Hello and welcome, and a Happy New Year!
1. Best book?
I've read the smallest number of books in a year this year than I've ever read since I started blogging and to be honest I can't think of one stand out amazing book that I absolutely adored, so I'm going to cheat and pick three really good ones that I'd like to recommend, and an amazing series.
She Is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead
The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter
2. Book you were excited about and thought you were going to love more than you did?
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey - There was so much hype surrounding this but I just couldn't finish it.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book?
Phoenix by SF Said. So much fun!
4. Book that you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most?
Ooh. That's a tricky one - I recommended Divergent a lot but I read that a couple of years ago now... Um, for this year's read probably Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.
5. Best series you discovered?
The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter HANDS DOWN. They're awesome!
6. Favourite new author you discovered?
Sara Zarr, probably, after reading The Lucy Variations and Roomies.
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. I don't like military/war-based fiction that much, but this was actually so so good.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book?
United We Spy by Ally Carter! Brilliant end to one of my new favourite series.
9. Book you read that you are most likely to re-read next year?
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde because I have an exam for it :P I'm not a big rereader so literally could be any of the books I read this year!
10. Favourite cover of a book you read?
Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve and The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr.
11. Most memorable character?
Blossom Uxley-Michaels from Weirdos vs. Quimboids by Natasha Desborough just because of her name and her initials. I am so immature, I know.
12. Most beautifully written book?
She Is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick. It's clever too! 354.
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you?
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Simply because I had to read it for school and we're studying it so I can't get away from it and I have an incredibly strong dislike for it. Sorry.
14. Book you can't believe you waited until 2013 to finally read?
I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter. Although I'm kind of glad I did, seeing as it meant that I could read the whole series in one go.
15. Favourite passage/quote from a book you read?
I have no idea... I don't really make a note of quotes that I like!
16. Shortest and longest book you read?
Longest: Soulmates by Holly Bourne, at 544 pages (which, I'll have you know, I read in less than 24 hours WITH a really looong family party in the middle :P )
Shortest: The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, at 128 pages. So why did it feel so long?!
17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling or dying to talk to somebody about?
Ooh. I'm not sure. I'll come back to this one.
18. Favourite relationship from a book you read?
Sydney Sage and Adrian Ivashkov from The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead NO QUESTION.
19. Favourite book you read from an author you've read previously?
I'm not going to count sequels in here, so either I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter (having previously read Heist Society), or This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith (having previously read The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight).
20. Best book you read that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else?
Butterfly Summer by Anne-Marie Conway. This is a middle-grade book and I read it after being recommended it during my work experience at Usborne, and I actually really enjoyed it! I never would have even considered it had I not been told it was so good.
21. Genre you read most from?
Right. So I had real trouble with this question. I've read 13 contemporaries this year, but that's not including Night School 1 and 2, The Gallagher Girls, or Spy Society, all of which have no supernatural/paranormal/fantastical/unrealistic elements, yet there's something weird or that seems unrealistic in them, so I cannot classify them. So if you count those as contemporaries, which I'm leaning towards (yet still hesitant to do), I've read 22 contemporaries which is a massive third of all the books I've read this year, which is crazy! I used to hate contemporaries on principle (I don't know what I was thinking :P), so this has definitely surprised me.
22. Newest fictional crush?
Zach from The Gallagher Girls series. Definitely.
23. Best 2013 debut you read?
Soulmates by Holly Bourne. So good! Or Vivian Versus the Apocalypse by Katie Coyle. Not sure. They were both really great reads!
24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read?
Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve or The School For Good and Evil by Soman Chainani.
25. Book that was the most fun to read?
The Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter. Sorry to keep going on about them but AHHH SO GOOD.
26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry?
Soulmates by Holly Bourne. The end, oh the end! :(
27. Book you read in 2013 that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out?
Phoenix by SF Said. Such a beautiful book and more people should read it!
Thanks to Jamie for hosting this every year, it's great fun! If you want to take part, go here to sign up on the linky!
1. Best book?
I've read the smallest number of books in a year this year than I've ever read since I started blogging and to be honest I can't think of one stand out amazing book that I absolutely adored, so I'm going to cheat and pick three really good ones that I'd like to recommend, and an amazing series.
