End of Year Survey 2017

Here we go! This is the 8th annual End of Year Survey that was started by Jamie of The Perpetual Page-Turner. I didn't bother last year (since I only read 3 books... *cough*), but this year was a little more productive, reading-wise. So, without further ado, here's what I read in 2017:

2017 Reading Stats

Number of books you read: 24
Number of re-reads: 0
Genre you read the most from: fantasy

Best in Books

1. Best book you read in 2017? 
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson.

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn't? 
The New Hunger by Isaac Marion. I'm glad I read it, but I didn't like it as much as I thought I would.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read? 
The Princess and the Penis by R. J. Silver. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would!

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did)?
Come on... I don't have that kind of influence! Nobody even reads this blog anymore...

5. Best series you started in 2017? Best sequel of 2017? Best series ender of 2017?
Best series starter is Scott Westerfeld's Spill Zone. I only read one prequel this year. No sequels at all.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2017?
I'd love to read more from Aaron Corwin... but he hasn't written anything else!

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
I went on a graphic novel kick at the end of the year... and now I'm hooked! Roller Girl was the best one I read in 2017.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
One Trick Pony by Nathan Hale.

9. Book you read in 2017 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
I don't re-read. Who has time for that?

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2017?
A Day of Signs and Wonders by Kit Pearson. The watercolour look fits with the story perfectly.

11. Most memorable character of 2017?
Ix'thor from Brimstone and Marmalade by Aaron Corwin. (Okay, so the story's from 2013... but it was the most memorable character for me in 2017.)

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2017?
I didn't read any books this year where the writing really wowed me.

13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2017?
I don't think any of my reads this year really fall into that category.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2017 to finally read?
The New Hunger by Isaac Marion. I loved Warm Bodies so much, you'd think I would've read this prequel ages ago!

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2017?
Nothing is permanent. Not even the end of the world. ~ The New Hunger by Isaac Marion

16.Shortest & longest book you read in 2017?
Shortest: The Log Goblin by Brian Staveley (12 pages).
Longest: One by Sarah Crossan (400 pages).

17. Book that shocked you the most?
The Beach at Night by Elena Ferrante. Mostly because you don't expect to find the word "shit" in a children's picture book.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!):
Soupy and Jack from Soupy Leaves Home by Cecil Castellucci. I don't know if it was intended as a ship or not... but I shipped them anyway!

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year:
Nora and Addis (sister and little brother) from The New Hunger by Isaac Marion.

20. Favorite book you read in 2017 from an author you’ve read previously:
A Day of Signs and Wonders by Kit Pearson. I prefer some of her other books with fantasy elements, though.

21. Best book you read in 2017 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure:
I don't succumb to peer pressure! Never mind the fact that this requires you to have peers to pressure you. Not that I'm peerless. Ahem... What was the question again?

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2017?
This was kind of a dry year for fictional crushes. I wasn't that keen on anyone.

23. Best 2017 debut you read?
I didn't read any.

24. Best worldbuilding/most vivid setting you read this year?
Fish Girl by Donna Jo Napoli & David Wiesner. Being a graphic novel helped... but the setting (an old house converted into an aquarium as a boardwalk attraction) was pretty unique in and of itself.

25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read?
A Wee Book o Fairy Tales in Scots by Matthew Fitt and James Robertson. It was hard to read... but fun, too.

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2017?
Brimstone and Marmalade by Aaron Corwin. Nearly. My eyes got misty, I'll admit.

27. Hidden gem of the year?
From 2017? I don't know. Any of the titles I'd consider hidden gems (Brimstone and Marmalade or The Princess & the Penis) were written in previous years.

28. Book that crushed your soul?
The New Hunger, I guess. I wouldn't say it crushed it, though; maybe just bruised it a bit.

29. Most unique book you read in 2017?
The Princess and the Penis. Come on. How often do you get to read about a character that's an actual dick?

30. Book that made you the most mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
If I Wake by Nikki Moyes. The bullying/suicide angle was handled atrociously. Plus, I got attacked by a fanpoodle for sharing my thoughts. A bitter taste all around for this one.

Looking Ahead

1. One book you didn’t get to in 2017 but will be your number 1 priority in 2018?
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. It's been sitting in my TBR pile for way too long.

2. Book you are most anticipating for 2018 (non-debut)?
Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver sounds intriguing.

