2016 End of Year Book Survey

Every year, Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner hosts this end of year book survey to highlight the awesome books we've read throughout the year -- and, of course, to add a million more to our TBRs as we discover them on others' surveys. ;0)

We read so many great books this year...this task is going to be difficult! Also, it's likely that you'll see the same books repeated over and over. =) Because that's how we do...

Number Of Books You Read:

Jen: 285 - I beat my GR goal by 60 books!
April: I'm at 77. Not bad. I only read 58 last year.

Number of Re-Reads:

Jen: 96 - I actually thought this number would be higher, but it's still 20 more than last year...
April: Last year I re-read 0. I can happily say I've re-read 14, thanks to Audiobooks.

Genre You Read The Most From:

Jen: Usually, I'd say fantasy, but this year, I kind of read all over the place: fantasy, contemporary, historical romance, plus a lot of other adult novels.
April: This year, Fantasy really took over my reading list. I've been all about it.

1. Best Book You Read In 2016?
(If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2016 release vs. backlist)

Jen: This is always the hardest question of the survey. There's no way to pick just one...and even though I managed to narrow it down to three, I still have so many favorites from this year.


April: I could not choose between these two. Both had flooded my thoughts ever since reading them.

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

Jen: I only DNF'd a few books this year, but this one was the biggest disappointment of them all, most especially because I usually love time travel books.


April: I really thought I would love An Ember in the Ashes. It was good, but it just wasn't what I was expecting. I honestly have no desire to even read the second. Looking back on my GR rating I probably should have given it a three instead of 4 based on that fact alone.

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

Jen: I only just read this duology, and I only did so after seeing it featured in so many of my GR friends' feeds, but despite being slightly dystopian in nature, it became an instant favorite.


April: I forget why I gave this one a try. It was available in audio through my library, and I must have seen a good review of it, because I went ahead and gave it a listen. At first.. I wasn't so sure. It took me a while to really get into it.. but when I did I was so glad I didn't give up. It was a great story. <3

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

Jen: I rarely listen to chick lit, but this book was just so freaking cute. I made several friends listen and they loved it just as much.


April: Last year Jen pushed this one, this year it was my turn. lol. :)

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

Jen: Oh, series...how I love thee and loathe thee all in the same breath.

Best series starter | Best sequel | Best series ender
April: Court of Thorns and Roses is my favorite that series that I started this year, I thought about adding Throne of Glass, but technically I read that a couple years ago and just now started getting back into them. The follow up to COTAR, was a favorite Sequel and I finally got around to finishing the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. Loved the ending.

Omg, and these too!!! I read both in 2016. I cannot freaking wait for the next one.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?

Jen: Ashley Elston - I've had her books on my TBR for awhile, but after reading and loving This is Our Story, I must check out her backlist.

 
April: Okay, this is kinda cheating, because I did read Sarah J. Maas a couple years ago. I read Throne of Glass, and while I really liked it, I didn't continue on with any of her books. This year, I Re-Discovered her. And now I'm obsessed. She's a favorite now.

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

Jen: I have never listened to so many adult historical romances - with explicit sex scenes - as I have this year, and I regret nothing. Except maybe that I listened to them while I was at work, lol.


April: I'm never really drawn to these historical books, but this one called to me. So  I listened to the audio through my library. I really enjoyed it.

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

Jen: I cannot tell you enough times how awesome this duology is.


April: This book.... I could no put it down. I ended up listening to the end of it on our way to NYC on a bus trip. I could not wait till we got home that night to finish it.

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

Jen: I re-read a lot, so I could list half of the books I read this year right here. But I know for a fact that I will be re-reading this one every time the sads hit because it's an instant mood-booster.


April: I know for a fact I plan on re-listening to these ones in April in anticipation of the next one. :)

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

Jen: I don't think I suffered from cover lust as much this year as years prior, but this one definitely caught my eye.

April: The Way I Used to Be is by far my favorite cover of the year. It's very much a part of the story, and it's simplicity is perfect. Plus.. my fav color is yellow.. :)

11. Most memorable character of 2016?

Jen: Rhysand, hands down. I love how much better we got to know him in this sequel.

April: Oh AIDAN. He cracked me up... and scared the living hell out of me.. but at the same time made me fall in love with him. Even though he's a machine. We have a very complicated relationship. lol

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?

Jen: Marissa Meyer re-writes fairy tales like no other, but Heartless was her most beautiful, most fairy-tale feeling story yet, heart-breaking as it was.

April: If your looking for beautiful writing, Jandy Nelson is the way to go. It took me a while to get into this one. When I picked it up the first time, I wasn't ready. Just not in the mood for that kind of depth, but when I was ready... this story stole my heart.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/Life-Changing Book of 2016?

