2016 End of the Year Survey!

This survey is created and hosted by the wonderful Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner!

Number Of Books You Read: 205
Number of Re-Reads: 8
Genre You Read The Most From: Mystery (including thriller/suspense), followed by true crime and non-fiction

1. Best Book You Read In 2016?

At the end of the year, I love to list all my favorite reads for the year--I'm terrible at picking just one! I have not included re reads in this list, as if I re read a book, it's been a favorite for a while--I went with books I read for the first time in 2016 :) So here are my favorite reads, in no particular order:

First of all, a shout out to my amazingly talented friends and family, including my sister-in-law and my friend, who are wonderful writers:

 

And now, my other favorites:

 

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

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

I love Sherlock Holmes so much, I always get a little apprehensive reading such different takes on the characters. But these interpretations were fantastic!

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

 

 5. Best series you started in 2016?

 Best Sequel of 2016? 

Best Series Ender of 2016?

(this was the last in the trilogy, though there are novellas and prequels as well)

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?

Alexandra Oliva and Ruth Ware

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

 

This book was way more science fiction than I normally read, but I absolutely loved it.

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

  

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

   

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

11. Most memorable character of 2016?

Jane Steele, Zoo (The Last One), and Plumdog

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?

    

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

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

                              

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

"You learn to appreciate the fact that what drives you is very different from what you're told should make you happy. You learn that it's okay to prefer your personal idea of heaven (live-tweeting zombie movies from under a blanket of kittens) rather than someone else's idea that fame/fortune/parties are the pinnacle we should all reach for. And there's something surprisingly freeing about that."-Furiously Happy

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?

Shortest:

Longest:

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

  

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)

Jason/Daniela (Dark Matter)

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Abigail & Jackaby (Jackaby)

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

                        

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

                                           

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

R.F. Jackaby (Jackaby)

23. Best 2016 debut you read?

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

                 

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

Read?

                                         

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

                                

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

                                                        

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

                           

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?

                                                             

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

                                                         

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2016?

Books Movies Reviews Oh My! is a new favorite of mine.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2016?

I really enjoyed writing the review for As I Descended, and really felt like I had a lot to say, so I will go with that one :)

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

Ten Books to Read If Your Book Club Liked The Girl on the Train

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

The Broke and The Bookish Secret Santa, Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon, and COYER

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

The community, getting to read and review so many great books, and anytime an author I admire reached out to me

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

Just keeping up with everything!

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

I think it was Ten TV Shows I Wish Had Never Been Canceled.

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Ten Books to Read If Your Book Club Liked The Girl on the Train

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

More great magnetic bookmark makers!

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

I did--I completed the Mount TBR challenge (Mount Kilimanjaro level), Cruisin' Through the Cozies (Level 4), the Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge, and Semi-Charmed Winter Book Challenge 2016.

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

There's so many, but I'm particularly excited to read the new Louise Penny, the Hamilton biography, and Hamilton: A Revolution. Plus I'm finally going to read With Malice, and This Is Our Story, which so many fellow bloggers were buzzing about.

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

3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

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

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

Get my Netgalley percentage up to 80%, and read a lot of books off my TBR shelves!

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

The only 2017 release I've read so far is The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett, which I was uncertain about at first, but ended up liking quite a bit.

Happy New Year everyone!

Reviews: The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett, and Ghostland

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Title: The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett
Author: Chelsea Sedoti
Genre: Young Adult/Psychological/Mystery
Publication Date: January 3, 2017
Recommend If You Like: young adult with a side of angst and hope, some mystery with your musings, psychological ponderings

The Book:

Hawthorn is a teenager who doesn't seem to fit in anywhere, and who doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. So when popular Lizzie Lovett goes missing, Hawthorn sees it as an opportunity to finally live out a great adventure and solve a mystery Inserting herself in the life Lizzie has left behind, a life Hawthorn thought she so desperately wanted, she ends up learning about her own self on her quest for answers.

What I Liked:

First of all, the mystery is really intriguing. I wanted to know what happened to Lizzie right along with Hawthorn. Sedoti does an excellent job with the build up and resolution to the central puzzle.

Sedoti also does a really good job of getting inside her characters' heads. No one comes across as a stereotype. From "mean girl" to "jock" to "loner", Sedoti makes each character three-dimensional and complex.

Anything I Didn't Like?

I almost didn't get past the first few pages of this book, because I had a really hard time liking Hawthorn. But once I pushed past the initial chapter, and Hawthorn became much more of a complex character, I found myself beginning to get sucked in. Hawthorn did still irritate me at times, but she really grew on me as the story progressed.

So...?

I would recommend this book. Just give it time, and don't get discouraged. To me, at least, it was well-worth the read.

Title: Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places

Author: Colin Dickey

Genre: Non-Fiction/Paranormal

Publication Date: October 4, 2016

Recommend If You Like: haunted history, ghost stories, psychological musings, American history

The Book:

Dickey explores places in America that are considered haunted, from abandoned asylums to spooky hotels. Along the way, he examines the role of ghost stories in culture and country.

