End of the Year 2021 Reading Survey

I did not have a great reading year in 2021 (I blame the pandemic!), but I still wanted to participate in this fabulous survey hosted by Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner. 

Number Of Books You Read: 25 (and a couple short stories)

Number of Re-Reads: 0?

Genre You Read The Most From: historical (it usually isn't, but for some reason, I kept getting drawn to historical reads this year!)

1. Best Book You Read In 2021?

Mrs. Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca -- this is a total departure for me, since this is a non-fiction book, but I really got engrossed in it, and learned a lot about New York society in the early 1900s.

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

Paper Chains by Nicola Moriarty and The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley -- the first I was looking forward to as I have enjoyed another Nicola Moriarty book, but unfortunately, I didn't connect all that well with either of the main characters, and found the story required a lot of suspension of disbelief. The second I was disappointed by because although the premise was promising, it was rather repetitive and melodramatic in its execution. 

 3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?   

Sweet Damage by Rebecca James -- I seriously wish I had picked this up sooner. Such an easy read that just pulled me right in, with simple, effective writing that doesn't try too hard. 

4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

I really didn't do much "book pushing" this year.

5. Best series you started in 2021? Best Sequel of 2021? Best Series Ender of 2021?

Best series started: the Raven, Fisher, and Simpson series by Ambrose Parry

Best sequel: The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon

Best series ender: I don't think I read any series enders this year.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2021?

Hmmm...I kinda feel like I re-discovered Rebecca James, does that count?

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

Mrs. Sherlock Holmes 

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

The Art of Dying by Ambrose Parry

9. Book You Read In 2021 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Honestly, I don't see myself re-reading most of my 2020 books... maybe The Mask Falling?

10. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2021?

The Heiress: The Revelations of Anne de Bourgh by Molly Greeley 

11. