End of year book survey

So this year I've decided to participate in Jamie from The Perpetual Page Turner's end of year survey for the first time! I had a lot of fun doing this and will definitely do it next year too.

Best Books in 2012

  
1. Best Book You Read In 2012?

I'm going to do a best books read post later on, but for now I will say either Anna and the French Kiss OR The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

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

The Fault in our Stars by John Green. I thought I would love it but...I didn't. Two Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt as well. Both got 3 stars off me.

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

I Capture the Castle by Dodi Smith. Wasn't sure if it was my thing, ADORED IT.

 4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?

Ha well, I worked in a book shop in the run up to Christmas and the book I recommend most professionally was the Percy Jackson series. I just love them and they are perfect for everyone. I probably recommended Sarah Rees Brennan to most people outside of work though! SRB is ma fave. 

 5. Best series you discovered in 2012?

Oooh the Ally Carter books for sure! I am obsessed with Gallagher Girls and Heist Society!! I also really loved The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan and The Poison Study series by Maria V. Snyder

 6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?

Echoing the above question, Ally Carter. Also Maria V. Snyder, will definitely read more of her books, I've already bought Touch of Power. And Brenna Yovanoff, cause I really enjoyed Smoulder

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

Hmmm. Anna and the French Kiss was out of my comfort zone when I read it, cause I didn't really read any romance-y contemp books, but NOW I DO BECAUSE I LOVE THEM AGAIN. More recently, all the fantasy I've been reading (The False Prince, Poison Study, Black Magician Trilogy, Game of Thrones) as it was a less-read genre for me.

 8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. Oh, how I love that book. And Out of Sight, Out of Mind by Ally Carter.

 9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year:

Anna and the French Kiss I hope...and Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan if I don't finish my re-read it at the end of this year, and probably The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer too.

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

 It's just so...*happy sigh*

No seriously, I think it's beautiful and interesting and mysterious and I just adore it.

11. Most memorable character in 2012? 

Noah Shaw. Noah freaking Shaw. And Angela and Rusty from Unspoken, they are hilarious. Akkarin from The Black Magician Trilogy...

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?

Ooooooh. Erm, I though Smoulder by Brenna Yovanoff was really beautifully written, but probably Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.

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

Again, Jellicoe Road just resonated with me....The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer had a massive impact just because of how obsessed by it I was...

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

Jellicoe Road for SURE, why did I put it off?? It was perfect! And The Black Magician Trilogy, it's been out FOREVER.

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012? 

SIGH THERE'S LIKE A MILLION OMG. But maybe these in particular:

“In my rush, I hadn't tied my shoelaces. Noah was now tying them for me.
He looked up at me through his dark fringe of lashes and smiled. The expression on his face melted me completely. I knew I had the goofiest grin plastered on my lips, and didn't care.
"There," he said as he finished tying the laces on my left shoe. "Now you won't fall."
Too late.” 
-The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

“Wait," I said as Noah slipped a book from a shelf and headed toward the door. "Where are you going?"
"To read?"
But I don't want you to.
"But I need to go home," I said, my eyes meeting his. "My parents are going to kill me."
"Taken care of. You're at Sophie's house."
I loved Sophie.
"So I'm...staying here?"
"Daniel's covering for you."
I loved Daniel.
"Where's Katie?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"Eliza's house."
I loved Eliza.
"And your parents?" I asked.
"Some charity thing."
I loved charity.
"So why are you going to read when I'm right here?” 
-The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

“What's with what you're wearing?" Griggs asks while we stand outside waiting for the others.
"It's pretty hideous, isn't it?" I say.
"Don't force me to look at it," he says. "It's see-through."

That kills conversation for a couple of seconds.” 
  -Jellicoe Road

“I'm very disturbed to find out that the leader of the Townies has a soul and I'm beginning to develop a bit of a crush on him.” 
-Jellicoe Road

“Hark,” he said, his tone very dry. “What stone through yonder window breaks?”
Kami yelled up at him, “It is the east, and Juliet is a jerk!”
Jared abandoned Shakespeare and demanded, “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Throwing a pebble,” said Kami defensively. “Uh… and I’ll pay for the window.”
Jared vanished and Kami was ready to start shouting again, when he reemerged with the pebble clenched in his fist. “This isn’t a pebble! This is a rock.”
“It’s possible that your behaviour has inspired some negative feelings that caused me to pick a slightly overlarge pebble,” Kami admitted.”  
-Unspoken

“Why are you putting on lip gloss, my daughter?" Dad asked ." Trip to the library? Trip to the nunnery? I hear the nunneries are nice this time of year."
 "Not a date; I still remember Claud," Rusty said, and grabbed her ankle. " I forbid it."
 "You introduced me to Claud," Kami pointed out.
 "I'm a bad person," Rusty mumbled. "I do bad things."
 "Is this true, Kami? Are you going out on a date?" Dad asked tragically. "wearing that? Wouldn't you fancy a shapeless cardigan instead? You rock a shapeless cardigan honey.” 
-Unspoken
  
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012? 

Longest — Game of Thrones...omg. 800+ pages? (If I finish it...) or erm City of Lost Souls was pretty long.
Shortest — Tempting the Best Man by J.Lynn, more of a novella, really.

 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!

Like, all the endy bit of Anna and the French Kiss, I was squealing all over Twitter to Liz about it!

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

All the relationships in Unspoken, Sarah Rees Brennan does them perfectly, always. The family relationship in All These Things I've Done I really liked too.

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously

Ha, again Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan, tied with The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (also really loved The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan)

20. Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:

The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan, recommended by my friend Laura. You were so right Laura, SO RIGHT.

Looking Ahead…

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2012 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2013?

Hmmm. I really wanted to read The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge and The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (I know, appalling, I started it and never finished.)

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?

ALL THE BOOKS. Clockwork Princess by Cassie Clare, Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan, 2nd book in The Raven Boys Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, The new Night Huntress book by Jeanniene Frost, Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin, The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (latter 2 aren't released here till 2013)

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2013?

I'd like to try and post consistently with fewer breaks, and more interaction with other bloggers, especially those also based in the UK. I'd like to read at least 100 new books, get my TBR pile down and carry on reading a wider variety of books. 

And there we go! Have you guys completed one of these? If so, link me!! Look out for my posts soon which will have my top ten reads of 2012 amongst other listy-type posts!