The End of Year Book Survey is brought to us by the wonderful Jamie of The Perpetual Page-Turner!
These list are always really hard for me because I want to put all the books! But there are a few that really stood out in 2013, and I’m very happy I can put them in the spotlight!
1. Best book you read in 2013? (If you have to cheat you can break it down by genre, or by 2013 vs backlist.)
Fantasy ~ Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson AND Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. These books were beyond amazing and they deserve to be on everyone’s shelves!
Horror ~ Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. I didn’t know YA could scare you. I know it now.
Contemporary ~ Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. Contemporary isn’t my thing, I’ve come to terms with that. But Eleanor & Park was beyond anything you could categorize. It made me feel in a way that is a tad disturbing.
2. Book you were excited about and thought you were going to love but didn’t?
I wanted to love this one so bad! But it just wasn’t meant to be I suppose.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?
This one is actually a three way tie between Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren and Written in Red by Anne Bishop! I never thought I would love a contemporary novel, Rowell proved me wrong. I didn’t think Beautiful Bastard would be fun AND good, but these ladies got me there. And Written in Red was my very first fantasy read! I am no longer afraid of fantasy!
4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?
I’m going to sound like a broken record but Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. It really moved me on a lot of levels and I just want to push it onto the world!
5. Best series you discovered in 2013?
Even though I haven’t read the rest of the series yet, this goes to Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series hands down! Shatter Me blew me away and I can’t wait to add the rest of the series to my shelves.
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?
This question is cruel! And as a way to protest this cruelty I’m going to cheat! So take that Jamie! My TWO favorite new authors I discovered in 2013 are A.G. Howard and Leigh Bardugo. Anita is probably the nicest person I’ve “met” in 2013, and she is one amazing writer! Leigh is a ginormous ball of fun and she is overflowing with awesome. I had the fabulous pleasure of meeting her at the Decatur book fest!
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Have I reach my limit on saying Eleanor & Park yet? No? Oh fabulous! Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell was my attempt at “stepping outside my comfort zone”. I had the help of awesome friends (Kristen & Jon) to help me take that step and I love them to pieces for it! This book was amazing!!
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?
Gah this list is hard and I’m not even at the half way point! Most thrilling, unputdownlable book in 2013 was Uninvited by Sophie Jordan. Even though it’s not set to release till 2014 I’d be a big fat failure if I didn’t mention that I read this book straight through in three hours! It was that unputdownable!
9. Book you read in 2013 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
NO FAIR! Jamie did you come up with this list just to torture me?! I’m a HUGE re-reader (it get’s me out of slumps!) so I can’t pick just one. Instead I think the books I’m destined to re-read are:
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013:
It’s a three way tie!
11. Most memorable character in 2013?
Since I’ve reach my Eleanor & Park quota I’m going to pick Vlad, from Jeaniene Frost’s Night Prince series. He is, ugh he is so hot! (I made a funny!)
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?
Hands down it’s Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. That woman has one hell of a way with words!
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
I know I said I reached my quota but…
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?
Carrie by Stephen King….yes, I’m taking it all the way back! It’s weird, especially since I’ve read most of his other books. But oh well, I’ve read it now and I thoroughly dug it!
15. Favorite passage/ quote from a book you read in 2013:
I don’t keep track of quotes like most bloggers. But I recently read The Coldest Girl in Coldtown and that book! Ah that book! Well look:
16. Shortest & longest book you read in 2013:
The Dark Heroine: Dinner with a Vampire by Abigail Gibbs |549 pages| 3 star book | Paranormal (YA?)
Plus One by Brighton Walsh |68 pages| 3 star book | Contemporary romance
17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about?
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner . If you’ve read this book (which you should!) you know what scene I’m talking about! If you haven’t read it YET then… *hands you a box of tissue and a dummy to punch*
18. Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2013?
RAFFE and PENRYN!!!!!! Gah these two in World After by Susan Ee just blew me away! I didn’t think I could love them any more than I did after Angelfall but oh sweet baby Jesus!!
19. Favorite book you read in 2013 from an author you’ve read previously?
2013 was my year of branching out, so I read mostly new authors but I did finish one of my favorite series!
20. Best book you read based SOLELY off of recommendations from somebody else:
I get a lot of recommendations…I listen to a 3rd of those. The one I’m happiest I listened to were the demands recs for Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. That woman sent me on a total mind fuck journey and I loved every second of it!
21. Genre you read the most from in 2013
This actually surprised me since I’m still new to the genre but… FANTASY! I read a lot of fantasy books in 2013!
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?
