The Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag: 2020 Edition

It’s Book Tag time.

It’s that time of year; I’ve spotted this tag around quite often recently so yes, the Mid-Year period is here again.
I’ve enjoyed many of my recent reads, so here’s to remembering a few of them in the Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag!

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2020:

I can’t possibly just choose one book for this as I’ve read so many great ones already this year. I must mention…

           

Dracul by Dacre Stoker and J. D. Barker
Stoker’s Wilde by Steven Hopstaken and Melissa Prusi
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
The Poison Song by Jen Williams

2. Best sequel of 2020 so far:

The Poison Song by Jen Williams. It’s the final book in the Winnowing Flame trilogy and such a great end to that series. The only sad thing about it is that there won’t be any further adventures with Vintage, Tor and Noon.

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

If It Bleeds by Stephen King. There’s not chance I’m not going to want to read the new Stephen King, and this one contains four stories, one of them featuring Holly Gibney, last seen in The Outsider.

4. Most anticipated release of the second half of 2020:

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

5. Biggest disappointment of 2020:

That I have so many books I want to be reading right now and my reading pace cannot keep up. Bookwise I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read so far this year so couldn’t really put a title for this answer.

6. Biggest surprise:

I was surprised how much I enjoyed reading The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe. It was included in the collection Darkness There and it made a nice change. I don’t tend to read poetry but I loved the lyrical tone and the gothic picture it painted. Not sure I’d read more poetry, you never know, but I’d definitely read more Poe.

7. Favourite new author (debut or new to you):

I really enjoyed Stoker’s Wilde by Steven Hopstaken and Melissa Prusi.

8. Newest fictional crush:

Why do I never manage to come up with anything for this answer? I must be missing out.

9. Newest favourite character:

Augustus McCrae from Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. I can’t remember the last time I liked a character as much as I liked Gus.

10. Book that made you cry:

I know I’ve already mentioned both of these but The Poison Song by Jen Williams definitely had a moment or two, and I have a feeling there may be some upcoming scenes as I reach the final part of Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry too.

11. Book that made you happy:

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern provided some great escapism.

12. Favourite book to movie adaptation of 2020 you’ve seen:

I’m not sure I’ve seen one? Okay, does it count that I watched Locke and Key even though I’ve yet to read the graphic novel? That’s about all I can come up with at the moment.

13. Favourite Post/review you’ve written this year:

     

Dracul by Dacre Stoker and J. D. Barker, and Stoker’s Wilde by Steven Hopstaken and Melissa Prusi were both enjoyable to write about, and to read.
My Top Ten Tuesday wander through the TBR pile and Covers edition were quite fun to write too.

14. Most beautiful book you bought or received this year:

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern has a lovely cover and the story was whimsical and magical.

15. Books you need to read by the end of this year:

A small selection, because my TBR list/pile could fill a whole new post…

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty
If It Bleeds by Stephen King
NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

So concludes my 2020 edition of The Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag.

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As always, if you’ve not already done this and you fancy reminiscing over the amazing books you’ve read so far this year, feel free to consider yourself tagged.
See you next time for another Book Tag!