It's that time again! Time to look back over everything I've read this year and take a look at the good, the bad, and the meh. Big thank you to Perpetual Page Turner for this end of year survey - you can take a look at hers by clicking here.
Number Of Books You Read: 29 Number of Re-Reads: 0 Genre You Read The Most From: Fantasy, to no one's surprise!
I was intrigued and remember someone making pie charts last year (sorry I can't remember who!) so thought I'd give it a go this year...I read more genres than I expected, but the categories don't surprise me at all.
1. Best Book You Read In 2020?
Looking at how I've rated books through the year, the winner should be one of the five star reads...but to tell the truth, I have to pick The Gentleman of Moscow by Amor Towles. It was absolutely stunning and I think it will stay with me for a long time.
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
Cinderella is Dead had such potential and it massively let me down. The world-building just didn't exist, making the whole thing feel a bit flat.
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?
Possibly The Deep by Rivers Solomon. I enjoyed it, it was okay, but the ending definitely surprised me and it wasn't what I expected at all. I can't really explain why, but I suppose I wasn't expecting such pain and rejection.
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?
I'm not sure I've recommend much this year, but I would push everyone to read Cemetery Boys. I know it won't be everyone's things but it is so sweet, represents a culture beautifully, and talks about queerness in a way not many books I have read have done before.
5. Best series you started in 2020? Best Sequel? Best Series Ender of 2020?
Ohhh I've gone for a surprising amount of series this year, though I'm not sure I've finished many...Best series I've started is Daughters of Nri, an incredible African fantasy and I can't wait for the sequel!
As for the best sequel? Has to be something from The Witcher series. Inspired by the Netflix series (and my boyfriend) I started the books and have only got three left! I couldn't pick one but they all build on the last book so brilliantly.
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2020?
Tough question but either Natalie Haynes (after reading A Thousand Ships) or Aiden Thomas (again, Cemetery Boys. Go read it).
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. This book is all over bookstagram and dark academia accounts but it looked like one of those "thought-provoking" books that aren't actually good and just leave you with a lot of questions. The Goldfinch certainly left me with a lot of questions, but it was a brilliant journey to go on.
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
The Cousins, the latest Karen McManus mystery thriller! Such a good mystery, I cannot tell you how excited I was for this one. McManus has mystery writing perfected and this was the best yet!
9. Book You Read In 2020 That You Would Be MOST Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
As ever, I don't re-read books often and certainly not the year after I read it. However, I have just bought a beautiful copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray, one of my favourite books. I lost my copy so figured I would buy a nice one this time round and I may have to reread it once it arrives!
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2020?
Daughters of Nri has the most stunning cover. The gold accents on the black skin, the power in the characters' eyes, everything about it is perfection.
11. Most memorable character of 2020?
Two options here: Julian from Cemetery Boys and Alex from Red, White, and Royal Blue. Both are queer characters so this might have something to do with it to be fair...
Julian is an absolute sweetheart and I will forever love him for his fierce loyalty and genuine care. That moment with the yearbook is everything to me.
Alex is just as chaotic in many ways, but he also means a lot to me as the first bi main character I have read. He is also very relatable and I fall somewhere between Alex and Henry so that book means a lot to me.
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2020?
The Gentleman of Moscow. Without question. I didn't know what I was getting into when I started it but it is absolutely stunning. In fact, you can read more about my thoughts on it by clicking here.
13. Most Thought-Provoking/Life-Changing Book of 2020?
Okay can I say The Gentleman of Moscow again? I know, I know, I shouldn't say the same book for every question but this book was brilliant and genuinely the most thought-provoking thing I read this year.
Coming back on this, I realise that most of my reads this year were very light-hearted or high-fantasy....what can I say, 2020 needed escapism.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2020 to finally read?
I looked through the publications dates of the books and there's some that are fairly old (The Witcher for example) but nothing that I with I had read earlier to be honest. Good Omens is the only one that I'm surprised I hadn't read earlier since I watched the series as soon as it came out.
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2020?
Jesus, this is a question that I really have to consider. I barely remember by favourite quotes so to pick from 30 books...wow.
The only notable quote I wrote down in my reading log is from Sword in the Stars, and it's pretty good...
"Terror might be a natural reactions to a dark and unexpected universe, but at a certain point, giving in to it became a selfish way to live."
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2020?
Shortest:
The Deep, by Rivers Solomon .166 pages and a lot of questions.
Longest:
The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt at a whopping 867 pages
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
The Sword in the Stone definitely shocked me...not in an entirely good way either. The time travel was obviously going to mess with things, but the familial relationships which were revealed really surprised me. I didn't love it, either, as it kind of took away from the friendships that had been developed (in my opinion, at least!).
18. OTP Of the Year (you will go down with this ship!)
Julian and Yadriel from Cemetery Boys. They are the sweetest boys and I just want the best for them always.
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
Ari and Merlin from Once and Future. They were big cuties and I loved their relationship in the first book! The second one less so, but I thought their friendship was great.
Oh! Also Aziraphale and Crowley! But then again, I kinda think they would be perfect in a romantic relationship soooo that's up to the reader.
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2020 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
The Cousins by Karen McManus. I have all of her books and this was definitely the best.
