Number Of Books You Read:
52
Number of Re-Reads:
11
Genre You Read The Most From:
Fantasy
1. Best Book You Read In 2016?
TOO DIFFICULT, WON’T CHOOSE AND YA CAN’T MAKE ME.
Castle Auburn | Another Life | The Forgetting | War that Saved My Life | Hating Game | Unmade
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
I had really high hopes for this book (about a girl writing a diary as she attempts to cope with a genetic disorder that is slowly eroding both her memories and her health), but I just couldn’t connect with the MC at all. I know a lot of people that really loved it, but for me it just didn’t work.
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?
This one is SO HARD TO ADMIT but I just …. well, um, I mean, I guess, I didn’t really like this book. *hides under the closest and biggest rock ever* I watched the movie first, and didn’t read this until I was in my very very late 20s – and the mindset of a pre-teen’s diary didn’t really translate to me at this age. *sigh*
Please don’t hate me.
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?
TWTSML | The Hating Game | Summers at Castle Auburn | Into the Wild | The Dark Unwinding
I did a lot of book pushing this year – some of these were pushed on me first (particularly The Hating Game and Summers at Castle Auburn)! These were the main books that I was all about with the shouting – you know, READ THE BOOK, DO THE THING, HAVE THE JOY, JUST READ IT ALREADY, etc, etc.
Have you read any of these? IF NOT YOU SHOULD, OKAY. I’m just saying.
5. Best series you started in 2016? Best Sequel of 2016? Best Series Ender of 2016?
Okay, so a few things to note. One, I didn’t read a lot of series in 2016 (what’s up with that, anyways?), and two, THIS SERIES WAS AMAZING. I honestly don’t know why it took me so long to read it because I was so totally and completely absorbed from almost the very first page! (I wrote about my love for this series here if you’re interested!)
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?
Taylor. Jenkins. Reid.
I was absolutely blown away by my first TJR novel, Maybe in Another Life – it was so damn good! I was just flying through this story, absolutely in love with the characters and the writing and the story. I am hoping to get through the rest of her backlist this year, and if they’re anything like MiAL I won’t be disappointed!
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
Most of my books were pretty smack dab in the center of my genres, but this one definitely stands out. It’s not necessarily “out of my comfort zone,” as it’s YA and historical fiction – but to be totally honest the only reason I decided to read it was because Fiona Hardingham was the audio narrator and she is beyond. fab. After a slow start with this YA retelling of Vlad the Impaler (if Vlad had been a girl!), it ended up hooking me completely!
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
This was my first book of 2016 (although I technically started it in the middle of Dec 2015) – and although it took me OVER A MONTH to read it, and it took me even longer to really get into it, once we got to the crux of the story I was hooked! So much action and intrigue and FEELS. I’ve heard Blood by Blood is even better – I can’t wait!
9. Book You Read In 2016 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
Y’all. This. Book.
JUST. YES.
I picked this up after seeing it on a table at my bookstore, and it was so absolutely incredible and moving and poignant – I read it in almost one sitting! Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books and I are planning on doing a buddy reading project this year, and one of the books we’ll be reading together is this one. I can’t wait to revisit this story, and see what Alexa thinks!!
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?
Spare and Found Parts | The Lost Lake
So this is somewhat cheating because I’ve got one cover and one inside cover, but I just love both of these book images (and the instagram images I made from them!)
11. Most memorable character of 2016?
Nobody “Bod” Owens absolutely sticks out as the most memorable and amazing character of the books I’ve read in 2016. He was so interesting and snarky and wonderful. I listened to this book on audio and I think Neil Gaiman’s narration was a huge part of why I loved Bod so much – but I think when I eventually reread the book in print I’ll be loving Bod just as much, if not more so!
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?
Tuck Everlasting | The Wolf Wilder
Both of these books are so beautiful – reading them felt like being submerged in the stories and surrounded by the vivid imagery the author created.
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?
This book is such a well written novel with gorgeous three dimensional characters and a beautifully moving plot. It affected me so profoundly. The main character has already undergone so much trauma before the book even starts, and accompanying her on her journey to find peace was amazing. I so strongly recommend this book to absolutely anyone and everyone!
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read?
