2016 in review

Another year, and another wrap up post courtesy of Jamie at the Perpetual Page Turner. This year has quite obviously been a year where I have blogged quite a bit less than previous years, and has been a year where I have read less than other years, for a variety of reasons. One reason for reading less has been I have gotten into podcasts this year, so time I used to spend reading has been replaced with podcasts (such as HelloInternet, Cortex, Dear Hank and John, Welcome to Nightvale, and many others). And I foresee that I’ll have less opportunity for reading, as my commute changes to driving, so podcasts will rule. One reason I’ve blogged less, is that I have had some difficulties in motivating myself to do so. Partly it is because of time. Partly it is because I often feel like I don’t have a lot to say about the book. And then time passes and it becomes a trial to try to review a book you read several months ago, which is why there will be a good number of books on here that will not have had a proper review.

 

Number Of Books You Read:

Goodreads tells me 38 (though to be fair I read the complete Sherlock Holmes, so that counts as a few extra books). But it has actually failed to count 2 books, so it’s actually 40

Number of Re-Reads:

This year had a surprisingly high number of rereads in contrast to other years. A total of 14 – the Harry Potter novels, Red Rising and Golden Son, Alice in Wonderland plus Through the Looking Glass and the first three Tomorrow When the War Began novels. These rereads are because of a book club that was started amongst a group of friends, so my reading has been influenced by this significantly.

Genre You Read The Most From:

Science Fiction and Fantasy perhaps

 

1. Best Book You Read In 2016?

(If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)

Ooh, I hate this question. I might say, Ready Player One, probably because it was one of my more recent reads, but I really enjoyed it and loved every moment of it.

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

I’ll definitely say Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, cause that was a flop. I mean I actually enjoyed reading it at the time, because I went in with no real expectation, and turned off my brain. But after reading it, I’ve basically forgotten/blocked out, what that ‘book’ was.

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

Hotel by Arthur Hailey, I was given this as a gift, with no knowledge of it, or the author, and the gift givers just picked this one out at random, so having it turn out to be quite good, was a great surprise!

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

Don’t recall recommending any books this year

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

Well the Red Rising trilogy ended this year, and that was an excellent series, so I’ll say that.

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?

Does Terry Pratchett count? I hadn’t read any of his solo work until this year, so I’m going to count it

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

Guns, Germs and Steel: A Short History of Everybody for the Last 13,000 Years, I read very little nonfiction, so this was something different.

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

I’m going to say Gemina, but the Red Rising trilogy definitely get a look in in this category.

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

Oh I have no idea actually, quite likely none of them.

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

I have to say I quite like the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Screenplay cover, it just looks nice.

11. Most memorable character of 2016?

I’m going to say Death from Discworld, what a good character.

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?

I’m going to have to say Pratchett in general, I just adore his writing, and his puns, GAH

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

Can’t think of which ones made me think for a while at the time, so, I’m not too sure

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

Discworld! Like seriously what was I doing?

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

I never remember of keep track of these things, and I always mean to, but then never get around to it!

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?

Longest would be Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume I

Shortest would be The Importance of Being Earnest

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)

I’ll just say His Dark Materials series, that was a really good one with plenty of shocks.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)

Meh

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Sherlock and Watson??

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

I quite liked The Hidden Oracle by  Rick Riordan, but then again, everything he writes I like so..

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

The Importance of Being Ernest

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

Nope

23. Best 2016 debut you read?

None were debuts I believe

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

His Dark Materials

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

The Princess Bride

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

Le Petit Prince

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Hotel, was no way expecting it to be any good at all.

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

Nearly all of them??

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?

I’ll say Illuminae, because it is visually very different to other books

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

My Brilliant Career, and I did not like it that much

I’m going to skip the blogging questions because I don’t really have any answers. Blogging has been tough for the whole year, and I haven’t really read other blogs. So give me some reviews to read if you have suggestions!

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

Ha! Well I said I’d read 52 books, which I didn’t quite reach, and then I also said I’d read all of Discworld, which I am so far from reaching, but I have actually finally started that task, and I’m loving it!

 

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

The running gag of Catch-22, which I think has been on this list since the first one!

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

Winds of Winter? How many times will I write this?

3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Throw some suggestions at me!

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

Probably the next Illuminae novel

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

Just keep up reading as much as possible

6. A 2017 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

Haven’t read any!

Hotel by Arthur Hailey

So I was given this book by my friends for my birthday in a collection of books. This was supposed to be a ‘joke’ book, because they just picked it up from a collection of free books, it was old looking, and the blurb mentioned an orgy, so they thought it was a steamy romance, a genre I told them I didn’t want. So when I finally decided to start reading it, I was pleasantly surprised, it was actually pretty good. Not only was it not romance (I’m not entirely convinced there was an ‘orgy’ at all), but it was a decent book with several plotlines which were all interesting and engaging.

5 Year Anniversary

So this came quite unexpectedly, and my goodness has time flown since I started this blog. 5 whole years ago now, and over 770 posts and over 90,000 views! Thanks for all the support, and I hope to continue this blog in whatever form possible for many years to come!

I started this blog after inspiration from other book blogs, and decided to read through Cloudstreet, by Tim Winton. The format eventually turned back to a traditional one post = one book review, and I’ve enjoyed doing it and sharing my thoughts.

Thanks again!

The Colour of Magic – Terry Pratchett

This, a little ashamedly, is my first Terry Pratchett (solo) novel. I have read Good Omens, and his Long Earth series previously, but they have been collaborations. So I have been meaning to read this for quite some time, and get into the Discworld series, as massive as it is. Indeed this year I planned to read them all – as you can tell by the fact I’ve only just read the first one, that plan isn’t going to plan, like all good plans! 

The Fix Sophie McKenzie

I was sent this book by Allen and Unwin for a fair review.

This book is not aimed at me, it’s aimed at me if I was maybe 10 years younger. It’s a middle school aged reader book, which doesn’t always preclude me from enjoying them, like with Rick Riordan. With this book however, I didn’t overly enjoy it, I just didn’t dislike it. It’s a very simple, superficial book, and it’s so short. Readable in about an hour for me. 

My Brilliant Career by Franklin Miles

Despite finishing this book a week ago, I’m still not entirely convinced how I feel about it. I know for sure that this style of book is not really my cup of tea. It’s too dull for me. But I didn’t hate or dislike the book, I did dislike the main character, but that’s another thing all together. What this book did remind me of was Pride and Prejudice, which I was not a fan of (was it the studying it for English, or the book itself, or my age, who knows). This definitely had similarities with PP, but the ending was altogether different.

Bookish Travels – British Library

Over the summer I was fortunate enough to travel across Europe, and along the way I encountered many a wonderful library and bookstore, which I thought I shall share with you. The plan was to do this weekly, until I exhaust the places I actually visited, and then start up with some places I’d like to go. But with all good plans, as evident with my distinct lack of posts of the last few months, this will likely just be a periodic thing.