End of the Year Survey 2012

Jamie, the Perpetual Page-Turner, created this end of the year survey.  This is the first time I’m participating, so I’m super excited!

1. Best Book You Read In 2012? (You can break it down by genre if you want)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Picture Book – Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
Favorite Children’s Chapter Book – Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin
Favorite Middle Grade Fiction – The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy
Favorite YA Contemporary Romance – Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Favorite YA Contemporary Fiction – Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Favorite YA Fantasy – Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
Favorite YA Humorous Book – Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Favorite Adult Contemporary – Every Boy’s Got One by Meg Cabot

Yeah, obviously I have problems choosing just one book 🙂

 2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks.  I was so excited about this book when I first heard about it.  Unfortunately I was very disappointed with it.  You can check out my review here.

 3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012? 

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry.  I requested this book on a whim from Netgalley.  Based on the blurb, I was afraid it might be too drama-filled for me, but I was so wrong.  Pushing the Limits pulled me in, and didn’t let me up for air until I finished the book.

 4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?

This is such a hard question because recommending books is a huge part of my job (I’m a children’s librarian).  I recommend books all the time to people of all different ages.  I honestly have no idea 🙂

Maybe Percy Jackson.  He is a crowd pleaser.  Oh, and also Big Nate as something similar to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.  And also the Ivy and Bean series by Annie Barrows.

 5. Best series you discovered in 2012?

 

 

 

 

 

The Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  Aren’t the covers amazing!

 6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?

Katie McGarry, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Christopher Healy

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

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  I usually avoid books like this.  But it’s John Green, and after hearing all the amazing things about it, I had to read it.  I’m glad I did.

 8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?

Again, probably the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year:

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Schultz.  I don’t know what it is about this book, but I really enjoy re-reading this one.  It’s certainly not the best book in the world, but I think it is a lot of fun.  I like the main characters, and I like that it isn’t too stressful.  I think I’ve read it four times this year alone.  I’m sure I will re-read it next year.

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

I think my favorite cover of a book I read in 2012 was Beauty Queens by Libba Bray.  The cover is absolutely perfect for the novel.

11. Most memorable character in 2012? 

This one is easy – Dashti from Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale.  She is the most amazing woman, and seriously, if she were a real person, I would so want her to be my BFF.

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.  I love the langauge Anderson uses, and the way Anderson uses the weather to describe Melinda’s emotions is fascinating.

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

Honestly, I have no idea.  They all had an impact, I think.

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read? 

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.  This book has been on my radar for years and years, but I was always hesitant to read it because I knew what it was about.  I wasn’t sure if I could handle a book like that.  I was expecting it to be depressing, but it wasn’t.  It was sad, of course, but the ending was very hopeful.

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012? 

I’m not really a quote person.  I got nothing for this 🙂  I could hunt up passages from The Fault in Our Stars (John Green is totally quotable), but I don’t pay attention to that stuff while I’m reading, so it really wouldn’t be my favorite, you know?

 16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012? 

 Being a children’s librarian, I read very short books (picture books and board books) all the time.  So the shortest book I read in 2012 is:

Llama Llama Nighty-Night by Anna Dewdney.  It’s a 12-page board book.  Actually, I bet there were a number of board books I read that were 12 pages.

I’ve read tons of picture books, and most picture books these days are 32 pages.  So there are hundred I could list for picture books.  🙂

The longest book I read was:

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray – at 432 pages!  I actually listened to this one via audiobook, though.

 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!

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire.  This book was just all over the place.  But the whole Las Vegas part was just insane.  Oh and the very end, too.  I described the whole book to my mom (who does not like romance at all) just so I could talk about those two parts.

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

Romantic relationship 1 – Jay and Violet’s relationship in The Body Finder.  Their relationship just felt so realistic.
Romantic relationship 2 – Echo and Noah from Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Family relationship – The love between all the Garretts in My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale.  I’ve read The Goose Girl and Princess Academy by Hale as well.

20. Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  I read this one because so many bloggers were raving about it.  Normally, when I hear aliens I run the other way, but this one intrigued me.  Especially with all the love people were giving it.

 Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2012 (optional)

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2012? 

I’ve discovered almost all the book blogs I read now this year.  I have a ton of favorites.  But here are a few:

The Book Addict’s Guide
Good Books and Good Wine
The Grown-Up YA
My Sister’s Bookshelf
The Cheap Reader

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2012? 

Oh gosh, I’m not sure.  I had a lot of fun writing my review of Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?

I haven’t really had any serious discussion.  I’m kind of shy, like that.

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?

I loved April from Good Books and Good Wine discussion post about blogging not being a competition.

5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

I’ve only been to 1 author event so far this year (although I am going to another one on Sunday!), but it was totally amazing.  I went to see Meg Cabot near Cleveland, OH, and she was fantastic.  And so funny.  She delivered exactly what you thought she would.  Unfortunately there’s not a lot of teen author events where I’m from.

6. Best moment of book blogging in 2012?

Umm . . . starting a book blog.  Well, that is my best moment, I guess.

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

Believe it or not, the post with the most views this year was my review of The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot.
Following that post is Top Ten Characters I Would Name My Pets After

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

My review of Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore.

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

All the YA book blogs!

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

I only signed up for the Goodreads reading challenge.  I wanted to read 400 books this year (This is including picture books I read for work).  I haven’t quite reached 400 as of today, but I think I will be there by December 31st.

Looking Ahead…

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2012 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2013?

Easy by Tammara Webber.  I don’t know why I’m dragging my feet, because I totally want to read this one.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith
Spirit and Dust by Rosemary Clement-Moore
The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington
Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout – that cliffhanger at the end of Opal!  OMG!

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2013?

I hope to make some blogging friends.  I’m a pretty shy person, and reaching out to be friends is really a difficult thing for me.

In terms of my reading – I know this sounds weird, but I hope I can not get so sad when I am reading sad or depressing scenes in books.  Don’t get me wrong, I want to connect to the books, but sometimes, when I can’t sleep all night because I am thinking of something I read, well, I don’t really like that.  I hope I can let things go, I guess.