Umm can I pick more than one? Yes?! Ok good! In that case I pick Morpheus (Splintered)! MY Darkling (Shadow & Bone)! Simon (Written in Red)! Vane (Let the Sky Fall)! Sean (Uninvited)! Tarver (These Broken Stars)!
23. Best 2013 debut you read?
Umm it’s a tie between these two lovelies:
24. Most vivd world/ imagery in a book you read in 2013:
This is an easy one! The world building in Steelheart is incomparable to anything else I’ve ever read. Brandon Sanderson is a fucking genius!
25. Book that was the most fun to read in 2013
It wasn’t the best book, or the heaviest, or even the most action packed BUT Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates was probably the funniest book I read this year. It was light, it was quick and it was filled with sarcasm!
26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2013:
Yep. It’s this one again! But it’s true! I cried like a grown man who had just been kneed in the jewels.
27. Book you read in 2013 that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out
This actually breaks my heart because so many of my book friends haven’t even heard of it, even though it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year:
It was so good! So amazing! So BLOODY!! I wish I could somehow transplant all my feels into my bookish friends brains……hmmmm
1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2013?
Gosh there are so many. Um ok:
Are just a few of the blogs I’ve discovered this year and stalk on a regular basis.
2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2013?
Well my favorite positive (oh yeah I’m cheating) review I’ve written this year was for Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. That review took a lot of energy out of me because it was so hard not to flail and throw in all of the gifs! My favorite negative review I’ve written this year has to be for Real by Katy Evans. After that 1.5 star book I deserved a good laugh, and that review was the perfect solution.
3. Best discussion you had on your blog
2013 was the year I founded Stop & Chat, and I’ve had some heated and fun discussions because of it! Some of my all time favorites are:
- Why do YOU blog?
- Blogger Crushes!
- DNF’s
- Are You Holding Punches?
- My Personal Hatred for People Who Ban Books
4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion on someone else’s blog
Pass. I’m sure there are a few but I seriously can’t think nor remember any at this time….sorry.
5. Best Event That You Participated in?
This has to be my very first bookish event, the Decatur Book Festival! I met Rick Yancy, Marie Rutkoski, Gennifer Albin, LEIGH BARDUGO! And some fan-flipping-fabulous bloggers! Michelle, Tonyalee, Christina, Jessica! Gah these ladies were AWESOME to hang out with!
6. Best Moment of Book Blogging/Your Book Life in 2013?
Gah, this is going to sound horrible but, someone (and I really wish I could remember who) tweeted “oh my gosh @ReadSleepRepeat is following me!”. It was probably the most humbling and surreal event ever and I’m shocked that anyone would be excited about little ole me.
7. Most Popular Post this Year on Your blog?
My review of Beautiful Stranger by Christina Lauren has received the post page views this year….which I think is odd but still really cool!
8. Post You Wish Got a Little More Love
Any of the post I did in honor of my blogoversary. I had a lot of amazing bloggers do guest post and I sort of feel like if a giveaway wasn’t attached no one cared, and that made me feel like I wasted those bloggers time. 🙁
9. Best Bookish Discovery
Tea Time! Not just because of the badass giveaways but look at all the bookish folks! Plus Margot and Aubrey are like the best thing since I discovered Nutella. So bam.
10. Did You Complete any Reading Challenges or Goals That You Had Set for Yourself at the Beginning of This Year?
I signed up for 3 (I think) challenges at the beginning of the year. I failed them all. Then I signed up for the Dewey read-a-thon. Failed that too. So I signed up for Bout of Books, and semi failed that one also. Then I threw a read-a-thon with the lovely Read-a-thon Central ladies and didn’t fail (didn’t win)! But, all that failing ended with ARC August! I organized it, moderated it, participated and I kicked ass!
1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2013 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2014?
I’m going to get a lot of yells because of this but…..
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2014 (non-debut)?
This isn’t fair! I want all of them! Here are the Top Ten 2014 Releases I am Dying to Read and here are the Top Ten Sequels list!
3. 2014 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
This was hard but, I am a cover whore at heart and the blurb on this one only makes me squeal more:
4. Series Ending You Are Most Anticipating in 2014?
The Ashfall series by Mike Mullin! That man is one scary SOB!
5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2014?
I hope to start and MAINTAIN the Read. Discuss. Repeat. Virtual Book Club. Oh and I really want to get better at commenting and following other blogs! I get so much love! It’s only right to put that love right back out there.
And with that I am DONE! I’ve been writing this post non-stop for an entire DAY! I’m proud of it and I am done.
