Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag 2022

Happy Friday, everyone!

It’s summer solstice week, so obviously, I’m doing the Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag! Tradition is tradition, after all.

And speaking of tradition – after two years of not being allowed to have them because of COVID, I was so excited because we were supposed to get summer solstice bonfires back! One of my favorite things about June in Germany, they involve getting together with your village, torching a huge pile of wood, recklessly endangering your life by jumping over the flames, and eating a whole bunch of food. And we all know I can’t resist anything that involves food, even if I have to socialize with my neighbors and risk burning to death in order to get it… But then our fire got cancelled!! 😭 The weather has been so hot and dry lately that they’ve even forbidden barbecues in some areas, so now I have to stick with being roasted to death in my apartment instead. HOW IS THIS FAIR, HUH?!?

Source of picture: https://www.igel-in-bayern.de/sonnwendfeuer/

But fine, back to the tag… Created in 2016 by Ely and Chami over on BookTube, it has become a staple way for the bookish community to wrap-up the first half of its reading year. So of course, I’m doing it, too!

As of now, I’ve read 41 new-to-me books this year, which means I am, as is apparently also traditional, totally behind on my Goodreads reading challenge. Unfortunately, though, I don’t even have the excuse of having had a particularly great reading year to make up for it this time. All things considered, 2022 has been pretty average so far – I’ve had a couple of really great books, but also a couple of truly awful ones…

A distribution of my 2022 ratings – I mean, now that I’ve figured out how to use StoryGraph, I might as well take advantage of the fact that I can show you pretty graphs without putting any effort into having to make them myself, right? 🙃

Still, I have plenty of books to talk about, so let’s get straight into the questions!

(As always, I’ve also linked the posts were you can find reviews of the books for you, should you want some of my more in-depth thoughts.)

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2022?

When I started the year with three five-star reads in a row, I probably should have known it was too good to last… So far, nothing has managed to top Robin Hobb’s Liveship Traders trilogy! From complex characters and magic to lots of intrigue and politics, it has absolutely everything I love in a story, and besides, there are pirates!! And dragons!!

Between the greatness that all three books contain, I find it hard to choose a favorite, but if I absolutely had to, that distinction would probably go to The Mad Ship. Simply because it has the most phenomenal character development of the bunch and heavily features Paragon! I mean, is it really surprising that a crazy and depressed talking ship would become one of my favorite Robin Hobb characters ever? 🥰

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2022?

Apart from The Mad Ship, you mean? Then let’s go with another Robin Hobb book: The Golden Fool, which is the second installment in her Tawny Man Trilogy! Both of these absolutely destroyed me in the very best way possible!! I have a hard time deciding which one I love more, so all I can say is that I’m extremely apprehensive about eventually finishing Robin Hobb’s Realm of the Elderings, the overarching series that The Liveship Traders and The Tawny Man Trilogy are the second and third installments of. Because how is any fantasy I read after this possibly going to compete???

3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to?

What do you expect? Chelsea Abdullah’s The Stardust Thief was inspired by One Thousand and One Nights – which is quite possibly my favorite story collection of all time – and it has S.A. Chakraborty’s stamp of approval! If this is anywhere near as good as The Daevabad Trilogy, of course I want to read this!!

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of 2022?

Honestly? I have almost nothing on my radar 🙈 Most of the big releases I’m anticipating – Hello, Chain of Thorns and Stormlight Five! – come out in 2023, so 2022 is probably gonna be more of a backlog reading year.

However, I am looking forward to Bloodless Ties, the third book in Katie Wismer’s Marionettes series, being released on November 15th! 🤗 I’m currently in the middle of beta reading this, and there have already been so many insane new developments that I’m dying to hear other people’s opinions on them! Plus, the draft I have at the moment is still pretty messy, so I’m very curious to see the final version.

5. Biggest disappointment?

The Atlas Six, The People in the Trees, and Elantris. I was so sure I would like all three of these, and then I ended up hating them! 😤

The Worst-Book-of-2022-So-Far-Award goes to Susanne Gerdom’s Der Nebelkönig and Vladimir Sorokin’s The Blizzard, though.

