Tag Archives: books

2018 Reading Stats

Thanks to Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner for always hosting this!

Number Of Books You Read: 67
Number of Re-Reads:  3
Genre You Read The Most From: It was a pretty varied year

1. Best Book You Read In 2018?

 An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

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

 I don’t think I was really that letdown by any books I was truly excited about, so despite reading a few duds, they weren’t duds I was expecting to be great.

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

 The Outsider by Stephen King

I wasn’t expecting one of my favorite characters to turn up in this one, but it made it that much more enjoyable for me!

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

 Saga, Saga, Saga. Haha!

 5. Best series you started in 2018? Best Sequel of 2018? Best Series Ender of 2018?

 Best Series:  Wayward Pines series by Blake Crouch

 Best Sequel: Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

 Best Ender: Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2018?

Jesmyn Ward

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

 I don’t read many memoirs, but enjoyed My Father, the Pornographer: A Memoir by Chris Offutt.

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

 I read a handful of books that made me want to keep turning the page, but I’m going to go with true crime for this one.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

 9. Book You Read In 2018 That You Would Be MOST Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

The Saga series (of course)

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2018?

11. Most memorable character of 2018?

Benji Ovich from Beartown and Us Against You

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2018?

The End We Start From by Megan Hunter

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2018?

 An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2018 to finally read? 

 Beartown by Fredrik Backman

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2018?

“But inside us there is a word we cannot pronounce and that is who we are.”  Anthony Marra, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2018?

 Shortest:  Saga Vol. 8 by Brian K. Vaughan (146 pages)

 Longest:   Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas (992 pages)

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)

 Saga Volume 9

 That ending!!  I need to know what happens next.

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

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

 Alana and Marko (Saga)

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

 Dan Torrance and Abra Stone (Doctor Sleep)

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2018 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

 Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

21. Best Book You Read In 2018 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure/Bookstagram, Etc.:

 A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2018?

 I grew to love Manon even more in Kingdom of Ash

23. Best 2018 debut you read?

 Eesh… I feel like I’m just repeating myself with these.  Haha

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

 Mary Stewart’s Arthurian Britain

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

Unmentionable : The Victorian Lady’s Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners by Therese Oneill  – I enjoyed the sarcasm and wit.  Sure, it may not offer a complete picture of the 19th century (I’m not an expert), but it was funny and a light read before moving onto more serious non-fiction regarding the era.

(Okay, I didn’t quite finish this one this year, but close and really the funniest one I read.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2018?

 Doctor Sleep by Stephen King (the ending)

 Bear Town by Fredrik Backman

 Winter Loon by Susan Bernhard

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

  I can’t say that it was hidden, but I enjoyed Tips for Living by Renee Shafransky

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

Winter Loon by Susan Bernhard

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2018?

 The Pisces by Melissa Broder

 Woman falls in love with a fish man…. Need I say more?

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

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

I had to put aside the feeling I had that her main character would not actually have acted as she did.

 The Dinner by Herman Koch

It was frustrating for me.  I liked the premise, but ultimately it felt so unrealistic and I didn’t like any of the characters in the end. 

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2018 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2019?

 I have such a massive stack… I have a feeling I’ll be playing Roulette to see who goes next.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2019 (non-debut)?

Circe by Madeline Miller

3. 2019 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon  – Fantasy, strong women and dragons?  I’m in! 

 4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2019?

 Alas, I don’t think they’ll be out in 2019.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2019?

Find a way to incorporate my love of books with other things. Whether that be blogging again or doing a You-Tube channel, a podcast or something… Still pondering.

2017 Reading Stats

I may end up finishing a book or two before the year is actually over, but here we go.  A mostly finished year in reading thanks to an (edited) Survey created by Jamie!

Number Of Books You Read: 58
Number of Re-Reads: 4
Genre You Read The Most From: Contemporary Fiction

1. Best Book You Read In 2017?

This is always the hardest question to answer.  I’m going with All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood, though.  For taking us to dark and scary places and daring us to find beauty in something that we feel we shouldn’t.

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

I still enjoyed it, but I felt like Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas kind of dragged in comparison to the other books in the series.  I didn’t love it as much as I was hoping to.

