Hosted by Jamie@The Perpetual Page Turner
I had a lot of fun doing this last year and I couldn't resist joining in again!
Best in Books 2013
Yeah this question has proven impossible to answer this year! I read too many amazing books! Here's the link to my Top Fifty of 2013
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
There were a decent amount of books this year that I had high expectations for but they just didn't meet them. The one I had that disappointed me the most though was Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden. I was really expecting it to be even better than Against the Tide but it ended up being my least favorite of hers
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?
I'm going to pick two for this! The first, A Promise to Love by Serena B. Miller, surprised me since I really didn't expect to love it as much as I did. And the second, Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay, surprised me with how unique it was! It is composed almost entirely of letters from the heroine to the mysterious Mr. Knightley and I was blown away by how well the author did!
4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?
Hands down Made to Last by Melissa Tagg! I really won't shut up about this book and will recommend it to anyone!
5. Best series you discovered in 2013?
There weren't too many whole series I discovered in 2013 but the best would probably be Wings of Glory by Sarah Sundin.
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?
Debut: Melissa Tagg & Melissa Jagears Non-Debut: Sarah Sundin & Roseanna M. White
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
I have a rather broad comfort zone so there aren't many books I read that are outside it but I did read Stress Test & Heart Failure by Richard L. Mabry M.D. which are medical thrillers. I usually tend to avoid books that have a lot to do with medical stuff since I have a very weak stomach for those kinds of things but this author did a great job of keeping it tame and I really enjoyed them!
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?
I read quite a few suspense books that I just hated putting down so I'm just going to list the ones I finished in less than 24 hours! Vanished & Trapped by Irene Hannon, When A Secret Kills & No One to Trust by Lynette Eason, Talon by Ronie Kendig, and Shattered & Stranded by Dani Pettrey
9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
This is easy! I'm planning on rereading The Daughters of Boston & Winds of Change Series by Julie Lessman within the first few weeks of the new year!
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?
This was a little difficult but in the end I chose one whose book is as good as it's cover and it's a cover I can't find a thing wrong with!
11. Most memorable character in 2013?
I'd probably say Charity O'Conner from Julie Lessman's O'Conner family saga. I think she's the most memorable to me since I started off hating her and ended up loving her!
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?
I'd have to say Julie Lessman and Sarah Sundin's books. Both of these authors have this amazing ability to put you on a emotional roller-coaster and leave you at the end of the book going "WHY is is over?!"
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
Sex and the Single Christian Girl by Marian Jordan Ellis
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?
Again the Julie Lessman and Sarah Sundin books but also The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund, and A Katie Parker Production series by Jenny B. Jones
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?
Ah, yeah I'm kinda horrible at actually remembering to write quotes I like down something I'm hoping to rectify this year!
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
Besides the Bible the longest book I read was The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas and as far as I can tell the shortest was Double Crossed by Ally Carter
17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a What?! moment, an epic revelation, a good kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!
I have the amazing benefit of having an awesome sister who shares a love of books and lets me talk to her about them whenever, so whenever I get to these type of moments I always go talk to her! I think I did it the most with Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin!
18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
I love sibling and/or family relationships so I'd have to say just for the all around amazingness of their family dynamic I'd pick the O'Conners from the Daughters of Boston & Winds of Change series by Julie Lessman (Are you getting tired of me mentioning them yet? Oh well they are too amazing not to talk about!)! I also love the hilarity of the Rossi family from Weddings by Bella series by Janice Thompson, and the closeness and ribbing of the McKenna family from the Alaskan Courage series by Dani Pettrey.
19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
Now this is mean since almost all of my fav authors released new books this year! So I'm going to cheat!
Take a Chance on Me by Susan May Warren, Beowulf by Ronie Kendig, Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer, A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman, Trapped by Irene Hannon, A Talent for Trouble by Jen Turano, Anomaly by Krista McGee, Ok I'll stop!
20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:
See that's the problem with being the biggest reader out of your family and friends-you're always the one recommending the books! The only one I found that came close to meeting this criteria was Grace for the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman since I found out about it through the sidebar of a blog where said something to the effect of it being life changing!
21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?
That'd be Historical Fiction! I think about 85 of my 219 books were HF!
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?
Don't really have one! There were tons of absolutely amazing heroes but I wouldn't say they're my fictional crush!
23. Best 2013 debut you read?
Made to Last by Melissa Tagg
24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?
I think the books that had the most vivid imagery would be Anomaly by Krista McGee and Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan
25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?
These books all made me LOL quite frequently, Made to Last by Melissa Tagg, Weddings by Bella by Janice Thompson, A Katie Parker Production by Jenny B. Jones, and A Most Peculiar Circumstance & A Talent for Trouble by Jen Turano!
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?
Sarah Sundin & Julie Lessman's books (I told you emotional roller-coaster!), and Duchess & Take A Chance on Me by Susan May Warren.
27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?
I was scrolling through my 4&5 star books and the one I saw that I really haven't seen anyone else really talking about is Yesterday's Tomorrow by Catherine West
Book Blogging/Reading Life
It's hard to remember exactly when I discovered blogs but these two I know I discovered this year and they are favorites because I've become friends with the bloggers behind the blogs and because they are awesome blogs! Fictionally and Covers and Ink
2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2013?
Made to Last by Melissa Tagg I had so much fun gushing about this book!
3. Best discussion you had on your blog?
Didn't really have any!
4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?
Well my brain has abandoned me and I can't think of one!
5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
I enjoy all the memes I participate in (It's Monday! What Are You Reading, Top Ten Tuesday, Waiting on Wednesday, Book Blogger Hop, Book Beginnings, Stacking the Shelves, and Monthly Reflections) and I also enjoyed several read-a-thons (Bout of Books (3) , Fall into Reading, Reading Cram, and Last Minute)
6. Best moment of book blogging/your book life in 2013?
My best moments were author comments and blogging friends new and old!
7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
My most viewed page was Bout of Books 6.0 Updates Post with 366 views and the most commented on was Bout of Books 8.0: Day 3: Challenges (Book Spine Poetry) with 15 comments!
8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
I don't know!
9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
I really can't think of any new discoveries!
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I completed 9 of the 12 reading challenges I entered, I surpassed my goal of reading 200 books, I reached my goal of reading all the book I'd owned prior to 2013, and I successfully acquired all of the currently released books of two of my favorite authors Susan May Warren and Mary Connealy!
Looking Ahead
A Light in the Window by Julie Lessman
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2014 (non-debut)?
So many of my favorite authors are releasing books in 2014 and I did a post on the top 15 I'm excited about which you can find HERE
3. 2014 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
Storm Siren by Mary Weber and For Such a Time by Kate Breslin
4. Series Ending You Are Most Anticipating in 2014?
In Perfect Time by Sarah Sundin, Stuck Together by Mary Connealy, Revolutionary by Krista McGee, A Match of Wits by Jen Turano, and Circle of Spies by Roseanna M. White(I think this is the last!)
5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2014?
I'll be putting up a goal post soon but my two biggest goals are to read 215 books and review all of the books I read!
To review all the books I read is one of my goals for 2014, too! This was a fun post to read, Abbi! :)
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