I took a blogging break over Christmas and all the way through to the end of January so I never got the chance to do any of the yearly round-up posts that I really enjoy doing. But what with my new ‘blog what you enjoy’ mantra I’m going to post a few now – lateness be damned!
This End of Year Survey was started by Jamie @ The Perpetual Page Turner who also created the graphics. Many thanks to her!
Number Of Books You Read: 69 – 1 short of my target.
Number of Re-Reads: 1 – A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
Genre You Read The Most From: YA Fantasy/Horror – 22 books
1. Best Book You Read In 2016?
For the second year running my favorite book has been one I read right at the beginning of the year. This time it was Sanctuary Bay – an impressive dark and mysterious YA novel.
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?
5. Best series you started in 2016? Best Sequel of 2016? Best Series Ender of 2016?
Best series started – The Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo
Best Sequel – I didn’t actually read many sequels but Glass Sword was great.
Best Series Ender – I didn’t read any. Fail!
6. Favourite new author you discovered in 2016?
Definitely Jason Arnott (The Last Days of Jack Sparks)
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
The madwoman Upstairs – I don’t often read general adult fiction, especially not ones about classic literature (The Bronte’s) like this one.
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
The Last Days of Jack Sparks
9. Book You Read In 2016 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
Probably none because I never find the time but I’d love to re-read Sanctuary Bay again as I read it at the start of the year and have already forgotten lots about it despite thinking it was amazing at the time!
10. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2016?
11. Most memorable character of 2016?
Probably Jack Sparks again. He was such a loveable, despicable idiot.
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?
Ooh this one was hard to choose. Tbh I didn’t read that many ‘serious’ books last year. I almost went for The Amber Fury by Natalie Haynes but I think I’ll choose The Hummingbird’s Cage for its interesting look at the afterlife and having hope.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read?
The Song of Achilles.
15. Favourite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016?
“I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.” ― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?
Shortest: The Book of Kringle – 32 pgs
Longest: The Crow Girl – 794 pgs
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)
Hmm this one has stumped me…maybe The Crow Girl just for the sheer dark, grimness of it.
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)
My favorite romance had to be Achilles and Patroclus in The Song of Achilles.
19. Favourite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
I really loved the dynamic between Jack Sparks and his editor/agent in The Last Days of Jack Sparks.
20. Favourite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
21. Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?
Sturmhond/Nikolai from The Grisha trilogy
23. Best 2016 debut you read?
It’s a tie between The Song of Achilles and The Madwoman Upstairs. Neither of which were YA. I’m surprised with myself!
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
Definitely The Grisha Trilogy
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
Jack Sparks
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?
I definitely cried at The Song of Achilles, more than once. I can’t think of any others.
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
Erm I wouldn’t be that dramatic but The Enchanted was depressing and beautiful all at once.
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?
I think The Enchanted again. It was like nothing I’ve ever read before.
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
Stealing Snow made me mad because it started off well then very quickly nose-dived!
1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2016?
I discovered lots of new blogs but I don’t want to single any out!
2. Favourite review that you wrote in 2016?
I liked my slightly ranting review of Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill
3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
I really enjoyed the discussion about why books aren’t promoted to teens enough.
4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
I didn’t go many last year, apart from events we hosted at work. My favorite of those was Mike Carey’s visit with the director and producer of The Girl with all the Gifts.
5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2016?
Probably just getting nice comments from authors/publishers, and the huge success that was Horror October. It’ getting bigger every year.
6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?
Just keeping going in general. With a busy work and social schedule it’s really hard work sometimes, but worth it.
7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
By far the Flash Fiction Battle posts during Horror October. I’ve never had such high stats!
8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
I guess a lot of reviews and also promo posts/blog tours that take a while to write but don’t end up being very popular. I think it’s fair to say that this is a bone on contention with a lot of bloggers.
9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
Hmm…I think just a lot of he vintage I’ve found which come with so much history. I find it really interesting and I’m going to incorporate that on my blog more this year. My vintage bookshop is here.
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
Hmm I didn’t really set many goals last year. I was one book away from reaching my Goodreads total.
1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2016 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2017?
Ha! Lots. But my first port of call is The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness and Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2017 (non-debut)?
3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2017?
The only series ending I needed to read was the final Grisha book and I finished it last week. Loved it!
5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017?
Quality not quantity!