Midyear Freakout Tag, 2025 Edition

 I do this every year! Approxiamately halfway through the year I just answer these question about the books I've read so far. 

You can check out past year's answers here in my site's Navigation Page, if you're interested. 

And you can do this tag too!

Here's one of the books I mentioned here. I haven't read it yet but I will sometime before the end of this year:



1. Best book of the year so far?

I am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang

2. Best sequel(s) you read so far?

So many of them! Here are a few:

  • The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity volumes 2-6 by Saki Mikami
  • Yotsuba&! volumes 9-15 by Kiyohiko Azuma
  • A Sign of Affection volumes 7-10 by Suu Morishita
  • Witch Hat Atelier volume 13 and Witch Hat Kitchen volumes 4 and 5 by Kamome Shirahama
  • Call the Name of the Night volumes 4 and 5 by Tama Mistuboshi 
  • A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
  • My Salty Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

3. New releases you haven't read yet but want to.

Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend, and Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

4. Most anticipated releases for the 2nd half of the year.

Moonleapers by Margaret Peterson Haddix and Confessions from the Group Chat by Jodi Meadows. 

5. Biggest disappointments of the year.
 
There were many I DNF'd but the only one in it's entirety that I read that I didn't like was Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. Still love the movie, though!
 
6. Biggest Surprise of the Year
 
The Clackity by Lora Senf 

7. Favorite new author.

BB Alston and Ann Liang

8. Some new favorite character(s).

I got several:

  • Jingle/Hilary from Pat of Silver Bush
  • Subaru Hoshina from The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity
  • Ben from I Wish You All the Best
  • Elsie Rodriguez from the Amari series
  • Mitsuki from Our Not so Lonely Planet Travel Guide
  • Jo and Sophie from Dear Wendy
  • Maude and Matt from A French Girl in New York
  • Vivi and Lan from A Banh Mi for Two
  • Somali and Gollum from Somali and the Forest Spirit 
9. Book(s) that made you cry.

Moment of Truth by Kasie West
 
10. Some books that made you happy
  • The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews
  • All 4 volumes of Neighborhood Story by Ai Yazawa
  • Basil and Oregano by Melissa Capriglione
  • Both Collector's Editions of Kilala Princess by Rika Tanaka
  • Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson
  • The Wanderer by Sharon Creech
  • Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao
  • A French Girl in New York by Anna Adams 
  • All the volumes I've read so far of Our Not So Lonely Planet Travel Guide by Mone Sorai
  • A Song for You and I by Kay O'Neill 
11. Most beautiful book you bought or received.

The Gate, The Girl, and The Dragon by Grace Lin (pictured above). It has sprayed edges! (also pictured above)

12. What books do you need to read before the end of the year?

Aside from the 12 books, 12 friends challenge books, I few more also want to read:
  • Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
  • The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier
  • You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley 

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