2012 End of Year Book Survey

1. Best book you read in 2012?

I gave the following books five stars on Goodreads:

• Seven Days to a Brand New Me by Ellen Conford
• Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
• Go the Fuck to Sleep by Adam Mansbach
• Claudia and Mean Janine by Raina Telgemeier
• The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan
• The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t?

Eve & Adam by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant. Love Katherine Applegate, but this one wasn’t really my cuppa.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012? 

Claudia and Mean Janine by Raina Telgemeier, only because The Truth about Stacey was always my favorite BSC book, so the fact that I liked Claudia’s story more in graphic novel form surprises me every time.

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?

Probably The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. I told almost all of my classes that I read it and liked it.

Oh, and I got both of my parents to read The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey.

5. Best series you discovered in 2012?

The BSC graphic novels are kind of cheating, even if they are amazing. Soooo, I guess I’ll have to go with Saving Francesca/The Piper’s Son since they’re companion books. And word on the street is a third book is on the way.

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?

Melina Marchetta. I did read Jellicoe Road back when it came out, but with Saving Francesca, I legit fell in love.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

The Count of Monte Cristo. (a) It’s super long. (b) It’s classic literature.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?

The first and last thirds of The Count of Monte Cristo.

Saving Francesca, for different reasons.

9. Book you read in 2012 that you are most likely to re-read next year?

None. Not a big re-reader.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012?

 

11. Most memorable character in 2012? 

Grandpa Noirtier from The Count of Monte Cristo. So badass, so amazing.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?

Probably a tie between Saving Francesca and Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012? 

Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover. I have an emergency fund! I’m about to start paying down my debt! So…yeah.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read?

Kristy’s Great Idea only because, seriously, it was on my shelf for way too long.

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2012?

If I can only pick one, it’s got to be this one from Code Name Verity:

It’s like being in love, discovering your best friend.

But I’m trying to figure out a way to work this quote from Saving Francesca into a conversation one day:

“Go away,” he orders. “Rehearse the part where Lady Macbeth throws herself off the balcony.”

16. Shortest & longest book you read in 2012?

Not counting picture books, the shortest was The Enchanted Truth by Kym Petrie. Longest was Count of Monte Cristo.

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!

Yeah, so I was totally texting my friend Jasmine during Count of Monte Cristo. I may have live tweeted it a bit, too.

18. Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc)?

Queenie & Maddie from Code Name Verity, the friendships and familial relationships in Saving Francesca & The Piper’s Son, Claire & Einar in Son, Vera and her dad in Please Ignore Vera Dietz

19. Favorite book you read in 2012 from an author you read previously?

Saving Francesca, The Lover’s Dictionary

20. Best book you read that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else?

None of the books I read count. The closest one is The Count of Monte Cristo because of Revenge and my friend Jasmine talking about her re-read of the book.