I read my first Sarah Addison Allen book years and years ago, and loved it – I then read every of her subsequent books within days after the pub date. This fell off a little bit after The Girl Who Chased the Moon, and I’m not entirely sure why. I have had The Lost Lake on my shelf at home for … two years? and somehow just hadn’t found the time to read it. It didn’t hit me the way her books used to, but I still found it quite enjoyable.
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016?
THERE. ARE. SO. MANY. AMAZING. QUOTES. IN. THIS. BOOK.
“It doesn’t matter if we don’t mean to do the things we do. It doesn’t mean if it was an accident or a mistake. It doesn’t even matter if we think this is all up to fate. Because regardless of our destiny, we still have to answer for our actions. We make choices, big and small, every day of our lives, and those choices have consequences.”
“I’m just going to do my best and live under the assumption that if there are things in this life that we are supposed to do, if there are people in this world we are supposed to love, we’ll find them. In time. The future is so incredibly unpredictable that trying to plan for it is like studying for a test you’ll never take. I’m OK in this moment.”
“I think I have to believe that life will work out the way it needs to. If everything that happens in the world is just a result of chance and there’s no rhyme or reason to any of it, that’s just too chaotic for me to handle. I’d have to go around questioning every decision I’ve ever made, every decision I will ever make. If our fate is determined with every step we take . . . it’s too exhausting. I’d prefer to believe that things happen as they are meant to happen.”
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?
Shortest: Missing May by Cynthia Rylant
This Newbery Medal winner from 1993 clocked in at 89 pages.
Longest: And I Darken by Kiersten White
This YA retelling/reimagining of Vlad the Impaler … if Vlad had been a girl – was 475 pages.
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
Sharon has a gift for writing excellent stories with awesome plot twists – and The Forgetting did not disappoint! I was totally in love with her newest book, and can’t wait to see what she delivers with her next novel.
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
(There’s also a pretty serious ship in The Lynburn Legacy series, but I don’t necessarily want to tell you who it is in case you haven’t already read it yet!)
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
Hannah’s friendship with Gabby is SO VERY MUCH #SQUADGOALS. I love how wonderfully there they were for each other, and how much they supported one another in both good times and bad. Every girl needs someone like that in their life!
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
MY KINSELLA IS BACK AND SHE IS BETTER THAN EVER.
I was super bummed with Sophie Kinsella’s previous adult book (Wedding Night), and had a bit of hesitation going into this one (even though the blurb sounded incredible). However, I really had absolutely no reason to worry because this book was SO AWESOME. Laugh out loud hilarious, super shippy, and just so very much what I needed in my life!
21. Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
Summers at Castle Auburn | The Hating Game
If there’s one thing this community is good at, it’s BOOK PUSHING. I basically had both of these books thrown at me (the second was actually purchased as a gift and sent to me by Laura @ Scribbles & Wanderlust, so that’s like literal book pushing!).
Then I had both Gillian @ Writer of Wrongs and Jamie @ Perpetual Page Turner extolling the virtues of Summers at Castle Auburn to the point that I honestly had NO CHOICE but to read this book.
I mean, look at this!
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?
It was so strange going back over my 2016 Goodreads list and seeing that I had hardly any crush worthy fictional characters to be found! I ended up with Captain Logan MacKenzie from Tessa Dare’s Castles Ever After series, who is actually quite swoon worthy. (And if you’ve never read Tessa Dare’s books, um, well, you should get on that – because they are full of hilarity and swoons and giggles and everything that is perfect and lovely!)
23. Best 2016 debut you read?
I was seriously so blown away by this debut novel from Hannah West! I loved the way she merged familiar stories (Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Hua Mulan, and Jane Austen’s Emma) and made them so completely her own while still paying homage to the originals. Definitely worth a read if you’re looking for fast paced fantasy!
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
I mentioned Wolf Wilder earlier in this survey because of how beautiful the prose was – which is exactly what made the setting so vivid. It takes place in the snowy wilderness of Russia, and I could feel the cold in my bones, and the warmth of the wolves surrounding Feo as she made her way through the tundra to find and save her mother. It was enchanting.
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
The Hating Game | My (not so) Perfect Life
Both of these books were just so. damn. FUN. The banter was there, the ships were there, the laugh out loud scenes were there – they both had everything you could want! Seriously, if you find yourself in a book slump, pick one of these up ASAP.
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?
So, uh, have I mentioned how much I loved this book?
