The Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag 2023

[@bobbykeniston7240]

I think Alex Gino is a brilliant, important writer! Their work should be celebrated (not challenged or banned), and it always makes me happy, too. I think middle grade and young adult fiction is super important, and more readers (and critics) should take it seriously. Every year, I try to read at least a dozen or so books written for kids and teenagers, and I am often blown away by the writing and the themes. Sure, the fact that I'm a playwright with most of my published work in the youth and teen markets is part of the reason I like to keep up to date with these books, but I also feel they enrich my reading life in general. More parents should be reading these books--- especially before trying to get them removed from school libraries.

[@bobbykeniston7240]

Oh, and also--- I am very excited for the new Jesmyn Ward. I share your enthusiasm for her work, and she may be my absolute favorite contemporary American writer. I read her powerful nonfiction "Men We Reaped" a few months ago and loved it.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I absolutely agree about both Alex Gino and Jesmyn Ward. Just huge talents doing great work and worthy of all the praise out there.

[@lorimiller854]

Can’t believe we’re at mid-year! Love your Pulitzer Prize deep dives! The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois is on my list for this year and your enthusiasm is motivating. I also love how you show us all the details of your books. As a lover of physical books, I’m always interested.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I love the details! And I can’t believe we’re at mid year either.

[@readandre-read]

Great answers! So many good books. I've been looking for a nice copy of Fanny Herself since the first time you discussed it. Some day I'll get lucky. Your Pulitzer reaction video was the best! I filmed my midyear freakout this morning to post tomorrow.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I look forward to seeing yours! I've been looking for a copy of Fanny Herself for months now and haven't had luck. Someday!

[@myreadinglife8816]

Love your beautiful book choices. I love maps in books as well.

[@SupposedlyFun]

It's always such a delight to open a book and find a map.

[@loriroemer1122]

You have finally convinced me to pick up the Ferber!

[@SupposedlyFun]

I hope you enjoy her as much as I have!

[@AvAlanchian]

I do agree! Your Pulitzer Prize reveal video was epic. I just finished Shehan Karunatilaka’s first novel Chinaman and that would be my favourite for the year. Probably helps that it’s about cricket and I love cricket! Now reading Exit West by Mohsin Hamid.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Have you read Netherland by Joseph O'Neill? That book has very interesting use of cricket as a metaphor for immigration.

[@scallydandlingaboutthebook2711]

A map on the inside flap? Yes yes yes 😊

[@SupposedlyFun]

It's so good!

[@shyathena34]

So my favorite new authors are Sara Novic who wrote True Biz which I throughly enjoyed, Sunyi Dean who wrote The Book Eaters an amazing debut novel and Josephine Johnson who wrote Now in November who I recently discovered thanks to to you. My favorite adaptation of a book that i watched this year is not a movie but a tv series; Pachinko based on the book by Min Jin Lee. I absolutely loved the book and have been wanting to see the series but I d0n’t have appletv, Luckily In was house and dog sitting for a friend who does have have Apple TV and was able to watch it. It was amazing. The cinematography, the music, the acting. It was beautiful and it was a crime it got no love from the Emmy’s. A Room With A View was another great movie adaptation, I’m glad you liked it!

[@SupposedlyFun]

Those seem like solid responses. I'm so glad you liked Now in November! I really want to get to True Biz this year.

[@davidnovakreadspoetry]

I saw that one book you talked about - now I forget the title, but it used censorship or word redaction to make a point about the story/topic - and thought it looked like great fun. But I was at an airport and didn’t want to spend $18 on a book I know I’d never look at twice. You were less than smitten with it; but I found the word redaction an incredibly effective gimmick. When you don’t know the actual word, your mind races all over the place and makes a bigger deal out of something perhaps mundane (the use of the f word), almost as a kind of metaphor about how people outside of a culture exaggerate and make fanciful assumptions about things they may not understand. (If I see it used I’ll pick it up, or if my library gets it, but as of now it doesn’t have it.)

[@SupposedlyFun]

My library had a copy of it, so hopefully yours will as well. I'm glad the device worked better for you, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the book!

[@hayleystenger2799]

I listened to Pageboy on audio and he does narrate it. It wasn't my favorite memoir, but it is worthwhile.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thanks for the feedback on it.

[@alldbooks9165]

🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@SupposedlyFun]

❤️ ❤️

[@jackwalter5970]

Roman Stories will be out October 10.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I'm looking forward to it!

