2014 End of Year Book Survey!

This is an annual end of the year survey hosted by Jamie @ PerpetualPageTurner. Feel free to go to her blog and join!

2014 Reading Stats

Number of Books You have Read: 159 (I am trying to read one more book in the next 48 hours to make it an even 160!)

Number of Rereads: 3; Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein, Women, Food, and God: An unexpected path to almost everything by Geneen Roth (I am not a religious person, but this is a great book for anyone struggling with disordered eating), and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Genres you read the most from: Not completely sure, but I think young adult

Best in Books

Best book you read in 2014?

I did a post where I named my top ten, but I think my number one favorite was Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

Book you were excited about and thought you would love but didn't?

The Lovely Bones; It was very boring

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

The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon; I was not expecting to love that one as much as I did

Book you pushed the most people to read (and they did) in 2014?

I don't really "push" books on to people because different people love different things. I did recommend We Were Liars by E. Lockhart to several people though.

Book series you started in 2014? Best sequel of 2014? Best series ender of 2014?

Oryx and Crake (MaddAddam Trilogy, book 1) by Margaret Atwood (still haven't finished this one yet)
Wayward by Blake Crouch
The Last Town by Blake Crouch

Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?

I read quite a few new authors this year (you can see my full list here), but I guess my favorite was Jojo Moyes. I immediately read three more of her books after finishing Me Before You. She is so good.

Best book from a genre you don't normally read/was out of your comfort zone?
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott; I don't normally read nonfiction but this one was really good.

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

The conclusion to the Wayward Pines trilogy by Blake Crouch, The Last Town; this is the only book I have ever had to put down because my heart was pounding too fast.

Book you read in 2014 that you are most likely to reread next year?

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood or Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?

Most memorable character of 2014?

Marie from All the light we cannot see; Marie was a blind girl living in Paris who became a spy against the Nazis during WWII. She survived incredible odds and was so brave. Please read that book. You will fall in love with little Marie just like I did.

Most beautifully written book in 2014?

All the light we cannot see by Anthony Doerr

Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2014? 

I Am Malala: the girl who stood up for education and was shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai

Book you can't believe you waited until 2014 to finally read?

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2014?

"Ignoring isn't the same as ignorance, you have to work at it." - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Shortest and longest book you read in 2014?

Tips for the Table: all you need to know when dining out in Italy by Paolo Tosilini (shortest)
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (longest)

Book that shocked you the most in 2014?

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart; the ending completely blew me away

OTP of the year (you will go down with this ship!)

Cole and Isabel from The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater

Favorite non-romantic couple of the year

Marie ands Werner from All the light we cannot see by Anthony Doerr

Favorite book you read in 2014 from an author you've read previously

Panic by Lauren Oliver

Best book you read in 2014 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure?

The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon; bought this on a whim based on a book review by a fellow blogger. Best decision I have ever made

Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?

Park from Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Best 2014 debut you read?

 An Untamed State by Roxane Gay

Best worldbuilding/most vivid setting you read this year?

 Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Book that put a smile on your face/was the MOST fun to read?

Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan; yes, the ending made me cry but the dog's antics made me laugh out loud. It also made me grateful for my own dog. She is pretty well behaved and extremely well trained.

Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2014?

I did a post on the top ten books that made me cry, but I suppose the best one was An Untamed State by Roxane Gay

Hidden gem of the year?

The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon

Book that crushed your soul?

An Untamed State by Roxane Gay

Most unique book you read in 2014?

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

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

The Chocolate Rose by Laura Florand; I disliked both of the main characters and there was no heat. I was mad that I took the time to read the whole thing.

Your Blogging Bookish Life

New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014?
I discovered all book blogs in 2014, but here are a few of my favorites that I read on a regular basis: Joyous Reads, Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Captivated Reader, Book Journey, and Feed Your Fiction Addiction

Favorite review that you wrote in 2014?
Not sure about this one, but I guess it would be my review of An Untamed State by Roxane Gay

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

My post about judging other people's book choices.

Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
I am brand new to the blogging world so no events this year. Maybe next year!

Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?
Starting my blog. Check out my first post published on November 18!

Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
My Top Ten Tuesday post on best new to me authors in 2014 with 76 views.

Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
My posts without many comments, mainly my book reviews.

Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
Book Riot, NetGalley, and Book Challenges

Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
Yes. I have completed my 2014 Reading Challenge on Goodreads. Click here to see my challenge.

Looking Ahead

One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

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

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
Above Us Only Sky by Michele Young-Stone (I have the ARC for this so I will be reading it soon!)

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

The conclusion to The 5th Wave series by Rick Yancey (I hope it comes out in 2015!!)

One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?
I joined some 2015 Challenges and I hope to complete all of them.

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

After Birth by Elisa Albert; The expected publication date is February 2015

I had a lot of fun doing this survey and I look forward to doing it again next year. I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

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