You know how sometimes you look at your books and you just…scream? Yes me too.🤗
Better yet, we’ve got a tag for that!
It’s time for the…
But first I have to do the obligatory side-eye at the fact it is June and I don’t recall expressly giving permission for that to happen. I am a disaster of chaos this year and feel like I’ve achieved only T W O things, being (1) I survived the release of my second novel The Boy Who Steals Houses, and (2) I took many naps. An accomplished life I am living here. 
If we’re being honest, this year has been a bit of a mess for me.
I’m not blogging as much which I’m so ashamed about?! Like I used to be this steadfast regular blogger, and what am I now?!? Some sort of limp CUSTARD SAUCE. But the author life has been going not well + I moved house (extremely stressful) + my mental health looks a lot like a feral cat that got hit by a car. Twice. (You’re welcome for that visual.😌)
But.
I have had a lot of satisfyingly good reads! My bookshelf set up is the BEST it’s ever been. I’ve started working for MTMC Tours and getting a few more freelance blogging gigs which meeeeeans — I CAN BUY MORE BOOKS. Which is the pinnacle of a good life for me. And I just have some really really good friends. 😭💛 They make me cry i love them so much. So shout out to internet friends who are the true national treasures, ok?! I would share cakes with you if I could but I CAN’T. So guess I’ll eat the cakes myself.
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1. HOW MUCH HAVE YOU READ?
95! And a…uh…little ashamed because every year it seems I read less and less aND WHO AM I if I don’t read 200+ books a year?! An undercooked eggplant??? [insert crisis here]
I need to stop pressuring myself with the reading and, as an overachiever, that’s easier said than done. 😫 But I’m attempting to finish off this year and then maybe chill out next year with a lower goal.
2. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN READING?
I actually added this question in because I need a chance to make pie charts. Shh. This is a need.
i’m actually really shocked at the amount of epic fantasy I’ve read (aka the genre I keep avoiding because my brain is tired loool) and LOOK at all these high star ratings!! 🙌🏻 I don’t do negative reviews anymore so I’m way pickier about what I read so I don’t get stuck with myriads of unreviewed books.
3. Best book you’ve read so far in 2019
I always make a “best of the year” shelf on Goodreads and so far I have SIX books on it. Which I’m pretty happy about.
Will softly scream how much I love and recommend them. But shout out, specifically, to RW&RB because it’s not my genre (adult romcom?!) but I laughed so much and then directly after wanted to cry — so it is a solid piece of masterful writing.
4. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2019
Look I’m actually giving this to Finale because FREAKING YES. I feel bad because I’ve read Holly Black and Cassandra Clare sequels this year (and loved them extraordinarily) but I’m still obsessing over Finale 😫💛 So I must say it. The actual existence of Dante and Tella is a gift to my soul. Also I want to write this beautifully someday?!
5. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to
erm, just about…all of them?! I am SO behind this year, it’s not even funny. I say this every year, but no no, all those other years were lies. THIS year I am so behind. My TBR is honestly about to beat me up in a back alley.
6. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year
Without a DOUBT it is Call Down the Hawk and Queen of Nothing!!!!!!!! There aren’t enough exclamation marks for how I feel about this omg. And I’m secretly so nervous about CDTH because The Raven Cycle means everything to me and…I just hope it is everything I’m longing for. 😭💛
7. Biggest disappointment
Ok not that this is a book (but it kind of counts since it’s a book adaption) but this goes to GAME OF FREAKING THRONES. Argh. If you get me started, I can angry rant for hours. Absolutely hours. I’m still procrastinating the last episodes (I got spoiled anyway because the internet is the worst) because it’s just sloppy storytelling, boring plots, horrendous attention to detail and STUPID. THE WHOLE SHOW JUST WENT SO STUPID AFTER IT USED TO BE AMAZING.
ARGH.
8. Biggest surprise
I really didn’t know what I’d think of The Brilliant Death. I just sort of picked it up because hi Italian-esque mafia family fantasy with genderfluid narrators — ok let’s have a go. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Anyway skip on into the future and there is ME. TODAY. OBSESSED.
