The End of Year Book Survey is hosted by Jamie @ The Perpetual Page Turner
Reading Stats
Number of books you read: 95
Number of re-reads: 11
Genre you read the most from: Sci-fi
Best in Books
1. Best book you read in 2015?
Nothing can beat the Wayfarer Redemption series, but it was a re-read so I’m gonna go with In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken or The Girl at Midnight by Grey!
2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t?
A Court of Thorns and Roses was by far my biggest disappointment this year. I hated it! Truthwitch by Susan Dennard, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, and The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows were some others that were a huge letdown. All of them ruined by The Hype Monster. Another that I was super disappointed in was The Rose Society by Marie Lu. I loved The Young Elites, but I didn’t care much for the 2nd book at all =/
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2015?
The DUFF by Kodi Keplinger. I honestly wasn’t even sure I’d like it, and I loved it! I connected to the main character in a way I hadn’t expected at all!
4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read in 2015?
Still pushing Stormdancer ;)
5. Best series you started in 2015? Best sequel of 2015? Best series ender of 2015?
Harry Potter, Rogue by Julie Kagawa, and In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2015?
Melissa Grey!
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
Probably The DUFF. I rarely ever read contemporaries. Walk on Earth a Stranger was really good too, despite being Historical!
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
Illuminae!
9. Book you read in 2015 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2015?
Girl at Midnight!
11. Most memorable character of 2015?
Sirius Black :)
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2015?
Illuminae. It’s like nothing I’ve ever read, it was brilliant!
13. Most thought-provoking / life-changing book of 2015?
This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales. Very profound book!
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to finally read?
Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Sadly I was disappointed =/
15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2015?
Sometimes people think they know you. They know a few facts about you, and they piece you together in a way that makes sense to them. And if you don’t know yourself very well, you might even believe that they are right. But the truth is, that isn’t you. That isn’t you at all.
–From This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
16. Shortest & longest book you read in 2015?
Shortest: Praying for Rain by Jay Kristoff (novella) – 19 pages
Longest: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – 870 pages
17. Book that shocked you the most?
Raging Star by Moira Young. Holy twists batman!
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
Alyssa and Morpheus ;)
19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of this year?
Hands down, Harry and Hermione. The BEST platonic boy-girl friendship ever! (Although my favorite non-romantic friendship ever will always be Yukiko and Buruu)
20. Favorite book you read in 2015 from an author you’ve read previously?
In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken
21. Best book you read in 2015 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure:
Solely? Honestly, I wouldn’t read anything if I wasn’t interested in it already >.<
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2015?
Hmm, probably Caius from Girl at Midnight
23. Best 2015 debut you read?
Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey!
24. Best worldbuilding/most vivid setting you read this year?
Illuminae by Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman
25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most fun to read?
That’s a tie between the Julie Kagawa books and the Gena Showalter books. Love those ladies’ snarky characters!!
26. Book that made you cry (or nearly cry) in 2015?
In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken, Off the Page by Jodi Picoult, Illuminae by Jay Kristoff/Amie Kaufman, Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter, The Last Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff, and a couple of the Harry Potter books
27. Hidden gem of the year?
Probably The DUFF. I never expected to like it so much!
28. Book that crushed your soul?
Hmm, probably Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
29. Most unique book in 2015?
Illuminae for the way it’s written, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline for the story
30. Book that made you the most angry (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
A Court of Thorns and Roses, and in this case it does mean I don’t like it lol!
Blogging & Bookish Life
1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2015?
Oh my goodness, I don’t think I even discovered any new ones. I was pretty absent in the blogging world this year :(
2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2015?
I don’t know, A Court of Thorns and Roses, I guess? Since I’m one of the only people who ranted about it…
3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
Don’t Be Afraid to be Yourself in YOUR Reviews!
4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
YALLfest!
5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2015?
Hmm, it’s a tie between going to Julie Kagawa’s dragon making workshop and meeting Karen Marie Moning!
7. Most popular post this year on your blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
Upcoming & Optioned YA Book to Movie Adaptations
8. Post you wished got a little more love?
My Avenged Sevenfold book tag ;)
9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
OwlCrate! I am totally in love with their book subscription boxes, it’s like Christmas :D
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I did! I completed my goal of 90 books and all of my challenges :) I kinda wanted to go for a coverall on the Bingo Challenge since I completed my goal of at least 3 bingos, but I didn’t quite make it. Oh well!
Looking Ahead
1. One book you didn’t get to in 2015 but will be your #1 priority in 2016?
Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine
2. Book you are most anticipating in 2016 (non-debut)?
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken! I am DYING to read that damn book!
3. 2016 debut you are most anticipating?
I don’t know, honestly! There’s not any debuts that I’m dying to read. There’s not many debuts I’ve found that interest me at all, actually. Into the Dim looks good, I guess?
4. Series ending/sequel you are most anticipating in 2016?
The second book of The Illuminae Files and The Shadow Hour by Melissa Grey!
5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2016?
Do more of it? I feel like I sucked at blogging this year :(
6. A 2016 release you’ve already read & recommend to everyone:
Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan. It was epic!!
I hated ACOTAR as well :( and YES, Retribution was such a poor ending to the Mara Dyer series. After all that time we spent waiting *wails* HARRY/HERMIONE <3 I ship it, but they're the best of friends <3
Oh my gosh, there’s someone else!!!! It seems like EVERYONE loved both of those, so I’m just over here in the corner being the black sheep. So refreshing to find someone else who shares my opinion! *fist bump*
I watched The Duff last night and I was surprised by how much I liked it :) I think I would like the sass in the book too. I’m so happy I picked Illuminae as my first book of 2016, because everyone seems to love it. This song will save your life made me cry. Such an emotional story for me. That quote, so brilliant <3
I was going to watch the movie after I read the book, then I was reading somewhere that they completely changed the movie and I lost interest :( You should definitely still read it though!
I always love your honesty about overhyped books — it makes me smile every time. I read The Evolution of Mara Dyer last month and was completely underwhelmed. I own the last book (and just realized that it’s signed too!) so I feel like I should give it a shot, even though I have a feeling that I’ll be disappointed too. And I still never finished Graceling — ha ha ha! I somehow missed your ranty review of ACoTaR, but I’m going to check it out as soon as I finish typing this comment! I’m so glad that Harry Potter was a highlight for you this year, and that you loved it as much as you did! I honestly think it would be impossible to overhype that series — it just IS that good. You and me both on the sucking at blogging — 2016 WILL BE BETTER!
Oh no, you didn’t like the second book?? I loved that one! If you didn’t like that one you probably won’t like the third. I really liked the second and was completely underwhelmed with the third! Definitely lower your expectations before you go into the book. Bah, Graceling. So much potential, so much disappointment =/ I wish so badly that I’d read Harry Potter when I was younger and grown up on it!