Mid year book freak out tag 2020

It has been kind of quiet on the blog here lately.  Between work, enjoying the nice weather, family time, and all the ARCs I've been reading I haven't had much time for blogging other than scheduled posts.  I've read some really excellent books, and plan to get those reviews up soon.  

I've been seeing this post pop up on YouTube and I always liked it.  I thought I'd do an impromptu Tag Tuesday.  I love this particular tag because I can feature some of my favorite books I've read so far this year and let you know about some upcoming releases that I'm looking forward to.

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2020. 
1. A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow.  
1. I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this, and if you look back at my reviews in 2018, I read a ton of retellings with mermaids/sirens.  This looked really interesting and I love a good mermaid storyline, but this completely blew me away.  It is not a retelling, and it is so much more than a fantasy story about a girl who is a siren.  It discusses racism, sexism, and so much more.  
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2. Best sequel you've read so far in 2020. 
1. Rage & Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  
1. This is the second book in The Harbinger Series, and this world is a spin off of my favorite series ever.  This is shaping up to be my second favorite.  I love the characters, the world, and the author.
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3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to. 
1. Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz.  
1. I got a surprise ARC of this in the mail, but I haven't gotten to it yet.  It came out in January, but I tend to catch up on reading my physical books in the summer when I spend more time outside reading
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4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year. - I have a few:
1. Escaping Ordinary by Scott Reintgen
2. The Brightest Night by Jennifer L. Armentrout
3. Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
4. Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
5. Biggest disappointment.  
1. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix.  
1. This was so hyped up and on the surface looks like something I love.  It's got humor, Stephen King level weirdness and horror, and vampires.  I love all those things in a book, except for a book about vampires, this really fell flat for me.  There was too much of the Stepford Wives overtone and not enough vampire.  This one is going to be hit or miss for people and it was a miss for me.
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6. Biggest surprise. I have two:
1. The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauerneuster.  
1. I wasn't sure I'd like this, but it was a Reese Witherspoon pick and those tend to be pretty good.  While this doesn't have magic, it almost has a magical realism feel for parts of the book.
2. 
2. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline.  
1. This book was so interesting.  Dystopian books are hit or miss with me but I loved the unique premise of this.  I also loved how much the author put herself and the culture of the indigenous people of North American into this book.  I couldn't stop listening to the audiobook. 
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7. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you) .
1. Sarah Gailey.  
1. I highly recommend their work, and I'm slowly making my way through their backlist.  They have a unique writing style that I really enjoy, and there is always a diverse cast of characters.  
8. Newest fictional crush. 
1. I am not a fan of this question. I don't really the do whole book boyfriend thing.  If you want men that don't suck read any of the Smartypants Romance books.  There is a good mix of characters for all types of readers.  
9. Newest favorite character.
1. Ava from Dear Ava by Ilsa Madden Mills
1. This book deals with some heavy subject matter but Ava deals with all the crap that is thrown at her with poise and a strength that most people don't have.  Knox would be a good answer for the previous question.
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10. Book that made you cry. 
1. I don't think I've read one this year.  I've read some pretty emotional books that have covered some fairly heavy topics, but I went through my read list and none of them brought me to tears.
11. Book that made you happy. 
1. Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting it Done by Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser
1. This is a great non-fiction book about high school girls learning to code.  As a high schooler I would have loved to have had the opportunity that Andrea and Sophie had to learn about coding and technology.  I entered into engineering with some support but not at the same level they did.  This book made me happy to know that girls are getting the support they need to enter STEM fields and close the gender gap.
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12. Favorite book to film adaptation you saw this year. 
1. Honestly I don't think I've seen one this year.  I just listened to Bird Box on audio and I want to see the movie but I don't have Netflix.
13. Favourite review you've written this year.
1. Black Tangled Heart by Samantha Young
1. This book was an emotional rollercoaster.  I really loved it!
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14. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received) 
1. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
1. This is Jen's first foray into Fantasy and was a surprise release in March.  It is fairly long so I haven't picked it up yet, but I know I won't be able to put it down once I do.
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2. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
1. As is the usual trend I have a ton! I have 3 prompts to finish up for the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge, 20 prompts left for the Popsugar Reading Challenge. I'm doing really well on my challenge reading, and I've got a list of ARCs to read and review. I'll list a few of the ARCs that are coming out in the near future:
1. Unearthed by Marc Mulero (July 26, 2020)
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3. Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles (August 25, 2020)
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Original post Chami and Ely at A Book So Fathomless. Original Vlogs IsThatChami and Earl Grey Books.