The Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag
Hello! Welcome to my response to the book-verse’s annual favourite meme, the Mid-Year Freak Out Tag. I have no idea who created this tag, and I’ve never understood why it’s called a freak out, but I’m ready to answer these questions about my 2025 reads anyway!
Full disclosure: I was supposed to be posting a review of With a Vengeance by Riley Sager today (based on my self-imposed schedule, not that anybody told me I had to or anything). But I wasn’t enjoying it, and I’ve been dealing with a lot of real-life drama this week, and then one of my cats died, so… whatever, man, life’s too short to read books you’re not getting anything out of. (But seriously, even as far as beach-read thrillers go, it’s a mess. There you go, I’ve reviewed it!) So anyway, yeah, I thought I’d do a fun and simple book tag instead. Maybe it’ll make me feel better.
On to the questions!
1. Best book I’ve read so far this year.
Okay, hear me out… Blob: A Love Story by Maggie Su (my review) is still my favourite read of 2025. I read it in March, it’s now almost July, and I still think about it all the time. I’m absolutely ASTOUNDED that most people rate it 3 stars, because to me it’s hilarious, moving, RELATABLE, quirky, clever, surprising… genius, basically, and an extremely impressive debut novel. Do people pick it up expecting a Hallmark romance or something? Is that why they call it boring and disappointing? I didn’t know what to expect, and what I got was Pygmalion for the socially awkward girlies, and I was here for it.
2. Best sequel I’ve read so far.
I’m not much of a series reader, but I absolutely loved both installments of Rick Mercer’s memoir (Talking to Canadians and The Road Years), so I’ll go with that.
3. New release I haven’t read yet but want to.
Hmm, I’m not sure. I’ve been doing pretty well with keeping up with new releases this year, for the first time ever. I think Murderland by Caroline Fraser just came out, though, and I’d love to get my hands on that.
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.
Still anxiously awaiting an approval for my We Love You, Bunny request on NetGalley. *sigh* It’s the sequel/prequel to Bunny by Mona Awad, which was my favourite read last year. I neeeed it!
5. Biggest disappointment.
That’s probably The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue (my review). I’ve DNF’d books that I was less disappointed in than that one. I was SO hyped for it.
6. Biggest surprise.
Either Blob or The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Along with Rick Mercer’s memoir (no surprise at all that I loved that), they’re in my top 3 reads of the year, and I wasn’t expecting that when I picked either of them up.
7. Favourite new-to-me author.
Grady Hendrix. I’ve read Horrorstor and Witchcraft for Wayward Girls so far, loved both, NEED MORE.
8. Newest fictional crush.
I don’t think I have one.
9. Newest favourite character.
Maybe the protagonist of Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated by James Goodhand (my review). He’s so sweet!
10. Book that made me cry.
There’s a scene in Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix (my review) that cut a few onions for me, not gonna lie. To say which one would be a spoiler, but… the howling. The howling did it.
11. Book that made me happy.
Ohhhh, this is a tough question. I don’t read many happy books! But my inner linguaphile was pretty happy reading Proto by Laura Spinney (my review).
12. Most beautiful book I’ve bought or received so far this year.
I thought my copy of The Egyptian Book of the Dead was rather striking. But I’m not a good judge of cover art and rarely buy “beautiful” books for budgetary reasons, so I’m not sure.
13. Books I need to read by the end of the year.
All of them. Especially my ARCs. And We Love You, Bunny! (But seriously, ALL OF THEM. Watch this space.)