#im gonna tag mina bc it technically *is* mina

[vfatsd124]

A photographer with a dark sense of humor

[halflingkima]

Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag

I wasn’t tagged, I just watched a lotta them on youtube. I wanted to feel included. Also I’ve read more in the 6-7 months of 2020 than all of the past five years put together, so I wanted to sorta celebrate.

my goodreads | my storygraph

Q&As under the cut. (I hope read mores work on mobile, if not, im so sorry)

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2020

Still, Normal People by Sally Rooney. Never had literary fiction hit so hard before. Still shocked that I somehow empathized with/liked the male lead more than the female lead. Still afraid to watch the series bc what if it’s not as good. I read this way back at the beginning of March and I’m honestly not surprised nothing has come close. This wasn’t just 5 stars, this was a new all-time favorite.

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2020

I really haven’t read many sequels this year. I’ve literally read Mortal Instruments 4&5, Artemis Fowl 2-4, Authority by Jeff Vandermeer, and Dark & Dazzling by Elizabeth Varlet and hated them all, so I guess the “best” sequel goes to Perfect by Cecelia Ahern. Both Flawed & Perfect were middling reads, 3 stars, and I found them a little uncomfortable in relation to “cancel culture” discourse, but at least they were entertaining, I guess?

3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to

I’m really not big on new releases in the slightest (see: unemployed), but I have found You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat through my library’s hoopla, and I do plan on reading it soon. Honorable Mention to Love, Creekwood by Becky Albertalli, but I have a feeling that’ll be a little more difficult to get my hands on.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

I have no clue how ppl learn abt upcoming releases and no desire to learn, as they mean next to nothing to me, a broke bitch. So I’mma say Loveless by Alice Oseman before it drops in four days. I’ve not read Alice Oseman before but I am SO thirsty for aro and/or ace rep.........

5. Biggest disappointment

The Confession by Jo Spain. It’s classified as a psychological thriller and reviews hailed it as “dark” and “twisting” and “gripping” and I was literally just bored. It’s not a thriller, it’s not even a mystery, it’s just a sequence of [awful] events told in an entertaining method – which is why it’s 2 stars. Literally none of it surprised me. (Coffee Cake by Michaela Grey was probably a bigger disappointment, but I didn’t expect much in the first place)

6. Biggest surprise

Honestly, Normal People, probably? I went in without expectations and came out a different person so. I’d say that qualifies.

7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you)

The only author I’ve read more than one book by and loved both was Annabeth Albert. Both Knit Tight and Conventionally Yours were 5 star reads, and I’d not read her before. I’m a little wary that she could be a cishet white woman writing only m/m but the stories themselves have not seemed fetishizing upon reading them so I’m gonna be optimistic here. I love the bg rep and would flip my lid if she published a f/f story, but hopes are not high.

8. Newest fictional crush

I was definitely into a couple of the side character girls in Skyward by Brandon Sanderson, but I don’t rmr their names :(( Otherwise probably Zafir from All the Wrong Places by Ann Gallagher. I mean, I don’t rly think abt him since reading the book, but while reading it BOY did I wanna be Brennan lmao.

9. Newest favorite character

Really loved Connell from Normal People, so he probably wins. Ayla and Crier from Crier’s War by Nina Varela and Spensa from Skyward are close followers tho.

10. Book that made you cry

Nothing has made me really cry this year? I did get a little misty-eyed reading Normal People, and I’ve shed a tear or two of joy at HEAs in a couple romances. The Parting Glass by Nina Marie Guadagnino was really fucking depressing, if that counts.

