My Top 16 Books of 2016

2016 may not have been the best of years but there is no denying that some fantastic books came out of it! Before I go on my annual blogging break over Christmas and New Year I wanted to share with you sixteen of the best books I read in 2016. Yesterday I completed my Goodreads challenge of reading 125 books so I certainly have plenty to choose from! I haven't chosen any 2017 proofs as I will have a separate post coming in the New Year all about the wonderful books I've had the pleasure of reading early. Before we get started, I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you for all of your incredible support this year and I hope that you have the most wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year. Right, shall we begin!? I'll be working my way down from number sixteen to my number one book of the year.

16

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware 

This gripping thriller had to make my top sixteen! It was one of the rare books where I didn't see the twist coming and everyone I have recommended it to this year has loved it just as much as I did. If you love atmospheric crime fiction that keeps you guessing this is the book to pick up!

15 

Uprooted by Naomi Novik 

I know I'm very late to the party with this one but I am so glad that I finally picked it up this year! Uprooted is one of the most magical fantasy books that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It's completely enchanting and I felt like a little girl again reading my favourite fairytale. 

14

Our Song by Dani Atkins 

I read this one way back in February and it has still stuck with me as one of the best books that I've read this year. This is a real weepy about two couples whose lives intertwine when tragedy strikes one winter's night and is perfect for fans of Me Before You. 

13

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo 

This is a book that I can see making so many people's best books lists for this year because it was just that good! Crooked Kingdom was a  brilliant ending to an explosive duology. Leigh is my Queen and I can't help but think that every other YA Fantasy book pales in comparison to this series.

12

13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough 

This is another book that I read way back at the start of the year and was one of the first books that I read in January yet it still stands out to me as one of the best. 13 Minutes is a masterfully crafted YA Thriller that is perfect for fans of Mean Girls and anyone who likes dark and twisted reads.

11

Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven 

This has been a bit of a marmite book this year but I absolutely adored it. It's a gorgeous story that made me cry for no particular reason other than Jennifer Niven's writing is so beautiful. It's such a heartfelt contemporary about finding the courage to be seen for who you really are. 

10

Who’s That Girl? by Mhairi McFarlane 

This book for me is the best women's fiction novel of 2016. It's funny, slick, intelligent and features a heroine who I want so badly to be my best friend. If you haven't read Mhairi McFarlane yet you are seriously missing out. I love how real her heroines feel and how I can always relate to their stories.

9

What's a Girl Gotta Do? by Holly Bourne 

Obviously a Holly Bourne book had to feature somewhere on this list! This is the last book (sort of) in the Spinster Club trilogy and I loved everything about it. It has friendship, feminism, cheesy snacks and everything else you'd expect from this fab series. I am so sad to say goodbye to these characters *sobs* Holly, please write more! 

8

Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes 

I'm not a massive reader of non-fiction but this book literally changed my life after I read it back in March and helped me to achieve things I never thought I would this past year. Shonda Rhimes is a powerhouse of a woman and has some fantastic advice to give in this book about living creatively, being happy and finding the courage to say yes to life's opportunities.

7

Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield 

This is hands down the biggest YA weepy of the year! Paper Butterflies is another book that I can see making a lot of people's top books lists because I don't know a single person who has read this book and not loved it. It's one of those books that leaves you physically feeling like your heart has been broken but is so very important to read. 

6

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur 

 If you'd have told me that a collection of poetry would make it into my top books of 2016 back at the start of the year I would have laughed in your face. Prior to reading Milk and Honey I hadn't read poetry since I was at school but something drew me to this book and I'm so very glad that it did. This is another one of those life changing books that spoke to my soul. I feel like every woman who picks up Milk and Honey will find at least one poem that will speak to her.  

5

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall 

Under Rose-Tainted Skies is an incredibly special and important book to me and is the best book I've read all year about mental health. I related to Norah's struggles with agoraphobia and anxiety so much. This book is unflinching, honest and quietly hopeful and is an absolute must read for anyone living with mental illness. 

