As the year draws to a close, I wanted to reflect on the books that I’ve read this year… and thankfully, Jamie over at The Perpetual Page-Turner has an annual survey for me to do just that! So I present to you:
End of the Year Book Survey 2012
Best In Books 2012
Fair warning: I cheated at this survey. I cheated A LOT. I repeat many of the same books over and over again. And this is a long post. If that bothers you… you can escape! There’s still time! Run!
1. Best Book You Read In 2012? (You can break it down by genre if you want)
I am FOR SURE cheating right off the bat with this question with too many books, but I would just like to see you try and stop me 😉
Contemporary YA: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith, Purity by Jackson Pearce, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
Historical YA: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Sci-fi YA: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Paranormal: Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor, The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Fantasy YA: Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers, Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
Insurgent by Veronica Roth. I loved Divergent in a BIG way, but didn’t think Insurgent lived up to that. I’m hoping the next book is an improvement.
Also, Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill. It’s not that I didn’t like the book; I really enjoyed it! But I legit thought it was gonna be swoonfest 2012 up in here. After all the hype, I was unfairly holding it to the standard of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, and while it was still a fun book, it’s no Anna.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012?
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund. How in the [expletive deleted] did I not hear buzz about this book before BEA? It is the most– I can’t even– it is SO BEAUTIFUL.
4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?
CODE NAME VERITY BY ELIZABETH WEIN, ENOUGH SAID, THANK YOU.
5. Best series you discovered in 2012?
Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers! Hollaaaaa, this was a legit historical fantasy. Too legit to quit. Which is probs why it kicked off a series (and OMG, I need the next one baaaaad). (Also, Kristin Cashore’s 3 books, OMG DUH)
6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?
SO MANY. Pardon me while I rattle off a few here: Morgan Matson, Jennifer E. Smith, R.L. LaFevers, Franny Billingsley, Kristin Cashore (I KNOW, RIGHT?!), Sarah J. Maas, ELIZABETH WEIN.
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
I ummmm… am not sure that I read too far out of my comfort zone this year. Probably Code Name Verity because OW MY HEART. Also because most WWII novels undo me to begin with so I don’t read too many, but they will have to pry this one from my cold, dead hands. And also because it is not a romance-swoony book at all and that was a deal-breaker for me once upon a time.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?
Maybe I should just start answering every question with Code Name Verity.
9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year:
Code Name Verity. It just hurts so good. (But legitimately, this is the FYA book club pick in January and I want badly to reread it before we meet so it’s FRESH.)
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012?
Something about it… it’s just simple and pretty and it speaks to me.
11. Most memorable character in 2012?
Oh good, one that I can think of an answer for that is not Code Name Verity! (Although…)
Thorne in Marissa Meyer’s Scarlet. I love this boy. If you haven’t gotten to read Scarlet yet, you for sure want to. I tallied three swoon-worthy boys in it alongside the strong females. But yes. Thorne. Thorne is good.
Also, Julia from Meant to Be just because she reminded me a lot of myself. Oh and Blue from The Raven Boys because SHE’S AWESOME. And… hell, all three of Kristin Cashore’s leading ladies.
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?
TIE.
SURPRISE.
Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama, Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor, and For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund.
OH! And Chime by Franny Billingsley owns a piece of my soul.
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012?
Ha. Haha. Hahahahaha. Do I even need to answer this?
Books that are not Code Name Verity: I read all 3 of Kristin Cashore’s books this year and I’m pretty sure they changed my life because I write YA fantasy too and now I want to be Kristin Cashore when I grow up.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read?
If I Stay by Gayle Forman. I will not soon forget the looks on the faces of my BEA friends when they mentioned it and I casually said I hadn’t read it. (Sorry though guys, I still haven’t read The Host or the Vampire Academy series).
ALSOOOOO, Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore for reasons stated in the last question.
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012?
BRACE YOURSELVES (That one’s just from me to you guys)
“If you say a word, it leaps out and becomes the truth. I love you. I believe it. I believe I am loveable. How can something as fragile as a word build a whole world?” –Chime by Franny Billingsley
“I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once.” –The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
“And in August it will be fifty-two years together.”
“Wow,” Oliver says. “That’s amazing.”
“I wouldn’t call it amazing,” the woman says, blinking. “It’s easy when you find the right person.” –The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith.
“Three syllables and three thousand memories.” –For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
“I am no longer afraid of getting old. Indeed I can’t believe I ever said anything so stupid. So childish. So offensive and arrogant.
But mainly, so very, very stupid. I desperately want to grow old.” –Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
“It’s like being in love, discovering your best friend.” –Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
“Kiss me, Hardy! Kiss me QUICK!” –Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (related: I will be over here in the corner just sobbing my eyes out for the duration of this blog post)
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012?
Longest — The Diviners by Libba Bray (WORTH EVERY PAGE. ALL 592 OF ‘EM.)