6. Biggest surprise?

Both Eliot Schrefer’s YA sci-fi novel The Darkness Outside Us and Loung Ung’s memoir First They Killed My Father ended up taking me completely by surprise with how much I ended up loving them! Apart from Hanya Yanagihara’s To Paradise, they are my only non-Robin-Hobb five-star reads of the year, and, considering that I stumbled across both of them pretty randomly and have barely heard anyone else mention them, I really think they deserve more attention!

7. New favorite author?

Adiba Jaigirdar, Tarjei Vesaas, Eliot Schrefer and Emily Austin (Image Source: Goodreads)

I haven’t really read enough by any new to-me-authors to judge yet. But Adiba Jaigirdar (The Henna Wars), Tarjei Vesaas (The Ice Palace), Eliot Schrefer (The Darkness Outside Us), and Emily Austin (Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead) definitely have me intrigued now.

(Also, can we talk about the fact that Eliot Schrefer is just casually holding a baby bonobo in his author picture? 😍 I think that alone is enough to make me want to read everything he ever pens!!)

8. Newest fictional crush?

Let’s just accept the fact that I’m a horrible person to ask this question 😅 Can’t I just happily stay on the sidelines and ship these characters with each other? Though I guess if I have to pick, Brashen from The Liveship Traders comes closest.

9. Newest favorite character?

Paragon, Althea, and Brashen from The Liveship Traders, Dutiful and Thick from The Tawny Man Trilogy, Book-1-David and Book-3-Charlie from To Paradise, the Revenant from Vespertine, Kodiak from The Darkness Outside Us, and Gilda from Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead. You didn’t think I’d only choose one, did you? 😁😇

10. Book that made you cry?

Even though The Golden Fool was my favorite Tawny Man Trilogy installment, the ones that had me full-on sobbing were books one and three. They were just so sad, okay!! Why did Robin Hobb have to break my heart like this multiple times?!? 😭😭

Also, an honorable mention goes to Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead. While it didn’t exactly make me cry, it did have me sniffling, and since I am a fairly emotionless robot when it comes to books illiciting any kind of reaction from me, that is definitely noteworthy! Also, it should be mentioned that the book, which follows a socially anxious and depressed young woman who accidentally ends up working at a Catholic church despite secretly being a lesbian atheist, has some of the best macabre humor I have ever encountered!! So in between all of that sniffling, I was snorting with laughter, which is definitely a good combo, I think.

11. Book that made you happy?

Do I keep mentioning the same books over and over again? Yes. So what? 😁 I still think Fool’s Errand qualifies the book that made me happiest this year because a) I was finally reunited with the characters from The Farseer Trilogy and b) there is this reunion between two characters at the beginning of this book that was so wholesome that it absolutely melted my heart and just made me want to read it over and over and over again!! And then, when the book made me cry, it sort of made me even happier!

(Just accept the fact that I’m weird, guys. If you want a genuinely happy book recommendation instead, I’d say Emma Lord’s Tweet Cute probably fits that prompt best out of the books I read this year. However, since the ending was so happy that I found it incredibly cheesy, it ultimately ended up making me less happy, which is why I still think Fool’s Errand is the better answer here! 😇)

12. Favorite book to movie adaptation you’ve seen so far this year?

I mean, like, there’s no competition… Heartstopper is generally one of the best book-to-screen adaptations I’ve ever seen! 🤩🥰🤩

13. Favorite post you’ve written this year?

I can’t pick!! 😫 It’s probably a three-way tie between the one where I taught you guys how to design a bestselling book cover, the one where I rewrote synopses of popular books with me as the protagonist, and the one where I recommended books based on weird Duolingo sentences.

14. Most beautiful book you bought this year?

I have been insanely good at sticking to my book-buying ban thus far – the only books I’ve acquired in 2022 are The Liveship Traders trilogy, Elantris, Starsight and Cytonic, and The Atlas Six.