3. 2018 debut you are most anticipating?
C. G. Drews's A Thousand Perfect Notes. I've read her blog for years, so I'm curious to see how her style will translate into novel form.

4. Series ending/a sequel you are most anticipating in 2018?
The second installment of Scott Westerfeld's Spill Zone graphic novel series.

5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2018?
Read more books that I actually enjoy.

6. A 2018 release you’ve already read & recommend to everyone (if applicable):
I haven't read any 2018 releases yet.

And here are a few more stats, just because I felt like it:

Type of Book

graphic novel: 8
picture book: 5
poetry: 1
prose novel: 6
short stories: 3
verse novel: 1

Genre

contemporary: 4
fantasy: 9
historical: 3
memoir: 1
post-apocalyptic: 3
science fiction: 4

And there you have it! My year in books. Head on over to Jamie's site where others have linked up their surveys.

Happy reading in 2018, everyone!

2015 End of Year Book Survey

This survey was created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner.  It looks like a good way to sum up a year of reading. (I did this last year, as well. It's a nice way to have a look back at the year from a bookish perspective.)

2015 Reading Stats

Number of books you read: 37

Number of re-reads: 0

Genre you read the most from: fantasy

Best In Books

1. Best book you read in 2015?  All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t?  The Here and Now by Ann Brashares. I hoped it would be as good as My Name Is Memory. Sadly, it wasn't.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2015?  I'll have to say Unwind by Neal Shusterman. I wasn't expecting it to be so gratuitously grisly. And after the way people raved about it, I thought the writing and plot would be tighter. There were so many plot holes!

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did) in 2015?  I don't really push people to read books... and I would have no idea if they'd actually read them or not!

5. Best series you started in 2015? Best sequel of 2015? Best series ender of 2015?  Best series I started: The Wide-Awake Princess by E. D. Baker.

Best sequel: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo.

Best series ender: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo. (I wasn't all that enamoured with The Grisha series by the end of it... but those were the best sequels/series enders that I read this year.)

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2015?  Erin Bow! I had Plain Kate in my TBR pile for years and finally read it this past August. Now I want more from this author!

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?  I read my first Stephen King novel this year: Carrie. I have to say, I quite enjoyed it... even though I don't read a lot of horror.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?  I really enjoyed All Our Yesterdays and I had a hard time putting it down between reading sessions. Imagine my disappointment when I found out the planned sequel had been scrapped!

9. Book you read in 2015 that you are most likely to re-read next year?  I don't re-read.  And if I did, I'd be more likely to re-read something I read years ago. I'm thinking I might like to read Anne of Green Gables again. I haven't read that one since I was about eight years old!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2015?  Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai.  Honestly... this author gets the best covers for her books!

11. Most memorable character of 2015? Taggle from Plain Kate by Erin Bow. I don't generally like talking animals or cats. But Taggle the talking cat is one of my favourite characters of 2015! Go figure.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2015?  There were a few this year that had pretty writing. But I'm going to go with Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo, because I love it when books written for younger kids don't shy away from using advanced vocabulary.

13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2015?  Maybe Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan. It sure made me think. Mostly about how I'm glad that I wasn't born as a girl in India to poor parents who'd sell me off as a child bride so they could feed their worthier, penis-endowed children. (Can you tell this book made me a little angry?)

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to finally read?  Plain Kate by Erin Bow. It sat in my TBR pile for (literally) years before I picked it up and finally read it. And loved it.

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2015?  Finn, in an ill-fitting tux, is waiting for us outside the hotel. He performs an elaborate bow as we climb out of the car. "My Lord Shaw! And Lady Marina of the House of Snobs!"

He reaches for my hand and actually kisses it, and I snatch it back before anyone can see. Why does he always have to try to make me feel stupid?

"Did you bathe in that cologne?" I ask. The cloud around him is thick enough to choke a cat. "You know, there's this thing called soap--"

"It's Eau de Homme," he says, straightening his bow tie. "You know you can't resist it."

I gag. ~ from All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

16. Shortest & longest book you read in 2015?  Well, I did read a couple of novellas, and a couple of novels so short that I'm not sure if they're counted as novels or novellas. Where do I draw the line?

Shortest novel story: The Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo.

Longest novel: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer.

17. Book that shocked you the most (because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)?  Enchanted by Alethea Kontis. I'm shocked that it was even published, it was that bad. If you want to see how to butcher a fairytale retelling, read this one.