9. New Favourite author (debut or new to you)
*flaps hand vaguely at this book* ARGH when I tell you Red White & Royal Blue is so funny I coughed up a lung laughing over it — just take my word for it. Also it’s very queer and very about selfworth, also, and about not being afraid to say you deserve to prioritize your heart. And it’s about not putting turkeys in your bedroom. Literal, actual turkeys. Don’t do it.
Also Casey McQuiston keeps teasing that they’re writing more books and I will take all the more books thank you.
Note: this book IS adult lit and does have explicit scenes!
10. underrated gems you’ve discovered recently
It’s so easy to just focus on the hyped books and tbh this year I’ve not been reading as many hidden gems…which saddens me?! As owner of The Boy Who Steals Houses which didn’t get much of a publicity push this year (I triiiied, but I was by myself lol), I keep wanting to point wildly at the smaller books that need more love!! So THESE.
11. rereads this year
I either reread books because (a) I’ve forgotten the first and need to refresh before a sequel or (b) I am utter hopeless and in love trash for them.😌 So THAT’S me, how are you. I’ve reread 16 books so far this year!
So many series sequels came out this year?? Like King of Scars appeared and my brain was all, “Let’s do a FULL GRISHAVERSE REREAD”…and subsequently I will never catch up on my TBR pile. 😑But also pfft, why am I complaining. It was so much fun to reread them all?! Six of Crows is still the best. Absolutely.
And then I’m extremely in love with the Caraval books — like wholly obsessed. So I had to reread those before Finale!
The Foxhole Court reread is purely because I’m angsty for found family, damaged family, and Andrew saying, “I want nothing,” and then getting d r a g g e d by Neil replying, “And you always call me nothing.¯\_(ツ)_/¯”.
EEEE.
12. Book that made you cry
Ok ok ok…so I don’t actually physically cry while reading. I am an ice cube. But I do get very emotional inside and then slowly just obsess over a book for…ever. This year absolutely goes to I Wish You All The Best. I was BAWLING inside. It’s heartwrenching, but also about healing? So this was good crying.
This book just meant a ridiculous lot to me and my personal journey too. So just, reeeeead it. It deserves the world’s love.
13. Book that made you happy
This isn’t out till September SHHHH but it’s a good chance to add it on Goodreads or preorder but — The Tea Dragon Festival is absolutely gORGEOUS. It’s the softest ever graphic novel, with so so much loving diversity. Like the entire cast is POC, the narrator is nonbinary, and there’s deaf and lgbt secondary characters too. ALSO DRAGONS. It’s basically like falling into a magical world of colours and good food and love and…!!! When did I become so sappy. But this is everything.
14. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)
Look, book covers these days are so freaking divine that it’s unfair to my wallet. I fall in love with so so many?! Unreasonable levels of beautiful art here, smh.
Anyhow…I need to talk about The Wicked King because (a) AHHHHHHHHHHH, (b) no, I see your point, that was not talking but still a 100% accurate representation of my feels, (c) it was truly wicked, cunning, clever, and absolutely incredible, and (d) did you know Queen of Nothing got moved forward to November this year?! THIS. YEAR. I’m really scared Cardan is going to die and then I will not be ok. Can’t Jude just stab him, just a little, and then they make up everything works out??? Yes???
15. goals for the rest of the year
➢ right. well I’d LIKE to think I can still read 200 books (hahhahahhah sob)
➢ I badly need to read more eARCs. Badly, so so badly…my ability to request and then not read is astounding.
➢ Do a full Raven Cycle reread before Call Down the Hawk!
➢ Make a point to read a few more adult books 👀
➢ See if I can figure out a way to monetise my instagram a bit so I can afford all these books I want to buy lmao
➢ WRITE?!?! A NOVEL!??! THAT IS SELLABLE?! A concept.
➢ Be a better blogger. Truly. 🙏🏻 I’ll try harder.
| What about you? |
time to tell me all your half-yearly news!! are you behind or on track with your Goodreads goal? what have been your highlight reads of 2019 so far???? OR tell me a book you really should’ve read by now but you haven’t?
I’M HAVING A SLOW TIME WITH MY READING WHICH IS INFURIATING. It also doesn’t help that my brain just decided to binge watch Lucifer despite all my unread books glaring at me. I blame Tom Ellis and his accent (just kidding I love him to death). I’m actually not behind my reading goal because I set it so low but I still want to do better.