21. Best Book You Read In 2020 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure/Bookstagram, Etc.:
I'd say a good 60% of my books are now from bookstagram but The Flatshare was definitely influenced by recommendations from some of the people I follow - and they were right to recommend it!
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2020?
Geralt. Or Jaskier. But book Jaskier isn't as good as TV show Jaskier. And mostly I like Geralt because have you seen Henry Caville? Yeah. Pretty in love with both of them.
23. Best 2020 debut you read?
I know I keep going back to it, but Cemetery Boys. I actually only read two debuts this year and it as by far the superior.
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
Ummm...is it too much if I saw Cemetery Boys here too?
Lancelot by Giles Kristian would also be up there, just to throw in a different book for a change. It's very easy for me to picture medieval settings, especially as it was set in England. Lancelot was very alive for me and balanced settings and character descriptions well.
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
Easily Red, White, and Royal Blue. It meant a lot to me, but not because it was thought-provoking or new to me, just because it was so fun and cliché and a love story that was kind of high stakes but never felt like it wouldn't work out.
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2020?
Oh my god I cry at everything. Lancelot, Out of Love, Cemetery Boys, A Thousand Ships. It really isn't hard to make me cry!
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
The Beauty and The Beast. Strange choice, I know, but I was gifted the stunning Mina Lima edition so whilst the story wasn't anything new, it was absolutely beautiful. Looking through my list of 2020 books, it's one that could easily be overlooked but was brilliant to read, hence it winning Hidden Gem of the Year!
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
Even as I type this I'm surprised at my answer, but Lancelot. I know the story of Arthur, I know it is a tragedy no matter what version you're reading, and I knew it was sad because my boyfriend cried when he read it (this was revalatory for me - I've never known him cry at fiction). And yet that ended still left me speechless.
Partially because I thought I had another 50 pages to go and instead it just ended. I was not pleased.
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2020?
Out of Love by Hazel Hayes: a love story told backwards. It wasn't quite as good as I wanted it to be, but it was a really interesting way to read about relationships and asks some very poignant questions about becoming comfortable in relationships, putting yourself first, and how people change.
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you
didn’t like it)?
Also probably Lancelot. Along with it making me cry, the lack of communication between Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot of genuinely frustrating and I often wanted to shout at them all to just talkkkkkk.
1. New favorite book blog/Bookstagram/Youtube channel you discovered in 2020?
Joel from Fictional Fates. He is a lot of fun and his outfits really inspire me. Check his Insta here and his YouTube here!
2. Favorite post you wrote in 2020?
I don't think they're my best posts ever, but I enjoyed "I lost my first job to coronavirus" and "Starting a new job durng a pandemic". They were quite personal and I'm glad I have a way to track the way things changed for me through the year. Like most people, 2020 changed a lot of things and it's amazing to look back and see how far I've come in such a strange and trying year.
3. Favorite bookish related photo you took in 2020?
Well I changed my theme this year, in about the final third of the year and I have really enjoyed changing things up and feel it's improved things a lot. Sooooo my favourite is....
4. Best bookish event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, etc.)?
Honestly I'm not sure I've ever taken part in these things, and this year most of them have been cancelled or delayed. In fact, my first book club meeting got cancelled this year. I am, however, looking forward to my first readalong in January!
5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2020?
I never thought I would be the person celebrating this, but, along with everyone else on Instagram, I've been experimenting with mking reels. I've really enjoyed it and one video unexpectedly got over 500 views which was really nice!
6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?
The most challenging thing this year has been balancing blogging with my new job. Although you would think more time at home, especially working from home, would offer me more time to blog, but to tell the truth I've found it harder than before. I'm a copywriter for my full time job so writing more when I've finished does not excite me unless I already have inspiration.
7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
My review of Out of Love actually got the most views this year, which doesn't entirely surprise me considering it was written by a YouTuber and probably had a wider audience.
8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
I actually don't mind how much love any of it got. I don't get many views so any love is much appreciated!
9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
Hive! I absolutely love Hive, it's a way to support your local bookstores and shop online. When you can't get to them - i.e. most of this year - or they don't have the book you're looking for, it's a brilliant invention to still support them rather than buying from Amazon all the time.
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
Well my target for this year was 28 books - and I've just finished my 29th so yes, I have completed my goodreads goal for the year! Next year I think I'll aim for 30, and maybe even try some Instagram reading challenges.
1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2020 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2021?
The end of The Witcher series! I got through so many of them and I want to finish them ASAP!
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2021 (non-debut)?
I am really excited for Lore by Alexandra Bracken. It sounds incredible and the cover look stunning! Definitely need to get on that as soon as it's out.
3. 2021 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
I've seen a lot of exciting talk about Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide. It's promoted as "Gossip Girl meets Get Out"...neither of which I have seen/read so I don't know if that makes it more exciting or not but it still sounds great!
4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2021?
Not that I've read the rest of them, but I'm excited for another Wayward Children book. I promise I will get to them soon but that doesn't mean I'm not thrilled about the fact there is more!
5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2021?
There are a couple of things I'd love to accomplish next year, but the two big ones are reaching 500 followers on Instagram. I think I have got better with the platform, but there's a lot to explore still and I want to push myself.
The other is to blog more frequently about things that aren't just reviews. Not sure how that one will go but I'm excited nevertheless.