Last year was the first year we participated in Jamie’s Year End Survey, and I loved it!! I think I started looking for the link again this year around October. It’s so fun to revisit the things you did this year, the goals you made and met and even the ones you didn’t quite accomplish! Make sure you go check out all the people linking their year end info in the linky on Perpetual Page Turner!
Jaime
Number Of Books You Read: 250
Number of Re-Reads: 1
Genre You Read The Most From: Contemporary
Best Book You Read In 2014?
(If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)
Contemporary YA – I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
Contemporary Romance – Anything Jill Shalvis
New Adult – TIES ALL AROUND – Caged in Winter by Brighton Walsh, Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross and Swimming to Tokyo by Brenda St. John Brown
Erotic – All the Kit Rocha books
Dystopian/Post Apocalyptic – Enclave/Outpost/Horde by Ann Aguirre
Paranormal – Jackaby by William Ritter
Fantasy – The Falconer by Elizabeth MayAdult Fiction – One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
Sway by Kat Spears… I had my expectations really high for this one… it just fell flat for me and I never connected with our main character.
Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
Magnolia by Kristi Cook – I went into this book with NO expectatations and found myself loving every second of it! It was my first Kristi Cook book but it won’t be my last!
Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
OMG probably The Kiss of Deception by Mary Pearson or Any Jill Shalvis books or Caged In Winter by Brighton Walsh I think those are the recommendations I give out the most!
Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014
Best Series – Every Series by Ellie Marney – I’m dying for book 3!!
Best Sequel – This Shattered World by Amie Kaufmann & Megan Spooner!
Best Series Ender – Ruin & Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
Brenda St. John Brown
Dahlia Adler
Non Pratt
Noelle August – (do they count?) LOL
Joy N. Hensley
Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
The Lotus War Series… I don’t typically go for steampunk or historical but this just totally
worked for me.
Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year.
Either The Falconer by Elizabeth May or The Winner’s Crime by Marie Rutkoski
Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
I’m not a big re-reader but I will probably re-read The Winner’s Crime OR A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J. Maas because OMG SO GOOD
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
Yeah I’m not picking just one!
Most memorable character of 2014?
Ryan Dean West from Winger by Andrew SmithMost beautifully written book read in 2014?
I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson
Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
Maybe Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington
Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?
The Also Known As Series by Robin Benway – so so so good
Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
“I don’t care what you say and how much you protest. I claim you as my friend.” Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
“You know I like you. Right?” – Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
“All right then.” He walks up to me, close, so close I could reach up and trace his scars with my finger if I wanted to. They’re like two hastily sewn seams. And I see that his brown eye has a splash of green in it and the green one a splash of brown. Like Cezanne painted them. Impressionist eyes. And his lashes are black as soot, exquisite. He’s so close I could run my fingers through his shiny , tangly brown hair, run them across the faint spidery wrinkles that fan out at his temples, across the dark worrying shadows beneath. Across his red satiny lips. I don’t think other guys’ lips are this red. And I know their faces aren’t this colorful, this vivid, this lived in, this superbly off-kilter, this brimming with dark, unpredictable music. “ –I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson
“They made a major mistake,” he blurted out, “the dumb bastards, when they didn’t start by killing you first.”
“Benjamin Thomas Parish, that was the sweetest and most bizarre compliment anyone’s ever given me.”I kissed him on the cheek. He kissed me on the mouth.
“You know,” I whispered, “a year ago, I would have sold my soul for that.”
He shook his head. “Not worth it.” ― The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey
“Being a moron in one or two areas serves to highlight my extraordinary brilliance in everything else.” – Every Breath by Ellie Marney
Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
Longest – Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas 562 pages
Shortest – (not including novellas) – Her Dark Places by Kelly Killarney
Book That Shocked You The Most(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)Endsinger by Jay Kristoff – hands down the most shocks in a book I’ve read ever.
OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)
Arin & Kestrel from The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski OR Celaena & Chaol in Throne of Glass Series
Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
Yukiko & Buruu from The Lotus War Series
Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
99 Days by Katie Cotugno
Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
Every Breath & Every Word by Ellie Marney – I hadn’t heard anything about these books and then I saw some chatter so I grabbed them AND LOVED THEM!
Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
This is a joke question right?
Jason Brody from Whatever Life Throws At You by Julie Cross
Jason from Tessa Ever After by Brighton Walsh (he’s totally mine)
Tamlin from A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J. MaasJesse from Also Known As by Robin Benway
Ethan from Boomerang by Noelle August
Matt Finch from Open Road Summer
Josh Mitchell from I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
Best 2014 debut you read?
Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley
Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
The world in The Lotus War Series… so creative and descriptive and just incredible.Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
This has to go to Also Known As and Going Rogue by Robin Benway OR Boomerang by Noelle August
Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
Alice Bliss by Lauren Harrington – ugh that bookHidden Gem Of The Year?
Trouble by Non Pratt
Book That Crushed Your Soul?
Endsinger… no question.
Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
The Kiss of Deception – the unique way Pearson tells the story will have you guessing just who you’re cheering for!
Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
Probably 99 Days, but not because I didn’t like it… I loved it. But when you see things kind of laid out the way they can be in a book it’s really eye-opening and the whole situation in that book makes me ragey.
One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?
Inspire by Cora Carmack
Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?
Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone / The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West
2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating? The Girl At Midnight by Melissa Gray
Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?
The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May!
One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?
I want to read more books off my bookshelves and pass up my 2014 book total!
A 2015 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:
I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios or A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Erin
Number Of Books You Read: 215
Number of Re-Reads: 1
Genre You Read The Most From: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Best Book You Read In 2014?
(If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)
Historical: Brazen, The Bronze Horseman, The Boleyn Reckoning
Fantasy: The Kiss of Deception, Snow Like Ashes, The Perilous Sea, Heir of FireContemporary: The Distance Between Us, Open Road Summer, Isla and The Happily Ever After
Science Fiction/Dystopia: The Book of Ivy, The Eighth Guardian, Red Rising, Golden Son
Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre – the idea behind this series is a good one I just thought that there were some things that didn’t add up in this book. Also – The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen – I expect people will disagree with me on this but I was underwhelmed by it.
Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
Me Since You by Laura Weiss – Contemporary isn’t always my thing but I grabbed this book and couldn’t put it down.
Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons or We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014
Best Series Started – Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Best Sequel – Golden Son by Pierce Brown
Best Series Ender – The Boleyn Reckoning by Laura Andersen
Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
Dahlia Adler
Sara Raasch
Pierce Brown
Amy Engel
Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly a True Story by Josh Sundquist – definitely not my normal genre but I loved it!
Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year.
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski
The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater
Golden Son by Pierce Brown
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
I can’t narrow down to one…how about these:
Most memorable character of 2014?
Ryan Dean West – Winger by Andrew SmithMost beautifully written book read in 2014?
Stronger Than You Know by Jolene Perry
Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
Me Since You by Laura Wiess – oversimplifying it…it is all about the what ifs in life.
Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read? Fangirl – Everyone raved about this one but I put it off and I don’t know why I didn’t read it sooner.
Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
I swear his looks are pure Darwinism. If he wasn’t so cute someone would have killed him for being annoying by now. Open Road Summer by Emory Lord
Ha-ha. The dumb jock who can’t talk the Queen’s English. I swear to God, the next person who corrects my grammar gets punched in the face. The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey
Seriously. The Tinker Bell to my left looks rode hard and the genie on my right…that may not actually be a costume. Remember Me by Romily Bernard“I love you!” I say.
“I love you, too.” Josh laughs in surprise. “Thanks for the enthusiasm.”
“I didn’t get to say it last time.”