So glad you loved Tea Dragon Festival! Your love for it made me drag my soul back to Netgalley and request it. I also screamed when I got approved. It’s okay to read it without reading Tea Dragon Society, right? I’m so looking forward to reading this adorable graphic novel.
I should do this tag too because I enjoyed writing a post last year. I’m also quite failing at blogging so I should get to writing more posts.
Lovely post as always, Cait! 💖💖
I started Lucifer yesterday, out of curiosity, and ahahahaha I feel your dilemma in my soul.
Yes, I should be reading but who can resist the charm of Tom Ellis? Not me obviously 😭
I toootally feel for you with how it feels so infuriating/overwhelming to be behind on reading and no time or chance to catch up!! GAH. Also I kind of want to watch Lucifer 👀 I mean.
And yes you can totally read The Tea Dragon Festival on its own 😍IT’S SO GORGEOUS AND SO GOOD. I JUST 😍😍😍 FOREVER.
We can quietly fail at blogging together *sends you cake too* 😭😂
OMG Cait! I think your reading progress is amazing 😀 I have finished my reading goal. Alhamdulillah 88/50. I should have read finale, strange the dreamer, wonder woman but I have not .. hehe
Aww thanks Hana! You always say such lovely things. And LOOK AT YOU GO with that goal ahh!!!
I hope you’re feeling much better now, Cait! You don’t need to pressure yourself with blogging. Your readers will be here even if you post once a week!
I’d like to think I’m track for my Goodreads challenge. It’s great that you read a book that seems to be out of your comfort zone 🙂 It’s something I’d also like to try haha I was lucky to win a giveaway for We Hunt The Flame! So that’s one book I can’t wait to get into. I also want to read The Fever King since everyone has been talking about it.
I’m really looking forward to Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, and The Thunderbird Queen by Jordan Rivet! I’ll be doing a cover reveal for The Thunderbird Queen this July which is my first???? I’m terribly excited and nervous for it.
My writer goals is still editing my first draft. Fun fact: I realized that in order for my plot to progress and for my MC to be motivated, I was actually in need of a new character! So I added her in. Her name is Ligaya (which means joy in Filipino) and she’s the secon-in-command of the clan Tiyanak (basically human eating, children ghouls),
It’s like I *know* I shouldn’t pressure myself for any of this stuff…but yet I still do?! And if another blogger said they were feeling overwhelmed I’d be there telling them to take time off! But for me? AGHSGHSOH. 😭😂Least to say I *do* need to chill out.
I also hope you love We Hunt the Flame! I see lots of rave reviews for it. And omg Gideon the Ninth YES. I want it badly!
Also your character sounds amazing. 👀
Yessssssss….you need to rest and have a cake, Cait! I’ll be your self-care fairy godmother if you need one hahaha and thank you! I am so excited to write her!
I already finished my goodreads goal! I set 60, I’m on 64. Who needs to revise for exams anyway? It is not my fault, it is the stupid lovely people on bookstagram who feel the need to reccomend books with me and be awesomely friendly *sobs*
Ahhh congrats on massively achieving your goal already! And yes totally blame the internet for all the book recs 😌 It is true. our TBRs will be the death of us.
Thanks! My TBR has already killed me. I’m now a ghost who has to remain on earth to seek revenge on my killer. I can’t move on to the afterlife until I’ve finished my TBR, so I’ll be here a loooong time.
I actually haven’t had that great a year in reading so far! 🙁 I have yet to hit on any new releases that really floated my boat! I did read some great non-fiction recently, which is unusual for me, so maybe…a default win? 😀 Honestly, though, I’m really hoping for a great fiction read soon!
DON’T freak out about not blogging as much or not reading as much. Seriously. We’ll be here, and you need to take care of yourself, too.
