Wednesday, December 31, 2014

2014 End of Year Book Survey



Hey so how is it the last day of 2014 already? How has 2014 gone by so quickly? At times this year seemed to go on forever nek minnit it’s New Year’s Eve. How will you be celebrating? Me? With champagne, a book and watching Sydney’s NYE fireworks on TV :D

These past 365 days (I checked, it wasn’t a leap year) have been intense for me personally and eventful in terms of the book world! I somehow made it through my Honours thesis, finished my 4 years of uni and my blog managed to survive by a thread! There were soooo many amazing releases this year, most of which I got my hands on, the majority of which I didn’t get a chance to read *sadface* But let us not despair (well just me really) because I did read some fantastic books this year and I’ll be concentrating this post on books released this year (I’ll try my best anyway).

The End of Year Book Survey is hosted by Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner and if you haven't heard of her I don't know what you're doing with your life.

1. Best Book You Read In 2014? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2014 release vs. backlist)

It’s going to be a genre breakdown again!

ContemporaryJust One Night by Gayle Forman. I know it’s just a novella so… Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour. But JON was the much needed continuation of Just One Day and Just One Year!

ParanormalWhite Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout. JLA writes the hottest books srs.

Science Fiction/DystopianIgnite Me by Tahereh Mafi. Warnette :3 But This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner was a really, really close 2nd!

FantasyDreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor. AKIVA AND KAROU and that world and Prague it's beautiful and heart wrenching!

AdultThe Tea Chest by Josephine Moon. One word: pretty. It's a really pretty book inside and out :D

And my ABSOLUTE favourite book of 2014 is obviously:




JUST EVERYTHING. HEIR OF FIRE IS LIFE. THRONE OF GLASS IS LIFE.

(Hey do you see a pattern here? 2013 was Crown of Midnight. I ain’t even mad.)

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

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski. The hype around this one was phenomenal and that cover is gorg. Jaz gets tricked again by pretty covers. This one fell so flat for me.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2014?

Kiss the Sky by Krista and Becca Ritchie. It’s one of the rare “new adult” books that I picked up and ended up loving!

4. Book you read in 2014 that you recommended to people most in 2014?

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas so Throne of Glass! I PUSH THIS SERIES SO MUCH.

5. Best series you discovered in 2014?

Derp it’s an old one but The Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy by Rae Carson was wao! I love me my high fantasy.

6. Favourite new author you discovered in 2014?

Brandon Sanderson. Okay so he's not new but he's new to me! His high fantasy wao. I got totally sucked into the Mistborn trilogy.

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


Um so shhh but I decided to see what real BDSM is meant to be like (wao that sounds wrong but I mean in books… oh whatever) since I know 50shades does it all wrong so I picked up The Saint by Tiffany Reisz and fell in love with Nora and Soren *hides*

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2014?

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. That. Plot. Twist.

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

Just One Night by Gayle Forman. My feels yo.

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


I saw it and poof I was gone – needed that book in my life instantly.

11. Most memorable character in 2014?

THE DARKLING FROM RUIN AND RISING LIKE OMG LEIGH BARDUGO Y U DO DIS TO ME.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor. Ah her prose is just beautiful and makes me weep. Especially the blurb of Days of Blood and Starlight wao.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2014?

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. Pls.

And All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven which just snuck in last night!

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

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. Omgomgomg GANSEY.

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


16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2014?

Longest: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson (763 pages)

Shortest (not including novellas): A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf (112 pages) it's an amazing and eye-opening book on feminism that everybody needs to get on - also it's one of the few non-fiction books I've ever read.

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!

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi chapter 55 followed closely by the We Were Liars ending

(Last year was Unravel Me chapter 62 LEL)

18. Favourite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2014 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

Celaena and Rowan from Heir of Fire

19. Favourite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

Disruption by Jessica Shirvington. Jess can really do no wrong.

20. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson recommended to me by too many people to mention.

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2014?

Somehow it ended up being contemporary again. This must be remediated ASAP with high fantasy.

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

Jem Carstairs from The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. His book Clockwork Prince is probably my fav in the series. I'm calling it his book because he's on the cover and he just dominates ok?

23. Best 2014 debut you read?

Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley. It did not feel like a debut at all, extremely well written and executed.

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2014?

Splintered by AG Howard. The colours were so vivid and the world was fantastic in this Alice in Wonderland retelling. Also, cover lust.

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2014?

The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes. Totes cute as.

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

(All the books I read in 2014, including non-2014 releases)
  • The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta
  • Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick
  • We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
  • Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
  • Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
  • Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
  • City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
  • Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
  • Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
  • The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
  • Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
  • Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
  • The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
  • All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

27. Book You Read in 2014 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz. Waowaowao my feels, the writing the characters. Much awesome.

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And there we have it, my year in books!

Thoughts? What books topped the list/made an impact on you in 2014?

I shall see you all in 2015!

Wishing you all a safe and happy New Year c:

7 comments:

  1. For some reason some of our end of year survey questions are different, but I answered Celaena & Rowan for the best friendship/relationship as well! Of course Heir of Fire and other ToG books are going to be up there with the best <3 I'm so glad you loved ari & dante as well, it was one of my favourites this year!

    I LOVED the Addicted series by Krista & Becca Ritchie too and can't wait to read Kiss the Sky. I actually just read The Raven Boys on my holidays away and it was fantastic!

    Happy new year Jaz, you've had a great reading year!

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  2. Eeeeeep The Tea Chest cover is SO CUTE. <3

    AND OMG YES WARNETTE. I finally read the whole series in one go and I UNDERSTOOD TEAM WARNER AND I LOVED TEAM WARNER AND OMG FEELS. Destroy Me totally changed my opinion. And he was so adorable and perfect in Ignite Me. <3 lelelelelel Chapter 62 from Ignite Me hehhhhhhhh. *fans self furiously*

    Such a great year for you though Jaz, even with all the craziness of Uni that you had going on! HAPPY NEW YEARRRR. :D :D

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  3. Ooh The Tea Chest does have such a lovely cover! Haha, I totally expected you to choose Heir of Fire for best of 2014 :P

    OMG yeeeeees RITES WAS SO GLORIOUS! I cannot wait for her future novels--they're just bound to be fantastic.

    Anyhoo, it's almost midnight now so HAPPY NEW YEAR, JAAAAZ <33

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  4. Let's be honest - it was the year of HEIR OF FREAKING FIRE. Ahem. Apart from that, I'm so thrilled we met through our mutual love of Sarah J. Maas <3

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