Wednesday, January 01, 2014

End of the Year Book Survey - Best Books!


This is actually my first time participating in this survey from The Perpetual Page-Turner. I normally do my own thing, but I don't have enough to talk about this year... So, I am going to join in on the fun!

1. Best Book You Read In 2013? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist).
I have found that one of the perks of my slow reading year is I only bothered with things that were really calling to me. This is making it really hard to pick a favourite.

Fiction:
Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
The Diviners by Libba Bray
Night Film by Marisha Pessl
Levithan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
The Bell at Sealey Head by Patricia McKillip
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Redshirts by John Scalzi (audio)
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
The 10PM Question by Kate de Goldi
City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte

Non-Fiction:
Stiff by Mary Roach (audio)
Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
um... The Walking Dead series, I guess. I just don't love it like other people do.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?
The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright... I never thought I would like this at all, but I did in the end. And City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I thought it was a vampire for starters.

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?
I haven't been doing a lot of bookish talk this year, I must admit... I always tell people to read Fables! That's a theme with every year.

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?
Probably the Expanse series by James S.A. Corey. Those books are awesome! As with any year, though, I started too many series and they were all good...

6. Favourite new author you discovered in 2013?
Martha Wells. Marie Brennan. Mary Roach. James S.A. Corey. Patricia McKillip.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
You know, I would have to say Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. I don't read a lot of young adult books that aren't fantasy, science-fiction, etc.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013? 
James S.A. Corey's books. Kate Atkinson's Life After Life.

9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
I am lucky I reread period...

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?
All of her books are pretty!!

11. Most Memorable Character in 2013?
- Cordelia Vorkosigan (Shards of Honor)
- Amelia Peabody (Crocodile on the Sandbar)
- Kate Daniels (Magic Bites)
- Evelina Cooper (A Study in Silks)

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?
Man, I don't know. I don't think like that.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. I have read this book at least 3 times and it STILL gets to me.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read? 
  Hogfather by Terry Pratchett!! Why does it take me so long to get around to him!!

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?
I don't really keep track. I should do better.

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013? 
I am too lazy to figure this out...

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!
um... Night Film. There was all sorts of WTF in that book.

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
Amelia Peabody and Emerson. Very entertaining!

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously. 
Omens by Kelley Armstrong. I was a bit worried because I haven't liked her other YA books, but this is an excellent start to a new series.

20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else: 
The Night Film and Eleanor & Park.

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?
Historical Fantasy.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?
Jim Holden. He is a crossing of many of my favourite science-fiction characters done well.

23. Best 2013 debut you read?
A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway. I just sort of got this and didn't know much about it. I really enjoyed it!

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?
Patricia McKillip is awesome a creating an awesome world!! The Name of the Wind and The Night Circus rock for that, too, but they are rereads.

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett. I loved the book but didn't love the narrator sadly. (I listened to the audio.) Or Redshirts and Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013? 
The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright. It was probably the saddest book I read.

27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?
hm. Nothing really. I didn't read enough to branch out enough.

25 comments:

  1. I might have to read Night Film (though I know nothing about it) because I'm rather fond of WTF moments. Sorry to hear you didn't like The Walking Dead...I was thinking of starting those in February. (And I really love the show!) Flowers for Algernon is a book I would absolutely love to reread this year--it's been a long time.

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  2. I have John Scalzi on my shelf. Thanks for reminding me that I need to get back to reading him.

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  3. Night Film - I need to read that! I should also continue the Expanse series. For some reason I didn't keep going when Caliban's War came out but I clearly should. And Life After Life has been on my wishlist for ages, too. Great list - lots for me to read!

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  4. I'm reading A Study in Silks right now and it is just starting to really pull me in! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it so much. I really, really want to read Night Film after reading SO many good reviews for it (and seeing it on best of 2013 lists). I hope that you have a wonderful reading year in 2014!!!!

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  5. Anonymous2:57 PM

    Yes for Peabody and Emerson! And Cordelia and Kate - I obviously need to pick up A STUDY IN SILKS now.

    It sounds like you had a pretty good reading year overall!

    Li

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  6. just hearing you say you didn't read alot made me laugh! lol..
    Happy New Year Kelly... I hope you have good reading again this year!!!

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  7. Anonymous3:51 PM

    I love your favorite cover, its so pretty.
    And I'm glad you liked Eleanor and Park, that was such a good book.

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  8. Ah Amelia Peabody - those are fun books. I think I only got about three into the series though before I sort of stopped. I need to re-visit with those characters. It's so fun to read these end of year posts!

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  9. Ok ok ok!! I'm going to read Night Film sooner rather than later. I really liked Eleanor & Park too but I was listening to it and didn't realize I was so close to the end when it finished. I kept thinking WAIT WHAT?! I so wanted more.

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    1. That is EXACTLY how I felt about Fangirl. I was reading it on my tablet and didn't realize how close to the end I was and then it just ended! It felt like there could be so much more story because I was so enamored with the characters.

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  10. I hope to read Midnight Never Come FINALLY this year. And I need to try Scalzi. I'm not sure why I never have!

    Fables deserves to be read every year. I need to catch up before it ends!

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  11. Flowers for Algernon is a favourite of my wife as well. I like it, too, mind you, but she's the one that introduced me to it in the first place. It was a long while ago but it still comes up in conversations quite often.

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  12. I liked The Bell at Sealey Head too... and yes... such a gorgeous cover. I want to read Leviathon Wakes this year, everyone who has read it seems to love it. Also want to read some Martha Wells. Nice post!

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  13. I don't really keep track of quotes or passages from books either, but since I'm trying to develop a journaling habit this year, maybe I'll start. Or not. Eleanor & Park was one of my favorites this year as well, and Life After Life is pretty high on the "books I MEANT to get to, but didn't" list.

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  14. Night Film was so good, wasn't it? And I adored Redshirts. I still laugh at some of the scenes.

    Happy 2014!

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  15. I have Eleanor and Park on my to-read shelf - and I plan to get to it as soon as I clear off a few review copies!

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  16. A great year year for you - thanks for sharing!

    Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out

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  17. I love Amelia and will miss her. But . . . I have Rainbow Rowell and more Fables to look forward to. :)

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  18. I knew I had The 10PM Question in my library queue for a reason!

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  19. Great list. I also enjoyed Night Film and Eleanor and Park. Happy Reading in 2014

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  20. Glad to see Life After Life on your list, too. I love The Walking Dead show, so I tried reading the graphic novels a couple of months ago, and I just couldn't do it. They are so different, and I like the characters on the show way better.

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  21. I love "Hogfather" and all things Discworld! My favourite Pratchett audiobooks are read by Stephen Briggs--he does all the character voices brilliantly. I don't think it would have been him reading "Hogfather," but if you're looking for others, I know he read "The Wee Free Men" and the rest of the Tiffany Aching subset of the Discworld books, and also "Night Watch" and "Going Postal."

    Lots of other books on your list that I've not yet read but that I'm looking forward to. It sounds like you had a good year!

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  22. I probably should give Eleanor and Park a try. Everyone I know who has read it loved it. I'm with you about needing to talk about Night Film--it's just one of those books that has you questioning everything as you go. And that ending!

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  23. I loved E&P and I loved Fangirl, but I still think that Attachments is my favorite. Have you read it? Happy New Year!!!

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  24. I have got to read Life After Life in 2014! I loved E&P so much too.

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