4

The Girls by Emma Cline 

I picked up The Girls on a bit of a whim and am so, so glad that I did! I read this book over one hot summers day and was completely astounded by it. The Girls is a painfully honest study on the way girls interact with one another and our desire to please both society and men before ourselves. If you enjoy books about complex women this book is not to be missed! 

3

Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard 

Coming in at number three is Beautiful Broken Things which will come as a surprise to absolutely nobody because I have been raving about this book all year. This is my favourite debut of 2016 and Sara has quickly become one of my favourite authors. Beautiful Broken Things delivered everything that I've been wanting to read in a YA book for the last few years and is a gorgeous story about the power of female friendships. 

2 

The Deviants by C.J. Skuse 

C.J. Skuse is, in my opinion, one of the very best writers for teens out there. The voices of her characters are so authentic and she's been one of my must-read authors for many years now, yet despite knowing all of this, nothing could have prepared me for The Deviants. This book really shows what C.J is capable of with its clever twists, skilled plotting and heart-breaking finale. It's such an accomplished story that I know will stay with me for a long time to come. 

1

The Graces by Laure Eve 

The Graces is the most unique book that I read in 2016 and I loved how different it was to anything else I have read this year. This book blew my mind with its heady writing, intoxicating characters and dark undertones of power and obsession. Thrilling and atmospheric The Graces is so deserving of being my best book of 2016. 

So there you have it, my top 16 books of 2016! 

I'll be back in January ready for a brand new year of reading. 

Here's to another fabulous year of books!

My Top 10 Favourite Books of 2015

Hello everyone and Happy New Year! I'm so excited for a new year of books and blogging to begin but first we have to get out with the old, to get in with the new and so to wrap up my reading for 2015 today I'm sharing with you my top ten favourite books read last year.

I managed to read 123 books so getting it down to 10 was hard and there are so many wonderful books that didn't make this list that I loved too. These ten books aren't necessarily the best, most accomplished, well written books I read this year but rather personal favourites that left a lasting impression on me. I'm going to be counting down in order finishing on my number one favourite book of 2015 so let's get started!

10

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli 

What I loved about Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is that despite being a LGBT book it doesn't feel like a LGBT book and what I mean by that is that this is simply a love story that just happens to be between two guys. There are so many fantastic books out there about coming out and what it's like to be a gay teenager that are so profound and moving and important but with this book the focus was on the romance and I loved the normality of it. This book felt like a turning point in LGBT fiction for me and I adored everything about it. 

 9

Winter by Marissa Meyer 

The Lunar Chronicles is such a fantastic series all round but I think what made Winter especially impressive is how Marissa Meyer managed to tie in four different fairytales into one book giving each of them enough time to wrap up, not only with the plot of Winter, but with their individual stories. Despite this book being a 823 page monster I was constantly gripped by this finale and never wanted it to end. Now that is an accomplishment!

 8

The Murder Most Unladylike Series by Robin Stevens 

I'm totally cheating here and including all three books in this series because I read them all this year and can't choose between them - they are all so good! The Murder Most Unladylike series as a whole is some of the most fun I've had with reading this year. This might be a Middle Grade series but it's so enjoyable for any age group. The series is set in 1934 and follows the adventures of Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong as they start their own detective agency when a murder happens at their boarding school. This is a series that just makes me so happy and I can't wait for the fourth installment in 2016. 

7

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard 

Luckily for you guys Truthwitch is finally out in two days time and I'm so jealous of everyone who has yet to read it! I got to read a US ARC of this back in August and since then I've been obsessed with this book (to put it mildly.) My favourite thing about Truthwitch that I think makes it stand out from all other YA Fantasy out there at the moment is that at the centre of this story is the friendship between two girls Safiya and Iseult. It was so refreshing to see a Fantasty novel with friendship at its heart. Truthwitch is in many ways a celebration of strong female friendship and is such a special book for me.

 6

One by Sarah Crossan 

One is probably the most unique and moving book that I read in 2015. It's the first book that I've read that's written in free verse and I was taken aback by how beautiful I found it to read. One follows Grace and Tippi and their life as conjoined twins. I don't think another book made me cry as hard as this book did last year.

