1. The Best Book of 2014
It shouldn't be this easy to pick just one book out of the 99 I read in 2014... and yet it is.
The best book I read in 2014 was We Need To Talk About Kevin, hands down. Every reader seems to come away from it with their own interpretation based on their own experiences and morals, which is a mark of truly amazing storytelling. It still haunts me now, six months on.
2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?
It hurts me a little bit to do this, but I'm going to have to go with Dreams of Gods and Monsters, which is the last book in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy.
I adored the first two books in the series and naturally had high hopes for the final installment... but it was such a let-down. I haven't reviewed it yet (it's due next but one) but the main problem was the complete lack of any concrete ending. I finished it bewildered, angry and a little hurt.
3. Most surprising book of 2014?
The Song of Achilles surprised me quite a bit. Not necessary about how good it was, as it came highly recommended by Charlotte which is always a bonus, but more because of how it changed my view.
I've read a plethora of books about The Siege of Troy and not once, NOT ONCE, have I ever rooted for the Spartans. I'm obviously fully aware of how the story has to end, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.
When I was reading this, however, I found myself sort of... caring, about them a little bit. Shush. It's our little secret.
4. Book you recommended to people most in 2014?
There isn't really a single book that stands out as one that I particularly rammed down people's throats this year. The books that I would have, We Need To Talk About Kevin and The Song of Achilles, my favourite people have already read!
I suppose I did get all excited about It's Kind Of A Funny Story and sent shouty texts to both Ellie and Charlotte. Not that either of them deigned to read it, mind.
Hey, it's good! Much better than I expected.
5. Best series you discovered in 2014?
I'd typed out a whole paragraph about how great The Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy was, despite the awful let-down of an ending. I was all set to (grudgingly) leave it there, because it's still a pretty awesome series.
Then I remembered The Selection series, which starts out mediocre and ends up amazing... the other way round to TDOSAB, which is an infinitely better idea.
I had low expectations of this series (based almost entirely on the cover) but it turns out to be about a lot more than pretty dresses.
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
I don't actually have an answer for this one. All the new authors I fell in love with are non-prolific and only have that one book out, so it's not really fair to declare them a favourite author. Conversely, all the new authors I read with numerous books out can't really be considered as favourites. Life is woe.
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
As I was desperately (and to no avail) trying to beat into a colleague's head this morning, I don't really have a comfort zone when it comes to reading. I happily and frequently read adult, YA, fantasy, translations, graphic novels... I don't care. I'll read almost anything.
For the sake of having an answer, I'll go with The Vintage Girl because I don't read a whole lot of romantic fiction and I did really enjoy it.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2014?
And this is where we start repeating ourselves.
We Need To Talk About Kevin is a formal, heavy, lengthy book... and yet I still couldn't put it down. I had to be reading it every second of every day even though it was horrible and broke me into tiny little pieces.
9. Book you read in 2014 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
Every year, roughly 10% of the books I pick up are rereads, which isn't a whole lot. In addition, I definitely don't reread the year after! I'm going to interpret this question as 'the book that you're likely to reread at some point.'
I'll definitely be rereading The Silver Linings Playbook, most likely when I eventually get round to watching the film. I loved the casual yet intimate tone of the novel and I do want to see the movie, but... I'm rubbish. I need to find a film buddy or something.
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
11. Most memorable character in 2014?
Aaaaaaaand we're back to Kevin. He was just so real. His speech, his mannerisms, his attitude... it was so perfectly crafted that I was looking over my shoulder for weeks.
Obviously he's not a particularly likeable character, regardless of what Ellie may have you believe, but he's certainly memorable. I can still picture him now.
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
The Song of Achilles was so beautiful that it made me cry on a train. Cheers, Charlotte.
13. Most thought-provoking/life changing book of 2014?
HHhH is a non-fiction examination of the two parachutists responsible for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in Nazi-occupied Prague. Only thing is, it's written by a person, not a historian. Laurent Bisset actually talks to you about writing the book whilst he's telling you about the parachutists.
His personal approach means that everything seems so much more real. There's one particular paragraph about how the war was really won by the little people - the families that harboured Jews, or the individuals who found weapons for the parachutists. A lot of them were killed, but history can't possibly remember them all.
It really got to me and made me appreciate the absolute bravery of the normal people, in every country.
14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?
*waves We Need To Talk About Kevin banner*
I hate that I could have read this years ago.
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
Alright, so I hated Tess of the d'Ubervilles with the fiery passion of a thousand suns, but as a chronic insomniac, I did really like this quote:
In her misery she rocked herself upon the bed. The clock struck the solemn hour of one, that hour when fancy stalks outside reason, and malignant possibilities stand rock-firm as facts.
16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012?
Shortest: Lady Chatterley's Trial, at 54 pages. It's a collection of really interesting excerpts from the Penguin censorship trial of 1960.
Longest: Technically, this should be The Pickwick Papers at 914 pages, and then The Goldfinch at 771. However, as I finished neither of these books (they're both long-winded and dull) it doesn't seem fair to use them here. The longest book that I actually completed was Assassin's Quest, the third book of the Farseer trilogy, at 757 pages.
17. Book that shocked you the most
You know this. You do, I assure you.
It's just good, alright!?
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!) - See more at: http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/category/end-of-year-book-survey#sthash.yF49tGeD.dpu
18. OTP OF THE YEAR
I'm pretty sure this means favourite romantic relationship? Well that's what I'm going to talk about, anyway.
While I do love the relationship in the Throne of Glass series, they didn't actually feature at all in the installment I read this year, so I can't count it.
I reread the Percy Jackson series early this year, so I'm going to use Percy/Annabeth. I like how it barely features in the series at all, even in the very last book, and they built their relationship on a solid friendship instead of that love at first sight crap.
