2016 End of Year Survey

Wow, 2016 has been a year, friends. In terms of world happenings, it has sucked. We all know this. Personally, though, I've has worse years. Let's check out what my year has looked like in books and blogging!

Number Of Books You Read: 40
Number of Re-Reads: 2
Genre You Read The Most From: YA contemporary

1. Best Book You Read In 2016?Hah. Haha. Hahaha. As if it's possible to choose just one. You can refer to my Top Ten Tuesday post for my favorite books of the year!

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

The Sound of Us by Julie Hammerle

I was hyped for this book because it's about a girl who goes to SINGING CAMP. I used to go to singing camp when I was in high school (miss it a lot, btw), so I thought this was going to be a perfect read for me. Turns out, it was just okay. There were a lot of little things that annoyed me throughout the book, and it wasn't the singing book I needed it to be.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read? 

Beyond the Red by Ava Jae

I was not prepared to love this book as much as I did! I don't even know why, but I expected this book to be cheesy and not very well written, but I was wrong wrong wrong! This was action-packed and entirely engrossing. I cannot wait for the sequel.  

4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

And I Darken by Kiersten White

There was a point where I brought this book up in every single blog post and youtube video (I mean, I still kinda do, but whatever), and I had quite a few people tell me they were gonna get it because of how much I emphasized it's greatness.

5. Best series you started in 2016? Best Sequel of 2016? Best Series Ender of 2016?

I've decided not to answer this one, seeing as like 95% of what I've read this year have been standalones, and my favorites would probably be re-reads to that doesn't even count.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?
Hands down, Morgan Matson! I've read all of her books except Second Chance Summer, and I fell in love with each of them. My favorite is Since You've Been Gone, but they're all so amazing! She is now on my auto-buy list--definitely one of my new favorite authors.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

I do not typically read adult books, but I've read a few more this year than usual, and this one is by far my favorite. It's one of my favorite books of the year, even. I think I'm slowly easing myself into adult fiction.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell

Admittedly, the beginning is a bit slow, but once we get to the real action, the pacing picks up and it becomes very unputdownable. The world is alive, the characters are alive, the story is absolutely ALIVE. And hello yummy pirates!

9. Book You Read In 2016 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

There were actually a lot of books I could have chosen for this one, but I think this one is the MOST likely. I felt so connected to Cath, and this book just gave me all the happy feelings in the entire world. I wanted to re-read it the moment I finished it, and that feeling still hasn't gone away, even months later. 

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?


We Own the Night by Ashley Poston

I've always thought this cover was beautiful! I adore the colors and font and the pretty night sky and all the radio vibes. Even better, it fits the book perfectly! I wish I had a physical copy of this book, because I'm sure it's even more gorgeous in person.







11. Most memorable character of 2016?

Lady Jane Grey from My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

I really adored her character! She is funny, stubborn, and REALLY loves books. She's basically me, but, you know, more interesting. She is a character I will hold dear to my heart probably forever.








12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Okay, so this is a re-read, but I couldn't not pick this one, because this is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read, and I'm convinced that opinion will never change.









13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

This book wasn't particularly life-changing, but it did make me ponder the nature of humanity a lot when I was reading it. It raises a lot of questions about good vs. evil and delves into the shades of gray.









14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read?

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Obviously this is an extremely popular book. Pretty much everyone I knew had read this book, even the friends I have that don't do much reading. I didn't feel like a true reader having not read this book yet. BUT I FINALLY DID IT WHOOOO! And I enjoyed it a lot. I don't think I connected to it the same way that some other people did, but I still devoured it like it was nobody's business.






15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016?

100% too lazy to find an answer to this one.

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?

Shortest: Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (160 Pages)

Longest: The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson (519 pages)

17. Book That Shocked You The Most
(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

I think the truth is that I didn't read all that many shocking books this year, but there was a little twist in this one that I hadn't seen coming, and it definitely made my jaw drop a bit.









18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)

G and Jane from My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

I've gained many new OTPs this year, so I just decided to go with my most recent, because it's impossible to choose between all my lovely ships. G and Jane are adorable. Their banter is quite comical and watching them go from strangers to adoring one another was such a delight. These two have a fond place in my heart.







19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

The Baudelaire orphans from A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

These three children get better with each book (I've only read the first three recently, but still). Their love for each other is so unconditional and so precious. As someone who is really close with all my siblings, I really enjoyed following these children as they work together to escape scrape after scrape.







20. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

And I Darken by Kiersten White

I read her Paranormalcy series a few years ago, and while I enjoyed it enough, that series holds exactly zero candles to this book right here, one of my favorites of the year!









21. Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

I'd never read a graphic novel before and I had no idea what this series was about. I just knew everybody on booktube raved about it, so when I saw it in a used book store I decided to give it a go, and it is truly wonderful!








22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?

Levi from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Again, there are so many fictional crushes I could choose from, but Levi took the win on this one. I feel like he is a guy I would actually want to date in real life. He'ss sweet and fun and a lil nerdy, so BAE AF.








