MID-YEAR FREAKOUT TAG 😱 | BEST AND WORST BOOKS SO FAR!! | Literary Diversions

In which I once again freak out about my reading… and lack of… and what was awesome… and what was awful. It’s a LOT.
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[@Senidhr]

I've been in a Becky Chambers kick and loving all the books, so yay for me. Since i know my taste pretty well, i didn't have so far any book bellow 3 stars, so once again yay for me

[@bentheoverlord]

ahh fabby video!! Im also in my reread era, I've went from 0 rereads to like 20 out of the 100 ive read so far, but im loving it. I think my reading this year has been terrfying fast this year, and Im getting much better at picking what I love. That being said ive had 4 5 star romances this year which Ive never had before so I think Ive finally clicked what I like about that genre, so can add it to my fantasy/scifi/horror/thriller/occasional classic or lit fic rota ! The Will of The Many was a really really fun book, and I was shocked how much I liked Vis, like hes a stereotypical dude character and I kinda really liked him for once.

[@faye13l]

💝Bright Young Women is one of my favourite books of this year so far. The other being Shark Heart.

[@rhondasruminationsonreading]

🐤🐙 My fav books this year so far have been “What You Are Looking For is in the Library” by Michiko Aoyama, “The Dry” by Jane Harper (she may be a new fav author for me because I’ve given 5 stars to both her books that I read so far), and “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by TJ Klune (I seriously wanted to hug that book when I finished it). I haven’t read anything truly horrible this year so far because I’ve been DNF’ing a lot more.

[@OliviasCatastrophe]

I AM SO HAPPY the dream thieves made your favourite sequels list!! I agree, for me the books of the raven cycle only get better and better? The third book is my favourite so I'm not sure where you are with your reading progress. But you've got good stuff in store. I haven't gotten to the underhistory yet and I am excited for it too! I still need to try ST Gibson so I wonder if I will love her because you hated her or we will be on par like we have been a lot lately...

[@CheyeW13]

normal people was my favorite book of all time until i read beautiful world where are you, which i sum up as "normal people, but including a female friendship." they are obviously not the same, but they have the same themes of quiet love, mundane support, blunt humanity, and i really appreciated not only the portrayal of a close [strictly] platonic bond, but in coexistence with other romantic bonds. and the 4-person cast allows for more nuance in personality, identity, and relationship.

[@jessicasnell7813]

I hard dnf red rising and will not be reading anything else by this author. Glad I checked it out from the library. I also did not finish tomorrow ,and tomorrow and tomorrow. That was a disappointment. I really wanted to like that one and might go back and give it another try. I did read a storied life of aj frieky and really loved it. Thankfully I have time now to focus on the books, yarn and art supplies that have amassed these past few years. Never to late to create your dream job and life you want. Thank you for all the encouragement.

[@OhioEddieBlack]

Normally I don't read a trilogy or quartet back to back because I get burned out on the story but I absolutely devoured The Raven Cycle in one weekend. SO good.

[@questingnotcoasting]

Genres on Storygraph aren't tagged by users, they're set by volunteer librarians or automatically added when books are imported. If there are some which are incorrect then you can submit tickets and the librarians can change them! They'll check them against the genres the publishers have used.

[@ChantalsShelfLife]

My favorite books so far this year are probably Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford and Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb!🍭

[@desireemclaughlin1455]

Normal People is one of those books that I dislike so much that every time someone talks about how much they like it, it just sours more and more in my feelings. God, I’m a petty bitch. 😂 I LOVED Bright Young Women. Such a good book that I hardly hear anyone talk about.

[@lauravdartel]

💗🌝 I dnfed the doomsday book by Connie Willis so I suppose that is my least favourite for the year. I really liked the premise and overall the story but the author was so repetitive it was a struggle to get thru 😅 my favourite would have to be a tie between to the friend who did not save me and in cold blood x

[@Sheep_commemoi]

Best book: Small Things like These by Claire Keegan. Worst book: You made a fool of death with your beauty. I finished it just to be able to justify my rants about it. I didn't have hard goals this year just wanting to make a dent in my physical TBR which I have failed spectacularly at but I've made a dent in my general TBR using the library so not a complete wash !