What I Liked:

This book was right in my wheelhouse! I am fascinated by ghosts, and haunted places, and the stories that surround them. Dickey has clearly done his research, and it has made for a great read.

I also really appreciated Dickey's analysis of what ghost stories have meant to places and people, and how they have served as an attempt to explain or justify historical events.

Anything I Didn't Like?

I just wanted more! I would happily have kept reading more and more stories in this book. I would love it if Dickey wrote more books on this subject.

So...?

I highly recommend this book! It's well-written and really fascinating. 

Review: The Twilight Wife

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Title: The Twilight Wife

Author: A.J. Banner

Publication Date: December 27, 2016

Genre: Psychological Suspense/Thriller

Recommended If You Like: Before I Go to Sleep, psychological tales, secrets reemerging, learning along with the character

The Book:

Kyra is a marine biologist who was in a terrible diving accident, and has lost many of her memories. She now lives on an isolated island with her husband, Jacob, who takes care of her and acts as her protector when she cannot call up the past.

But as flashes of Kyra's memory start to return, she begins to fear that all may not be as it seems.

What I Liked:

This was a suspenseful read! Banner does an excellent job of having the readers learn things right along with Kyra, so I felt that surprise and shock and disquiet right along with the main character. As I got to the last few chapters, I could not put the book down. I had to know what was the truth, and what was going to happen. There's a scene with a computer...no spoilers here, I promise, but once you hit that spot with Kyra, be prepared to devote the next few hours to finishing this book, because you will have to know what happens next.

Anything I Didn't Like?

I did find that being very familiar with Before I Go to Sleep (it's one of my favorite reads in this genre) did perhaps make it easier to guess what was going to happen next in some parts of the book. But because I loved the plot twists of Before I Go to Sleep, this didn't really bother me.

So...?

Read this book! It's an excellent addition to the psychological suspense genre, and really well-written. You will be hooked.

Reviews: The Ageless Agatha Christie, and Bad Girls Throughout History

This is a must read for all Agatha Christie fans. It's so rare to find any critical analysis of Agatha Christie, my all-time favorite author, so this book was such a treat. As an English major (many years ago), this felt like a warm blanket, and still so accessible.

Different aspects of Christie's works are covered, from the role of women, to her influence on later mystery writers, to aspects of information gathering and recall. There is also a very interesting essay on the movie Agatha, and the controversy and difficulties surrounding it.

I made this my before-bed book, because it required my absolute focus (so I couldn't let my brain drift to any worries or stress), and because, to me, it was a soothing and fascinating read. You can read just one essay at a time, but I would bet you'll get sucked in and find yourself unable to put this book down.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book, or my review itself.

First of all, the illustrations in this book are absolutely gorgeous. I was captivated by the visual portraits right from the start.

The mini-biographies about each woman are great as well. There were a lot of famous women I had already heard of, but quite a few I knew very little about. With some of the bios I wanted more, but in this case I think that's a good thing. This book has inspired me to go out and learn more about these women and their incredible lives.

What We're Reading Wednesday: December 21, 2016

This one has been on my shelf for a while, and I'm trying to get my last few books in for the Mount TBR challenge. I really enjoy this coffeehouse cozy mystery series, and just a few chapters in it's already getting exciting.

These are my current Kindle reads, and both are really good. I'm about 3/4 of the way done with The Big Book of Jack the Ripper, and it's such a great omnibus. The Twilight Wife is a super intriguing psychological suspense read, in the vein of Before I Go to Sleep.

What are you reading this week?

Review: Our Hearts Will Burn Us Down

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Title: Our Hearts Will Burn Us Down
Author: Anne Valente
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Genre: Fiction
Recommended If You Like: beautifully written reads on really difficult subjects

The Book:

Four survivors of a school shooting struggle to find a way to memorialize all that has happened, while fires rip through the homes of the fallen's families.

What I Liked:

This is an absolutely beautifully written book. Valente has a gorgeous grasp of language. The book is almost surreal at times, due to Valente's unique writing style, and she really gets at the heart of how different people react during times of tragedy and terror. There is also an overarching mystery that is really intriguing.

Anything I Didn't Like?

This is also a very difficult read. School shootings are always a subject I struggle with reading about, perhaps because they are one of my biggest fears, and still feel so immediate. Valente's grasp of language and writing style also make everything she writes about feel so graphic. I had to put the book down and read lighter fare in between. I started this book in time to have it done before its publication date, but it took me over two months to actually finish reading it.

So...?

I was originally drawn to this book because of the mystery behind it, of who was setting the fires and why. Had I realized just how gut wrenching some of the pages would be, I most likely not have requested a copy. But I would have missed out on a really well-written, emotional, deep read. The ending is not one that I think everyone will necessary be satisfied with, but I was really surprised by how much I thought it really fit.