Tuesday, December 30, 2014

2014 End-of-the-Year Bookish Wrap-Up

So this year I decided the only reading challenge I was going partake in was the Goodreads one, and though I made my goal low on purpose, I must say I—
(I could not pass up the opportunity to use this gif. Found here)
At the writing of this post (Dec 30, 4:00pm), I have read 96 books of my 50 book goal! *happy dance* Last year I read 58 books, so it looks like my experiment to see if I read more when not participating in reading challenges was quite successful. And though there are many 2015 challenges that look super fun, I think I'm going to stick with this no challenges thing (Okay, I might do the PopSugar reading challenge.) and see if I can make it to an even 100 next year.
(I am both Haymitch and Katniss in this gif. Found here)
Now some stats! (As per usual, all covers & book titles are linked to Goodreads.)

Top 10 favorite books of 2014 overall (excludes re-reads, bc those are obvious faves):
Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Sisters' Fate by Jessica Spotswood
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Defy by Sara B Larson
The Ring and the Crown by Melissa de la Cruz
Erased by Jennifer Rush
Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

(Okay, I made this list without looking at the covers and the order was completely random O_O) (Also, I apparently really like green and pink/red books.)

Honorable mentions:
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare & Holly Block
Death Sworn by Leah Cypess
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins

(More pink and green books!)

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No. of series-enders read: 11
Top 3 favorites:
Books read:
Wild by Sophie Jordan
Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins
Shatter by Erin McCarthy
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Sisters' Fate by Jessica Spotswood
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
Breakable by Tammara Webber
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
The Good Neighbors: Kind by Holly Black & Ted Naifeh
Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales: Resolve by Melissa Marr & Xian Nu Studio

(It was really hard to choose my Top 3; there were so many good endings this year!)

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No. of stand-alones read: 10
Top 3 favorites:
Books read:
Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Promise of Shadows by Justina Ireland
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
Curses and Smoke: A Novel of Pompeii by Vicky Alvear Shecter
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols
Steel by Carrie Vaughn
The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle

(Another category that was hard to narrow down to my Top 3, all were quite good.)

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No. of 2014 debuts read: 6
Favorite:
Books read:
Defy by Sara B Larson
Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne
The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare (Their MG debut)
Boomerang by Noelle August
The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
The Falconer by Elizabeth May (I read the UK edition, which came out Sept '13, but the US debut was in 2014, so I'm counting it.)

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No. of graphic novels read: 7
Favorite:
Books read:
The Good Neighbors: Kin by Holly Black & Ted Naifeh
The Good Neighbors: Kith by Holly Black & Ted Naifeh
The Good Neighbors: Kind by Holly Black & Ted Naifeh
The Exile by Diana Gabaldon & Hoang Nguyen
- Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales: Sanctuary by Melissa Marr & Xian Nu Studio
Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales: Challenge by Melissa Marr & Xian Nu Studio
Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales: Resolve by Melissa Marr & Xian Nu Studio

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No. of non-fiction read: 1
- Sea Queens: Women Pirates Around the World by Jane Yolen

(Picked it up for Anne Bonny and Mary Read, but all the "sea queens" were interesting. Lady Pirates FTW!)

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No. of ebooks read: around 18

(I don't always record ebook reads on GR, so that # is based on what I did record.)

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No. of re-reads: 13
Top 3 favorites:
Books (re)read:
Poison Study by Maria V Snyder
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Tithe by Holly Black
Rule by Jay Crownover (I re-read this 2x in 2014)
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas
The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J Maas

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And that was my year in books. Did you guys make end-of-the-year lists? Link or tell me in the comments! I'd love to see what books I might've missed this year!
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