mid year book freakout tag 2025
I have seen a few posts on my dash of people doing this tag and I thought it would be fun to also use this tag to reflect on my reading so far this year. I know I have read a little over 40 books since the beginning of the year but I have not really reflected on favourites, or anything else. My reading has been a bit chaotic lately so I feel like this might be fun. I should also mention that I have reread a few books, and I will try not to count them for these questions, because of course rereads are often favourites that I just go back to every so often.
Best book you have read so far in 2025
I am not sure which book I have read so far I would put in first place. One honorable mention is surely Magellano - Il Primo Viaggio Intorno Al Mondo by David Salomoni. I had to read this non fiction book for the exam I took last week and it was incredible. Super interesting and accessible history book on the first circumnavigation of the globe done by Magellan. The author's writing was so good, I really want to read more stuff by him. I have also read a few other grat non fiction books, but I won't list them all. Instead I should mention the fact that I have read the entire Hunger Games series (including the two prequels) and loved them. I had not read them when they first came out, and then always put off reading them because I usually don't like YA. Then some beloved friends told me that I simply had to read them, and I had an incredible time. I am a big fan of dystopic novels so I am glad I finally gave them a chance!
Best sequel you have read so far in 2025
I should probably mention again the Hunger Games series for this question. It's basically the only series I have read. I did read the Emily Wilde's series by Heather Fawcett, but despite loving the first book and enjoying the second I had to dnf the third and final novel because I found it way too slow and repetitive. So I don't feel it would count at all. I don't know it I can cosider it a sequel but I read the latest book of the "Le Cose Spiegate Bene" by Il Post. It's a collection of non fiction books made up of short articles about a chosen topic, and the goal is to explain said subject in a approachable way giving the readers a base knowledge on the topics. It's one of the coolest projects in recent Italian publishing in my opinion, and I very much look forward to reading more of these books. Last year I read their book about gender, where they talked about trans and genderqueer experiences in a great way, whereas this year I read their book on bodies called Corpi Speciali. It was so intersting and fun and I learned so much!
New release you haven't read yet but want to
I am once again going to mention an Italian non fiction series, and this time the book is called Mostrologia Applicata by Barbascura X. I have read all the books in this series of fun scientific journals. The goal is to make learning about science and nature in a fun and approachable way, and they have also tried to focus on topic people tend to avoid, like sex and reproduction. This new book in particular talks about monsters. I believe there's a mix of articles that try to look at a more historical/folklore side of monsters, as well as the natural inspiration for monsters, and many other things that I cannot wait to learn about as soon as I will pick the book up. It's definitely going to be my next read once I am done with the non ficition book I am currently reading.
Most anticipated release for the second half of the year
I have to admit I am not great at remembering about new releases, but if I am not mistaken there should be a new T. Kingfisher horror book coming out in the second half of the year, as well as a new Andrew Josepeh White book. I am also keeping an eye out for the new R.F Kuang book! I will probably forget about half of these and struggle to get my hands on a copy once the time comes out, I am terrible with new releases lmao.
Where should I begin? I have read so many disappointing books this year. But since I don't want to make this post even longer than it is I will just mention a couple. Of course I have to mention both Elektra by Jennifer Saint and Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati. Anyone who knows me knows how angry and frustrated I got at both these books. I have so many complaints I wouldn't even know where to start. I could have saved the money. I will also mention a recent disappointment which is Never Flinch by Stephen King, I thankfully just listened to the audiobook so I didn't spend any money on it because I would have been pissed. I won't get into details since it's such a new release, but there were too many things I read as transphobic and it's honestly embarassing we are getting that this year, as if there wasn't enough hate towards trans people. And I am sure it went over a lot of casual reader's heads, but I could not unsee it.
I could once again mention Magellano by David Salomoni since I was not expecting to fall in love with a book I was given in an academic setting. Or The Hunger Games because as I mentioned previously I usually despise YA. But I will focus on another book I got quite randomly and ended up enjoying way more than I thought. When Among Crows by Veronica Roth. I have not read her other books and I have no interest in it. I was drawn it by the cover and at the time I needed short book, and I have not regretted getting it at all. I normally don't love urban fantasy, but this was so well done. I loved the folkloric inspiration, the worldbuilding was great for such a short book, and I am pretty sure I read it in one or two sittings at best. I really had a good time with it. I am not sure I will read the sequel because I think it worked well as a stand alone, but I am not opposed to it.
New favourite author (debut or new to you)
I have enjoyed a lot of books this year but I wouldn't say I have found any new favourite authors.
I don't really have fictional crushes ngl. If I really have to pick one out of the new books I read this year I might go with Sandokan from The Tigers Of Mompracem by Emilio Salgari. Pretty safe choice since he is a very cool pirate with a story that is so incredibly anti colonialistic for a book written in 1900. But again I don't really have real fictional crushes.
Newest favourite character
The books I have enjoyed this year were books i mainly enjoyed for thier plot so I didn't focus a lot on characters. I can't really think of any character that has stayed with me as much as characters from previous books I have read.
I have actually almost cried multiple times while reading The Huger Games series as well as the latest prequel Sunrise On The Reaping. I have not fully sobbed, but a few tears were there.
Gender Is over by Isa Borrelli, it's a non fiction book about genderqueerness and in particularly it focuses on non binary people, as the author is non binary themselves. The author is Italian. We were much need more books like this here, and it gave me a lot of joy to read words written in my language by someone who shares part of my personal experience. And it made me happy to see them so ready to fight for people to know what being non binary means, and to fight for our rights. The book wasn't necessarily joyful but it gave me joy to finally see a book like this in a local bookshop, and it was very well written imo.
Favourite book to film adaptation
I have not watched any new movies since the start of the year so I cannot answer this question jsjdghkdsj.
Most beautiful book you have bought this year so far
Cover-wise the prettiest books I have got this year are The Hunger Games trilogy and The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes. I got a very pretty box set that I love so much. I have also got a couple of graphic novels that are worth mentioning because the illustrations were stunning. The Lord Of The Flies graphic novel adaptation done by Aimèe de Jongh was incredible. Definitely one of my favourite graphic novel adaptions.
What books you need to read before the end of the year?
I am trying to follow my instincts this year, I want to read what I am in the mood for when I am in the mood for it, which means I don't really have a tbr. Ideally I'd like to read all the books I buy during the year. At the moment I am almost caught up I believe I have only 3 new fully unread books. With this being said a book I would really love to read this year is Copound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White. I had started it at the beginning of the year and ended up pausing it because it was too emotionally heavy for me to properly enjoy at the time. Hopefully this summer I will be in a better mental space to enjoy what I believe is going to be an amazing book.
Tagging: @selkiestudies, @mal-studyblr, @upside-down-uni, @la-galaxie-langblr @just-a-cup-of-anxietea and @lady-wimsey also anyone who sees this on their dash and wants to do this, pretend I tagged you and have fun!
