Listen. I am exceptionally qualified for this post, because I started the freak-out early in 2020, so this is some professional level spazzing, and you’re welcome.
I totally honed my skills just for you all. You deserve the best, after all. I’m still not completely sure how it’s mid-year right now. Wasn’t it just March? You mean it’s almost July already? Did I fall into a wormhole? Slip into a coma? Am I being punked? OMG, IS ASHTON KUTCHER HERE?! No? Well … disappointing.
✦ BEST BOOK OF 2020 SO FAR ✦
It was so freaking hard to choose the best book so far, because there were so many great books I’ve read. Ultimately, I went with this one, because it’s one I wasn’t going to mention elsewhere in this tag, and I think I covered most of my favorites in other categories.
I didn’t love Moby Dick when I read it, but despite that, I went out of my way to grab Black Leviathan, which was pitched as Moby Dick with dragons. You know what? I loved it so much that I ended up recently picking up a copy to add to my shelves. The world here was just *chef’s kiss*. I’m low-key mad that it’s a standalone, because I want more. This world deserves to be lived in for a while.
My review
✦ BEST SEQUEL OF 2020 SO FAR ✦
I bought Dread Nation a few months after it came out and then just … sat on it? I actually kept forgetting I owned it. So when I saw Deathless Divide was coming out, I piggybacked them, and thank goodness for that, because this duology is … phew. It’s an emotional roller coaster.
This book has a little bit of it all: zombies, badass black women, ace rep, bisexual rep, fun fight scenes, emotional character deaths, and lots of character growth. For the better, I thought.
My review
✦ NEW RELEASES I HAVEN’T READ YET, BUT WANT TO ✦
I’m pretty sure we’ve already established that I’m a slacker, so this should surprise no one. I need to get my hands on Elysium Girls still (neither library I have a card for has it), and I’m on hold for Ashlords at the library still. I definitely need to get to these before the end of the year!
✦ MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASES OF THE SECOND HALF OF 2020 ✦
I feel like none of these should really be much of a surprise, because I’ve been yelling about the series for a while now. If you haven’t read Tristan Strong yet … what are you even doing with your life?! Same goes for the Nevermoor series. Harry Potter too problematic for you now? Good. Go read Nevermoor. You won’t miss anything about Harry Potter except the nostalgia once you do, because that book has it all.
✦ BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS ✦
I actually started reading Highfire as a request from my director, who was deciding whether it should be put on the shelf or not. I was super excited. The blurb sounded like the story was pretty much written just for me, and the first few pages I instantly fell in love. That didn’t last long, unfortunately. My director still talks about my official conclusion about this book, because it featured the phrase “full of dick and ball jokes,” and apparently, she expected a level of professionalism that I’m clearly incapable of, because she didn’t know me well enough yet. She loved it anyway, though, and proceeded to share it with the board and anyone who would listen because it tickled her so much. So yeah, needless to say, that was a big pass for me.
As for Wicked As You Wish, I’d heard such wonderful things about Rin Chupeco and had been wanting to read her work, so this was my introduction to her as an author. I just wasn’t feeling it. The world-building was confusing, and there were a lot of really random info dumps, including a scene where the character is basically scrolling Wikipedia to find out about something, and that’s how we, as the reader, learn about it, too, with several pages worth of Wikipedia-esque text. Just not my thing.
✦ BIGGEST SURPRISE ✦
With a title like that, I had absolutely no idea what to expect! This book was a real delight, though. It was super funny, in that cheesy, punny way that I absolutely love. It fits perfectly into middle grade, but there’s also little Easter eggs that parents will enjoy, which made it all the more fun. I especially loved how it low-key pushed the idea of STEM and science without being preachy, but instead, just showing the little ways that science can be used in daily life. I mean, it makes the argument that science is better than magic, and I’m not sure I 100% agree with that (the magic in this book is geared towards doing chores, and oof, I want that), but it was still a super fun read.