23. Best 2016 debut you read?

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman

Okay, I actually read this at the end of 2015 but it's still a 2016 debut, so I say it counts. I really think this book deserves more attention. It's a Blackbeard origin story and it's incredible. The sequel (that was not originally planned) comes out in 2017 and I AM HYPED.







24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Well, yes, this is another re-read, but IT'S FINE. I've always been in love with the worldbuilding in this series since I first read it. Mead intricately weaves a world inside of our normal world that has intricate rules and politics and social expectations. This world has been a haven for me for years, so it had to be my choice.







25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

I read the first three books this year and they are such a delight! I read these way back in the day but there's no way I appreciated them when I was in elementary school. These books are so charming and fun.








26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?


A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

This book is beautiful and heartbreaking. I think everyone should read it.









27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

We Own the Night by Ashley Poston

THIS BOOK ONLY HAS 121 RATINGS ON GOODREADS. I feel like the book community has thousands of people in it, but this book only has a little over 100 ratings, but it is SO GOOD. Like, so many feels are woven into this book, and I just think it deserves more recognition!








28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Yep.










29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

I've never read a book like this before! It's historical, but also blatantly bending history. It's magical and funny and adorable and there's so few things like this in YA.









30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

Aces Up by Lauren Barnholdt

Yeah, I didn't like this one. Hands down my least favorite book I read this year. The protagonist just pissed me off so much. Nope nope nope. All the nopes.

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2016?

This is hard because to be honest I don't remember every single blog that I discovered in 2016. Soooo I decided to choose a smaller blog that I've recently discovered and enjoyed. She Latitude is one of the most recent blogs I discovered, and I can't wait to see more of her posts! The aesthetic of the blog is simple and cute, and she provides quality content! And she comments back, which is something I love in a blogger (even though I'm not great at it myself).

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2016?

Reviews are often very difficult for me to write. Sometimes it's an arduous task to sit down and write a review no matter how I feel about the book, but when I sat down to write my review of Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson, the words just flowed outta me. It's a bit long, but I feel like I got out everything I wanted to say, which doesn't always happen in reviews.

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?

I feel like I always have ideas for discussion posts, but I never have the motivation to write them, or I'm just kinda worried that I won't have anything valuable to say or that people won't care, but there are a couple discussion posts that I'm fairly proud of and that others seemed to like. 

What I've Learned From Bookstagram

and

Goodreads As Social Media

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

I think this year I've branched out quite a bit in the book community, so I've participated in all sorts of fun blogging/reading events. I think the Summer Blog Promo Tour (created by The Book Bratz) is my favorite out of all the events, though. I got to meet new bloggers, create fresh content that I might not have thought about myself, and feature different perspectives on my blog. I truly believe this event helped me grow as a blogger.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2016?

I can't pinpoint the exact moment, but I was overjoyed when I realized that I was making friends in this community. That people were reading what I had to say and ENJOYING it. That some people considered my little corner on the internet among their favorite blogs. That some people paid attention to the stuff I tweeted and remembered it and brought it up again later. Realizing that I had a voice in this community, no matter how small it may still be at the moment. 

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

I absolutely did not maintain my blog when school was in session. 

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

Flashback Friday #5: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

I'm gonna list a few here because it's my blog and I can do what I want. 

YA Look Book #1: Heartless by Marissa Meyer

The Eclectic Corner #4: Scary Movies

61 (Non-Spoilery) Thoughts I Had While Re-Reading Delirium by Lauren Oliver

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

BookTube!!! 

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

Um, well, no. The only goal I'd officially set for myself was to read 50 books this year, which I didn't quite reach. That's okay, though, because I read more this year than I have in previous years. But while these were never official goals or anything, I'd also wanted to create more original content and creative content on the blog, and I wanted to branch out a bit in my reading habits. I think I've done a decent job of both of those things this year and I can only hope to keep improving next year. 

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2016 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2017?

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2017 (non-debut)?

ONCE AND FOR ALL BY SARAH DESSEN omg omg omg omg

3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2017?

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017?

A few casual goals I have are to be more consistent when the semester starts again, to read more classics, and to make more friends in the community. 

My Favorite Part Of The Book Community

This is a post I've wanted to write for several weeks, but I really wanted to take my time and put my heart into it, because you all deserve that. I've not had as much time for my blog as I'd like, so this (kind of) discussion got brushed under the rug.

However.

Every time I log on to Twitter, I see people talking about the drama in the community. I don't actually know what the drama is because I don't spend too much time on Twitter these days, and I don't have the energy to figure it out or worry about it. But I figured now was a good time to finally write this post, to give the community some positivity, and to remind all my bookish friends out there that we can--and should--celebrate our differences. 

MY FAVORITE PART OF THE BOOK COMMUNITY

I started blogging when I was 15. I didn't really know how it worked. I didn't know if I'd like it or if I'd be any good at it. I didn't know if I'd keep it up very long, and I didn't know if it would become important to me. All I knew is that I loved books, and I wanted to talk about books with other people who loved them as much as I did.

Now, here I am, five years (and countless books) later. Blogging has become so incredibly important to me. My blog(s) and I have grown together. We've been through a lot, but here I am, five years later. Blogging and I, we've had our ups and downs, but here I am, five years later. There have been times when I was an inconsistent and unreliable blogger. There were times when I thought I'd given up blogging for good, because as much as I love blogging, it's hard work and real life gets in the way of hobbies sometimes.

BUT HERE I AM, FIVE YEARS LATER.

I keep coming back, no matter what. And yes, part of it is because I like the creative aspect of it, part of it is because I like to stay tuned into the book industry. But the number one reason I can't stay away from book blogging is the community.

For the most part, the people in the book community are endlessly kind and funny and understanding. And it's a truly beautiful thing to know I can tweet about something a friend said to me that hurt my feelings and have my mentions flooded with uplifting words. The book community makes me feel important and it makes me feel like I have a place in this world, which is fantastic.

But, in my opinion, a big part of what makes that so fantastic is that there are hundreds of us (thousands of us?) who come from different backgrounds, different walks of life, who have faced different challenges, overcome different obstacles, have cried different tears and smiled different smiles, who are broken in different ways and whole in different ways, who have learned different things, who have seen different landscapes and held different hands.

We are all so different.

Yet here we are, connected, united. We are a community all because we love books.

Thanks to all of you lovely humans, I am privy to a plethora of different perspectives. I get to learn and grow and become more open-minded. I get to have conversations that I probably won't ever have with the people I know in real life. I get to strengthen and reevaluate my own ideals and learn more about the world I live in.

I will most likely never meet any of you face-to-face, and yet, you have all helped shape me and you have all helped me define myself.

And if thinking about that doesn't take your breath away a little, I'm not sure what will.

Sunday Post #13

• Hello, you lovely people. I hope your week is full of (metaphorical) sparkles. I got a tooth pulled this week, but it really wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. I also got a new phone because my old phone just completely crapped out on me and just stopped turning on. I'm happy about it because my new phone is a bajillion times better. 

Reviews: 
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Memes: 
Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read On The Beach

Misc: 
My Biggest Distractions From Reading and Blogging

Reviews:
The Sound of Us by Julie Hammerle

Features: 
Flashback Friday #5

Memes:
Top Ten Reasons I Like _________ (I haven't decided what I want to fill in the blank, yet)
Sunday Post #14

Misc. 
Clearing the Shelves Giveaway #2

I didn't receive any books for review this week, but I ordered this sucker and it has arrived and I'm not particularly excited to dedicate a chunk of my summer to these pages. 

#lilbookishjune is getting scandalous today with #nakedspines!

A photo posted by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Jun 2, 2016 at 11:12am PDT

Summer ain't the same without Sarah! I'll definitely be doing some re-reads of my favorite books by Sarah Dessen, the contemporary queen. 🌞 What is your favorite novel by Sarah Dessen?

A photo posted by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Jun 2, 2016 at 10:43pm PDT

Showing off my book tower for #lilbookishjune, topped by the fantastic Pushing the Limits by Katie Mcgarry. I read this one a few years ago when it was first released and fell in love with it. I even got one of my non-bookish friends to read it. What books do you recommend to people who don't usually read?

A photo posted by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Jun 4, 2016 at 11:55am PDT

What has your week in books and blogging looked like?

My Biggest Distractions From Reading & Blogging

I tend to have a pretty decent attention span, but I think everyone, at some point, succumbs to distractions when reading or blogging. While reading, this mostly happens for me when I've first started a book and I'm not totally hooked yet, or at the slow parts. When I'm blogging I get distracted pretty much constantly.

Here are my primary sources of distraction when I am reading of blogging:

FOOD

Because who doesn't love food? And when I remember there is apiece of Oreo pie sitting in my fridge, waiting eagerly to make the foray into my belly, how can I not oblige? Just in the time it has taken me o think up this post and start it, I've re-heated my coffee and turned the stove on to make fajitas. So yeah, food definitely distracts me.

SOCIAL MEDIA

I'm pretty sure all y'all out there can relate to this one. I especially get pulled in by Twitter and Instagram (shameless self-promotion: You can follow me on both! Here's my insta, and my twitter), but I also occasionally get lost on Goodreads and Facebook. It's hard not to get sucked in when all it takes is one little tap on my phone to pull up the apps where people are saying SUCH INTERESTING THINGS.

TEXTS/GROUP MESSAGES

In my completely unbiased opinion, my friends and I are the funniest people to walk the face of the Earth, so when the group message is getting lit, talking about Harry Styles's new haircut and sharing Supernatural gifs (usually at night, when I'm trying to read) I'm not just gonna tell them to shut up. Plus, I don't get a lot of texts throughout the day, so I'm always grateful to remember I have friends.

MY THOUGHTS

This happens to the best of us. It's not my fault if I see the word "grace" which reminds me of my best friend Gracie which reminds me that we're supposed to go swimming soon which reminds me of when I used to live in Florida and go swimming all the time...so on, and so forth.

TV

I'm home alone a lot, so I usually keep the TV on to make the house feel less empty. Sometimes I'll make the mistake of glancing over at the TV and seeing cool stuff happen, and then I end up watching the TV (on mute, reading the subtitles) for a solid three hours.

What distracts you most when you're reading or blogging?