Shortest — Discounting short stories/novellas, Paper Towns by John Green…seriously? That was a pretty fabulous book, I’m shocked to realize it was so short! (189 pages, according to Goodreads) Just goes to show you that SIZE DOESN’T MATTER.
…Yes, I’m that immature.
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.) Be careful of spoilers!
CODE NAME VERITY. (*sobs*) Book was chock full of ‘em, but I won’t say any more.
18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
Romantic-wise I’m going with Oliver and Hadley from Jennifer E. Smith’s The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Even though it happens so quickly, the development of their relationship feels so true and adorable. Also, Adam and Mia from Where She Went and If I Stay by Gayle Forman, particularly in Where She Went because they just seem to complete each other, and isn’t that the dream? Ahhhh and Kai and Elliot from For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund because I wanted to smush their faces together.
Friendship -wise: Oh my God, Code Name Verity ALL THE WAY. (If you haven’t, just READ IT AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND). Also, Zuzana and Karou from Days of Blood & Starlight for making me laugh and lightening some of the book’s gorgeous tension.
19. Favorite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. Because duh.
20. Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:
I think Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson (and subsequently Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour)? The Dauntless Babies raved about her novels at BEA if I remember correctly and then I read it and proceeded to sob my eyes out.
Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2012 (optional)
1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2012?
Hmmmm, my friend Aimee started her blog, Penmanship Smitten this year! And I think I was formally introduced to Katie of Bookishly Yours in 2012, and she became one of my Bevy of Dauntless girls… I also started reading Book Brats fairly often this year as well!
2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2012?
My review of Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson… I was mostly proud of my hook for that review. I fangirled hard in that one.
3. Best discussion you had on your blog?
I’ve done/do very little discussion… which I need to change for sure. But I think my favorites were the ones that are more geared towards writing than reading… the ones I did for “Camp Wordsmith.” I was particularly proud of my world-building post I think because it gave me so much to think about in my own writing.
4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?
I feel like I’m supposed to answer this with something way deep, buuuut I’m gonna go a different direction. I loved Anna Reads’s “Awful Drawings of Things I Like In Books.” 1) because her stick figures made me giggle and 2) Because they were almost all things that I liked in my books as well.
5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
BEA, YO!
6. Best moment of book blogging in 2012?
Obviously the entire week of BEA can’t go without saying. I met some of my best blogging buddies and some of my heroes like John Green and Kristin Cashore. Outside of that: this might sound silly, but probably the moment that I received my first unsolicited ARC (Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo) and the moment that I was invited to a small blogger breakfast at Macmillan during BEA. Those little things were just so validating.
7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
My review of If I Stay apparently got the most views, if I’m doing Analytics right… which I feel like I can’t be. That was a super recent post!
What we’ve learned here: I don’t understand Analytics. Or the fact that my site was recently hacked messed with them in a major way.
Comment-wise: Memes, giveaways and my BEA recap of Days 1 & 2.
8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
My Dauntless Babies post, where I basically equate the children of Dauntless faction from Veronica Roth’s Divergent series to Chuck Norris babies. It’s probably because I thought it was way funnier than it really was, but I really enjoyed it.
9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
THE LIZZIE BENNET DIARIES. ACK. The video diary retelling of Pride & Prejudice that I just love so, so much. (Related: all the merch that I discovered along with it)
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
Wins: I signed up for the 2012 Debut Author Challenge and BARELY completed it… and with a lot of titles that weren’t on my list. Calling that a win anyway. I also signed up for the 2012 Contemporary Challenge… which I also JUST made the cut-off for by finishing only 15 books, which I aimed for.
Losses: I signed up for the TBR Pile Reading challenge which I won’t talk about because LOL I don’t think I read any of them. Aaaand I fell short of my self-assigned Goodreads reading challenge of 150 books by… about 50. I make myself feel better about that by reminding myself that I read a fair amount of manuscripts for the internship I had with a literary agent this year, that I beta-ed a few pieces for friends, that I read 10-20 writing samples on the reg for my internship with Paper Lantern Lit, that I drafted and redrafted my own novel, aaaaaand of course that I read a fair amount of fanfiction.
That practically makes up for the 50 short books, right?
Looking Ahead…
1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2012 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2013?
Oh, hell. I don’t know. Probably a classic. Persuasion by Jane Austen, maybe, since I got a scarf for Christmas with a passage from Persuasion on it.
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins. Sorry, all other 2013 books.
3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2013?
Expand, I guess– in many senses of the word. I’d like to get back on a better blogging schedule, post more posts that aren’t strictly reviews (discussion and whatnot), branch out to some classics (for someone with an English degree, I’ve read surprisingly few)… talk to more bloggers again, play around with YouTubing and “BookTubing…”
We’ll see where the year takes me.