18. OTP of the year (you will go down with this ship!)?  Em and Finn from All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill.

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year?  Flora and Ulysses from Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo. Their relationship is just adorable.

20. Favorite book you read in 2015 from an author you’ve read previously?  Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai. I really enjoyed Inside Out & Back Again, and though this newer book isn't written in verse, it's just as engaging.

21. Best book you read in 2015 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure?  I had bad luck this year with recommended books. I didn't really enjoy the books that came highly recommended via peer pressure. Heck, I didn't even make it through Crown of Midnight...

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2015?  I liked all three boys from Stacey Lee's Under a Painted Sky: Cay, West, and Peety. They were all kind of great in their own way.

23. Best 2015 debut you read?  5 to 1 by Holly Bodger.

24. Best worldbuilding/most vivid setting you read this year?  Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt.

25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read?  Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo. It features a squirrel that can type. Enough said.

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2015?  All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill. That'll teach me to get attached to characters...

27. Hidden gem of the year?  Kindred by Octavia E. Butler.  Well, it was my hidden gem for the year, since it was just sitting there in my Kindle library, all unassuming and innocent. It's been around since 1979 (the book... not my copy), so I'm surprised I hadn't heard of it before I bought it; it's pretty enjoyable!

28. Book that crushed your soul?  Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. I was so bored; I just wanted it to be over. Then I dropped it and it crushed my toe. (Just kidding. I read the e-book. But the thing is pretty thick and heavy-looking in physical format. Don't even get me started on the length of Winter...)

29. Most unique book you read in 2015?  Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo. The text was interspersed with comic-book panels. It was a pretty cute book.

30. Book that made you the most mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?  Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. I couldn't read more than a few chapters. I'm tired of hearing about how great this series is, with its tired tropes and special little snowflake MC. Maybe one day I'll write a book about a world-famous singer who never even opens her mouth, followed up by a book about a swimmer who never gets wet, and then another about a baker who avoids all kitchens out of principle. They're bound to be super popular. (I mean, this series about an assassin who doesn't assassinate is one of the most popular at the moment. This "tell, don't show" thing must be catching on!)

Your Blogging/Bookish Life

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2015?  To be honest, I haven't really sought out a lot of new blogs this year. I have a hard enough time just keeping up with the ones I already follow!

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2015?  I don't know. The snarky ones are always kind of fun. Take your pick!

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?  I didn't really have many of those this year.  That's something I hope to change in 2015 2016. (Yep... I just recycled my answer from last year. I guess I failed with that goal!)

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?  I always enjoy participating in Top Ten Tuesday.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2015?  Finally getting around to books like All Our Yesterdays and Plain Kate... and then really enjoying them.

7. Most popular post this year on your blog (whether it be by comments or views)?  I have no idea.  Blogger doesn't exactly make it easy to track these things.

8. Post you wished got a little more love?  I can't think of one post in particular.  I do wish my review posts got a little more attention, though.

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?  BookBub. My Kindle app is getting clogged with freebies now.

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?  Yes. My Goodreads Challenge had 25 books on it. I finished that easily. I also did the Fairytale Retelling Challenge and the TBR Pile Reading Challenge. I almost didn't get that last one done! (And I added more books to the TBR pile this year than I read from it. Darn.)

Looking Ahead

1. One book you didn’t get to in 2015 but will be your number one priority in 2016?  The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes. I've been wanting to read it for a long time, but haven't gotten around to it. Most reviews I've seen have been pretty favourable, though, and that just makes me want to read it more!

2. Book you are most anticipating for 2016 (non-debut)?  The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare by M. G. Buehrlen. (This was actually my answer from last year. But the book isn't coming out now until 2016!)

3. 2016 debut you are most anticipating?  I don't really know. I haven't been keeping up with what's coming out.

4. Series ending/a sequel you are most anticipating in 2016?  The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater. But... um... I still need to read Blue Lily, Lily Blue.

5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2016?  Read more books that look interesting to me... and not necessarily ones that are heavily hyped.

6. A 2016 release you’ve already read & recommend to everyone?  I haven't read any 2016 releases yet!

So that was my bookish year!

How was 2015 for you?

2014 End of Year Book Survey

 

This survey was created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner.  It looks like a good way to sum up a year of reading.

