Mid-year(ish) book freak out tag

It's been a long time since I sat down to do a tag, but I couldn't resist this one! There's a lot of questions, so I'm going to get straight on it:
1.) Best book you've read so far in 2018? - It has to be The Kite Runner. It's such a powerful novel, and covers so many topics that aren't spoken about enough. 
2.) Best sequel you've read so far in 2018? - It's not strictly a sequel, but Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I re-read the whole series recently and I'd only read this once before! Re-reading it made me realise that Dumbledore isn't really the great guy I always thought he was.
3.) New release you haven't read yet, but want to? - From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon. When Dimple Met Rishi was one of my favourite reads from 2017 and I can't wait to get my teeth into Menon's second book.
4.) Most anticipated release for the second half of the year? - John Boyne's Ladder to the Sky. I've fallen in love with Boyne's writing this year, and I've got high hopes for this one.
5.) Biggest disappointment? - Dadland by Keggie Carew. I so wanted to enjoy this, but it just got worse as it went on.
6.) Biggest surprise?  - Remember This When You're Sad by Maggy van Eijk. I thought this would be another rubbish self-help book, but it was full of incredible tips and anecdotes. I found it so helpful and inspiring!
7.) Favourite new author? - Robyn Schneider. After reading Extraordinary Means, I immediately downloaded Severed Heads, Broken Hearts to my Kindle. I stayed up late reading both of them and fell in love with the characters.
8.) Newest fictional crush? - Mac from Sarah Dessen's Saint Anything. I'm a sucker for a dark-haired broody character.
9.) Favourite new character? - Leora Flint from Ink by Alice Broadway. She stands for no crap and the end of the book had me totally wowed by her development.
10.) A book that made you cry? - The House of Special Purpose by John Boyne. This made me weep in the bath on a Saturday night. It wasn't the greatest moment of my life but the book was absolutely incredible.
11.) A book that made you happy? - No Filter by Grace Victory. It tackles so many taboo subjects (mental health, eating disorders, periods, domestic abuse, racism) and does so in such a thoughtful way. Grace had me laughing at points and wanting to cry at others because her writing was so powerful.
12.) Favourite review that you've written? - It has to be my one for Remember This When You're Sad by Maggy van Eijk (which you can read here). I loved the Spring-themed pictures that I took for it as Winter dragged on forever.
13.) Most beautiful book you've bought? - The Hen Who Believed She Could Fly by Sun-mi Hwang. The cover has colourful watercolour chickens on and it's just so pretty.
14.) What books do you need to read by the end of the year? I made this list a few weeks ago and decided to smash my way through it, but I wanted to read one massive book, one play and one book of poetry. I've just finished A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, and before that I read the play The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler. Now I need to get going with 'The Sun and her Flowers' by Rupi Kaur.
What are some of your favourite books you've read so far this year?
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