#cynic.
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
I got nothing. Usually I love books where there's strong platonic chemistry between certain characters, but apparently I'm just not feeling it this year.
20. Favourite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
Like I said in #6, most of the authors I've read this year have only published the one book.
21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
I had absolutely zero interest in The Song of Achilles until Charlotte began to pointedly and vehemently drop it in conversation every forty seconds...
Quite simply, I wouldn't have read it otherwise. I thought it was about a descendant of Achilles or something equally twee and I just couldn't be bothered. I'd have missed out on this amazing, beautiful book.
I owe you one. In fact, no. Let's just call it even for Hope: A Tragedy, shall we? :)
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?Ugh. I don't really do that. I prefer real people, thank you.
23. Best 2014 debut you read? Best book you reread in 2014?
I did reread Pride and Prejudice last January, so I'd expected to be writing about that.
However, I was so blown away by my reread of To Kill A Mockingbird that I just have to use that instead. I think it's because I pick up Pride and Prejudice fairly frequently so I know what to expect, while I hadn't read this since I was 19.
Maybe I didn't 'get' it last time or perhaps I was in a better frame of mind, but I don't remember being as amazed by it in 2009.
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?I've already raved about the unbelievable detail that went into the worldbuilding of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone books, so I won't rehash it. Just know that it's a completely unique concept and it's written so fluidly that you can almost see Erebor in front of you.
The reason for The Teeth Thing is also an incredibly important part of that world and it's fascinating.
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
I'm probably going to hell to this, but the most amusing book I read this year was Look Who's Back by Timur Vermes.
It's not the book itself that amused me, which features a very confused Hitler somehow ending up in present-day Germany, as it's actually quite heavy on the political side. It's more Hitler's outrage at Germany being run by a woman, Berlin not being destroyed as per his final orders, etc. It's interesting and rather satisfying, actually.
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?I'm a giant wuss and I cry at a ridiculous amount of things, but The Song of Achilles really, really got to me.
Charlotte didn't warn me not to read the book in public and so I ended up quietly sobbing to myself on a train to Sheffield this May. I don't care. It was worth it.
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
I couldn't figure out what this question was actually getting it, but then I remembered that a) it's my survey and I can interpret it however the hell I choose and b) I've been filling this out for three days now and I DON'T CARE ANYMORE.
I read The Vintage Girl when I was quite ill and profoundly miserable, and it really cheered me up. It's not a hugely popular book, but it was sweet and happy and made me feel all fuzzy inside :)
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
We Need To Talk About Kevin (I know, I know) broke me into little tiny pieces... then, when I thought it was finished, it stamped all over the afore-mentioned pieces. Genuinely, I walked around in a shellshocked stupor for three days afterwards and just couldn't think about anything else.
It's a horrific, in a still-necessary-for-the-plot way.
Soul. Crushed.
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
My first instinct was to use Horrorstör here, the new horror story that's set out to look exactly like an IKEA catalogue. Then I realised that while the design is actually very clever, the story itself is fairly generic.
Instead I'm going to opt for HHhH. While Nazi-related non-fiction is hardly unique, the narrative method definitely is and I found that it worked very well. I'd read non-fiction on almost any topic if it was told like this.
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?No struggles here. Tess of the d'Ubervilles, hands down, made me the most angry this year. There are other contenders, like We Need To Talk About Kevin, but those books angered me because they were meant to. Tess is just... bad.
I hated it so much I couldn't even fairly refer to my post as a review.
I've finished! I've finally finished! See you next year.
1. Best Book You Read In 2014?
(If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
11. Most memorable character of 2014?
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
How I did this: Went to my read books on Goodreads and sorted by page number and just looked for what I knew I read this yeaer that was the shortest and longest.
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
23. Best 2014 debut you read?
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
- See more at: http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/category/end-of-year-book-survey#sthash.yF49tGeD.dpuf
1. Best Book You Read In 2014?
(If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
11. Most memorable character of 2014?
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
How I did this: Went to my read books on Goodreads and sorted by page number and just looked for what I knew I read this yeaer that was the shortest and longest.
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
23. Best 2014 debut you read?
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
- See more at: http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/category/end-of-year-book-survey#sthash.yF49tGeD.dpuf
1. Best Book You Read In 2014?
(If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
11. Most memorable character of 2014?
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
How I did this: Went to my read books on Goodreads and sorted by page number and just looked for what I knew I read this yeaer that was the shortest and longest.
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
23. Best 2014 debut you read?
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
- See more at: http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/category/end-of-year-book-survey#sthash.yF49tGeD.dpuf
1. Best Book You Read In 2014?
(If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
11. Most memorable character of 2014?
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
How I did this: Went to my read books on Goodreads and sorted by page number and just looked for what I knew I read this yeaer that was the shortest and longest.
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
23. Best 2014 debut you read?
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
- See more at: http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/category/end-of-year-book-survey#sthash.yF49tGeD.dpuf
1. Best Book You Read In 2014?
(If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
11. Most memorable character of 2014?
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
How I did this: Went to my read books on Goodreads and sorted by page number and just looked for what I knew I read this yeaer that was the shortest and longest.
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
23. Best 2014 debut you read?
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
- See more at: http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/category/end-of-year-book-survey#sthash.yF49tGeD.dpuf
1. Best Book You Read In 2014?
(If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
11. Most memorable character of 2014?
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
How I did this: Went to my read books on Goodreads and sorted by page number and just looked for what I knew I read this yeaer that was the shortest and longest.
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
23. Best 2014 debut you read?
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
- See more at: http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/category/end-of-year-book-survey#sthash.yF49tGeD.dpuf
