Pawn by Aimee Carter

Title: Pawn
Author: Aimee Carter
Series: The Blackcoat Rebellion #1  
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: November 26, 2013

Summary from Goodreads:
YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.


Review

Overall, I found Pawn to be rather "meh".

The dystopian world was rather "meh". It isn't really anything we haven't seen before. Citizens take a test when they come of age which determines their ranking in society and thus, their quality of life. The system favors the higher numbers and so there are those who wish to disable it. The only thing of note is that the ruling family is at war with themselves and heavily involved in the rebellion, which created an interesting family dynamic.

The plot was also rather "meh". I don't feel like a whole lot happened, really. The masking part was interesting but I feel like most of the book was about Kitty becoming Lila, with very little action until a family feud at the end. I wouldn't say I got bored, this book was too short to feel bored, but I definitely wasn't wholly invested either.

Kitty herself was rather "meh" too. I didn't not like her, but I didn't particularly like her either. She didn't have much of a personality to illicit much of an opinion. If anything, she was a little dull. And the first opportunity she has to make some noise and she balks. But I did really like Benji if that makes any difference at this point.

The fact that I have been reading some amazing books lately probably doesn't do this one any favors. Truthfully, it pales in comparison. But again, it is not that there was anything that I didn't like, it just wasn't very memorable or "wow"-ing. But if dystopian is your genre-of-choice, you may have more love for this one. And I have hope for the sequel, which I've heard good things about!

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Top Ten Bookish Goals/Resolutions For 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's Top Ten list is
"Top Ten Bookish Goals/Resolutions For 2015"

Nicole's Top Five

1. Invest time in new ideas. This is a repeat from last year but one that I failed to do. I did launch one new feature (Battle of the Books) in 2014 but only posted once so not much to brag about there. Between school and work, I just didn't have the time to spend on new ideas but I have so many floating around in my head that if only I would devote some time to them... I will finish school in June so I will have much of my free time back then and I hope to make things happen this year! 

2. Cull my books. I don't have a lot of space for books and I keep acquiring more so I need to get rid of the ones that I don't love or think I will reread. My biggest problem is old ARCs that I don't know what to do with. If you have any suggestions/methods that work for you that you are willing to share, I'd love to hear them! 

3. Finish reformatting old posts. The Quiet Concert got a new look in June last year which created a year and half of posts that need to be reformatted. I got to about... 4 or 5 months of them so far. In 2015, I hope to fix the rest so it stops weighing on me.  

4. Respond to comments. Although I read and appreciate all comments, I admit that responding to them is one of the first things to get de-prioritized blog-wise when I get really busy. And sadly many comments got neglected this year. But I really don't have any excuse because I can reply to the email notification I get so shame on me. It's just that I always tell myself I will do it late when my attention is solely focused on responding to comments and then it never gets done. But this year, things need to change!

5. Use Twitter more. This is really where the magic happens - not just for networking but for forming/deepening friendships. I don't use it nearly as much as I want to and should.

Ashley's Top Five

1. Get an awesome bookshelf.  Justin and I are in the middle of the house buying process so we have been planning out some ideas for the rooms and one of mine was a library/reading room.  He was all for it so I cannot wait to move and start picking out stuff for my reading room :)  

2. Write at least 12 Thoughts for Thursday Posts.  I enjoy writing Thoughts of Thursday posts even though I did not do too many this year.  I struggle sometimes thinking of ideas but this year my goal is to write 12! 

3. Read at least 60 books. I did not meet my goodreads goal this year and it was a bummer, granted I had some pretty good reasons.  This year I am going to make a more obtainable goal since I know life is quite busy and with moving and being a newlywed, we stay quite busy. 

4. Binge read the Mara Dyer Series.   I mentioned this in my end of year survey. I read the first book in the series a long time ago (before the second one was out) and thought it was fantastic but then the rest of the series has just slipped away from me.  I keep seeing awesome reviews for the last book so this year my goal is to reread the first one and finish the last two books!

5. Read a couple of older awesome books.  This year I read Graffiti Moon (it came out a couple years ago) and I LOVED it.  I tend to focus on new releases and current books but I would love to pick up a couple older released books that I have missed.  So any recommendations?  

What are your top ten?

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Ashley's End of Year Book Survey

Thanks to Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner!

