End of 2012 Book Survey

You might think I'd be sick of "Best Of" lists after last week, but you'd be wrong! ;)

Last year I took part in Jamie's end of the year book survey, and this year I'm happy to be doing so again.

(Graphic is Jamie's; image links back to her post)

Best in Books

1. Best Book You Read In 2012? (You can break it down by genre if you want)
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay, hands down.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
A Need So Beautiful because it seems like everyone loves it, but I just wasn’t impressed. Secret Letters because the concept sounded epic, but I found the delivery to just be so-so.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012?
Onyx! While I liked Obsidian, I didn’t see what the big deal was. Avery convinced me that Onyx was epic and way better than Obsidian, and she was right. First I re-read Obsidian and I liked it more the second time around, and when I read Onyx I totally loved it.

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?
Well, I always recommend Jellicoe Road and pimp it out to everyone. Besides that, probably Come See About Me or The Sea of Tranquility.

5. Best series you discovered in 2012?
Well, I didn’t discover it this year, but I finally started reading Women of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong.

As for an actual discovery, I read the Experiment in Terror series just based on a tweet from Kristilyn about how it was a sexy series about a duo on a ghost hunting show.

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?
Brigid Kemmerer, Nyrae Dawn (fab YA contemp romances!!), Sarah Rees Brennan, and Marni Bates.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
That’s a tough one, because within YA I read pretty much all genres, and outside of YA I tend to stick to romance/paranormal romance type books. I guess if I had to say it would Sign Language by Amy Ackley, because it features a younger YA character, and it’s a sad cancer book, which isn’t usually my thing. I can’t say it was a favourite of the year, but it was very powerful and beautifully written.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?
Well, a lot of them were unputdownable, but add in the thrilling and it’s gotta by Scarlet (Marissa Meyer), The Darkest Minds, and Throne of Glass.

9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year:
My Life Next Door, The Sea of Tranquility, Come See About Me ... & many, many more. I love re-reading!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012?
There are so many choices, but I love Unspoken’s cover, because it fits the book perfectly and it’s not a typical YA cover.

11. Most memorable character in 2012?
Wolf from Scarlet, Gansey from The Raven Boys, & both Elisa & Hector in The Crown of Embers.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?
The Sea of Tranquility.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012?
Oh wow, tough call! Probably Second Chance Summer, The Sea of Tranquility, and Just One Day.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read?
Probably Bitten and the other Women of the Otherworld books. I’m still making my way through them, and they’ve been on my TBR for quite a while. In a way it’s good, though, since I don’t have to wait for any of them to be released.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012?
I’m actually not a big quote person. I should keep track of my favourite passages in a better way! Two stick out to me, though, because I favourited them on Goodreads.

Both from my fave of the year, The Sea of Tranquility.

I know at that moment what he's given me and it isn't a chair. It's an invitation, a welcome, the knowledge that I am accepted here. He hasn't given me a place to sit. He's given me a place to belong.

"I wished my mother was here tonight, which is stupid, because it's an impossible wish." He shrugs and turns to me, drowning the smile that cracks me every time.

"It's not stupid to want to see her again."

"It wasn't so much that I wanted to see her again," he says, looking at me with the depth of more than seventeen years in his eyes. "I wanted her to see you."

*melts*

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012?
Shortest: A read quite a few novellas, but for shortest full length novel Goodreads tells me it was What A Boy Wants at 119 pages (though it didn't seem that short??).

Longest: The Crimson Crown at 598 pages (and this one doesn't seem so long... it's deliciously long, where you can speed through it and you don't want the book to end).

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!
Well this is just cruel because the two that stick out to me are the endings of The Madness Underneath & Just One Day ... and both are 2013 releases. I need to talk about them!!!!!

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
This is tough! I could probably list a zillion, but I’ll stick to just 1 for each category. Romance wise it’s tough to beat Zach & Aura from the Shade books, specifically Shine which concluded the trilogy this year. Friendship-wise, the Raven boys & Blue really stick out to me.

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously
Okay, well this could be a REALLY long list. Ummm, I will try and cut it down to a few. The Crimson Crown was a fantastic ending to the Seven Realms series. Second Chance Summer was an amazing follow-up to Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, which is one of my favourites. I am a big Melissa Walker fan, and Unbreak My Heart was -- no surprise -- so lovely.

20. Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:
Well, I think The Sea of Tranquility fits into this category. Ann Aguirre tweeted that it was her favourite contemporary of the year, or one of her favourite contemporaries ever, or something along those lines. I am a huge contemp fan, so I immediately looked it up. I saw 5 star review after 5 star review on Amazon and Goodreads, and I decided I had to read it ASAP. Thank goodness I did!! While the reviews confirmed to me that I had to read this one, it was really the tweet that caught my attention and made me aware of the book.

Looking Ahead

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2012 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2013?
As of right now, The Host. I have owned this book since the month it was released, yet I haven’t read it yet. Must read before the movie!!

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?
Oh jeeze. Well, I have been incredibly lucky to receive ARCs of Things I Can’t Forget, Scarlet, Breaking Point, Just One Day, and The Madness Underneath -- otherwise those would be at the top of my list. Otherwise it has to be Requiem, Clockwork Princess, The Indigo Spell, and Divergent #3. [ok getting too lazy to link those, sorry!]

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2013?
I’d like to write up more discussion posts, because they seem to get some good comments/interaction. I’d also like to work on redesigning the blog, because I’ve been talking about it for months now and just haven’t got around to it.

Book Swag Discussion

I know as book bloggers we all enjoy receiving swag, both to collect ourselves and to pass on to friends or local bookstores and libraries. But what type of swag do you think is the best for promoting a book?

The most common type of swag is obviously bookmarks. It makes sense to create bookmarks to promote books, and it's something that can easily be sent around the world for a low cost. At some point, though, we all have so many bookmarks that it becomes a bit of an overkill. And for me, personally, I don't tend to use swag bookmarks as actual bookmarks, because I want to keep them in good condition.

Solution? Here's one way I've found of actually showcasing some of the swag bookmarks I've received so I can appreciate them instead of just having them sit in an envelope. I have access to a laminator, so that makes things easier, but you could also glue them on paper if you didn't care about the backs showing, or put them in a plastic sheet protector.

Postcards are another similar type of swag item. I think they're good for displaying, but not necessarily much else.

Trading cards are not much different from the previously mentioned swag types, except they have a certain kitsch factor. I think especially for sports related books (such as Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally, as seen in the picture) they work really well. For fans of the book/series they're great collector items (when they feature different characters, etc), but not necessarily for drawing new readers in.

Stickers are another fairly popular swag item. If I was in school I could definitely see putting them on my notebooks or binders. Bookplates aren't considered swag, necessarily, but I think they're a great thing to have for people who can't make it out to a signing.

Sometimes posters are designed to promote books -- I think these are especially good for bookstores and libraries. Often chapter samplers are created for popular titles and are passed around at conferences/events. HarperCollins Canada even has its own magazine called "Frenzy" where they promote their YA related titles in a very unique way. They have things that you would expect, like author interviews, but they also bring in different types of quizzes and articles, or even pieces on fashion (themed to a certain title).

Magnets are one type of book swag that I find very fun, mostly because they're useful and are easily displayed. I love having a refrigerator full of magnets that relate to things I love, so it's awesome when bookish things can be included.

Temporary tattoos are another very fun type of swag to pass out, although in reality I can't see actually using them, except maybe while I was at a book event. What I do love about these tattoos is that they (mostly) aren't just plain reproductions of the book's title logo. You get the eyes from Daughter of Smoke and Bone, or the paw print birthmark from The Gathering. They're kind of an "in" thing for the book's fans to recognize, or for new readers to appreciate once they've read the book.

Pens are one of my favourite types of swag just because they're incredibly useful. You can always use a pen, and it's a lot of fun when that pen is related to your favourite book series. I love the Kelley Armstrong pens especially -- the Darkness Rising pen has all the different colours in it, and the Women of the Otherworld pen shows a different message each time you click it.

Another favourite is buttons/pins. I like to stick mine into my picture board that I have hanging in my room, but you can always put them on backpacks or jackets as well. They can be a very visible form of promotion for your book.

And then we have the miscellaneous. I've seen a few guitar pick promos lately, and while I really like the idea, I can't see them getting much promotional use (unless you can wear it as jewellery or a keychain, like the Love & Leftovers one shown above). A mousepad is a fun idea, though does anyone actually use promotional mousepads? Once you have one you're not likely to use another, unless it happens to be your favourite series or publisher. Lanyards and bracelets I can see being a good idea, because you can actually wear them and get a use out of them. Magnetic poetry for a book promo is just awesome in my opinion. Magnetic poetry is super fun, and for it to include concepts and/or characters from your book is so cool. This picture also includes one of my favourite pieces of book swag ever, which is the hand sanitizer for 'The Way We Fall'. Having hand sanitizer as swag for a book about disease is just brilliant, and I love how the swag is both clever and useful.

