Welcome to my Midyear Freakout Tag—aka my midyear reading check-in where I get to scream (lovingly) about the best, worst, most surprising, and most emotional reads of 2025 so far. I’m answering all the classic tag questions, from my favorite book of the year and best sequel, to the biggest disappointment and the book that absolutely wrecked me. It’s very “academia vibes meets reader chaos,” and yes, I’m also talking about the releases I still need to get to before the year runs away from me. I also share what I’m most anticipating for the second half of the year—new releases I’m desperate to pick up, the characters I’m currently obsessed with, and the fictional crush that has me acting unwell. If you’re doing your own midyear check-in, this is your sign to pause, reflect, and recalibrate your TBR. And if you want to read along with me, I’ve got multiple book clubs running so we can collectively spiral over plot twists, romances, and dragons together.