Mid-Year Reading Check Tags

I enjoy doing these mid-year check ins, like this one from The Orangutan Librarian or Stephen Writes, and a few other places I forgot to bookmark. And I typically do one of them around this time, too. This year, I saw the way that Emma @ Words And Peace mashed-up and reorganized a couple of these tags into one. I liked it enough that I’m using her format.

Now, I’m indecisive as usual, so for most of these prompts I gave three responses because I just couldn’t decide. Hope you enjoy.

1. How many books reads so far in 2025?

140

2. What genre I read most of:

As of June 30, it was Mystery/Crime/Thriller with 29% of my reading.

3. My favorite so far:

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman	Don’t Tell Me How to Die by Marshall Karp	My Documents by Kevin Nguyen

4. Best sequel:

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett	The Medusa Protocol by Rob Hart	Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

5. Surprisingly good:

For the record, I expected that all of these were going to be good–which explains me reading/listening. But I didn’t think they’d be as good as they were. (I think that’s the intent of the catgory, I just want to stress it)

The Amazing Twin Chicken Freedom Fighters by Zephaniah Sole	The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong, read by Phyllis Ho	I See You’ve Called in Dead by John Kenney, ready by Sean Patrick Hopkins

6. Most disappointing:

The Greatest Nobodies of History: Minor Characters from Major Moments by Adrian Bliss	That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis	A Little History of Music by Robert Philip, read by Zeb Soanes

I’m NOT suggesting that That Hideous Strength was bad. It just wasn’t as good as the others in the trilogy, so it was a disappointment. The other two, were “meh” at best.

7. New favorite author discovered in 2025:

Kevin Nguyen	Michael Michel	Thomas Trang

8. New favorite character:

Garlenna Renwood, body guard/conscience, of Prince Barodane Ironlight. I can’t put my finger on what exactly is appealing about her–everything? She’s just the best character in Michel’s series (so far), and there are plenty to choose from.

Tchaikovsky’s Enth was both a fascinating (and fun!) character in himself. He was also a compelling look at humanity from a very inhuman perspective. I could’ve picked a few more characters from this book, but Enth is one that I’m not going to forget anytime soon.

Maggie Dunn kept you guessing and finding new layers to her on every page. Karp made her a remarkable character. I wrote about her on a couple of occasions, and I know I haven’t said everything I’d like to.

9. Made me cry:

The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman	Don’t Tell Me How to Die by Marshall Karp	Tilt by Emma Pattee, read by Ariel Blake

Nothing has got me there quite yet (I think I said something similar last year, and within a week that streak was over). But…The Bright Sword got close. Tilt made me think about it. Don’t tell Me How to Die almost did get me misty, surprisingly early, too.

10. Made me happy:

Really everything I rated 3 stars or above (the overwhelming majority of what I’ve read this year) has done that. But these three titles stand out along those lines:

I See You’ve Called in Dead by John Kenney, ready by Sean Patrick Hopkins	Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto	One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman

12. Most beautiful book bought:

Five Broken Blades (Deluxe Limited Edition) by Mai Corland

(although the other two in the trilogy might come close, we’ll have to see if I want to buy those)

13. Need to finish:

Whatever I’m reading/listening to today 🙂

Also:

Wisdom for Life: 52 Old Testament Meditations by Michael P. V. Barrett	Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism by Zacharias Ursinus	Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices by Thomas Brooks

The first two of these I’m not going to finish until Dec. 28th (Lord willing), they’re designed that way. The Brooks book is one I’m working through with someone, and we’re taking our time, and may not finish this year.

14. Most anticipated 2025 read:

Thus far:

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett	When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi

15. Most anticipated upcoming 2025 release:

The Final Vow by M.W. Craven	Silver and Lead by Sanan McGuire

If it was a footrace, The Final Vow, would be so far in the lead that it’d discourage everyone else–with the exception of Silver and Lead, because I’m not used to waiting this long for Toby Daye.

16. Next big priority:

Finishing off this list:

17. Bookish highlights:

Shared Stories book clubs, it’s just so cool to talk about books with a bunch of similarly-minded people at once. The interactions I’ve had here/on video or on social media with various and sundry writers/readers/bloggers. And everything mentioned above.

As usual, I’m not tagging anyone in this—but I’d like to see what you all have to come up with.