Havering: End of Year Survey for 2016

Image Description: a picture of an open book with red and yellow string in the shape of a heart

Number Of Books You Read: 16 out of 20
Number of Re-Reads: 2
Genre You Read The Most From: IDK, my list for this year is a bit all over the shop

Best Books of 2016:
1. Best Book You Read In 2016?
Unfortunately, I don’t have a book I can place above all the other books, this year was a little chaotic for me.

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

Beneath A Darkening Moon by Keri Arthur – I didn’t have high expectations going into the book but there were some really questionable elements involved I hadn’t anticipated and I was left quite disappointed with the way the Unfortunate Implications were handled, or rather weren’t handled.

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

In The Woods by Tana French – I had gone into this book with high expectations, Tana French was highly recommended to me, but the first book in the series was surprisingly meh and I felt the ending was a bit of a cope-out, but as Tana French is a best-selling author, I’m guessing that’s just me.

4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak – I bought this for my younger sister (although it was a copy of the book with the movie-version as the cover, which I truly detest, but moving on), she seemed genuinely interested in it and I figured the movie was something she and my father could watch together (my father is major history enthusiast).

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff – I got this for my younger brother for Christmas last year and he began to read it immediately, which is unusual because my younger brother isn’t a big reader, I also got him a copy of Gemina for this Christmas.

5. Best series you started in 2016? Best Sequel of 2016? Best Series Ender of 2016?

The Every Series by Ellie Marney – I’m looking forward to reading this series in 2017

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?

The Ministry of Curiosities series by C.J. Archer – An Australian author writing about necromancy and steam-punk, sounds great 😀 I look forward to reading this series in 2017

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

Game Day by Miriam Sved – I have zero interests in sports, and I don’t usually read Contemporary, but I had to read this one for a University class and it was the one I suppose I had the least mixed feelings about (despite the fact that I have little to no interest in the subject). To me, this is a book for people who are not me and need someone to highlight some of the problems that emerge from Australia’s fanatical football culture.

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

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley – fast paced narrative and engaging realistic characters with some tough emotional baggage to deal with, highly recommended.

9. Book You Read In 2016 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss – It’s an editing resource so I’ll probably read it again.

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

Sapphire Skies by Belinda Alexandra – The cover and the fact that it’s written by an Australian author was the primary reason I picked it up.

11. Most memorable character of 2016?

Darius from the short story Certain Eldritch Artifacts in Crooked Words by K. A. Cook – Darius is the reason I investigated this book in the first place, and it’s so great to see his character development here, in comparison to how he is in The Unnatural Philosophy of Kit March, go check it out if you’re a fan of the Fantasy genre like I am

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?

Beloved by Toni Morrison – Although technically I haven’t finished it, Toni Morrison is one of the most poetic novel writers I’ve ever read, she possesses an amazing awe-inspiring skill with words.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?
Beloved by Toni Morrison – it’s just one of those books you have to read

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

Sweet Damage by Rebecca James – I had meant to read this for ages and only got around to reading it this year

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016?
Unfortunately I didn’t have one outside of a few one-liners from Bossypants by Tina Fey

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?
Shortest: The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White with 105 pages
Longest: The Dark Between the Stars by Kevin J. Anderson with 660 pages

17. Book That Shocked You The Most (Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)
Probably a tie between The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood and Did She Kill Him?: A Victorian Tale of Deception, Adultery and Arsenic
by Kate Colquhoun, I just didn’t expect those books to end the way that they did.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
I don’t have one this year, but I like all the couples in Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Tina Fey’s relationship with her dad as described in her memoir Bossypants

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
Crooked Words by K. A. Cook – I’ve read other short stories of Kim’s and enjoyed them.

21. Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

Probbably Coming of Age: Growing Up Muslim in Australia by Amra Pajalic and Demet Divaroren – I picked this book purely because my associates from Professional Writing and Editing recommended it to me. I’ve met Amra Pajalic via my Professional Writing and Editing course and Demet Divaroren is now teaching subjects from the Professional Writing and Editing course.

22. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?

Loaded by Christos Tsiolkas – it’s an interesting story structure and it’s written without any speech tags and in a simple style, but that doesn’t mean the subject is simple, in fact, it’s very complex.

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood – I just didn’t like the ending of the book, although that may have been the author’s intention.

Book Blogging
1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2016?
Happy Indulgence – an Australian book-review blog

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2016?
Probably Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
My Bruno’s Farewell post, I was so anxious about the night leading up to it and on the night (pretty much pacing around the house for an hour before Kim and their mother were due to pick me up), I was certain I would mess it up somehow and I was mildly worried Bruno wouldn’t like the post, but of course he liked it

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
Again, Bruno’s Farewell Evening at The Twilight School

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2016?
I actually managed to have some great comments and referrals on Twitter this year. Also, all of my pictures of Things Made By Kim all get liked and receive positive comments on either Facebook or Instagram, I honestly can’t ask for more than that.

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?
Getting the balance between blogging, work and university. But hopefully this year things will be easier.

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
Game Day by Miriam Sved (which I find a little confusing)

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
The Editing Process of Self-Publishing – I put so much effort into that post

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
We Need Diverse Books and Disability in Kidlit

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I tried reading 20 books this year, but unfortunately I only managed to read 16. I’m involved in a few Reading Challenges like the Australian Women Writer’s challenge and the RMFAO Genre Challenge. This year I’m also going to merge the 2017 Diverse Books Campaign into my blog as well (because I clearly have too much time on my hands)

Looking Ahead To 2017
1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2016 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2017?

Illuminae and Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2017 (non-debut)?

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
You’re Welcome Universe by Whitney Gardener – It sounds fascinating

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2017?
I’m hoping to finish a few series this year, like the Coroman Strike series, the Every Series and the Skulduggery Pleasant series.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017?
I’m hoping to complete reading at least 24 books and have a rough draft of my next book ready by the end of the year

6. A 2017 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera – Although I haven’t read this book yet

Links:
~The Perpetual Page-Turner: 7th Annual End Of Year Survey – 2016 edition!!