5

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab 

You know those books that completely transport you to somewhere else? So much so that you look up from reading and forget where you are for a moment? Well A Darker Shade of Magic did that for me. I was so caught up in this world of grey, red, white and black that even now I just have to close my eyes and I can imagine it so clearly. V.E. Schwab's writing is astounding and I'm so excited for A Gathering of Shadows to be released this year!

 4

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 

Hello, heartbreak Madeline Miller be thy name. To put it simply this is one of the greatest love stories I've ever read and I can't actually talk about it all that much because I start to cry. Needless to say that this genre isn't my usual hangout but OMG IT DOESN'T MATTER! If you like books at all you need to read this book.

 3

Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne 

Oh, obviously! Seriously, if you know me at all then you'll know that this book was going to make my top ten. I think that out of all of the books on this list Am I Normal Yet? was the one that I had the most personal connection with. This book is about OCD and feminism and it just hit my heart in all the right places. I'm pretty sure that for as long as she keeps writing, Holly's books will make it into my favourites list every year.

 2

The Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson 

Yes, I'm cheating again by including the whole series. Just one? Shut up! You can't make me choose! Ahem. So when I tried to review the first book in this series The Final Empire I stared at a blank space for some time and ended up just typing "Epic" and leaving it at that because this series made all of my words seem worthless and futile when trying to describe it. Brandon Sanderson quickly became my Fantasy King last year and this year I made an actual New Years resolution to "read more Brandon Sanderson" that guy is a freaking word magician and if you like fantasy and haven't read the Mistborn series yet then you are missing out.

 *drum rolls* 

1

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo 

In case you hadn't guessed already from my not-so-subtle hints all over the internetz Six of Crows is my official favourite book of 2015. If you've read the Grisha trilogy Six of Crows is a bit like that, only on steroids. It also includes a brilliant cast of diverse, questionable characters who will become the characters that you care about MOST IN THE ENTIRE WORLD because they are so messed up yet precious. As well as being set in an epic fantasy world and having the best cast of characters of the year, there is also a heist because Leigh obviously didn't feel like this was enough already. Six of Crows was everything I love rolled into one and it's hard to imagine that anything other than the sequel will ever compare to it.

 So there you have it, did any of these books feature in your favourite books of 2015? 

Looking back on this list 2016 has a lot to live up to! Bring it on!

December Round Up and My Favourite Books of 2014

December's Book of the Month is The Girl on the Train 

by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train is one of the first 2015 proofs that I read last year and it absolutely blew me away! 2014 was the year in which I rediscovered my love for adult thrillers and I have to say that The Girl on the Train is up there as one of my favourites next to the likes of Gone Girl and Little Lies. I think that this is going to be one of the big thriller releases for 2015. Luckily you don't have long to wait as it's published on the 15th of this month and my review for it will be up very soon!

Read in December
101.) My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins (4*)
102.) Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates (4*)
DNF - Winterspell by Claire LeGrand
103.) It Must Have Been The Mistletoe by Judy Astley (3.5*)
104.) The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (4.5*)
105.) Can't Look Away by Donna Cooner (4*)
106.) Inspire by Cora Carmack (4*)
107.) Ed Sheeran: A Visual Journey by Ed Sheeran (3*)
108.) Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King (3.5*)

December Book Awards
Best Plot: Inspire by Cora Carmack
Best Writing: My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins
Best Cover: My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins
Best Characters: My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins
Best Ending: Inspire by Cora Carmack
Best Romance: My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins
Most un-put-down-able: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Most Memorable: Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates
Best Moral: Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates

Top 3 Most Recommended Books: The Girl on the Train, Everyday Sexism and My True Love Gave To Me

Books I’m Looking Forward to Being Released/Reading in January 
Alice and the Fly by James Rice
I Was Here by Gayle Forman
Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell
The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes by Anna McPartlin
Vendetta by Catherine Doyle
Breaking The Rules by Katie McGarry
The Last Leaves Falling by Sarah Benwell
The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

Now moving on to my 14 favourite books read in 2014, some yearly awards and the all important 2014 book of the year!

