2013 EOY Book Survey

Jamie The Perpetual Page Turner created this EOY Book Survey. I participated last year, and I really enjoyed it. So here I am again for 2013. We've discussed how difficult narrowing down these are for me, right? Some of these get out of hand. Oh and feel free to join in and do your own survey. Just link back to Jamie.

The Books

1) Best book you read in 2013?
Oh my goodness you guys. I read SO many good books this past year. Narrowing this down to one singular book is almost impossible. But if I’ve got to do it, here goes: Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soulby John & Stasi Eldredge. I’ll be posting my review of this one on January 2nd of 2014, so be on the lookout for more details then.

2) Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t?
As much as I love Stormie Omartian’s books, The Power of a Praying Church just didn’t live up to her others; The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, # 1) by Julie Kagawa was built up by so many and I just didn’t enjoy it—I found it very slow paced; Jenny Pox (The Paranormals, # 1) by JL Bryan was rated 5 Stars by a blogger I follow and yeah, I gave it 2; Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X, # 1) by Richelle Mead – you guys know I love some Richelle Mead. Well Gameboard of the Gods was a lot to digest with the world building and the storyline was slow going too; Parasite (Parasitology, # 1) by Mira Grant, Kimba has raved by the Newsflesh trilogy, and while I still haven’t read that one, I thought I would give Parasite a chance and I wasn’t impressed; The Bet (The Bet, # 1) by Rachel Van Dyken, my SNL has read other Rachel Van Dyken books and really enjoyed them. I think she rated one of them 5 stars, and she really enjoyed The Bet so I thought I would give it a shot, but it’s clichéd to the max; The Wager (The Bet, # 2) by Rachel Van Dyken was even worse.

3) Most surprising (in a good way) book you read in 2013?
This is How I Find Her by Sara Polsky; Almost by Anne Eliot; Carter Finally Gets It (Carter Finally Gets It, # 1) by Brent Crawford – These were all books that I really wasn’t expecting much out of. All three surprised me A LOT! I'd definitely recommend these.

4) Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people the most?
Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul by John & Stasi Eldredge; Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell; Losing Hope (Hopeless, # 2) by Colleen Hoover; Delirium (Delirium, # 1) by Lauren Oliver; If I Stay (If I Stay, # 1) by Gayle Forman; Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky, # 1) by Veroinca Rossi

5) Best series discovered in 2013?
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer; His Fair Assassin by RL LaFevers; Marked Men by Jay Crownover; The Secret by Jessica Sorensen; The Coincidence by Jessica Sorensen; Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi; If I Stay by Gayle Forman; The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey; The Grisha by Leigh Bardugo; Delirium by Lauren Oliver; Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin; Ten Tiny Breaths by KA Tucker

6) Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?
John Green; Marissa Meyer; Robin LaFevers; Jessica Sorensen; Jay Crownover; Veronica Rossi; Gayle Forman; Rick Yancey; Leigh Bardugo; Lauren Oliver; Courtney Summers; Michelle Hodkin; Rainbow Rowell; Kasie West; KA Tucker; John Eldredge

7) Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid, # 1) by Richelle Mead – I don’t read too much adult.

8) Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey or Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

9) Book you read in 2013 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
While I read some awesome books this year, I don’t know that I’ll re-read any of these NEXT year. I’ll probably re-read several of these over the coming years though. Maybe Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford because it’s an audiobook and I can’t multitask with that. Plus it’s so funny that I might need a pick me up next year and this is just the one to provide comedic relief.

10) Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?
Alienated by Melissa Landers; These Broken Stars by Aime Kaufman & Meagan Spooner; Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell; The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin; This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers; Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

11) Most memorable character in 2013?
Augustus Waters (The Fault in Our Stars); Cinder (Cinder); Flynn (Cambion); Wolf (Scarlet); Ismae (Grave Mercy); Will Herondale (Clockwork Princess); Perry (Under the Never Sky); The Darkling (The Grisha); Lena (Delirium); Rose (Rose Under Fire); Jet (Jet); both Eleanor & Park (Eleanor & Park); Tarver (These Broken Stars); Isaiah (Crash Into You); Daniel (Losing Hope & Finding Cinderella); Carter (Carter Finally Gets It)

12) Most beautifully written book read in 2013?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green; One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp; Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi; If I Stay by Gayle Forman; This Girl by Colleen Hoover; The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey; Delirium by Lauren Oliver; Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein; Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover; This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers; The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin; Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver; Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell; Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredgee

13) Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge

14) Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

15) Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2013?
Delirium by Lauren Oliver

"You have to understand. I am no one special. I am just a single girl. Five feet two inches tall. And I am in between in every way. But I have a secret. You can build walls all the way to the sky and I will find a way to fly above them. You can try to pin me down with a hundred thousand arms, but I will find a way to resist. And there are many of us out there. More than you think. People who refuse to stop believing. People who refuse to come to Earth. People who love in a world without walls. People who love into hate and refusal, against hope, and without fear. I love you. Remember. They cannot take it." - Lena

16) Shortest and longest book you read in 2013?
Deadlocked 3 by AR Wise with 125 pages & Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare with 570 pages. I was hoping to have finished A Feast for Crows by George R R Martin, but I’m just not there yet--about 650ish pages in out of 1060.

17) Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc, etc)
Isn’t Allegiant by Veroinca Roth going to be everyone’s pick??? But let’s talk The Fault in our Stars by John Green, The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines, # 4) by Richelle Mead; Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare; If I Stay by Gayle Forman; Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

18) Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2013 (romantic, friendship, etc)?
Augustus & Hazel; Sydney & Adrian; Tessa & Will; Cassie & Evan; Lena & Alex; Daniel & Six; Sloane & Rhys; Kira & Samm; Blue & Gansey; Eleanor & Park; Lilac & Tarver; Perry & Aria; Rachel & Isaiah; Lila & Ethan

19) Favorite book you read in 2013 from an author you’ve read previously?
Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor; The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead; Crash Into You by Katie McGarry; This Girl by Colleen Hoover; Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover; Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wei

20) Best book you read in 2013 that you read based soley on a recommendation from somebody else?
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp; Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerich; Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi; The 5th Wave by Ricky Yancey; Ten Tiny Breaths by KA Tucker

21) Genre you read the most from in 2013?
NA Contemporary Romance

22) Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?
Augustus Waters (The Fault in our Stars), Wolf (Scarlet), Evan (The 5th Wave), Perry (Under the Never Sky), Rhys (This is Not a Test), Tarver (These Broken Stars)

23) Best 2013 debut you read?
This is How I Find Her by Sara Polsky

24) Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi & Delirium by Lauren Oliver

25) Book that was the most fun to read in 2013?
The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

26) Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2013?
Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford (from laughing); Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi; Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover; Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell; If I Stay by Gayle Forman; Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover; Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein; This Girl by Colleen Hoover; Allegiant by Veronica Roth; The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

27) Book you read in 2013 that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out?
This is How I Find Her by Sara Polsky

Blogging

1) New favorite book blog you discovered in 2013?
You guys I follow SO many blogs. Book blogs, but also cleaning/organization blogs and beauty blogs. It's really hard to keep up with WHEN I came across which blogs. And more than anything, I don't want to leave anyone out.

2) Favorite review you wrote in 2013?
Allegiant, Clockwork Princess, or Delirium

3) Best discussion you had on your blog?
Armchair BEA Ethics

4) Most thought provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?
Veronica Roth’s post about the ending of Allegiant & all the topics from Armchair BEA

5) Best event that you participated in (author signing, festivals, virtual events, meme’s, etc)
Armchair BEA – Hoping to get to go to BEA this year.

6) Most popular post this year on your blog (views or comments)?
Sunday Post - 61 & Stacking the Shelves - 34

7) Best bookish discovery (book related sites, stores)?
Bookbub

8) Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of the year?
I completely my Goodreads challenge goal of 104 books. I have actually read 135ish books to date. The Sequel Challenge – Read 15 sequels, and yeah I blew this one out of the water. I’m coming in around 50. So obviously the majority of my books are in series. I can’t help it. I like them. But as we can see, this wasn’t much of a challenge for me. The Wish List Challenge – Read 12 books on my wish list but not currently in my possession (as of the beginning of 2013). The Witches & Witchcraft Challenge – Read 1 – 5 books. I actually read 6. Read 6 non-fiction books. I’m coming in a 9 read. Read 6 classics. Yeah, I read 2 and one of them was a re-read. Whoops. Re-read The Bible—since the year isn’t quite over, I still have a few days left in my daily Bible reading, but I’m on track to complete this one.

Looking ahead…

1) One book you didn’t get to in 2013 but will be your number 1 priority in 2014?
Passion (Fallen, # 3) by Lauren Kate. I borrowed this from my friend Paula coming up on two years ago I think. I’ve GOT to get this one read so I can give it back to her.

2) Book you are most anticipating in 2014 (non-debut)?
Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

3) Series ending you are more anticipating in 2014?
Into the Still Blue (I’ve already read this. It was great.) The Grisha, Partials...I'm sure there are plenty more.

5) One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging in 2014?
Relax. I’m so goals oriented that I push myself to accomplish more and more and more…and faster and faster and faster. But I’ve found that I really need to relax a little more. So instead of saying that I don’t have any goals for 2014, I’m just going to say that my number 1 goal is to relax more with blogging and reading. I do plan to re-read the Bible all the way through again. 2014 will be the 3rd year in a row that I’ve done this.