BEST IN BOOKS 2013
1. Best book you read in 2013? (If you have to cheat -- you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)- Paranormal/Steampunk - Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices#3) by Cassandra Clare
I've loved The Infernal Devices trilogy right from the first book, Clockwork Angel, but Clockwork Princess really sealed the deal with this series for me. It was a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy and I couldn't have been happier with how it all turned out. :) - Children's Lit. Classic - Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
I finally read Peter Pan for a Children's Literature English class this past semester, and I am so glad that I've finally read it. I loved it, and it'll definitely be one of those books that I keep coming back to! - Comedy - Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
I love Allie Brosh's blog of the same name, and once I heard she was releasing a book, I knew that I had to have it! I pre-ordered it as soon as I could, and I absolutely loved reading it. I only wish my favourite post of hers "The Year Kenny Loggins Ruined Christmas" was in the book, but at least I can always read it online. :P
- Contemporary - Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
This was my first time reading one of Rainbow Rowell's books and I absolutely loved it! I plan to read all of her books now, and I'm eagerly anticipating her future works! :D - Urban Fantasy - Omens (Cainsville #1) by Kelley Armstrong
I'm a huge Kelley Armstrong fan, so I couldn't wait to read this one, and I absolutely loved it! I can't wait for more of this series!!! :D
Allegiant! I was so excited for it, and unfortunately, I just didn't love it like I thought I would. I like it...but not nearly as much as Divergent and Insurgent.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
I had heard amazing things about it, but I was definitely surprised by just how much I loved it! I definitely can't wait to read more of his books in the future. :D
4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. This was my first Rainbow Rowell book, and I definitely plan to read the rest of her books, and I'll continue to recommend Fangirl because it was amazing!
5. Best series you discovered in 2013?
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan! I bought the box set of all five books a while back, and finally read them all this year! I loved the so much, and I've loved what I've read in The Heroes of Olympus series, too. I was definitely missing out by not having read these books until this year, and if you haven't read them yet, you seriously should!!! :D
6. Favourite new author you discovered in 2013?
Rainbow Rowell and J. Lynn...I'm totally cheating and saying both because I just started reading both of their books this year and absolutely loved them! :D
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
I didn't really go into any new genres this year, but I did delve back into middle grade with the Percy Jackson series, and that's one that I haven't read for a while. I'm so glad that I picked it up, too. Middle grade is so intense, and so much happens....I kind of missed that! :D
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?
A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire #5) by George R. R. Martin -- I didn't want to put this one down at all! After reading A Feast for Crows and not getting anything about Tyrion, Daenarys, or Jon Snow, I was so eager to read this one! However, I totally forced myself to put it down because I wanted it to last longer....unfortunately, I still wanted tonnes more once I'd finished, and now I have to wait for book 6, The Winds of Winter....it seriously cannot come fast enough!!!
9. Book you read in 2013 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
Frigid by J. Lynn -- As mentioned, I loved the books by J. Lynn that I read this year, and I can definitely see myself rereading this one soon because I absolutely loved Sydney and Kyler!
10. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2013?
One Sweet Ride (Play by Play #6) by Jaci Burton, When the Stars Threw Down Their Spears (Goblin Wars #3) by Kersten Hamilton, and Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare
I've loved so many of the covers from the books that I've read this year, but these three are all so amazing! :D
11. Most memorable character in 2013?
Savannah from Miranda Kenneally's Racing Savannah! I absolutely loved Savannah. She was an amazing character, and is definitely my favourite of all of Miranda Kenneally's characters so far. :D
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?
I'm gonna go with The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) and The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater. I love Maggie's writing style, and after reading The Dream Thieves this year, I had a total book hangover and couldn't get it off my mind! :D
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss...I have to admit that this book definitely impacted me this year. It just kind of made me reconsider how much we waste. I also absolutely adore the new movie version. They changed a lot, but it's such a sweet, thoughtful movie. :)
14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie -- I have always loved the various movie and TV adaptations of Peter Pan, so it's kind of sad that it's taken me this long to read it, but I'm so glad that I have now because it is such a wonderful story, and having read the book makes me really appreciate the adaptations even more. :D
15. Favourite passages/quotes from books you read in 2013?
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| "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - The Lorax by Dr. Seuss |
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| "All children, except one, grow up." - Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie |
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| "A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only once." - A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin |
Shortest: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, 72 pages
Longest: A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire #4) by George R. R. Martin, 1060 pages
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!