Which means I’ve only broken my rules – the only books I am allowed to buy are continuations of series that I’ve already started and love – twice! (Or once? Technically, Elantris is part of the Cosmere…) Besides, all instances of rule-breaking are entirely Line @ First Line Reader‘s fault! 😜 But since our buddy reads also meant I immediately had someone to rant about Elantris and The Atlas Six with, I guess that’s okay…

Anyway, I actually think all of these books are really pretty! Except possibly The Atlas Six, because my copy has, not one, but two (!!) horrifyingly ugly fake stickers on it that declare the book to be “The must-read TikTok sensation” and “The Sunday Times No. 1 Bestseller”. Good thing I plan on unhauling it anyway, I guess! 😁

(Also, yes, I am aware that Starsight and Cytonic are two different sizes. There’s no need to point that out – trust me, it is already driving me nuts enough as it is! 😫 Why is Cytonic suddenly so much bigger, huh?! You can’t just compensate for a tremendous drop in quality by a tremendous jump in size! 😤)

15. What books do you really need to read by the end of this year?

I don’t NEED to get to anything!

Well… unless I want to meet my goals of having read ten German books, three French books, and one Russian book by the end of the year. So far, all I’ve done is read four German books (of which I hated three 🙈), so I think it’s safe to say I have a bit of catching up to do.

Same goes for my goal to read works from at least ten countries outside of the US and UK. I haven’t met that one yet, either, although I have read things from Ireland, Spain, Denmark, Germany (😜), Russia, Cambodia, Poland, Norway, and Canada, so technically, I guess I’m only missing one country? However, since my list of countries is extremely eurocentric at the moment, I should probably expand it a bit regardless… If you have any recommendations for me, please let me know!

Other than that, I fully intend on only reading what I want to! Which can roughly be broken into the categories “Books I’m Dying to Read” (= the rest of Robin Hobb’s Realm of the Elderlings series 🤩), “Series I Should Probably Finish at Some Point” (it’s truly embarrassing how long I’ve been putting off some of these finales 😅), “Books in Foreign Languages” (I need more recommendations here! 🤗), and “Random Other Stuff That Sounds Interesting”. If you’re curious, here are a couple of candidates I’ve been eyeing:

Which already brings us to the end of this year’s Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag! If your chaotic content cravings aren’t yet satisfied, though, you can always check out my previous renditions:

(Nope, I didn’t forget to link the one for 2019 – that year was just so awful I never ended up writing one 🤫)

Anyway, let me know down below if you’ve read any of these books and what you thought of them! What is your favorite read of 2022 so far? Which book turned out to be your biggest disappointment? I would love to know!

34 thoughts on “Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag 2022”

  3. Line @First Line Reader says:
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    I was totally not expecting this today! 😱 (This is me saying it’s going to be a while before you see mine 🙈)

    I’m glad to see so much Hobb here despite not being equally enthusiastic about the books of hers you mention 😄 However, I might have to put The Golden Fool as my favorite sequel as well but unfortunately that’s only because sequels haven’t been my friends so far this year 😬 I’m gonna have to spend July reading sequels!

    I’ve seen The Stardust Thief everywhere but now I’m going to wait for your opinion on it. It’s too popular for me to risk it. Better you do it 😁

    And thank you for reminding me of why I can pick Fool’s Errand as a book that made me happy! 😍 You’re so right! That moment is definitely the happiest I’ve been reading a book this year! 🤗

    And totally shocked by your choice of favorite adaptation! That just came out of nowhere! And you’re definitely also the only blogger to pick that one 😉

    I’m also not at all sorry for all the rule-breaking I’ve caused 😈 Except maybe a little sorry that you had to buy such a sticker-filled The Altas Six 😅 That is also the only version they have in my stores so I refused to buy it!