Of course there are other types of swag, like bags or t-shirts. What type of swag is your favourite, and what do you think works best to promote a title to potential readers? Have you ever come across a really awesome piece of swag where, like the sanitizer, it's not typical but fits the book perfectly? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I'm sure authors would too.

Five Stars, or feeling like a mean blogger

Sometimes I feel like the mean kid at the blogging table. I definitely feel like I am way more critical about books than the majority of bloggers. I read books that everyone and their mother are raving about, and continually find myself thinking “Well, it was okay. It was good, but I don’t see why everyone is giving it 5 stars.”

I've had these thoughts for a long time now, and it reminded me that reading is a lot of different things. Reading can be social, as shown by our blogs and social reading sites like Goodreads, but when it comes down to it, reading is also inherently personal. Reading is about the connection between the book and the reader. I believe in a reader-centred model of reading, by which I mean that a text isn’t fully complete until it’s being read. Each person brings their own background and their own thoughts into a book, and therefore the text and its meaning is different for everyone. That’s why you can read a book and give it a glowing 5 star review while I sit here and go “This is a 2 star book! What are they thinking?!”

So what does a 5 star book mean to me? In my review policy I describe 5 star books as:

Absolutely amazing books which deserve incredible praises. Well written, original, and have that elusive "unputdownable" quality to them.

As you can see by that statement I take 5 star reviews seriously. They are the ones that make me have ALL THE FEELINGS, as the saying goes.

When I started writing reviews on Goodreads, even before I started Book Labyrinth, I discovered that I read for character. Of course I get drawn in by plots and settings, and a truly great book (a five star for me) will combine all those elements. It will most likely have an interesting plot point, great characters, and that je ne sais quoi that makes it so hard to describe why exactly you adore a particular book. But when it comes down to it I need to feel a connection to the main character. I prefer likeable main characters that I can empathize with, and I really love good character relationships to come through the text, whether they be romantic, family, or friendship. Those character relationships can turn a four star read into a five star for me.

So what about 3 star reads? I’m sure most authors would hope people rate their book as four or five stars, but of course it’s impossible for everyone to adore every book they read. Because I’m a bit picky with my books the majority of them end up being 3 stars. But what people seem to forget is that 3 stars is still a good rating. On Goodreads it means you like the book, and in my review policy I label 3 star reads as “Fun reads which I enjoyed, but are not particularly groundbreaking or dynamic.” 3 stars isn’t always a bad thing; there are quite a few 3 star books out there that I’ve liked quite a bit, but they didn’t compare to 4 star books I had read.

So really, rating and reviewing is so subjective. It all comes down to personal taste and what you’re looking for at the moment. It comes down to comparing, and it comes down to mood. If you read an action thriller when you’d really prefer a romance that book might get a lower rating than if you were really looking for that genre at that moment. This makes ratings tricky, but I still feel like in the end they’re helpful in distinguishing the great reads from good reads.

After discussing all this I know I’ll still feel like the mean blogger sometimes, but I think think I’m okay with that. I’ve come to see my reading quirks and pickiness as a good thing. It means that when I say I love a book you know I’m being completely truthful. It’s not just every book that I give five stars to, so that makes it something special. I've seen evidence in the comments from you guys that you recognize this about me, and that can only be a good thing from my perspective. And those 3 star, sometimes “meh”, reviews? They're probably a good counter to all the glowing fangirl reviews out there.

If you’ve made it through this ramble I salute you. I’d love to hear your thoughts on five star reviews, ratings systems in general, or if you ever feel like a "mean blogger" for being more critical about books you read.

Random Stuff

So I seem to have not really scheduled posts for this week, but I kind of figured "oh well". We all need a break sometimes, right?

But I do like having posts, and I do like having discussions/random posts, even though I don't usually post a lot of them. So lack of scheduled posts = time for some randomness.

The Hunger Games movie
So good, am I right?? I mean, everyone under the sun is making whole posts about this, with far more awesome and coherent thoughts than I could share, so I won't say much, but... yah, just very good for the most part. I went with my Mom and we bought VIP so we could have reserved seats, and I'm gladddd because after we got out of the movie the lines for the next regular shows were INSANE.

Mirror, Mirror movie
I got to attend a pre-screening of this last Saturday morning and it was cute for the most part. It was family oriented/humour-filled, like the preview showed, but with enough action to keep things interesting. I didn't love it, but I did like it. It did, however, make me even more excited about Lily Collins as Clary. She's such a good actress, and I think she's perfect to pull off sweet and tough at the same time, and she's good in both romantic and action scenes.

