Mid Year Book Freak Out Tag 2026

We are half-way through the year already, time goes by way too fast. And so far, I have finished 27 books (out of the 60 book I try to read in 2026). I’m pretty certain I will meet my goal. But now is the perfect time to see how my reading has been going this year and to look back at the first six months of my reading year, by doing this tag.  I just simply answer some bookish questions about all the books I read in the first half of 2026.
 

Best book you’ve read so far in 2026?

Normally this is a difficult question, but this time I already know. “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt is my definite favorite. I loved this book so much, that it’s safe to say that this is my new favorite book of all-time. This book is everything to me now and people are actually telling me stop talking about it at this point. And I never will. 
 

Best sequel you've read so far in 2026?
I’m not a big series reader and I only read one sequel so far this year: Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler. I read the first book, “Parable of the Sower”, last year and absolutely loved it. Its sequel was also amazing. This duology is one everyone needs to read, it’s important literature.
 

New release you haven’t read yet, but want to?
I really want to read the newest Abby Jimenez, “The Night We Met”, which is the second book in the “Say You’ll Remember Me” series. Her romance novels are my favorites, because of the emotional load they carry. I’m currently in the middle of “Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke, which is all over Bookstagram right now. And “Molka” by Monika Kim is a book I bought earlier this year and I read a lot of great things about it as well.
 

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year?
I haven’t given up on Riley Sager yet, even though I DNF’ed “With a Vengeance” last year and rated “Middle of the Night” 2 stars the year before. In August he will be releasing “The Unknown” and it’s about five woman who disappeared in 1926 from a remote island in Vermont. And now, one hundred years later, its happening again. Sager has written two of my all-time favorite thrillers. I still have faith that this will be another good one.
 

Biggest disappointment?
I was very disappointed in “Penpal” by Dathan Auerbach. I just found it very boring and confusing. The gaps in logic and  fragmented style left me dissatisfied. And “Fantasticland” by Mike Bockoven was a DNF for me, which was also, just like “Penpal”, a book that I had on my TBR for a long time and had high expectations for.
 

Biggest surprise?
I was surprised by how much I loved “Natural Beauty” by Ling Ling Huang. It’s a slow burn, which I usually struggle with, but it worked in its favor for this one. I also really loved “Best Offer Wins” by Marisa Kashino. I picked it up because  people kept recommending it on Instagram. This turned out to be a page turner that I just couldn’t put down.  
 

Favorite new author (debut or new to you)?
Authors I will definitely be reading more from, because I loved the first books I read by them this year: Shelby Van Pelt, Ling Ling Huang, Gerardo Sámano Córdova, Nat Cassidy and Kylie Lee Baker. I would also love to read more from T. Kingfisher, even though “What Moves the Dead” was not a book I loved, but just enjoyed. Her writing has so much potential.
 

Newest favorite character?
Tova and Marcellus from “Remarkably Bright Creatures”, obviously. Their friendship is everything to me. I really liked Jamie from “How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates”. I related to her movie knowledge a lot.
 

Book that made you cry?
“Monstrilio” by Gerardo Sámano Córdova had me sobbing at the end, that book was really emotional for me. Same goes for “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby van Pelt, but cried for different reasons.  “Life of Chuck” by Stephen King touched me and “Twee Prinsen” by Splinter Chabot also made me ugly cry.  
 

Book that made you happy?
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” again. That book did a lot with all of my emotions. It’s such a hopeful story, about new beginnings and unlikely friendships. 
 

Favorite book to movie adaptation?
I reread “The Body” by Stephen King this year and the movie “Stand By Me” is based on this novella. It’s a movie that has been in my top 10 for years, and I have rewatched it many times. Since I have seen this movie before and the book was also a reread, I will pick another. I loved the adaptations for “Hamnet” and “The Life of Chuck”, but I will again have to go for “Remarkably Bright Creatures”.  All these movie adaptations got it right and I just loved how they all stayed true to their source material. “Project Hail Mary” I absolutely loved and was better than the book in my opinion. I saw some great movie adaptation this year already.
 

Most beautiful book you’ve bought this year?
I got this really beautiful edition of “Animal Farm” by George Orwell. I have read this book before and I’m really looking forward to reading it again. I could not leave the bookstore without this gorgeous edition.
 

What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
I still need to catch up on the “Thursday Murder Club” series and read last year’s “The Impossible Fortune” by Richard Osman. I want to read the last horror book by Thomas Olde Heuvelt that I haven’t read yet, “Orakel”. And the two Janice Hallet books, “A Box Full of Murders” and “The Killer Question”. I also want to try and read “The Odyssey” before the movie comes out, but that’s a big fat maybe.

