2015 Bookish Questionnaire

2015 is coming to a close and Jamie from the Perpetual Page Turner has a very fun end of year survey that I try to complete every year. Here are my answers for 2015. As you can see a few books dominated the categories. Be sure to link me to your own in the comments so I can stop by if you've done it (and visit Jamie's blog too because she is awesome).

2015 Reading Stats

Number Of Books You Read: 120
Number of Re-Reads: Zero, sadly. Haven't re-read any this year.
Genre You Read The Most From: It looks like a mix but with a slight emphasis on contemporary

Best in Books

1. Best Book You Read In 2015? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)

This is the hardest question. I did a post all about my best of 2015 picks. I would say Me Before You was my absolute fave this year but A Court of Thorns and Roses, Red Queen, and Six of Crows are a close second.

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

Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff. I thought I was going to love it and just didn't end up loving it anywhere near as much as I expected to.

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

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids. I was surprised at how much I loved this book. It was quiet, magical, and simply wonderful.

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

Me Before You, and yes. I've given it to so many people as a gift, or simply lent them a copy. Most have loved it as much as I do.

5. Best series you started in 2015? Best Sequel of 2015? Best Series Ender of 2015?

Best start up - A three way tie between Red Queen, A Court of Thorns and Roses and Six of Crows. All are stunning starts to fantastic series.

Best Sequel of 2015 - Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas (that counts, right?)

Best Series Ender of 2015 - Truly, Madly, Famously by Rebecca Serle.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2015?

Goldy Moldavsky and Dawn Ius. Cannot wait for each of their next books.

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

Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu. I am not normally drawn to religious books but this one was surprising and simply wonderful.

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

Six of Crows and Queen of Shadows. Flew through both of these.

9. Book You Read In 2015 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Me Before You right before the movie version comes into theatres. 

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2015?

Red Queen. Stunning and amazing.

11. Most memorable character of 2015?

Vivi from When We Collided, and the fangirls from Kill The Boy Band, Will and Lou from Me Before You and Anne from Anne and Henry. Also, the group of six from Six of Crows. Too many good characters this year.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2015?

When We Collided by Emery Lord or My Diary From The Edge Of The World by Jodi Lynn Anderson

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2015?

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and When We Collided by Emery Lord

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to finally read?

Me Before You. It was all over the place but I only finally got to it this year.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2015?

I love so many. SO MANY. I am going to share my top 5 because, honestly, I cannot pick.

1: 

The heart is an arrow. It demands aim to land true.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

2:

It isn’t one of those lonelygirl Tumblr fantasies about meeting your biggest celebrity crush. This is the story of me and my friends and the time we met The Ruperts.
Kill The Boy Band by Gold Moldavsky

3:

This is where I am, somewhere between the night's total darkness and the light's utter brilliance and I grin as I dance and the night wind kicks up Jonah's hair. The glow of my birthday candles and the fairy lights would have been more than enough. But Jonah Daniels? He lit up my whole world. Even the constellations can see us now: we are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know.
When We Collided by Emery Lord 

4:

My new world is etched in diamonds and sealed in gold, drowning in pretension.
Anne and Henry by Dawn Ius

5:

You are scored on my heart, Clark. You were from the first day you walked in,with your ridiculous clothes and your complete inability to ever hide a single thing you felt.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

16.Shortest and Longest Book You Read In 2015?

Shortest Book - When Everything Feels Like The Movies by Raziel Reid 
Longest Book - Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas

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

Red Queen. That ending?! Insane.

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

Um... Kaz and Inej from Six of Crows or Lou and Will from Me Before You.

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Dorian and Chaol from Queen of Shadows. Bromance for the win.

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2015 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas.

21. Best Book You Read In 2015 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

Hello? by Liza Wiemer. It was recommended to me by a few people (most notably Kelly)

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2015?

New? Kaz from Six of Crows. Not new? Dorian from the Throne of Glass series.

23. Best 2015 debut you read?

Tie between Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard and Anne and Henry by Dawn Ius.

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

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

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

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy or Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2015?

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. We're talking full on ugly crying. 

