Mid-Year Book Freak-Out Tag: 2022

It’s that time of year when we check in on our reading progress with these types of tags. Last week, I did the Half-Year Book Tag, and now it’s time for the Mid-Year Book Freak-Out Tag, which was created by Chami and Ely Jayne.

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BEST BOOK I’VE READ SO FAR

Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky

It’s a scifi novella about a lonely scientist at a secluded outpost on another planet who gets caught up in the affairs of the planet’s inhabitants, although he’s supposed to just observe them. I really enjoyed reading this, which I didn’t expect, and loved the way it’s written.

BEST SEQUEL I’VE READ SO FAR

Kushiel’s Avatar by Jacqueline Carey

This wraps up Phèdre’s trilogy, which is a fantasy story about a god-touched courtesan who’s trained as a spy. I struggled with reading this book at first since I was suffering through a reading slump, which doesn’t go well with slow-paced books, but the adventures kept my interest and also the various places the characters visited and what they learned there. It was an epic tale, and this book felt like two in one.

NEW RELEASE I HAVEN’T READ YET BUT WANT TO

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova

The paperback was recently published. I’ve had my eye on this book since last year, when the hardcover came out. I think I’ll like it.

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison

I recently learned of this book, but I’d love to get it. It’s set in the world of The Goblin Emperor and is a sequel to The Witness for the Dead, which I own but haven’t yet read.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Wytches, Vol. 0: Bad Egg Halloween Special by Scott Snyder, illus. by Jock

This is a spin-off story based on the Wytches horror graphic novel. It’s about two boys who are friends but one is a descendant of folks who serve the wytches in the woods and the other is a descendant of those who hunt the wytches and those who serve them. I enjoyed the first volume of this graphic novel series, but this spin-off just didn’t work out for me.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky

That would go to Elder Race simply because it’s scifi and I don’t often read scifi books. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did, but then again, I guess it’s expected since from one of the POVs, it can be read as fantasy.

FAVORITE NEW AUTHOR (DEBUT OR NEW TO ME)

Adrian Tchaikovsky

He’s not my favorite new author. Instead, he’s a new-to-me author who I’d like to read more from. I attempted his Children of Time before, but I wasn’t in the mood for such a story when I picked it up, so it didn’t work out for me. However, I’d like to try another book by him to see if I’ll like more of his work.

NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

So far, I don’t have one.

BOOK THAT MADE ME CRY

I don’t think any have done so to me so far; however, it’s possible I may have teared up a bit when reading Kushiel’s Avatar, like at the parts where Phèdre and Josceline were being loving parents.

BOOK THAT MADE ME HAPPY

DCeased: Unkillables by Tom Taylor, illus. by Karl Mostert

It was a very entertaining read for me. I believe it’s the second volume in the DCeased miniseries, which is about a zombie apocalypse that takes place in the DC Universe infecting many superheroes and villains. This volume focuses on what happened to the villains during the apocalypse. I hope another volume is coming to give it a tighter ending.

FAVORITE BOOK-TO-FILM ADAPTATION I SAW

Bridgerton, season 2

I’ve seen many TV shows and movies this year, but I haven’t been keeping track of them. So since Bridgerton easily and quickly came to mind, I’ll go with that. I enjoyed watching it and thought it was a great adaptation of the second book. It’s one of few book adaptations I’ve seen where I love the changes they made for the adaptation.

Well, I love the majority of the changes. The only one I didn’t like is Kate keeping her feelings a secret so long from her sister and the rift that briefly formed between them because of it.

FAVORITE REVIEW I’VE WRITTEN

Kushiel’s Avatar by Jacqueline Carey

Lol! I’ve mentioned this book so many times, but I enjoyed it and of the few reviews I’ve written so far, it’s my favorite.

MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK I BOUGHT (OR RECEIVED) SO FAR

The Deep by Mayur Vayeda & Tushar Vayeda (illus.)

I mentioned wanting to get a copy of this book last year. AND I FINALLY DID!! 😀 The cover doesn’t look impressive online, but trust me, it’s one of the most beautiful, intricately drawn picture books I own.

The creators are from the indigenous Warli community in western India, and they used the Warli style of painting to create this book. If you want to see some of the illustrations, check out the publisher’s website.

BOOKS I NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

I’d like to read a nonfiction book before the year ends, and I hope it’ll be this one.

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THAT’S MY YEAR SO FAR.

HOW’S YOUR READING GOING? HAVE YOU READ ANYTHING OUTSTANDING LATELY?