The End of Year Book Survey is hosted by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner
Previously, my 2012 End of Year Book Survey and my 2011 End of Year Book Survey.
1. Best book you read in 2013?
Five books really stand out in my mind from 2013 (way too hard to narrow down!): Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (this book was my JAM!), The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (absolutely gripping!), The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (brilliant and memorable!), Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (story of my LIFE!), and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (beautiful and impactful - review to come!).2. Book you were excited about and thought you were going to like more but didn't?
I was so excited for the finales of two of my favourite series (Delirium and Divergent), but was sad to find that Requiem by Lauren Oliver and Allegiant by Veronica Roth were two major let downs for me.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?
Pantomime by Laura Lam! But I can't tell you why because that would ruin the surprise!
4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.
5. Best series you discovered in 2013?
The Grisha Trilogy and the Lunar Chronicles.
6. Favourite new author you discovered in 2013?
SO MANY. Leigh Bardugo, Maggie Stiefvater, Rainbow Rowell, Marissa Meyer, Markus Zusak, Gail Carriger, Victoria Schwab, and Robert Galbraith.
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?I don't normally "do" Adult Fiction or strict Whodunnit type books, but if there is anyone who can get me to take a step outside my comfort zone, it's Queen Rowling. So I'm definitely going to have to go with The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2013?
Shades of Earth by Beth Revis! Now THIS is how you do a thrillingly epic and climactic finale!
9. Book you read in 2013 that you are most likely to reread next year?
Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor is not a book I read in 2013, but it's one I most definitely want to reread in 2014 to prepare for Dreams of Gods & Monsters!
10. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2013?
11. Most memorable character in 2013?
Cormoran Strike from The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith, the Darkling from Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, and Death from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
14. Book you can't believe you waited until 2013 to finally read?
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card! I finally caved and read this one around the time that the movie came out. Unfortunately, the experience wasn't a positive one (review to come...).
15. Favourite passage/quote from a book you read in 2013?
Can I just copy the entirety of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak here?
16. Shortest and longest book you read in 2013?
Shortest: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness - 206 pages
Longest: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare - 570 pages
17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it?
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner! You KNOW the scene I'm talking about if you've read this book!
Liesl and Max from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Cath and Levi from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, and Puck, Dove, Sean, and Corr (yup, horses too) from The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.
19. Favourite book you read in 2013 from an author you've read previously?
I can always count on Rick Yancey and Patrick Ness (two of my MOST favourite authors) to produce good content and The 5th Wave and A Monster Calls were no exception.
20. Best book you read in 2013 that you read based solely on a recommendation from someone else?
Seems like everyone in the book blogging community has read and loved The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Finally in 2013, I was able to see what all the raves were about!
21. Genre you read the most from in 2013?
Fantasy, of course.
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?Levi (and his eyebrows and great hair) from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. True fact: at the Rainbow Rowell book signing that I attended in 2013, Rainbow described Fangirl as "eyebrow erotica" due to the detailed descriptions of Levi's eyebrows in almost every scene that he is in.
23. Best 2013 debut you read?
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner!
24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and The Archived by Victoria Schwab.
25. Book that was the most fun to read in 2013?
Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger was simply a delightful read! Gail knows how to get whimsy just right.
26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2013?
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (obvs), The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (that ending), and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (happy tears!).
27. Book you read in 2013 that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out?
Pantomime by Laura Lam. Pantomime was a highly original and profound read.
28. One book you didn't get to in 2013 but will be your number 1 priority in 2014?
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (reading now!!), Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, and Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell.
29. Book you are most anticipating for 2014 (non-debut)?DREAMS OF GODS & MONSTERS by Laini Taylor. Without. A. Doubt.
30. 2013 debut you are most anticipating?
Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne sounds right up my alley!
31. Series ending you are most anticipating in 2014?
Daughter of Smoke & Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor and The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo.
32. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging in 2014?
Keep up this no pressure/stress blogging and reading thing I've got going on because it suits me and I'm loving it.
