2013 End of Year Book Survey!

I really enjoyed doing Jamie's End of the Year Book Survey last year, so I wanted to do it again this year! This is Jamie's fourth End of the Year Book Survey. You can find the survey over at The Perpetual Page Turner!

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

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn't?
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?

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

"All children, except one, grow up." - Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie

"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

16. Shortest & longest book you read in 2013?
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

End of 2012 Book Survey!

Banner and Survey Courtesy of The Perpetual Page-Turner

Last year I participated in The Perpetual Page-Turner's End of the Year Book Survey, and I decided to do it again! :) If I'd been on the ball this would have been done before New Years, but oh well. :P haha I skipped the blogging life section which is optional because this thing took me forever to do! I tried to include Goodread links and pictures of most of the book covers for you guys to see...hopefully that won't make it super slow to load. :)

Best In Books 2012

 1. Best Book You Read In 2012? (You can break it down by genre if you want)

I'm just going to cheat and list a couple of my favourites! :P
Crewel (Crewel World #1) by Gennifer Albin
Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth
Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton
  
Okay...I'll stick to those three, but I could go on...and on...and on! I actually had a lot of books that I loved this year. :D haha I just absolutely adored the world created in Crewel and I loved how feisty Adelice was despite how restrictive her world was....just fantastic! Insurgent is my ideal second book in a trilogy book...it was perfect! It answered quite a few of my questions, brought up some more, and left me both satisfied and desperate for the final book! Everneath was one of the first books that I read in 2012 and it stuck with me all year long...I loved Nikki...and I loved Cole. ;D Everneath was one of the few times where I actually preferred the bad boy (Murtagh's still my fav "bad boy" though :P)...although I like to think there's more to him than there seems to be. :P haha

2. Book You Were Excited About and Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

 Team Human by Sarah Rees Brennan and Justine Larbalestier
I just really wasn't a big fan of Mel, and while she grew on me by the end I still just couldn't get over how horrible she was near the beginning of the book. I'm not a fan of mean people...and Mel was mean, she just considered it being funny instead. Considering that she was better by the end of the book though I'm going to continue with the series and I'm going to hope she doesn't get mean again. :P 

Enshadowed (Nevermore #2) by Kelly Creagh
Awe man...I wanted to love this book sooooo much, and I did love some aspects, but overall I was just so disappointed. I felt like Enshadowed just took me in circles. The writing was beautiful, just like it was in Nevermore, but this book just fell flat for me. Nothing really happened....in fact, it seemed like Isobel was in a worse position than she was after Nevermore. I know a lot of people dislike middle books in trilogies, but I'm usually not one of them...and this is actually the first middle book I haven't liked in a long, long time...so I was pretty sad. I'm still going to read the next book, but I seriously felt ripped off after reading this one. It was like I read 400-and-some pages for NOTHING, like it was written just as filler,....and you barely even get to see Varen which made it even worse. *sigh*

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012? 
Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles #1) by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia
When this one first came out I remember seeing it at Walmart (where I seriously used to get ALL my books :P), and I'd just been burned by a series that I'd bought there and didn't like, so I was very hesitant to get it and decided to skip this one. Then when I started blogging I heard a lot of mixed things about it...but after my fellow Edmonton Blogger, Rola (who I'll mention later in this post), told me that I needed to read this series...so I started it, and I loved it! :D Now I'm not even sure why I waited....Ethan is awesome and I love it's such a different perspective. First, as far as I know...he's human, and it's a male narrator, which I think we all know is pretty rare in YA. :P I'd totally recommend checking this one out guys, and after I get around to reading the rest of the series I'm sure I'll still be encouraging you to read it. :P

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?
Hmmm, I didn't recommend a lot of books in 2012 (I'll have to work on that this year :P), but I did encourage a few of my friends to read Divergent, and like I have since I read it...The Hunger Games. :D Okay, while answering #5 I realized I lied...I totally recommended Jaci Burton's Play by Play series to several people....and now I'm recommending it to anyone who reads this...if you enjoy sexy athletes that is. ;)