Jen: As I said in my review: "This book was like an existential crisis for me. Have you ever just read a book that because of heightened emotions or personal experiences -- or in spite of them -- just resonates with you on a level that it maybe wouldn't have otherwise? A book that just made you want to live your life more fully?" That's this book.

April: I still haven't fully wrapped my head around how I feel about this story. This lady kidnaps a baby and then raises it as her own. This book makes you actually feel bad for this kidnapper, but.... she snatched a freaking baby from another woman. Ahhhhh. It was a really good book though. Made me hold my daughters hand a little more tightly in public.

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

Jen: VSchwab is one of my favorite authors, and yet it took me until this year to finally read her debut. Oops.

April: I read Daughter of Smoke & Bone soooo long ago. So I can't believe it took me this long to finally pick up the sequel

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016?

Jen: “It's a corporate truth universally acknowledged that workers would rather eat rat skeletons than participate in group activities.”

― Sally Thorne, The Hating Game

“When I first met you," Stellan said again, sleepily, "I thought you were an idiot. Who gets on a plane with a stranger who just pulled a knife on her?" he said. "What is wrong with you? I could have been a serial killer.”
― Maggie Hall, Map of Fates

“He was a book, and he was holding his final pages, and he wanted to get to the end to find out how it went, and he didn't want it to be over.”
― Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven King

April: “I was his and he was mine, and we were the beginning and middle and end. We were a song that had been sung from the very first ember of light in the world.”

 ― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?
How I did this: Went to my read books on Goodreads and sorted by page number and just looked for what I knew I read this year that was the shortest and longest.

Jen: I don't count short stories or novellas for this one, but I read plenty of those, too.

280 pages | 693 pages

April: The Shortest was just a Novella, and Winter was the longest. Which surprises me because I don't remember it feeling like it was all that long.

17. Book That Shocked You The Most
(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)

Jen: I found everything about this book shocking and awesome and I totally wish I could read it again for the first time.


April: Life and Death surprised me because I fully intended to dislike it, but it wasn't too bad. I liked the spin on it.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)

Jen: Mine are fairly common pairings: Feyre&Rhysand (ACOMAF), Blue&Gansey (TRC) - though Ronan&Adam are a very, VERY close 2nd, Aelin&Rowan (TOG), Avery&Stellan (Map of Fates), and Lia&Rafe (The Remnant Chronicles)...plus many, many more. But my newest and maybe most favoritest is Lucy and Josh. *heart eyes*


April: Feyre & Rhysand.. definitely. I don't think I've ever been more in love with a couple.

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Jen: Maggie and Gus, even after that um, weirdness. =)


April: Darrow and Servo, I love their friendship.

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

Jen: So hard. I love them all! But I'll give it a shot at narrowing it down - and not picking from a series I've already started, lol.

April: Morgan Matson is one of my favs. I looked forward to this one coming out and it did not disappoint :)

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

Jen: I was totally gonna skip this one because me and the author's previous books just didn't get along, but my bestie Sabrina begged me to read it, and then I got an ARC and it was as if it were fated.

April: Last year after Jen and I did our end of year survey, I bought this in audio. She answered just about every question with Illuminae, so indirectly... she forced me to read it. So glad she did. lol

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?

Jen: Okay, I liked Luka in Wolf by Wolf, but damn, getting to read from his perspective in this novella sealed the deal. And then there was everything he did to redeem his character in the finale. My heart still hurts. But I still love him so.

April: Rhysand. Oh lordy.. I'm so in love.

23. Best 2016 debut you read?

Jen: I believe I read this book a total of three times this year because it. Is. Just. That. Good.

April: Love that Jen and I are on the same page with this one. She actually recommended this one to me. I texted her and asked her what to use that months audible credit on. She's my go to person for recommendations. <3

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

Jen: Um, a store on chicken legs that dances when you sing for it to open for you? I don't think it gets more vivid or brilliant than that...


April: Honestly, Both A Court of Thorns and Roses and her Throne of Glass series are the best for world building. They make all other worlds I've read about pale in comparison.

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Jen: Dude, I know I've picked this book for like half of these questions, but it was soooo much fun to read. And read again. And again. =)

April: I just read this one last week, and it had me laughing the whole time. Lily is so awkward sometimes, it was hilarious and so fun to read. That's pretty much what I've come to expect from Kasie West. her stories are very fun to read.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?

Jen: I hate books that make me cry. But somehow it's easier when they're not contemporary. Makes it feel less real and slightly easier to bear or something.

April: These are the only two books that made me cry this year.

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Jen: I feel like neither of these books got the attention they deserved this year, which is a shame because they were both 5-star reads for me.

 

April: I really loved this book, but it's not talked about too much, but probably because of the content. It's was really good though.