I'm just gonna say Allegiant...anyone who has read it knows what I'm talking about. It definitely had me reeling. :P
18. Favourite relationship from a book you read in 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc)?
The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) and The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater -- Again, I'm gonna have to go with Maggie's books! I can't choose just one relationship though! Ronan and Gansey are definitely my favourite friendship, and I love the forbidden element of Blue and Gansey's relationship...I heart them so much!!! :D
19. Favourite book you read in 2013 from an author you've read previously?
Once again I'm going to have to mention Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare, but another one that I absolutely loved from an author I've read before is Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally...that one was amazing! :D
20. Best book you read in 2013 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else?
The Percy Jackson Series! As I said, I've had this one for a while, but it was my friend, Cassie from Vamps, Weres, and Cassay who really encouraged me to finally read it! :D
21. Genre you read the most from in 2013?
I read a lot of contemporary this year from adult genres, young adult, and new adult! I also read quite a few dystopians. :)
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?
What a question! Pretty much every book with any kind of romance led to a new fictional crush for me. :P From one of the books I've read most recently though was Julian in Unbreathable! I also loved Jack from Racing Savannah, and Will from Beautiful Player! :D
23. Best 2013 debut you read?
One (One Universe #1) by Leigh Ann Kopans -- I absolutely loved One, and can't wait to read the sequel! I'm also eagerly awaiting, Leigh Ann Kopans' upcoming release Solving for Ex! :D
24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?
Unbreathable (Unbreathable #1) by Hafsah Laziaf -- The world in Unbreathable was amazing! It was another planet and I thought that it was described wonderfully! I could picture it and would love to see it!! :D
25. Book that was the most fun to read in 2013?
All books are fun to read...or most are anyway. :P But I think the funnest books I've read this year were picture books. I bought Vader's Little Princess and thought it was such a fun and adorable read! :D Hyperbole and a Half was also a blast to read and had me constantly laughing! :D
26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2013?
I cry all the time when I read, and I'll be honest...I barely keep track of which books make me cry anymore, but here are some that I vividly remember making me cry: Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth, More Than Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker #2) by Kelly Oram ---killer cliffhanger!!, and Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare...I'm sure there were more, but I can't place them! Next year, I'm gonna have to keep track of the books that made me cry I guess. :P
27. Book you read in 2013 that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out?
When the Stars Threw Down Their Spears (Goblin Wars #3) by Kersten Hamilton -- honestly, I always feel like this series gets overlooked, and I absolutely love it. It's an amazing trilogy, so unique, and the characters are fantastic! The release date did get reset several times, so I think that caused some problems, but I definitely wish that this series got more attention because it's one of my favourites! :D
BOOK BLOGGING/READING LIFE 2013
1. New favourite book blog you discovered in 2013?I found a couple great blogs this year, Aestas Book Blog and Natasha is a Book Junkie are my two favourite new blog finds from this year! They both have fantastic posts, giveaways, and I absolutely love how they use Facebook...it's something that I would really love to accomplish with my own blog's Facebook page, too! :D
2. Favourite review that you wrote in 2013?
My reviews for When the Stars Threw Down Their Spears (Goblin Wars #3) by Kersten Hamilton and Love, Technically by Lynne Silver. I loved both of these books for very different reasons, and ended up loving my reviews for both. :)
3. Best discussion you had on your blog?
I don't really do any discussions on my blog, but I wouldn't mind starting to do some...maybe I'll have to get into them in 2014. :)
4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else's blog?
I am seriously so horrible at keeping track of posts I love...I really don't have any saved, but I know I did have some that I absolutely loved! I guess this is yet another thing that I have to keep track of better next year. :P
5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
That has to be the Maggie Stiefvater signing that I went to with Megan from Megan Likes Books. I blogged about the signing here in my recap post. :)
6. Best moment of book blogging/your book life in 2013?
Again, that's the Maggie Stiefvater signing. :D I also had some amazing meetups with my Edmonton book blogger pals. :D
7. Most popular post this year on your blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
My post with the most views was for the Arrow of the Mist Blog Tour with over 2500 views, and my Canada Day Blog Hop giveaway post had just over 50 comments. :)
8. Post you wished got a little more love?
My review for When the Stars Threw Down Their Spears (Goblin Wars #3) by Kersten Hamilton. As I've said, I love this trilogy and really wish it got more attention. I also worked really hard to make it spoiler-free!
