My reading year so far • Mid-year book freakout tag

Always fun to check in on the reading year so far, so here's the mid-year book freakout tag!

Booktubers tagged:
@LydiaLostthePlot
@rororeads
@ToBeBlackandLoved

Booktubers running Savidge Prompts:
@SavidgeReads
@louisesavidgemuses4135

See more about the Read Good Challenge (not the 'Good Read Challenge' like I said in the video lol):

And join the Storygraph challenge here:

The tag originator, IsThatChami, is no longer on YouTube.

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Questions:
1. Best book you’ve read so far
2. Best sequel you've read so far
3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year
5. Biggest disappointment
6. Biggest surprise
7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you)
8. Newest fictional crush
9. Newest favourite character
10. Book that made you cry (or saddest book you've read)
11. Book that made you happy
12. Favourite book to film adaptation you saw this year
13. Favourite video you have made so far in this year
14. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received)
15. Books do you need to read by the end of the year

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Thank you so much for watching.

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#books #booktube #booktag

[benreadsgood]

If you spot the editing errors... they're being fixed but YouTube is taking its sweet time to process the cuts 😂

[MsEleanorShelby]

The funniest thing with literary fiction readers doing this tag is watching the astonishment about the fictional crush question 🤣

[dunkbiscuit]

I love your monthly book news. It's how I found you and I think sets you apart from other book tubers. And honestly, the insight you give is great for someone who doesn't necessarily follow all that so a wrap up per month is great!

[merrilywereadalong]

Yesss Ben!! Leave The World Behind should forever be banned to the Hall of Shame lol

[Nastya-readsandlifts]

I loved Glorious Exploits! The cover with googly eyes to me is a better choice considering it is not all tragedy (though there is plenty), and also it is a good reflection of the protagonist.

[mel-m-o]

Completely agree with the feeling of not reflecting enough on the books I’ve read. I sometimes grapple with whether reading goals are beneficial because I get too obsessed with them and then try to read books for the sake of meeting my goals rather than for enjoyment. I took about two months off from reading earlier this year and now I’ve just been reading books back to back to back trying to catch up without really taking the time to appreciate them. At this point, I still feel reading goals do help me read more which is ultimately my real goal, but I definitely fall into the trap occasionally of reading for reading’s sake.

On an additional note, I had the same feelings about Leave the World Behind. I thought the premise was great and the final product was really unsatisfactory. I was shocked it was a National Book Award finalist.

[bookofdust]

Especially the last few years I haven’t leaned into film the way I did most of my life, but I’m convinced that Zone of Interest is the best movie of the 21st century so far.

[marianamasbooks]

You can definitely have a crush even if it’s not a romance book 😂 The fictional crush I talked about this year is from a literary fiction book. It’s like real life, you can have a crush on someone even if they’re not saying romantic things to you 😆
Loved your choices! Hadn’t heard of several. I just discovered your channel through this tag 🤓

[TheEmzies]

Great predictions. I'd love to see Hisham Matar's My Friends on the longlist.

[readandre-read]

I get FOMO and faux panic about the neverending flow of new books, recommended backlists, and all the books i think I'm going to reread. James tops my list as well. I really need to read True Grit. Great video!

[ameliabarlowbooks]

YES to the monthly book news videos, we love ‘em! ♥️

[leeh]

Oh The Offing 💕 forever in my top 10! 😊

[StephanieP]

You always make me feel better for reading at a glacial pace, Ben. I'm at 19 books so far this year, and I have so much FOMO. Booktube, while it has helped me hone in on what I want to read and now get swept up in all the hype, has not helped cure the FOMO.

I'm also impressed with MTO Press. I accidentally ordered two copies of White Nights and they emailed me to see if I really wanted two copies. I thought that was so decent of them, and it gave me a chance to tell them how much I love their catalog and their philanthropic commitments. I'll definitely keep an eye on them.

[douggordy]

Curses, Ben R.G!! This video 'forced' me into ordering 4 new books to add to my already overflowing TBR list! :) But seriously, excellent and fun video. My answer to questions 1, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are all the same: Adam Haslett's forthcoming new novel - his first since 2016 - Mothers and Sons - not out till Jan 2025, but I snagged an early ARC (and am so far the only review on Goodreads!) ... so, so brilliant and I have a mad crush on the MC, Peter. #2 - favorite sequel is probably Toibin's Long Island, even though it's only half as good as Brooklyn. Wayyyy too many candidates for #3 & 4 - again, not out till Oct., but the one I'm probably most excited about is Our Evenings, Hollinghurst's new one. # 5 is The Sleepwalkers by Scarlett Thomas - dreadful! #6 & 7 - biggest surprise and new author (to me) was the entire canon of Francis King, which I read over 2 months - 32 novels, most of them stunning. #12 is All of Us Strangers/Strangers. Not a vlogger, so no answer for #13. #14 is the new 20th anniversary edition of Mitchell's Cloud Atlas, a really beautiful book. #15 is same answer as yours - the entire Booker longlist - will be my 11th year reading the whole shebang. Finally, my sympathies for your impending read of Milkman, notoriously my most detested book in at least 25 years!! My 1-star Goodreads takedown remains the most liked review of it on there, with currently 1161 likes. Good luck and cheers!

[SupposedlyFun]

I have embarrassed myself in front of two authors at signings, so take heart! I was also really not a fan of Leave the World Behind. And True Grit and Tom Lake are so good!

[BookChatWithPat]

Hi Ben. I LOVE these prompts. I've got so many tags to do that I've actually been tagged on, but I really like these prompts. I may have to do this one. I have loved a lot of the same books that you are talking about here, especially JAMES, TOM LAKE, and TRUE GRIT. And I, too, adored DEMON COPPERHEAD. Great video, Ben! I really enjoyed hearing your responses.

[seamusgaelic]

Laughed when I heard your comment about Irish writers. I feel exactly the same. I actually can't think of an Irish writer I've not thoroughly enjoyed reading. Another great vlog, Ben. Still amazes me how professional your vlogs are and just how much you manage to fit into them. Also, despite the ending to his last novel being what it was, I can not wait until the new Richard Powers hits the shelf!

[SavidgeReads]

Glorious Exploits is a banger. Very funny but also very moving too. I had a very special reading experience with that book, reading it where it was set. The Offing is amazing. that book so much. I need to watch Zone of Interest have been meaning to for ages. I have some Claire Kilroy hot ☕️, I won’t be reading her again and neither will mum. Speaking of whom, thank you for mentioning the Savidge Prompts, I am soooo behind on all the prompts in all the places. Lol. I think you’ll love Mr Loverman sooo much.

[hannahlosttheplot]

I totally agree about Tom Lake - I didn't expect much from it and absolutely loved it.
I also thought that The Zone of Interest was absolutely outstanding.
I've been loving your book news videos!

[LouiseReader]

Oh gosh your thoughts on Leave the World Behind.... priceless! I haven't got to that one yet, but am still keen despite your hilarious take down. I think you're the only truly positive thoughts I've heard on Restless Dolly Maunder too, good to hear.