 My Book of the Year for 2014 is Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

It's funny because the first book in this series Daughter of Smoke and Bone was my book of the year back in 2011 and here we are again for the last book in this series. I read a lot of amazing books in 2014 that could easily have won but Dreams of Gods and Monsters (and the whole series in general) is just everything. It has everything I love and look for in books and Laini Taylor's writing is otherworldly in how good it is. One of my highlights for 2014 was actually getting to meet Laini and getting this series signed. She's a lovely lady and a huge talent and this is easily one of the best series I have ever read. Ever.

 My Favourite 14 Books Read in 2014 

(In Order) 

1.) Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor 

2.) The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes 

3.) Little Lies by Liane Moriarty 

4.) Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas 

5.) Half Bad by Sally Green 

6.) Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers 

7.) The Dead Wife's Handbook by Hannah Beckerman 

8.) Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins 

9.) Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch 

10.) A Hundred Pieces of Me by Lucy Dillon 

11.) It's Not Me It's You by Mhairi McFarlane 

12.) To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han 

13.) A Kiss in the Dark by Cat Clarke 

14.) Lobsters by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison 

2014 Book Awards 
Best Plot: Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
Best Writing: Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
Best Cover: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Best Characters: The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
Best Ending: A Hundred Pieces of Me by Lucy Dillon
Best Romance: To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
Most un-put-down-able: Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Most Memorable: Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
Best Moral: A Kiss in the Dark by Cat Clarke

 Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2015 has been good to you so far. 

I'm so excited for a brand new year of books and blogging!

December Round Up and Book of the Month PLUS 2013's Book of the Year!

December's Book of the Month is Past Perfect by Leila Sales

I came down with a cold during the end of December and with my fuzzy head I just wanted to read a really cute contemporary to cheer me up. I ended up picking up Past Perfect and spent the day in bed reading it cover to cover. It was funny, cute and exactly what I needed! I read my first Leila Sales book This Song Will Save Your Life (another book of the month of mine!) earlier this year, I absolutely loved it and wanted to check out Leila's two previous novels. Although Past Perfect was quite different compared to This Song Will Save Your Life in that it was a lighter read I still absolutely loved it. After I finished it I picked up my last Leila Sales book Mostly Good Girls and read that in one day too! Needless to say that Leila Sales is one of my favourite new to me authors of 2013.

*** Not only did I picture Chelsea as a young Zooey Deschanel but this also sums up the book pretty well *** 

Read in December 
104.) The Edge of Always by J.A. Redmerski (3.5*)
105.) Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay (4*)
106.) All The Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry (4*)
107.) Here's Looking At You by Mhairi McFarlane (4*)
108.) These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (3.5*)
109.) Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop by Jenny Colgan (4*)
110.) Past Perfect by Leila Sales (4.5*)
111.) Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales (4*)

December Book Awards
Best Plot: Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay
Best Writing: Here's Looking At You by Mhairi McFarlane
Best Cover: Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales
Best Characters: Past Perfect by Leila Sales
Best Ending: The Edge of Always by J.A. Redmerski
Best Romance: Here's Looking At You by Mhairi McFarlane
Most un-put-down-able: Past Perfect by Leila Sales
Most Memorable: All The Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry
Best Moral: Past Perfect by Leila Sales

Top 3 Most Recommended Books: Past Perfect, Here's Looking At You and All The Truth That's In Me 

Books I’m Looking Forward to Being Released in January 
Salvage by Keren David
Unhinged by A.G. Howard
Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando
Shadowplay by Laura Lam
It Felt Like A Kiss by Sarra Manning
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Vicious by V. E. Schwab

Now moving on to a round up of my books of the month for each month last year, some yearly awards and the all important 2013 book of the year!

 2013's Book of the Year is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell!

2013 was all about the Contemporary genre for me and Fangirl was the brightest star of them all. I fell in love with all of Rainbow's books this year but Fangirl is the one I connected with the most. If you haven't read Fangirl yet or would like to read more of my thoughts check out my review here. 