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

Jen: My heart still hurts. There is no coming back from this...

April: I haven't really read anything that crushed my soul this year.

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?

Jen: The use of dossiers and emails and texts and all kinds of other media means this series still deserves this acknowledgement.

April: The Format this book uses is so different, and awesome in so many ways. <3

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

Jen: There's a thing that happens pretty early in this book that nearly made me throw the thing across the room and never pick it back up. I'm glad I did, but I'm still pretty mad.

April: There are so many reasons this book made me mad, and then the ending just pissed me off even more.

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2016?

Jen: I don't think I stumbled upon any new ones this year, but that's because I haven't been actively blogging and commenting as much as I used to. Real life gets in the way again...

April: No new blogs this year. I just haven't had time to read any.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2016?

Jen: ALL I KNOW IS PAIN

April: IT ENDS WITH US - This wasn't my favorite of Hoovers, but I loved writing the review because Jen and I did it together. :) 

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

Jen: Either My Moment of Zen or The Way of the Dodo. Heh. Both have to do with how I've been feeling regarding blogging and expectations and such this past year.

April: I have two, one being the joint post where Jen and I introduced our new kitties.. Two of Our Biggest Pleasures in Life and the post where I warned fellow kitty owners about automatic soap dispensers.. Fellow Cat Owners : IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ

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

Jen: I actually attended TWO events this year which is definitely up from zero last year. I got to meet Marissa Meyer for the Stars Above Tour for the first time, which was amazing. And then I got to interview Rachel Hawkins before the Penguin Teen on Tour event, where I also go to chat with Alwyn Hamilton, Sabaa Tahir, Alison Goodman, and April Genevieve Tucholke, which was a dream come true.

April: I didn't participate in any kind of book event this year. I've been all about the reading and there has just been way too much going on in my personal life.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2016?

Jen: See above. Dream. Come. True.

April: None. The best part has really been stepping back from blogging and spending time with my family. I didn't realize how much time it really took up. I've watched so many shows with my husband. Its been so nice.

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

Jen: Just trying to find time to fit it all in and still spend time with my family. Pretty much why I basically took the month of December off from the blog. ← Keeping the same answer I used last year because TRUTH.

April: Nothing really challenging expect for finding the motivation to post.  I sometimes have the urge, but by the time I get home from working all day, it's gone. Though, I am really enjoying this end of year survey.

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

Jen: I'm excluding posts that contained giveaways or #booksfortrade offerings because let's be honest with ourselves, right? So, barring those posts, my most popular was actually my review of This is Our Story. Yay!

April: None, Jen is the star of this blog. lol. :)

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Jen: Honestly, it seems foolish to hope for more love from others when I don't have the time to devote to commenting on blogs, either.

April: The truth... I don't have one. I posted a few times this year but I wasn't all that into it. :/

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

Jen: Maybe #booksfortrade, but I'm also going to be honest and say it was also the worst bookish discovery I made this year. :(

April: Re-reading books via Audio. Last year I hadn't re read any books, so this year I started to re read via audio books and it's been awesome. I've been listening to them while I work.

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

Jen: Just this one...and it's missing one because I haven't marked Bad Blood as finished yet. :P

April: Just my Goodreads challenge 

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

Jen: Um, any of the countless unread books currently sitting on my shelves? Because I named Every Move last year and I still didn't get to it. For shame...

April: I really wanted to get to this one this year, because I've heard good things. I'm currently wrapped up in the Throne of Glass books, but as soon as I'm done with those, I will be reading this one for sure.

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

Jen: I have a copy of this and I cannot explain how I've held off reading it, except LIFE. Still, I can't wait!!!

April: A new Sarah Dessen book!!!!!!!!! Do you know how exciting this is?!            

3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Jen: Jane Austen and dragons. Need I say more?

April: I cannot wait to read this. <3

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2017?

Jen: I want them BUT I DON'T WANT THEM TO END!!!!

April: I need this book so badly. May needs to get here now!

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017?

Jen: Start actively blogging again. Buddy-read more. Review books as soon as I finish reading them. Start visiting friends' blogs again and comment more.

April: I'd like to start posting posts like Jens, "What I've been Reading Lately". I would really love to be more active on the blog again but I'm not willing to completely give up the freedom I've gained since I stepped back. And as far as reading, I would like to finish some series books I started.

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

Jen: These...all of them. :D

April: I haven't read any 2017 release's yet. I am currently reading a Kasie West one that comes out in January but I haven't read enough of it to recommend it yet.

Well, that's it for 2016. I feel like I'm always forgetting some badass book I've read on these things, but when I remember, I can just come back and change my answers, right? :D Share a link to your survey so we can check it out!

Labels: 2016, end of year survey, favorites