2016 End of Year Book Survey

HAPPY 2017 LOVELIES. I for one am not sorry to kick 2016 out the door and shut it for good!

I'm a tad late to the annual End of Year Book Survey created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page Turner but it's a tradition soooo... I'm not even going to ramble like I do, let's just get into it!

Image CR: http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/

2016 Reading Stats

Number of Books You Read: 76
Number of Re-Reads: 0 (I don't re-read lel)
Genre You Read The Most From: fantasy (of course!)

Best in Books

1. Best book you read in 2016?

Overall: A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas - this sequel to ACOTAR absolutely blew me away omg!

But also...
YA: The Rose and the Dagger (The Wrath and the Dawn #2) by Renee Ahdieh

Adult: It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover - wow this was tumultuous and emotional but beautiful and heartbreaking. Abuse trigger warnings but a wonderful read.

2. Book you were excited about and thought you were going to love more but didn’t?

A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by VE Schwab - don't get me wrong I love V's books and her writing is fantastic but Lila Bard in AGOS just didn't cut it for me :(

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

A Court of Mist and Fury - I never expected the direction Sarah would take with ACOMAF and it pleased me SO. DAMN. MUCH.

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did)?

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel - a brilliant sci-fi debut I think I pushed this on like 20 people and I know at least 7-10 went out and bought it :D

5. Best...

Series you started in 2016? Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle #1) by Jay Kristoff

Sequel of 2016? ACOMAF AHAHAHA (Gemina is a close second)

Series ender of 2016? The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh was THE perfect ending to The Wrath and the Dawn. Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows of #2) by Leigh Bardugo left me in tatters. Don't make me choose. DON'T.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?

Nicola Yoon! I finally read Everything, Everything and fell in love. The Sun is Also a Star is wonderful.

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

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch had a horror tag on Goodreads which it sort of was but wasn't (more thriller sci-fi) but I loved it so much and I hate horror.

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

Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - this sequel was even better than Illuminae! I sat down with this for 5h and COULD NOT STOP. Amazing. Thrilling. All the action at every page.

9. Book you read in 2016 that you are most likely to re-read next year?

I don't re-read books but I would definitely re-read my favourite bits of ACOMAF :D

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken - it's saaaahhhhh pretty

11. Most memorable character of 2016?

Inej Ghafa - Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom duology because THIS. GIRL. Read my post on why you should read the duology here.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi - oh my lordy the writing is STUNNING. Intricate and detailed, very different, lovely and you should read my gushing review here.

13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2016?

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - this book had no right and wrong. It made the reader question what it means to have choice, to really live. I cried so hard it was beautiful.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read?

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - as a gamer I feel ashamed I didn't pick this up until this year. It came out 5 years ago and speaks to every gamer's heart.

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2016?

“To the stars who listen— and the dreams that are answered.” 

- Rhys from A Court of Mist and Fury *sobs* it's so beautiful

16. Shortest and longest book you read in 2016?

Shortest: The Crown and the Arrow by Renee Ahdieh - 9 pages, The Wrath and the Dawn short story

Longest: according to Goodreads Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas - 693 pages buuuut...

The Way of Kings (part 1 and 2) by Brandon Sanderson - 1122 pages total I read the split versions

17. Book that shocked you the most

The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth #1) by NK Jemisin - this book was so intriguing (it intrigues me still, I can't wait to read the sequel), every turn a surprise!

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

FEYRHYS (ACOMAF)

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year

The friendship between Emmy, Caro and Drew in Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway - SQUAD GOALS

20. Favorite book you read in 2016 from an author you’ve read previously

ACOMAF...?

21. Best book you read in 2016 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure:

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel - I saw Crini raving about this (and her posts on the cover). I LOVE THIS BOOK.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?

Amar - The Star-Touched Queen *bites lip*

23. Best 2016 debut you read?

SLEEPING GIANTS BY SYLVAIN NEUVEL OMG

24. Best worldbuilding/most vivid setting you read this year?

Ommgggggg ACOMAF because THE NIGHT COURT. A court of dreamers *sobbing*

25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read?

PS I Like You by Kasie West - her contemporaries are serious yet cute and so sweet.

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2016?

I fucking cried my eyes out in Crooked Kingdom

27. Hidden gem of the year?

I'm not sure you heard me the first time SLEEPING GIANTS BY SYLVAIN NEUVEL.

28. Book that crushed your soul?

Crooked Kingdom FML

29. Most unique book you read in 2016?

Gemina because there really is no other like it.

