Category: Book Tags

Midyear Book Tag: 2025

Published on by Solace in ReadingLeave a comment

I have not posted in over a month, but I have read a lot of books! I am so grateful to have time this summer to read.

Best Books I’ve read so far

  • Gifted and Talented by Olivie Blake: Blake does it again with her amusing yet emotional writing about a rich family that also has magic abilities.
  • The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart: This fantasy book is an epic tale of two sisters who end up in opposite sides of the world they thought they knew. I am so excited for the sequel.
  • If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin: This is a book about two young Black people in love. Tish is pregnant, and Fonny, the father, is falsely accused of a crime. Baldwin’s writing will instantly captivate you. I will definitely read more books by Baldwin in the future.

Best Sequel(S) I’ve read so far

  • The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi: This is my favorite book of The Ending Fire trilogy. Sylah, Anoor, and Hassa navigate a world divided by blood and they find themselves uncovering the history of the land that the elites of that world made up.
  • The Ending Fire by Saara El-Arifi: I was quite satisfied with the conclusion to The Ending Fire trilogy. Sylah, Anoor, and Hassa’s stories come to an end (or beginning?) in The Ending Fire.
  • Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland: Four Ruined Realms is an exciting sequel to Five Broken Blades, and the finale comes out this month.

New Release(S) I Haven’t Read yet, but want to

Don’t Sleep with the Dead by Nghi Vo: This is a standalone set in the same world as Vo’s The Chosen and the Beautiful (which in my opinion is the best retelling of The Great Gatsby). I am excited to see Nick’s story in this one!

biggest disappointment

I haven’t had any really big disappointments this year.

Biggest Surprise

Gifted and Talented by Olivie Blake! It was much more funny at times than I expected.

Favorite author (debut or new to you)

Shalini Abeysekara! Her fantasy novel This Monster of Mine is a stunning fantasy with political intrigue and an amazing interesting legal system combined with magic that addresses the injustices of a world with extreme class differences.

The Most beautiful book you’ve bought or received this year

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland: I love the design on the edges and the gold on the hardback.

What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

  • Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel: I recently bought a copy and it is going to be my next read once I finish my other reads. This book is about a woman’s life in the independence movement of an alternate history of India where the British are still in power during the 1960s.
  • Dawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal Rana: I’ve been following Rana’s writing journey since before her YA novel, Hope Ablaze (one of my favorite books of 2024). I cannot wait to read her epic fantasy novel about Khamilla Zahr-zad, a woman who must infiltrate her enemy’s secret academy to avenge her people.

Favorite book to movie/tv series adaptation you’ve seen this year

I have not seen any.

How has your reading been going this year?

13 Midnights, 13 Characters : Midnights by Taylor Swift

Published on by Solace in Reading2 Comments

Reputation is still my favorite Taylor Swift album, but I do love Midnights. My top three are Lavender Haze, Maroon, and Paris.

Lavender Haze

“I feel the lavender haze creeping up on me / Surreal / I’m damned if I do give a damn what people say”

TJ Powar from TJ Powar Has Something to Prove by Jesmeen Kaur Deo: TJ Powar learns that she doesn’t have to prove herself to anyone.

Maroon

“The burgundy on my t-shirt / When you splashed your wine into me / And how the blood rushed into my cheeks / So scarlet, it was maroon”

Lucie Churchill and George Zao from Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan: I think Maroon fits Lucie and George because their first meeting is fleeting. I mean “the rust that grew between telephones” describes how they grow apart so perfectly.

Anti-Hero

“I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror”

Nasir Ghameq from We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal: Ah, the Prince of Death. He is so angsty and thinks that no one could ever understand him. . .until he meets Zafira.

Snow on the Beach

“Flying in a dream / Stars by the pocketful”

Elias Veturius and Laia of Serra from An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir: this song is so calming and perfect just like Elias and Laia’s relationship.

