Mid Year Freakout Tag – 2026 Edition: Books, Games & Movies New
Welcome to the Mid Year Freakout Tag – 2026 Edition! If you’re here, chances are you’re doing a quick reality check on your reading, gaming, and viewing habits halfway through 2026. Whether you’re crushing your goals or barely clinging on to your TBR stack, this Mid Year Freakout Tag is the perfect excuse to pause, reflect, and share where you stand.
The beauty of this Mid Year Freakout Tag is that there’s no judgment here. Did you complete half your 26-for-26 challenge already? Amazing! Still haven’t cracked open a book since January? Also valid. This tag exists to celebrate the highs, commiserate the lows, and maybe find a few recommendations to salvage the second half of the year.
So if you’re ready to participate in this Mid Year Freakout Tag, grab a cup of tea (or coffee, no judgment), scroll down to the questions below, and let’s chat. This tag is created by ReadLikeWildfire and Ely Jayne
Why I Joined For Mid Year Freakout Tag – 2026 Edition 💜
When I first stumbled upon the Mid Year Freakout Tag, I realized how I needed exactly this moment. Halfway through the year, those ambitious resolutions start looking… well, distant. The ABC Challenge letter Z is looming. That untouched indie game sits in your Steam library gathering dust. Your “26 for ’26” goal feels like a mountain.
This Mid Year Freakout Tag isn’t about shaming anyone for falling behind. It’s about honesty, connection, and maybe recalibrating for the remaining six months. Because honestly? Sometimes admitting you’re struggling is the first step to enjoying your hobbies again.
Best book you’ve read so far in 2026 — which one claimed the #1 spot on your shelf? 📚
Then there’s Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood and Dire Bound (The Wolves of Ruin #1) by Sable Sorensen —though they belong in completely different lanes. Two Can Playleans contemporary romance, grounded and real. Dire Bound, on the other hand, swings into fantasy territory, blending romance with supernatural elements that keep things anything but ordinary.
Best sequel game you’ve played so far — did it respect the legacy or break it? 🎮
Well, it’s a bit of a reverse play here. As I started with Guild Wars 2 basically around a decade ago and still play it casually. However, as Arena.net decided to “remaster” Guild Wars, I started only recently the first game of the series. So, as I played the story and discovered the world so far.. Yes, GW2 totally respects the legacy and all around it. It’s so much fun to re-discovering the world from a different perspective.
On the bookish side, I’d say The Night Prince (The Wolf King #2) by Lauren Palphreyman is currently one of my favorite sequels. In fact, I even plan on reading book #3 of the series.
New movie or show you haven’t watched yet but are dying to — what’s sitting at the top of your watchlist? 🎬
For movies, I’d say The Obsession, The Backrooms and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The first two aren’t quite my usual genre, although I started to dig more and more into horrors recently.
However, Spider-Man is one of those movies I’ve been waiting for. Might go for a catch up on the recent MCU movies, in case it’s relevant plotwise, but I think it rather catches up after Far From Home.
On the bookish side, I’d say The Wolf Queen (The Wolf King #3) by Lauren Palphreyman is one I’m currently waiting to read.
As I enjoyed book #1 and the sequel quite a bit, so I put it on my list. However, I can’t even tell when it’s to be released. Goodreads says two different dates so far, and it’s either November this year, or May next year.
Most anticipated book release for the second half of the year — which preorder is draining your wallet? 📚
I’d put Threshing Day (The Empyrean #3.5) by Rebecca Yarros on this list. Since it’s a spin-off of the series, I first suspected it was primarily about Xaden, which kinda makes sense. Anyway, it’s officially announced to contain 13-16 (depending on the edition) stories, so I’m kinda curious, ngl.
Biggest disappointment — which title left you staring at the screen thinking “Wait, that’s it?” 📚🎮🎬
I’d put Fury Bound (Wolves of Ruin #2) by Sable Sorensen here. For no particular reason but somehow, it’s lagging something. I haven’t even finished the book, it’s waiting to be read, I’m almost done but I just can’t. Dunno, if I go for a DNF’c at this one. As I’m even a little curious on book #3.
Newest favourite game character — who earned permanent plot armor in your heart? 🎮
For bookish characters, I’d absolutely pick Viola and Jesse from Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood. They’re such cool, relatable characters—smart, witty, and genuinely grounded in a way that makes you root for them from page one.
A film that made you happy — which one was the digital equivalent of comfort food? 🎬
CODA came really close to taking the top spot for me. It stands for Child of Deaf Adults, and honestly? This movie is truly wholesome.
It follows Ruby, a teenage girl who has a deep love for music. Her parents, however, are deaf—and music simply isn’t part of their world the way it is for hers. What makes this story so beautiful is watching Ruby find a way to bridge that gap. She discovers how to convey the feeling of lyrics to her parents, giving them a chance to experience something they’ve never had access to before.
It’s heartfelt without being heavy-handed, and that’s exactly what makes it land so well.
What’s haunting your unfinished list by year-end — which games or seasons will you race to complete before December 31? 🎮🎬
For the books, I thought of either of the following:
- Schuld & Sünde (WiccaCreed, #2) by Marah Woolf
- A Curse of Crows (A Curse of Crows and Serpents, #1) by Lauren Dedroog
- The Sea Spinner (Reign of Remnants, #2) by Julie Johnson
- The Wolf Queen (The Wolf King, #3) by Lauren Palphreyman
- Metal Slinger (Fire & Metal, #1) by Rachel Schneider
I Tag you!
💬 What’s some of your favorites so far this year? What were your thoughts on them? Share them below!