2014 Reading Stats

Number Of Books You Read: 59 to date (hopefully one more!)
Number of Re-Reads: 1 
Number of DNFs: 1
Genre You Read The Most From: Paranormal then a tie between Thriller and Contemporary


Best in Books

1. Best Book You Read In 2014?
Cress by Marissa Meyer I could reread this one over and over, hands down one of my all time favorites!

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
After the End by Amy Plum.  It just did not do it for me, all the nature aspects of the story were not my cup of tea.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
We Should Hang Out Sometime by Josh Sundquist  I do not read non-fiction ever but this one had me flying through the pages and laughing all the time.

Losing It by Cora Carmack is a contemporary new adult book, both usually things I stay away from but I LOVED Cora's funny awkward love story

4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
Cinder by Marissa Meyer.  I recommend this to everyone and even though they look at me like I am crazy when I try to describe the book they end up loving it!

5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?
Best series started: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, 
Best sequel: Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan 
Best series conclusion: Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi 

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
Jennifer L. Armentrout.  I started with Don't Look Back and just loved her writing!

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
Landline by Rainbow Rowell I guess it is technically not a YA book and I almost never read anything but YA and some NA but I LOVED this one.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
=
Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I loved this thriller and the mystery.

9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater.  There is so much going on in this book I feel like I pick up on a new detail every time I reread it.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater  For sure!

11. Most memorable character of 2014?
Cole St. Clair from The Wolves of Mercy Falls series but mainly Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater.   He is really unforgettable.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater - I know I keeping picking her books but her writing is just beautiful and lyrical.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
After I Do by Taylor Jenkins - this one makes you really think about what it takes to make a marriage work and offers a beautiful love story.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read? 
Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout - I feel like this series is always being referenced and so many bloggers seemed to love her writing but it took me until this year to try them out!

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
'That kid better watch it.  I'm totally a Slytherin.' I shook my head smiling.  
'Love, I'm going to need you to pull back on the crazy a bit.'
'You're right.  Realistically, I'm a Ravenclaw.'
 ― Cora Carmack- Keeping Her 
This one sticks in my head because I laughed out loud while reading it, I love books that quote other books, especially Harry Potter!

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
Shortest: Losing It by Cora Caramack (204 pages)
Longest: Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld  (599 pages)

17. Book That Shocked You The Most
Pointe by Brandy Colbert - I actually thought because there is a ballerina on the cover of the book it would somehow be about ballet.  This is was far from a dance book, the whole book kind of shocked me.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
I would have to go with Aria and Perry from Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi and Daemon and Katy from Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
Kami and Angela I love this dynamic best friends duo from The Lyburn Legacy series!

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
Avalon by Mindee Arnett I really enjoyed The Nightmare Affair so I was excited to give Avalon a try and I am happy I did!

21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski - I felt like the blogging world blew up over this one and rightfully so, it was SO good!

22. Best 2014 debut you read?
The Falconer by Elizabeth May - the cliff hanging fae book was fantastic!

23. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
For the Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund - The world building in this one was so unique and different!

24. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
Also Known As by Robin Benway- this one was light-hearted, funny, and about spies!

25. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene -I finally read this one and pretty much as predicted, I cried and I cried.


26. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout  - I do not recall hearing much about this one and I thought it was a fantastic mystery/thriller.

27. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern -  I read this after seeing Mel from The Daily Prophecy's awesome review.  It was so different and unique.

28. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
Allegiant by Veronica Roth -  I was so incredibly disappointed with this one and mad at some of the plot choices.

30.* Best book that didn't fit into any of the above categories? 
World After by Susan Ee - AWESOME SCARY ANGEL BOOK!

Blogging/Bookish Life

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014?
There are so many great bloggers but I have really enjoyed commenting on posts Sarah from What Sarah Read and Kay from It's a Book Life.  Nicole had already discovered these two wonderful ladies but it took me awhile longer!

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2014?
I think it would have to be Cress by Marissa Meyer.  I decided to give 5 reasons to start the series and read Cress instead of a typical review!

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
I would have to say my favorite non-review post to write had to be the ones about my wedding :)  I am a bit bias since it was one of the best days ever this year for me :)

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
I love BEA and have really enjoyed going to local signings and meeting some of my favorite authors like Marissa Meyer!

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?
I would have to say getting our first physical ARC for sure :)

6. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
Thirteen Days of Ash and Fire Blog Tour! #MaasThirteen (Way to go Nicole!)

7. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
Umm, I do not know if I really had one.  Any Thoughts for Thursday post I suppose, so I am always the most self conscious about writing those posts.

8. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
I have learned how to navigate EW so I can look up review copies easier and that has been fantastic!


9. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I was able to read one of the boos Nicole has recommended to me!  I was unable to meet my Goodreads challenge this year :(  life just got in the way with wedding planning and being a newlywed :)

Looking ahead

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?
Talon by Julie Kagawa, Deliverance by C.J. Redwine, and Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout  They all seem like fantastic books I just need to start!

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?
Fairest by Marissa Meyer and Winter by Marissa Meyer, AHHH CANNOT WAIT! The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski  I loved the world building and need to know what is going to happen next.   

3. 2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard - this one looks fantastic.  I also am really excited for The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury 

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?
End of Days by Susan Ee  I cannot wait to see what dark and exciting ending Penryn and Raffe have in store.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?
I hope to actually finish my Goodreads challenge this year, I do plan to make it a bit smaller since I know I have big life events like moving and officially buying our house in January!  I also hope to write more Thoughts for Thursday posts.

6. A 2015 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:
I actually have not read a 2015 release yet.  I have read a teaser to The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows and I am hooked so I cannot wait to finish that one and will probably be recommending it!


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Stacking the Shelves (104) - Dec 27th

Stacking the Shelves - hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews - features books that you bought, borrowed, rented from the library, received for review, etc.

Upcoming Reads




What books are stacking your shelves??

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We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, a True Story by Josh Sundquist

Title: We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, a True Story
Author: Josh Sundquist
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date:December 23rd 2014
Pages: Hardcover, 304 pages
Source: BEA 2014

Summary from Goodreads:
A bright, poignant, and deeply funny autobiographical account of coming of age as an amputee cancer survivor, from Josh Sundquist: Paralympic ski racer, YouTube star, and motivational speaker.


Josh Sundquist only ever had one girlfriend.
For twenty-three hours.
In eighth grade.

Why was Josh still single? To find out, he tracked down the girls he had tried to date and asked them straight up: What went wrong?

The results of Josh's semiscientific, wholly hilarious investigation are captured here. From a disastrous Putt-Putt date involving a backward prosthetic foot, to his introduction to CFD (Close Fast Dancing), to a misguided "grand gesture" at a Miss America pageant, this story is about looking for love--or at least a girlfriend--in all the wrong places.


Review

There were a couple reasons why We Should Hang Out Sometime (WSHOS) was not on my radar and, even after I got it, why I was quite skeptical to read it. I pretty much do not ever read non-fiction, I love the fiction world's stories and non-fiction is just not for me, let alone a non-fiction-y memoir about dating. But I am so glad I gave it a chance. I had the pleasure of meeting Josh at BEA and getting a signed copy of the book. I started reading it that day while I was waiting in lines and I was hooked!

So I am going to give you 5 reasons to give this one a try:
  1. It is funny. Laugh out loud funny. The conversations Josh has with himself in his head cracked me up!
  2. It’s a non-fiction-y memoir. It is something totally different that is geared to YA.
  3. There are pictures, drawings, and funny charts!
  4. It is full of awkward greatness. The awkwardness in all the stories just propels the book and has you flying through the pages. The story is told through failed relationship analysis. It’s a different way to tell a story but it works perfectly.
  5. We Should Hang Out Sometime has a great message, great ending, and great story. Even though I wanted more chapters, and a longer ending chapter, I thought the ending fit. 

WSHOS is a laugh out loud story about Josh’s failed relationships. You can’t help but sympathize and remember your own awkward experiences. I highly recommend it if you are in the mood for something uplifting and totally different!

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Top Ten Books We Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing This Year

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's Top Ten list is
"Top Ten Books We Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing This Year"

Nicole's Top Five

1. Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay
(I need this on my shelves!)
2. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
(I still don't have a hardcopy and that is a mistake)
3. The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey 
(This series has completely taken me by surprise!)
4. Golden Son by Pierce Brown
(A pre-order would be nice this book is like $20)
5. A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab
(Another early 2015 release that I need!)

Ashley's Top Five

Scarlet (Scarlet #1) by A.C. Gaughen
(Everyone seems to love this one, so I would love to give it a try)
Inspire (The Muse #1) by Cora Carmack
(I would love this one for Christmas, I may cave and just buy it soon :) )
The Orphan Queen (The Orphan Queen #1) by Jodi Meadows
(I got a sneak peak of this one and LOVED it so I can't wait to finish it)
The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy #2) by Marie Rutkoski
(AHH, cannot wait for this one)
The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #3) by Michelle Hodkin
(I would love the last book in the series, I need to binge read this series!)