2014 Reading Stats

Number of books you read: 30 (I read 58 in total, including picture books, novellas & short stories)

Number of re-reads: 0

Genre you read the most from: contemporary fantasy

Best In Books

1. Best book you read in 2014?  Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t?  A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman.  (This is the first verse novel I've read that I really haven't liked.)

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  (I had no idea I would dislike it as much as I did.)

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did) in 2014?  I don't really push people to read books... and I would have no idea if they'd actually read them or not!

5. Best series you started in 2014? Best sequel of 2014? Best series ender of 2014?  Best series I started: The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare by M. G. Buehrlen.

Best sequel: Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor.

Best series ender: Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?  I'd like to read more of Julie Berry's books.  I really enjoyed All the Truth That's in Me.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?  Free as a Bird by Gina McMurchy-Barber.  I haven't read a lot of books that feature characters with disabilities, so this was a different one for me.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?  Stolen by Lucy Christopher.  I'm not sure if I'd call it "action-packed", but I sure wanted to find out what happened next!

9. Book you read in 2014 that you are most likely to re-read next year?  I don't re-read.  At some point in the future, though, I might like to read Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke & Bone series again.  But it probably won't be next year.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?  Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson.  I know I've mentioned my love of this cover on my blog before, but I have to mention it again.  It's something about the colours combined with the silhouette of the little girl and her book.  It's just so pretty!

11. Most memorable character of 2014? Ty from Stolen by Lucy Christopher.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?  Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor.  I have to keep a dictionary on hand when I'm reading Taylor's writing, but it's just so beautiful that I don't care.

13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2014?  Surrender by Sonya Hartnett.  It wasn't life-changing, but it was certainly thought-provoking.  I'm still trying to decide exactly what happened in that story!

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?  Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse.  I actually did pick it up years ago, but couldn't get into it then.  I'm surprised that, once I found out how much I liked verse novels, I didn't pick it up again sooner!

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2014?  The feeling, it was the sense of waiting drawing to an end. Not dread waiting, but excited waiting of the best kind: waiting for magic. ~ from Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor

16. Shortest & longest book you read in 2014?  I read a number of 32-page picture books, but I'm not going to count those.

Shortest novel: Free as a Bird by Gina McMurchy-Barber.

Longest novel: Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor.

17. Book that shocked you the most (because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)?  Surrender by Sonya Hartnett.  (This book will mess with your mind.)

18. OTP of the year (you will go down with this ship!)?  Alex & Blue from The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare.  I can't wait to see where this relationship goes in the sequel!

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year?  Po & Bundle from Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver.  I don't think I've ever seen a ghost/ghost-pet relationship before.  It was so cute!

20. Favorite book you read in 2014 from an author you’ve read previously?  Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor.  (I read the first book in the series, Daughter of Smoke & Bone, last year.)

21. Best book you read in 2014 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure?  Well, it wasn't solely based on recommendations because I'd already read the first book and enjoyed it, but I was told I needed to read the sequels.  So the answer is Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor.  (This book is sure turning up on this list a lot.  And we're not done yet!)

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?  Hazael from Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor.  Give me Haz over Akiva any day!

23. Best 2014 debut you read?  The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare by M. G. Buehrlen.

24. Best worldbuilding/most vivid setting you read this year?  Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson.

25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read?  Journey by Aaron Becker.  This wordless picture book actually got my highest rating in 2014!

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2014?  Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor.

27. Hidden gem of the year?  Free as a Bird by Gina McMurchy-Barber.  I'd never even heard of it before I read it.  It's too bad that more people haven't discovered it... because it's really quite good!

28. Book that crushed your soul?  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  (I lost a lot of faith in humanity -- or at least in readers -- after this one.  Why is this awful book so popular?!)

29. Most unique book you read in 2014?  You Are Stardust by Elin Kelsey & Soyeon Kim.  (The message and the art in this picture book were like nothing I'd seen before... especially in a book aimed at children.)

30. Book that made you the most mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?  Oh, but I didn't like it!  The winner in this category goes to Vivian Versus the Apocalypse by Katie Coyle.  (This was the worst novel I read this year, and the only one to get my dead ladybug rating.  I'm mad that I wasted time on it when I could've been reading something less pointless.)

Your Blogging/Bookish Life

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014?  Paper Fury.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2014?  Neverland by Anna Katmore.  (I had way too much fun snarking on the ridiculousness of this book.  Sorry!)

