Can you believe it's that time again?? I'm taking part in Jamie's Annual End of Year Book Survey. 2013 was an incredibly slow reading year for me. I honestly have no idea what happened. I had a goal of 100 books, then quickly realized I wasn't going to achieve that so I took it back to 50 books...and I just barely read over half of that. There will definitely be some repeat books in answers in this survey. Hopefully next year, with the goals I have outlined, I'll take out way more books.
1. Best Book You Read In 2013?
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I kept reading all these great things about this book and how it was reminiscent of Roswell, which is one of my face tv shows...but it really didn't do it for me. I think I'll eventually read the next book in the series, but for now I'm putting it on hold.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
I have had problems in the past with blogger friends recommending contemps to me saying they were incredible and I was sure to love them...but then they end up annoying me and I strongly don't like them, so I was nervous about this one. But I loved it. I can't wait to read more by Rainbow.
I have had problems in the past with blogger friends recommending contemps to me saying they were incredible and I was sure to love them...but then they end up annoying me and I strongly don't like them, so I was nervous about this one. But I loved it. I can't wait to read more by Rainbow.
Foreplay by Sophie Jordan
New Adult has been a genre that I have been avoiding like the plague. I really didn't want to get in to it as it just sounded silly to me. Then I saw Sophie Jordan was coming to my B&N for a signing and talking about her new book. When she explained what it was about I decided I had to have it. I read it in like two sittings. Now I want more.
New Adult has been a genre that I have been avoiding like the plague. I really didn't want to get in to it as it just sounded silly to me. Then I saw Sophie Jordan was coming to my B&N for a signing and talking about her new book. When she explained what it was about I decided I had to have it. I read it in like two sittings. Now I want more.
4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?
So I didn't read it in 2013, but I still shove The Fault in our Stars by John Green down people's throats all the time. I've convinced so many people to read it...especially when I tell them a movie is releasing next year. I hope we put a poster of it up at my theater soon so that when I see people staring at it I can tell them there's a book they can read first.
But books that I've read in 2013 and recommended would be Pivot Point by Kasie West, The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken, and Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. All three were just so great.
5. Best series you discovered in 2013?
See my above answer. All three of those are series and I loved finding all of them. Well...Pivot Point is only 2 books as far as I know...but still.
Also, the Blackdagger Brotherhood is pretty much fantastic and I just read the first one at the beginning of this year.
Also, the Blackdagger Brotherhood is pretty much fantastic and I just read the first one at the beginning of this year.
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?
Kasie West!
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Foreplay by Sophie Jordan and and Dark Lover by Karen Marie Moning. Like I said, I wasn't thrilled about a NA but I'm more open-minded about them now. I love urban fantasy but I've heard the BDB can get...intense...so I was a little wary. But as soon as I was done with the first I was hooked.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?
Pivot Point by Kasie West. The alternating view points worked in complete favor of this story. Each storyline is intense so having to wait to find out what happens in each at the same time will make your heart race.
9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
I might read The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken again just to have a refresher before I read Never Fade.
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?
You know why I love these covers? Because they are soooo much more appealing to me than of some close up of a pretty girl...or a pretty girl in a pretty dress...or a pretty girl being held close by a guy with no face.
11. Most memorable character in 2013?
The Darkling from Shadow and Bone was pretty memorable to me.
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
It was realistic, but kept the magic and beauty of falling in love for the first time.
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
Again, I have to go with Eleanor and Park. Right after the first of the year when I review it I'll be writing a post as to what was so impactful about this book.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?
The first Blackdagger Brotherhood book. Those men *swoons*. I love me some romance with fighting and action and these books provide just that.
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?
From The Darkest Minds:
“We'll just have to try to make better mistakes tomorrow.”
From Pivot Point:
“When I read, I feel emotion all on my own. Emotion no living person is making me feel.”
“When I read, I feel emotion all on my own. Emotion no living person is making me feel.”
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
How I did this: Went to my read books on Goodreads and sorted by page number and just looked for what I knew I read this yeaer that was the shortest and longest.
Shortest– How To Date A Henchman by Mari Fee. Only 96 pages.
