It’s finally arrived…the very last day of 2014! Kind of hard to believe that another year is coming to a close. I want to take a moment to thank all of you for your support this year…I don’t think I’ll ever be able to adequately express how much it means to me. On this last day of the year, I’m wishing you all a happy and healthy 2015…I can’t wait to see what it has in store for all of us.
2014 was an epic year for me and I’m thrilled to be taking part in Jamie’s Annual End of Year Book Survey! This post was a LOT of work and I probably shouldn’t have waited until yesterday to pull it all together, but it was so much fun reflecting back on all of the amazing bookish and bloggy things I experienced this year.
Many thanks to Jamie for pulling this epic survey together, I’m so excited to share my responses with all of you.
Number Of Books You Read: 102…which is two more than my original goal of 100 in 2014! Go me!!
Number of Re-Reads: Four – Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door, Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight.
Genre You Read The Most From: A tie between Fantasy and Contemporary/Romance
Best Book You Read In 2014?
Wahhhh….do I realllly have to answer this? I’ve read so many amazing books that were published in 2014 and I shared my top ten with you here, but if I had to choose one from that list I would have to say Heir of Fire! But I can’t go without mentioning how much I adored I’ll Meet You There and A Court of Thorns and Roses which are 2015 releases. I would say those three books are the best books I read this year!
Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
The Vault of Dreamers – I was super pumped for this book, but I was so annoyed with the main character that I ended up not enjoying it at all. Sad face! I was also disappointed with On the Fence, for some reason I just didn’t connect with it.
Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
The first book that pops into my head is The Book of Broken Hearts. I didn’t know much about this book when I picked it up and was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it and how moving it was.
Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
Anything in the Throne of Glass series and I’ve also been pushing Heather Demetrios’ 2015 release I’ll Meet You There pretty hard for the past couple months.
Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?
Am I allowed to answer with the Throne of Glass series again for best series and best sequel? Well, I am! Best series finale would definitely have to be Isla and the Happily Ever After!
Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
I really don’t even know where to begin with this one! Since I am new to Young Adult literature, I discovered so many new authors this year! Some favorites include Sarah J. Maas, AC Gaughen, Emery Lord, Heather Demetrios, Leigh Bardugo and Cora Carmack. You can also visit my Top Ten list from a few weeks ago to see some more favorite authors!
source: goodreads
Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
I guess I played it safe this year since I can’t think of one book that was out of my comfort zone. I’m thinking I may need to make this a goal for 2015! Maybe a mystery or paranormal?
Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
The very first thing that comes to mind is a section in Crown of Midnight where my heart was literally pounding! So intense!
Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
A Court of Thorns and Roses, I’ll Meet You There and Heir of Fire!
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
Don’t make me choose between A Thousand Pieces of You and I’ll Meet You There! I could frame these covers and put them on my bedroom wall!
source: goodreads
Most memorable character of 2014?
This is probably the hardest question of the whole survey for me. Honestly, I don’t even know where to start when thinking about picking just one character. Celaena, Rowan, Chaol, Nehemia and Dorian…Alina, Mal, Sturmhond and The Darkling…Reagan and Dee…Chloe and Patrick…Anna and Etienne…the list could seriously go on and on!
Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
I adored the writing in Daughter of Smoke and Bone, as well as Days of Blood and Starlight! Still haven’t read Dreams of Gods and Monsters because, well, I’m just not ready for it to end! Laini Taylor is a literary goddess!
Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
The most life-changing book of 2014 for me was Eleanor and Park. It was the first YA novel that I read this year that I absolutely adored and it inspired me to continue reading books like it.
source: goodreads
Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?
In general, I can’t believe I waited until 2014 to read YA! Not sure what took me so long since it’s all I read now.
Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
I remember…watching that separation of sea and sky…and for the first time I realize that none of us are seeing the same thing. That all our horizons end in different places. ― Huntley Fitzpatrick, What I Thought Was True
She was not afraid. She would remake the world – remake it for them, those she had loved with this glorious, burning heart; a world so brilliant and prosperous that when she saw them again in the Afterworld, she would not be ashamed. She would build it for her people, who had survived this long, and whom she would not abandon. She would make them a kingdom such as there never had been, even if it took until her last breath. ― Sarah J. Maas, Heir of Fire
This is the currency of friendship, traded over years and miles, and I hope it’s an even exchange someday. For now, I do what all best friends do when there’s nothing left to say. We lie together in all the darkness, shoulder to shoulder, and wait for the worst to be over. ― Emery Lord, Open Road Summer
Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2014?
Shortest – Ocean and the End of the Lane at 181 pages / Longest – Heir of Fire at 562 pages
Book That Shocked You The Most
The only book I can think of that “shocked” me was The Young World. It was much more gritty and violent than I expected for a YA Dystopian and I almost gave up on it. In the end, I can’t really decide if I liked it or not.
OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
Alina and Mal from The Grisha Trilogy. I know most people are all about The Darkling or Sturmhond, but Mal just makes my heart ache and I just want to give him a big hug.
source: goodreads
Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
Celaena and Rowan in Heir of Fire, although, I can’t help but ship it!
Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
Would you believe that all of the authors I read this year were from new-to-me authors? True story!
Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
Ummm….that would be Anna and the French Kiss! Thanks Andi!
Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
I met soooo many swoony boys this year! I wrote up a Top Ten Book Boyfriends post back in July, but since then I’ve met some more guys that I’d like to add to the list. My latest additions are: Rowan from Heir of Fire, Max from The Start of Me and You, Josh from I’ll Meet You There, Silas from All Broke Down and Jackson from Finding It.
Best 2014 debut you read?
Something Real by Heather Demetrios
source: goodreads
Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
I would have to choose The Grisha Trilogy hands down! Leigh Bardugo did such a phenomenal job of building the world of Ravka!
Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
I absolutely loved Scoring Wilder, it’s a swoony, sexy and fun read without a ton of drama! PS – would you look at that cover??
source: goodreads
Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
Off the top of my head I don’t think I could give a specific number but books that I DEFINITELY remember crying during are: The Start of Me and You, I’ll Meet You There, Heir of Fire, If I Stay, Where She Went and Lady Thief.
Hidden Gem Of The Year?
Wish You Were Italian is a fun and swoony romance set against the gorgeous back drop of the Italian countryside. It honestly doesn’t get much better than that, and you should definitely read it.
Book That Crushed Your Soul?
Heir of Fire tore me up into little pieces, spit me out, put me back together and then ruined me all over again! I loved every single moment of it too!
Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
The Ghosts of Heaven was completely different from any book I read all year, and I’m still trying to figure out how I’m going to write me review for next week!
source: goodreads
Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
Definitely The Vault of Dreamers! The main character frustrated me SO much!
New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014?
Is it lame if I say all of them? Hear me out though! I discovered the book blogging community shortly after the new year in 2014 and since them I have discovered so many fantastic blogs! More importantly though are the people behind those blogs and I am so happy I’ve made so many wonderful new friends.
Favorite review that you wrote in 2014?
Again, is it lame for me to say all of them? This is my first time ever writing book reviews and I am super proud of every single one of them!
Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
I really loved working on my Fangirl Friday posts!!
Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
Meeting Sarah J. Maas and A.C. Gaughen was a highlight of this year! Not only because I got to meet two of my favorite authors, but also because I got to meet fellow bloggers Andi, Gail and Danielle!
http://instagram.com/p/uToiDyuA0V
Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?
Definitely getting my very first physical ARC from a publisher! It was of The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord, which is just so perfect because her debut novel, Open Road Summer, was my very first review on my blog.
http://instagram.com/p/uY8nxnuA5I
Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
If we’re going by number of views it would be my Best of 2014 giveaway post from earlier this month! My Fangirl Friday post where I shared some amazing special edition book covers was my most viewed non-giveaway post!
I got the most comments on my Fangirl anniversary celebration and giveaway post and my most commented non-giveaway post was the top ten new series I want to read.
Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
Any of my book reviews, especially the one’s I’ve posted in the last couple months since I started creating mood boards for each review and I’m pretty proud of them.
Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
Honestly, the book blogging community as a whole was my best bookish discovery this year! I’ve met so many amazing people and read so many amazing books, I’ll be forever grateful for all the wonderful experiences I’ve had this year because if it!
Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I sure did! I made a goal of reading 1oo books in 2014 and I ended up reading 102! Go me!
One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?
I have WAY more than one book that I wish I had gotten to this year, but Kiss of Deception stands out for me as the one I’m most eager to get to.
source: goodreads
Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?
Again, I have WAY more than just one! Here’s a top ten list I shared a few weeks ago! I’ve already read three of my most anticipated books, The Start of Me and You, I’ll Meet You There and A Court of Thorns and Roses, so I consider myself super lucky. Other 2015 releases I can’t wait for are Lion Heart, Six of Crows, Orphan Queen and Throne of Glass #4!
2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?
Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen…CANNOT WAIT!!!!
source: goodreads
One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?
I shared my list of top ten blogging/bookish goals for 2015 yesterday, and one of my top goals from that list is to comment more!! I MUST get better about this!
A 2015 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:
Without a doubt…The Start of Me and You, I’ll Meet You There and A Court of Thorns and Roses! All three are truly stunning novels and I know they’ll make my top ten of 2015!
what sarah read... 