Well, we’re already a good bit into July, so I figured it’s time to do the 2026 Mid-Year Freakout Book Tag. This is my third time filling out this book tag. But if you want to see my answers for previous years, head on over to 2025 and 2024’s mid-year freakout book tag posts. (It looks like I skipped 2023, but 2022 has one!)
If you want to, feel free to join in! The questions are at the end of this post for easy participation. Just copy and paste them into your own blog. The Mid-Year Freakout Book Tag was created by Ely @ Earl Grey Books and Chami @ Read Like Wildfire.
Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2026
Oof, there are two books that come to mind. I can’t decide between them, so here are both: MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES by Rufi Thorpe and THIS BOOK MADE ME THINK OF YOU by Libby Page. Even though I read mostly fantasy, it seems like non-fantasy books are just hitting the spot this year.
Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far In 2026
Well, I’m currently reading the Throne of Glass series, so probably one of those books…let’s go with QUEEN OF SHADOWS just because I finished it most recently.
New Releases You Haven’t Read Yet But Want To
Obviously there are so many new releases I haven’t read yet but want to. Some of them include CHASE ME IF YOU CAN by Heather Frances, THE KNIGHT WATCH by Thomas D. Lee (released in the UK), and AGNES AUBERT’S MYSTICAL CAT SHELTER by Heather Fawcett.
Most Anticipated Release for the Second Half of the Year
I almost wasn’t sure what to put here, but then I remembered ACOTAR6 is supposed to be released at the end of October. So that’s definitely something I’m looking forward to. I just wish Bloomsbury would share some information about it since we’re three months out from the release date. I haven’t even preordered it yet because there’s no title, no synopsis, no book cover, and no information about whether different box stores will have different editions of the book.
Biggest Disappointment
Looking through the first six months of books I read, the biggest disappointment for me was probably A CURSE CARVED IN BONE by Danielle Jensen. I really liked the first book, but the finale dragged. I had a hard time caring about the ultimate outcome. I had to switch to audiobook just to get through it.
Biggest Surprise
I’m going to interpret this as a positive rather than negative surprise. With that said, I pick THE GREAT HURRICANE: 1938 by Cherie Burns. I found this while browsing for shorter nonfiction books on Libby. Since I like learning about weather-related things, this was a no-brainer borrow. The scale of this storm was immense, yet it didn’t receive nearly as much coverage as it otherwise would have if big things hadn’t been going on in WWII in Europe. This book is over 20 years old now, but the audiobook is still great and informative.
Favorite New Author (Debut or New to You)
I’m trying not to repeat answers here, so I’ll pick Chloe Dalton who wrote RAISING HARE. The audiobook version was so lovely. I recommend it to everyone!
Newest Fictional Crush
I feel like I don’t read fantasy romance as much these days as I used to. But this time I have at least someone to choose. Let’s go with Kazimir from THE DARK LORD’S GUIDE TO DATING by Tiffany Hunt. This book was a delight.
Newest Favorite Character
Honestly, I don’t think I have one. I can’t pick any Throne of Glass characters…or can I? I haven’t picked any characters from that series yet to answer this question. So I pick Aelin! How can I not? (No spoilers, please! I’m only on Empire of Storms right now.) Manon intrigues me a lot, but I’m still learning about her, so that’s why I pick Aelin instead.
A Book That Made You Cry
I’m pretty sure I almost cried at the end of this book. I would’ve actually cried if I hadn’t been sitting on a beach in public! THE LAND OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD by Shauna Lawless concludes a trilogy. But it ends in a bit of a cliffhanger because Lawless is in the process of publishing the next related trilogy.
A Book That Made You Happy
Let’s go with SWORDHEART by T. Kingfisher. I don’t usually gravitate toward cozy fantasy, but there were just enough stakes in this one to keep me interested. It wasn’t depressing or gory or anything like that, which is always nice.
The Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought So Far This Year
THE LAST STARBORN SEER by Venetia Constantine has a beautiful standard cover. Even if Fairyloot hadn’t selected it for their March book, it’d still be one of the prettiest books I’ve purchased this year.
Books You Need to Read By the End of the Year
I 100% need to finish the Throne of Glass series before the end of October. The books I still need to read are TOWER OF DAWN (#6) and KINGDOM OF ASH (#7). At the time of drafting this post I was halfway through EMPIRE OF STORMS (#5).
