End of Year Survey
(Books to the ceiling, I guess you could say I was excited;-)
This End of Year Survey is hosted by Jamie of The Perpetual Page Turner. I've enjoyed reading her answers in the past, and thought I might give it a try this time around:-) What are some of your favorite books from this year? Greatest disappointments? Surprises? Recommendations? I want to hear them all!
Happy Holidays Everyone!
Number Of Books You Read: 175 Number of Re-Reads: 2 Genre You Read The Most From: Mystery
1. Best Book You Read In 2016?
Hard to choose just one, but surprisingly, it might be Walking the Nile by Levison Wood. Surprising because this is the first year I have tried to read more nonfiction, a genre I pretty much shunned for years (except for school reading).
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
Today Will be Different by Maria Semple. Loved Where'd You Go Bernadette, but this one not so much.
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?
Walking the Nile by Levison Wood
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?
Born a Crime: Stories of a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
5. Best series you started in 2016? Best Sequel of 2016? Best Series Ender of 2016?
Best series I started and finished was March by John Lewis. Best series ender was Dictator by Robert Harris.
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?
I loved the ones mentioned above, but another favorite was Naomi Novik with her brilliant book, Uprooted
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
The non-fiction books by Levison Wood, Walking the Nile and Walking the Himalyas. I got to see the author speak, and that might have added to my excitement about the books.
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
9. Book You Read In 2016 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
I don't re-read often, but I love Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman and could see myself re-reading it in 2017
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?
Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi, such an explosion of color!
11. Most memorable character of 2016?
Britt-Marie from Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?
Uprooted by Naomi Novick
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?
March books 1-3 by John Lewis
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read?
Maus by Art Spiegelman
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016?
“A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.” ― Jessica Brockmole, Letters from Skye
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?
We are in a Book by Mo Willems and Middlemarch by George Eliot
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
Behind Closed Doors by BA Paris
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
Agniezka and the Dragon in Uprooted by Naomi Novik
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
Ruth Galloway and Cathbad in The Woman in Blue by Elly Griffiths
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
The Woman in Blue by Elly Griffiths
21. Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?
David Graham in Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole
23. Best 2016 debut you read?
Born a Crime: Stories of a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
Uprooted by Naomi Novick
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
Most Talkative by Andy Cohen
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
Maus by Art Spiegelman
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?
The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
March Books 1-3, which made me mad and sad about how little some things have changed in society and the world
1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2016?
Novelgossip
2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2016?
March Book 1 by John Lewis - everyone should read this series!
3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
Travel photos
4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
Levison Wood speaking at the Sheldonian in Oxford
5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2016?
Actually starting the blog
6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?
Organizing the blog, being present on social media
7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
Possibly my post about my second book being published
8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
Nanowrimo blog posts. I didn't find the experience to be as communal as it was last year.
9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
Bookriot is amazing!
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I completed my Goodreads challenge. I tried for 150 books and got to 175
1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2015 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2017?
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr and The Mountain Shadow by Gregory David Roberts
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2017 (non-debut)?
The Chalk Pit by Elly Griffiths - one of my favorite series!
3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
The Strays by Emily Bitto - check out the cover if you haven't . . . dreamy!
4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2017?
Walking the Americas by Levison Wood and Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes
5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017?
Be more diligent about posting and read more genres I haven't tried much this year.