How is it that 2015 is already almost over?! As I get older, I've come to realize that each passing year goes by faster and faster. However, 2015, YOU NEED TO SLOW DOWN. There is so much to look back on and reflect in my personal life. Lots of highs (Hello, New Teaching Career Began! Hi, I Became An Aunt Again! Yo, My Best Friend Got Married!)... and some not so high moments (that I'd like to leave in 2015, if that's alright). Along the way I read some pretty incredible books. Each one brought something into my life -- whether it was an escape, a relaxing time, or just pure joy -- they each served a purpose, and for that I'm forever grateful.
This will be my 5th year participating in Jamie's annual End of Year Book Survey! Please join me as I reflect back on the stories I read + the blogging experience that kept me talking about these stories.
2015 Reading Stats
Number Of Books You Read: 58 (as of mid December)
Number of Re-Reads: 4
Genre You Read The Most From: Contemporary Romance (YA and Adult)
Best In Books
1. Best Book You Read In 2015?
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY by Bethany Chase - read my review
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
BROWN-EYED GIRL by Lisa Kleypas - read my thoughts
3. Most Surprising (in a good way) Book You Read?
SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen - read my review
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?
DUMPLIN' by Julie Murphy - read my review
5. Best series you started in 2015? Best Sequel of 2015? Best Series Ender of 2015?
Best series started: SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen - read my thoughts
Best sequel: P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU by Jenny Han - read my review
Best series ender: BITTERBLUE by Kristin Cashore
6. Favorite New Author You Discovered In 2015?
Juliana Romano - FIRST THERE WAS FOREVER - read my review
7. Best Book From A Genre You Don’t Typically Read/Was Out Of Your Comfort Zone?
SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen - read my thoughts
8. Most Unputdownable Book Of The Year?
KULTI by Mariana Zapata - read my review
9. Book You Read In 2015 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
THE ROYAL WE by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan - read my review
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2015?
THE SUMMER OF CHASING MERMAIDS by Sarah Ockler - read my review
11. Most memorable character of 2015?
Willowdean Dickson from DUMPLIN' by Julie Murphy - read my review
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2015?
THE BOY MOST LIKELY TO by Huntley Fitzpatrick - read my review
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2015?
MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE by Taylor Jenkins Reid - read my review
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to finally read?
SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen - read my review
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2015?
“People come in and out of your life. For a time they are your world; they are everything. And then one day they’re not. There’s no telling how long you will have them near.” -- Jenny Han, P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU [read my review]
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2015?
Shortest: MORE THAN WORDS by Karla Doyle - add to goodreads
Longest: BITTERBLUE by Kristin Cashore - add to goodreads
17. Book That Shocked You The Most?
EVERY LAST WORD by Tamara Ireland Stone - read my review
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)?
Lara Jean + Peter from P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU by Jenny Han - read my review
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year?
The Garrett family from THE BOY MOST LIKELY TO by Huntley Fitzpatrick - read my review
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2015 From An Author You’ve Read Previously?
THINGS WE KNOW BY HEART by Jessi Kirby - read my thoughts
21. Best Book You Read In 2015 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure?
KULTI by Mariana Zapata - read my review [thanks, Carrie, for the recommendation!]
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2015?
Eamon from THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY by Bethany Chase - read my review
23. Best 2015 Debut You Read?
FIRST THERE WAS FOREVER by Juliana Romano - read my review
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
BITTERBLUE by Kristin Cashore - add to goodreads
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
ANYONE BUT YOU by Jennifer Crusie - read my review
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2015?
P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU by Jenny Han - read my review
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
A MATTER OF HEART by Amy Fellner Dominy - read my review
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
LADY THIEF by A.C. Gaughen - read my review
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2015?
MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE by Taylor Jenkins Reid - read my review
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
BETWEEN US AND THE MOON by Rebecca Maizel - read my review
My Blogging/Bookish Life
I had a hard time answering the ten questions in this section, so I decided to just focus on the one that really sums up this past year of blogging for me...
6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?
Keeping active. I'm into my sixth year of book blogging, and I'll admit, it's tough to stay active with it. I am still reading (probably way more this time of year than last), and I am still endlessly recommending the books I love. However, the want to sit down and write a formal review is slipping, as well as the need to stay on top of the latest and greatest in publishing. I guess you could say that I am definitely reverting back to why I started all of this -- to read and share my thoughts on the books that cross my path, when and where I decide. All the stuff in between, has definitely been a challenge for me this year.
Looking Ahead
1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2015 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2016?
LION HEART by A.C. Gaughen - add to goodreads
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2016 (non-debut)?
SUMMER SKIN by Kirsty Eagar - add to goodreads
3. 2016 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
THE ART OF NOT BREATHING by Sarah Alexander - add to goodreads
4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2016?
WICKED SEXY LIAR by Christina Lauren - add to goodreads
5. A 2016 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:
WHEN WE COLLIDED by Emery Lord - add to goodreads
Be sure to visit Jamie's End of Year Book Survey post to see who else is participating. And don't forget to link up at her site if you join in the fun, too!
I have heard such good things about The Royal We but I have yet to check it out! I'll definitely have to give it a read next year if it's good enough for you to reread. :)
ReplyDeleteKrystianna @ Downright Dystopian