firewhiskeyreader

So technically, the middle of the year is July 2nd, but people are starting to do this tag already and it is my favorite so who cares about technicalities, let’s talk about a mid year check in! Right? Right.

Question One: How many books have you read so far?

I believe I’m at 148 books so far this year.

Question Two: What is your favorite book of 2021 so far?

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I have loved a lot of books this year, but I don’t know if it’s my general mood this year or what, but I don’t have a book that’s screaming at me that it’s my absolute favorite. The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon was amazing, Scoundrel of My Heart by Lorraine Heath was incredible, and I loved People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry so much. But I don’t know that any of them are like THE ONE for me.

Question Three: What is the best sequel you’ve read so far?

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The best sequel I’ve read so far is Act Your Age, Eve Brown because of course it is. But let me give a couple of honorable mentions here to Flirting With Forever by Cara Bastone and Adjacent by Alexandra Warren because I also loved both of those.

Question Four: New Release You Haven’t Gotten to Yet, but Want To

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Honestly, so many. To name just a few, Reel by Kennedy Ryan, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton, and The Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan.

Question Five: Most Anticipated Release for the Rest of the Year

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I cannot overstate my excitement about Archangel’s Light. This book is everything I’ve been dreaming about and it is finally coming to us. It is honestly my most anticipated release. A couple of honorable mentions are Last Guard by Nalini Singh also and All the Feels by Olivia Dade.

Question Six: Biggest Disappointment (Book Wise)

Unfortunately, I think, for me, the answer to this question is How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole, even though that makes me want to fade from existence to say. It just didn’t work for me and I am still so depressed about it. I would also include To Love and To Loathe by Martha Waters in this category.

Question Seven: Biggest Surprise

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Oh, I’ve had a few of those this year. Like, The Sweetest Fix by Tessa Bailey was not something I was expecting to blow me away, but it did. I was awed by Broken by Jenny Lawson, a book where I didn’t really know what to expect going in. Another would be The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw, which is a short story collection, aka not something in my usual purview of things I read, and yet, I loved it! This is not technically a surprise given its award winning, but it is personally surprising because I also don’t usually go for books that have won literary prizes.

Question Eight: Favorite New to Me Author or Debut

I’ve tried 35 new to me authors so far this year and I’ve enjoyed the books I’ve read from pretty much all of them. I want to specifically mention Cate C. Wells because I’ve been devouring her books and she’s brand new to me, but I also have loved Rachel Lynn Solomon, Alexandra Warren, Jenny Lawson, Emma Lord, Deeshaw Philyaw, and Jessica Lemon this year. Along with many more honestly. This is a really difficult question to answer!

Question Nine: Newest Fictional Crush

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Oh dear. There have been some absolutely magnificent men in the romance novels I’ve read this year, but I’m going to have to go with Wesley from Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle. That man is my everything. Closely followed by Ethan from The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan and Brendan from Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur. And, actually, Captain Brendan Taggert from It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey. Really, I’m just super into grumpy but really soft men in my romances right now and the above mentioned men have delivered.

Question Ten: New Favorite Character

Oh dear, this is a tough question. I really do love Piper from It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey, but also a large part of my complete adoration of The Ex Talk was how much I adored Shay! And then there’s Eve Brown, my beautiful darling, from Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert. So… I love them all basically and many more besides.

Question Eleven: Book That Made You Cry

Okay, I know that I have cried over a book this year, but my mind is completely blank trying to recall. I’d say Work for It by Talia Hibbert and Broken by Jenny Lawson are the ones that stand out for even bringing tears to my eyes even if I wasn’t full on crying!

Question Twelve: Book That Made You Happy

So many, but as usual, Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert is probably the best at it. But to name a few books I haven’t yet mentioned, Make It Sweet by Kristen Callihan also made me happy, Tweet Cute by Emma Lord, and The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren!

Question Thirteen: Most Beautiful Book You Own

I mean, How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole has a gorgeous cover. I love it.

Question Fourteen: Books You Need to Read by the End of the Year

I mean, besides all the ARCs hanging out on my Netgalley shelf? Or the most anticipated books I haven’t gotten to yet? I would still really like to finish the Kate Daniels series this year. I want to read Honey Girl. I have a lot of physical books on my TBR that I would really like to get read. So many, honestly. Just so many.

Please tell me your favorite book of the year! And if you’ve done this tag or plan to, please link me to your post!

xx