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?  I didn't really have many of those this year.  That's something I hope to change in 2015.

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?  I always enjoy participating in Top Ten Tuesday.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?  Finishing Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke & Bone series and realizing that I'd really enjoyed it!  (I don't have the best luck with series enders.)

7. Most popular post this year on your blog (whether it be by comments or views)?  I have no idea.  Blogger doesn't exactly make it easy to track these things.

8. Post you wished got a little more love?  I can't think of one post in particular.  I do wish my review posts got a little more attention, though.

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?  Riffle Select's newsletter.  My TBR pile has grown at an insane rate since Riffle started letting me know about bookish deals.

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?  I did the Goodreads challenge and decided to read 13 books.  I finished that back in June!

Looking Ahead

1. One book you didn’t get to in 2014 but will be your number one priority in 2015?  Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.  (I think I'm the last book blogger in the world to read this one.)

2. Book you are most anticipating for 2015 (non-debut)?  The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare by M. G. Buehrlen.

3. 2015 debut you are most anticipating?  The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes.

4. Series ending/a sequel you are most anticipating in 2015?  End of Days by Susan Ee.

5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2015?  I want to enjoy more of the books I read.  Allowing myself to DNF when I need to should help with this.

6. A 2015 release you’ve already read & recommend to everyone?  I haven't read any 2015 releases yet!

So that was my bookish year!

How was 2014 for you?

Bookish Survey: Cast a Harry Potter Spell - Part 2

This is the second part of a fun-looking survey created by Jasmine at Flip That Page.  This time, instead of casting the spells on books, we're casting them on ourselves.

Here goes!

Stupefy

puts victim in unconscious state

A book with a chapter you couldn’t seem to get over: The Shadow in the North by Philip Pullman.  This particular chapter was the reason I needed to cast Expecto Patronum on the book (see first survey).

Confundo

causes befuddlement or forgetfulness

A book that generally confused you: Salt by Maurice Gee.  I found this book confusing because it had such good reviews, and yet it was so awful.

Crucio

inflicts unbearable pain

A book that was a pain to read: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer.  I shouldn't have to explain this one.

Episkey

heals relatively minor injuries

A feel good book that you enjoyed: Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff.  Not all of it is "feel-good" stuff, but overall this book gave me the warm-fuzzies.

Expelliarmus

temporarily disarms an opponent

A book with a swoon-worthy character: Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury.  Caedmon!  I might be in the minority with this one, but I quite liked that guy...

Impedimenta

impedes target’s progress

A book that kept you up all night reading: I don't think I've ever stayed up all night to finish a book.  I do remember, however, staying up "late" so I could finish Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary.  I was around 7 or 8 at the time, and "late" was probably still before midnight!

Silencio

immediate silencing

A book that left you speechless after you read it: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick.  And I was not speechless in a good way.  I didn't even finish this one, I was so traumatized by what I did read.

Legilimens

allows you to delve into someone’s mind

A book with well-developed characters: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.  So many of the books I read today seem to have characters that are like cardboard cutouts.  That was not the case here, and it was so refreshing.

Levicorpus

a spell that turns you upside down

A book that changed your mind about a character from its prequel: Magic Under Stone by Jaclyn Dolamore.  At times, I felt like I wasn't even reading about the same characters.  There were some definite continuity problems, and I did change my mind about some of the characters; after the second book, I really didn't like them anymore!

Obliviate

used to hide memories

A book with a story you can’t remember: The Hollow by Jessica Verday.  Honestly, all I remember about this book is that the main character spent a lot of time baking cookies, making perfume, and taking baths.  What was the plot of this one again?

Peskipiksi Pesternomi

useless spell

A boring book that had absolutely no effect on you: Pivot Point by Kasie West.  I was so bored, I couldn't even finish.  I didn't even care how the story turned out, which shows how little I had invested in it.

Reducto

breaks through solid objects

A book that convinced you to reconsider a certain genre: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion.  I thought I hated zombie novels until I read this one.  I'm still not crazy about all the gore in zombie novels, though, and I think Warm Bodies may be uniquely thoughtful for a book in this genre.

Rictusempra

tickling spell

A book that made you laugh: Gump & Co. by Winston Groom.  I don't generally laugh out loud when I read (unless something is really awful).  This book, though, made me laugh in a good way.  I can't remember what was so funny... but I do remember that it made me laugh.  I also found the previous book, Forrest Gump, pretty funny as well.