Here’s a list of each book of the month for 2013 and therefore 12 of my most favourite books of the past year

January – Just One Day by Gayle Forman
February - Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
March - Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
April - Soulmates by Holly Bourne
May - The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
June - Crash by Nicole Williams
July - Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
August - Hurt by Tabitha Suzuma
September - Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
October - This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
November - Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
December - Past Perfect by Leila Sales

2013 Book Awards 
Best Plot: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Best Writing: Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Best Cover: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
Best Characters: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Best Ending: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
Best Romance: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Most un-put-down-able: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Most Memorable: Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Best Moral: This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Top 3 Favourites of 2013: Fangirl, Just One Day and This Song Will Save Your Life

Happy New Year! My year in reading for 2013 was absolutely fantastic and I can't wait to see what books 2014 brings into my life! If you didn't get around to any of my books of the month last year I'd absolutely recommend reading them this year. What was your number one favourite book of 2013 and what are you looking forward to reading in January?

2013 End of Year Book Survey: My Year in Reading and Blogging

Welcome to my last blog post of 2013! I'm going to be taking a well earned break from the blog over Christmas and will be returning early in the new year and what better post to end the year with than Jamie's End of Year Book Survey? I absolutely love survey's and I've had so much fun reflecting on my life in reading and blogging in 2013. This year hasn't been kind to me and my family but books have really pulled me through some difficult times and as a result I've had one of the best years when it comes to books and blogging. Here's to another year of wonderful books in 2014!

1.) Best Book You Read In 2013? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)
I’m going to do my own thing here and share the best book I read each month because I can’t choose even within genres (especially for the best contemporary!)

January – Just One Day by Gayle Forman
February - Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
March - Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
April - Soulmates by Holly Bourne
May - The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
June - Crash by Nicole Williams
July - Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
August - Hurt by Tabitha Suzuma
September - Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
October - This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
November - Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

2.) Book You Were Excited About and Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
Allegiant! I didn’t hate it but it was nowhere near as good as I thought it was going to be. Also The Program by Suzanne Young which I thought sounded fantastic but in the end had too many plot holes. As somebody who has had depression and knows a lot about mental health this book made me angry with how poorly researched it was.

3.) Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?
Mine has to be This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales. I remember reading the synopsis and thinking it sounded okay but I wasn’t hugely fussed about reading it and then a few of my blogger friends were saying how good it was so I decided to give it a go and I’m so glad I did because as you can see it was one of my favourite books of the year!

4.) Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?
Probably a tie between Fangirl, Just One Day and This Song Will Save Your Life. I’ve recommend them all to so many people!

5.) Best series you discovered in 2013?
I discovered so many amazing series this year but my best discovery would have to be the Crash series by Nicole Williams. I was obsessed with this series and read all three books back to back.

6.) Favorite new author you discovered in 2013? 
Rainbow Rowell! I read all three of her books this year and have loved all of them. I’m really looking forward to Landline next year and will read whatever she writes in the future without question. I’ve also loved books by Kasie West, Carole Matthews and Susan Ee - I’m so happy to have discovered them as well!

7.) Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you? 
I’m really bad at reading books outside of my comfort zone mainly because I’m so happy in my little YA/Chick-lit bubble! I’ve really gotten into the New Adult genre this year though which is a new genre I’ve been loving!

8.) Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?
Hands down The 5th Wave! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time with that one.

9.) Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year? 
I’m not a huge re-reader but if I was to re-read a book it would probably be Fangirl because I connected to Cath so much.

10.) Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013? 
Probably, Angelfall. It’s simple but eye catching because it’s different to anything else out there and I absolutely love the colours and effect used.

11.) Most memorable character in 2013?
For me it’s Sturmhond from Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo who is a newly introduced secondary character and he’s so brilliant! He completely stole the show for me.

12.) Most beautifully written book read in 2013?
Gayle Forman’s Just One Day - her writing is absolutely stunning! Warm Bodies is a close second which I never thought I’d say about a zombie novel!

13.) Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
Hands down Just One Day. It has honestly changed my life. I have anxiety, panic attacks and OCD and as a result my life is very controlled and reading this book about the importance of being spontaneous and putting yourself out into the world has made me say yes to so many opportunities this year that I’d usually shy away from.

