December 29, 2013

4th Annual End of the Year Book Survey – 2013 Edition!

This is my very first end of the year survey. Based on all of the questions I just copied and pasted from Jamie's blog (Jamie being the creator of this lovely survey), I'm pretty sure I'm in for it. And to make things a bit harder, I think I'm going to challenge myself: I will do my very best to not answer the questions with the same 5 books. I'm also going to try giving just one answer to each question. Except for the best book question. There will be genres for that. Or approximations of genres.

So. Sit back, relax and read on, because these questions and the challenge I've created for myself are the real deal.

BEST IN BOOKS 2013

1. Best Book You Read In 2013? (By Seriously Stretched Genre)
Post-Apocalyptic: THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT by Veronica Rossi (My Review)
(Honorable mentions to WINGER by Andrew Smith and GRAFFITI MOON by Cath Crowley - stretching the contemporary genre isn't as easy as stretching the rest, as it turns out.)
Fairytale Retelling: SCARLET by Marissa Meyer (My Review)
Historical Fiction: SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen (My Review)

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
I really, really thought I was going to love SPIES AND PREJUDICE by Talia Vance. But I didn't and then I was really sad about it. And ragey because it really wasn't good. (My Review)

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?
DARE YOU TO by Katie McGarry. I thought this one was gonna be all "baby" and "siren" and other pet names that kept PUSHING THE LIMITS from being a five-star book for me but then it wasn't and I was like RYAN I LOVE YOU MARRY ME. (My Review)

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?
Oh jeeze. I think I've pushed SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY by Susan Dennard on everyone I've met this year. (My Review)

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?
SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen. I can't even talk about my overwhelming emotions re: this book. (My Review)

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?
This is probably the hardest question so far, maybe on the whole list. There are so many fantastic authors I've been made aware of this year, but I think my favorite overall (writer, person to interact with over Twitter, Tumblr...) is Trish Doller.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
I don't read much Middle Grade, but I recently read FLORA AND ULYSSES by Kate DiCamillo and I really loved it.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?
CRESS by Marissa Meyer. If you haven't already read this one, you will soon and you'll absolutely understand what I'm talking about. (My Review)

9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
I don't do a lot of re-reading, but I've been thinking about re-reading FERRYMAN by Claire McFall for last few months, so I'll probably do that. (My Review)

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?
If someone would make me a big poster or some kind of awesome print of this cover so I could hang it up in my room I would be the happiest girl in the world. I would also get nothing done because I'd be staring at it all the time. But I accept that, so it's okay.

11. Most memorable character in 2013?
Margot from MARGOT by Jillian Cantor. Just read the description of this book and I think you'll understand my pick. (My Review)
But also, the obvious aside, I'd also like to nominate Willem from JUST ONE DAY and JUST ONE YEAR by Gayle Forman. There's just something about him that I'll never forget. (My Review of JUST ONE DAY and JUST ONE YEAR)

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?
I also want to throw in a second answer here (yeah, yeah, cheating, whatever). SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi with the cross outs and the awesomeness needs a serious shout out here. (My Review)

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell. I know this is technically a repeat and I challenged myself not to do that, but it really is one of my favorites of the year and the other answer was just the cover so... (I'm cheating, so deal with it.) (My Review)

14. Book you can’t believe you waited until 2013 to finally read?

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?
I... don't do quotes. I'm probably the only blogger I know who doesn't. But I just don't. However, if you're looking for a book full of awesome quotes, you probably want to read TWO BOYS KISSING by David Levithan. (My Review)

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
TWO BOYS KISSING by David Levithan is the shortest (208) and CRESS by Marissa Meyer is the longest (560).

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? 
LADY THIEF by A.C. Gaughen. I mean, HOLY WHAT AM I EVEN SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THIS BOOK?

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
I love the Aria/Roar friendship in THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT by Veronica Rossi so, so, so much. So much. (My Review)

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
THE DREAM THIEVES by Maggie Stiefvater. I love everything Maggie Stiefvater writes. Everything. (My Review)

20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:
SLATED by Teri Terry. Thanks to Betty for introducing me to and forcing me to read this crazy wild ride of a series! (My Review)

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?
I'm not counting because I can't be bothered, but probably contemporary.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?
I was so close to not cheating in this section but I cannot tell a lie. Levi from FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell is my number one book boyfriend of 2013.