    Looking at the books you plan to read, I had a little moment of extreme excitement when I saw The Bedlam Stacks 🥰🥰 And The Song of Achilles. And Timekeeper. And I will wait for as long as I have to for your opinion on those 😁

    Finally, I’m really sorry about the canceled bonfires! We haven’t had as much heat as the rest of Europe so we were able to have ours yesterday without issues. But I’m really sorry that you roasted in your apartment instead 😂

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:
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      The irony of you saying that when this is literally the only non-wrap-up post of mine whose publication date can be predicted with absolute certainty… But now I instantly feel better about being so suprised every time you posted something Winternight related! 🤣 (I also find it hard to believe that we’re almost at the mid-year mark, though, so I will accept having to wait a little bit to read your version. Although, just so you know, taking too long might jinx all those July sequels because The Golden Fool is simply predestined for that position 😜😇)

      Also, now I have become even more certain that I should let you test out the Atlas Six sequel because, clearly, you don’t feel at all bad about making me read something potentially terrible 😁 Although, realistically, I’ve got to hit a hyped book that is actually good at some point, right? They can’t all turn out to be terrible!! 😫 Besides, S.A. Chakraborty blurbing The Stardust Thief sounds more convincing than a TikTok sticker of approval, so I am cautiously optimistic…

      And I figured you might be most excited about The Bedlam Stacks 🤣 We’ll have to see when I actually get around to it, but I definitely want to read it eventually because I’m still not over that uttely perfect ending to The Lost Future of Pepperharrow and how badly I misjudged Mori 🥺 I need more!!

      Also, I am very jealous of your bonfire, obviously 😭 And of your lack of heat… I’m honestly starting to feel appreciative of all the time I’m spending at school because, while it isn’t exactly cool there, either, it is definitely preferable to the oven that is my apartment! Although maybe I should watch out for what I wish for – I’ve been hoping for rain all week, and then of course, it all came down at once when I rode my bike home from school today 😅

      Liked by 1 person

      • Line @First Line Reader says:
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        Oh you can’t expect to remember exactly which date you posted something a year ago 😅 That’s putting way too much pressure on my memory.
        And I can’t have any more disappointing reads this year! That question is already going to be the hardest one to answer because which one do I pick? 😫 I know you claim Fool’s Fate can’t beat The Golden Fool but I have to be optimistic!

        And hey, I’m just doing some payback for all the popular reads I’ve tested for you 😆 Sistersong for one, and speaking of Sistersong, Natasha Pulley has been praising that one on Twitter so I no longer trusts blurbs just because they’re done by authors I really like 😬

        And we all need more Mori! Not a whole lot of him in The Bedlam Stacks but I still think you’ll really love that book!

        Lol hoping for rain and that is exactly what happens every time 😂😂 It looks like we’re also getting the heat now though, but the rain comes with it so that’s just great 😒

        Liked by 1 person

        • abookowlscorner says:
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          That’s fair, I guess 🤣 When we aren’t even capable of remembering book plots, dates are definitely too much to expect!

          I really do hope you get that good sequel, though! And since we have a long history of disagreeing on Robin Hobb endings, maybe this one will be right up your alley? 😅 (Although I’m not going to pretend that I wouldn’t also love to have someone to rant about it with… 😤😫)

          And hmmm, I guess there’s some truth to that statement 🤔 Although before you get too complacent, I’ve also tested my fair share of horrible popular books – I feel like I definitely deserve some gratitude for saving you from The Jasmine Throne, for example! 😬 And that statement about blurbs is… worrying, but I’m still holding on to hope that a good popular book has to be headed my way at some point!

          Liked by 1 person

          • Line @First Line Reader says:
            Reply

            Fool’s Fate will be the next book I pick up so you might not have to wait too long (except if I can get my hands on the new Natasha Pulley book before then but then I just assume you know what my priorities are and know I can’t help myself 😁).

            I guess you can get some credit for saving me from The Jasmine Throne (I can just forget that I’d already decided not to read it at that point 😉😁)

            Liked by 1 person

            • abookowlscorner says:
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              I am so excited to hear your thoughts, then!! 🤗 Even if you end up reading the Natasha Pulley book first – which I think is a valid decision in this case 😅 – I will have opinions so much sooner than I expected!

