2011 End of Year Book Survey

I saw this survey on a bunch of the blogs I follow, so I thought I'd fill it out. :) Jamie over at The Perpetual Page-Turner created this survey last year, so it's now the 2nd annual END OF YEAR BOOK SURVEY! This is my first time participating, and if you want to participate in it, too, click on the links and go check it out for yourself, and don't forget to link-up your post. :)

1. Best Book You Read In 2011? 


Divergent by Veronica Roth - My review

A few others that I absolutely loved were:
In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton (♥ Finn!)
Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick (best book in the series!)
Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (love this one...even though my heart totally broke throughout it!)
Lola and the Boy Next Door  by Stephanie Perkins
....I could go on and on, but I'm going to stop now. :P


2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?

I had a few, but considering how many I read, I'm surprised there weren't more. :P
Subject Seven by James A. Moore
Empty by Suzanne Weyn
The Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?

Well. I'm pretty aware of what I'll like, so I'm not sure if I was really all that surprised that I liked the books that I did. I guess I was surprised by Sweetly by Jackson Pearce. I really liked Sisters Red, and I expected to like Sweetly....but I did not expect to love it way more than I loved Sisters Red! Sweetly kind of blew me away actually...and it had me craving candy like crazy! haha

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?

The Hunger Games, I got several different people to read this series over the last year. ;) Now, I have people to see the movie with me. haha I also pimped out Divergent whenever I could. :D I actually just borrowed my copies of the trilogy to my cousin so that she and her boyfriend can both read it...my Hunger Games army is growing...muhahahahahaha. *awkward pause* Sorry about that.

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?

I'm going to pick a YA and an adult series. I've started an awful lot of YA series this year, but they honestly don't feel like series yet because for most I'm waiting for more books....oh the waiting....it kills me! :P

YA: The Mockingbirds Series by Daisy Whitney - I wanted to read this for a while, but I finally read it this year, and I loved the first book! I'm now anxiously awaiting the next one. Alex, the main character, is just so strong, and I think that this book, and series, carries such a strong message. Definitely an inspirational read.
Adult: The Holloway Pack Series by J.A. Belfiled - Darkness and Light is the first book, and there have been several novellas. One of which comes out January 1st. ;)


6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?


Ellen Hopkins, Jackie Morse Kessler,and J.A. Belfield. I absolutely love both Ellen and Jackie's writing styles. They write such beautiful stories, and Ellen's writing taught me to appreciate different forms of stories. I never really thought I'd like poetic verse in a book, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I loved it. And J.A. Belfield continues to wow me with her stories. I'm so glad that I signed up to review books from J. Taylor Publishing because I absolutely love the stories that they publish, and Julie has written plenty of amazing stories that have kept me entertained throughout the year! :D

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

Backstage Pass by Olivia Cunning...and then Rock Hard by Olivia Cunning. I don't usually read books that have that much sex in them, but I actually really liked them! The characters were so sexy, they were rock stars *drool*...and well, these books are definitely hot! It kind of opened my eyes to the fact that YA isn't all that's out there. I love YA, but I also like other styles. It pretty much just added onto my eclectic reading style. :P

Triangles by Ellen Hopkins was another one that took me out of my comfort zone. I'm not a big fan of different prose types...I like traditional dialogue, and nothing too out there, but Triangles was written in poetic verse. I was asked if I wanted to review it, and I said yes because I wanted to give poetic verse a shot...and it was amazing! Seriously, if you haven't read poetic verse yet, you really should give it a shot. :)


8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?

Oh I had a few of these....I tend to stay up way later than I should while reading, but the most memorable one is Clockwork Prince. I think the only time I put it down was when it got so intense that I needed a breather! haha


9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

I have been smitten with this cover since the moment I first saw it...and when I saw it in person, I loved it even more. It's so breathtaking, and the way it shimmers. *sigh* I know some people think it would look better in colour, but I love it in black and white...it just adds such a dark element to the cover, and honestly, these books are on the darker side. It may have romance, but there's evil all around...plus, it's gorgeous with the silver tones. Awww.



11. Most memorable character in 2011? 

Hmmm. Well Tris and Four from Divergent were incredibly memorable. Will from Clockwork Prince and Jace from City of Fallen Angels are also always memorable...even though I've already met both of them. ;)

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?

Triangles by Ellen Hopkins
Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler
Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011? 

Divergent! I immediately started telling people about it as soon as I finished it. I love that book. Although, I guess emotionally, Hunger and Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler had pretty big impacts on me because of their content. They're incredibly powerful stories.

14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read? 

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta! I saw this one on several blogs, and really wanted to read it, especially when Ashley from the Book Labyrinth highly recommended it, and I wasn't disappointed! It's an amazing story! :D

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2011?
Hmmm...I don't really memorize quotes or keep track of them to be honest, but I do have a few that I highlighted on my Kindle that I can share. :) I think I definitely need to start writing down quotes though. I like looking back at them. :D

"You see yourself as very average, ordinary. And there is nothing ordinary about you, Rachel." - Dex, Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin.
----- I absolutely loved this line. It was so sweet, and so straightforward, and it was the best part of Dex. Throughout Something Borrowed, Dex is actually kind of a douche. He strings Rachel along when he could have easily just broke it off with Darcy...so easily, and this line was one of the reasons I thought he wasn't a douche, even if he acted like one. :P

Then I have a couple from Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen:
 - "Love and friendship. They are what make us who we are, and what can change us, if we let them."

- "Ah," he said, "but that's the thing. I do. I'm compulsively friendly." - Nate (Oh, I love Nate...he's so sweet! :D)

- "Hey, and for what it's worth? Friends don't leave you alone in the woods. Friends are the ones who come and take you out." - Nate

- "Family isn't something that's supposed to be static or set. People marry in, divorce out. They're born, they die. It's always evolving, turning into something else."

- " Nate, who was a friend to me before I even knew what a friend was." <---This one's my favourite. It's just so honest, and for Ruby that's a big deal. :)

----So next year, I'll definitely have to start keeping track of quotes! I actually really liked looking back through my Kindle ones. :D

16. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012? 

Definitely Divergent. :D I think it's safe to say that Divergent totally dominated this year for me. :P

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!

Pretty much all of Clockwork Prince...and even City of Fallen Angels...Cassandra Clare really tossed my heart around this year! I loved them both, but they put me through the ringer! I don't even think I have to mention scenes...I think people who have read them probably know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. :P

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 Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2011

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2011? 

I discovered a lot of blogs in 2011, but one that I really love is my friend Zoë's blog, In the Next Room. I'm so glad I found it, especially since if I hadn't found it I wouldn't have such an awesome blogger friend! :D

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2010? 

I absolutely loved my review for Clockwork Prince. I just wrote it a while ago, but I thought long and hard about this review, and I'm happy with how it turned out...especially since I think I managed to avoid spoilers, which is very tough with sequels!

3. Best discussion you had on your blog? 

I haven't really had any on my blog...I guess I need to start writing posts that get people thinking!

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else's blog?


Oh man...another thing I need to start saving so that I don't forget. I remember reading a post I liked about Bookish Pet Peeves, but I can't remember which blog it was on. Next year, I'll have some to actually talk about.


5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

I've only ever been to one author signing, and it was this year. :) My friend, Glen, and I went to West Edmonton Mall to get our copies of Inheritance signed by Christopher Paolini. It was a long wait, but it's awesome to have all of my books in the series signed. :D

An online event that I loved was the Iron Knight Release Party on twitter...so fun! :D It was crazy hard to follow everything because there were so many people involved, but it was an awesome experience, and I'd definitely do it again. :)

6. Best moment of book blogging in 2011?

Hmmm, I've had a couple. I totally went all fangirl in my bedroom when Julie Kagawa commented on my "Perfect Day with Ash" post, and when Ellen Hopkins commented on my Triangles review, I just couldn't stop smiling. :D

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

My Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon: Results Post had the most pageviews this year, but the most comments goes to my Zompacolypse Trick-or-Treat Hop - GIVEAWAY! post with 81 comments. :) I'm a sucker for comments, I always try to either email a reply if it's enabled or comment right on my blog...just in case you guys didn't know that, if you leave a comment, be sure to check if I've replied. Sometimes, I'll go to the commenter's blog to reply, but not always. :P


8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Hmmm. I think maybe my In the Forests of the Night Review. It's the second book in the Goblin Wars trilogy, and the sequel to Tyger Tyger. I absolutely loved that book, and that series, so I would love to give it as much exposure as I possibly can! :D Plus, I'm pretty sure the one comment I have on it is actually spam...but it doesn't have links, so I figured I'd just leave it. :P

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

The Book Cellar on the University of Alberta campus! I love that store! So so so much! They have amazing deals, and I've found some fantastic books there! :D If you're ever there, and you want to know more about it, it's at HUB mall. :)

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 of reading 136 books, but I kind of pushed all of my other reading challenges that I'd planned to participate in to the side. This year, I've got a couple I'm planning on doing, but I chose ones that I really want to do. Last year, I went a bit crazy and just signed up for a bunch. :P

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Looking Ahead...


1. One Book You Didn't Get To In 2011 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2012?

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. I've been wanting to read it for months, and I've heard amazing things, but school got in the way, so even though I have a copy, I haven't gotten to read it yet! I'm so excited for it though! :D

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2012?

Insurgent by Veronica Roth! And Clockwork Princess! And City of Lost Souls! And....lots more!

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2012?
Well, I want to try and start writing my reviews right after I finish reading a book. Or at the very least, I want to start maybe writing down my immediate thoughts. I tend to procrastinate in writing my reviews because I squeeze my reading in whenever I can...and often I don't really have time to be reading, let alone writing a review afterwards when I do this, so if I write down my thoughts, it might give me more motivation to get my reviews written more quickly when I do have time.
As I mentioned before, I'd also like to keep track of quotes I like, and also of posts that I enjoy. :D
I'd also like to respond to comments better, and I'd like to try and keep the books I need to review to a more manageable level...I still have a lot of catching up to do!

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Well that's my 2011 with blogging in summary, and my thoughts on the year, and my hopes for 2012!

Have you filled out this survey yourself? If you have feel free to leave a link to yours in the comments, and I'll check it out! :D

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur