2016 highlights…
Books: See my top 10 books of 2016 here, and see below for my answers to Jamie’s End of Year Book Survey
Book Signings: SE YA Fest (feat. several authors!), Rick Yancey, and Leigh Bardugo
Movies: Doctor Strange and Rogue One (see more about that here)
TV Shows: Timeless and Designated Survivor (LOVE the characters on Timeless and I’m just awed by Designated Survivor every week.)
Music: My two favorite bands, Switchfoot and Needtobreathe, both released new albums this year and both came to Nashville. I loved it all but I spent the last couple months of 2016 specifically really into Needtobreathe’s song “Clear.”
Life Highlights: Built and moved into our new home. Celebrated 7 years of marriage/12 years together with my husband. Traveled to Hilton Head, SC and Asheville, NC. Turned 30.
The Biltmore library decked out for Christmas was STUNNING.
Thanks to Jamie at Perpetual Page Turner for sharing this with us every year. I did skip some questions but wanted to go ahead and answer most of them…
Number Of Books You Read: 45 total, 43 new-to-me
Number of Re-Reads: 2
Genre You Read The Most From: YA
Best Book You Read In 2016? Anne of The Island by L.M. Montgomery
Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)? I reread The Start of Me and You after reading it last year and I loved it just as much and still push it on everyone, and had at least one or two read it based on my rec!
Best series you started in 2016? The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Best Sequel of 2016? The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (I will not accept that this is the end!) Best Series Ender of 2016? Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Favorite new author you discovered in 2016? Ruta Septys
Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone? Looking for Lovely by Annie F. Downs
Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year? The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016? When We Collided by Emery Lord (Salt to the Sea is a very close second)
Most memorable character of 2016? Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe (don’t make me choose between them)
Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016? Salt to the Sea
Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read? Anne of Green Gables!
Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016? Shortest: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them//Longest: Illuminae
Book That Shocked You The Most: The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Oh my goodness.
OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!) Gilbert and Anne!!!!
Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year: Joel and Melody in The Rithmatist//Edward and Jane in My Lady Jane
Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously: The Fixer and The Long Game, both by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure: The Anne of Green Gables books
Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016? I don’t really do fictional crushes because I am a happily married woman but let’s be real: it’s Gilbert Blythe.
Best 2016 debut you read? I only read one so… Love, Lies, and Spies it is!
Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read? My Lady Jane!!!
Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016? Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray, both by Ruta Septys
Hidden Gem Of The Year? Nora & Kettle by Lauren Nicolle Taylor
Book That Crushed Your Soul? Between Shades of Gray, Salt to the Sea, Nora & Kettle
Most Unique Book You Read In 2016? The Archived and The Unbound, both by Victoria Schwab
2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating? Caraval by Stephanie Garber!
One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017? I would like to build my blogging base back up a little bit, but much more importantly is what I want to accomplish as a writer, in that I want to find an agent in 2017. If I can’t do that, I hope to have my current WIP in the best shape I know how to and complete a new draft for a new story. As far as reading goes, I just want to read more books that I truly enjoy.
Were any of your favorites from 2016 the same as mine?
“Let’s be real: it’s Gilbert Blythe.” Yes! I’m so glad you read these books as an adult and love them. They’re my favorite! I haven’t read Emery Lord’s last 2 books but I definitely will this year! And I’ve heard so many great things about Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom that I’d like to read those, as well. Looks like you had a good year. I love the new website! 🙂
Ha ha, yes Gilbert! When I was reading the first Anne book at first I was like, “There isn’t really a plot…” but by the end I was in love with it all. And thanks! 🙂
Yeah, it’s mostly about character development, I think 🙂
Very true! Which is sometimes had to appreciate during your first read-through until you get to the end and see the growth. 🙂