What are your top ten?

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Ignite by Sara B. Larson

Title: Ignite
Author: Sara B. Larson
Series: Defy #2  
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: December 30, 2014
Source: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review (thank you Scholastic!)

Summary from Goodreads:
Murder, abductions, and forbidden romance abound in this thrilling sequel to Sara B. Larson's acclaimed YA debut, DEFY.

Alexa remains by the newly crowned King Damian’s side as his guard, ever committed to helping him rebuild Antion and reclaim the hope of Antion's people, despite continuing to harbor a secret love for him. However, when another threat to Damian and his kingdom emerges, and blame is cast on their newly forged allies from Blevon, Alexa knows things are not what they seem. With the fate of her nation hanging in the balance once again, will Alexa be able to protect her king and uncover the true enemy -- before it's too late?


Review

As I mentioned in my review of Defy, I was lured into reading this series by the promise of Ignite being so good (and a surprise ARC from Scholastic). Although, Ignite wasn't quite AS good as I had hoped, it was definitely a stronger novel than Defy and thus, I enjoyed it more so.

Larson definitely kicks things up a notch this time around. The peace that was so hard fought in the first book, doesn't last long and soon Antion faces a new threat but this time it wears a pretty face and has a evil twin brother. The magic in this novel was  definitely cause for suspense and kept me turning pages. Ignite had more surprises, higher stakes, and a quicker pace. The plot was more intricate and maintained that political intrigue. And Alexa is as badass as always. I can't say this book is wholly original but it definitely weaves a lot of elements of a strong fantasy together and had some really great moments.

But as much as I loved the story, Ignite is still very much romance-focused, which was my main problem with Defy and remains my main problem with Ignite. If there is to be romance in a fantasy, I'd rather it be second to the fantastical stuff.  But that is solely a preference. Then again, preference aside, this wouldn't have been my favorite romance anyway. The love-triangle is gone, but Alexa's insecurities lead her to act foolishly. And she makes an age-old mistake at the end by withholding information from Damian. (When will our MC's learn!?)

If the romance was handled differently, I think I would really, really like this series. However, it still falls a little short for me. But the ending of Ignite, and the progression of this story, promises an exciting 3rd book to come and I will definitely be reading it.

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Nicole's 2014 End of Year Book Survey

Thanks to Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner!

2014 Reading Stats

Number Of Books You Read: 134 to date, including 51 audiobooks
Number of Re-Reads: 4 
Number of DNFs: 1
Genre You Read The Most From: Contemporary, closely followed by Fantasy!


Best in Books

1. Best Book You Read In 2014?
Cress by Marissa Meyer and Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas - these two books could fit in almost every single one of these categories - they brought ALL THE FEELS!
Endsinger by Jay Kristoff and Golden Son by Pierce Brown - pretty sure these two books are the most EPIC that I have ever read

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis - I liked it, but not as much as I had thought I would after LOVING Not a Drop to Drink

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen - I almost didn't read this one because of the trolls and I wound up loving it - and The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa - I thought The Immortal Rules was middle-of-the-road but this sequel BLEW ME AWAY.

4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
Chaos by Sarah Fine - Well, this series really. I push the Guards of the Shadowlands series on everyone.

5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?
Best series started: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen, and The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson - LOVED THESE
Best sequel: Golden Son by Pierce Brown, The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas, and Lady Thief by A. C. Gaughen
Best series conclusion: Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers, Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor, and Endsinger by Jay Kristoff

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
Pierce Brown (Red Rising Trilogy) and Emery Lord (Open Road Summer, The Start of Me and You)

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
Hook's Revenge by Heidi Shulz - I rarely, if ever, read MG but when I saw a passage from it, I knew I had to and it was even better than I had hoped - and Boomerang by Noelle August - I rarely read NA but I loved how fun this one was!

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga - this entire series has been one hell of a thrill ride but this conclusion was mind-blowing

9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
Vicious by Victoria Schwab - because it was AWESOME

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater and Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge - I would frame both of these as art!

11. Most memorable character of 2014?
Manon Blackbeak from Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas, and Harper Price from Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins - and they couldn't be more different!

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater - Stiefvater's books are ALWAYS the most beautiful

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
Hate List by Jennifer Brown and A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller - a really important book about the women's rights.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read? 
On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta - LOVED this book. Marchetta's brilliance continues to amaze me.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
“It is a blessing as well as a burden to love so much that you can hurt so badly when love is gone.”
 ― Deborah Harkness, A Discovery of Witches
Never has a quote resonated with me quite as much as this one.

