2011 End of Year Book Survey

The Perpetual Page Turner is hosting an end of the year book survey that can be completed at any time. I'm watching The League (great series) with my brother and husband, and figured I could multitask:)

1. Best Book You Read In 2011? 

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

(Favorite ARC to be released in 2012: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows)

2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?
Crossed by Ally Condie. I was highly anticipating the sequel to Matched because Condie is a beautiful writer, but it fell a little short of my expectations.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?
Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I hadn't heard anything about this book when I bought it, and it made me cry at the end. Plus, I was blown away by Oliver's writing.

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?
It's probably a three-way tie between Matched by Ally Condie, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Divergent by Veronica Roth.

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?
Gone by Michael Grant- Kids with powers forced to run society: way better than Lord of the Flies!

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?
Lauren Oliver and Sarah Ockler, hands down

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

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan- there were a lot of science fiction elements in this, but I found them interesting instead of confusing.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?

But I Love Him by Amanda Grace. It consumed me completely. I had to know if Ann would realize Conner's abuse had gone too far.

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?
Crossed by Ally Condie

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?

11. Most memorable character in 2011? 
Adam in Where She Went by Gayle Forman, a sexy musician (Close second- infuriatingly cocky Noah Shaw in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer)

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak- The descriptions from Death about the colors of things are unbelievable.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011? 
Stolen by Lucy Christopher- My heart was breaking near the middle and the end when Ty's vulnerable and sweet side was revealed. Gemma knew she should hate her captor, but he was only human.

14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read? 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins- How could I wait with all the hype?

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2011? 
From Where She Went by Gayle Forman
"I look at her there in the shadows of the shut-down city, her hair falling onto her face, and I can see her trying to figure out if I’ve lost it. And I have to fight the urge to take her by the shoulders and slam her against a shuttered building until we feel the vibrations ringing through both of us. Because I suddenly want to hear her bones rattle. I want to feel the softness of her flesh give, to hear her gasp as my hip bone jams into her. I want to yank her head back until her neck is exposed. I want to rip my hands through her hair until her breath is labored. I want to make her cry and then lick up the tears. And then I want to take my mouth to hers, to devour her alive, to transmit all the things she can’t understand."

16. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012? 
Definitely Delirium before Pandemonium comes out, and also The Hunger Games before the movie comes out:)

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!

The ending of Delirium (did you love it or hate it?) and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (practically all the scenes where they almost kiss, such fabulous descriptions!).

Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2011 (optional)

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2011? 

I started by blog in the summer of 2011, and the blog I most admire with the sweetest person ever is Kristan's Lost Amongst the Shelves blog. Go check it out!

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2011? 

Remembrance review- Michelle Madow is a super sweet lady. I was really nervous to put up a review for her blog tour because I didn't absolutely love the book as much as others. However, I worked really hard to include the positive and negative aspects of the book and was really proud of it when it was finished.

3. Best discussion you had on your blog? 
I definitely need to put up some discussion related posts...didn't do that this year.

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else's blog?
Not many are coming to mind, but I do appreciate Kristi @ The Story Siren's views on Ten Things I Dislike About Your Blog. I could relate to a lot of what she said and also was pleased to find out my blog didn't have a lot of the elements she considered annoying. Posts like that are helpful to new bloggers, as long as they keep in mind that opinions are subjective.

5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
Sonia Gensler, author of The Revenant, offered a creative writing workshop at the school where I work. It was great to see the kids interested and asking thought-provoking questions. Plus it's always great to get signed swag!

6. Best moment of book blogging in 2011?
So I started a Must Read Monday meme, and the best moment was when I saw one of the participants embed a link on her comment that said "My MRM". Gave me little tingles inside:)

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
My 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge Sign-ups had 118 views! We already have over 300 participants:)

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
My Far From the War review. 56 people viewed it, but no one left any comments:(

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
Best of Books gives a 20% teacher discount:)

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
Since I started blogging in the summer, I didn't really know about the challenges. This year I plan to do two!

Looking Ahead...


1. One Book You Didn't Get To In 2011 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2012?

I definitely need to read Shatter Me! I keep hearing such great things about it.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2012?

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2012?

I hope to include more book related discussions on my blog and interact with my followers more through comments. Who doesn't like a comment?

Happy 2012, everyone! Here's to losing ourselves in fiction the whole year long:)