Awesome list. I say it's not quite 2014 till the Lunar New Year. :)
ReplyDeleteAhhh so many awesome books here! Let's start with the books I've read too: I could NOT agree with you more on Days of Blood & Starlight - in fact, I hope to re-read the whole series before Dreams of Gods & Monsters. The Lunar Chronicles was another brilliant one, and how exciting is it that both DoG&M and Cress are coming out soon XD
ReplyDeleteI'll be reading Shadow and Bone, Allegiant, Fangirl, These Broken Stars and Etiquette & Espionage soon I hope since I own those but I also seriously need to get my hands on The Cuckoo's Calling, The 5th Wave, The Scorpio Races, The Archived and the Across the Universe books soon!! Fantastic answers across the boar here - awesome post ^^
I am SO with you on Requiem and Allegiant. Those two had to be the worst series finales, in my opinion. I had SUCH high expectations! And I have to agree -- A Monster Calls was so beautiful. And even the book itself was insanely beautiful. That's one I would love to have on my shelf! I'm glad that you're enjoying the no stress/pressure approach to blogging. I'm feeling the same way right now! :)
ReplyDeleteI think that The Book Thief is going to take up a good part of next year's survey. What a powerful novel. I am glad you mentioned Pantomime. I did not and I think SO many people would enjoy that book. I wish I'd have seen it around more. I need to read These Broken Stars- I have heard so many good things. I should also get on the 5th Wave bandwagon. SO many books.
ReplyDeleteIt's good seeing that we have a number of books in common that are favourites. I didn't particularly like Allegiant either- I read all three books back to back, and I wonder if that was actually smart- who knows.
Ooh yes! I am DYING for Dreams of Gods & Monsters! I'm so happy to see The Book Thief on here so many times - yay! Oh, this post is made of so much win. It's like a greatest hits of my reading year. Totally agree with you also on Allegiant and Requiem being underwhelming. And clearly I need to read Pantomime. I keep seeing great reviews for it, and now that I know it surprised you in a good way I'm even more curious to read it. Thanks for sharing this 2013 wrapup! :-)
ReplyDeleteWow, you really loved the Book Thief. I bought that book ages ago but ended up giving it away to one of my cousins, it was during a pretty hard time in my life and I just didn't have it in me to read it. I should probably give it another go - my cousin said she liked it, though it took her almost six months to read it.
ReplyDeleteI love that you loved Fangirl!! and Levi is awesome, he's not perfect but he's pretty great.
Also, I so want to read the 5th Wave, I think I'll try to make it my out of my comfort zone book for 2014 :D or my one dystopian a year :P
5 very different reads that form your Top 5! I really loved Shadow and Bone, too. And The Book Thief is such a moving and special book. It's among my all time favourites. Shouldn't have watched the movie tough...
ReplyDeleteHave an awesome reading year 2014!:)
Yay! :D I'm so glad you decided to do the book survey, too, Eilidh! :D
ReplyDeleteYay for the awesomeness of FANGIRL!!! And I still totally need to read The Cuckoo's Calling...and The Casual Vacancy, too...man, I'm a bad JK Rowling fangirl. :P And you know I agree about Allegiant...I want to read the Delirium trilogy, but I can't say I'm looking forward to an ending to the trilogy that disappoints...hopefully I'll like it...maybe.
And YES! A Monster Calls was so beautiful!!! I forgot to put that one in my post...but I really did love it! I'd love to get myself a hardcover copy of that book. I borrowed it from the library, but I really would love having my own copy. :) I also can't wait to start Shadow and Bone and Cinder...I have both, so I really have no excuse now. :P
Thanks for sharing, Eilidh! Let's hope 2014 is an awesome year for books, too! :D
I loved reading this survey, Aylee. You have no idea how hard I've been hunting for The Book Thief but I haven't found it in a single bookstore. I'm so glad it features as practically every second answer. As for The Scorpio Races, I do have that book and I plan to read it soon. And Janhvi has Fangirl so I'll steal- sorry, borrow- her copy soon. Great choices and great post, girl!
ReplyDeleteSarika @ The Readdicts