Jellicoe Road
I'm re-reading Jellicoe Road right now and totally falling in love with it all over again. I've had it before where I loveddd a book and then re-reading it I was a bit disappointed, but with Jellicoe it is not the case at all. I guess there's a reason why I easily placed it in my top favourite books, if not favourite books ever, upon reading it for the first time. Yah. Just SO MUCH LOVE for this book.

End of 2011 Book Survey

I have always been a sucker for surveys. Like you know those email surveys that you used to get back in elementary school, or the ones to post on livejournal? Yeah, I was all over those. So I *think* I'll be posting a few different end of the year book surveys. This first one comes from the lovely Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner.

1. Best Book You Read In 2011?

I think it's gotta be Divergent. It had so much hype, yet it completely lived up to it. I was totally enthralled, and I've been dying to re-read it ever since I first picked it up. [My Review]

2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?

Probably Beautiful Creatures. It seems like everyone is so in love with this series, but it bored me so badly. I got about a 1/4 of the way through and couldn't do it anymore.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?

Ooh, it's gotta be The Scorpio Races! I was not really a fan of Shiver at all, so even though this book was everywhere I wasn't really planning on reading it. Then I got a copy at the Ontario Book Blogger Meet up, so I read it and it blew me away. It's just... completely enchanting. [My review = still to come]

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?

Probably Flat-Out Love. I tried to promote it like crazy since it's by a self-pubbed author, and I know it's harder to get interest. Well thankfully a lot of people fell in love with this one, and at one point I believe it was at #6 or 7 in the paid Kindle store. Like, it was keeping company with The Hunger Games and Nora Roberts books and stuff. Awesome! [My Review]

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?

This is an insane question, because I read a lot of series this year that I discovered because of book blogging. Here are some ones I fell in love with:

• Vampire Academy [My Review]
• The Seven Realms [My Review of Book 3]
• Secret Society Girl
• The Morganville Vampires [My Review]
• Darkest Powers

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?

• Melina Marchetta, for making me feel more emotion than any other author I've ever read.
• Jeri Smith-Ready, for writing unique paranormal stories with characters you will fall in love with (oh and she's also one of the coolest people ever, who truly appreciates all her readers and is so generous with her time and resources)
• Janet Gurtler, for having an awesome contemporary voice similar to Sarah Dessen and Elizabeth Scott (who I am both a huge fangirl of)... oh and she's also Canadian, so yay for that!

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

Threads & Flames, no question. Having been a history major, you would think I would read a lot of historical novels. But no, I totally don't. Most historicals I read tend to be historical fantasy or historical paranormal or something like that. Well this one is strictly historical, and when I read the description I was like "meh". But omigosh, it made me CRY. And I pretty much never cry for books. It was so emotionally intense and beautiful. [My Book Battle Review]

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?

There were so many books that were unputdownable, but when I think of "thrilling" I think of crazy action. And when it comes to crazy action it's hard to beat The Book of Blood and Shadow. Think crazy historical treasure hunt like The Da Vinci code, except really good. But this one doesn't come out until next April (!), so another choice would be...

Wither. It seems like you either love or hate this book, and I really loved it. I remember sitting on my futon just reading and reading and reading until I was done, because I was so into the story and I was dying to find out what would happen next. [My Review]

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?

Ooh, tough one. Probably Divergent, Last Breath, Bloodlines, What Happened to Goodbye, Lola and the Boy Next Door, & The Name of the Star [My Review].

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?

When I started to think about favourite covers I very quickly had a massive list, so I decided to just stick to one book. After I read it I was disappointed with The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, but that cover? Still totally gorgeous. It's so interesting/thought provoking, and I just love everything from the watery feel to the colours to the font.



11. Most memorable character in 2011?

Do you know how tough this is?! I don't think I can just pick one. No, in fact I'm picking 15:

Rose, Jonah Griggs, Jace, Pajamie (aka Poe/Jamie), Manchee (omigawsshhhh!), Logan, Tessa/Will/Jem (they go together), Tris, Jordan, Saba, Cinder, Derek, Tucker, Gabi, & Tod.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?

Jellicoe Road [My Review] and Where She Went [My Review]. Gorgeous, gorgeous, beyond gorgeoussssss.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?

Gotta be Jellicoe Road. I mean, it's not every day that you can call a book life changing.

14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?

Can I have the same answer 3 times in a row?? Jellicoe Road came out in North America in 2008, so that was three years of missing Taylor and Jonah (and everyone else!) in my life. So glad I read it!!

