Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner is once again hosting this fun end of year survey and is a great recap of one’s year in reading.
Number Of Books You Read:
82 — I had been aiming for 52!
Number of Re-Reads:
15
Genre You Read The Most From:
Fiction — it was a mix of general, historical and mysteries
1. Best Book You Read In 2016?
The Wife, the Maid and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
The Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah, it is a novel set in Russia during WWII a setting I am usually drawn to. However, the problem was that while the sections set during the main character’s escape from Russia were interesting the parts set in modern day were lackluster.
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?
Mata Hari’s Last Dance by Michelle Moran — even though I was aware of the ending the action that led to this traitorous acts and the subsequent outcome still surprised me.
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?
Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan, I loved her imagining of Robert Louis Stevenson and was a great historical fiction novel for most of the women in my family and they all liked it too!
5. Best series you started in 2016? Best Sequel of 2016? Best Series Ender of 2016?
Little Face by Sophie Hannah, I have found my new favorite mystery series with Spilling CID
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?
It would have to be Sophie Hannah or Ariel Lawhon
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
The Graduate by Charles Webb, I listened to this in play form and not only are play/scripts out of my comfort zone but audiobooks are new to me this year too.
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
The most action-packed novel I read in 2016 was Clawback by J.A. Jance. The Ali Reynolds series are always wonderfully paced with suspense and Clawback met that expectation.
9. Book You Read In 2016 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
Maybe Cinder, before I finally get to Winter, the last in the Lunar Chronicles.
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?
11. Most memorable character of 2016?
Hanna from The Reader by Bernhard Schlink. Hannah may have done heinous acts but it is her stubbornness and determination that make her memorable.
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?
Wake by Anna Hope, I was crazy about the book itself — it moved a little too slowly for me but I loved the writing.
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?
The Reader by Bernhard Schlink the lengths a person would go to hide a secret I found astounding and the subject of the Holocaust I always find thought-provoking.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read?
The Wife, the Maid and the Mistress, I had been wanting to read this since it was published in 2014 and can’t believe it took me this long.
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016?
“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
~ Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
The Winemakers by Jan Moran — Nothing about the book itself actually shocked me, I was more shocked that I wasted my time on it.
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
Felix Ungar and Oscar Madison from The Odd Couple by Neil Simon
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan — I loved Loving Frank when it first came out and was so glad to finally read her follow-up.
21. Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie was recommended to me by several book bloggers and sadly cannot remember who.
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?
I didn’t have a new fictional crush in 2016 but my favorite couple was Ennis del Mar and Jack Twist from Brokeback Mountain
23. Best 2016 debut you read?
The Velvet Hours by Alyson Richman
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
Harry Potter, no matter how childish will always have the best setting — how can you beat Hogwarts?
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling — I loved her sense of humor and outlook on life.
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?
The ending of Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew’d by Alan Bradley — it was so unexpected and while I didn’t cry it made me sad.
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
The Munich Girl by Phyllis Edgerly Ring — it was a unique work of historical fiction which focused on Eva Braun.
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
Fortunately, I didn’t read any soul-crushing books this year.
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?
The Giver by Lois Lowry — I’ve read it before but even as an adult I think the concept of sameness and the dystopian world Jonas inhabits is so different with its inability to change and lack of progression. A concept I fear could become a reality in 2017.
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad
The Teaplanter’s Wife by Dinah Jefferies — I had high expectations for this book and was a complete let down. Plus, my boyfriend guess the end (or smoking gun) on page two which really pissed me off.
First, I’d just like to say that I’m incredibly impressed with how quickly you completed this survey – I am definitely slow to fill this out, haha! I’ve really enjoyed reading through your answers (with a pen in hand to jot down everything that I want to check out!), and it sounds like you’ve had a really great reading year. The Wife, The Maid, and the Mistress sounds wonderful, and I definitely think I want to check it out now. 🙂 I also completely agree about Harry Potter being the best setting, you really can’t beat it. I used to spend hours imagining what it would be like to go there – though, I probably still do that from time to time! Really great survey and I hope you have another great year in 2017! 🙂
I’m usually pretty slow answering this as well but there were several books in 2016 that so obviously filled the survey this year. The Goodreads Challenge also makes it really easy to look back at what I read. The Wife, the Maid and the Mistress is fabulous, I loved Ariel Lawhon’s storytelling and I’m looking forward to reading Flight of Dreams, her second book which came out this year.
I’m still waiting for my letter to Hogwarts! Rowling created such a magical world and love visiting it with my yearly series reread. I hope you have a wonderful 2017 as well and will keep my eye out for your survey.
You totally crushed your Goodreads challenge, so congrats on that! I’m also happy you listened to a play- audiobooks are my favorite format because I commute every day and I love to listen while I do boring household chores. I didn’t read a ton of historical fiction this year, but books like The Nightingale and The Good Lord Bird were both good. Maybe 2017 will be the year I read more in that genre! Hope 2017 is spectacular for you!
I completely agree with you about Harry Potter’s setting. I don’t think you can beat Hogwarts! <3
It is good to know how much you liked UNDER A WIDE STARRY SKY by Horan. I was just considering it for my book club and now will add it to our list. Thank you. I read THE READER years ago and found it very memorable and compelling, too. I’d be honored if you would take a peek at my 2016 Book Survey. Thanks so much HeadFullofBooks Book Survey 2016
Congrats on reading 82 books! Great job.
I agree with you on your comment about The Winter Garden. The modern day time period wasn’t nearly as interesting as the historical setting. I did enjoy that book though.
I also really enjoyed The Munich Girl. Glad to see other bloggers are enjoying it as well. It definitely deserves more recognition.
Thank you, Melissa — and Whitney, I am honored. Blessings to the new year for you both, kind bloggers.