Sectusempra

offensive spell that violently wounds the target

A book that may have scarred you for life: Barefoot Gen, Volume One: A Cartoon Story of Hiroshima by Keiji Nakazawa.  This book was absolutely horrific.  I found it at the university library and it was one of those things that's so awful that you can't seem to look away from it.  Prepare to be traumatized (especially when you realize it's semi-autobiographical).  Now that I think about it, maybe this book is the reason why I've avoided manga like the plague; perhaps there are negative subconscious connotations there.

Tarantallegra

makes you dance uncontrollably

A series finale that made you feel giddy: The Wyrd of Willowmere by Alison Baird.  This is the only series finale I can think of at the moment that I actually liked.  So often, those final books are disappointing.  This one wasn't.  And while it might not have been the strongest book in the series, I thought it wrapped things up in a great way that made me want to smile.

Bookish Survey: Cast a Harry Potter Spell - Part 1

This is a fun-looking survey created by Jasmine at Flip That Page.  I thought I'd give it a go!  I'll let Jasmine explain:

So how does it work? Basically, it’s a survey of sorts, where I give you a certain spell from the Harry Potter series, and you answer with the title of a book you’d like to cast the spell on.

Here goes!

Reparo

fixes damaged objects

A book that needs some serious fixing: The Lake and the Library by S. M. Beiko.  First, let me say that this is not a bad book.  It actually has an amazing plot, and I quite enjoyed it.  It did, however, have some instances of bad writing and a few characters could have been developed a bit more.  If these issues were fixed, it could be a great book!

Lumos

creates a narrow beam of light

A book that deserves more attention: Tiger Moon by Antonia Michaelis.  It's one of my all-time favourite books, and yet I rarely see it discussed; I don't think a lot of people have even heard of it!  Reminiscent of One Thousand and One Nights, it has a gorgeous setting and unforgettable characters.

Nox

counters the effects of Lumos

An overhyped book: If I Stay by Gayle Forman.  I read this one because everybody said how good it was, and I thought the premise sounded really interesting.  I found it extremely disturbing, yet paradoxically boring, and I thought the out-of-body experience idea was completely underutilized.

Accio

summons an object from a significant distance

A book you’re anticipating: World After by Susan Ee.  I'm kind of embarrassed to even admit it, as Angelfall was kind of a fluffy, guilty-pleasure book for me.  I guess I could have also said Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor, but it seems weird to anticipate the third book in a series when I haven't even read the second one!

Alohomora

opens unlocked doors, unless bewitched

A book you want to be more open about: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.  Okay, maybe this is just because I feel I should read it at some point.  I've tried twice already, but I just couldn't get into it.  Maybe the third time will be the charm!

Expecto Patronum

conjures an incarnation of positive feelings

A book that made you cry, or at least want to: The Shadow in the North by Philip Pullman.  I must have read it over a decade ago... and I'm still gutted.

Morsmordre

conjures the Dark Mark

A book you wish to mark as one of your favorites: Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones.  My favourite book from one of my favourite authors.  It's not as well known as Howl's Moving Castle, but it's a lovely fairy tale retelling and well worth reading!

Petrificus Totalus

petrifies victim

A book you wish to keep forever: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith.  It's one of my favourites, and I hope to always have a copy in my collection.

Protego

shield charm

An intimidating book you keep putting off: Under the Dome by Stephen King.  Maybe it's not the best choice for someone who's never read a Stephen King novel, but the premise looks really interesting.  However, at over a thousand pages, this one has me running scared.

Riddikulus

used against a boggart

A book with a deceiving synopsis: Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore.  There was nothing in the book about "Parry's involvement with a league of sorcerers who torture fairies for sport"... which is actually kind of disappointing, because that could have been a really interesting subplot.

Lacarnum Inflamarae

shoots fireballs

A book you wish to burn out of your mind completely: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.  But if I got rid of the memory of it, I'd still feel like I needed some resolution to the cliffhanger at the end of Catching Fire... and then I'd have to read Mockingjay and be disappointed all over again.

Wingardium Leviosa

levitates objects

A book you wish to reread: The Light Princess by George MacDonald.  It's short and sweet and one of my favourite fairy tales of all time.  I don't generally reread books, but I might make an exception for this one.

