Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag

05 Aug, 2026

After watching Mid-Year Freak Out videos from a few book-ish Youtubers, I got really excited about doing it myself and using it as an opportunity to share some of my favourite books.

From my limited understanding, this tag started over a decade ago although I'm not sure who originally created it. It's a series of prompts to encourage readers to reflect on the books they've read during the first half of the year.

I'm writing this in early August, so I'm definitely a little late, but still happy to join the conversation!

Best book you've read so far in 2026

The Sisters: A Novel by Josan Hassen Khemiri

Having two sisters of my own, I love seeing sisterhood in media, even when the dynamic is so different from my own family. In Khemiri's novel, the three sisters' relationship is defined by rivalry, anxiety, and envy, and the novels spans decades so you get to see them grow and change as their relationships change as well. It's such a fascinating study of sisterhood but their story is also broken up by a sort of autofiction from the author's own perspective. I was very confused at first but I grew to love how Khemiri's chapters built out the mythology around the three sisters. I love how the story bends reality and teases at truths without confronting them head on.

I'd love to read more of Khemiri's work, especially knowing that this is the first book he wrote in English. His previous work was always written in Swedish and then translated into English later.

Best sequel you've read so far in 2026

I haven't read any sequels (or prequels) yet...

...but I'm excited to read Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert because I just found a copy secondhand.

New releases you haven't read yet but want to

The Make-Believe by Hannah Murray

"I lost my mind. I lost my self. I got them back. But they are different..." ¹

This is a memoir written by Hannah Murray, an actress from Skins and Game of Thrones who spirals into the "make-believe" and into a dangerous rabbit hole. I'm waiting for this from the library right now and excited (but nervous) to read it.

Girl's Girl by Sonia Feldman

This is a 2026 release that I think I added to my TBR because of a recommendation from YouTube, but I keep looking at it because the cover art is so beautiful. It's also tagged as an LGBTQ+ book and I'm just so excited to read more queer literature, especially if it's sapphic!

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

Hollywood, Ending by John Green

I've never met a John Green book I didn't like, although I haven't read his older fiction novels since I was a teenager, so I'm not sure how they've aged. Hollywood, Ending sounds good, but I'll admit that I had to look through a list of new releases to remember that this was coming up soon.

Biggest disappointment

The Book of Records by Madeleine Thien

I was so excited for this after listening to the episode with Thien on CBC's Bookends. I loved her previous novel Do Not Say We Have Nothing and immediately put The Book of Records on hold at the library when I heard about it, but it just didn't work for me.

I liked a lot of the different elements, but it just didn't come together as I would have hoped. Thinking back on it now, thr historical fiction sections about Hannah Arendt (whose work I read in university) and the eighth century poet Du Fu were the highlight for me, but I'm not quite sure why I had such trouble finishing this book. It did make me excited to go back to Hannah Arendt and reread The Human Condition.

Biggest surprise

Drunk of All Your Strange New Words by Eddie Robson

I'd never heard of this novel before but I found it at the library because 1) it was available and 2) I needed to read a science fiction novel for my work's book club.

It's a beautiful, fun, and short novel about language translation and aliens. I also didn't register that it would have a murder mystery-type plot when I read the teaser but I loved it.

New favourite author (debut or new to you)

Probably Jonas Hassen Khemiri just because I loved The Sisters so much, although I haven't read any of his other work

Newest fictional crush

I don't really read much romance and haven't found a character to crush on in any of the books I've read so far

Newest favourite character

Nightbitch in Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder

OOF. This book was so good and I'm hoping to make a zine or a blog post at some point about all the books and movies I've consumed about how the patriarchy and motherhood pushes women to insanity. I'm not exactly sure why I'm so drawn to this niche genre, but I think Nightbitch is the best of the best. I love the absurdity and rage, and I love the main character. I love how she's a good wife and mother, while simultaneously spiraling 23into chaos. I love how she is angry and calm, caring and selfish, lonely and loved. Nightbitch is phenomenal and I'm so nervous to watch the movie adaptation because I love living in the imagination and absurdity of the novel.

A book that made you cry

Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius

I'm so glad I finally read this book. I learned so much about Swedish and Sámi culture and I just think everyone should read it. It was wonderful and beautiful, but so sad.

"Being Sámi meant carrying your history with you, to stand before that heavy burden as a child and choose to bear it or not. But how could you choose not to bear your family's history and carry on your inheritance?"

A book that made you happy

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

My sister recommended this to me a couple years ago when I said I wanted to read more science fiction and fantasy and I'm so on board. This is an INCREDIBLE book. I listened to the audiobook over the course of an afternoon, since it was only four hours long, and it's such a pleasant memory now. I took a long walk by the river while listening to this book. I ate grocery store sushi, sat in the grass, and watched ducks. It was the perfect book to fall into on a peaceful summer day.

The most beautiful book you've bought so far this year

A Crooked Tree by Una Mannion

Since I already mentioned The Sisters twice, I looked through my bookself for another book I bought this year and found A Crooked Tree. I actually found this at a free little library, but the cover is so striking. It's eerie and colourful and I'm hooked, even though I haven't read it yet. 80

Books you need to read by the end of the year

Notes of a Crocodile by Qin Miaojin with Bonnie Huie (translator)

I bought this after Plant Based Bride recommended it in one of her videos. I read the first chapter while bussing back home from the bookstore, but I put it down because I was already in the middle of a few other books at the time. I'll definitely be reading this before the end of the year, especially because it fits with my goal to read more translated fiction AND my goal to read more 2SLGBTQ+ fiction.

Favourite book to move adaptation

Project Hail Mary

Although I wasn't crazy about the book, I knew the movie would be phenomenal the whole time I was reading it. And it was. I kind of think you can skip the book and just watch the movie. Is that crazy? Oh well.