Movie Review - Remarkably Bright Creatures

Director: Olivia Newman
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Alfred Molina, Colm Meany, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, Joan Chen, Sofia Black-D’Elia
 
Description: Through unlikely bonds formed during night shifts at a local aquarium, Tova (Sally Field), an elderly widow, learns of a life-changing discovery that may bring her joy and wonder once again.  
 
Review: There are movies you watch, and movies you experience. “Remarkably Bright Creatures” undoubtedly belongs to the latter category. Director Olivia Newman has succeeded in translating the complex emotions from Shelby Van Pelt’s bestsellers into a visually stunning and deeply moving drama that lingers in your mind for days. The beating heart of the film is the extraordinary bond between 70-year-old Tova Sullivan and Marcellus, a giant octopus at the Sowell Bay Aquarium.

Sally Field plays Tova with a fragile strength that immediately touches you; her loneliness following the loss of her husband and the disappearance of her son thirty years ago is palpable in every scene where she silently scrubs the floors of the aquarium. When she and Marcellus (with the masterful, gruff voice of Alfred Molina) find each other, a chemistry emerges that is almost magical. Marcellus is not a pet, but a highly intelligent being who observes humanity with a cynical eye. Except for Tova. Their silent understanding and the way Marcellus helps her unravel the truth about her past form one of the most original and moving friendships I’ve ever seen.

In addition to the connection with Marcellus, the arrival of Cameron (an excellent Lewis Pullman) drives the story forward. Cameron is a man in his thirties who cant seem to get his life together and ends up in Sowell Bay in search of answers about his origins. The dynamic between the dutiful, reserved Tova and the chaotic, searching Cameron is beautifully crafted. What begins as an awkward working relationship grows into a deep human connection. Tova sees in Cameron the potential he himself does not yet see, while Cameron unconsciously fills the void left by the disappearance of Tova’s son. The film sublimely demonstrates how two strangers can heal each other, simply by appearing in each other’s lives at the right moment.

Visually and emotionally balanced, the cinematography perfectly captures the misty, melancholic atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest, which forms a beautiful contrast with Marcellus’s colorful and almost otherworldly appearance.

“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is a rare film that both breaks your heart and mends it. It is an ode to the power of friendship, in whatever form it takes, and a reminder that it is never too late to find the truth to start over. With top-notch performances and a script that never misses a beat, this is an absolute 5-star must-see. Don’t you just love it when they get the book to movie adaptation right?

Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Title: Remarkably Bright Creatures
Author: Shelby Van Pelt
Genre: Fiction/ Contemporary
Published: 2022
 
Description: After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors an tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors – until her forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.
 
Review: “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt is a rare kind of debut novel: one that moves from the very first page, makes you laugh, and ultimately leaves you with a lump in your throat. It is a beautifully woven story that shows that hope and connection can be found in the most unlikely places.
 
The absolute star of the book is Marcellus, a headstrong and highly gifted giant octopus who lives in the Sowell Bay Aquarium. His observations of the human world are sharp, humorous, and surprisingly wise. Marcellus is not just an animal; he is a fully-fledged character with a voice of his own who compels the reader to look at the world and intelligence in a different way.
 
The human heart of the story is Tova Sullivan, a seventy-year-old widow who cleans the aquarium at night to dispel the silence in her life. Tova carries a heavy loss with her: the unsolved disappearance of her eighteen-year-old son Erik, thirty years ago. The bond that forms between Tova and Marcellus is one of the most heartwarming friendships I’ve read in a long time.
 
When the young Cameron arrives in Sowell Bay, the various storylines begin to come together in an ingenious way. Van Pelt carefully builds the tension and emotional release, allowing the reader to see every piece of the puzzle fall into place.
 
The book tackles heavy themes such as loneliness, grief, and aging, but does so with a light, almost magical touch. The town of Sowell Bay feels like a warm community you’d want to be a part of yourself. And besides to bond between Tova and Marcellus, Tova also forms a bond with Cameron, which I absolutely loved as well.
 
I have read many books where we follow several characters, but never have I read a story with chapters told from the perspective of an octopus. It could become silly, but Van Pelt makes Marcellus believable and unforgettable.
 
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is an ode to the power of friendship and the ability to come to terms with the past. It’s a book you don’t just read, it stays with you long after you closed it. An absolute must-read for anyone looking for a story with soul. This is the ultimate feel-good read and it is now one of my all-time favorites.
 
Rating: 5/ 5