2018 has been a year. Am I right or am I right? Is it just me that feels like 2018 just kind of steam rolled over me. I am so thankful to A Perpetual Page Turner who always has such amazing book recommendations, but also makes this annual survey. Let’s just take a quick moment to bow down to this amazing-ness. Usually I only do some of this survey, because normally by December I am just done with the year. But this year, you get a special treat. I’ll do it all!
**2018 READING STATS**
Number Of Books You Read: 390
Number of Re-Reads: 0 – I tend to never re-read books actually.
Genre You Read The Most From: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Contemporary
1. Best Book You Read In 2018?
Oh you know I’m going to have to cheat and name all of these favorite books of 2018! By the way none of the books (or I tried) will repeat and ironically I did this category last. So if you’re like, but Lili, you talked forever about this one book where is it, try skipping number one and coming back to it!
SF – It’s hard, I mean I discovered the Murderbot novellas, Medusa Uploaded, the Wayfarers series (Long Way to a Dark Angry Planet, and A Closed Common Orbit)
Fantasy – Such a big tie between The Poppy War and The Obelisk Gate (the entire trilogy really) Ugh Torn was also so good and super underrated. UGH and my first Novik novel with Spinning Silk!
YA SF – Spark of White Fire, Ignite the Stars, Toxic, Mirage,
YA F –Wicked Deep, Labyrinth Lost,
Contemporary – The Leavers
YA Contemporary – Picture Us in the Light
YA Historical Fiction – The Spy with the Red Balloon and The Impossible Girl
Favorite anthology – A Thousand Beginnings and Endings! I was even able to go to the NYC event which almost made me cry.
Also I just want to draw attention to a post I wrote about underrated books of 2018 where I also named books I loved!
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
I wanted to love Beyond the Darkened Shore way more than I thought I would.
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?
I am surprised about how much I adored Assassin’s Guide to Love and Treason as well as My Plain Jane. I know they’re both like classic re-tellings, but SO GOOD!
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?
I really hope I pushed people to read The Astonishing Color of After because I talked forever about it, and it was my top 2018 book, but who really knows. That being said, if you read a book because of a book blogger, always make sure to tell them – it’s the best compliment.
5. Best series you started in 2018? Best Sequel of 2018? Best Series Ender of 2018?
I loved starting Reign of the Fallen and the sequel to The Bone Witch – The Heart Forger! Oh I can’t forget Children of Blood and Bone. And for the series ender, The Storyteller. You know I had to include this gem!
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2018?
Ashley Woodfolk from The Beauty That Remains!
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
I don’t normally read romance, but I adored The Kiss Quotient. Talk about a book I naturally devoured in one whole day.
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
Monday’s Not Coming, I also was so obsessed with Nothing Left to Burn.
9. Book You Read In 2018 That You Would Be MOST Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
I mean, I really don’t re-read books. So I feel like this question wouldn’t be fair to you all.
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2018?
I was immediately drawn in to Mirage with it’s premise and it’s striking cover!
11. Most memorable character of 2018?
Bijan you precious cinammon roll from Here to Stay another one is Ia from Ignite the Stars
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2018?
What I really loved about The Light Between Worlds was how much longing and yearning you could feel from the pages. I also have such a soft spot for YA books with poetry so you know I loved The Poet X.
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2018?
So this is actually a 2019 release, but I had to change my mind and put down Ruse. I have been having such a hard year and one where I felt lost and kind of hopeless. But Ruse reminded me why we resist and how important having support is.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2018 to finally read?
Three Dark Crowns. I won’t even have the review posted until 2019 LOL
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2018?
I only recently started taking screenshots of quotes I liked, because normally they got lost inside of Kindle notes. So this is only in the last few months, and only physical books. So just keep that in mind!
“Everything I know, I learned from stories” (Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix).
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2018?
Hildafolk by Luke Pearson and The Order War by L.E. Modesitt Jr
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
The ending of Heart of Thorns and Furyborn definitely make the top of this list.
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
OMG where do I even start? Maybe Claire and Tess from Ship it or Alice and Takumi from Let’s Talk About Love.
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
I have a post all about books that deal with Friendship, but definitely all of those – Deepest Roots, This is What it Feels Like, Undead Girl Gang, Darius the Great is Not Okay, and Beneath the Citadel, Oh and that gang of characters from Shadow of the Fox!
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2018 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
Price Guide to the Occult (I already read The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender)
21. Best Book You Read In 2018 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure/Bookstagram, Etc.:
By far, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Main props to Wordwonders for always hyping this book up. But also, WHY this book destroyed me.
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2018?
Black Wings Beating Mostly because Kylee is most definitely my squish.
23. Best 2018 debut you read?
There are so many fabulous debuts, but I don’t want to repeat from other categories, so I’d love to name Girls of Paper and Fire which was absolutely stunning. And is a favorite in it’s own right in my own heart.
