Mid-Year Book Freakout!
Thank you for the tag, @porcelainmortal and @cha-melodius! I've been so absent on Tumblr but books will always bring me back. Also, many of these books may be YA because I was reading so much YA for a project that went from January to May, haha.
Number of books you’ve read so far: 13
Best book you’ve read so far in 2026: I absolutely loved Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay and have been recommending it to everyone. It's about four generations of Filipino-American men from the same family, each trying so hard to give their own son everything they never had that they struggle to see what their sons actually need. It's such a gorgeous, heartwrenching illustration of how generational trauma impacts us and how we end up putting it on the next generation... and it's also just a really good look into different historical events that impacted Filipinos and/or Filipino-Americans.
New release you haven’t read yet but want to: I got my Afterlight copy of The Open Era last week, so that's on the list!
Most anticipated release for the second half of the year: Absolutely RWRB: The Private Correspondence - cannot FUCKING wait - but also Bridget and Gabe are Not Okay by Lex Croucher (I LOVED GWEN AND ART SO MUCH SO I'M SO HYPED FOR THIS) and Ship Happens by Mason Deaver (I will read anything Mason Deaver and this sounds amazing) and To Our Untamed Core by Sonido Reyes (a Hunger Games-esque novel with a trans lead!). I'M READY FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR!
Biggest surprise favorite new author (debut or new to you): I read Dashka Slater's Accountable and was blown away by Slater's compassionate yet objective style. She seamlessly wove historical context and free verse into the quotes and information she got from the people she interviewed; I've never been a huge nonfiction reader, but this was incredible.
Newest fictional crush: One of the books I'm currently reading is Bromantasy by Maire Roche (so much fun; I highly recommend) and Mo is just a big ol' cinnamon bun. I love him.
Book that made you cry: I cried reading half the books for my project! Hahaha. I don't know if I just kept choosing stuff that would make me cry (I hate crying actually, so why...) or if YA books just really get to me. But! Sunrise on the Reaping. Just rip my fucking heart out, why don't you?!?!?!
Most beautiful book you’ve gotten so far this year: Bromantasy is probably my favorite. I made very sure to get a copy with the "BRO" sprayed edges! The Afterlight edition of Star Shipped is also very beautiful.
Book that made you happy: The Nightmare Before Kissmas was my first read of the year, and it was delightful. I really enjoyed it. It wasn't, like, all happy fun times, but I feel like it taught me stuff about myself (lol), and it's just a fun premise. Also, Coal is really hot. I need pics of him in that corset vest.
What books do you want to read by the end of the year?: How can you ask me this question?! There are so many but also I'm a super slow reader with ADHD! I'm scared to even answer this! Hahahaha. Okay, if I'm still halfway through Bromantasy at the end of this year, someone yell at me.
OK, TAGS! @myheartalivewrites, @everwitch-magiks, @clrmntdzfx, @jafffacakess, @ninzied, @anyroomsrio, @gnocchioli! And any and everyone else!
