Happy New Year, everyone! <3 Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner has created another end of year survey, so I just had to fill it out – it’s a great way to look back on the reading year and reminisce about favourite titles!

Number Of Books You Read: 112

Number of Re-Reads: 3 – Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door, and The Book Thief
Genre You Read The Most From: Contemporary

1. Best Book You Read In 2014?

This is SO hard to answer… I had a wonderful reading year, so I’m going to cheat a lot for this one.

Series:

• 2014 release: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater / The Young Elites by Marie Lu / Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
• 2014 debut: The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
• Previously released: The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas

Standalone:

• 2014 release: Love and Other Foreign Words by Erin McCahan
• 2014 debut: Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
• Previously released: In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

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

Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell. Easily my biggest disappointment of the year, since the Perfect Killer wasn’t nearly as competent as I was expecting.

 3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014? 

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson. It was nothing like what the synopsis promised: lots of filler and an instalove-turned-love-triangle made it a very difficult read.

 4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?

I push all of my favourite books on my friends, so this is a tough one… I convinced my roommate to finally read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, though, so I was extremely happy about that.

 5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?

Best series: Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

Best sequel: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Best series ender: Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?

Marissa Meyer or Laini Taylor. I binge-read both of their series, and fell in love with their writing styles and creativity.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

Virgin by Radhika Sanghani. I don’t tend to read new adult novels, but this one came highly recommended by friends and didn’t disappoint!

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

The Young Elites by Marie Lu. I read it in one sitting, and loved how dark it was.

 9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

My True Love Gave To Me by Stephanie Perkins. I read an e-ARC copy before its release in October, so I’m planning to actually read it over the holiday season next year.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?

11. Most memorable character of 2014?

The Darkling from The Grisha trilogy. He was so complex and intriguing, and I absolutely loved reading about him.

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor. She has such an amazing way with words; it’s like magic.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?

Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang made me think a lot about the effects that all of our actions and words, no matter how small, can have on an individual. Isla and the Happily Ever After was a more introspective read: Isla’s deep-rooted insecurities, uncertainty about the future, and fears that she’s not worthy of love are ones that I had been struggling with, so it really forced me to examine where these stemmed from.

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read? 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I had heard so many excellent things about it and was worried that it wouldn’t live up to the hype. I then proceeded to binge-read the first three books in the next few days, so I suppose that tells you how it went.

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?

“Meeting your soul mate is like walking into a house you’ve been in before—you will recognize the furniture, the pictures on the wall, the books on the shelves, the contents of drawers: You could find your way around in the dark if you had to.” – I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

“You are the only person who can build emotional barriers, but you’re also the only person who can topple them. Other people can’t knock down the walls you’ve built, no matter how much they love you. You have to tear them down yourself because there’s something worth seeing on the other side.”  – Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

“Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there’s no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.” – Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

 

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2014?

Shortest: Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman (114)

Longest: Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor (613)

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas. That ending!

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

Blue/Gansey (The Raven Cycle) and Chaol/Celeana (Throne of Glass)

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Blue and her Raven Boys (though, really, that could also be a romantic relationship….)

Celeana and Rowan from Heir of Fire

Reagan and Dee from Open Road Summer

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

The Young Elites by Marie Lu. Since I’ve already mentioned that one, I also really loved Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan.

21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. I’m sad to say that I was the black sheep on this one, since I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?

Carswell Thorne from Cress. Matt Finch from Open Road Summer.

23. Best 2014 debut you read?

A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller. Between the gorgeous cover, equally beautiful prose, tenacious heroines, dreamy police constables, historical fiction setting, feminism, and art, I was completely enchanted.

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

The Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo. Between beautiful keftas and elements of Russian folklore/mythology, I could easily picture the inventive world of Ravka.

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord. Lots of banter + sweet love interest + strong female friendships + road trip.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?

Isla and the Happily Ever After really hit home for me, since I related so much to Isla… which, naturally, lead to countless tears on my part. Blue Lily, Lily Blue also made me cry because of a certain courtroom scene that was so touching and lovely.

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Love and Other Foreign Words by Erin McCahan. It’s adorable, quirky, and explores love in all its forms.

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

The Assassin’s Blade! I fell wholeheartedly in love with Sam Cortland (even though I knew it was a bad idea) so the ending completely broke my heart.

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?

A Little Something Different by Sandi Hall. It tells your typical boy meets girl / girl meets boy love story from 14 different perspectives, ranging from a Starbucks barista to a squirrel, and these perspectives don’t include either participant in the relationship.

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

Ruin & Rising by Leigh Bardugo. It was a solid 4-star read, so I definitely enjoyed it, but I was really frustrated by how the ending didn’t fit with the dark, serious tone of the book. I also may still be a bit bitter about a certain character’s fate…

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014? 

I can’t remember whose blogs I discovered this year as opposed to 2013, but I can say that I honestly love you all and love reading your bookish (and non-bookish) thoughts. 🙂

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2014? 

My reviews of The Boundless and Isla and the Happily Ever After.

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?

My discussion about why I love negative reviews.

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

I didn’t get to participate in any actual bookish events this year — here’s hoping that I can make time for that in 2015!

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?

Honestly, it’s so hard to pick just one favourite blogging moment of 2014, since I’ve really enjoyed all of the interactions that I’ve had with each and every one of you.

In terms of bookish things, I sent my first request to a publisher regarding a review title (The Boundless) and it was approved! It was so nerve-wracking and so exciting at the same time.

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

My Top Ten Tuesday and Waiting on Wednesday posts were really well-received in general, and Ticker was one of the more popular reviews of the year.

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Any of my reviews, since they always seem to receive less love than the Top Ten Tuesday/Waiting on Wednesday posts.

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

Book outlet! My wallet isn’t quite as thrilled as I am about it, though. 😛

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

I did! I surpassed my goal of reading 100 books this year for the Goodreads Reading Challenge, and I also successfully completed the First Reads Reading Challenge by reading more than 10 “new to me” authors.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?

Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future by A.S. King. It’s sitting on my bookshelf right now, so I really have no excuse not to read it soon!

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord, Winter by Marissa Meyer.

3. 2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard and More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera.

 4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?

RAVEN CYCLE #4. Even if it is probably going to make me cry so much.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?

In my reading life, I hope to re-read more often and read more books that are outside of my comfort zone. In terms of blogging, I’d like to post more regularly and interact more with all of you – I’ve been awful for commenting and visiting blogs in the last little while, so hopefully I’ll fix that!

6. A 2015 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

I haven’t actually read any 2015 releases yet!