Hi all!
So it’s about that time when I realise it’s almost the end of the year and there’s still so many books I haven’t gotten to yet and that time is running out! I also realised I hadn’t completed the mid year freakout book tag either — so I thought it would be a good idea to share that!
This post will only include books I’ve read from January to September — so I’m not including the couple of books I’ve read for October yet.
Here we go!

1. BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2021

I absolutely adored Winter’s Orbit. I found it to be such a unique sci-fi novel, and so romantic and touching as well. A big part of why I love this book so much is because it kindled a new love in me for sci-fi books, when previously I thought I had hated them. After I read Winter’s Orbit, I went on a big reading binge of sci-fi books.
2. BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2021

Definitely Fence: Disarmed by Sarah Rees Brennan! Damn, but I loved this book! It’s such a fantastic sequel to an amazing book — so funny and charming and wonderfully written. I really can’t wait for the next book in the series!
3. NEW RELEASES YOU HAVEN’T READ YET, BUT WANT TO
4. MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

I can’t even articulate how desperate I am to read A Marvellous Light! I’ve been trying to get an ARC for ages, and it’s just not happening 😭. At least there’s just a month left before it’s published.
5. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

I’m so disappointed in Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke. I think it definitely has it’s audience but for me, I couldn’t see a point to the book.
6. BIGGEST SURPRISE

I was thoroughly surprised by Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did, primarily because it’s a contemporary novel and I have a horrible track record when it comes to contemporary novels. But this book was amazing! I highly recommend.
7. FAVOURITE NEW AUTHOR (DEBUT OR NEW TO YOU)

I fell in love with Rachel Reid’s books when I read Heated Rivalry for the first time this year. Then I binged the rest of her books over a period of 4 days — that’s 4 books in 4 days. It was a great time. I adore her romance books and I can’t wait for the final book in her Game Changers series to come out next year.
8. NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH
Definitely Ilya Rozanov from Heated Rivalry! This man is such a little shit, but I adore him. And so does the entire Game Changers fandom.
9. NEWEST FAVOURITE CHARACTER

I finally read The Fellowship of the Ring, the first book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and my gosh — I adore Samwise Gamgee! This little sweetheart needs to be protected at all costs!
10. A BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

Oof, this book. Grown killed me. It’s a devastating book about rape culture within the music industry, loosely inspired by the real life case of R. Kelly. If you read this book, please be aware it deals with really difficult topics, but it’s very important to discuss these topics. I cried many, many times.
11. A BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

I had a big smile on my face the entire time I was reading this book! One Last Stop is the sapphic contemporary book I’ve been looking for — especially as someone who doesn’t like contemporary!
12. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT SO FAR THIS YEAR

Definitely, She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. I bought the Illumicrate special edition, and it’s just so pretty — have you ever seen a prettier naked hardcover?
13. WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR?

How many books do you still need to read before the end of the year? Let me know!

I’m so glad I’m not the only one who posted this in October!! Also, I now need to move Fence: Disarmed up my TBR 💕
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Haha I actually completely forgot about it until now 😅
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Winter’s Orbit, aaah!! I’ve read it when it was still an online original novel, and heard the author made tons of tweaks and improvements for the published book. Can’t wait!
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Oh wow, I had no idea it was an online novel! How cool! Hope you enjoy it when you read it !
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