2010 Survey

Started by THIS GIRL.

Note: I only started using Goodreads and keeping track of what I read in June or July, so this is really only the second half of 2010. But still.

Best Book of 2010:

Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins. There are some close seconds here, but Mockingjay just broke my brain in the best possible way. I could not stop reading it. I could not get over it. For the first time in the trilogy I kind of actually liked Katniss and I felt like it was really the only way this series could end. Absolutely loved it.

Worst Book of 2010:

For me personally it had to be Stalker Girl, by Rosemary Graham. 

Most Disappointing Book of 2010:

The Duff, by Kody Keplinger. I wanted to like this book so much, but I just really, really didn't. It was disappointing for me in a lot of ways.

Most Surprising (In A Good Way!) Book of 2010:

Tweet Heart, by Elizabeth Rudnick. Surprising because I was so amazed to find a twitter novel on the shelves, especially as I was right in the thick of writing my own Twitter-Facebook-Email story at the time (which, hello, still doing) and I loved that there was something out that was using a similar format. Plus, the book was absolutely adorable. I loved it.

Most Recommended-to-Others Book of 2010:

Probably Sea, by Heidi R. Kling, though I'm not sure anyone actually took my recommendation to heart and read it. Seriously though -- get going! It's wonderful.

Best Series You Discovered in 2010:

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, which I'm sure is on lots of lists. Right before I actually managed to buy the first book I wanted to read this series so much that I was for serious having dreams about it. Like, dreams where someone (Katniss, maybe?) was trying to kill my family and I had to go fight and... gahh, it was ridiculous and intense. And the only time a dream has convinced me to read a book.

Favorite New Authors Discovered in 2010:

Jenny Han, author of the Summer series, of which I've only read the first book but I really need the next two. Are they both out yet? And Suzanne Young, author of the Naughty List trilogy. Cheerleading has never been so espionage-filled. It made the spy girl in me geek out.

Most Hilarious Read of 2010:

Scarlett Fever, by Maureen Johnson, which just barely beats out two other hilarious books. But, come on, this one has SPENCER MARTIN so it has to win.

Most Thrilling, Unputdownable Book of 2010:

Again, Mockingjay takes this category by a landslide. Unbelievable.

Most Anticipated Book of 2010:

It sucks to write this one because the book didn't live up to my expectations, but Fixing Delilah, by Sarah Ockler. Her first novel was so incredibly incredible and this one sounded exactly like something I'd love. It had all the right components and I'm so thrilled that so many people love it (even if I didn't).

Favorite Cover of a Book You Read in 2010:

This one wins on "Beatles-references" alone.

Most Memorable Character in 2010:

Peeta Mellark.

I love him.

Most Beautifully-Written Book of 2010:

Fall For Anything, by Courtney Summers. This one's not out for another week or so but OH MY GOSH. Just.... love.... so much love.

Book That Had the Greatest Impact on You in 2010:

This is a difficult one because I connect on an emotional level to so many books. I've read things this year that were absolutely amazing, that helped me understand myself or the people around me a little better, that made something shift into place in my brain. But by far the book that's had the greatest impact on me is Some Girls Are, by Courtney Summers. I've had a love for "mean girl" type books for a long time and this is one that, despite being more intense by far than anything I've ever been though, I really connected to. It came at a time when I was going through a few toxic friendships of my own and because of that it hit close to home for me. THANK YOU COURTNEY.

Book You Can't Believe You Waited Until 2010 to Read:

Hm. Most of what I've read either came out this year or I just found out about it this year, so there's not much to choose from in this category but I'll go with Jodi Picoult's The Pact just because I'd been wanting to read it for quite a while and it was pretty amazing.

New Favorite Book Blog You Discovered in 2010:

Forever Young Adult.

Favorite Review That You Wrote in 2010:

I'm not that in love with any of my reviews, though I am proud of them. Choosing a favorite, though, I'd have to go with The Summer I Turned Pretty, by Jenny Han. It was hard to put my thoughts and feelings about this book into words but I think it turned out well.

Best Discussion On Your Blog in 2010:

I've had some really good discussions lately (all of you who comment are winfaces), but probably the best would have to be Please Be Nicer, the post I did about "weak" characters and "weak" people.

Most Thought-Provoking Review or Discussion On Another Blog in 2010:

I don't know, basically anything on Persnickety Snark?

Best Event You Participated In During 2010:

I went to Heidi R. Kling's informal little book signing/meetup at the bookstore in Downtown Disney this year and it was great. A huge long drive, but I got to meet and hang out with a fabulous author as well as some of my blogger friends (HELLO KHY) and got to meet new people. I love author events; they're my kind of social things. (Also, Comic-Con would TOTALLY WIN THIS CATEGORY except that it's not really book-oriented.)

Best Moment of Book Blogging in 2010:

Still loving it. There's no moment; just the fact that I enjoy this so much after doing it for so long (much longer than this particular blog has been up) is great to me.

Best Bookish Discovery of 2010:

The Bookswap on Goodreads.