Happy ThursTAG everyone!

It’s been a few weeks since I did a ThursTAG, so I am here with an EPIC ONE. I hope you’re ready ha!

I’m taking on the Mid Year Freak Out Tag today… we’re more than half way through the year now, so I thought it was about time that I had a go at this! I have a feeling there’ll be a lot of cheating here, but hey ho haha!

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The Best Book You’ve Read This Year

Lol. As if this was ever going to be a thing… have 3 kids and 3 YA:

• Midnight Guardians by Ross Montgomery (MG)
• Dragon Mountain by Katie and Kevin Tsang (MG)
• The Mask of Aribella by Anna Hoghton (MG)
• The Love Hypothesis by Laura Steven (YA)
• Destination Anywhere by Sara Barnard (YA)
• Hold Back the Tide by Melinda Salisbury (YA)

Also, I TECHNICALLY didn’t read The Strangeworlds Travel Agency by L.D.Lapinksi this year, but you should because it’s the BOMB. Seriously.

The Best Sequel You’ve Read This Year

This book was ACTUALLY on the last list, until I saw that this question was next… there is NO doubt in my mind that Venom by Bex Hogan is my fave sequel so far this year. I am STILL reeling and I finished this book on April 2nd ha!

New Releases You Haven’t Read Yet But Want To. 

Oooooh! Now we’re in a weird time at the minute where there’s not many books being released, so I’m not entirely sure what’s been released recently!? Shout me some recent releases and I’ll let you know if I’ve read it.

Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of the Year. 

Again, I’m NOT entirely sure what’s coming out the rest of the year, so I’m not entirely sure hah! The new Sophie Anderson book is high on my priority list though.

Biggest Disappointment

Ooooooooh… controversial question! Going down my Goodreads list, Into The Crooked Place is one of my lowest rated books. I remember reading it and just wanting MORE. Because I am greedy haha. I’ve actually read a whole load of BANGERS this year so far!

Biggest Surprise

Ooooh this is a nice one to think about! The Good Hawk by Joseph Elliott. I had heard VERY LITTLE about this book when I read it, and when I did read it I BLOODY LOVED it. I thought it was bloody magnificent!

Favourite New to You or Debut Author

Oh god. This could literally be all of them, ha! Akwaeke Emezi because Pet is ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDINGLY GOOD. Also Elle McNicoll because A Kind of Spark needs a lot more readership – it’s bloody magnificent. Finally, Jenni Spangler because The Vanishing Trick has stayed with me for months and I need more people to be shouting about it please.

Newest Fictional Crush

Aw man. Murren Ross. I love him. If you’ve not read Hold Back the Tide, please do because Ren deserves your love (Also, shout outs to my men Grey and Bronn because they are BABES, but they’re not new!)

Newest Favourite Character

What kind of bloody question is this? Hahaha. Of ALL 73 books I’ve read this year HOW am I meant to pick ONE character I love the most?

Spoiler: It’s all of them.

Book That Made You Cry

Lol, hello, have you met me? Of the 73 books I’ve read this year, I’ve cried at probably like 50 of them (and the ones I’ve not cried at are because they’re funny kids books haha!). However, I reckon The First Day of My Life by Lisa Williamson made me cry the most!

Book That Made You Happy

A bit like the last question, a LOT of them have made me happy for SO MANY DIFFERENT REASONS. I’ve read books that have been good for my soul, books that have been great for my shipper heart and books that have made me laugh!

Favourite Book to Film Adaptation

I can’t HONESTLY say that I’ve seen any this year? I mean besides Disney re-watches. (Live action BATB for the absolute win!)

Favourite Post You Have Done This Year

Ooooh! To be honest, I’ve loved the reception that my monthly calendar of challenges have received! I made them on a whim for my school and they’ve since accrued 1000s of downloads and I’ve made 3 months worth of them, so that’s cool (if you’re wondering what I’m on about, check out these posts: FREE DAY: July Maths calendars, FREE DAY: Writing for pleasure July resource, FREE DAY: Active July resource!)

Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought This Year

I asked this question last year… do you mean LOOKS wise or MOVING beautiful? Because they are VERY different questions haha. I think the new Inkheart covers get the prize for most attractive books I’ve read this year (Karl James Mountford you are a hero).

What Books Do You Need To Read By The End of the Year

All of them. Whatever I’ve got to read ha! I have SO MANY.

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And that’s it… OF COURSE I cheated ha!

What do you think? 
Do you agree with my thoughts?
Do you fancy trying this? (It’s much harder than it looks… TRUST ME!)

S x