[@witchywheels44]

I have 2 favorites: Bright Young Women and The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music. I DNF'd The Trial of Lizzie Borden (it was so dry I was spitting dust!).

[@insilencea4599]

🌞🪱 My standout authors so far have been Tobias Buckell, specifically his short stories, and Alastair Reynolds. Apart from that, it's been mostly nonfiction.

[@HeatherSalterPurvesauthor]

I really enjoyed this one and I like seeing people alter the tag to fit their style of reading

[@terrirenaud]

Best book: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. Worst Book: The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo (2.5/5 Stars)

[@wordsoftheroses]

🌸💕 My best book has been A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette and Peaches & Honey by R. Raeta. My worst book was Of Light and Darkness by Shayne Leighton

[@kimberlyschultz9441]

Best book so far: Annie Bot. Worst book so far: You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty. Which is my only DNF, so far, this year.

[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

Death at morning house sounds so good 👀

[@simranruparelia7185]

i’ve read the mistborn series, priory of the orange tree and legends and lattes this year and you expect me to choose a favourite? no, absolutely not how dare you (it’s probably priory)

[@lapisarya]

Dream Dancer by Steven P. Atchison was my worst book. Dead Letter Delivery (Glass Library #4) by C. J. Archer, Absolution by Murder by Peter Tremayne (Sister Fidelma #1), A Curious Beginning by Deanne Raybourne (Veronica Speedwell #1), and A Radical Act of Free Magic by H. G. Parry (Shadow Histories #2) make my short list for favorites so far in 2024.💛

[@genjonesstudio6856]

🐷🐝 I’ve only managed 27 books this year so far and my best book is surprisingly The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page, I’m a fantasy reader which is why this book being the best is surprising. The only other book I’ve given a five star rating is HOFAS, I know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea but I loved it. Unfortunately I have 2 at the bottom with only 1 star, Normal People 🤦🏻‍♀️ and Lore of the Wilds.

[@maartjedegroot9598]

🌸⭐️ My best book? I think, was Wolfskin by Juliet Marillier, or Prophet song by Paul Lynch

[@nereis8792]

🌞 I think Babylonia was my favorite book so far this year ! A really interesting retelling of Assyrian history. The worst was Illuminations by Alan Moore... Could not get into it at all I also hated A Study in Drowning ugh. Such a disappointment

[@irl.bookworms]

💝 - fave book was Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh - it needs a better cover though lol

[@elskabee]

i feel you on the sequels! Have I finished or made progress in any series this year yet? No. Have I added any series to my series tracker? Oh boy have I!

[@Katiedora122]

💘Best book - Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier (I don't really touch YA fantasy these days, and this one caught me by surprise) 🍋Worst book - tied between A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross (deeply disappointed) and Florida by Lauren Groff (although it's lit fic and I should have known better, but I was tricked by Florence and Taylor)

[@juditkovacs1205]

❤‍🔥 Best books in 2024 thus far: Fiction: A book that is unfortunate not available in English: The Incomprehensible Landscape by Tibor Noé Kiss. The title is translated by me. In terms of books available in English: Is Mother Dead by Vigdis Hjorth. Non-fiction: Debt by David Graeber Worst: Fiction: Immortality by Milan Kundera (my second read from the author, and he is still a sexist af) Non-fiction: Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker (apparently also full of misinformation oops)

[@AbiofPellinor]

I really need to pick up The Dream Thieves!

[@heabooktubes]

Honestly, those rereads stats are stellar. ✨✌🏻

[@KristenReads]

Recently bought Bright Young Women after hearing good things. Excited to get to it.

[@WhatVictoriaRead]

💛💛💛

[@DebraDarkandTwisty]

I think I first read the Secret History this year. If not then I guess the Other Bennet Sister. I haven't really hated anything, if they are meh I just dnf them 💛🐽

[@bluegreen5377]

Oh I agree about Study in drowning. I don't get thr hype at all. Everyone was annoying and at least one of the grand reveals was obvious for more than a half of the book. And it's going to be a series?!

[@blueberrygirl_reads4762]

🦩⚡🧠☀️ my favorites have been Alcestis by Katherine Beutner, The drowned woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones and the Emely Wilds books. No bad books as of now.