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

The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore. There were definitely a few surprises – at least for me.  I knew some history, but this filled in some blanks.

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

I’m a terrible book pusher.  I really should be better about that.

 5. Best series you started in 2017? Best Sequel of 2017? Best Series Ender of 2017?  (I read LOTR again, but I’m not counting that).

Best Series Started: Honestly, I wasn’t that impressed with any of the series I started this year.  The Diviners was okay, and War Cross was lacking.

Best Sequel:  Read a few sequels this year.  Loved Saga #5 and for romance The Staff and the Blade

Best Series Ender: No ended series this year!

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2017?

Fredrik Backman.  He definitely grew on me fast this year.

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

I’m going with Blankets by Craig Thompson. Not because it’s a graphic novel, but because of the heavy religious tones, which I typically avoid.  His art alone is worth picking this book up for, though.  Such a talented artist.

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

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware – This wasn’t a great book, but I did get sucked in at first despite there being issues.  It ended up being a quick read, though.

 9. Book You Read In 2017 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Probably Harry Potter and the Cursed Child because 2018 seems like a good year to re-read the whole series again.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2017?

Warcross by Marie Lu – Love the colors!

11. Most memorable character of 2017?

Not a character per se, but the character(s) she has played are indeed memorable – Carrie Fisher.  It was a sad year with her passing at the very end of 2016, and I picked up Wishful Drinking, which was really interesting and humorous. I’ll be picking up her other books in the future.

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2017?

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood.  This was not an easy book to read for a number of reasons, and is highly controversial, but was so well written.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2017?

A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea by Melissa Fleming

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2017 to finally read? 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – I’m a big Harry Potter fan, so the fact that I waited this long is a bit of a surprise.

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2017?

I can’t pick just one… so you’re getting several.

“People in the real world always say, when something terrible happens, that the sadness and loss and aching pain of the heart will “lessen as time passes,” but it isn’t true. Sorrow and loss are constant, but if we all had to go through our whole lives carrying them the whole time, we wouldn’t be able to stand it. The sadness would paralyze us. So in the end we just pack it into bags and find somewhere to leave it.”
― Fredrik Backman, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry

“For me, faith involves staring into the abyss, seeing that it is dark and full of the unknown—and being okay with that.”
― Nina Riggs, The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying

“You can look up keening in the dictionary, but you don’t know what it means until you hear somebody having their heart ripped out.”
― Bryn Greenwood, All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2017?

According to Goodreads:

Shortest: Saga, Vol 5 (Love this Graphic Novel series)

Longest: The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman

The Lake House by Kate Morton

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

I’ve said it before, but Clare and Jamie for life.  Haha!

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship of The Year

The trio of characters in Mr. Mercedes.  They’re an unlikely trio, but I loved Bill, Holly and Jerome’s unlikely friendship.

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2017 From an Author You’ve Read Previously

Is it cheating if I say the LOTR trilogy?  Haha!  Probably.

21. Best Book You Read In 2017 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

I don’t think I read any books solely based on a recommendation by someone else.  Most I had my eye on or were just random ones I picked up.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2017?

I can’t say I really fell hard for anyone this year.

23. Best 2017 debut you read?

There weren’t many to choose from on my list, so I’m going with Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

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

Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt.

Honestly, it was the way she wrote about the city and the paintings and apartments. I felt like I was in the room and could see everything around me.

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

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2017?

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman

A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea by Melissa Fleming

The Bright Hour by Nina Riggs

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Can’t say I read any hidden gems.  I think I read more stinkers this year than usual.

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2017?

Honestly, I really didn’t branch out this much that year, so I can’t say that I read anything terribly unique.

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

My Husband’s Wife by Jane Corry (Unlikeable characters)

Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll  (Horrible, frustrating characters

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

Surpassed my Goodreads goal of 55 books this year!

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2017 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2018?

Time to finally read A Game of Thrones.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2018 (non-debut)?

I’ve got a large stack of books to get through… several that I’m looking forward to!

3. 2018 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Waiting and seeing.

 4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2018?

The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

Book Tag!

