2013 End of Year Book Survey - Part 1

The lovely Jamie over at The Perpetual Page-turner creates a survey each year and this year, I'm actually able to participate! I know that I probably forgot a better answer or repeated a book title way too many times, but it was fun to answer Jamie's questions. I think 2013 was a fantastic reading year. I'll be splitting this up into two parts with part two coming tomorrow. So be sure to check back! 

1. Best Book You Read In 2013? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)

Contemporary – United We Spy by Ally Carter and Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic – Unravel Me by Taherah Mafi

Historical Fiction – Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, and Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anna Blankman

Paranormal — Parallel by Lauren Miller and The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Science Fiction — All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill and These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Fantasy — Graceling by Kristin Cashore and Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

Other than YA: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

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

It's sad that I had quite a few titles pop in my head when I read this question. The book that really wins this title though is A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan. I was expecting another beloved retelling, but ended up really annoyed. Such a disappointment.

 3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?

 

For some reason, I was surprised by Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and its complete awesomeness. I do not doubt Bardugo any longer.

 4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?

Probably The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I read it and went completely fangirl on it.

 5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

I take this to mean that I read more than one book in the series and if that's the case, the problem is that many series I discovered has its sequels coming out next year or my other problem is that I loved the first book and haven't been able to get to its sequel yet. I knew about it before, but I finally read The Song of the Lioness series and finally started the Graceling series and the Throne of Glass series.

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

I have a whole list about it here. Someone who isn't on the list: Cristin Terrill because I read her afterwards and her book was AMAZING.

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

Nothing is ever really out of my comfort zone nowadays, but Dark Triumph was pretty bleak and uncomfortable with its, uh, familial relationships.

 8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

Hands down, All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill. I read 200 pages in one night and then woke up and read the rest in the morning.

 9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

 The Program by Suzanne Young, probably. The sequel comes out next year, woohoo!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?

The cover of Fangirl makes me happy.

11. Most memorable character in 2013? 

This is an extremely difficult question so I'll break it up by girl, boy, antagonist, and secondary into an incomprehensive list.

Girl: Audrey from Audrey, Wait! and Celaena from Throne of Glass
Boy: Cole from Everbound and Zach from United We Spy
Antagonist: Reinhard from Prisoner of Night and Fog and d'Albert from Dark Triumph
Secondary: Thorne from Scarlet and Gabrielle from Perfect Scoundrels

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?

Was there any question about it?

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013? 

This is hard for me because I feel that many books have some sort of impact on me. But Parallel made me really question things. I've always what-iffed everything to death and this made me think about it in a deeper way. What if one tiny choice can change your whole life?

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?

 

The Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce! I (audio)book binged on that and regret not starting sooner.

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?

Chapter 62 of Unravel Me! Chapter 62! Oh, I should actually quote a passage or a quote that's non-spoilery? This may be the hardest question because I don't do well with remembering quotes. I know there are certain ones I love or laugh with or cry with or brings out some kind of emotion. So I'll just pull another quote from Unravel Me instead and then later be aggravated that I didn't think of so-and-so's quote that another blogger highlighted.

"As far as I can tell, you've got food in your mouth and clothes on your back and a place to pee in peace whenever you feel like it. Those aren't problems. That's called living like a king. And I'd really appreciate it if you'd grow the hell up and stop walking around like the world crapped on your only roll of toilet paper. Because it's stupid," he says, barely reining in his temper. "It's stupid, and it's ungrateful. You don't have a clue what everyone else in the world is going through right now. You don't have a clue, Juliette." —Kenji from Unravel Me

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

According to Goodreads, the longest was Graceling by Kristin Cashore at 471 pages. As for the shortest, possibly In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce at 262 pages because I'm not counting novellas.

 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!

It's probably tiring to see these books coming up so many times, but I can't lie...Parallel for the ending, All Our Yesterdays for the same reason (thankfully I had my sister and Lauren), These Broken Stars for THAT PART, and Illusive by Emily Lloyd-Jones for a frustrating love triangle.

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

Romance – Cath and Levi from Fangirl, Rob and Scarlet from Scarlet, and MANY more.

Friendship – Maddie and "Verity" from Code Name Verity

Familial — Penny and her family from The Lonely Hearts Club

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

Unless sequels count, which is a whole different ballgame.

20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:

Solely? See, I take my time and weigh many people's opinions. But maybe The Naturals because of Ally Carter's recommendation or The Song of the Lioness because Gillian PRESSURES.

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?

I'm taking a guess here and saying fantasy type books? 

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?

Levi from Fangirl, Tarver from These Broken Stars, Xander from The Distance Between Us, George from The Song of the Lioness, Sturmhond from Siege and Storm, Po from Graceling, Finn from All Our Yesterdays...can I keep going?

23. Best 2013 debut you read?

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill, but you probably knew that already, didn't you?

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?

Again.

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt was super cute and really fun to read. It was also my first ARC! I smiled throughout Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe by Shelley Coriell as well.  

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?

I don't cry in books, but Code Name Verity was a heartbreaking read.

27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?

Six Months Later by Natalie D. Richards because personally, I barely heard about it through the blogosphere.

~*~

Check back in tomorrow for part two of the survey!

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