Favorite Book to Movie Adaptation
I haven’t watched an adaptation of anything I’ve read this year. I suppose NIMONA is low-hanging fruit in that regard.
2026 Mid-Year Freakout Book Tag Questions
Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2026
Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far In 2026
New Releases You Haven’t Read Yet But Want To
Most Anticipated Release for the Second Half of the Year
Biggest Disappointment
Biggest Surprise
Favorite New Author (Debut or New to You)
Newest Fictional Crush
Newest Favorite Character
A Book That Made You Cry
A Book That Made You Happy
The Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought So Far This Year
Books You Need to Read By the End of the Year
Favorite Book to Movie Adaptation
And that’s it for the 2026 Mid-Year Freakout Book Tag! Feel free to join in the fun.
I love that your favorite books so far are both non fantasy, that is interesting! I’m working on my mid year post and it isn’t final, but one of mine IS fantasy which is unusual for me. I also love seeing Swordheart on your list. I bought a sprayed edges copy but haven’t read it yet, but thanks for reminding me😁
I know, right?! I’m also shocked my favorite books so far aren’t within the fantasy genre. Maybe that means it’s good for me to step away from fantasy from time to time.
Wow two favourites and both non fantasy titles. Both are pretty high priority on my TBR too as I’ve heard wonderful things about them. So glad to hear you’re continuing to enjoy TOG. I knew there was a new ACOTAR this year but didnt realise news was so thin on the ground. I guess maybe its because they know they can get away with keeping readers waiting given the demand 🤔 its the same with the new Empyrean book with details only appearing (as far as I know) a few days back. So happy to hear that you loved Swordheart. I hope you enjoy your anticipated reads. I adored Agnes Aubert’s and really hope you do too 🤞Very excited to meet Kazimir sometime. And I loved the cover of The Starborn Seer 😍😍 maybe its just that I’m biased as purples my favourite colour but I swear there are some especially gorgeous SEs in that colour.
Yes, news is still thin on the new ACOTAR book. I can’t believe it because we’re now 3 months out. Usually I’d have preordered it by now. It’s so irritating that we know nothing about this book.
I can’t wait for you to meet Kazimir sometime, lol! That book was a lot of fun.
Surely it will still happen. I don’t think they’d announce such a popular release unless it was certain 🤔 although I have seen the Red Rising finale date get pushed back numerous times. I’m not sure if that date was ever shared in the same way or only given via Goodreads though.
Thanks having loved The Irresistible Urge To Fall For Your Enemy I’m now even more excited to try another fun book.
I’m really surprised that both of your favourites are non fantasy books. This Book Made Me Think of You was amazing though. That cover for The Last Starborn Seer is absolutely gorgeous. Good luck with finishing Throne of Glass before the end of October. It feels as though you’re well on track though.
Me too! As I said to Tammy above, maybe it’s a sign I need to read non-fantasy books every now and then. I do sometimes get burnt out on fantasy and just need to switch it up.
Yes, I love fantasy and it will always be my favourite genre but I couldn’t just read fantasy. Sometimes you just need something totally different.
This Book Made Me Think of You is going to be on a lot of lists at the end of the year, I think. It will be on mine for sure. It truly was such an amazing book! I think you can finish it before October. You have been doing great so far. They are chunky books though so give yourself some grace!
This Book Made Me Think of You was definitely a great book. I expect it to be on a bunch of “best books” lists at the end of the year!
The whole Throne of Glass series was a lot of fun – enjoy!
Thank you! I’m definitely enjoying the heck out of it.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles has recently made it to my TBR after I kept seeing it literally everywhere for ages, lol. I’m excited to see that it’s made it to your faves list! The other book I think I’ve seen around but not as much as Margo, will have to check it out. I’ve also seen quite a few mentions of Lawless’ books recently and my curiosity is piqued. I’m defo gonna have to look out for them 🙂
If you do audiobooks, the audio of Margo’s Got Money Troubles is great. It’s acted by Elle Fanning, who plays Margo in the show adaptation. Usually I have a harder time paying attention to audiobooks compared to eyeball books, but for whatever reason this one really had me paying attention.
Thanks for sharing, your post inspired mine. I was informed the tag was created by Ely @ Earl Grey Books and Chami @ Read Like Wildfire.
Ah, thank you! I’ll have to add the creators to this post.