Midnight Rain

“He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain / He wanted a bride, I was making my own name / Chasing that fame, he stayed the same / All of me changed like midnight rain”

Zafira bint Iskandar and Deen Ra’ad from We Hunt the Flame Hafsah Faizal: Deen Ra’ad, gone too soon.

Question. . .?

“Cause I don’t remember who I was / Before you painted all my nights / A color I’ve searched for since”

Orion and Rosalind from Foul Lady Fortune Chloe Gong: I mean did I speed read this book because Chloe Gong’s writing is that good? yes. BUT I do think this definitely fits these two spies and their relationship.

Vigilante Shit

“You did some bad things, but I’m the worst of them / Sometimes I wonder which one’ll be your last lie”

Juliette and Roma from These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong: I couldn’t not include Juliette and Roma on this list.

Bejeweled

“And you can try to change my mind / But you might have to wait in line”

Parisa from The Atlas Six Olivie Blake: Parisa is an icon and she’d fit in the Bejeweled music video perfectly.

Labyrinth

“I thought the plane was going down / How’d you turn it right around”

Hypnos and Enrique and Zofia from The Gilded Wolves Roshani Chokshi: These three have the best chemistry. I love them.

Karma

“Addicted to betrayal, but you’re relevant”

Severin and Laila from #TheSilveredSerpents: If you’ve read the ending of Serpents, you know what I’m talking about.

Sweet Nothing

“All that you ever wanted from me was / Sweet nothing”

Noor and Sal from All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir: I love them, I miss them, their love will live in my mind forever.

Do you agree with these pairings?

Midyear Book Tag

Published on by Solace in ReadingLeave a comment

Looking back on this year so far, I realize I haven’t loved a ton of books. There are a few standouts, but I find myself feeling less connected to YA books and more into Adult Fantasy/Contemporary and nonfiction books. Here is my 2022 Midyear Book Tag!

Best Books I’ve read so far

  • The Ikessar Falcon and The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso: I would love for more people to read the Chronicles of the Bitch Queen trilogy because this ending. . . .ahhh!!! Talyien is one of my favorite heroines of all time.
  • The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri: I received an e-ARC of this from Netgalley last year, and DNF’ed it, but this year, I finally read a finished copy! This feminist sapphic fantasy is about two women and their lives during a time of revolution and sexism.
  • The Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport: N.E. Davenport is my new favorite fantasy author. Ikenna is amazing and I cannot wait to see her journey continue in The Blood Gift.
  • The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah: What a great start to a new fantasy series!! I received an e-ARC from Netgalley but was able to check out a copy from the library soon after it came out.
  • Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li: I LOVE ART MYSTERIES!!!! Especially ones that address art stolen by countries that they don’t belong to. Every main character in this book is Chinese American and is a part of the diaspora.

Best Sequel(S) I’ve read so far

  • The Ikessar Falcon and The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso

New Release(S) I Haven’t Read yet, but want to

  • Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel: I’ve seen positive reviews of this one and I hope to get to it soon!
  • The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi: I’ve been following Saara El-Arifi for a few weeks now, and this is the start of a new fantasy trilogy.

biggest disappointment

A Show For Two by Tashie Bhuiyan. I couldn’t get into it. I think I’m gravitating away from YA Contemporary.

Biggest Surprise

A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair. I don’t read a lot of romantic adult fantasy, but I think to compare this to some other older fantasy books is unfair. I liked Keera a lot and her growth throughout the novel. *I received a free ARC from the publisher, which did not influence my opinion of the book.

Favorite author (debut or new to you)

N.E. Davenport!!! She is amazing and I am so ready for The Blood Gift!! I read The Blood Trials in a day. Her writing is so cinematic.

The Most beautiful book you’ve bought or received this year

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake. I love the character illustrations throughout and the library themed endpapers.

What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

  • The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo: I can’t believe I haven’t read this one yet. It will happen soon!!
  • Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R.F. Kuang: I will read anything R.F. Kuang writes.

Favorite book to movie/tv series adaptation you’ve seen this year

None. . .I am really enjoying Only Murders in the Building, though!

Thoughts? Any adult fantasy book recs for me?