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2011?

When it's right, it's simple.
-- Stephanie Perkins, Lola and the Boy Next Door

To say you have no choice is to relieve yourself of responsibility.
-- Patrick Ness, Monsters of Men

"If you weren't driving, I'd kiss you senseless," I tell him.

He swerves to the side of the road and stops the car abruptly. "Not driving any more."
-- Melina Marchetta, Jellicoe Road

"I can't forget you, any more than I can forget my own name." He kissed me then, and the world which no longer mattered, completely fell away.
-- Jeri Smith-Ready, Shift

Yer in my blood, Saba, he says. Yer in my head. Yer in my breath, yer in my bones...gawd help me, yer everywhere. You have bin since the first moment I set eyes on you.
-- Moira Young, Blood Red Road

"It's my turn to see you through," she whispers, coming back to me and wrapping me in her blanket as I lose my shit all over again. She holds me until I recover my Y chromosone.
-- Gayle Forman, Where She Went

16. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012?

Jellicoe Road, Graffiti Moon, Divergent, Catching Jordan, Cinder.

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!

Honestly, I'm not sure. I'm not very good at remembering very specific moments in books. If I really thought about it I could probably come up with a few, but they would definitely all be spoiler-y. Recently, though, I know I wanted to squee about Catching Jordan and Cinder after I finished them.

Looking Ahead...
1. One Book You Didn't Get To In 2011 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2012?

Probably The Death Cure. I've been looking forward to it for sooo long, but I've had so many review books for the past couple of months that I just haven't got around to it. I really want to re-read the first two books and then read that one.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2012?

I started off making a list, but that's dangerous, because soon it would be like 20 books. So I'll just leave you with this: Bitterblue. Oh-my-GOSH, I can't wait!

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2012?

I want to start a few new series that people have been raving about, as well as some older titles and some books that are physically on my bookshelves.

I'd also really like to create some kind of "favourites" page on the blog, where I list my favourite authors, series, books... you know, the things that I fangirl and squee for, so hopefully more people might pick them up.

So!! That's it for this list. Phew, you have no idea how long this took to put together. It was so much fun, though, to look back at all the titles I've read in 2011, and to pick my favourites for each category.

Love Triangles: Yay or Nay?

I’ve been wanting to write a discussion post on love triangles for SO LONG. Most recently I was inspired by the thoughts in Brenna’s post about Boys in YA and Lisa Bergren’s on The Perils of Love Triangulation. So, here it goes:

I'm not a fan of love triangles in most books, because they seem to be there as a gimmick. Like it's expected or something, especially in YA paranormal romance. And most of the time I really dislike them because they're very badly done. There's the best friend who's always been there and happens to be in love with the girl, and then there's a new gorgeous and slightly dangerous guy who the girl wants to be with despite his emotionally abusive actions. I'm totally generalizing, but that's the basic pattern I see over and over again, and it just doesn't work at all. It doesn't make sense, and there's no real reason for the triangle. There are so many other sources of tension you could create, and I would so much rather read about the development of a relationship over the course of a novel instead of insta-love and fighting over the inclusion of a second romantic option.

But there are also love triangles that make a lot of sense. I don’t think there’s just one person out there for each person. It takes a huge combination of personality traits and actions for that one person to suddenly appear special. Now most of the time in real life I don't think a girl has two guys fighting over her, but in a book I think it works to help tell the story of who the character is and what direction she's going in, how she's learning and growing... her choice of guy helps tell this story to the reader. I would never want to wrap up a woman’s identity in her choice of man, but I do honestly think that all our choices (friendship, romantic, heck even our favourite colours) make us who we are and help show that to others. And then there’s the humanity factor. Of course it makes sense for someone to sit up and pay attention when two suitors are presented. We're only human, right? We like validation about our own worth.

Where I think love triangles work well is where both guys are equally good options for the main character. They both care for her and respect her, and you could actually see her with either guy. I always think of the Shade trilogy by Jeri Smith-Ready as my example for this. I may not be the biggest Logan fan but it’s clear that he loves Aura, and without the whole non-corporeal ghost issue (no big, right?) it’s clear they would still be together. But then there’s Zachary who also loves Aura, and he has that small benefit of being alive. ;)

In all seriousness I do think love triangles can work, but it’s a fine line. I think it says something that it’s much easier for me to think of love triangles that make me want to throw the book across the room, rather than ones that make me smile and swoon.

What are your thoughts on love triangles? What are some examples of books that do this really badly OR really well? I'd love to hear your thoughts!