2012 End of Year Book Survey

Jamie @ The Perpetual Page-turner created the Annual End of Year Book Survey! She's hosting it for the third time and it's my first time participating! So here it goes!

Best In Books 2012

1. Best Book You Read In 2012? (You can break it down by genre if you want)

My number one book this year is definitely Pushing the Limits. Before reading this I wasn't a big fan of contemporary and I only requested it, because everyone said it was amazing. And it just blew me away! I was in the middle of a reading slump and it totally got me out of there! I *love* this book!

And per genre: (because we never have one favorite!)

Contemporary: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Paranormal/supernatural/sci-fi: Spark by Brigid Kemmerer

Dystopian: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Fantasy: City of Swords by Mary Hoffman

I always say I read YA and Chick Lit mostly. Well that last part can go. I just realized I've only read three Chick Lit's this year! I must say all three were a bit disappointing. 

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

Dualed by Elsie Chapman. Amazing cover, awesome synopsis, but it just didn't live up to it. I expected so much more from it. It was still a nice read, but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. 

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012? 

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry. If you'd said to me that my favorite read this year would be a contemporary YA novel I might have looked at you funny. I always thought it wasn't 'my genre'. Boy, was I wrong! I can't wait to read Dare You To!

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?

I think that must be Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. It's so different from all the other books that I just want people to read it and find out how amazing this book is!

5. Best series you discovered in 2012?

I fell in love with the Elemental series by Brigid Kemmerer. Storm, Spark and all the enovella's: I just loved them all! I'm really looking forward to reading Spirit. 

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?

Maria V. Snyder, Andrea Cremer and Julie Cross, to name a few. One of the most amazing parts of blogging is that you discover so much more about books, authors. I love it!

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

Again, Pushing the Limits. It wasn't a complete new genre to me. I'd only read If I Stay as contemporary and I had to get used to it! But Pushing the Limits made me love this genre and made me aware that stepping out of your comfort zone once in a while isn't a bad idea!

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan kept me turning the pages! I was amazed by the world setting and I just wanted to know what would happen next!

9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year:

I don't re-read books that much anymore. I used to before I started my blog, but my TBR pile is so high these days I just don't have/take the time to re-read books. This year I've re-read Harry Potter (still have to start the last one though!) and that's it. But if I would re-read a book I read this year it will be Pushing the Limits. 

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012?

I really had to get used to the new cover of Shatter Me. My first reaction when I saw it was: "Eew", but when I got used to it I absolutely loved it. The second cover, from Dance of Shadows, is my favorite cover this year! But since I haven't read it yet, it doesn't count :(. 

11. Most memorable character in 2012? 

Echo from Pushing the Limits. I was intrigued by her story and I keep thinking about it!

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?

Once again Pushing the Limits (Are you getting bored with me yet;)). The way Katie McGarry wrote the story and set it up, just so beautiful! It really grabs you. 

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012? 

Can you guess the answer? Yep, it is Pushing the Limits! I'm grateful for a lot of things that come with this book. But I can't thank Katie McGarry enough for making me love contemporary. I was really missing out on something!

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read? 

I can list quite some books here! In September I started the Fall Into Reading 2012 Reading Challenge and my goal was to lower my (ever-growing) TBR pile. So I finally focused on the books that were lying around here for a while! But at the top of the list is definitely Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Good thing is I don't have to wait very long for Scarlet!

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012? 

This one. It just says everything!

“I spent my life folded between the pages of books.
In the absence of human relationships I formed bonds with paper characters. I lived love and loss through stories threaded in history; I experienced adolescence by association. My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, bone to sinew, thoughts and images all together. I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction.” Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me. 

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012? 

Longest is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, a re-read (956 pages). If you don't count the re-reads it's Hunger by Michael Grant with 586 pages.  

Not counting the enovella's the shortest book I've read this year is Visibility by Sarah Neufeld with 184 pages. 

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!

Gone and Hunger by Michael Grant keep popping up in my head when I think about this question, so I guess that's my answer. Some fragments in those books are so gross. That one with the cat through the book in Gone and the one with the worms in Hunger. It was so gross I just had to talk about it!

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

Echo and Noah from Pushing the Limits were definitely my favorite book couple! I really wanted them to be together and thought they deserved each other!

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously

City of Swords by Mary Hoffman. Stravaganza is one of my favorite series and I'm really sad this is going to be the last one! 

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

I had seen Hunting Lila around, but wasn't intrigued enough by the synopsis to actually pick up a copy. Amber from Books of Amber was so enthusiastic about this series I picked it up. It wasn't the best read this year, but I definitely enjoyed it. Losing Lila was a lot better!

Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2012 (optional)

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2012? 

Since I started blogging this year almost all the blogs I'm following I discovered this year. I've met some amazing bloggers and it would be impossible to make a choice! Although if I have to name one it's Lili from Lili's Reflections. She made me read Pushing the Limits during that reading slump!

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2012? 

This is such a hard question! I've been looking through my review list, but I just don't know. I still feel like I have to find my way to write the "perfect" review, so I always find something I don't like about a previously written/published review. My choice in the end is my review of Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan. It was the first review I posted after really starting my blog, so that makes it extra special. I still had my old design then, so it might look a bit funny, don't mind that!

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?

I didn't really have any discussions on the blog, so I guess I'm skipping this question!

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?

I should really start making a list of cool blog posts, because I've absolutely no idea now. 

5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

Finally, an easy question! This is definitely the Meet & Greet with Tahereh Mafi a couple weeks back! There aren't that many events here in The Netherlands, so I was thrilled about this meeting! And it was amazing!

6. Best moment of book blogging in 2012?

Starting my blog and meeting all the amazing fellow bloggers! I just love having this blog and writing about all the amazing books out there! 

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

Most popular post this year was my 200 Followers Giveaway. Runner up is Top Ten Book Romances That I Think Would Make It In The Real World. 

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Since I started blogging this year my standards aren't very high. I'm just really happy with everyone who takes the time to read my posts! Thank you all!

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

That there were so many YA book blogs! I really had no idea before I started my blog! It's an amazing community and I'm proud to be part of it!

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

My original Goodreads Reading Challenge was 75 books, that one I topped a long time ago! (somewhere in June I think), so I set it to 100 and then 120. I'm now 7 books away from reaching those 200 books! 

I'm also nearing the end of the Fall Into Reading 2012 Reading Challenge. My goal was to lower my TBR pile and that kinda worked. It's just that I keep buying books and it isn't really any lower. But I've read quite a few books that had been waiting for a long time!

Looking Ahead…

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2012 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2013?

Since December isn't over yet I have no idea what book to put here! Because all the books I really want to read I hope to finish this year! First on my list if I don't make it to reading it this year is Legend by Marie Lu. 

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?

I think the list of books I'm anticipating is nearly endless! But I managed to make a Top Ten a couple weeks back. Top of my list is Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer. 

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2013?

First of all, I hope to keep up with blogging and getting a bit better at it! I'm playing with the idea to change the design of my blog. I also want to schedule more in advance. 

For the reading part, I really want to reread The Lord of The Rings next year! It will be my sixth time! I know I'm a bit crazy, but it's a thing I share with my grandpa and it's just awesome!

So, that was it for my first End of Year Book Survey! It was really fun to fill out!