Longest — Ocean: The World's Last Wilderness Revealed. Standing at 512 pages, it was a pretty hefty read. But I love marine biology so it was a good one.
Longest — Ocean: The World's Last Wilderness Revealed. Standing at 512 pages, it was a pretty hefty read. But I love marine biology so it was a good one.
17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!
The ending of Pivot Point, The Darkest Minds, and Shadow and Bone.
I NEED THE NEXT ONES LIKE NOW. JUST ASDFGHJKL! CLIFFHANGERS!
I NEED THE NEXT ONES LIKE NOW. JUST ASDFGHJKL! CLIFFHANGERS!
Also, I need to find someone who is just reading the Blackdagger Brotherhood too so I can talk to them about that series.
18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
Eleanor and Park. (from Eleanor and Park)
Mal and Alina. (from Shadow and Bone)
19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
I believe all the books that I read were new to me authors.
20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?
Fantasy/Urban Fantasy
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?
23. Best 2013 debut you read?
Pivot Point by Kasie West
24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?
Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan
It was such a cute and fun Christmas read!
It was such a cute and fun Christmas read!
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?
Eleanor and Park and The Darkest Minds.
Both endings left me a sobbing mess for fairly different reasons.
Both endings left me a sobbing mess for fairly different reasons.
27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?
I could be COMPLETELY off with this one...but I feel like The Darkest Minds did get talked about enough. But then I got look at its ratings and it has a lot.
Pivot Point is another one. I'm really surprised it doesn't have more ratings. It was just so phenomenal.
Pivot Point is another one. I'm really surprised it doesn't have more ratings. It was just so phenomenal.
Book Blogging/Reading Life 2013
1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2013?
Sadly, I wasn't blogging or reading many blogs this year so I don't really remember many that I found. I'll go through my list and see if any jump out at me then update this one.
2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2013?
PIVOT POINT BY KASIE WEST.
Which was really one of my only reviews of 2013...I was such a bad blogger this past year.
Which was really one of my only reviews of 2013...I was such a bad blogger this past year.
3. Best discussion you had on your blog?
A couple of my Top Ten Tuesdays had some good discussions going on in the comments. It was definitely nice to get people's input on certain books.
4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?
I absolutely loved Jamie's If We Were Having Coffee...
I want to do more posts like that on my blog this year. It was perfect.
5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
Austin Teen Book Festival and Broke and Bookish Secret Santa.
I've done both since I started blogging and they are both just soo much fun!
I've done both since I started blogging and they are both just soo much fun!
6. Best moment of book blogging/your book life in 2013?
I loved meeting Sarah Dessen at ATBF and I got to see Jenny Han again and get the last book in The Summer Trilogy signed. So that's now all complete and wonderful.
7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
My Top Ten Winter 2014 Books I'm Dying To Read was definitely the most popular, but only because the wonderful authors I put on that list retweeted it like crazy. Authors are such lovely people :)
8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
Honestly I can't say any of them. I was so disconnected from my blog this year that I understand completely why not many posts other than my Top Ten Tuesday's got love. Next year I'll be back at posting more things though!
9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
Tumblr....I'm way late to the Tumblr party...but all the bookish fandoms are great!
And websites that have bookish designs or will let you create your own bookish designs for like shirts and stuff. I like wearing the books I love.
And websites that have bookish designs or will let you create your own bookish designs for like shirts and stuff. I like wearing the books I love.
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
Nope. Other than just about finishing my Goodreads challenge (which I had to lower 3 times) I didn't finish any. On to next year!
LOOKING AHEAD!
1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2013 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2014?
Insurgent and Allegiant. The 5th Wave. Shatter Me. Never Fade. The Evolution of Mara Dyer...and a few more. There will be a lot of reading done in 2014.
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2014 (non-debut)?
3. 2014 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
Salvage by Alexandra Duncan
Space books make me pretty happy.
Space books make me pretty happy.
4. Series Ending You Are Most Anticipating in 2014?
Mara Dyer. I feel like that one is gonna hurt.
5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2014?
To get back on the blogging horse. Not freak out or spaz when I don't get to post, but at least post more regularly. And actually do some reviews. And read more books off my personal shelves. And read more than 50 books.