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Hmm... I think this means underrated book that more people should have read. My Diary From The Edge Of The World by Jodi Lynn Anderson. It's a charming, whimsical middle grade that I loved so much.

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. Still not over this book and I doubt I ever will be. Closely followed by When We Collided by Emery Lord. 

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2015?

The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley-Doyle

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

Anne and Henry but in the BEST way. You get angry on Anne's behalf. You want things to turn out differently even though history tells you otherwise. It was amazing and wonderful because it created those emotions (it also had THE BEST ending of any book I read in 2015).

Your Blogging/Bookish Life

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2015?

Thanks to #otspsecretsister I have discovered a lot of new blogs this year, so it's impossible to select just one but I will say that it's been lovely getting to visit Amanda over at Brains, Books, and Brawn. 

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2015?

I have a few but I would say Tear You Apart by Sarah Cross.

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

I had zero discussion posts this year but non book review posts... my fave would be my American Horror Story: Hotel recap series. I had so much fun writing them.

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

BEA. Getting to meet so many authors is incredible.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2015?

Going to BEA as always. I love getting to see bloggers that I normally do not get to see and just getting to socialize with everyone. That is my favourite part of BEA.

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

Finding the time to comment and be involved more in the community. That may have to take priority over a few other blogging aspects in 2016.

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

Has to be society6. So many fantastic shops that are bookish related and I want so much from there.

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

The only one I took part in is the Goodreads challenge and I completed it.

Looking Ahead

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2015 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2016?

Winter by Marissa Meyer. It is inexcusable that I have not read it yet. I blame life, and the holidays.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2016 (non-debut)?

Non debut? Heartless by Marissa Meyer or Overdrive by Dawn Ius

3. 2016 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2016?

Sequel for 2016 - A tie between Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard and  Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas. I need them both. 

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2016?

Comment more. I am seriously the worst at this and I need to be involved in the community. I love the community and the people I've met. I just need to make it a priority for 2016 to be more involved.

6. A 2016 Release You’ve Already Read And Recommend To Everyone:

This is easy! Kill The Boy Band by Goldy Moldavsky. Seriously, read it. So good. Darkly funny and filled with a pitch perfect voice. 

Best of 2015 (so far)

Top Ten Books Of 2015 (at least so far) 

It's now six months in to 2015 and that means we're halfway through the year. It also means it's a perfect time to share the top ten books I've read this year, at least as of right now. I love doing this because it lets me see how much has changed (or stayed the same) by the end of the year. It also allows me to see which half was stronger in terms of books I loved. I am hoping it also allows my blog readers a chance to sneak in some of these titles before the end of the year!

1 Me Before You by Jojo Moyes 

A novel that surprised me with how much I ended up loving it. It's the unforgettable story of Lou and Will. It left me wanting to tell everyone to read it in very excited yelling.This one should come with a package of tissues though, so prepare yourself accordingly.

2 A Court Of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas 

No surprise that a Sarah J Maas book made it's way onto my list. This twist on the Beauty and the Beast retelling enchanted and mesmerized me from page one. If you haven't checked out her novels yet, make it happen this year! This one offers a sexy fairytale that will leave you needing book two.

3 Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

If you've visited the blog you'll know that I LOVED this debut. A novel filled with betrayal, romance, fantastic characters, and a lot of courtly drama. This series is poised to be the next big thing in YA movie adaptations and is already a huge hit. Don't miss out!

4 A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab

Magic, pirates, sadistic kings and thieves. Victoria Schwab spins a tale that is as well written as it is magical. Fans of her work will undoubtedly love this offering and new fans will become immediate fans. The world building shines, but it's the characters that truly make you fall in love with this amazing book.

5 Truly, Madly, Famously by Rebecca Serle

I loved Famous In Love and couldn't wait to see where Paige's journey would go next. Rebecca has written a thoughtful look at finding yourself under a harsh spotlight (missteps and all). It's a sexy, and fun book that has a lot of character development and growth. Fans of young Hollywood, love triangles, and CW shows will not want to miss this series.

