It's that time of the year, kids. That halfway point, where it's time to assess our reading so far. Why not do so via The Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag. I was tagged by Tânia over at My Lovely Secret. She did a much better job with this tag, than I did, because I can never pick just one of anything without some real inner struggle. NOTE: Any book that made this list, which I have read, is a favorite of mine.
BEST BOOK YOU'VE READ IN 2019
Since I have read soooo many books, I feel like I have the right to select multiple favorites.
- Favorite Women's Fiction: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
- Favorite Adult Romance: The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
- Favorite YA friendship: Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner
- Favorite YA featuring siblings: Ordinary Girls by Blair Thornburgh
- Favorite YA that made me laugh & cry: Hope and Other Punch Lines by Julie Buxbaum
- Fierce Fragile Hearts by Sara Barnard
- Legendary by Stephanie Garber
- The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston
- Notes from a Former Virgin: Junior Year by Emma Chastain
- Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan
- The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake
- Amelia Westlake Was Never Here by Erin Gough
- The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
I talked about a bunch for TTT a while back, so here a few I didn't already mention
Confession: I'm a crier. I am sure that 95% of my reviews talk about tears, but here are a few that really evoked a strong reaction from me.
- Now Entering Addamsville by Francesca Zappia
- The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey
- Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy
- My Box-Shaped Heart by Rachael Lucas
- Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz
- My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
- Just for Clicks by Kara McDowell
- The Sound of Drowning by Katherine Fleet
- Killing November by Adriana Mather
- Tin Heart by Shivaun Plozza
- Justin A. Reynolds - Opposite of Always
- Jessie Ann Foley - Sorry For You Loss
- Erin Hahn - You'd Be Mine
- Sarah Kuhn - I Love You So Mochi
- Ben Philippe - The Field Guide to the North American Teenager
- Daniel from Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett
- Adam from Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali
- Aphra from We Are the Perfect Girl by Ariel Kaplan
- Emoni from With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
- Annie from Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross
Confession: I'm a crier. I am sure that 95% of my reviews talk about tears, but here are a few that really evoked a strong reaction from me.
I read both Rachel Lynn Solomon books this year, and there were many tears
Other crying books
- The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand
- Fear of Missing Out by Kate McGovern
- Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
You know this is my FAVORITE kind of book, and I could assemble an almost endless list, but I will just start with five.
- I Wanna Be Where You Are by Kristina Forest
- Risking It All by S.M. Koz
- Stealing Home by Becky Wallace
- A Cold Day in the Sun by Sara Biren
- How Not to Ask a Boy to Prom by S.J. Goslee
I don't watch a lot of TV, and I have not been to the movies at all this year, but I have to commend Netflix, because I adored these two YA adaptations.
- I really enjoyed doing my Dig post, because I thought my graphic was good, and I liked sharing my love for potatoes.
- In general, I have been really proud of my consistency with discussion posts. It's hard coming up with topics!
There are a million books I want to read, and a bunch I missed last year. Here are a few priorities.
- Rebel by Marie Lu - I really need to catch up with June and Day
- Love Scene, Take Two by Alex Evansley - I finally own it, no excuses
- I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios - see above
- Maybe This Time by Kasie West
- Finale by Stephanie Garber - I am so bad at finishing series
What are some of the BEST books you have read this year?
Let us know in the comments!
I cry quite often reading books but not as much as when I watch the news, a film or TV series! I've only cried over one book this year so far though!
ReplyDeleteMy tears would drown this entire country. I cry a lot when I read - happy and sad
DeleteI love reading your discussion posts! You always come up with good topics.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteYou have soo many great books on this post!! I need to read The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and The Friend Zone very very soon!!
ReplyDelete~ Kendra @ Kendra Loves Books
I LOVED those books. I was really surprised by how much they touched me and amused me. Fingers crossed you like them
DeleteYesss! Legendary was such a fantastic sequel! I hope you love Finale too! I'm really interested in Killing November, so I'm glad to see it on this list too. I STILL need to finish Aurora Rising.
ReplyDeleteI thought Garber introduced some great new world elements and storylines in that book. I not a huge suspense/action/etc type fan, but Killing November combined all the elements in a way I was happy to consume. The ending of Aurora Rising had me in tears. Just saying....
DeleteYou have read so many amazing books so far! My daughter and I watch To All the Boys I've Loved Before on Netflix all the time. She loves it. :)
ReplyDeleteThat adaptation was stellar. I could understand wanting to experience it over and over again
DeleteI kind of want to rerad a book by Buxbaum. Her stuff looks good. And Jenn Bennet as well.
ReplyDeleteI have read 4 books by Buxbaum, and all were solid hits for me. Bennett has yet to disappoint me as well.
DeleteGreat list!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteI am a crier too!!! And Rayne and Delila was a disappointment but you are absolutely spot on about the friendship. Now when you'll read I'll Meet You There just holler as I want to make sure NOT to miss your review ;-)
ReplyDeleteOther than the weirdness with that director guy, I loved Rayne & Delilah. It was funny and heartfelt and it worked for me, as all Zentner's books have.
DeleteAhaha, believe me Sam: there was a lot of inner struggle too. I'm just such a a slow reader that I had a small poll to pick from. =P Shattering hearts and making everyone an emotional mess must be Kaufman's and Kristoff's life goal.
ReplyDeleteHappy readings! ;)
Tânia @MyLovelySecret
You would expect to shed too many tears reading some space book, but Kaufman and Kristoff never fail to elicit a few tears from me
DeleteOMG, so many books!
ReplyDeleteHope and Other Punchlines is on my wishlist. Serious Moonlight is one I'm curious about. You'd Be Mine I'm stalking on amazon waiting for a good price point. The Princess and The Fangirl cover is awesome.
To All The Boys I Loved Before was a great movie and Dumplin' is on my list of movies to watch.
So many recommendations here! I'm a little dazed, lol.
I really had no self control with this one. I have been lucky to read so many fantastic books that just fit with me. I felt so light and joyous at the end of Dumplin'. The director and the actors just captured the spirit of that book and swept me away in a tsunami of happiness.
DeleteI really need to read that Jeff Zentner book. I liked his other novels. The Field Guide To The North American Teenager is on my TBR list, too. I hope you find some excellent books in the second half of the year!
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
R&D is Zentner's "funny book", as he called it, and it was very humorous, but also heartfelt. The narrator in Field Guide was so snarky and wonderful. I adored him and his observations. I kind of want a followup, because of the ending, and hope that maybe it could happen.
DeleteI always love this tag, and I enjoyed reading your answers, Sam! I'm totally with you on Justin A. Reynolds. Opposite of Always crushed me so good that I'm totally picking up anything he writes. I just picked up I Wanna Be Where You Are due to your review, and I'm excited again to see it made you happy since I need some good happy books rn. Wonderful post, Sam, and hopefully you have a great rest of 2019 reading!! :)
ReplyDeleteI am holding my breath waiting to see what you think of IWBWYA. I loved being on that road trip.
DeleteI also enjoyed Hope and Other Punchlines and You'd Be Mine (as you know). You have been doing great Discussion Posts, Sam! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! Those two were good for different reasons, though both definitely delivered the feels.
DeleteI got The Library of Lost Things and can't wait to start it! I need to watch Dumplin. I haven't read the book so I can't judge or anything. Same with To All the Boys. I loved the movie a lot but haven't read the book. I enjoyed doing this tag a lot! It's quite entertaining :)
ReplyDeleteGenesis @ Whispering Chapters
Library sounds really good. Inkyard is an imprint that usually puts out books I like. OMG, watch Dumplin'. I promise, you will feel so happy at the end. The movie actually made Peter more dreamy than he was in the book. It took him longer to get to that place in the trilogy
DeleteOh Sam I LOVE your answers so, SO much for this tag! I haven't read any of your favorites this year so far, but I'm definitely adding them to my TBR now. I'm so happy you enjoyed Just For Clicks and You'd Be Mine and ahhh. I loved Our Year of Maybe SO much, I can't wait to read Rachel Lynn Solomon's other book and cry, too, haha. I love these kind of books filled with emotions.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to see I'll Meet You There on your priority list, I hope you will love it! I adore that one <3
I cried a lot reading Solomon's book. She is a true shredder of my emotions. I swear! I am reading I'll Meet You There before this summer is over - there's my accountability check.
DeleteI still want to read The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake and I'm super curious about Sick Kids in Love. Love the author, and I want to read more of her work in general!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Sick Kids in Love promised in the synopsis, that nobody dies. I'm in. Ashely Herring Blake's books have all been fabulous. I hope my library hold comes through soon.
DeleteI still need to do this tag because it's one of my favorites of the year. I'm nodding my head and smiling at your list of favorite reads so far. I loved several of them too and the others are on my TBR, so that's always exciting to know I have great reads coming up. I'm also smiling at your list of newest favorite characters because of Daniel and Adam. Loved those two so much!
ReplyDeleteThis tag was really hard to do, and so, I had to cheat with five answers for everything. Daniel and Adam were the best kind of soft boys.
DeleteThe Mighty Heart of St. James is one I want to read. I loved her debut - & you know my love of all things With the Fire on High and Acevedo.
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's Worth
Acevedo has been an incredible addition to the YA community. Her books are amazing.
DeleteI'm incredibly excited for The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, so I'm extremely happy to see it mentioned between your favorites. :) I'm also looking forward to The Princess and the Fangirl, Just For Click, Killing November, and I Wanna Be Where You Are. I'll Meet You There was amazing, probably one of my favorite contemporary novels, hope you'll love it. And you definitely should be proud of your discussion posts - you always come up with such thought provoking topics! :)
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to read I'll Meet You There forEVER! At first, I didn't have, and I picked it as a book of choice win, but it kept slipping through the cracks. I have gotten better with limiting my ARC requests, and have time to read older books now. It's a must for me.
DeleteHow have I missed reading practically every book in this post? I get there's a lot more YA, which I read less of, but this is ridiculous. I feel like I've read two books, and that just isn't on! But I can say I've read I'll Meet You There on your 'to read before the end of the year' section so there's that! I adore that book. I've reread it once before and it was just as good second time around. I really hope you do read it.
ReplyDeleteI think I only have adult books for the first question, because I had to include those. They were so good. Everyone raves about I'll Meet You There. I vow to read it by the end of this summer.
DeleteI'm really looking forward to Now Entering Addamsville too. :)
ReplyDeleteZappia's are just so good! I know it will be a hit for me
DeleteI'm intrigued by the fact that Aurora Rising made you cry. Need to read that soon!!
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
The last part of the book was really emotional, and then it's a cliffhanger. That duo always write a part that just hits you in the feels.
Delete