30. Book that made you the most mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury - I've never read a more pointless book in my life

There we have it folks my year in books. Basically ACOMAF flailing right hahaha. 

2015 Annual End of Year Survey

Every year, Jamie from the Perpetual Page Turner hosts the Annual End of Year Survey - she's up to the 6th year and I'm up to the... 3rd? I think? Or maybe 2nd haha. Either way, I haven't missed a year since I started blogging!

Number Of Books You Read: 76 (on my 77th and aiming for 80)

Number of Re-Reads: 0 (I don't really do re-reads but I do re-read certain chapters of books I love such as Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout)

Genre You Read The Most From: fantasy

1. Best book you read in 2015?

Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas hands down.

2. Book you were excited about and thought you were going to love more but didn't?

What We Left Behind by Robin Talley. Gah I was expecting some wonderful insight into genderqueer people but I got pretentious self-pitying teenagers instead.

But also Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee – this was probably the most hyped up book since it was announced and it was so terrible.

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

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard – despite it being similar to a lot of YA books out there, it also held its own.

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did)?

HAHAHA THRONE OF GLASS SERIES?

5. Best Series you started in 2015? Best Sequel of 2015? Best Series Ender of 2015?

Best Series Started: Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff was just so different and what a wonderful experience!

Best Sequel: Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas because DUHHH

Best Series Ender: End of Days by Susan Ee had such a perfect ending to the Penryn and the End of Days trilogy.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2015?

Victoria Schwab! I devoured The Archive, Vicious and A Darker Shade of Magic this year.

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

Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Lyla Payne – I don’t usually like NA but this was so sweet and swoony.

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

QUEEN OF SHADOWSSSSSSS ahaha I could not stop turning the pages. Devoured this thing in a day and a half even with work (but Illuminae comes in at a close 2nd).

9. Book you read in 2015 that you are most likely to re-read next year?

Uprooted by Naomi Novik – my goodness this book. The magic and everything SO MUCH LOVE

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2015?

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray – who can compete with that cover? WHO?

11. Most memorable character of 2015?

Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas sweet baby jesus this man. *Fans self* I CANNA WAIT FOR A COURT OF MIST AND FURY.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2015?

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas omg that imagery, especially the Spring Court!

13. Most thought-provoking/ Llife-changing book of 2015?

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff – AIDAN the artificial intelligence system was just amazing and brings on the question of can AI develop human emotions? I still say no but AIDAN seemed to come close.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to finally read?

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones – the Studio Ghibli movie is my fav ever so I was always hesitant to read the book even though I love Diana Wynne Jones.

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2015?

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

16. Shortest and longest book you read in 2015?

Shortest: New Music by Paula Stokes 31 page short story

Longest: Winter by Marissa Meyer 824 pages

17. Book that shocked you the most

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon. That plot twist WOWOWOW give me The Song Rising NOWWW.

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

CINDER AND KAI from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

CR: Moon and Earth | Kai | Cinder

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year

Wow Agnieszka and Kasia from Uprooted by Naomi Novik – this is what true friendship looks like.

20. Favorite book you read in 2015 from an author you’ve read previously

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (I want to say Sarah J. Maas but she’s a given)

21. Best book you read in 2015 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure

Vicious by Victoria Schwab… I already had this and was planning to read it at some point in the future but a friend kept saying how good it is so I bumped it up my TBR.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2015?

Rhys from ACOTAR is a given so Cary White from Sleigh Bells and Second Chances (Mistletoe and Mr. Right) by Lyla Payne!

23. Best 2015 debut you read?

THE WRATH AND THE DAWN BY RENEE AHDIEH SWEET BABY JESUS SHAZI AND KHALID.

24. Best world-building/most vivid setting you read this year?

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas like wow that imagery

25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read?

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier – I binge read the whole Precious Stones trilogy and just loved it so much! It was so funny.

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2015?

Casually sobbing my eyes out in Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

27. Hidden gem of the year?

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West – her contemporaries are on point.

28. Book that crushed your soul?

O_O The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh my god the ending.

29. Most unique book you read in 2015?

Sooooo Illuminae is a given because LOOK AT THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN.

But also Just Kids by Patti Smith because I never read non-fiction and this memoir was astounding and profound and it celebrated the friendship between Patti and Robert Mapplethorpe, and his art beautifully.

30. Book that made you the most mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

Dangerous Girls by Abilgail Haas like omg it dragged on so much more me and it wasn’t believable and teenage girls are portrayed as shallow this made me so ANGRY.

My favourite 2015 releases that may or may not have been mentioned in the survey