So I’ve been into watching bookTube lately when I saw this video from BooksAndLala and I’ve been meaning to do this ever since. The Mid Year Book Freak Out Tag is all about looking back to all the books that you’ve read in the past 6 months and the books that you wanted to read in the next 6 months. So far I’ve read 10 books in the past 6 months which is good because I was on track with my reading challenge of 20 books for the year. However, given that I only have 10 books to choose from, I don’t doubt that there will be questions where I will have the same answer, but I will try my best not to.
Note: I will be putting the synopsis of the book, so if you haven’t read the book and you want to dive into the book without knowing anything, just scroll through it.š
So without further ado, here is my mid year book freak out!
1. The Martian by Andy Weir
~ To be honest, I think this will be at the top of my list for the best book that I’ve read this year. I didn’t actually expect to like this book but I ended up loving it. I was obsessed. I immediately watched the movie afterwards. It is one of those books that definitely deserved all the hype. And I highly recommend the audiobook!
For more of my thoughts check out my book review.
~*~ SYNOPSIS ~*~
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first men to walk on the surface of Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first man to die there.
It started with the dust storm that holed his suit and nearly killed him, and that forced his crew to leave him behind, sure he was already dead. Now he’s stranded millions of miles from the nearest human being, with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive–and even if he could get word out, his food would be gone years before a rescue mission could arrive. Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to get him first.
But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills–and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit–he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. But will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?
2. The Dazzling Heights (The Thousand Floor #2) by Katharine McGee
~I really love this book and I think it’s because I don’t have any expectation about this book. After the first book, I don’t know how the author will expand the story and I feel like I have a hunch on which direction the plot would took off. That’s why I was caught off guard when I read this book and it turns out way different and way better than I hope and imagined it would be. If you haven’t read The Thousandth Floor, do check it out! It was a fun guilty pleasure kind of read. And the second one is much better!
~*~ SYNOPSIS ~*~
All that glitters is not gold.
New York City, 2118. Manhattan is home to a thousand-story supertower, a breathtaking marvel that touches the sky. But amid high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, five teenagers are keeping dangerous secretsā¦
Leda is haunted by memories of what happened on the worst night of her life. Sheāll do anything to make sure the truth stays hiddenāeven if it means trusting her enemy.
Watt just wants to put everything behind himā¦until Leda forces him to start hacking again. Will he do what it takes to be free of her for good?
When Rylin wins a scholarship to an upper-floor school, her life transforms overnight. But being there also means seeing the boy whose heart she broke, and who broke hers in return.
Avery is tormented by her love for the one person in the world she can never have. Sheās desperate to be with himā¦no matter the cost.
And then thereās Calliope, the mysterious, bohemian beauty who arrives in New York determined to cause a stir. And she knows exactly where to begin.
But unbeknownst to them all, someone is watching their every move, someone with revenge in mind. After all, in a world of such dazzling heights, just one wrong step can mean a devastating fall.
3. Broken Throne (Red Queen #4.5) by Victoria Aveyard
~I want to read this book for a very petty reason; because it has a purple font color. Purple is my favorite color and after seeing those Instagram posts and finally having it in my shelf, I’ve been dying to read this book even though it is just a set of novellas.
~*~ SYNOPSIS ~*~
Return once more to the deadly and dazzling world of Red Queen in Broken Throne, a beautifully designed, must-have companion to the chart-topping series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Aveyard.
The perfect addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling Red Queen series, this gorgeously designed package features three brand-new novellas, two previously published novellas, Steel Scars and Queen Song, and never-before-seen maps, flags, bonus scenes, journal entries, and much more exclusive content.
Fans will be delighted to catch up with beloved characters after the drama of War Storm and be excited to hear from brand-new voices as well. This stunning collection is not to be missed!
(Is this even a synopsis? I got this from Goodreads.š¤£)
4. Wayward Son (Simon Snow #2) by Rainbow Rowell
~Rainbow Rowell is one of my favorite author of all time. I have read every book that she has written, even the short-stories. And I desperately need a new Rainbow Rowell book. Even though it is not like Eleanor & Park, Attachment, Landline or Fangirl I would take it. Just as long as it’s written by Rainbow. Besides I’ve already read the first book so I could immediately dive in the second book.