[@krystin7740]

✨

[@zara6472]

I too have loved The Will of the Many this year, and it's joint top with The Mars House by Natasha Pulley. The Mars House follows January who becomes a climate refugee from Earth and seeks asylum on Mars. However Earth people are segregated from the 7th generation Mars humans who have physically evolved to survive in lighter gravity and colder temperatures. The book has discussion on segregation/ refugees, an arranged marriage trope, a political mystery, and it blew me away with the story telling. I loved the they/them representation and how everything combined into this fantastic story telling. Some may argue it tried to do too much but I think it did most of it well. I would love to hear your thoughts if you read the blurb and feel drawn to it!

[@zara6472]

I also recommend Truthwitch by Susan Dennard which is a fast paced fantasy, with a great friendship at the core of it. There are myths/ prophecies coming to life, a lot of action fight scenes, political crappiness, romantic tension (but no explicit scenes in the first book, I haven't read the rest of the series). It was a fun time. It wasn't best of the year but it was most surprising how much I enjoyed it and went on to order the rest of the series. Dennard's writing is better than some well known authors and I haven't heard anyone mention her books. I think you'll enjoy it!

[@leeh4343]

Normal People is the only Sally Rooney that I’ve liked and I really liked it (TV series is excellent too). I’ve read all of her others to date and now we have parted ways as I’ve not enjoyed any of their others.

[@bethloubet4650]

💛 Have you seen the Mid-Year Calm Down Tag? It might make a good chaser. 😂 On the channel of Leandra the TBR Zero.

[@OhioEddieBlack]

I'm coming to Scotland from the US next month (squeeee!) and wondered which bookstore you most highly recommend - my mom won't tolerate being dragged to more than a couple so I have to be very choosy.

[@articia337]

💛

[@ljlitreader9707]

I'm a quarter way through How to become the dark lord and die trying. It's so funny

[@ollieb.9731]

🥰💝💖🩷💛💫 Best book: Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young, worst book: Assistant to the Villian

[@anikamercier2651]

💘

[@judithcakelover]

💖💛

[@nikkiheide5447]

🌼

[@giselas2413]

🌺

[@lintilla2002ify]

Really enjoyed the Underhistory

[@GiddyKnits]

Best book of 2024 so far was The Women by Kristin Hannah. Worst book (that I didn't DNF) The House of a Hundred Whispers by Graham Masterton - I enjoyed the idea and story, but the way he writes female characters was a definite no for me.

[@debhanzlik540]

❤📚

[@bethmetcalf3447]

💝

[@leestewart6719]

🌸🌻

[@jasdawn5]

💕💕

[@barbaragallant609]

🛍️⭐️

[@Littlewitchofthewood]

🌛

[@ldavies3280]

🛍️

[@halimamuslimah]

💗. 💛

[@kaitieskates]

🐥🌸

[@lorrainealba4105]

💝💝

[@agnesb4008]

🐱🐣🐤🦩🌸🌺

[@1book1review]

It shouldn't bother me as much as it does, but really dislike the mislabeling of genres on storygraph. It's like they give us such a wonderful stats option and then it is off on so many things.

[@questingnotcoasting]

You can send in a support ticket to change any that are incorrect. The genres aren't set by users but can be changed by volunteer librarians if they're not right. Generally they are based on the genres the publishers use. On any book page there's a link to "report missing/incorrect information".

[@1book1review]

@@questingnotcoasting Thanks for that feedback, I didn't know. But I also don't know if I have the allsay on genres. So mislabelling might have been too strong a word to use. I remember one that I felt was clearly missing a main genre IMO.

[@AbiofPellinor]

The "A Study in Drowning" hatred is a vibe

[@deidredenney832]

🌼🌸🌻💮

[@priscillamontoya]

🎀📔 The best book so for me, has been The Hexologists and the worst has been The Enchanted April.

[@immovabletype3940]

favorite: Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir least: Night Film by Marisha Pessl (DNF'd) 🩷💛🧠

[@sophiareagan6425]

💛💖

[@AbiofPellinor]

⭐🎨🥎

[@oyasumikisi4935]

💛

[@mrsfruity76]

✨️🥿

[@EvieM1]

🦩

[@sandrazboinski6473]

🛵

[@edwardsjarje]

🦩🌞🪷🍋🛍️