I’M SO BEHIND ON MY GOODREADS GOAL, IT’S TRAGIC. And also I’ve added about 50 more books to my tbr in just half a year, so with current trends, my tbr will likely topple over me any second now. But I’m really trying to get back on track reading books & blogs now that I’m more free (omg I kept reading your blog and then forgetting to comment and it’s been like months 😭😭😭). On the bright side though, I’ve LOVED every book I have read, and especially Red, White, and Royal Blue!!!! Like,,, I can’t physically express how much I loved this book, which is surprising because it’s so outside of what I usually read. I rarely read adult, and never before have I read romance, but this book was the best. It’s the kind of book I needed in this confusing time of my life. So YAY for Casey McQuiston for being so very amazing.
I’m still so sad I haven’t read TBWSH though😭😭. I’m getting on that ASAP because it sounds so amazingg(and that cover omg ❤️). On that note, I agree with you a 100% that covers these past couple years have been absolutely gorgeous. I’m still kind of scared though because if ATPN was any indication, it’s probably going to crush my heart. In the best way possible of course ❤️
Anyways, I hope we all reach our reading goals this year 🎉
I AM SO HAPPY I’M NOT THE ONLY ICE CUBE
I kind of want to book a tour of your house just so I can tough all those books. You should start offering that service. Goldmine 😀
Also, I might or might not have read that book’s title as “Four Dad Queens” on that photo. LOL.
What I personally can’t believe is that I’m barely behind your current read count? Cause like, back when I first started blogging, I’d look at your read count and be like WAAAAAAT HOOOOOOUUUU and I wouldn’t understand how people can read that many. And now I’m just sort of naturally reading with a low goal of 52, not pushing myself at all, and I’m at 74 books already?? If I keep it up, it should be the most books I’ve ever read in a year. I’m really low-key happy about that.
I was also very glad to see this tag on your blog because I was going to do it anyway, and now I’m just going to conveniently tag myself yayyyy.
Also, today is the first day in maybe A YEAR when I feel excited about blogging. That’s honestly such a relief. I really wanted this feeling back. I hope it’s infectious and you get it too 😀
And I think you can totally read 200. You’re on track.
You should try listening to eARCs on the Pocketbook app. I can tell you how. It’s a mechanical-ish voice I know, but it’s kind of natural – and you can listen fast, and do other stuff while you do that. Trust me, it’s so good!
I’ve actually been reading more than I anticipated, so I bumped up my reading goal for the Goodreads reading challenge. The Wicked King is one of my favorites that I’ve read this year, and I LOVE the cover! Another highlight has been Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy and the sequel trilogy Tawny Man. She’s my new favorite author!
The Tea Dragon Festival looks adorable! 🙂
Oh look, it’s the time of year where I scream into the void again. Though actually not scream to loudly because I think I’m doing pretty good. I’m not sure how much I’ve read but I know my goal is 70 books and I’m about 3 or 4 books ahead of schedule. I’m relatively up to date on my releases but I am utterly ashamed of the fact I haven’t yet read The Gilded Wolves! However I recently read Strange the Dreamer and I’m not sure how anything is going to top it this year
(Btw I also recently read TBWSH, thanks for
the pain and tears)
I’m actually ahead of my Goodreads goal! I’m on 24 books and my goal is 35 before the end of the year. I’d really like to reach 40 one year, but if I met my challenge this year I’ll be happy, I’m honestly just glad I’m not ridiculously behind after January-March was pretty much constant work for Uni rather than reading! Highlight reads of 2019 so far have been: To Kill A Kingdom, Becoming, King of Fools, The Gentleman’s Guide To Vice, Enchantee and Modern Women: 52 Pioneers. I’ve been quite surprised by how much non-fiction I’ve enjoyed this year because it’s not usually my thing. In terms of books I should have read but haven’t, ha ha so many! King of Scars for one, and I still need to read Vengeful from last year, I think those are my big two in terms of books I definitely want to have read before the end of the year. I am definitely feeling you on the writing goal, I really just want an agent to love my book enough to take it on, but so far nothing and it’s so disheartening when you really love something and they’re just like “nope, we can’t sell this”. I really appreciate how honest you are about your publishing challenges though, makes me feel like I’m not alone in struggling!
Reading 95 books in the first half of the year is, frankly, superhuman. I don’t know how you do it. How much we read will go up and down depending on where we are in our lives. I’m ten books ahead of my goal because I read A LOT of manga on a long car journey.
