cloth boxed set of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire series

I love this edition of the books. They are small and make me think of bibles.

So, that’s it.

If you’d like to do this tag too, please do so and link back so I can see. 🙂

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