11. Book that made you happy

In addition to both Annabeth Alberts mentioned previously, All The Wrong Places by Ann Gallagher made me happy in a rly specific and unique way. It definitely could’ve been better and had more depth, but as I mentioned, I’m hella thirsty for ace rep (and it turns out I have a weakness for bi dads)

12. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)

The last gift books I recieved were technically from 2019, and I’ve only bought 5 thus far (which is a lot for me but also: quarantine) – the original Shannara trilogy, Complete Stories of Zora Neale Hurston, and How Long Til Black Future Month by NK Jemisin and I gotta say that one has to win. I love the front cover, but the yellow spine just really [clenches fist]

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

I mean I’d like to get through everything on my immediate TBR, including the books I most recently bought for myself, but I’m thinking I definitely need to read A Line Made by Walking by Sara Baume bc I have a physical copy from the library and I think they want it back eventually. I haven’t gotten to it yet bc I can tell it’s gonna be 5 stars but I wanna make sure I’m in the best possible mood to read it so I can experience it In Full, y’know?

14. Favorite book community member

I don’t really consider myself part of a book community, but I do like talkin’ bout books. Guro’s a solid 50% of the reason I began reading again, Starlah is my favorite booktuber, and I’m enjoying watching Mina’s videos while following her here on tumblr. Also my mom, bc I can finish a book and then throw it at her and yell “read this” and if she does, we can discuss it lol

[pleckthaniel]

ok so. @xbloodywhalex tagged me in 2 ask games and i forgot abt them both til now so im just gonna do em both at once FKJDHFJK under the readmore so you dont have to scroll past smth crazy long

first one:

name: murphy! but you can also call me like. any variation on my url sldjfks

zodiac: snake/gemini so basically im a hoe ass bitch

favorite musician/band: hotel mira! beach bunny and juice WRLD make close seconds tho. i’ll also always love taylor swift, owl city and queen 8)

favorite sports team: CHIEFS

other blogs: this is the part where i admit i’ve had @waspwhisker for like 3 months and still haven’t figured out what to do with it slkdjflsdk

do i get asks: once in a blue moon

how many blogs do i follow: like 1200 i think?

what i’m wearing: pajamas haha

dream vacation: well it USED to be vegas bc i got a friends and family discount at caesars properties but SOMEBODY had to go get laid off so I GUESS i’ll have a DIFFERENT vacation

dream car: the only time i have ever cared about cars for more than 5 seconds was when my ex spent like an hour on the mercedes-benz ‘build your own luxury vehicle’ site and would not speak to me about anything other than cars for the entire time

favorite food: idk raspberries probably

languages: english (fluent), spanish (conversational)

celebrity crush: jeanette mccurdy

random fact: i’ve never broken a bone :^)

and the second one;;;;

name: ^^^

nicknames: technically the name i go by IRL (mina) is a nickname of my legal name

zodiac: ^^^

height: a doctor said i was 5′6″ so i am legally allowed to say 5′6″

languages: ^^^

nationality: american babey

favorite season: probably fall but like early fall, fuck november

favorite flower: never thought about it before but... dandelions??

favorite scent: i have almost no sense of smell 8)

favorite color: green!

favorite animal: fish 4 sure

favorite fictional character: look at my blog description and ask me that again

coffee, tea or hot chocolate: tea always

average sleep hours: 8-9 now i’m at my parents’ house, was more like 6-7 at school

dog or cat person: dog person ironically

number of blankets you sleep with: 2 max

dream trip: ^^^ but also more seriously i’ve wanted for years to join the peace corps and work in south america (preferably teaching!) which is a big part of why im still in spanish classes even tho ive completed academic requirements ;P

blog established: uuuh postlimit couldn’t find my oldest post but it was definitely sometime in 2015, probably between june (when i turned 14) and august (when i started high school/returned to public school)

followers: 179

random fact: this is more of a story but one time i had a friend over and offered him some pineapple juice and he went, ‘no, i’m allergic to pineapples’ and i thought he was joking so i went, ‘haha, no but really :)’. he was not joking

i tag whoever wants to do this! :) i know sometimes i dont do stuff when people, write that bc im worried like ‘oh but they didnt mean ME’, so this is also to say, yes i do mean you, if your reading this and want to do it then just do it!! ily!!! :D