2019 End of the Year Reading Survey

The End of the Year survey was created by Jamie over at Perpetual Page Turner



2019 Reading Stats

Number of books you read:
(Adding a few of my own because I add picture books I review to Goodreads but also keep a separate list of books that are at least 100 pages or more)

Goodreads total: 190 total 
My personal total: 84

Number of rereads: 7

Number of chapter books read aloud to my daughter: 20
Number of picture books reviewed/documented on Goodreads: 104

Best In Books

1. Best Book I Read In 2019
I was blown away by The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

2. A book you were excited about and thought you would love more but didn't
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
(I started it, hated it, and returned it. Might try again someday.)

3. Most surprising (either good or bad) book you read
Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire
I wasn't expecting to love it so much! 

4. Book you pushed the most people to read
I probably recommended The Nightingale and The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, and Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens the most.

5. Best series you started in 2019?
The Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire

Best sequel of 2019?
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
(Wayward Children series)

6. Favorite new author discovered in 2019?
I suppose Kristin Hannah because I loved The Nightingale, read The Great Alone soon after, and have added two more of her books to my TBR shelf since then.
I also read Laurie Halse Anderson's poetic memoir, Shout, this year and have decided I must read ALL of her books in 2020.

7. Best book from a genre that isn't your typical read / out of your comfort zone?
I really enjoyed Agatha Christie's 'And Then There Was None' and mystery is probably one of my least read genres. It was my first time reading her as well. 
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
Either Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes or Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
9. A book you read in 2019 that you would be MOST likely to reread again next year?
Animal Farm by George Orwell
I read this for the third time this year and will definitely read it again in the future.
On Writing by Stephen Kingbecause I found it to be quite helpful.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2019?

11. Most memorable character?Leni from The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

12. Most beautifully written book of 2019?
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
This book was spooky but I loved the writing! 

13. Most thought provoking / life changing read of 2019?On Writing by Stephen King, maybe, because it helped put my writing (and other things) into perspective

14. Book you can't believe you waited until 2019 to read.
1984 by George Orwell

15. Favorite passage / quote from a book you read in 2019
"You're nobody's doorway but your own, and the only one that gets to tell you how your story ends is you."
- Seanan McGuire (Every Heart A Doorway)

16. Longest and shortest books of the year
Longest: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah at 564 pages
Shortest: All Around Bustletown: Winter at 14 pages

17. Book that shocked you the most
Maybe The Great Alone or The Nightingale

18. OTP of the year
(one true pairing)
Lale and Gita from The Tattooist of Auschwitz is the only couple I can remember at this point!

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the yearMike and Eleven from Stranger Things?
Despereaux and the Princess?
I'm not sure about this one.

20. Favorite book you read in 2019 from an author you've read previouslyI finally read Pet Semetary by Stephen King this year and loved it

21. Best book you read based solely on a recommendation from somebody else/peer/social media, etc.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
A reading group I'm in was posting this one nonstop so I gave it a chance and ended up loving it! 

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2019

Not applicable? I can't think of one.

23. Best 2019 debut you read
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

24. Best worldbuilding / most vivid setting
The Steel Prince by VE Schwab

25. Book that put a smile on your face / was the most fun to read
Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2019The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

27. Hidden gem of the yearMaybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee
This one was an important read!

28. Book that crushed your soulAlso The Nightingale and Where the Crawdads Sing

29. Most unique book of 2019
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

30. Book that made you most mad (doesn't mean you didn't like it.)The Mist by Stephen King


My Blogging / Bookish Life

1. New favorite book blog / bookstagram / youtube channel you discovered in 2019
I'm glad to have found The Ladies of Horror Fiction over on Instagram and Goodreads

2. Favorite post you wrote in 2019
I didn't really take the time to write anything more than reviews and Sunday Posts

3. Favorite bookish related photo I took in 2019
Just one? I have so many great 'books out of doors' photos on my Instagram but I especially love this one of Stardust by Neil Gaiman!

4. Best bookish event that I participated inI participated in a few blog and bookstagram challenges and a read-a-long with LOHF

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging lifeHaha, I don't think I was that immersed in blogging life but I made a few unforgettable bookish friends this year

6. Most challenging thing about blogging / my reading life this year
I battled with finding time for reviews this year but I still made it a reality and think I did pretty good considering all my time constraints.

7. Most popular post this year on my blogThe most popular post on my blog this year is this Read Around the World post from 2016. (I really want to get back into tracking my book settings here instead of just in my private Google Maps so I may do this again in 2020!)
My most popular post written in 2019 was my review for Nat Geo Kids' 'Weird But True: USA' which has over 1200 pageviews!

8. A post I wish had gotten more love

9. Best bookish discovery

10. Challenges I participated in / finished

Goals i reached / completed


Looking Ahead

1. A book I didn't get to in 2019 but will make a priority in 2020
The Near Witch by VE Schwab

2. My most anticipated book of 2020 (non-debut)
I'm not sure yet

3. 2020 debut novel I'm most anticipating

4. Series ending (or sequel) I'm most anticipating
Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire (#5 in the Wayward Children series)

5. One thing I hope to do or accomplish in my bookish/reading life in 2020I would like to start reading in a second language (Spanish first, then French) whether that be children's books or adult novels

6. A 2020 release I've already read and recommend to everyone
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
I haven't read more than the first chapter but it was impactful!

 

Want to do the End of the Year survey yourself?

See the original post and Link Up HERE. 

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