Thursday 27 December 2012

End of Year Book Survey 2012

I have never actually done one of these before, but I figured it couldn't hurt! Hosted by Jaime at The Perpetual Page Turner :)






1. Best book you read in 2012? (you can break it down by genre if you like)

I would very much like to break it up in to genre. So I already did my top 10 books of 2012 list, but whatever.

Best Contemps: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (the film of which was also amazing) and Adorkable by Sarra Manning (UK represent!)

Best Fantasy: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman, FrostFire by Zoe Marriott and The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale.

Best Dystopian: Blood Red Road by Moira Young.

Best Historical: The Diviners by Libba Bray. (Which I think can also count for best paranormal/whatever too, right?

2. Books you were excited about and thought you were going to love more but didn't?

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Mass. This book had such good publicity, plus I loved the whole high fantasy Hunger Games thing that they were selling, and I still enjoyed it, but no where near as much as I was expecting to. Also, We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han. I just could not relate to any of the characters like I had with the first two.


3. Most surprising book (in a good way!)?

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. I'd always heard great things about Shannon Hale, but I really wasn't expecting to be charmed by this book in the way that I was. I cannot explain to you how much I loved it.

4. Book you recommended most to people in 2012?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (this'll probably be coming up a lot). Oh, and the Divergent series by Veronica Roth! That's the book I've lent out to the most people. 

5. Best series you discovered in 2012?

Can I say Harry Potter? I didn't discover it this year, because I've been watching the films since they came out, but it's the first time I've read them. If not, then the Gallagher Girls books by Ally Carter. I just love 'em.

6. Favourite new authors you discovered in 2012?

Sarra Manning, easily. Can't believe I've never read one of her books before. Ally Carter, as well, and Jennifer Donnelly.


7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or a new genre for you?

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman. I've always sort of liked fantasy, but high fantasy scared the crap out of me. I'm a lot more open to it now because of this book (like, bookwise. I love the Lord of the Rings films - did before I read this - but I wouldn't touch a tolkein book with a bargepole.) And out of my comfort zone? Definitely Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma. It's a book about incest, I'm pretty sure it's out of most people's comfort zones. But it is so worth it.  Such a beautiful, tragic book.


8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2012?

Insurgent by Veronica Roth. I'm surprised this didn't make it to my top 10, really. I think I kind of forgot about it... But regardless, I still couldn't put it down when I was reading it. Those books are so action packed and just great.

9. Book you read in 2012 that you are most likely to reread next year?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and The Hobbit by J R R Tolkein.

10. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2012?

Probably Wither by Lauren DeStefano, or Shadows by Paula Weston. I just love the colours and the layout and typography.



11. Most memorable character  in 2012?

Jeane Smith from Adorkable. God, I loved her. Um, and probably Augustus and Hazel from TFiOS. They tend to stick in the brain.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner, Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley and Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. Hm, and maybe not strictly beautifully written, but I think that Blood Red Road was beautifully crafted, and maybe beautifully written in a very unconventional way. I just really loved the dialect and felt like it needed a little more praise here.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in  2012?

I told you this would happen! TFiOS, definitely. I still can't look to that part of the book in a book shop or when I'm flicking through it at home without shedding a bit of a tear. Stupid, I know, but I can't help it. Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner a little bit, too. Not one that I was expecting to have the impact it did on me. It kind of snuck up and broke my heart without my noticing.

14. Book you can't believe you waited until 2012 to read?

Harry Potter! 

15. Favourite passage/quote from a book you read in 2012?

This is a difficult one for me because I don't really remember quotes or highlight them or anything, so I just went on Goodreads and found some of the quotes from my favourite books that I thought sounded nice. I might actually pay more attention to passages I like next year...

“It goes on, this world, stupid and brutal. 
But I do not. 
I do not.” - Revloution, Jennifer Donnelly


"Mum says when wanting collides with getting, that's the moment of truth. I want to collide. I want to run right into Shadow and let the force spill our thoughts so we can pick each other up and pass each other back like piles of shiny stones.” - Graffiti Moon, Cath Crowley

“One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books.” - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, J K Rowling

And basically every quote you've ever heard before from The Fault in Our Stars.

16. Shortest and longest book you read in 2012?

Longest: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, I think.

Shortest: The Importance of Being Earnest. Though it is a play, to be fair. Does that count?

17. Book that had a scene in it that had you dying and reeling to tell someone about it?

What's Up With Jody Barton by Hayley Long. Can't talk about it without spoiling you,but seriously, best kept secret in a book, like, ever.

18. Favourite relationship from a book you read in 2012, be it romantic, friendship, whatever?

Holmes and Watson from the Sherlock Holmes canon. I don't feel I need to explain this.
Hazel and Augustus from TFiOS. Also fairly obvious (and no, I am STILL not over it).
Taylor and her dad from Second Chance Summer, and finally, Aziraphale and Crowley from Good Omens. Think I got a good variety of the different types of relationships I like reading about in here...

19. Favourite book of 2012 from an author that you've read previously?

TFiOS by John Green and Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner.

20. Best book that you read that was based solely on a recommendation from somebody else?

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. Iffath from Painting With Words kept on telling me to read this, and it was SO GOOD.


Looking Ahead


1. One book you didn't get to into 2012, but will make sure to read in 2013?

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. I have heard only good things about it, and was going to try and it read it this month but I don't think I'm going to get around to it. Definitely my first priority for January!

2. Book you are most anticipating for 2013?

Um, probably Undone by Cat Clarke or Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins.

3. One thing you hope to accomplish in your blogging/reading next year?

I hope to accomplish ALL THE THINGS next year. No, just kidding, don't get your hopes up! I hope to be able to get a better college/reading/blogging balance next year, and to actually be able to hit 100 books! I also want to post better and more frequent content and to actually interact with people and comment on their blogs.

5 comments:

  1. YAY for GRAFFITI MOON, and for TFIOS, and for Harry Potter! And hey, we're looking to read CODE NAME VERITY in 2013 too!

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  2. I'm definitely excited for Isla and the Happily Ever After, and I've heard a lot of great things about Code Name Verity too, I should check it out at some point. Love the Dumbledore quote!

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  3. Yay I'm SO glad you love Ally Carter so much!! She's awesome. I actually forgot about Throne of Glass when doing my survey, but I was definitely disappointed by it, didn't even finish it. I still can't believe you waited this long to read Harry Potter!!

    Cait x

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  4. Sarra manning! So pleased to have discovered her again this year!

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  5. I can't believe you never read Sarra Manning before! Nobody's Girl is one of my favourite UKYAs EVER.

    *high-fives you on the TFiOS and Graffiti Moon love* all the feels, man. i'm SO SO SO glad you loved Graffiti Moon :)

    ahh, What's Up With Jody Barton was totally ruined for me because i had a sampler and it was basically that scene, so when i actually read the book it was all blah and yeah I was sad :(

    YES, on Code Name Verity! I have heard all the things and we need to see what the fuss is all about! I'm reading Undone right now. ahxdjhhghlhljivgb;yhn. Yeah. And OMG SO EXCITED FOR ISLA!!!!1!!!11!!!!

    That is all.

    ReplyDelete

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