~*~ SYNOPSIS ~*~
The story is supposed to be over.
Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever afterā¦
So why canāt Simon Snow get off the couch?
What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new lightā¦
Thatās how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West.
They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first placeā¦
With Wayward Son, Rainbow Rowell has written a book for everyone who ever wondered what happened to the Chosen One after he saved the day. And a book for everyone who was ever more curious about the second kiss than the first. Itās another helping of sour cherry scones with an absolutely decadent amount of butter.
Come on, Simon Snow. Your heroās journey might be over ā but your life has just begun.
5. The Towering Sky (The Thousandth Floor #3) by Katharine McGee
~Biggest disappointment is such a big word but I am quite disappointed with this book. Considering how much I love the plot of the second book, the third book’s plot is also good. However, there are aspects of this book that does not sit quite right for me. And I feel like one of the POVs here is a subplot or a side story that has been incorporated in this book to give it the feels of a full book but it really stands out as a side story for me and nothing more. It does not even have any relevance to the main plot. The author could have remove that POV and the story would not change at all.
~*~ SYNOPSIS ~*~
Welcome back to New York, 2119. A skyscraper city, fueled by impossible dreams, where the lives of five teenagers have become intertwined in ways that no one could have imagined.
Leda just wants to move on from what happened in Dubai. Until a new investigation forces her to seek helpāfrom the person sheās spent all year trying to forget.
Rylin is back in her old life, reunited with an old flame. But when she starts seeing Cord again, she finds herself torn: between two worlds, and two very different boys.
Calliope feels trapped, playing a long con that costs more than she bargained for. What happens when all her lies catch up with her?
Watt is still desperately in love with Leda. Heāll do anything to win her backāeven dig up secrets that are better left buried.
And now that Avery is home from Englandāwith a new boyfriend, Maxāher life seems more picture-perfect than ever. So why does she feel like she would rather be anything but perfect?
In this breathtaking finale to The Thousandth Floor trilogy, Katharine McGee returns to her vision of 22nd-century New York: a world of startling glamour, dazzling technology, and unthinkable secrets. After all, when you have everythingā¦ you have everything to lose.
6. Glass Sword (Red Queen #2) by Victoria Aveyard
~I’ve been rereading the series just so I could finish the whole quartet and read the Broken Throne. But the thing is, as I reread this book, I realized that I appreciate it more than I did when I read it back in 2016. I’ve been putting this book off and the whole quartet just because I feel like this book is a let down. But I have to admit that although it is not that great, especially the plot, I feel like I have appreciate it more and I’ve enjoy the story more on my second time reading this book than the first time. The characters are less annoying and I can fully understand what the author is trying to do with the main character’s character development.
Earlier thoughts & review of this book is here.
~*~ SYNOPSIS ~*~
If thereās one thing Mare Barrow knows, itās that sheās different.
Mare Barrowās blood is redāthe color of common folkābut her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.
The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the princeāthe friendāwho betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.
Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.
But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.
Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?
The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world theyāve always knownāand pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.
7. Andy Weir
~After reading The Martian, Andy Weir became my new favorite author for this year. But given that I only read one of his novel, I would like to read more from him to determine if he would really make it to my favorite list.
8. Cord Anderton from The Thousandth Floor Trilogy
~I am really attracted to bad-boys-with-hidden-back-story-that-could-justify-their-action type of character. And Cord perfectly fits the type. I like his character and I really anticipate his story in the whole trilogy. Who doesn’t want a boyfriend who would take you to Paris just because you told him it is your dream?
9. Tiberias Calore VII aka Cal from Red Queen Quartet
~This answer is a surprise even to me. Back in 2015 or 2016 when I first stumble upon this quartet, I really like Maven even if… (Yeah I don’t want to spoil.) But after rereading the first 2 books, I tend to like him more. The way he pointed out Mare’s wrong attitude but still standby her is something that I really admire. And let’s admit it, we all want someone who would stand by our side no matter how horrible we are. And even if they would scold us or tell us that we’re wrong, they would still support us. And that is Cal. That’s why I like his character. Who knows, maybe when I finished the whole quartet, he’s already on my book boyfriend list?
10. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter #6) by J.K. Rowling
~If you have read this series, especially this book, you would know whose death made me cry. And I know that that certain character will die because of spoilers but it still hits me hard. This is my first time reading this book (yes I haven’t read the whole HP series yet) and all those emotions in one book hurts.
~*~ SYNOPSIS ~*~
When Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince opens, the war against Voldemort has begun. The Wizarding world has split down the middle, and as the casualties mount, the effects even spill over onto the Muggles. Dumbledore is away from Hogwarts for long periods, and the Order of the Phoenix has suffered grievous losses. And yet, as in all wars, life goes on.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione, having passed their O.W.L. level exams, start on their specialist N.E.W.T. courses. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate, losing a few eyebrows in the process. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Harry becomes captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, while Draco Malfoy pursues his own dark ends. And classes are as fascinating and confounding as ever, as Harry receives some extraordinary help in Potions from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.
Most importantly, Dumbledore and Harry work together to uncover the full and complex story of a boy once named Tom Riddleāthe boy who became Lord Voldemort. Like Harry, he was the son of one Muggle-born and one Wizarding parent, raised unloved, and a speaker of Parseltongue. But the similarities end there, as the teenaged Riddle became deeply interested in the Dark objects known as Horcruxes: objects in which a wizard can hide part of his soul, if he dares splinter that soul through murder.
Harry must use all the tools at his disposal to draw a final secret out of one of Riddleās teachers, the sly Potions professor Horace Slughorn. Finally Harry and Dumbledore hold the key to the Dark Lordās weaknesses… until a shocking reversal exposes Dumbledoreās own vulnerabilities, and casts Harryāsāand Hogwartsāsāfuture in shadow.
11. The Martian by Andy Weir
~I really tried hard not to answer a prompt with a book that I’ve already used as an answer on the earlier prompt but it can’t be helped. The main character of this book is so witty that would leave you laughing out loud even though he is in the brink of death. Definitely worth the read!
13. A Crystal of Time (The School for Good and Evil: The Camelot Years #2) by Soman Chainani
~I asked my aunt to buy me this book on Barnes and Noble just so I could have the exclusive edition. This book is so beautiful. I really love the cover of the whole series to be honest, and each book is getting prettier in the book cover department.
~*~ SYNOPSIS ~*~
In this fifth instalment in Soman Chainani’s New York Times bestselling fantasy series, The School for Good and Evil, Sophie, Agatha, and their friends must find a way to overthrow the sinister evil that twists lies into the truth and seeks to rewrite their story.
A false king has claimed the throne of Camelot, sentenced Tedros to death, and forced Sophie to be his queen. Only Agatha manages to escape.
Now Agatha and the students at the School for Good and Evil must find a way to restore Tedros to his throne and save Camelot . . . before all of their fairy tales come to a lethal end.
13. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter #7) by J.K. Rowling
~This really needs to happen. 2019 is the year that I will finally finish Harry Potter. I’ve been doing a good job of reading the whole series until the 6th book. Then I stopped and I switched to another book because I need a breather after the events in the 6th book. However, I never get around to picking up this book. But it will happen. It will happen this year! I will just have to wait to be emotionally ready for this book because I know a lot of deaths will happen here (yeah I’ve seen all those spoilers) and I know that it will hurt A LOT.
~*~ SYNOPSIS ~*~
Harry Potter is leaving Privet Drive for the last time. But as he climbs into the sidecar of Hagridās motorbike and they take to the skies, he knows Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters will not be far behind.
The protective charm that has kept him safe until now is broken. But the Dark Lord is breathing fear into everything he loves. And he knows he canāt keep hiding.
To stop Voldemort, Harry knows he must find the remaining Horcruxes and destroy them.
He will have to face his enemy in one final battle.
So there you have it, my mid year book freak out tag. You’re free to do this tag if you want, I’m tagging you! That’s all folks!
Till next time!
Maria ā¤
A Daughter of Parchment and Paper 