Hello fellow readers! We’re officially halfway through 2023 and time has sure flown! I’ve officially finished and graduated from Graduate School with an MBA, have published my tenth book, and managed to complete 24 books so far, meaning I’m over 50% done with my goal of reading 40 books this year. Some were excellent, others were good, and some were not what I had hoped they would be. To mark the halfway point of the year I’ve decided to partake in the Mid Year Freakout tag.

If you aren’t familiar with the Mid Year Freakout it’s a fun little questionnaire that a lot of book YouTubers partake in during this time of the year. I’ve written out the questions below with my answers and encourage you to take the quiz yourself! Now, without further ado, let’s get started.

1. Best book you’ve read so far this year. I’ve had a couple of contenders for this spot but I think it will be hard to beat The Silent Patient. The ending was chef’s kiss!

2. New release you haven’t read yet but want to. I have quite a few but the two books I want to prioritize by the end of the year is If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio and The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz.

(Image Credits: Goodreads)

3. Biggest disappointment. Unfortunately I have to give this honor to Red, White, and Royal Blue. The premise was great but the delivery just fell flat for me.

4. Biggest surprise. Since it was a retelling of one of my favorite classics of all time, Jane Eyre, I did not expect The Wife Upstairs to be as a good as it was.

5. Favorite new author (debut or new to you). Rachel Hawkins has a talent for building suspense and tension, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future (I’m currently reading another one of her books, Reckless Girls).

6. Newest favorite character. Without a doubt Vero from Finlay Donovan Is Killing It. I need more Vero in my life!

7. Book that made you cry. The ending of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo did bring out a tear or two…maybe more.

8. Book that made you happy. Despite it’s seemingly grim summary, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is one that I will return to when I’m feeling down or need a good laugh.

9. Most beautiful book you have acquired this year. I picked up Pride and Prejudice and The Hunchbook of Notre Dame in the Seasons collector’s editions and needless to say I need more of these!

(Image Credit: Amazon)

10. What books do you need to read before the end of the year? A lot! But I’m hoping to pick up at least one dark academia book, one or two more historical fiction stories, and at least one nonfiction book.