[@spexi513]

Feel you on Jesmyn Ward 💚🪱📖💚

[@SupposedlyFun]

She's so good!

[@timetoread1795]

Lol, Adam and I did this tag together and he fixed up the questions a little and removed the fictional crush. Cause ya...no. Lol. Fun to see you! Hope you are having a good summer!

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thank you! Hope you are enjoying the summer as well.

[@athertonca]

1. Best Book (any publication date): The Known World by Edward P. Jones (2004 Pulitzer Prize Fiction winner). Best Book (2023 publication): Small Mercies by Dennis LeHane and Be Mine by Richard Ford 4. Most Anticipated Release: Tom Lake by Ann Patchett 10. Saddest: Be Mine by Richard Ford 13. Favorite Booktube video: Your Pulitzer Prize reaction 14. Beautiful Book: Easton edition of Moby Dick 15. Books I Need to Read: Three Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winners that I think I am going to dislike: Rabbit is Rich and Rabbit at Rest by John Updike; A Fable by William Faulkner.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I am really not looking forward to the Updike books as part of my Pulitzer Project, so I understand. But I'm really looking forward to The Known World. I've only read one book by Ann Patchett and hated it (Run), but I want to try another. I love her social media updates from her bookstore.

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

1. Deluge by Stephen Markley 2. No sequels so far 3. The next in series from Ambrose Parry ( just released) 4. Not sure what new releases are coming yet 5. Lock & West ( in my #lgbtqi reading) 6. Fellowship Point 🥰 7. Mary Lawson 8. ???? 9. All the characters in Deluge Birnam Wood Crow Lake ( snap- we have thunder here too) 10. Fellowship Point 11. The Secret Lives of Country Gentleman 12. The Quiet Girl - an adaptation of Foster by Claire Keegan 13. My favourite of your videos are the wrap ups with Joel 14. Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants of Britain and Ireland ( present from a friend) 15. Too many to name ☘️👋🍀📖☕️📚📕💐🇮🇪

[@SupposedlyFun]

I'm still waiting for The Quiet Girl to be available where I live. Someday! Thanks for sharing your answers.

[@BaileyBustillos]

I appreciate someone else admitting they don’t get “book crushes” or cry often from books. I feel heartless at times because I don’t get those type of feelings from books or even characters I really enjoyed

[@SupposedlyFun]

It's a tough question on this tag every year.

[@Bessie-On-Wheels]

I am so glad the Pulitzer Prize was your favourite video because it was mine as well. It was joyous to watch!

[@SupposedlyFun]

🤗

[@paulablazer5244]

😂 immediately knew your favorite post was the 2023 Pulitzer reveal. The joy on your face makes me smile!

[@SupposedlyFun]

🤗

[@ameliabarlowbooks]

I had no idea that Goodbye to Berlin has links to Cabaret!

[@SupposedlyFun]

It introduces the character of Sally Bowles and the basic set-up of the musical Cabaret. It's not necessarily direct inspiration, but you can see how it created the story.

[@piccadillypie]

Definitely your Pulitzer Prize reaction video!

[@SupposedlyFun]

🤗

[@traceyanderson7489]

Ely from Earl Grey Books is the co-creater of the tag, she has a channel.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thanks for the heads up.

[@TheLeniverse]

I think The Duchess of Bloomsbury street definitely counts as a sequel. My edition of it is in a double feature with 84, Charing Cross Road and it doesn't make sense to read the Duchess without reading 84 CCR first. I definitely need to get to The Love Songs of W.E.D du Bois, it's been sitting on my Kindle for a while now (out of sight, sadly out of mind). I hate having to pick favourites, so I'm not going to answer the prompts, but most beautiful book I have to give a shout out to the dust jacket of Fire Rush. I think that cover design is just brilliant and I really want a poster sized version to frame and hang on the wall. lol Unfortunately the cover under the jacket is rather boring.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I agree that Duchess of Bloomsbury Street isn't nearly the experience it is for a reader who hasn't already read 84, Charing Cross Road. If you do get to Love Songs, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. And Fire Rush does have a striking cover!

[@TheLeniverse]

@@SupposedlyFun I forgot to specify that I was talking about the UK cover of Fire Rush. The US one is alright, but the UK cover is perfection!

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@TheLeniverse All good--I had a feeling that was the one you were referring to!