My review
✦ FAVORITE NEW-TO-ME OR DEBUT AUTHOR ✦
T.J. Klune
If you haven’t read this man yet, GO DO IT. Why are you still here? What are you waiting for? Get on that!
My introduction to Klune’s work was The House in the Cerulean Sea earlier this year, and I immediately fell in love. His characters are so easy to love, his plots are character-driven but fun, and the banter he writes is so perfect I can’t even. I’ve since read The Extraordinaries, too, which is definitely not a genre I would normally read and it’s very character driven, so I thought I’d have problems with it, but nope. The protagonist, Nick, has ADHD, and he was basically me as a teenager except gayer and I absolutely loved everything about the book.
I haven’t had a chance to go check out his backlist yet, but needless to say, I will for be doing that in the near future.
✦ FAVORITE CRUSH ✦
Serefin || Wicked Saints
Ahhh, my murder king. When I was reading the book, I posted this on Twitter, and I think it still totally stands:
I’m still 100 pages from the end of Wicked Saints, so this may be a little premature, but I’ve decided that I’m obviously going to marry Serefin, okay? You’re all invited to celebrate with me & my murder king. I promise we’ll keep the bloodshed to a minimum. Probably. #amreading
— Sammie (@srbetler) March 30, 2020
Serefin actually gets a love interest in book two, which I’m fine with. I’ll marry him for political convenience, he can have his boo on the side, and we’ll finally clean up his kingdom and live happily ever after. I love his snark, of course, but also how he genuinely is trying to do the right thing for his people and make the best out of the lousy situation he was born into.
✦ FAVORITE CHARACTER ✦
Murderbot || The Murderbot Diaries
I mean … socially awkward murder robot. What’s not to love here? I have so many favorite characters, but now that we’re opening back up from COVID again and I’m interacting with the public more, I’m really feeling Murderbot right now lol. Being social is awkward and hard, and humans are silly and confusing.
✦ BOOK THAT MADE ME CRY ✦
The Of Blood and Bone series just completely destroyed me. I’m pretty sure I aged ten years in the couple of weeks it took to complete this series, back to back. All my poor little character babies. They went through so much. <3 AND MY FAVORITE CHARACTER. I WASN’T PREPARED. My poor heart. T_T And just when I thought it was finally over and I could relax? Gwynne just ripped my soul out of my chest and stomped on it. If you look really closely (it’s small, so I know it may be hard to see), you may still find boot prints on it.
My review of the first two books
My review of the third book
✦ BOOK THAT MADE ME HAPPY ✦
Middle grade comedy is so hit or miss for me, because the comedy is sometimes so crass and juvenile that I’m just like … nah. Miss me with those fart/poop jokes, thanks. The kids may love it, but it’s just never going to be my thing.
This series, though, was freaking hilarious. I loved that the theme was basically expect the unexpected. Poor Ben tries so hard, but he never quite succeeds at things. Not like you’d expect. The superpower aspect is really fun (hint: not all superpowers are useful). Despite being funny and a comedy, it also manages to pack in a surprising amount of heart and depth.
My review
✦ BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATION ✦
I actually haven’t read the Witcher books yet, so … who knows. Maybe I’ll hate them? I think not, but I just convinced my director to order them for the library and I called dibs, so hopefully I’ll get to read them soon.
Not gonna lie, when my husband insist we watch this series, I absolutely rolled my eyes. I mean, Henry Cavill is pretty hot, but eye candy does not a series make. I did end up loving this series, though, and the depth of the world and the characters. I probably honestly would’ve never tried the books if I hadn’t watched the series, so that’s a win, right?
✦ FAVORITE BLOG POST OF MINE ✦
✦ FAVORITE REVIEW I’VE WRITTEN
THIS YEAR ✦
✦ BOOKS I NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR ✦
I can’t believe I haven’t read these yet. I’m as disappointed in myself as you are, trust me. I’ll probably wait until I get my hands on Aurora Burning, and then I’ll read those two together. I got Sorcery of Thorns for Christmas, so I have no idea why I haven’t picked it up yet. No excuses. And Mistborn? If I don’t read it soon, my husband will probably smother me in my sleep. He’s been trying to get me to read it for, like, SIX YEARS. Our 11th wedding anniversary is coming up, so I thought it’d be a nice gift to finally, you know, read it.