9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
I think this year was the first time that I found Book Riot, and I absolutely adore that site! I have also loved the book-related posts I've read on BuzzFeed--their Game of Thrones and Disney posts are also awesome! ;)
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of the year?
The only challenge that I participated in this year was the Goodreads challenge. I challenged myself to read 136 books this year, and so far I've read 141...so it looks like I've completed it. ;)
LOOKING AHEAD
1. One book you didn't get to in 2013 but will be your number 1 priority in 2014?The Fault in Our Stars by John Green -- I've been meaning to read this one since I bought it...and that was right when the book released! This year, I'm going to make sure I read it! :D
2. Book you are most anticipating for 2014 (non-debut)?
City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare -- This book will FINALLY finish the trilogy-turned-six-book series, and I cannot wait to finish it! :D
3. 2014 debut you are most anticipating?
Far From You by Tess Sharpe -- It sounds super intense and I can't wait to read it! :D
4. Series ending you are most anticipating in 2014?
Again...City of Heavenly Fire!!! I've been waiting to finish this book since I read City of Fallen Angels and had my happy ending upset. :P
5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging in 2014?
I hope to just blog more frequently! I did pretty well during part of the year, but then at other times, my posting got pretty irregular! In 2014, I want to at least post once a week...sadly, during parts of 2013, I went weeks without posting. I also want to try to do more on my blog. I plan to do some memes to help me get on a posting schedule, and I want to try to do some more unique things...so hopefully that works out! :D
What about you?
What did you do in 2013?
And have you done The Perpetual Page Turner's End of the Year Book Survey yet?
If you have, leave a link in the comments! :D
love these kinds of posts because you get loads of recommendations and inspired about what you want to read for the next year! i really liked Omens too, and I lent it to my boyfriend's mom and she loved it. I hope we don't have to wait too long for a sequel! I also really want to read Far From You, and post more regularly (yes, on my book blog, shocking, although I did write 2 posts today they were both for books i read in jan 2013 haha, sigh, i just like to review every book... eventually!)
ReplyDeleteSame here! I like to see what other people loved over the year!! :D
DeleteYay! I'm glad you loved it, too, and that your BF's mom loved it, too! I rememeber you mentioning that you were trying to find books to recommend to her. I hope we don't either! The title's revealed already, VISIONS, and the cover...and the release date is set for August this year, so not bad at all!! Kelley's pretty quick about sequels! :D
haha hopefully with our read-a-long we can keep each other semi-motivated. ;D haha Well done!!! And Far From You sounds amazing!!
ohhh I saw you recommended it to me on GR, awesome! well perhaps we have an August readalong book all set then :) And yup still like to find books to recommend/lend her, although she is looking for a bit more plot and less sexiness these days I think, which makes a book like Omens perfect. I was so glad she loved it :)
DeleteYup! I peeked to see what it said on Goodreads about, and figured that I should recommend it while there. ;) We should!! Omens definitely fits that description, and I'm glad she loved it, too. :)
DeleteWoo, Fangirl!! Fangirl was also my first exposure to Rainbow Rowell and made me an instant fan! Actually, there are many points here in which my answers would probably be the same. Namely Allegiant being a disappointment and The Fault in Our Stars is one I definitely NEED to get to this year (definitely before the movie). And your praise for the Percy Jackson series has got me excited because I literally JUST started reading The Lightning Thief!! Finally!
ReplyDeleteMe, too!!! :D I'm definitely excited to read her other books, too! :D haha we had a similar book year. ;) We both better hurry up our booties and read it, then!! Yay!!! I hope you love it, too, Eilidh! It's one of my favourite series now...and I'm reading Rick Riordan's other series, The Heroes of Olympus, but I still need to get caught up, so at least I have some demi-god good stuff left before I'm stuck waiting for Book #5. haha
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