Mid-Year Book Freak-Out Tag

And it’s that time of the year! This tag was created on Booktube by Ely and Chami in 2016 and since then I’ve seen it on all my favorite Booktube channels as well as all my favorite Book Blogs. So I decided I’d give the tag a try because it’s a fun way to share statistics, predictions, and TBR piles. And it’s also a fun way to wrap up the first half of the reading year.

It's six months of 2023 and I think I’ve had a good reading year. I have completed 35 books by the end of May, which as per my Goodreads challenge is 10-12 books ahead of schedule. Yay! At this rate, I hope to finish at least 70 books by the end of the year. Fingers crossed.

How much have you been reading?

So I’ve read 35 books until May, which amounts to 9338 pages and the oldest publication I’ve read is one from 1936 – Annihilation of caste by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

What have you been reading?

I had two ARCs for June and they weren’t great but they weren’t bad either. By the time I’m writing this post in June, I’ve finished three more books

• Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood
• Someone Else’s Bucket List by Amy T. Matthews
• Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

and I’m currently reading non-fiction (Quiet by Susan Cain). Next, I might pick an audiobook or a short stories collection. 

Best book you’ve read so far

I cannot pick one book here because each of these books were one of the best in their genres.

Monstrous by Sarah Myer and the Dangers of smoking in Bed which is a translated short stories collection by Argentinian author Mariana Enriquez. I was blown by the Mariana’s writing style, the theme of the stories and tinge of horror to the stories. It was something like I’d never read before. Gross but thrilling. Weird but fascinating.

Monstrous, a 2023 release, was unexpectedly wonderful. It’s a heartfelt book that it is illustrated with same amount of frankness and courage. The author doesn’t shy away from admitting her mistakes and the illustrations are so expressive. 

Best sequel you’ve read so far

Obviously. Heartstopper 2. The entire series is sweet, feel-good, cuddly and adorable. Anyone who’s read the books or watched the adaptation would agree that the number 2 book is the best bok in the series, hands down.

New release you haven’t read yet but want to

Leigh Bardugo’s Hell Bent after Ninth House is something I want to read before the end of year. I am yet to read the first book too, honestly and I hope to read them soon as they are available in my library.

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Honestly I haven’t read any R.F. Kuang books but I have tow already on my shelf – Poppy Wars and Babel and I’ve heard they are also different from each other and yet so consuming. I’ve always wanted to read this kind of an author.

A book that’s out of your comfort zone

Babel by R.F. Kuang - I’ve read it involves politics which isn’t one of my favourite fortes. But I’m going to make headway into this author’s books very very soon.

Biggest Disappointment

The Bedroom Window by K.L Slater

Slater is touted to be a very popular mystery and thrillers author and this was my first. I had high expectations going into the book. But, the plot was unbelievably bizarre and I felt let down. And the characters were unlikable.

Biggest surprise

Monstrous by Sarah Myer

The cover attracted me, but otherwise I had no clue of this author or her book. But I was in for a pleasant surprise. It turned out to be one of my favorite books of the year so far.

New favourite author

Mariana Enriquez

I try and never repeat authors, because frankly there are so many stories of so many different people waiting to be heard that I don’t think I’ll pick the same author again unless it’s a very interesting series. But this year I loved reading Mariana Enriquez, the author of two books translated to English from Spanish. The theme of her stories is sometimes gross but she writes in a fascinating way that keeps you turning pages.

Newest fictional crush

Emiko Jean’s bodyguard

I am not someone who falls for fictional characters. But Emiko’s guy(I forget his name) from Tokyo ever after had me feeling, if I need a boyfriend, it should be like him.

Newest favorite character

Nick from Heartstopper. He is Charlie’s love interest and I find him mature, understanding, kind, sweet and extremely adorable.

Books that made you cry

I am not a crier when it comes to books. But these books have some very intense and emotional scenes that wrench your heart.

The Ballad of Bant Singh

Before the Coffee Gets Cold

Books that made you happy

Young gay love, trying to find each other, what’s not to be happy and smile about it. Heartstopper series

Favourite book to movie adaptation you’ve seen this year?

The Shawshank Redemption adapted from the book Rita Hayworth and Shawshank redemption by Stephen King. This is my all-time favourite movie, adapted or not. And I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that the movie was adopted from a book. I love the characters, the award-worthy performances and the final plot twist is to die for.

Favourite post you’ve written this year

Must-Read Graphic Novels for everyone

Daring Dalit Books to understand India’s history

Best Mysteries of the last Decade

Books with Black characters for Adults

Books Set in Japan

The Best retellings of the Indian epic - Ramayana

Most beautiful book you bought this year

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi with its gold embossing on green cover and Dragonfly Eyes with its cherry blossoms illustrations.

Underrated gems you’ve read recently

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed

Books to read by the end of the year

I have a top 10 books to read before the end of the year list and I am very excited to finish at least these ten if not more. No particular reason. Just that they are on my shelves and fit into some or the other reading challenges I’m participating in or they have such an interesting premise that I cannot hold them away any longer.

• The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
• Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
• The Curious Incident of the dog in the Night time by Mark haddon
• Babel by R.F.Kuang
• We have always lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
• Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
• Less Andrew Sean Greer
• Exit West by Mohsin Ahmad
• Girl, Woman, Other by Evaristo Bernardine
• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simson

Let me know what books you’ve read and loved or hated and what are your current reads!