“Jealousy was such a human emotion, powerful but senseless ― based on nothing”
― Edward Cullen ―

"We are not defined by what we can do, but by what we actually do."
― Ludmila―

"Imagine, and it shall be.
There are no limits.⁠⁠⁠⁠"
― Nikolai ―

Hello everyone! Welcome back to one of my yearly post : Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag. I know! it's already August so it's past Mid year right now, but i got my issues with laziness this year since the real life catching up on me i got no time to do it sooner, so it's better late than never right? To be honest i didn't read much this year so pardon me if the answers are back to lots of same book in the end, but i tried my best! I still got three books i haven't review yet in this blog but i think i will still spoil you with my answers with that books. Without further ado, let's dive in!

1. Best Book so far this year?

I can definitely say the best one is the And I Darken by Kiersten White. I have been postponing this book for years (i got it since 2017 so it's practically sitting in my shelf collecting dust for 5 years) and i regret why i did that. Definitely go read it!

2. Best Sequel you've read so far in 2021?

For me this would be The Magnus Chase Series book two : Hammer of Thor. I like more diverse character introduced in this book, the adventure is fun, sometimes sad, lots of tense scene too, so i think it's the best sequel so far this year.

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

Hmm.. this one is hard. I didn't know any book released this year yet, but i think it's gonna be Gallant by V.E Schwab. So far i like her writing style in ADSOM and some short stories in the Because you hate to love me book, and i expecting a lot in the Addie La Rue since lots of people said it's a good read but some didn't like it (you know how much i like divided opinion book) and the Gallant just amazed me from the cover wise, i like the cover a lot so i'm expecting a lot from the story too.

Hopefully i can have the book by next year (yes, i you heard me right, or read me right? lol! I tried to didn't buy much book this year) but you know me, who am i without buying books?

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year?

Like i said before i didn't get much my attention for new releases this year since i'm focusing a lot to not buying new series but completing the series i have in my TBR shelf first. So i guess i don't know any book that gonna be released that i want to have yet. Unless one of my fave author like Rick Riordan, Jay Kristoff or Christopher Paolini announce their next book. But for now, it's a none.

5. Biggest Disappointment?

To me would be The Crown's Fate by Evelyn Skye. I haven't post the review of this duology yet, i hope you will still want to read my review for this one but yeah, i think it's just a flat plot for me.

7. Favorite New Author?

Gonna be the Kiersten White. I like the Conqueror's Series a lot so far, i expected a lot from the Camelot Rising series of her, I had the first two books of this series already in my shelf, already order the third one, can't wait to start it. Is it just a hit and miss or am i really like her books? that's the questions.

8. Newest Fictional Crush?

This one probably be Alex from Magnus Chase's series. I like the uniqueness of the character, a gender fluid is not common for me to encounter. I like Alex as a girl, but sometimes i like Alex as a man too, he just full of aura in the male form. But the fact that the male and female part of Alex both love Magnus is just funny to read. Am i spoiling you? well..

9. Newest Favorite character?

I would say that i like Lada Dracul from And I Darken a lot. I like her character, strong, sassy, and brutal. She didn't have to be pretty, but she's a strong willed woman and she loves her motherland a lot which i think we need a lot more this kind of character. 

A morally grey character that also a main character is kind of my weakest link. Also she's so mature in such a young age and her determination is just priceless. I just haven't really encounter such a sassy young lady like her before, like not just sassy but brutal in same time.

10. Book that made you cry?

I don't think i have ever cry for a book this year. Maybe from the Conqueror's series but i don't remember but i'm pretty sure (for like 89% sure) that i didn't cry for any book this year.

11. Book that made you happy?

Not because of the book for me maybe, but for the celebration of the "back to reading routine" kind of symbolic, this would be the Life Through Time and China Through Time. This two books are illustrated books that i read in Taman Ismail Marzuki library in my birthday and i just love to be back in library and the hype of reading just made me happy.

12. Favorite book to film adaptation?

I don't think i watched any book to film adaptation this year. I watched some movie, like The Fantastic Beast : The Secret of Dumbledore but that franchise didn't release the book first but vice versa right? So i guess i got none for this one too.

13. Favorite review you've written?

Since i didn't write a lot of review this year so far, the one that i enjoy the most this year probably the Is It Worth Reading : Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes by Rick Riordan one since i like the book and also it's a short review too.

14. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year?

That would be The Heartless by Marissa Meyer, i got the hardcover one with the special naked cover black and red color in it. It's so pretty with such an affordable price so it's a good buy and pretty book at a same time!

15. What book do you need to read before the end of the year?

Last year i said i need to finish the Little Prince Korean version and yet it still collecting dust in my TBR shelf. I really need to finish that book this year along with The Return of the Young Prince by A.G Roemmers, the one that they said is the nephew of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry the author of The Little Prince. I also need to read some oldest book that i got since 2019 like Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore

Also, some series that i have started but haven't finished yet like the rest of Simon Snow series by Rainbow Rowell (Carry on is the first book) the rest of the series released late Wayward son was in 2019 and the last book Any Way the wind blows was released last year, i already have them in my shelf so i guess i can finish them this year (IF i can read fast enough).

The last book of Ruby Oliver series by E.Lockhart called the Real Life Boyfriend (the first book is The Boyfriend List which i read back in my collage years, exactly like decades ago) and also the last book of the Lord of The Ring Series. I think i've read like until the middle of it but i forgot, so i think i will need to reread it from the start of that book, I dunno whether i have to reread the whole series yet, but i think i'm too lazy for that, but hopefully i can finish this one this year. But again, we'll see. You know me already.

Well, i guess it's a wrap up! Hope you like this post because it's always boring in term of pictures wise, but i tried my best to add some for "less words, add visuals!" effect. See you in next book tag!

Read my last year one here :

"A heart did not have to be stone to be strong"
― Radu ―

“Her spine was steel. Her heart was armor. Her eyes were fire."