Tuesday, January 17, 2012

End of the Year Survey



I saw this fun survey going around and decided to fill it out. To see the details, check it out at The Perpetual Page-Turner. :)

1. Best Book You Read In 2011?

Oh, this is a tough question as I read so many wonderful books this year! But my favorite has to be Delirium by Lauren Oliver. It made me smile and it made me cry.

2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?

Umm, also a tough one but for the opposite reason of the question above. I didn't read very many books that were disappointing, and the ones I did were usually ones that I didn't have high hopes for in the first place. The most disappointing was probably Fateful by Claudia Grey. Don't get me wrong, I loved the book, but I was expecting more of the awesome twists that she had in her other books so I was disappointed when it was fairly straightforward.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. When I read it, it was with great reluctance because I wasn't all that big on YA contemporary at the time. Once I started, I absolutely loved it and then shared it with my sister and cousin.

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?

That would probably be a tossup between Delirium, Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, City of Bones and Shiver. I recommended them all to a lot of people.

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?

Ooh, either The Wolves of Mercy Falls of The Mortal Instruments. The Mercy Falls series was better written, but the Mortal Instruments was just so much fun!

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?

Lauren Oliver, Cassandra Clare, Maggie Stiefvater, Sasha Soren, Ally Condie, Julie Kagawa, John Flanagan, Clare B. Dunkle, Scott Westerfeld, Kady Cross, Lacey Weatherford, Kara Louise, Mary Lydon Simonsen (I discovered most of the Austen Authors in 2010), Veronica Roth, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kelley Armstrong, Jeri Smith-Ready, Claudia Grey, Robin Hobb, L.E. Modesitt Jr., Brodi Ashton, Kiersten White, Stephanie Perkins, Amy Plum, Catherine Fisher, Alex Flinn, Alexandra Adornetto, Jennifer Roberson, Leigh Fallon, Becca Fitzpatrick, Gayle Forman, Gini Koch, Cinda Williams Chima, Heather Dixon, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Rachel Caine, Laini Taylor, Andrea Cremer, Gail Carriger...I could go on all day.

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

Well, as I mentioned above, Dash and Lily's Book of Dares wasn't in a genre I knew before. Clockwork Angel really got me into the paranormal genre as well and I had not ventured very far in that direction before.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare. I spent a good amount of time mentally yelling at the characters. :)

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?

That would probably be Inheritance by Christopher Paolini. I have been a fan of the series for years so I was really excited about the final book.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?

Hmm, Die For Me or The Carrier of the Mark...

11. Most memorable character in 2011?

Jace Wayland from The Mortal Instruments. :)

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. Pure poetry.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?

Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I had not had a book make me cry in years and that one had me moping around in a soppy daze for nearly a week.

14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?

Either Shiver, The Iron King or City of Bones. Why did it taken me so long to find those series???

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2011?

Nearly everything said by Jace Wayland, every line that Maggie Stiefvater ever wrote and the end of Delirium.

16. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012?

Everything mentioned above and more. I am a re-reader. I have already re-read some of them.

 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!

The end of Delirium. Oh. My. Gosh. And the end of City of Fallen Angels, which was pure evil.

 Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2011 (optional)

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2011?

Grr, there are too many awesome ones. Plus, since I started reviewing books in 2011, I have found all of my favorite blogs in 2011. I have to mention that I really love the writing contests at Novel Novice.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2010?

Hmm, I must say that I am rather fond of my review of Star of the Morning as well as my review of The Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy.

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?

The first Bookie Brunch, where we had a discussion on literary love triangles, has to be my favorite. I had way too much fun talking with all the other bloggers, both my guests and everyone who stopped by to comment.

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

I don't really keep track of where I find things, but I remember an interesting discussion of how dark YA should be and how much it can affect young people. There was another really good one on how much sexuality is appropriate in YA.


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

Bookie Brunch was awesome in every way shape and form. I also loved the online Twitter Austen Project, where we collaborated on Twitter to write a sequel to Pride and Prejudice. I went to my first book signing ever earlier in the year to meet Laurie King, author of a wonderful series of mysteries.

6. Best moment of book blogging in 2011?

Really? What kind of question is that? There were too many fantastic moments to count. There was the day I got my first ARC, the day I interviewed my first author, the day I got my first review request, the day I got my first signed book, the day I was invited to my first blog tour, the day I went to my first book signing, the day I hit 100 followers...

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

The one with the most hits was Ranom Magic Tour: Pirates! May 18 Feature: Finding Starboard with 4,843 hits. In second place was my post on Jace Wayland for the YA Bachelors month with 890 hits and the third was my Book Review #10: The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig + Interview with Author Lauren Willig with 431 hits.

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

I wish that my short story A Normal Life had got some feedback.

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

G
oodreads, TeenInk, Random Buzzers and Novel Novice.

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

Umm...a few of them. (grins sheepishly) I read over 300 books, fulfilling my Goodreads goal. Most of the challenges I signed up for earlier in the year were forgotten. I may have finished a few of them, but I never could remember to update my posts.

1. One Book You Didn't Get To In 2011 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2012?

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. I won a preorder but it hasn't arrived yet. If it doesn't show up soon I will have to do something drastic like borrow it from the library. :)

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2012?

Another totally evil question. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver, City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare, Insurgent by Veronica Roth, Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready, Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins, the new League novel by Sherrilyn Kenyon...How could anyone choose?

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2012?

I hope to catch up on the stack of e-books that are waiting to be reviewed in a folder on my computer. (sorry guys!) and I am hoping to do NaNoWriMo without the interruption of multiple viruses.

Happy New Year!

             
  Lieder Madchen

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