14.) Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand, when the final book came out earlier this year it was the perfect time to finally pick up this series and I’m so glad that I did! Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian is another book I wish I picked up sooner because I found it so much fun!

15.) Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?
Going back to what I said about Just One Day I have this quote from the book chalked up on a black board in my room to remind me to just say yes, no matter how scared I am.

“Everything is happening all of the time, but if you don’t put yourself in the path of it, you miss it.” – Just One Day by Gayle Forman 

16.) Shortest and Longest Book You Read In 2013?
My shortest that isn’t a novella was Warm Bodies at 240 pages and my longest was Clockwork Princess at 570 pages.

17.) Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers! 
Pretty much the whole of Clockwork Princess I needed to talk about which is why I made a discussion post about it! Also the endings to Undone by Cat Clarke, Hurt by Tabitha Suzuma and Fire With Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian left me in shock.

18.) Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
Romantic: Sydney and Adrian in The Indigo Spell and The Fiery Heart
Friendship: Jem, Will and Tessa in Clockwork Princess
Siblings: Carey and Jenessa from If You Find Me

19.) Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
 Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas and The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater are two sequels that completely blew me away! I liked the first two in both series when I read them last year but in these two sequels both authors completely upped their game!

20.) Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else
Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay which I bought solely because of Sam’s review. I actually hadn’t heard of this book before then and I bought it on her recommendation alone and really enjoyed it!

21.) Genre You Read The Most From in 2013? 
Contemporary YA, which has also been my favourite genre of this year.

22.) Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?
I’ve been introduced to so many swoonworthy book boys this year but the guy who completely stole my heart was Levi from Fangirl. I also have huge crushes on Raffe from Angelfall and Tucker from Unearthly.

23.) Best 2013 debut you read?
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch - such a beautiful and heartbreaking book!

24.) Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?
Probably a tie between Pantomime by Laura Lam and Splintered by A. G. Howard. Laura Lam completely brought life at the circus to life and A.G. Howard took Wonderland and made it her own.

25.) Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?
Geek Girl by Holly Smale and The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah R Miller come to mind for this one. They were two super cute and funny contemporaries that I flew through that left me with a huge smile on my face.

26.) Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?
I’m such a cry baby and if I listed every book that made me cry or nearly cry this year we’d be here all day so I’m tweaking this question to the books that made me cry BUCKETS and they would have to be Clockwork Princess, Undone, If You Find Me and Hurt.

27.) Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?
I’d have to say Pantomime by Laura Lam because it is so different and outside of the blogosphere I haven’t really seen anybody talking about it. Also The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken which although hasn’t been entirely overlooked I think deserves a lot more attention because it’s such a brilliant and unique dystopian and it deserves to be HUGE!

1.) New favorite book blog you discovered in 2013?
I’ve discovered so many amazing book blogs this year and have made some great new blogger friends. The people I’m about to mention have very similar taste in books as I do and I’m regularly checking their blogs for recommendations! Jasprit and Rachel at The Readers Den, Sam at Realm of Fiction, Danielle at What Danielle Did Next, Samantha at The Secret Life of a Bookworm and Casey at Dark Readers. I’ve picked up so many good books because of them and I’m so happy to have discovered their blogs this year!

2.) Favorite review that you wrote in 2013?
Any review for a book that I’ve loved and that meant something to me on a personal level because they are always the hardest to write. So my reviews for Just One Day, Fangirl and This Song Will Save Your Life.

3.) Best discussion you had on your blog? 
I don’t really do many discussion posts on the blog and it’s something I want to get better at. I did do spoiler review/discussions for both Clockwork Princess and Allegiant that had a lot of interaction.

4.) Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?
I loved this discussion that Leanna had on her blog called Has Book Blogging Fallen Out of Fashion?

5.) Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
Hands down meeting John and Hank Green in London at the beginning of the year. They are such an inspiration to me and John is one of my favourite authors so that was fantastic.