A few other Book Bloggers (Brona’s Books, Howling Frog Books) are doing a fun questionnaire, so I thought I’d join in as well since I haven’t done any book blogging in a while and what better way to get to know someone than through the books they read?

  1. What book has been on your shelf the longest? 

I have a lot of books from childhood including some old classic favorites like the Little House on the Prairie series and the Anne of Green Gables series as well.

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  1. What is your current read, your last read, and the book you’ll read next? 

Current Read:  The Fellowship of the Ring, In a Dark, Dark Wood

Last Read: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Clasp

Next Read: The Two Towers

  1. What book did everyone like, but you hated?

I thought the Twilight books were awful – same with the first 50 Shades of Grey.  The dialogue wasn’t good and the writing in general I didn’t think was very well done.

  1. What book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read, but you probably won’t?

I actually can’t think of any… most books I keep telling myself I’ll read, I really do intend on getting to one day.

  1. What book are you saving for retirement?

I’m way too far away from retirement to put off reading a certain book until then.

  1. Last page: read it first, or wait ’til the end?

Absolutely wait until the end. I think I’ve only peeked at the last page once or twice and immediately regretted it because it took away from the whole journey of the story because I already knew what was going to happen.

  1. Acknowledgement: waste of paper and ink, or interesting aside?

Usually a waste, but occasionally I’ll read or skim through them. It all depends on how much I enjoyed the book, the topic, or my mood.

  1. Which book character would you switch places with?

I was going to say Clare from Outlander, but on second thought I don’t think I could handle war and everything else even if I did get to snuggle up with Jamie as reward. 😉  Haha!  Perhaps I’ll go for a slightly easier life and trade places with Elizabeth Bennett… or Darcy, rather.

  1. Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life? (Place, time, person?) 

I think there are probably a good handful of these.  Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon will always take me back to my teenage years when I first read it in Junior High over the summer.

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  1. Name a book that you acquired in an interesting way.

I can’t say that I have ever procured a book in an interesting way… I’ve been gifted books, and bought most of them, but alas, I have no intriguing tales to regale you with.

  1. Have you ever given a book away for a special reason to a special person?

I have honestly not given away many personal books.  Usually the only time they leave me is if I have not really enjoyed them. Ha!  I have given some paperbacks to my mom that we both read and loved, though, and she wanted to read them again. If I am to give a book to someone from my own collection, however, it will be because it makes me think of that person and that I think they will gain something from the reading of it.

  1. Which book has been with you most places?

I can’t say that there is one in particular that has been with me most places over any other one… I’ve moved many times, and a good majority of my books have traveled with me each time much to the chagrin of everyone who has helped carry my boxes of books.  As much as I hate moving with them, I don’t see my collection ever growing to a manageable amount. Ha!

  1. Any “required reading” you hated in high school that wasn’t so bad two years later?

I typically didn’t mind most of my high school reading assignments, though I did learn to appreciate ‘A River Runs through It’ more with age.  One book I read in college that I will most likely never read again was ‘Moby Dick.’ I hated it. There, I said it.

  1. Used or brand new? 

As long as it’s lightly used, I don’t mind.  I do also collect some antique books, so those are obviously used, but I have to “Feel” something when I pick them up for them to come home with me. Otherwise, I really do love a fresh, new book.

  1. Have you ever read a Dan Brown book?

Yes.  Almost all of them.

  1. Have you ever seen a movie you liked more than the book?

I actually enjoyed the Hunger Game movies more than the books.  At times I felt like the dialogue and some of the story was a bit cheesy and too juvenile when I was reading it.

  1. Have you ever read a book that’s made you hungry, cookbooks included? 

It’s a given that looking at cookbooks will make me hungry.  Put one in front of me and I’ll likely start salivating in minutes. As for fictional books, though… none are coming to mind easily.

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  1. Who is the person whose book advice you’ll always take?

I’m open to suggestions from just about anyone, though I find the advice is always better when it’s from someone who has similar taste as me. Not very surprising, I know.

  1. Is there a book out of your comfort zone (e.g., outside your usual reading genre) that you ended up loving?

I have recently started reading more YA novels and there have been a handful that I’ve really enjoyed. One of my new favorite series is the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas and I’m also enjoying The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer as well, which is also a YA series. Who’d of thought?