The Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag 2021

[mstrotwood]

I've stolen this idea from booktube because I'm bored and need reading inspiration. All questions are about your reading so far in 2021. I copied the questions from the booktube tag and there are a lot, so pick the questions that you feel like answering (or all of them):

Questions:

1. Best book you’ve read so far.
2. Best sequel you've read so far.
3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to.
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.
5. Biggest disappointment.
6. Biggest surprise.
7. Favourite new author.
8. Newest fictional crush.
9. Newest favourite character.

10. Book that made you cry. 11. Book that made you happy. 12. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received). 13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

My answers:

1. Best book you’ve read so far.
Chernobyl Prayer by Svetlana Alexievich
2. Best sequel you've read so far.
Children of Violence by Doris Lessing, part 3-5
3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to.
The Performance by Claire Thomas (about three women watching a Beckett play)
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.
I'm not sure about this one, maybe The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk
5. Biggest disappointment.
Compass by Mathias Enard, Wikipedia vomit, read half of the book and gave up
6. Biggest surprise.
The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy, I had read quite mixed reviews so didn't have high hopes, but ended up really enjoying it
7. Favourite new author.
new: Rebecca Watson with Little Scratch
new to me: Shahrnush Parsipur ('Women without Men' and 'Touba')
8. Newest fictional crush.
None (this is where I realise that I read the wrong kind of books)
9. Newest favourite character.
Gaveston from Edward II by Marlowe
10. Book that made you cry.
Chernobyl Prayer by Svetlana Alexievich
11. Book that made you happy.
Book that made me laugh the most: A Ripple from the Storm by Doris Lessing, because of the description of the local communist party meetings that read like a Monty Pyton sketch
12. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received).
received: A Mirror of My Heart - A Thousand Years of Persian Poetry by Women. Hardback with beautiful cover, a blue ribbon, maps and beautiful layout.
13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
still hoping that this will be the year that I finally read Clarissa

Great idea for a thread!

1. Best book you’ve read so far.

Last House on Needless Street. Loved it.

1. Best sequel you've read so far.

Light, part 6 of the Gone series by Michael Grant, so good.

1. New release you haven't read yet, but want to.

American Dirt and Frequency of Us.

1. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.

I don’t really read very new books tbh.

1. Biggest disappointment.

The Sanatorium, Sarah Pearse. Such a good idea, badly done.

1. Biggest surprise.

Verity, by Colleen Hoover. So many people raving about it in online book clubs, I was cynical. It was great.

1. Favourite new author.

Emily St John Mandel. Have loved all her books.

1. Newest fictional crush.

Not really my thing either!

1. Newest favourite character.

Adunni in The Girl with the Louding Voice was lovely. 10. Book that made you cry. The Midnight Library. Just hit a nerve at the right time. 11. Book that made you happy. The Other Bennet Sister, by Janice Hadlow. So well done. 12. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received). Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke. I actually wanted to be able to go there. 13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year? I will finally finish Bleak House, I will! I’m at 60% according to the kindle 🤣🤣🤣