❤
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
From my review:
I told this to a friend when I was halfway through this book, and I can’t think of a better way to explain it: “It feels classic and sophisticated and beautiful and sort of like coming home.”
This book, to me, is what perfect fantasies are made of. It’s not about the magic or the creatures or the world-building, it’s about using fantastical things to explore human lives and the motivations and morals and ethics within.
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
THIS BOOK IS SO VERY MUCH WITH THE SOUL CRUSHING
(seriously, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK if you don’t have the third in the series sitting right next to you – you will not be able to function.)
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?
I wouldn’t say that this book is “unique,” per se, but it is for me, as I don’t read a lot of short stories. I wasn’t a big fan of all of the stories, but there were a few that I absolutely loved. (Ended up giving it 4 stars – here’s my review of all of the individual stories!)
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
BLUESTAR WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! WHY ARE YOU TURNING YOUR BACK ON YOUR WARRIOR ANCESTORS?! LISTEN TO FIREHEART. GET IT TOGETHER ALREADY.
(I have a lot of feels about this book and these cats. Just saying.)
1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2016?
*fail*
2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2016?
I had SO MUCH FUN writing this series review of The Lynburn Legacy by Sarah Rees Brennan – it was an such a rollercoaster of emotions reading the series, and trying to incorporate that into a blog post was both hilariously hard and awesomely easy. I can’t recommend this series highly enough!!
3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
I loved writing this post about #booknip, in which I used many cat gifs to explain the way we book people can get all kerfuffled when certain books and/or topics come up in discussion!
4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
Book Expo America 2016 was AMAZING. So many wonderful things happened, including getting to finally share the same facespace with NOT ONLY Laura, but MORGAN as well! (Bottom left hand corner!) We have been bloggy besties since mid 2014, and it was so amazing to finally all be in the same city together!
(NOT TO MENTION I MET KRISTI YAMIGUCHI, and yes, I cried. I really did.)
5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2016?
Getting to meet Sharon Cameron, an author that I’ve been chatting with on Twitter for years! In a weird confluence of events and stories, we decided there was a probability we shared ancestry in Georgia (turns out it might not be so likely – but we’re still looking 😉
6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?
A combination of a busy work schedule and an appendectomy in late September resulted in a stupidly non-productive end of the year, bloggish-life-wise. I actually didn’t even post a single thing from October 26th until December 30th.
*GASP*
Hoping for a better blogging year next year!
7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
I wrote a Top Ten Tuesday post about things that I love that aren’t books, and it got a lot of views and comments! I was so excited at how many people were interested in the non-bookish things that I love, and even more excited at how many of them people already knew about. It really felt like I was a true and real part of this community ❤
8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
I had a lot of fun writing this post about animated movies, and whether or not certain animated films are too scary for kids – and how parents make those decisions. It had an opportunity for a lot of great discussion, but didn’t end up gaining much traction.
9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
Unfortunately, I don’t think I really had any great bookish discoveries this year. A lot of the same old, same old to be honest. Maybe I’ll find a hidden gem of a book site or store in 2017!
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
Oof, let’s see….
Goodreads Reading Challenge 52/52
Flights of Fantasy 18/25 books
Backlist Books 30/20 books
Rock My TBR 7/25 books
Historical Fiction 9/15 books
Six Squared 16/36 books
Fairytale Retelling 1/5 books
ReRead Challenge 11/6 books
Must Read in 2016 6/10 books
9 Challenges, 3 completions – meaning a 33% success rate.
EEK. Next year will be better….?
1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2016 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2017?
Starflight | After I Do | Salt to the Sea
So many books, so little time.
*sigh*
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2017 (non-debut)?
Dual timeline WWI and WWII centered around two women drawn together, determined to figure out the truth at any costs? YES PLEASE.
3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
WWII Young Adult Historical Fiction? YES PLEASE.
4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2017?
Where is my series love at? Why do I have so few series in my Goodreads TBR?
(So tell me – what series sequel/ending should I be on the lookout for?!)
5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017?
Find a way to make blogging work for me – don’t stress about not getting the posts out, but find a way to get them out and be happy about it! I love interacting with people through this blog and sharing my thoughts, but I’ve got to figure out how to make it work without making me stressed out.
6. A 2017 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:
So there you have it, my year in books!
Did you fill out an End of Year 2016 survey? Leave me a link in the comments if so!!