23. Best 2013 debut you read?
NANTUCKET BLUE by Leila Howland. Oh Gosh how I loved this lovely little debut. I can't wait for NANTUCKET RED to come out. (My Review)

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?
SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo. Toto, we are DEFINITELY NOT in Kansas anymore with this book. (My Review)

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?
ALSO KNOWN AS by Robin Benway. Robin Benway is the Queen of Fun. Although, I managed to snag and ARC of book 2 in this series from NetGalley and it's a tad more serious, which was and interesting shift that I really enjoyed as well. (My Review)

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?
There are a lot of books that made me cry this year. Most of them have already been mentioned on this list, but I think this is where I'll mention IF I LIE by Corinne Jackson. Oh, how I loved this book. (My Review)

27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?
THE VOW by Jessica Martinez, for sure. If a face out cover in Barnes and Noble hadn't caught my attention, I would have never noticed myself, but now I can't shut up about it, so go forth and read. (My Review)

Book Blogging/Reading Life 2013

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2013? 
There are SO MANY blogs I could list here since I only started blogging 13 months ago (please see my blogroll for specific recommendations), but I think my pick's gonna be: Lisa is Busy Nerding. To be honest, I think I found Lisa's blog back in 2012, but I didn't get to know her well before she stopped blogging back in the spring but now she's back and we've been chatting a lot AND we're Epic Rec buddies now and I love it so much.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2013? 
It's a tie. On the one hand, I love my review of FERRYMAN by Claire McFall because of the Doctor Who parallel I draw (yes, I do think I'm clever), but I also love my review of GOING ROGUE by Robin Benway because it apparently when Robin Benway was writing this book, these were all the things she hoped that readers would get from it. I know this because she Tweeted me and told me so and that's one of the coolest author things that's happened to me all year. (That and finding out Rainbow Rowell's my doppleganger I mean what even was my life this past year?)

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?
Oh gosh. I don't know. I think maybe my Let's Get Personal discussion post? I wrote this whole thing about how some books hit me in the feels for personal reasons and then other people shared some of the books that hit them in the feels and that was nice. I like sharing.

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?
There are a lot of blogs that I think do fantastic discussion posts, but I'm always quick to click on Jamie at the Perpetual Page Turner's links. My favorite of the year is the "If We Were Having Coffee" post. Such a simple, honestly, lovely idea. 

5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
AH I HAVE BEEN TO SO MANY FUN EVENTS THIS YEAR HOW CAN I PICK? I mean, there was the time Leila Howland came to NYC. And the time I went to Philly to see Marissa Meyer. Also that time I went to a Random House Blogger Brunch in London. Not to mention Holly Smale's launch party for GEEK GIRL, also while I was in London. Buuuut I think BEA takes the cake. I include Liza's Rooftop Party, Rainbow Rowell's Tumblr event at Housing Works and Teen Author Carnival in BEA, for the record. So, basically, my life is awesome, I can't help but brag.

6. Best moment of book blogging/your book life in 2013?
BEA was fantastic. Going to the beach with Jamie, Betty, Lindsay, Ellie, Rachel and Alexa. London and spending all that time with Daphne, Caroline and Faye was phenomenal (I MISS YOU LADIES SO MUCH). Also Amsterdam and Debby and Judith. I don't even want to get into how good Debby and Judith were to me because it'll probably make me cry all of the happy tears. They went so far out of their way for me and they'll never know how much that meant.

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
My discussion post "Thou Shalt Comment on Other People's Blog Posts" got the most hits this year. I don't know why. Maybe because people were searching Ten Commandments and found that. I do remember being worried people dislike the religious nod. But I ran it by Judith, I think, before posting, and she thought it was fine, so whatever. 

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
When I was in Amsterdam I was pretty jetlagged and wrote a discussion post called "A Silly Little Story" I thought more people would like it, what with the creative writing aspect. *Shrugs*

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
The Book Depository. FREE SHIPPING (almost) EVERYWHERE WHEEEE. I would be embarrassed that I didn't know about it before now, but I've been a Barnes & Noble member for years and years and that means free shipping and same-day delivery in Manhattan so, really, why WOULD I need to know about the Book Depository before now?

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
If you go to my Challenges tab, you'll see I signed up for a bunch of challenges. I think I've finished all of them? I haven't filled out all of them. I just wasn't so motivated to make sure I finished any of them, I just did it. So I think maybe I'll cut those out next year. The only challenge I really did care about was the Goodreads Challenge. I wanted to read 100 books. I read 115. HURRAY!

Looking Ahead...

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2013 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2014?

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2014 (non-debut)?

3. 2014 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
LOVE LETTERS TO THE DEAD by Ava Dellaira. I actually have an ARC, but I'm kind of saving it. It looks like it's going to be So. Good.

4. Series Ending You Are Most Anticipating in 2014?
UGH. IGNITE ME by Tahereh Mafi, probably. There are a lot of series enders I need to get my hands on, but there are no ARCs for this one and it's coming out first of all my series enders. So I'm going to focus on this one and this one alone for the time being.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2014?
Better planning for my blog? Maybe start taking notes as a read? Marking quotes I like? I dunno. Something like that, I guess. (Real convincing, I know.)

PHEW. That's a lot of stuff, isn't it? If you want, you're more than welcome to let me know what you think of all of it in the comments below!
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