Thursday, January 1, 2015

end-of-year book survey for 2014

1. Best book read in 2014?
It's always so hard to choose one book above all others, but choose I must. I think I have to go with Kiera Cass' The One, the ending of the Selection trilogy (who else is crazy excited for The Heir, though?). It was all-in-all such a perfect ending for that series, and for America and Maxon's love story. I adored pretty much every page of it.

2. Book you were excited about and thought you'd love more, but didn't?
Isla and the Happily Ever After fits the bill for me. Despite being lukewarm about Lola, I absolutely adored Anna (along with every other blogger in the known universe) and was hyped up to get back Paris, and St. Clair's friend Josh. But the book fell totally flat for me and I'm impressed that I finished it, honestly.

3. Most pleasantly surprising book of the year?
Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale. One of my friends loaned it to me after I liked The Goose Girl, and I wasn't expecting much from it, honestly. But it was such a feel-good read, so wonderful and warm. I really thoroughly enjoyed it.

4. Book you recommended the most in 2014?
Definitely We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart. I'm not sure how many people I actually got to read it, but I mention it quite enough I think.

5. Best series you discovered in 2014?
Ahahaha. *manic laughter* My amish romance trilogy, for sure. The Temptation series by Karen Ann Hopkins. I only have the last book left to read and it's so addictive and entertaining. The characters are all a bit of a mess, as is the central (entirely problematic, but whatever) relationship, but I just. Love. It. I don't believe in "guilty pleasure" reads, but if I did this would totally fit.

6. Favorite new authors discovered in 2014?
I'm gonna be real honest, guys. Jon Klassen, author of those horrible/wonderful picture books where the animal murders the other animal for stealing his hat (sorry, spoilers!) rocked my world this year. I absolutely LOVE his stories. Another wonderful writer I discovered is Lang Leav, whose love poetry collections speak to my heart. Oh, and Katie Cotugno, of course!

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
I actually read a lot of various genres this year, but one book that was definitely out of my comfort zone was Jane Austen's Emma. Now, I like the classics. I like Jane Austen. But it's always a bit of trial to make it through one of her books and reading Emma this past December felt especially difficult for me.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2014?
Confessions of a Sociopath, by M.E. Thomas. And that's really saying something considering I read Gone Girl this year. But that book was just flat-out fascinating.

9. Book you read in 2014 that you are most likely to reread next year?
How to Love, by Katie Cotugno. Honestly I wanted to reread that book the second I finished it; it's just so good.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
There are so many amazing covers to choose from! But I'm going to go with We Were Liars because not only is it beautiful and haunting, but it also fits the story really well (which is unlike the equally pretty cover for Don't Call Me Baby). (The cover for How to Love is also wonderful. Choosing is hard.) Hey, how about I include all three and you can decide FOR YOUR OWN SELVES?
 
11. Most memorable character from 2014?
Josie from Love and Other Foreign Words immediately came to mind for me. Smart, caring, and a bit off-kilter and awkward. I loved her.

12. Most beautifully written book you read in 2014?
Choices, choices! But really I think I have to go with Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro. With honorable mention to We Were Liars, The Goats, The Infinite Sea, Panic, and Love & Misadventure.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2014?
Erm. Ah. Usually there are quite a selection of books that just felt personal to me, but 2014 was a bit of a barren year for that. I think probably Flora & Ulysses though, just because of when I read it and how warm-hearted it was and all of the really great quotes that pulled me out of the sucky mood I was in. The line, "So many miracles have not yet happened," has really stuck with me this past year.

14. Book you can't believe you waited until 2014 to finally read?
Princess Academy. I passed by that book so many times, in so many libraries, and I don't understand how I didn't read it until now.

15. Favorite passage or quote from a book you read in 2014?
Well, I already mentioned the line from Flora & Ulysses, and to be honest I did a crap job of keeping up with quotes this year, but I will share one from We Were Liars.
The four of us Liars, we have always been.
We will always be.
No matter what happens as we go to college, grow old, build lives for ourselves; no matter if Gat and I are together or not. No matter where we go, we will always be able to line up on the roof of Cuddletown and gaze at the sea. This island is ours. Here, in some way, we are young forever.
16. Shortest and longest books you read in 2014?
Alright, I'm going to not include picture books here if I can help it.
Longest - Gone Girl, at 560 pages.
Shortest - Love & Misadventure, at 176 pages.

17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling, dying to talk to somebody about it? (This can be an epic revelation, a shocking twist, whatever...)
Ugh, so many! I mentioned reading Gone Girl this year, right? Okay okay I'm going to go with that book. I'm going to go with the end of that book. Because !!!!!! I mean, right? !!!!!

18. Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2014?
There are always so many good book relationships. But I really fell for Kathy and Tommy's relationship in Never Let Me Go; it's beautiful and heartbreaking and awkward all at once, and it's never as easy as you think it should be.

19. Favorite book you read in 2014 from an author you'd read previously?
I'll go with Summerland, by Elin Hilderbrand. This was the first book of hers I flat-out ADORED. (And, okay, We Were Liars. But, like, obviously.)

20. Best book that you read based solely on a recommendation from someone else?
Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale.

--LOOKING AHEAD--
21. Book you didn't get to in 2014 but is a high priority for serious now in 2015?
Landline, by Rainbow Rowell. Definitely.

22. Book you are most anticipating for 2015?
The Heir, by Kiera Cass. Ahhhhh!!!! I mean, you know it's serious when SARAH DESSEN has a novel coming out and I'm still looking more forward to another book.

23. One thing you want to do/accomplish in your reading/blogging life in 2015?
Well, I want to blog regularly again. And I have a reading challenge (that I'll blog about later, probably) that I'm excited for.


1 comment:

  1. I always see "Princess Academy" on shelves and ponder over picking it up, but then I always opt for something else. I will have to stop doing that, I guess! There are so many books on this list that I haven't read (like, basically all of them; our reading last year didn't overlap at all!) and my reading list for 2015 has definitely grown!
    I am excited to see you posting again on your blog! It's been one of my favs in the past. :)

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