5. Best series you discovered in 2012?

Jaci Burton's Play by Play series! :D Oh, sports romances....I am sooooo glad that I've gotten into this genre. I just love it, and Jaci Burton's Play by Play series is my favourite!!! I love that her characters are genuine, and I love that they're all intertwined through the Riley family...it's great seeing characters from the previous books show up! :D

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?
Jaci Burton, Brodi Ashton, Gennifer Albin, and Elizabeth Richards! I've already professed my love for Jaci Burton's series, but I also absolutely adored Everneath by Brodi Ashton, Crewel by Gennifer Albin, and Black City by Elizabeth Richards....and I can't wait for their sequels!!! :D
 
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Touching the Void by Joe Simpson
I took a travel lit class last Winter semester, and this was one of the books we read...it was my favourite out of all of them and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The fact that this book is a true story made it even more amazing! The story was riveting, intense...and I just was seriously on edge through a huge chunk of this book just wondering how he could go through it all! I recommend this to absolutely everyone...even if you don't typically read nonfiction because I don't either. This one's considered creative nonfiction, so aspects, like the other character, Simon's POV are added along with creative elements like tone and stuff like that, but the story itself is nonfiction...it's amazing, honestly...so good!
 
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?
Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth
Just like Divergent, Insurgent was full of action, and the characters were amazing! Tris went through so much in this book that it almost felt like you got enough action for two books! I pretty much read this one nonstop...I only took the necessary breaks...you know: food, bathroom, water...necessary to survival stuff. :P
 
9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year:
 
The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
This one was already a reread in 2012, and I'm thinking that I'll reread it again in 2013...maybe I'll make it a yearly thing. After all, a girl needs her Wesley Rush fix. ;D 

 

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012?

 

I'm totally picking two for this one! :P The first one is Taking a Shot (Play by Play #3) by Jaci Burton, which I just find super sexy and couldn't resist putting on here! :P And the second is Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #1) by Bethany Griffin! I just find this cover gorgeous! I love the silhouette of the girl behind the umbrella and the red mist...it's just so pretty! :D
 
11. Most memorable character in 2012? 

Logan Lerman as Charlie

I'm going to go with Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky...which I'm going to mention a few questions down again. He's such a unique character, and he's easily to write off...but I really respected him, and I just had so much compassion for him. He's one of those characters that makes you think, and his story opens your eyes to things that you sometimes just try to pretend don't exist...but they do, and they do matter...just like Charlie matters even if he doesn't always think that he does.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?
This one is hard!! I'm going to go with Identical by Ellen Hopkins...any Ellen Hopkins book would do actually, and I did read the Crank trilogy, too, but Identical REALLY stuck with me...it was so intense and the story was so messed up, but it was told in such a beautiful way...seriously, soooo goood!

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012? 
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
I won't lie...I'm totally a daddy's girl, so Second Chance Summer really struck a chord with me...just like Matson's first book, Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. This book made me think about my conversations with my dad and just how we are together...it made me realize just how much I appreciate the fact that I still have my dad and that he's there for me when I need him. It also made me realize that I need to tell him that I love him more often (I know he probably won't ever read this...but if by some bizarre chance you are dad, I love you). It didn't just make me appreciate my dad though, but rather everyone I love. I'm going to appreciate my loved ones a lot more after reading this book, and I'm going to make sure that I have plenty of memories of everyone that matters to me because in the end, that's what you have to hold on to.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read? 
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
A few of the Edmonton Bloggers (myself included) got the chance to see an advanced screening of the movie adaptation, so I just had to read the book first....and I can't believe I waited that long! I loved Charlie. I loved how his story was told, and I loved how despite having his own issues, he was one of the kindest and most thoughtful characters I've ever had the experience of meeting through the written word. He's easily misunderstood, but if you give him the chance and go into this book with an open mind, you will love Charlie. He's 

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012? 
Just like 2011...I didn't really keep track of quotes in 2012. I need to start doing that...by the end of this year hopefully I'll have some favourites. ;)

16. Shortest and Longest Book You Read In 2012? 
Shortest: Forever by Judy Blume - 176 pages
Longest: A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin - 1,178 pages