I’m having a slow blogging year too. I have two posts queued as of today and I’m so glad because up until now that has not been happening at all. And I’m about to start my first full-time job. So, Scheduling is about to become really important.
OMG FINALE IS THE BEST AND I AM COMPLETELY OBSESSED!!! Tellas chapters really were waaaay more interesting than Scarletts I must admit and omg Legend is just a delicious slice of darkness pie that I love!! The ending was everything!!
The Wicked King was also one of my fav reads of the year (crazy wicked good 😉 Also dying to read a Sorcery of Thorns and The Bride test!! Coolio post Cait 🙂
Good news! I made my library get A Thousand Perfect Notes and I was finally able to read it! I teared up right at the end, and that’s always a marker of a good book for me! (Also, someone else placed a hold on it, so I better get it back to the library soon!)
Don’t really have any reading plans for the year, but I need to write ALL the things and I’m putting it all off. >.<
Good luck with your writing and reading! 😀
Ahh loved this post Cait – your blogging voice is just wowowowow
95 is such an amazing amount of books – I’ve had an awful reading slump for over a year (I SEEM TO HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF IT NOW YAY) so I’ve read a grand total of 3 books this year.
The Night Circus, City of Bones and Since You’ve Been Gone (reread) – thankfully I loved all so technically still a fantastic reading year!!
My next read I’m planning on starting tomorrow is On the Come Up which I am SO excited for because THUG is incredible and I will scream about it forever. I have such high expectations but I’m sure I’ll love it!
Game of Thrones was such a. huge disappointment! But I’m so happy I picked up Red, White and Royal Blue literally the same week as the last GoT episode, and it was the perfect antidote! The funniest book and so romantic and political, one of my top favs of the year!
I’m ahead on my tiny little Goodreads goal of 30 books. xD And dude even if you don’t make it to your 200, YOU STILL ROCK because 95 books in six months?? That is absolutely incredible. I still don’t know how you do it.
My highlight reads of 2019 so far have been the Angel Eyes trilogy by Shannon Dittemore, and THE OUT OF TIME TRILOGY BY NADINE BRANDES (screaming because I am still in awe of these books). I also have to mention A Thousand Perfect Notes of course because I FINALLY got around to reading it xD and it was beautiful.
A book I should’ve read by now but haven’t? FAWKES. AND ROMANOV. I need them NOWWW.
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Congrats on reading 95 books already! I got a new job and have been working an insane number of hours, so I doubt I’ll read 95 books this year. I agree about Game of Thrones. It used to be so good!
I loved reading your answers (and your blog in general) and you’re really inspiring to me as a new book blogger!
Totally agree about Queen of Nothing – 4 months to go!!
I can’t wait to read Red, White and Blue, I keep hearing good things like every day it’s crazy! Such a shame my library won’t stock it 🙁 Going to have to save up I think!
I think you are doing VERY well, especially considering all the things you’re juggling! I am super glad to hear that Finale was a win. I really enjoyed Caraval but never moved on because I was scared. But then I bought the other two books in an attempt to promise myself I would read them, so I need to! But I don’t understand how the year is halfway over, I feel like I am behind but there is not even anything to be actually behind with? Best books of the year so far… gah this is hard! Mostly cause I don’t even remember what I have read. The Boy Who Steals Houses, obviously! I really loved Romanv too. Nowhere on Earth, The Girl in Red, and Wanderers would probably round out the op 5 so far!
First off, I absolutely love that graphic of all the classics you have in the beginning of this post! Do you know where you found it?
Secondly, I totally understand that pie charts are a necessity in life. I’m way too lazy to make any, but every time I see them in someone’s stats posts I swoon a bit!
And honestly, seeing RW&RB on so many favorite lists is giving me life! My mission in life at the moment is to get everyone to read that book! I also find it really interesting that I’ve read so many of the new releases you haven’t got to yet. I normally am terrible at keeping up! My two favorites from the ones you’ve listed are You Asked for Perfect, and my current read, Sorcery of Thorns!
I feel like I just keep rambling, but want to say that your goal of rereading The Raven Cycle reminded me that I need to clear my reading calendar for October (and maybe some of September) to make sure I have my reread finished before Call Down the Hawk comes out, so I can read it immediately!