              (And you never know… You might have been tempted by all the hype at some point 😜)

              Liked by 1 person

  4. Nehal Jain says:
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    When you haven’t read a single book on the list–

    🙂 The horror here that 41 books actually seems a lot to me when i managed to read only 25. 😭
    🤩 Those posts you linked though, the Duolingo, protagonist and bestselling are easily your best ones.
    Atlas six does have an amazing cover.
    🙂 That’s the only book i can comment about as ashamed me knows only that

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:
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      25 is still a lot, though! Like, I’m pretty sure my youngest brother hasn’t voluntarily read anything that wasn’t for school at all this year, so you’re good! 😂 I’m just extraordinarily perfectionistic and finally hitting 100 books again this year would be nice – although I’m also way too lazy to force it (😁🙃), so I guess we’ll see…

      And I’m glad you approve of my favorite posts! 🤗 (It makes me feel like less of a weirdo when I go back and reread them and then start grinning at my own sense of humor 🙈😅)

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Meena Green says:
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    So much better than mine, I’ve read 10 books this year, all but 3 were for school (2 of which were mangas) and all the school ones have been 2 stars apart from maybe one…This has not been a good reading year so far for me haha

    Also, my empath senses are tingling, I think you may have a favourite series/author for this year?

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Rachel says:
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    yay naemi look at us publishing our mid year freak outs on nearly the same day 🙌
    omg all the robin hobb mentions are giving me major fomo.
    ahhh did you hear adiba jaigirdar has a new book coming out in december, ITS A DESI SAPPHIC HEIST… ON THE TITANIC!!
    yasss i loved all of those posts of yours you mentioned (then again i love EVERYTHING you post BUT those just have an even more special place in my heart)
    i highly approve of your tbr list, it has we hunt the flame and when you get the chance, both favourites of mine!!

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:
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      Well, by my timezone’s standards, we did post these on the same day, so yay to us being bookish twins! 🤗🤣

      Though yes, Rachel, you are missing out by not having read any Robin Hobb 😜 But you know what? There is such an easy remedy for that! 😁

      And hmmm, I might have heard someone excitedly screaming about a Desi sapphic heist on the Titanic when talking about their own most anticipated 2022 releases. I wonder who that could’ve been? 🤔 But yeah, I’m definitely intrigued and will probably try to snag a copy pretty soon after publication! 😂

      And I’m so happy to hear you also loved those wacko posts of mine! 🥰 I might possibly have had way too much fun writing them… 😇

      Liked by 1 person

  7. jan says:
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    I’m sorry you didn’t like the atlas six!! That book is MASSIVELY hyped everywhere and now I’m a bit afraid of reading it.
    Adiba jaigirdar is one of my favourite YA authors – the way she writes her characters just feel so realistic.
    With you nothing but the best for the last half of the year!!! (Seriously, how are we through one half already.)

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:
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      I KNOW!! I was sooo disappointed! 😭😫😭 I was so sure The Atlas Six was going to be a new favorite, and then it turned out to be a plotless dumpsterfire! 🥺😭 Then again, maybe you’ll like it more than me… After all, almost everyone else seems to positively adore it!

      And yes, Adiba Jaigirdar really convinced me! I definitely need to get my hands on more of her books soon! 🤗

      Here’s to a great second half of the year for you as well, Jan! 💙

      Liked by 1 person

  8. ahaana @ Windows to Worlds says:
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    omg naemi you don’t have to worry about being behind on your reading challenge because i have been really slumping lately 😭at least you rated the most books 4 stars?? so you enjoyed *hopefully* most of what you read fsljfns. ahhh i’ve been seeing so much robin hobb on your blog lately i really have to pick up his books soon! oh my god i’ve heard the BEST things about the atlas six so i’m being apprehensive now about picking it upppp or at least i’ve lowered my expectations 😭

    adiba jaigirdar is also one of my favs!! none of her books have ended up disappointing me so far 💕 ok but heartstopper is HANDS DOWN THE CUTEST MOST WHOLESOME THING EVER 🥺🥰 also i cannot understand how you even narrowed your favourite posts down to three?? ALL OF YOUR POSTS ARE LITERALLY THE BEST i love all of them ESPECIALLY those three hehe

