Skip to main content

2015 End of Year Survey

Yes, there is still almost a whole month left in the year, but I don't read many new books in December. I'm so busy this is definitely a month  of rereads for me. (Except for the Cybils books I need to finish.) Every year Jamie at Perpetual Page Turner creates an end of year reading survey. It's a fun way of recapping the year and I've participated that last couple of years. I still wait until the end of December to do all my Top 10 Best of Lists though.

Number of New to Me Books: 137

Number of Rereads: I don't count rereads, but it was a lot more than I've read in the last few years. This is because I decided to not do the Goodreads challenge this year and just enjoy myself. I'm continuing this policy in 2016.

Genre I Read Most of: MG Realistic Fiction (my Cybils category!)

Best Books of 2015
(links to my reviews)

 MG Realistic: The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall
MG Speculative: A Pocket Full of Murder by R.J. Anderson
YA Realistic: Audacity by Melanie Crowder
YA Speculative: Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
Adult: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Book I Was Excited About and Thought I Would Like More Than I Did:
The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow

Most Surprising in a Good Way
Once Upon a Rose by Laura Florand

I knew I would love this book because Laura wrote it, and I love all of her books, but I was surprised by how funny this book is. It's so much fun and made me laugh out loud.

Book I Pushed the Most People to Read 
Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

Best Sereis I Started 
Uncommon Magic by R.J. Anderson

Best Series Ender
Jinx's Fire by Sage Blackwood

Favorite New (to me) Author I Discovered
Jason Reynolds

Most Action-Packed Unputdownable Book
Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older (review to come next week)

Book I'm Most Likely to Reread in the Next Year
Party Lines by Emma Barry

I've already reread it a couple of times, but I won't be able to stop myself from reading it again as the election draws closer.

 Favorite Cover of a Book I Read

Most Memorable Character
Batty Penderwick from The Penderwicks in Spring

Most Beautifully Written Book
Audacity by Melanie Crowder

Most Thought Provoking Book
This Side of Home by Reneé Watson

Book I Can't Believe I Waited Until 2015 to Read
Deep Secret by Diana Wynne Jones

Favorite Passage/Quote
Just think
Pauline says,
 if thousands of tiny lights
can outshine the moon,
is there anything
thousands of us 
cannot do?

From Audacity by Melanie Crowder

Book That Shocked Me The Most 
Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge

Shocked isn't really the right word, but this one definitely kept me guessing and rethinking all the way to the end.

OTP of the Year
Finn and Petey from Bone Gap

Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship
The Sisters in A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston

Favorite Book Read Solely on Recommendation/Peer Pressure
Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older

And it is SO FREAKIN' GOOD. Deserving of all the hype and best of lists it's on. Review coming next week.

Newest Fictional Crush
Damien Rosier from A Wish Upon Jasmine by Laura Florand

Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting
Listen Slowly by Thanhha Lai 

Book That Was the Most Fun to Read
Once Upon a Rose by Laura Florand

Book That Made Me Cry
The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall

Hidden Gem of the YEar
Audacity by Melanie Crowder 

WHY ARE MORE PEOPLE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS BOOK???? Barely anyone seems to have read it and you are all MISSING OUT.

Book That Crushed My Soul
Prairie Fire by E.K. Johnston (still not over it)

Most Unique Book
Ash & Bramble by Sarah Prineas (And it is brilliant.)

Book That Angered Me Most
Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

Favorite Review I Wrote
Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead

Best Discussion/Non-Review Post
Things to Be Thankful For 

Best Event I Participated In
ALA Midwinter

Most Challenging Thing About Blogging This Year
Worst Reading Slump of My Life

Book I Didn't Get to That Will Be My Number 1 Priority in 2016:
The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett 

2016 Release I'm Most Anticipating 
Masks and Shadows by Stephanie Burgis and Crosstalk by Connie Willis

I can't choose between them so here they both are. Interestingly they are both adult titles. What is happening here???

2016 Series Ending/Sequel Most Anticipating 
A Tangle of Gold by Jaclyn Moriarty

One Thing I Hope to Accomplish in My Reading/Blogging Life
Attend Kidlit Con

So there it is. I hope you'll let me know if you participate in this or do something similar of your own so I can see your answers too!




Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
This is a Good Post.

(Please please please let the Penderwicks novel get a sticker this January, world.)
December 4, 2015 at 2:12 PM
Brandy said…
Thanks!

(It would be great but I'm not holding my breath.)
December 4, 2015 at 5:34 PM
Baldwin said…
Such wonderful, well thought-out answers! I love you have books I've never heard of on here! Thanks for the links, too!
December 11, 2015 at 10:52 AM
Katy K. said…
What a lovely post! Maybe I'll have to do this survey, too. I'd like to join you in being angry at Circus Mirandus, and also loving Bone Gap and Shadowshaper and being crushed by Prairie Fire. Also, Masks and Shadows! Of course now you are listing more books for me to read, and I already have so many I want to squeeze in in the next two weeks... Also, what do you think about running KidLitCon with me in 2016, so it can be in Michigan and we won't have to travel? (at least not much.)
December 14, 2015 at 2:10 PM
Brandy said…
Hmmm...running KidLitCon is a very scary thought considering I've never been to one. :) I think I need to attend one first.

I love that I have so many blogging friends with similar tastes!
December 14, 2015 at 4:20 PM
Unknown said…
I always end up wanting to read SO MANY MORE BOOKS when I see other people's End of Year Book Survey! I have Uprooted (a very very very pretty hardcover) but haven't read it yet... and I need to, badly!
December 15, 2015 at 1:01 PM
Brandy said…
It's SO GOOD!!!! You are in for a treat!
December 15, 2015 at 6:53 PM
Mel@Thedailyprophecy said…
Uprooted was spectacular! Definitely one of my favorite books this year too :)

I love that cover from A pocket full of murder. MG always has the best covers.

Mel@thedailyprophecy
December 21, 2015 at 8:49 AM
Brandy said…
MG does have the best covers.
December 22, 2015 at 8:15 AM
Auggie said…
Oh Yay! I love that you're a MG reader! I read so much upper MG and sometimes I feel like the dorkiest adult alive. Other times I don't care and I snort at people who don't read MG.

"A Pocket Full of Murder" looks very interesting! I've never heard of it before, but it certainly seems like the type of book I could enjoy! Seem like you had a great reading year (despite your slump).

I hope 2016 is a wonderful bookish year for you!

Auggie's 2015 Reading Stats
December 22, 2015 at 3:30 PM
Anonymous said…
You've totally just reminded me that I need to read Cuckoo Song! :-) It looks like you've had a great year of reading!
December 23, 2015 at 3:46 PM
Krystianna said…
I said Scorpion Rules too for a book that I thought I'd like more. I was rather disappointed with it!
Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian
December 28, 2015 at 6:58 PM
Maggie said…
I am so excited to read Uprooted! I'm so glad you liked it! Happy reading in 2016! :D
January 3, 2016 at 6:54 PM
Charnell @ Reviews from a Bookworm said…
Congrats on reading 137 books! I managed to read 136 this year, which seems incredible to me. Of your top reads, I have to admit that I have read 0 of them. But I just got Bone Gap for Christmas and I am so excited to get to it, I have heard nothing but good things.

The Scorpion Rules is one I have been thinking about reading for quite some time now. But I am nervous as I have seen some bad reviews for it.

Happy reading in 2016!!! Here's my survey if you want to check it out.
January 5, 2016 at 6:20 PM
Brandy said…
I LOVE Erin Bow's writing. I'm just worn out on futuristic novels at the moment which is a large reason The Scorpion Rules didn't work for me. A lot of other people really really love it and it does have merit. So if you like future survival type stories, give it a try.
January 8, 2016 at 1:13 PM
Brandy said…
It felt like being wrapped in a warm blanket of comfort from the very beginning. It was such a perfect me book.
January 8, 2016 at 1:17 PM
Brandy said…
Erin Bow's book Sorrow's Knot is one of my favorite books ever so I had really high expectations going in. But I'm just burned out on the genre of futuristic survival stories and I didn't really like it much to begin with. Sigh.
January 8, 2016 at 1:22 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Serafina and the Black Cloak