You’ve reminded me I really want to read Black Leviathan, but there are just too many books!!😬 I love this post, I’ll be posting my freak out list in a week or so😁
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You really dooo! There are way too many books, but Black Leviathan is worth it.
100% agree on BLACK LEVIATHAN. The writing was so immersive, I just want more of that word.
Yeees! Honestly, I want a whole prequel series just about Hanon’ka, please and thank you. I’m so curious about his past.
Count me in!
I had never read or played The Witcher before starting the Netflix series, but it really sucked me in. So far I’ve only read The Last Wish which is a collection of short stories that they recommend you try first and the tv show draws on it a little bit. Next up, I’m waiting for Sword of Destiny, another collection of shorts, and the first full length novel of the series Blood of Elves to come in at my library.
I hadn’t played The Witcher, either, but my husband and brother-in-law had, and they were the ones who chose to watch the series. I’m glad the series stood fine on its own. My library just got that one in, too, so I’ll definitely make a note to pick up The Last Wish first. thanks! We actually got The Last Wish and the first three books of the series, and I’ll get first dibs, which is nice. 😉
Aurora Rising is on my list too! Seriously a bit embarrassed that it has taken this long because I even took the time to preordered it 😳 I am also hardcore feeling the Murderbot-awkward social feels as things open up too. Do you think polarized sunglasses will work as a visor to hide behind? 😂
I feel slightly better, because I didn’t preorder it. I got it the month after it came out. So woot woot! xD You have me slightly beat. I think polarized sunglasses paired with a COVID mask is a reeeeally close second to a visor LOL.
Fun list of books! Tristan Strong does not surprise me at all. And you’re 100% right: I love Murderbot on any regular day, but I love it EVEN MORE during this pandemic.
Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits recently posted…Friday Reads: My Ongoing Pride TBR
Yes! I’m pretty sure this was the perfect time to be introduced to Murderbot.
I’m so glad we informally read Deathless Divide together. It was so insanely incredible!
Also, I don’t know how the concept behind High fire went so off the rails, but wow.
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It was so good, for sure! And I don’t know, either. The idea is still a wonderful one, and I wish someone would write it. Just less … that. Whatever that was.
Moby Dick with dragons, you say? Well that’s going straight on my TBR! I keep hearing so many good things about Deathless Divide, I need to pick it up ASAP.
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I hope you enjoy it! Both Black Leviathan and Deathless Divide were two of my favorite reads this year. :3
I hadn’t heard of Black Leviathan, but it sounds AMAZING. Going to go and see if my library has it when I’ve finished this comment 🙂 Can’t get better than ‘Moby Dick’ with dragons.
I am DYING to read the next Morrigan Crow, but I have the first two in paperback and it’s going to annoy me if I only have the last one in hardback… so apparently I’m going to have to wait for the new one!!!
Dragons makes pretty much everything better. That’s all I’m saying. xD
Ooof, that’s the only annoying thing about recently, where they’ve been releasing the hardbacks and then waiting a year or two to release paperbacks. I actually prefer the paperbacks to hardbacks, so I hate only having one available. And yeah, that would drive me crazy, too, if I couldn’t get the third one to match lol.
Ahaha I love this post. I was also thinking the same thing about Nevermoor the other day when I finally finished book two of the series. Forget Harry Potter! Nevermoor has it all and I am loving every second of it 😍 I can’t wait to get my hands on Hollowpox! ALSO you really need to read all three of those books, Sammie!! AB, SoT and Mistborn (what?! how?!)!!! I hope you love them all 💜
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Nevermoor has Jupiter North, so any other argument is automatically invalid. :3 Hollowpox still feels sooo far away.
I knooow. Gosh, I’m a horrible person. xD Mistborn, I’ll be picking up after I finish the two books I’m reading now. For real this time. I mean it.