She Is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead
The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter
2. Book you were excited about and thought you were going to love more than you did?
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey - There was so much hype surrounding this but I just couldn't finish it.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book?
Phoenix by SF Said. So much fun!
4. Book that you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most?
Ooh. That's a tricky one - I recommended Divergent a lot but I read that a couple of years ago now... Um, for this year's read probably Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.
5. Best series you discovered?
The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter HANDS DOWN. They're awesome!
6. Favourite new author you discovered?
Sara Zarr, probably, after reading The Lucy Variations and Roomies.
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. I don't like military/war-based fiction that much, but this was actually so so good.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book?
United We Spy by Ally Carter! Brilliant end to one of my new favourite series.
9. Book you read that you are most likely to re-read next year?
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde because I have an exam for it :P I'm not a big rereader so literally could be any of the books I read this year!
10. Favourite cover of a book you read?
11. Most memorable character?
Blossom Uxley-Michaels from Weirdos vs. Quimboids by Natasha Desborough just because of her name and her initials. I am so immature, I know.
12. Most beautifully written book?
She Is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick. It's clever too! 354.
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you?
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Simply because I had to read it for school and we're studying it so I can't get away from it and I have an incredibly strong dislike for it. Sorry.
14. Book you can't believe you waited until 2013 to finally read?I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter. Although I'm kind of glad I did, seeing as it meant that I could read the whole series in one go.
15. Favourite passage/quote from a book you read?
I have no idea... I don't really make a note of quotes that I like!
16. Shortest and longest book you read?
Longest: Soulmates by Holly Bourne, at 544 pages (which, I'll have you know, I read in less than 24 hours WITH a really looong family party in the middle :P )
Shortest: The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, at 128 pages. So why did it feel so long?!
17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling or dying to talk to somebody about?
Ooh. I'm not sure. I'll come back to this one.
18. Favourite relationship from a book you read?
Sydney Sage and Adrian Ivashkov from The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead NO QUESTION.
19. Favourite book you read from an author you've read previously?
I'm not going to count sequels in here, so either I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter (having previously read Heist Society), or This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith (having previously read The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight).
20. Best book you read that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else?Butterfly Summer by Anne-Marie Conway. This is a middle-grade book and I read it after being recommended it during my work experience at Usborne, and I actually really enjoyed it! I never would have even considered it had I not been told it was so good.
21. Genre you read most from?
Right. So I had real trouble with this question. I've read 13 contemporaries this year, but that's not including Night School 1 and 2, The Gallagher Girls, or Spy Society, all of which have no supernatural/paranormal/fantastical/unrealistic elements, yet there's something weird or that seems unrealistic in them, so I cannot classify them. So if you count those as contemporaries, which I'm leaning towards (yet still hesitant to do), I've read 22 contemporaries which is a massive third of all the books I've read this year, which is crazy! I used to hate contemporaries on principle (I don't know what I was thinking :P), so this has definitely surprised me.
22. Newest fictional crush?
Zach from The Gallagher Girls series. Definitely.
23. Best 2013 debut you read?
Soulmates by Holly Bourne. So good! Or Vivian Versus the Apocalypse by Katie Coyle. Not sure. They were both really great reads!
24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read?
Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve or The School For Good and Evil by Soman Chainani.
25. Book that was the most fun to read?
The Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter. Sorry to keep going on about them but AHHH SO GOOD.
26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry?Soulmates by Holly Bourne. The end, oh the end! :(
27. Book you read in 2013 that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out?
Phoenix by SF Said. Such a beautiful book and more people should read it!
Thanks to Jamie for hosting this every year, it's great fun! If you want to take part, go here to sign up on the linky!
Happy New Year, Bella! :) It sounds like 2013 was a really good year for you book-wise. I love these book surveys.
ReplyDeleteBetween Shades of Gray is AMAZING, I agree! I am currently listening to an audiobook of She Is Invisible and it is brilliant. I really need to read more of Marcus Sedwig's books! It's a shame you couldn't finish The 5th Wave though, I really enjoyed that one.
YAY Gallagher Girls! I have only read the first two books in that series... *audience gasps*... I need to read the rest of Ally Carter's books because there is so much hype around them. I hope 2014 is just as good for you! :)