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
Anna Marie McLemore’s books always have the most vivid world building and it’s always gorgeous. Blanca y Roja is no exception.
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
I loved reading All of This is True. It just made completely engrossed me on so many levels.
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2018?
So many books made me cry. Anger is a Gift
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
Emergency Contact, American Panda, Girl in the Grove, Sawkill Girls, The Brilliant Death, Summer of Salt, Heart of Mist,
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
Heart of Iron crushed my soul and that ending, Um hello!
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2018?
I really loved the premise in Little White Lies.
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
Oh After the Fire made me so mad, but I really loved it. I loved how complex it was, how Hill lets us make up our own minds.
1. New favorite book blog/Bookstagram/Youtube channel you discovered in 2018?
I have discovered so many, but the one that has brought me the most joy has been The Quiet Pond because it has more than just books and the graphics are just so gorgeous. Plus it has the same great content as before! It also has corgi wallpapers and beautiful illustrations. I also want to shout out Lily from Sprinkles of Dreams because she has been a new blogger friend to me this year! There’s so many favorites from last year and constant friends like Fadwa, Laura, Rachel and I have collaborated more in 2018, and Ensconced in YA, Polish and Paperbacks, Caro!
2. Favorite post you wrote in 2018?
This is so tough, but I think it has to be My Recent Friendship Favorites. This is one of the rare posts in 2018 that I just had the inspiration to make and got together some of my favorite books with friendship as a theme. And it came together wonderfully. I have others ongoing in the works about necromancy (duh), books with animals in it, and more!
3. Favorite bookish related photo you took in 2018:?
This is by far my favorite Bookish photo, and also enamel pin photo.
4. Best bookish event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, etc.)?
Oh gosh, this is so hard! I had such a good blogging year. I was able to speak on a panel at BlogboundCon which feels unreal in so many ways. I was also able to attend BEA for the first time as a media person which was beyond cool. Extremely tiring and not at all good for my suitcases, but it was such a thrilling time. I also got to know a lot of great book bloggers through that (and go to my first Fierce Reads event!). This week was such a fabulous time, super stressful, but 100% worth it.
5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2018?
I think speaking on the panel may have been it. Like it felt so satisfying to know that people wanted to hear what I had to say. Even though I was dry humored and nervous. It felt gratifying and fulfilling. I was also able to meet a fan in real life too! Like this may sound super braggy, but it brought my whole blogging time to a feel when I saw someone, a complete stranger, who reads my blog (but who is an awesome bookseller and book advocate – and person overall. Hi Mike!) and I saw them at Book Con. It was like – wait, so people, real strangers, actually care about what I have to say? I see the numbers of followers and I think, wow this is amazing. And I interact with them, but seeing them, one of them, in real life, just made it so real to me.
6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?
I have taken on too much. As you can tell by how many books I read this year. I let my blogging life sort of take over my whole life. Part of this was because I used it as an escape and coping mechanism. But the other is that I threw myself into this hobby that I could more easily control when I felt like my life was spiraling out of control in so many ways.
7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
My January Book Hop had the most comments, but the one that had the most comments with a little substance was the Make Me Read A Thon where you were all able to vote which books I had to read.
8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
I put a lot of time into my 34 Books I’m Excited for in 2019 and my Asian (American) Authors for 2019 posts.
9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
I have been doing a lot of discovery of enamel pins this year. This year was the enamel pin, pre-order campaigns, and bookish swag year. I have to shout out: Iron and Ink, Dreamy and Co, & Read and Wonder. And of course Mike and Novelknight for always making sure I know about the best pre-order campaigns.
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I know I had challenges, but I cannot find them. Look at me being a bad book blogger. I mean I’m sure one of them was Netgalley/Edelweiss, which I read a ton of. Hopefully in 2019 I’ll be better about knowing this stuff. I know have a bullet journal, so that’s something right?
1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2018 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2019?
I have so many! Prepare for all the guilt 2019!
- For a Muse of Fire
- Zero Sum Game
- Unbury Carol
- And I am going to stop being guilty
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2019 (non-debut)?
I know I think so many of these questions are hard, but gosh, if they just don’t get more agonizing! Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo is high on the list and probably a billion others I am forgetting. I wrote a post of both Asian (American) Books to look forward to and just in general 2019 books to look forward to if you really wanna know.
3. 2019 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
Descendant of the Crane! Chinese Fantasy meets Game of Thrones, HELL YES!
4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2019?
Soul of Stars by Ashley Poston. My Anastasia obsessed heart needs answers.
5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2019?
I hope I can have more perspective and not let my blog over run my life this year. I also would love to find a job. Both totally attainable goals right? shaking in my boots
6. A 2019 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone (if applicable):
I have to link you to the two posts I mentioned above, the 34 books released in 2019 I’m looking forward to, because I think out of like 34 I’ve read over half and so that can you tell you, in a sentence, why I loved it!
I LOVE this tag! Great answers!! Happy 2019!
Happy 2019 too!!!