It’s time for the 2022 Mid-Year Book Freak Out tag!
Everyone and their uncle has done this tag, but I specifically was tagged by my incredible friend Caro over at The Bookcheshire Cat! I know we’re a little bit past the middle of the year now that August has begun, but I didn’t feel like it was too late to post this just yet, and I always love doing this tag! The Tag was originally created by Earl Grey Books and ReadLikeWildFire (whose video is not up anymore).
1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2022?
The book that IMMEDIATELY came to mind when reading this question was The House in the Cerulean Sea, but I have to say Sundial deserves a tie for this spot, too, because every time I think about that book, I’m shocked all over again and want to re-read it!
2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2022?
This one was another surprisingly easy pick (given that I usually have such a hard time picking favorites), and it was Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire (book 7 in the Wayward Children series). This series has my heart completely!
3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to?
I won’t count anything I’m currently reading, but as far as stuff I haven’t started yet, I think Below by Laurel Hightower is probably at the top of the list. It’s a Mothman novella!
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year?
I can’t pick just one, because three of my favorite horror authors have new books coming out later this year!
– Marla by Jonathan Janz
– They Were Here Before Us by Eric LaRocca
– Breakable Things by Cassandra Khaw
5. Biggest disappointment?
I’m cringing while typing this because it pains me so much AND because I know some of you are going to be shocked (there might even be some pearl-clutching lol), but… This is How You Lose the Time War was one of my most anticipated TBR books out of my entire TBR, and I couldn’t even finish it. 😭
6. Biggest surprise?
Definitely The Dead Romantics for this one! I had read two Ashley Poston books previously and didn’t like either of them AT ALL, so I almost skipped this book, but ghost romances are one of my favorite tropes and I had to give it a chance. I’m so glad I did, because I think Ashley’s adult romance skills are honestly a LOT better than her YA writing skills and I adored this book.
7. Favorite new author (debut or new-to-you)?
Harley Laroux! I’ve read the first two books in the Souls trilogy and am currently counting down the days to the trilogy finale!
8. Newest favorite character?
Ooohhh, this is the first question in this tag to really stump me. I honestly can’t pick! There are so many characters in The House in the Cerulean Sea alone (especially Theo), and then there’s Zane from the Souls trilogy I just mentioned, and… yeah, nope, can’t pick just one.
9. Book that made you cry?
I think The Dead Romantics has been my biggest tear-jerker of the year so far. The grief representation was SO good and I definitely sobbed through a couple of chapters straight of the audiobook.
10. Book that made you happy?
SO many books have made me happy this year, but one recent one that comes to mind is The Sneaking, Hiding, Vibrating Creature by Nathan W. Pyle. I just read this last month for Graphicsathon and it was so cute! It’s a picture book about the little alien creatures from Pyle’s comics discovering cats, and it’s just perfect and silly for cat lovers.
11. Favorite book-to-movie adaptation?
I don’t watch very many book-to-movie adaptations (probably because 99% of the movies I watch are horror movies, and horror books don’t get adapted often unless they’re Stephen King titles…), so I think the only new-to-me adaptation I’ve seen this year was Gerald’s Game. I had to DNF the book when I tried reading it a few years ago because it was a bit too triggering at that time, and the film is pretty triggering too, but I really enjoyed it.
12. Favorite review?
My favorite reviews, when looking back on them later, are almost always the ones for books that hit me deeply — they weren’t just good books, but they were books that felt like they said something to my heart that I didn’t know I needed to hear. There are two books that I’ve read and reviewed this year that fit the criteria for this, and I’m proud of my reviews for both of them, because they reveal a little more of myself than I normally know how to express: my reviews for Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire, and The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang.
13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
What DON’T I need to read by the end of the year?! 😂 May I simply link you to my 2022 Challenges page where I have my 2022 TBR listed in all of its terribly incomplete glory?
💖 TAGS 💖
Pretty much everyone has already done this tag, but if you haven’t, consider yourself tagged!
— destiny ♥
Leslie
August 2, 2022House in the Cerulean Sea is an AMAZING book!! Also, I love Pyle!! I’ll have to look that one up. Hope the rest of the year goes well for you!!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 8, 2022Thank you, love, I hope it treats you well too!!!
Leslie
August 9, 2022Thanks! <3
ChapterMalliumpkin
August 3, 2022Um, excuse me?! Did you just say… MOTHMAN NOVELLA? ??
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 8, 2022YES, I did! ? I’m so hyped for it!
ChapterMalliumpkin
August 8, 2022Is it… a smexy Mothman novella? Asking because… reasons. ?
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 9, 2022I don’t think so, I’m pretty sure it’s just horror… but I do have a smexy Krampus recommendation if you want that! ?
ChapterMalliumpkin
August 10, 2022Lmao ? Sure! Hit me with smexy Krampus! I love a good smexy monster! ? Also, RIP! Someone give us a smexy Mothman novella, please and thank you!
Books Teacup and Reviews
August 3, 2022I loved Dead romantics too.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 8, 2022It was so good! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Meeghan reads
August 5, 2022Oh, I’m so glad that you liked The Dead Romantics!! I’ve been waiting to see what people think before getting a copy. But you might have sold me on it!!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 8, 2022YAY, I hope you enjoy it if you pick it up! 😀 I thought it was so much fun!
Louise @ Monstrumology
August 8, 2022I still need to read Eric LaRocca since I’ve heard amazing things about their books!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 8, 2022Eric is SO incredible!!! I really hope you like their work! ?
Caro @ bookcheshirecat
August 10, 2022I loved reading your anwers!! ❤️ The House in the Cerulean Sea is SO good, I loved it as well – I need to do a reread ? Where the Drowned Girls Go might be one of my favorite books in the series, it was so good! I never picked up This is How you Lose the Time Waer, because I fear that I won’t be able to keep up with the prose ?
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 10, 2022You should totally do a Cerulean re-read! ? I feel like it’s a book I’m going to want to return to soon, too. And I don’t blame you at all for not picking up This Is How You Lose the Time War, the prose is honestly REALLY weird. A big part of why it didn’t work for me was because it was just weird and I had a really hard time following it! 🙁
Kal @ Reader Voracious
August 25, 2022awww I’m sorry you didn’t like This Is How You Lose the Time War, but I actually get it — the book is kind of a Lot? I thankfully read an arc wayyyy before the hype, which I think helped on the expectations front, and I was able to like… let go of the confused need to understand everything and just let the prose sort of exist on its own. Definitely not a book for everyone!
I am sososso excited for the new Cass Khaw book, too!!!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
September 2, 2022That makes sense, it definitely feels like the kind of book that may have stood a better chance with me if the hype hadn’t done me so dirty lmao! ?
NEEEEEED new Cass Khaw in our lives!!!