6 I Was Here by Gayle Forman

Gayle Forman is one of my most favourite authors. This novel was a little different from her previous novels but still just as engrossing. A story of grief, and coming to terms with a loved ones suicide. It has the trademark romance that Gayle Forman is known for while having a huge focus on a friendship. It shows her versatility as an author and easily deserves a spot on this list.

7 Simon Vs The Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

The buzz for this one was huge leading up to it's release, and deservedly so. A story filled with Oreos, pop culture references, amazing characters, and romance. Simon and Blue's story is unforgettable. You'll fall for Simon, his family and friends, and Blue (of course) and leave this one with a goofy smile on your face.

8 The Start Of Me and You by Emery Lord

Emery Lord knows the way to my heart with Taylor Swift inspired characters, Pride and Prejudice mentions and sweet romances. In this novel, the question 'Are you an Elizabeth or a Jane?' made me squeal way more than was appropriate in public. Her writing is amazing, and her stories have a lot of heart. This one is filled with the hardest part of grief - moving on. She captures it with delicate finesse and has made me a fan for life. 

9 Anne and Henry by Dawn Ius

Anyone who knows me is well aware of my obsession with Tudor history. Anne Boleyn in particular. I love that she pushed boundaries at a time when it was not normally done. She was intelligent and wanted her voice to be heard. This contemporary tale inspired by the real life story of her and Henry is well written, and addictive. A sexy, explosive look at two people whose lust for each other is combustible and bound to consume them both. 

10 Kill The Boy Band by Goldy Moldavsky

This doesn't come out until 2016, but I devoured it immediately after getting at BEA. It's a darkly humourous look at fandoms, and boybands. With shades of the cult classic HEATHERS it has a 'tongue in cheek' humour that is a dark as it is funny. Part exploration of fangirls, and part murder mystery, it'll keep you on your toes with it's twists and turns. Be sure to add it to your 2016 reading list, you won't regret it!

Book Expo America 2015

If you're involved in the bookish community in any manner you've most likely heard of Book Expo America. It starts NEXT WEEK and there is plenty of excitement on Twitter and on book blogs everywhere.

I will be at BEA next week, and since I want to meet as many lovely bloggers as I can while in New York City, I am going to share a few places where you'll find me, my top wishlist books, and details of the blog while I am away.


Top 5 BEA Books On My Wishlist

1 Truly Madly Famously by Rebecca Serle
2 Tonight The Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales
3 After You by Jojo Moyes (this is pure wishlist fantasy as I am unsure if it's there).
4 Walk On Earth A Stranger by Rae Carson
5 Until Friday Night by Abbi Glines

I have also heard that there will be samplers of Winter or Heartless from Marissa Meyer. This is pure rumour at this point, but if there is anything relating to EITHER of those books I am there. Bloomsbury is also going to have some cute buttons for Sarah J Maas' Queen of Shadows which I will be all over. Love Sarah and that series.

Places To Find Me (Outside BEA)

- Shake Shack

I tried Shake Shack two years ago while in NYC for BEA that year. Totally addicted. I basically crave it until I get my next fix as we do not have one here in Canada.

- Macaron Cafe

This place has delicious macarons in lots of flavours and is reasonably priced. I tried them last year and I plan on bringing some back with me this year to share with my sister and her family.

- Teen Author Carnival

I'll be stopping by Teen Author Carnival this year! I missed out last year due to other events but this year I am very much looking forward to going again. Rebecca Serle, whom I adore, has been added to the author list so I am basically going to fangirl over her at the signing!

Blog Schedule For Next Week

Monday May 25 - Review of Dime by E.R. Frank
Tuesday May 26 - Review of Kissing In America by Margo Rabb
Wednesday May 27 - Waiting on Wednesday post
Thursday May 28 - Review of Emancipated by E.G. Reyes
Friday May 29 - Review of The Cage by Megan Shepherd

There will be no posts on Saturday or Sunday and the blog will resume regular posting on Monday June 1.

Anyone else going to BEA? Let me know in the comments. What one book do you wish you could snag from Book Expo?

Hope to see many of you there!

Happy New Year

Wishing everyone a wonderful 2015! May it be filled with laughs, new memories, and a lot of amazing reads!

Are you reading anything special to ring in the New Year? If so let me know in the comments!