Saturday, January 01, 2011

End of 2010 survey

When I saw the end of 2010 survey on another blog, I thought I give it a try despite the fact that I didn't do a great job of keeping track of all the books I've read this past year. (and, in case you didn't know, I don't blog about every book I read)

In any case because I haven't kept a list, my answers may not be completely accurate. I also have a hard time with the idea of singling out a single book that is "best" or "worst" so it helps me a bit to qualify. I'm also going to try to limit my use of the same book as an answer to multiple questions (for added interest).

1. Best book of 2010?
Because I can't begin to decide on a best novel, I will go with Sock Innovation by Cookie A (see post)

2. Worst book of 2010?
One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell (see post)

3. Most disappointing book of 2010?
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe (see post) because I expected it to be a good deal better than it actually was and I had been really looking forward to reading it.

4. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2010?
- Old Man's War by John Scalzi (see post)
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (see post)

5. Book you recommended to people most in 2010?
Probably Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins once I read it.
I also found myself recommending the following books quite a bit:
- Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
- The Host by Stephenie Meyer (see post)
And, since I got my Nook for Christmas, I can't seem to stop recommending that other people get one too.

6. Best series you discovered in 2010?
So I don't repeat the obvious (see question 5), here are a few other options:
- Port Chapman mysteries by P.J. Alderman. Haunting Jordan (see post) is the only out so far, but it has the makings of a great cozy series.
- Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. I didn't think I'd like these books, but I did!

7. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2010?
- Alison Andersen (translator)
- Nicole R. Dickson (non-genre fiction)
She's only written Casting Off so far (see post), but I'm looking forward to seeing what else she'll write.
- Chloe Neill (paranormal)
- Susan Johnson (romance)
- Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi (non-genre fiction)

8. Most hilarious read of 2010?
I'm having a hard time with this one.
The Reluctant Miss Van Helsing by Minda Webber was quite goofy.

9. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2010?
Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

10. Book you most anticipated in 2010?
- Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld, sequel to Leviathan (per question 11, I really did not care for Behemoth's cover)
- Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, third book in the Hunger Games trilogy (After I read Catching Fire of course)

11. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2010?
I think my favorite is the cover of A Novel Bookstore by Laurence Cossé

12. Most memorable character in 2010?
Lisabeth Salander, of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

13. Most beautifully written book in 2010?
This one is hard - maybe The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw (see post)

14. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2010?
Persuasion by Jane Austen (see post). I can't believe it took me so long to reread it.

15. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2010 to finally read?
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
When I wrote my friend Jessica in August that I'd started reading Hunger Games, she responded:
"I cannot believe it took you this long to get to it!!!!"

3 comments:

  1. This is a great idea Karen! I love Ella Minnow Pea and Lisbeth Salander is definitely one of my favourite characters ever. I can't say I enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society very much though.

    Some of the books you mention sound really interesting and I will probably add a few of them to my BC wishlisht;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. We like so many of the same books that I am always happy to put some of the ones you suggest on my wish list!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This makes me so happy, Melinda!

    ReplyDelete