Serafina and the Black Cloak  by Robert Beatty is a thrilling tale of mystery and adventure set at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC in 1899. Having lived in Asheville and visited the house several times, there was no way I was going to pass up a chance to read this. (Also it's MG fantasy, always a bonus for me.) Serafina lives in secret in the basement of the Vanderbilt's spacious vacation home. She has lived there most of her life. Her father worked on the house as it was being built and is the mechanic who runs the massive generator and keeps the electricity going. Serafina is the chief rat catcher, slipping through the halls of her massive home secretly and quietly. She is light on her feet, sees well in the dark, and is quick enough to catch the vermin and keep them out. Serafina knows she if different and strange. Her father insists she stay hidden. But all that changes when one night Serafina witnesses a horrible crime. A little girl, a guest in the house, is fleein
51 comments
Read more

Shorter Musings MG Fantasy

Here are some shorter musings on recent MG fantasy reads. Anya and the Dragon   by Sofiya Pasternack This book is fun. It is a book full of adventure, an obvious bad guy, some more complicated morally gray area characters, and a strong, brave heroine. It is also a book about friendships, community, and fighting for what is right. All things that usually work for me really well. While I enjoyed this, I did feel it was a little overlong and there were certain plot points at the end I didn't love. However, there were things I thought were done really well, such as Anya's Jewish faith and the idea that power needs to be challenged. In the end it was a middle of the road read for me, but it is one I will certainly be recommending to dragon and fantasy adventure lovers I know! R is for Rebel   by J. Anderson Coats This is tough because I usually really like Coats's books. I had such a hard time with this one though on so many levels. It's difficult to get into because t
4 comments
Read more

Favorite Kissing Scenes

When thinking of a favorite things post I could do for February I decided it would have to be kissing. I've already done couples and I was feeling in the mood to do something fluffy and Valentine's related. So kisses it is. I read more MG than YA, and the YA I read tends to not focus on romance so this was actually harder than I expected it to be though a few jumped into my head right away. (And one of my choices does actually come from a MG book. One is adult. Gasp!) The actual scene from the book is quoted followed by my thoughts. The king lifted a hand to her cheek and kissed her. It was not a kiss between strangers, not even a kiss between a bride and a groom. It was a kiss between a man and his wife, and when it was over, the king closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the hollow of the queen's shoulder, like a man seeking respite, like a man reaching home at the end of the day . - The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner Turner doesn't write the
11 comments
Read more

Shadowshaper

Shadowshaper  by Daniel José Older is everywhere. Best of lists. Award buzz. Blogs everywhere. It's one of those books everyone is reading and talking about. I had it on my TBR but decided I definitely needed to read it before the year was out just so I could weigh in on one of the most talked about books of 2015 if asked. It is deserving of every good thing said about it. Every. One. Sierra was looking forward to a relaxing summer break. Her plans involved hanging out with her friends and painting. They did not involve being chased by zombie like creatures and threatened by a magical power connected to her family's heritage she has never heard of. When murals begin fading all over her Brooklyn neighborhood, Sierra is perplexed. When her grandfather, who had a stroke, begins to apologize and starts repeating strange phases and insisting Sierra get the help of a boy she barely knows to help her finish her mural, Sierra is concerned but mostly about her grandfather. Then at a
4 comments
Read more

The Field Guide to the North American Teeanager

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe is a book I picked up on a whim at the bookstore when it first came out. I liked the cover. I thought it had an engaging premise. I went into it with a healthy does of trepidation because the execution could have gone so terribly wrong. Fortunately, Philippe is an excellent character writer, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent reading about Norris's adventures in Texas and high school. High school junior Norris Kaplan's life is ruined by his mother when she takes a job that requires them to leave the only home he has ever known in Montreal, Quebec. Moving is always hard, but Norris knows for him it will be harder than it's ever been for anyone else. Norris is moving to Texas. He will be a Canadian living in Texas. Not just a Canadian. A French Canadian who speaks fluent French. And not just your average run-of-the-mill French Canadian. A black son of Haitian immigrant parents French Canadian. If Norris has
1 comment
Read more