    READ A BOOK FROM INDIA FOR YOUR TENTH COUNTRYYYY we have so much amazing literature and like mythology and stuff 🤝 and YES i can’t be asked to write more in this comment (it’s already longer than all the posts i’ve published in the past year) BUT I’M LOVING YOUR TBR i see so many of my favs there ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:
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      When you put it that way, I guess my reading year really hasn’t been that bad 🤣 But still! Why were there so many one- and two-star books?! After the amazingness that was my 2021 reading year, I am not used to that anymore! 😫

      But yes, Robin Hobb definitely saved the year for me! 🤩 Seriously, her books are so good, you need to read them, Ahaana!! They’re far superior to The Atlas Six, at any rate 😇

      And ahhhh, yay, I’m always here for Heartstopper fangirling! 🤗🥰🤗 Honestly, the amount of times I’ve rewatched that show is getting ridiculous 😅 But I don’t care!! 😁

      And I definitely want to read more books from India! It’s just that acquiring them from abroad can be a real nightmare if you don’t specifically know what you’re looking for – soooo: Do you have any recommendations? 🙃

      Like

  9. prutha @ moonchild lexicons says:
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    i was literally so behind my reading challenge that i decided to lower it lmao 😭 i’m v excited to read The Stardust Thief too! and wquhdyud yES ADIBA JAIGIRDAR IS LITERALLY THE BEST 😤✋ and omg heartstopper is the loml, it was the cutest thing ever 🥺
    i just stumbled across your blog and i’m soo obsessed!! lovely post <33

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:
      Reply

      Lololol, I always (or almost always, anyway) end up doing that on December 31st – because until then, I steadfastly hold on to the sliver of hope that I might be able to miraculously read 20+ books in a day or something! 😂🙈

      But yes, The Stardust Thief sounds so good!! 🤗 I mean, it has the word “thief” in the title! There’s supposed to be magic! And Jinn! 🤩 How can this not be good? (In other words: I will be furious if this turns into another letdown because after The Atlas Six debacle, I really need a hyped book that actually delivers! 😭)

      And I’m so glad you’re Adiba Jaigirdar and Heartstopper obsessed, too! 🤗 Of course, that means you are very much welcome here! 💙

      Like

  10. Suhani says:
    Reply

    AHHH JUMPING OVER FLAMES AND EATING A WHOLE LOT OF FOOD HONESTLY SOUNDS FANTASTIC!!! We have a few campfires around here but I’m too much of a wimp to actually jump over the flames ahahah!! I’m so sorry to hear it got canceled though 😦 AND IT IS DEFINITELY NOT FAIR! 😭😭

    WAIT STORYGRAPH GIVES YOU ALL OF THESE COOL STATS???? WHY HAVE I BEEN USING GOODREADS ALL THIS TIME??? 😭😭
    And ahhh The stardust thief looks SO COOL, and I didn’t know it was inspired by one thousand and one nights SO I’M EVEN MORE EXCITED NOW!!
    Oooh I need the darkness outside us- the cover is so pretty hahaha
    HEARTSTOPPER HEARTSTOPPER HEARTSTOPPER!!!! It’s actually AMAZING!! LIKE ALL THE SIDE CHARACTERS??? plus the amazingly aesthetic shots!
    The atlas six would’ve been so pretty without those abominable stickers ahhh what’s up with those annoying things being EVERYWHERE??? Good thing you’re unhauling it though 😂😂

    SONG OF ACHILLES!! I adored that one!! But Solitaire was definitely not my favorite from Alice Oseman ( I may have even hated it-)
    Loved this so so much!! 💖

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:
      Reply

      I KNOW!! 😭😭 I WANTED THAT FIRE SO BADLY! WHY DID THE WEATHER HAVE TO GET SO HOT??! I guess we’re experiencing the effects of climate change first-hand 😥

      And yes, StoryGraph’s graphs are amazing! 🥰🤩 Seeing them in other people’s yearly wrap-ups were actually what made me want to use the app in the first place – my mathy nerd heart just couldn’t resist! 🤣

