The Mid Year Freak Out tag has truly just taken on a life of its own and at this point, I feel like most people have the basic questions and then add or take away as they feel. It was originally created by Earl Gray Books and Chami and it was created over a decade ago at this point. Wild. I started my prep of this post by reading last year’s and it’s crazy how much different my life is right now than it was in 2025. I have a new job and I would not have expected it to make my life this different. Last year I talked so much about burn out and this year, I feel like I’m in such a good place? I really, really, really hope that continues. Anyway, let’s get started with the tag, shall we?
Best Book of the Year So Far
My initial instinct is to just tell you Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian because I really think that book has my entire heart. I love Simon and Charlie SO much. But I’ve actually been doing a thing where I’ve chosen my favorite book of each month and I feel like I should just share each of those. In January, my favorite book was The Raven Scholar and I couldn’t imagine reading a book I would love more than it. February was dedicated to my binge read/devouring of The Firebird Chronicles and I just pasted in a picture of all six of those books. Then in March, I read Project Hail Mary and became accidentally obsessed. In April, obviously, Star Shipped. ❤ In May, my favorite book was a memoir, Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H and I stand by that choice for sure. It is gorgeously written. And then in June, I went with One for the Road by Elliot Fletcher. I liked the books I read last month, but I didn’t really read another soul book, which is how I feel about Star Shipped.
Best Sequel of the Year So Far
I still cannot come to terms with the fact that Guild Hunters is over. *sobs* Genuinely devastated. But setting that aside, Archangel’s Eternity was a great conclusion of visiting and revisiting our couples from throughout the series, while focusing on the ones that brought up together, Elena and Raphael. I adore Nalini Singh the most so I’m deep in mourning about the end of an era, but also so excited to see if freeing up some space in her life results in something new…. Not to be greedy.
Rites of the Starling is the follow up to Shield of Sparrows, which I loved last year. It was so good. The way the world expanded and we got so many more questions and so many answers was really, really great. The book leaned heavily into the fantasy part and was a little less interested in pursuing the romance, but honestly, that was fine by me. I still like the dynamic between our lead couple and that was enough for me. I also adore the younger sister… Why can I remember zero people’s names? Idk, y’all, but regardless, I’m still loving this series.
Shadow Princess by the Twisted Sisters is the fourth book in the Zodiac Academy series and in my opinion is the book where the pieces start to come together. The couples make progress and I became officially super invested. In another long series that I’ve binge read several this year, we have The Gate of Feral Gods from Dungeon Crawler Carl. Interestingly, it is also the fourth book in the series. I am so obsessed with Princess Donut, it’s honestly ridiculous. I am just deeply invested and have basically been reading a DCC book since I started book one… I’m reading these 800 page books with my eyeballs. Like, y’all. I am invested. It’s wild.
New Release You Haven’t Read Yet But Want To
I also excited for The Missed Connection by Tia Williams andI have technically started it. By which I mean, I read a chapter (maybe two) but I’m having trouble starting books these days. I don’t really know how to explain, but it’s fine because I’m convinced that I’ll be best served reading this on the plane to Florida in a couple weeks when I go for family vacation. I’m really looking forward to buckling in with it.
Broken Dove and The Ballad of Falling Dragons are both sequels to first books that I enjoyed, but despite picking up their sequels in various ways, I haven’t yet actually started them. I’ve realized that I need to reread When the Moon Hatched before I even think about starting Ballad, but fortunately, Suzanne (LoveinPanels) says I don’t need to reread Silver Elite before Broken Dove so I should start that shortly!
With Love From Harlem is a book that is mostly on my radar because I’ve decided learning about the Harlem Renaissance is a special interest. I swear I don’t remember learning about it during school, despite social studies/history being one of my best subjects. So I’ve sort of been intrigued by it through the various pieces of media I’ve consumed that touch on it, which really culminated in reading Reel by Kennedy Ryan several years ago. Anyway, I need to pick this one up soon!
Most Anticipated Release to Come
Honestly, the actual answer is forthcoming in a Most Anticipated Books of the Second Half of the Year post, but here are two that have covers. (The one singular answer is probably actually ACOTAR 6 which still has neither a cover or a title despite the fact that it drops in October. Baffling.) Anyway, I’ll be reading Lost and Found so soon and I can’t wait! I am debating if I need to reread Ninth House and Hell Bent before Dead Beat drops in September and the answer is probably… That owl’s head gets creepier the longer you look at it. Anyway, some of my answers!
Biggest Disappointment
Each of these books are from an author I’ve read and loved before and each of these books just gave me mediocre. I wanted so much more. I wanted to FEEL, but I really didn’t feel a lot. They’re not bad books, they just didn’t land for me. Tragically.
