I Read A Lot Of Books And Started Blogging – 2016 In Review

So I wasn’t going to do a end of year wrap up post, preferring instead to spend my blogging break putting together new posts for the new year. But I came across this this post by Alice @ Arctic Books and loved it, so I’m doing my own.

This survey, images and all, were created by Jamie @ The Perpetual Page-Turner. I just filled it in.

 

Number Of Books You Read: 70
Number of Re-Reads: 5
Genre You Read The Most From: Fantasy & YA

 

1. Best Book You Read In 2016?

The Book Thief, Bird Box, Night Film, The Kiss of Deception series… It’s hard to pick just one.

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

Replica by Lauren Oliver – This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2016, and while I enjoyed it, it just wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be. It needed more story in it, I think.

 3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?  

In the good way: Birdbox by Josh Malerman. It was so good, and one of the few books I would say are actually kind of freaky.

In the bad way: Firstlife by Gena Schowalter. So much unnecessary violence!

 4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

The Kiss of Deception series. I loved it so much that I convinced all my friends to read it. And they all loved it too.

 5. Best series you started in 2016? Best Sequel of 2016? Best Series Ender of 2016?

Best series I started: The Kiss of Deception series
Best sequel of 2016: That I read? Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Best series ender: Uhhhh… Probably The Beauty of Darkness. I think that’s the only series I really finished this year.

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?

So many! Mary E. Pearson, Josh Malerman, Fredrik Backman, Marissa Meyer, Sarah J. Maas, among a few others. This was the year I really got into reading new books, rather than just rereading all my own favourites.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

I don’t typically pick up biographies/autobiographies, but I loved Orange is the New Black.

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Bird Box by Josh Malerman, without question.

 9. Book You Read In 2016 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

I’d really like to read the Remnant Chronicles again. And I want to reread Night Film and do all the technology bits that go along with it.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?

Even though I wasn’t a huge fan of the book, I love this cover so much.

11. Most memorable character of 2016?

Annabeth from the Percy Jackson books. She’s fantastic.

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz or The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern. I can’t choose between them.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?

This one’s tricky. None of the books I read this year really struck me that strongly.

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read? 

Everything, really. I had really been missing out before I ventured into the online book world.

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016? 

“Words were different when they lived inside of you.” – Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016

Shortest: Never Never, just the first one.
Longest: Winter by Marissa Meyer

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

This is another tricky one. Maybe Night Film, because it turned out to be so simple in the end?

18. OTP OF THE YEAR

Albus and Scorpius from Cursed Child!

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

This was a reread this year, but I love Sydney and Layla in Saint Anything, despite their issues at times.

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

First Kiss by C.L. Stone.

21. Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

Night Film by Marisha Pessl

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?

Crushes on fictional characters have never really been my thing. Can I do favourite male character of 2016? In that case, it’s Mark Watney from The Martian.

23. Best 2016 debut you read?

Draw The Line by Laurent Linn

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern, for sure.

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

The Percy Jackson books… Really need to finish that series.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?

I’m not a big crier, but the saddest book I read this year was definitely A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Not so hidden, but maybe Scythe by Neal Shusterman?

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

In what way? Good or bad? Actually, I don’t think I have one for either, so maybe we should just move on.

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?

The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard – I just wanted the characters to do different things!

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2016?

I discovered all of the blogs I follow this year, since it was this year that I realized that there are whole communities online dedicated to books.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2016?

I don’t know? I really enjoyed writing the review for The Quantum Door by Jonathan Ballagh.

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?

Six Lessons I’ve Learned in Six Months of Book Blogging was probably my favourite of all of them, though Why I Didn’t Read Today: A List of Possible Reasons was fun to write as well.

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

My favourite bookish thing I’ve done this year was probably when my friend and I did a bookshop tour of our city. Which isn’t online, but was fun.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2016?

Hitting 100 followers was pretty cool, as well as when I began getting contacted about ARCs and review copies.

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

Finding time to do it! My schedule is so chaotic that it took a while to balance it with the rest of my life, and it was definitely a struggle at times.

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

Six Lessons I’ve Learned in Six Months of Book Blogging

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

My reviews! I love talking about books, but as a general, reviews always seem to get the least views and comments.

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

That there is so much about books online! Also, finding the used bookstore in my area was awesome.

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

I set a goal of 75 books on Goodreads, but I’m not going to make it. I got busy in the fall, and lost my momentum. But I got close, so that’s good enough for me.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2016 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2017?

The rest of the Snow Like Ashes series! And Lindsey Stirling’s book as well.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2017 (non-debut)?

I honestly haven’t been paying attention to upcoming books of late, so I’m not sure yet. At this point, maybe the next Throne of Glass book?

3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

See above.

 4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2017?

See #2. I suck at this part…

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017?

I want to read 70 books this year, or at least close to that. I am also hoping to branch out a little, and read more variety, especially in adult fiction.

On the blogging front, I want to add more variety to the reviews I post, and to add more discussions and unique posts to my page.

6. A 2017 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

I am slacking on my ARCs, since the ones I have aren’t released until February. So I’ve got nothing for this one.