      AND AHHHH, YES, THE DARKNESS OUTSIDE US!! AND HEARTSTOPPER! 😍 I’m still hung up on both of them and how amazing they were, honestly 😇 Bu, stickers, in contrast? – THE ABSOLUTE WORST!!! Especially when they’re fake and you can’t remove them 😤

      And lol, everyone seems to love The Song of Achilles – I just didn’t like Circe much so I’ve been putting it off 😅 But the hype is so big my curiosity has gotten the better of me! And as for Solitaire, I mostly just want to read it for Tori, whom I love 🥰 Even if my expectations aren’t huge – I’ve heard from quite a few people that it’s their least favorite Alice Oseman book, so I guess we’ll see 😅😂

      Like

  11. Rabeeah says:
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    Love how this is 80% Robin Hobb!! (Reminds me I need to continue with my reread, actually). I also think the middle book of the trilogy was the best — surprisingly, Hobb’s trilogies are always very strong on book 2!

    Also…you are meant to jump OVER the bonfire????? !

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:
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      Lolol, yeah – it’ll probably be a good thing if I do get around to finishing The Realm of the Elderlings this year because then other books will finally be able to gain spots on these kinds of lists again 😂 But I fully agree: Robin Hobb’s second books in particular are always amazing! 🤩

      And, well, they usually have a smaller bonfire next to the big one that you’re meant to jump over… Otherwise you would never get me anywhere near those flames! 🤣 (Apparently, this was initially something couples were supposed to do together to solidify their relationship, but at least where I live, it has become a thing that everyone does for luck. Although couples are still supposed to jump over the fire hand in hand, so I guess that part has stuck 😂)

      Liked by 1 person

      • Rabeeah says:
        Reply

        That’s fab 😂

        And good luck on finishing the series, but for me it just meant I reread them every now and again 😂 I’d be keen to see your thoughts on the final trilogy, though!

        Liked by 1 person

  12. Anoushka says:
    Reply

    ANDJVGWYGDEW ALL THE ROBIN HOBB MENTIONS ARE GETTING ME REALLY EXCITED TO READ THE BOOKS?!!! and look I may have read this post days ago and may have impulsively downloaded the first book AND WILL MAYBE READ IT NEXT because HOW CAN SOMEONE RESIST PROMISES OF PIRATES AND DRAGONS AND POLITICS AND A DEPRESSED TALKING SHIP??? BYE I NEED THIS

    Also YES to adiba jaigirdar becoming a new favorite I’M SO SO GLAD TO SEE IT AND AM SCREAMING EXCUSE ME HIWHUVDVYUDEVU I can’t wait for the author’s new book in December AND MAYBE WE SHOULD REBEL TO BRING THE RELEASE DATE FORWARD?? 👀👀

    everyone in this room will someday be dead SOUNDS FABULOUS TOO WHY DO YOU ALWAYS DO THIS TO MY TBR? 😩 but it’s FINE. The books deserve this! SO EXCUSE ME WHILE I ADD THEM ALL AND AM BASICALLY FOREVER INBEBTED TO YOU FOR ALL THE STUNNING RECS!!!

    I hope you enjoy all the books AND HAVE A GREAT REST OF 2022 (fingers crossed it shall be much better than the first half for you 🥺❤️❤️) AND OBVIOUSLY YOUR POST IS PERFECTION BECAUSE WHAT ELSE WOULD IT BE????

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:
      Reply

      YESSSSS, ROBIN HOBB!!! 🤗😍🤗 YOU NEED TO READ ALL OF HER BOOKS, ANOUSHKA!! THERE ARE SO MANY DRAGONS!! I mean, could you ask for reading material anymore suited to an olive queen? 🐉

      And I am excited for Adiba Jaigirdar’s new book! I mean, did someone say it took place on the Titanic? 👀 I have yet to read Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating, though, so I feel like I should be able to bridge that gap until December… 😁

      And yes, Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead is very recommendable, too! 🥰 It’s so wonderfully sad and funny at the same time! 🙃

      A great rest of 2022 to you as well, Anoushka, and I hope you have fun reading all of the books I’ve just added to your TBR! 😈😂

      Like

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