Biggest Surprise
I want it noted that I’m trying really hard not to repeat books, which is why I don’t have DCC listed here, because my love of that series is a very large surprise. Anyway, the books I’ve chosen instead are We Met Like This by Kasie West, which I have listed because I wasn’t actually expecting to really love this for some reason. I thought it would just be like a fun rom com type book. It’s not. It’s actually got a lot of emotions happening and sure, there are some funny moments, but it’s mostly a more serious/melancholic vibe. But I fell in love with West’s writing style even if I didn’t think this book was 100% perfect for me. And finding a new author to love? That’s always a win.
In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams is on this list for a surprise because I just really wasn’t expecting this book to make me cry. Like the emotions came out of nowhere. I was just driving down the road with this playing through my car speakers and suddenly I’m crying. There’s just something about a book that shows how much you appreciate your family once you’ve moved away from them that hits for me, I think.
The Names by Florence Knapp was my second more literary book this year, but it’s the one that solidified that I should sometimes venture outside of my comfort zone because it was SO good. It also hammered home that truly I love a sliding doors narrative. In all contexts, possibly. But it led to me feeling encouraged to pick up Remarkably Bright Creatures, which I also really enjoyed! And even made me feel more okay about picking up Into the Blue by Emma Brodie without knowing how it would end. In June, I actually read a lot more literary than I have ever before, I think, and it comes back to how much I actually liked The Names.
After Hours at Dooryard Books by Cat Sebastian was a surprise because even though I’ve generally always enjoyed Cat’s books, After Hours consumed me. And I was like, I will definitely not find a book to top this. Only for it to be topped by Cat’s Star Shipped. But genuinely, this is like the most incredible perfect book for historical romance fans who would like something that’s not Regency England.
New to You Author
I read from 37 new to me authors from January to June. I read from Stephanie Laurens, T.A. White, Kasie West, and Matt Dinniman all more than once (most well over once). So they’re pretty obvious choices. I’m instead going to talk about a couple of the new to me authors I know I’ll be reading more from soon!
Sarah Damoff’s The Burning Side is another literary fiction situation, but after I really did find myself so invested in The Bright Years, I’ve talked myself into trying her next one. Etta Easton is a no brainer because I loved The Kiss Countdown. I started a second book from her, but then the library needed it back before I had buckled in to actually read it. So that was a bit sad. Kate Dramis’s The Odds of You was beautiful and I can’t wait to read more from her. I hope she writes more contemporary romance, but maybe I should give her fantasy series a try too. I really loved Jennifer Dugan’s Anderson in Bloom and think it was genuinely one of the best sapphic romances I’ve ever read so I’m looking forward to more from her. I think that was her first adult contemporary romance so hopefully we get more in that sphere. Sabina Nordqvist’s It’s All in Your Head worked so well for me and I’m delighted to know we’ll be getting the friend’s stories next. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Katherine Arden’s The Warm Hands of Ghosts and I think it’s going to be influencing some other books I’ve purchased and will hopefully read soon. But more importantly, it’s made me more excited to try her other books. I’ve owned The Bear and the Nightingale for YEARS so it’s about time I pick it up. Kate Golden has so many books and I have a few others on my shelves, but Half City made me more excited to try the others.
Favorite Character
I’m sorry, I can’t even pretend it’s someone else right now. The answer to this question is Princess Donut. Thank you for your understanding that sometimes there just is only one answer.
Book That Made Me Cry
Yeah, idk, y’all. I’ve cried so much this year while reading, I think. Usually just a couple of tears here and there, but a lot. These are the three books though that I documented making me cry. The stand out for me because I was literally sobbing in my bed way past my bedtime even though nothing bad was happening is No Place Like You by Jillian Meadows. It’s not sad. But the talk of loneliness gets me every time, I think. I also cried at the end of The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez because of course I did. I cried reading The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison and I stand by that. That book was emotional!!! The friendship! It gets me always. (Also, I already mentioned above that In Your Dreams had me crying while driving, so that one too.)
Book that made me Happy
I mean, y’all, I read romances. That’s like the main point of my reading. For purposes of books I haven’t yet mentioned, I’m allowing myself one reread because Boss in the Bedsheets by Kate Canterbary is a guaranteed mood booster for me and then three other books that were just fun. So we’ve got childhood rivals to lovers with King of Gluttony by Ana Huang, a true blast, Beast Business by Ilona Andrews because anything Hidden Legacy will bring me joy, and Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory because it was just a really fun, breezy, light sapphic romance. I had a good time with it!
Priority Reads for the Second Half of the Year
I am determined to catch up on my ARCs from this year. Send help because I need it. I can’t believe I’m 22 books behind and that’s not including all the books from this month.
If you’ve read some of these or you really want to know what I think on some of them, please let me know what you’d like me to prioritize! I have really let myself request too many things! Oops.
Closing Thoughts
And that is the Mid-Year Freak Out Tag! Please share with me your favorite books because I would love to know that. I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into my reading year in 2026 so far. I will catch you soon in the next one.
xx
firewhiskeyreader 