6.) Best moment of book blogging/your book life in 2013?
There have been so many highlights this year! I loved having some of my favourite authors on the blog and of course getting my blog makeover. But something that always makes me so proud is when I see a quote from my review in a book especially when it’s for one of my favourite books like The Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo and Dare You To and Crash Into You by Katie McGarry.

7.) Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
Definitely my Clockwork Princess Discussion. It’s actually the second most viewed post on my blog of all time!

8.) Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
Probably my Booking by Numbers Meme a lot of people seemed to enjoy reading it and a few people even did their own post. But I spent such a long time on it and was really proud of it that I wish more people got involved. 

9.) Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
For a book store definitely Foyles in London! I’ve been twice this year and absolutely love it! It has so many US imports as well as being enormous. As for a bookish website I’m so thankful for the Recaptains which, in case you haven’t heard of it, is basically a blog dedicated to recapping books that are part of a series so that you can refresh your memory before reading the new book. It’s such a brilliant idea and has stopped me from putting off many sequels because I couldn’t remember what happened in book one and didn’t have the time to re-read it.

10.) Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I don’t tend to do reading challenges any more because I find that I never stick to them anyway. But for as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to read 100 books in a year, it was even on my bucket list! For the last few years I’ve come really close but never quite made it and this year I finally reached the big 100! I’m so proud of myself and it felt very satisfying to check that off my bucket list!

1.) One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2013 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2014?
I have a whole lot of sequels I need to catch up on! I’m in the middle of so many series and its hard keeping up to date with them all. I also really want to read the Shatter Me series back to back for the first time when Ignite Me comes out next year.

2.) Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2014 (non-debut)?
There are a lot of sequels that I’m anticipating next year and I have a list on my blog here! I’m also really looking forward to Landline by Rainbow Rowell, Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout, The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith and To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han to name a few!

3.) 2014 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
I’m really excited about Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira and The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings.

4.) Series Ending You Are Most Anticipating in 2014? 
Isla and the Happily Ever After – it’s been such a long time coming! And of course City of Heavenly Fire. I have all of the series endings I’m looking forward to on this post.

5.) One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2014?
Number one on my list is to attend more book related or book blogger events. My panic attacks are triggered by public transport, especially travelling alone, and also being in big crowds of people which has made it hard for me to attend events that are usually held in London and I’ve had to turn down so many amazing opportunities. I’m getting a lot better with this though and am going to be saying yes to a lot more things in the new year.

As for reading I’d really like to get around to some older releases that I’ve wanted to read for ages but always seem to get pushed aside for shiny new books or review copies. I’d like to change this habit in 2014.

END

I hope you've had fun reading my answers and if you've done your own version of this survey please leave me a link in the comments as I'd love to check it out! 

Lastly I want to thank each and every one of you for reading and supporting this blog this year and I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas with plenty of books from Santa and a happy new year that holds the promise of lots of exciting new book releases in 2014!

The Merry Christmas Giveaway for a January 2013 Pre-Order!

Hey everyone! This is going to be my last blog post of 2012 and I decided that I wanted to give one of you a Christmas present of a January pre-order from The Book Depository. Here is the list of books you can choose from, one international winner will win one book.

Books You Can Win 
Shades of Earth by Beth Revis (US Hardcover)
Just One Day by Gayle Forman (US Paperback)
Splintered by A. G. Howard (UK Paperback)
Undone by Cat Clarke (UK Paperback)
The First Last Kiss by Ali Harris (UK Paperback)
Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan (UK Paperback)
The Archived by Victoria Schwab (US Hardcover)
Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans (UK Paperback)
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff (UK Paperback)
How We Met by Katy Regan (UK Paperback)
Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes (UK Paperback)
Shadows by Paula Weston (UK Paperback)
Cupcakes at Carrington's by Alexandra Brown (UK Paperback)
The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna (UK Paperback)

Rules 
To enter the giveaway please fill in the Rafflecopter
Giveaway is open to wherever The Book Depository Ships
Please select a book from the list a book not mentioned on the list will not be counted
Giveaway Ends: 5th January 2013
Winner will be contacted by email and will have 1 week to reply else another winner will be selected.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

It’s been another incredible year, Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate! Good luck to you all and I’ll see you in the New Year :)