2016 End of the Year Book Survey

This survey was created by Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner

Number Of Books You Read: 69 but currently working on #70.
Number of Re-Reads: 12

1. Best Book You Read In 2016?
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. It's a 2017 debut so I'm going to also mention This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. I actually DNF it.

3. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?

I have two, Sarina Bowen and Laura Griffin. I read Sarina's Brooklyn Bruisers series, Rookie Move and Hard Hitter and I'm LOVE! As for Laura, she took me back to one of my old fave, romantic suspense with the Tracers series.

4. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
Any books from the Tracer series by Laura Griffin. I could devour them within a few hours.

5. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?
This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills - SOOOO pretty.

6. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

7. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read?
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo . Better late than never is what I'm going to say.

8.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?
Shortest: Our Love Unhinged by Brighton Walsh - 88 pages

Longest: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas - 624 pages

9. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills

10. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?
The Darkling from The Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo.

11. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.

12. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 

13. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills

14. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

15. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

Get a Clue by Jill Shalvis. Nope. I did not like it. Not one bit.

1. Favorite review that you wrote in 2016?

Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry. I don't know exactly why but I loved this review.

2. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
Let's Chat Non-Bookish Edition: In Which I Talk Gilmore Girls Revival

3. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

Trying to keep the content fresh but also to learn how to not burnout from blogging.

4. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
Review + Giveaway: Beautiful by Christina Lauren

5. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
Bookish Girl in the Kitchen

6. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

I did! I wrote all about it here.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2016 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2017?
I'm totally cheating here but I'm counting them because they are all series sequels/enders. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor and Crooked Kingdoms by Leigh Bardugo.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2017 (non-debut)?
I don't actually have one! I've been trying to get through my TBR pile that I've stopped looking ahead. Book blogger fail, I know.

3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
Same as above. Eeek!

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017?
Get a better handle of scheduling my posts. I want to be better than typing it up the night or hour beforehand.

6. A 2017 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone?
Yes, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. When it comes out, Imma need everyone to GO READ THIS BOOK. ASAP.

Review: This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills

This Adventure Ends
Author: Emma Mills
Release Date: October 4, 2016
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Review by: Jenn

Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed.

5 stars out of 5 stars

*I received an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.*

I LOVED this book. I loved the relationships that Emma Mills explored, the witty banter, the drama, the characters themselves, EVERYTHING. I thoroughly enjoyed Emma Mills' First & Then but this book made her an author to look for. I need to see more people talking about this book!

• Sloane is super sarcastic, always has a smart retort in hand, loyal to a fault and I loved being in her head. I love her relationship with her family but more specifically with her father. I love how they seem to share this special bond and shared interests with the other and how easily she can depend on him. 
• The secondary characters! I love each and every one of them. Vera, Gabe, and Remy were some of the most interesting and awesome friends and I actually wanted more story time from them. I love their relationship with each other and how loyal they are to one another and to Sloane. 
• The actual story has this sort of slow, quiet feel to it but I think it works so well for Sloane and the characters. Since it kind of slow and tentative, the love story developed just like that as well. However, what I also loved about this book, it's that it is not just a love story, it's a story about friendships and family and how far you're willing to go for them. 

I can't wait to see what Emma Mills writes next because I have definitely become a fan of hers. I am going to go around recommending her books to everyone I know because, gosh, they're just so good! Go pick up This Adventure Ends already!

Favorite Friday (#61): This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills

Have a favorite book? Series? One that you've just read or are currently reading? Favorite Friday is a bi-monthly meme hosted by Books and Swoons where we spotlight some of our Favorite Reads. Everyone is welcome to join. Just enter your information on the linky or leave us a comment!

This week pick is: This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills.

Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Jenn fell in love with Sloane and her sense of humor. The relationship between father and daughter was always amusing and just plain sweet. Sloane's friendship with Vera, Gabe, and Remy, it was interesting in seeing how they all developed and how they all became such good friends. A new fave YA contemporary author!

About the author:

Emma Mills is a debut author better known to her subscribers as vlogger Elmify. She is also cocreator and cohost of the "life skills" channel How to Adult.

           Author's links: Website / Goodreads / Twitter 

I hope you can join us in sharing and talking about some of your favorite reads. Book talk always makes us happy. 

What is one of your favorite reads?

Review: First & Then by Emma Mills

First & Then
Author: Emma Mills
Release Date: October 13 , 2015
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Source: ALA AC 2015
Review by: Jenn

Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.

Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights in this contemporary novel about falling in love with the unexpected boy, with a new brother, and with yourself.

4.5 stars out of 5 stars

If you don't want to see the video, I'll just give you a quick rundown of what I talked about:

• SOOO GOOD. 
• Devon, our main character, has a wonderful story arc.
• Foster, her quirky cousin, is the best.
• I love how the love story plays out. It feel real and authentic. 
• GO BUY AND READ THIS BOOK so I have someone to talk about it with.