Avada Kedavra

causes instant death

Worst book EVER: Basajaun by Rosemary Van Deuren.  Not only did it have a horribly misleading synopsis and a creepy plot, it was also one of the worst technically written books I've ever had the displeasure of reading.  I'm sure it's not the worst book ever, in the history of all books... but it's probably the worst one I've personally ever read.

A to Z Bookish Survey

I saw this at Respiring Thoughts, who got it from The Perpetual Page-Turner, and I thought it looked like a lot of fun.  I haven't done a survey in a while... and since it's Saturday and I don't have much else to do, I thought I'd give it a go:

Author you’ve read the most books from:

That would probably be Beverly Cleary... and I read most of those books decades ago!

Best Sequel Ever:

I'll let you know when I come across a halfway decent one.  Sequels are usually pretty disappointing (maybe because I have such high hopes for them).  Well, maybe I could say Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling.  It was probably my favourite book of that whole series...

Currently Reading:

InterWorld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves.

Drink of Choice While Reading:

Water.  Or HINT Water.  But, often, I get so engrossed in reading that I forget to drink at all!

E-reader or Physical Book?

A few months ago, I probably would have picked the physical book.  But the last few books I've read have been Kindle editions that I've read on my laptop.  So I'm not sure anymore.  If I'm enjoying the story, I don't really care what format it's in.

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:

Well, I can certainly tell you that it wouldn't have been one of the drop-dead gorgeous, supernatural hotties that populate today's YA scene.  Even if they had existed, they probably wouldn't have been interested in a plain, studious, superpower-less girl like me.  (You can tell I read mostly YA paranormals, can't you?)

Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion.  I'd pretty much sworn off zombies when I heard about this book.  It was such a delightful surprise; I'm so glad I gave it a chance!

Hidden Gem Book:

Tiger Moon by Antonia Michaelis (quite literally, a "hidden gem" book; if you read it, you'll understand what I mean).

Important Moment in your Reading Life:

When an author killed off a beloved main character in the second book of a trilogy.  Before that, I didn't even realize that was possible.  My thoughts were along the lines of, "Is he allowed to do that?!"

Just Finished:

My most recent read was a DNF.  The last book I actually finished was Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors.

Kinds of Books You Won’t Read:

I'm not really interested in erotica, adult chick-lit, horror, Christian fiction, terminal disease books, mysteries, or books about the LBGT experience.  That's not to say I won't read any of those (because I have read books in a few of those categories); they're just not things I normally gravitate towards.  If something is getting really good reviews, I might get curious enough to check it out.

Longest Book You’ve Read:

That would probably be Passage by Connie Willis.  And it was too long.

Major book hangover because of:

Warm Bodies.  I still haven't come down off that five-star high.

Number of Bookcases You Own:

Technically, just one.  But my books are also taking up shelf space in my closet, on (and in) my nightstand, and on my windowsill.

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner.  And I rarely re-read anything.

Preferred Place To Read:

In bed.  Or at the computer ('cause trying to hold a laptop above my head makes my arms really tired).

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read:

I'm terrible at remembering quotes.  I'm sure there are some that I really like; I just can't recall what they are.

Reading Regret:

Reading Mockingjay.  I really didn't like how it wrapped up the series.  But I had to find out what happened next!

Series You Started And Need To Finish (all books are out in series):

The Wolves of Mercy Falls... Hush, Hush... His Dark Materials... Abhorsen... Jenna Fox Chronicles... The Queen's Thief...  As you can see, I'm terrible at finishing series.  To be fair, though, I've tried to finish four of these series and I lost interest along the way.  But I would still like to finish them one day...

Three of your All-Time Favorite Books:

Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
Tiger Moon by Antonia Michaelis
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Unapologetic Fangirl For:

Warm Bodies.  I will apologize because I'm sure people are sick of hearing about how much I loved this book.  But I won't apologize for liking it.

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:

I don't let myself get that excited about new releases anymore.  I've been disappointed too many times.  I am looking forward to reading Laura Whitcomb's Under the Light, though.

Worst Bookish Habit:

If I'm reading a hardcover with a dust jacket, I use the jacket flaps as my bookmark.  It's not so bad when a book is short... but long, thick books tend to curl the flaps.

X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:

A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb.

Your latest book purchase:

Outcast by Adrienne Kress.

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):

That would probably be one of the last physical books I read (which was The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff).