Book Tags

The 2026 Mid-Year Check-In Tag

Dini @ dinipandareadsLeave a comment

When Caro tagged me in her mid-year post the other day, I at first couldn’t believe that it’s already time for the Mid-Year Check-In! The last few months have been ✨ stressful ✨ over here, and I’m still going through the trenches until the end of the month—which is only a few days away, so I’m hanging in there. But I digress. Despite kind of prioritizing gaming as my favourite form of unwinding in recent months, I am still reading, albeit very slowly. So I’ll be curious to see what answers I can come up with for this year’s check-in! We’re halfway through 2026, folks and what a time it’s been… 😶‍🌫️

Check out my previous check-ins:
2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025

For a general bookish update, as of today, I’ve read 49 books. I’ve also fallen off updating everything on Goodreads and Storygraph over the past few months, but luckily, I’ve kept my Notion tracker updated. Considering how I’ve slowed down massively with my reading in the past few months, this number doesn’t surprise me, but I think I’m still on track(ish) to achieve my year end goal of 100 books! I’m going to be having a lot more free time coming up very soon, so hopefully this means that I can find my way back into reading even more.

Notes: I’ll do my best to not repeat too many books but there’s a chance it’ll happen because it’s me and I’m indecisive. Also, covers are linked to my reviews if you want to read my thoughts (and if by some miracle I’ve written one, lol).

Best book you’ve read so far in 2026?

I’m going to share my Top 3 so far and these are my only 5-star reads of the year! We’ve got A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett, Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan, and The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty. I love all three books so much! 🥹

Best sequel so far of 2026?

I’m going to go with a different answer to what I would’ve said initially because I want to use different books for each question. 🤭

So for this we’re going with The Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan. After the first book, this third installment in the series was my favourite. I loved the action-packed adventure, Pacific-inspired setting, and the characters especially. It was so wonderful to see more of Isabella as a mother, her wonderful son Jake, and I loved meeting Suhail! 😍

New release you haven’t read yet but want to?

Gosh, I have too many options for this one! I’m gonna go with a contemporary / lit fic that has a bit of a mystery to it? This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum sounds really good and I can’t wait to read it!

Most anticipated release for the second half of 2026?

I AM READY FOR VICTORIOUS by V.E. Schwab! Please. I need. 🥹

Biggest disappointment?

🚨 Unpopular Opinion Alert (probably). I was so disappointed that I didn’t love The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. Still unsure whether I’m giving it a 3-star rating or lower.

It’s a bit perplexing because the overall feeling that I have is confusion and… Like I somehow missed something? There were bits I enjoyed but for the most part, I don’t think I got what the author was trying to do or say. Nothing really came together in a cohesive way, despite the mash of really strong themes, and so it felt a bit like a ‘whomp-whomp’ moment for me at the end. ☹️ Bummed fr.

Biggest surprise?

What It Means When A Man Falls From the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah is not in my usual wheelhouse but I remembered hearing great things about it and I couldn’t agree more.

This was such a beautifully written collection of short stories that ties in together the experiences of mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, lovers, friends, and strangers in Nigeria and of the diaspora. Most of all, these stories are about women and girls with fire in their bellies and who refuse to be stamped out.

Favourite new author (Debut or new to you)?

Ooh, always a toughie this. I think this year I’m going with a favourite new-to-me author and that’s S. A. MacLean. I buddy read Voidwalker a couple months back and really enjoyed it! It was tense, hilarious, sexy, and nail-bitingly good. I’m so excited for the sequel and can’t wait to go back and read her 2024 debut!

Newest fictional crush?

Ooh, I got nothing this time around… 🙃

Newest favourite character?

Oh gosh, there are so many new characters that I’ve met and loved! First to mind are:

Book that made you cry?

As always, there have been several because I’m a super emotional reader, but these three had me ugly crying big time!

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy, The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue by Zoulfa Katouh, 10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in this Strange World by Elif Shafak

Book that made you happy?

Forgive-Me-Not by Mari Costa was so freaking cute! There were definitely dark moments, but for the most part, this made me feel giddy and buoyant, especially that cheesy ending. 🤭

Favourite book to movie/TV adaptation that you saw this year?

So… I haven’t actually watched any adaptations this year and there have been so many so I haven’t got anything to put here! 😶‍🌫️

Favourite review you’ve written this year?

This has been another year where I’ve struggled to write reviews. 😮‍💨 Maybe once I have more time after June I’ll be able to do better with this!

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

I’m subscribed to Illumicrate and Afterlight, and I always find their editions absolutely stunning. It’s so hard to choose!

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

Well, it’s not so much a need because I don’t really do ARCs these days, but the books I want to read before the year ends? What book don’t I want to read before then? 🤭 Here are some that come to mind:

Heart the Lover by Lily King, The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang, Arcana Academy by Elise Kova, Bat Eater by Kylie Lee Baker, The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

And that’s it for the end of the 2026 mid-year check-in! How has your year of reading been so far? Have you read any of these or are they on your TBR?

Blog signature that reads: Let's Chat! xoxo, Dini

Leave a comment