Forever was actually kind of a disappointment for me, too, but oh well, at least it was short...and A Storm of Swords was CRAZY! I loved that one....so much...oh man (I've just recently let myself get back into this series...my fangirl is showing isn't it? :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 Insurgent...and strangely enough I still haven't talked about it with anyone! I think I'm going to have to fix that and talk to somebody about it!!! :D I might just have to use talking about this book as an excuse to reread it. :P

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).  
Caroline and Simon from Wallbanger by Alice Clayton! I read this one when it was originally a Twilight fanfic, and I loved the relationship then, but I enjoyed it even more so when they become Caroline and Simon. They started off as enemies of sorts and their relationship morphed into friendship...with a tinge of domesticity and a tonne of sexual tension involved. I loved the growth of their relationship and how it developed into a romantic relationship. While the other relationships in the book aren't as well developed, Caroline and Simon's is fanastic...and they have amazing banter. Loved this book and these two! :D

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously
 Black Heart (Curse Workers #3) by Holly Black
Insurgent could totally fit here, too, but I also absolutely LOVED Black Heart! It was one of the most satisfying conclusions to a trilogy that I've ever read, and I loved every single minute of it! :D I'm definitely going to have to reread this series because I'm going to miss Cassel! :D


 
20. Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:
Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles #1) by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia
Rola from xo'reads is a HUGE fan of this series, and she really encouraged me to check the Caster Chronicles out. I've only read BC so far an I loved it...so I'm extremely glad that she told me to read it because if she hadn't I don't think I would've...this was one of those series that I wasn't sure about. I'd heard mixed things, so I was mixed about it too, but Rola pushed me over-the-edge to reading it and I'm so glad! Now I just need to read the rest of the series!!! :D

Looking Ahead…

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2012 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2013?
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
I REALLY wanted to read this one...and I still do, but with school I never really got the chance to read it...but this year, I will! Even though it's nothing like Harry Potter, I'm still seriously excited for it, and I hope that I love it. :D

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?
Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare
I've mentioned it several times, but Clockwork Prince DESTROYED me...seriously, I was a mess. A MESS. I was so torn up after reading that book...I was sobbing and I was mumbling incoherently to myself...it was bad. But, I LOVED it...yes, I loved CP even though it left me in a seriously messed up state...and it left me absolutely desperate for Clockwork Princess...and the wait is almost over...we are so close to this book guys....so close! Only a couple more months! I even preordered my book from Chapters this time because last time my Book Depo book didn't have any specific edition stuff...and I am NOT missing out on that family tree...no siree bob! Also, I'm so excited for this book, but also soooo nervous. I think Will fans and Jem fans alike are all a bit worried...it's not looking good for anybody! I just want Will to be happy...is that so much to ask? Okay...I'm going to stop now or this is going to go on for forever. :P

  ...and I just have to mention the still untitled third book in the Divergent triology by Veronica Roth! :D I can't wait to learn the name, see the cover...and get my hands on it! It will be awesome, I just know it!

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2013?
Well as I've already mentioned, I'm going to try and keep track of some quotes this year. It's always been something I wanted to do, but for some reason I never do it. I'm kind of an in-the-moment reader, so maybe that's why. The only time I stop reading if I'm really into a book is when I stop for a moment to try and figure things out, so now I'm going to try and pay more attention to specific passages, and hopefully I'll find some that I love. :D I also hope to just keep steadily reading throughout the year, and I'm going to try not to slow down during the summer when I'm working. That seemed to be when I slowed down in 2012, so this year I'm going to try and go steady all year! For blogging, I'm going to try and get caught up on reviews...and hopefully stay caught up! Hopefully I can manage that. ;P So, I kinda did more than one...but it's always good to have things that you hope to accomplish...right? :P

---

Did you participate in the survey? 

If you did, leave a link and I'll check it out! 

If you didn't, feel free to pick out a question and answer it in the comment section. I'd love to hear about the books you read in 2012!

Also, feel free to comment on my answers. I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)

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