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
Shortest: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (227 pages)
Longest: The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (994 pages)

17. Book That Shocked You The Most
Winger by Andrew Smith - that ending hit me right in the feels - and Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas - because of how awesome twisted the ending was

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
Niklaas and Aurora from Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay - my favorite relationship ARC of the year! - and Isla and Josh from Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins - because STEPHANIE PERKINS

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
Reagan and Dee from Open Road Summer by Emory Lord - best BFFs ever - and Charlie and her brothers from On The Fence by Kasie West - LOVED the family dynamic in this book

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
Of Metal and Wishes by Sarah Fine - I love everything Sarah Fine writes so it is no surprise that I loved this Phantom of the Opera retelling - and Ruin & Rising by Leigh Bardugo - wonderful conclusion and Nikolai is still my #1 book boyfriend!

21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
Red Rising by Pierce Brown - based on the recommendation of Goodreads users everywhere

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
Matt Finch from Open Road Summer by Emory Lord, and Finn from Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White

23. Best 2014 debut you read?
Open Road Summer by Emory Lord - This book had it ALL

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
Chaos by Sarah Fine and Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios - loved both of these worlds

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins - I got such a kick out of Harper Price - and Going Rogue by Robin Benway - because SPIES and the best humor!

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor - this book killed me because I don't know what I would do if I lost my best friend!

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
Maid of Deception by Jennifer McGowan - more people need to read this series! It is SO good!

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
Endsinger by Jay Kristoff - If I even had a soul left after reading the first two books in this series.

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall - a love story told from the perspective of everyone BUT the couple - and Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid - 4 different stories with one story connecting them all together.

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley - I wanted to punch almost everyone in this book (but I liked this book!) - and We Were Liars by E. Lockhart - what happened in the story was just stupid and pointless and beyond frustrating.

31.* Best book that didn't fit into any of the above categories? 
Uninvited by Sophie Jordan and Split Second by Kasie West - both of these were SO GOOD and must be mentioned among the best of 2014!

Blogging/Bookish Life

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014?
Love at First Page and the lovely Danielle ♥

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2014?
Hmmm, I am not sure I have a favorite per say but I do like the way I wrote my reviews for The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen and and Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers and I like my reviews of The Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series by Laini Taylor and Hate List by Jennifer Brown 

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
I really loved launching our new feature Battle of the Books with the post Battle of the Captains where I pit Carswell Thorne (The Lunar Chronicles) against Sturmhond (The Grisha)!

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
I was so blessed to participate in so many bookish events this year - ALA MW, BEA, YALLFest, Thirteen Days of Ash and Fire Blog Tour and many many signings - they were all the best.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?
Ashley and I got our first physical ARCs this year which was beyond exciting. I also met some of my favorite authors ever - like Elizabeth Wein - at the above events.

6. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
Thirteen Days of Ash and Fire Blog Tour! #MaasThirteen

7. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
Umm I don't know. The fact that anyone visits our blog to read what I have to say still kind of amazes me, hah.

8. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
This year I really started to use Edelweiss, Netgalley, and YA Book Exchange in earnest and all of these sites have been great tools for my reading/blogging life.

9. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
Just my Goodreads challenge - which was to read 104 books this year. And I am happy to say that even with work and school and life shenanigans I was able to read that many books and then some :)

Looking ahead

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?
The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters, Magnolia by Kristin Cook, Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburn, and Dissonance by Erica O'Rourke are all at the top of my TBR!

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?
Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray - JUST RELEASE ALREADY WILL YOU, I AM DYING - and Otherwhen by Kelly Moore - although there is no information about this book yet *sadness*

3. 2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard - I already pre-ordered this baby so can it just be February 10th already?

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?
Throne of Glass #4 by Sarah J. Maas and Winter by Marissa Meyer (Duh) but also The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson and The Invasion of the Tearling #2 by Erika Johansen - I need all of these NOW

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?
Well, maybe in 2015 I will actually manage to make some progress against my resolutions, unlike I did this year. But more than anything else, I really just want to keep meeting new people, grow the friendships that I've already made and take advantage of all that this wonderful community has to offer!

6. A 2015 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:
Golden Son by Pierce Brown which releases soon so get to reading Red Rising if you haven't already! And I am currently reading The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski and already loving it so read this series too while you are at it ;)

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