AHHHHH I’M SO EXCITED FOR RED WHITE & ROYAL BLUE. I hope to read it soon!! And YES to All for the Game rereads. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve reread certain parts of the books–there are some that just HIT me, like Neil’s interview with Kathy in TFC and the Raven v. Fox game + the Thanksgiving episode in TRK and Riko + Ichirou’s ending scene and the whole “oh yeah, Andrew had to be PHYSICALLY TIED TO WYMACK SO HE WOULDN’T GO CRAZY ON THE FBI AGENTS HOLDING NEIL” thing in TKM….sorry, I could talk about this series forever. ALL OF THIS IS TO SAY THAT YOU HAVE VERY EXCELLENT READING TASTES AND I WISH YOU A GOOD REST OF YOUR READING YEAR.
– Eleanor
Limp custard sauce? Maybe just custard sauce? J/K
95 is still amazing. You have had a lot going on with your debut and sophmore book and there is no way that doesn’t effect all things in life. Including blogging. You can’t split yourself in 3, as much as you’d like to do that. <3
I NEED TO READ FINALE!!! I’ve read and enjoyed Caravel and Legendary, but forgot to request an ARC of Finale, and as a result, haven’t gotten a chance to pick it up and read it yet. #oops
ALSO CAIT I FINALLY READ THE FOXHOLE COURT TRILOGY BC MY FRIEND HAD THE BOOKS AND I. AM SCREAMING. AAAAAAAAAAA. It was Intense but it was so good and the writing and the characters and aaaaaaa.
It is so funny how much about what we achieve for our goals is also about perception! For instance, the fact that you have read SO MANY BOOKs is just crazy amazing to me!!!! But I know you feel it has been slow for you! I set my goodreads goal at 50 for the year and that has already been a struggle so far, though I am sort of on track, having read 24. 🙂 I wish I was reading a lot more though, but it seems hard to fit it in sometimes!
Also …. I am reading White Stag right now, which you mentioned in your smaller gems section! I am really enjoying it! I think it is VERY vicious, and I quite like it! Ha! I also think it is quite creative too 🙂 So I’m enjoying it so far very much 🙂 (Also, I loved how we were just thrown straight into it, which no long intro or set up at all, just BAM! Lovely!)
For my own goals for the second half of the year I have SO MANY and it is sort of freaking me out ….
I have a random (most likely unsellable) book to edit, a book I really hope I figure out how to write (I’d love to get it finished before the end of the year) which will hopefully be sellable, another to edit at some point, 26 books to read and …..
is that it?
I think that is it.
Scary stuff…..
Good luck Cait with your goals! you can do it!
FIGHTING! 🙂
Great reading progress. Me so far I’m at 115/200 for my goodread challenge. Best book I have read yet are Queen of air and darkness, Four Dead queens and Sometimes I lie.
I absolutely love that you did this tag! (Also, thank you for the little drop-down menu of questions.) You are definitely not alone with being behind on a Goodreads challenge. And I know prioritizing reading great books over completing all books is difficult but necessary. Let’s go for positive reviews!
YES to Red White and Royal Blue and an even BIGGER yes to Emergency Contact aHHHH I adore this book with all of my heart. <3
You've got some incredible reads to look forward to! I loved The Fever King, Small Town Hearts and You Asked For Perfect so much, such great reads!
I hope you'll have a fantastic rest of the year reading, Cait, and don't feel like a bad blogger, you aren't, at all. You're fabulous and you're doing amazing, you really are. sending you tons of love! <3
You read so many awesome books, Cait 🙂 I know this is less reading for you but for me it’s amazing how you manage to read so much with your writing (now you are a real author 😀 )
I can’t wait to know your thoughts on The Fever King, You Asked For Perfect and Small Town Hearts. These are some of my favourites of the year. I am sure you would enjoy these too.
I can’t wait to read Red, White & Royal Blue. I just can’t get a copy. But I am hoping to read it before the year ends.
Have a lovely another half year 😀
Ah Cait, you mustn’t be so hard on yourself (says me haha). It sounds like you’ve had a tough year but you’re still do amazing! 95 books is incredible. 🙂
Also AHH The Wicked King was amazing – THAT ENDING. I literally can’t wait for The Queen of Nothing!