“Ah, well. From now on” –and I hear his smile grow into a dimple-bearing grin–”let’s start with it.” Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
Longest – The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons – 810 pages
Shortest – Her Best Laid Plans by Cara McKenna – 85 pages
Book That Shocked You The Most(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)
Golden Son by Pierce Brown – I won’t say why but I have absolutely no idea what will happen in Morning Star (book 3) and have been emailing/texting Meg because I need someone to talk to about this!
OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)
Gansey and Blue – The Raven Cycle books by Maggie Stiefvater
Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
Warren and Ridge – Maybe Someday & Maybe Not by Colleen HooverFavorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
Brazen – Katherine Longshore
Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
The Bronze Horseman – Paullina Simons – Kelly at Belle of the Literati recommended this one to me and I LOVED it!!
Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
Seriously – this is singular?? Bishop Lattimer – Book of Ivy by Amy Engel
Darrow – Red Rising/Golden Son by Pierce Brown
Matt Finch – Open Road Summer by Emory Lord
Colt – Miles from Kara by Melissa West
Alexander – The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
Alexander – The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
Best 2014 debut you read?
The Eighth Guardian by Meredith McCardle
Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
Snow Like Ashes – Sara Raasch
Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read? Open Road Summer – Emory Lord
Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
There were 2 this year.
Me Since You by Laura Wiess
Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard
Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard
Hidden Gem Of The Year?
Boys Like You by Juliana Stone – I loved this story!
Book That Crushed Your Soul?
Again…..Golden Son by Pierce BrownMost Unique Book You Read In 2014?
We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly a True Story by Josh Sundquist
Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass
One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?
There really are so many that I could put here but I will limit this to:Jackaby by William Ritter
Opposition by Jennifer Armentrout
Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah Maas
The Winner’s Crime by Marie Rutkoski
The Winner’s Crime by Marie Rutkoski
2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury
The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury
Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?
Can I say none? I am the worst at finishing a series and I am always sad to see them end but if I have to choose I would say End of Days (Penryn & the End of Days #3) by Susan Ee.
One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?
Read more books that I currently own…my bookshelves are getting out of hand. I also want to read more books that are not for review. I love reviewing books but I found that this year I focused a lot on those versus the other books I want to read. This year I want to do both!
A 2015 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:
I just finished it but EVERYONE needs to read Golden Son – if you haven’t started the Red Rising series yet…just trust me. It is everything I look for in a book!
Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)
I have to say that BEA is probably the event we have the most fun at and get to meet the most people at. We love going to the smaller events, but no where else do you get to meet the amount of authors/publishers/bloggers in one spot and to get the opportunity to connect with them in a fun atmosphere is even better!
Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?
There are so many… it’s so amazing to get to go to events and meet authors and connect on that level. I can’t honestly pick just one, though maybe if I had to say soooomething – knowing that Maggie Stiefvater remembers me when we meet is possibly perfect OR getting to hug Leigh Bardugo this past year are pretty high on the list.
Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
hahahah ALL OF THEM. This is probably a typical answer, but I wish there were more comments on our posts. I also wish that we had MORE PARTICIPATION in our Flashback Friday. I love that we’re able to highlight some books that have been out for a while and show the authors that love, but we need more participation in order to keep it going.
Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
The Book Outlet… hands down. Also this is the worst thing I’ve found. We are both completely out of bookshelf space and I think that they are partially to blame.
Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
We both completed our 2014 Real Book Challenge – Jaime read 114 ‘real’ books this year and Erin read 80!
We also both completed our Goodreads challenge – Jaime read 251 books this year and Erin read 216!
(We are totally counting the book we started yesterday in our final read for the year!)
We also both completed our Goodreads challenge – Jaime read 251 books this year and Erin read 216!
(We are totally counting the book we started yesterday in our final read for the year!)
And there you have it… our year in review and some upcoming thoughts for blogging in 2015!! Is there anything you’d like to see us do next year? Is there anything that you want us to continue? We’d love to hear from you!!
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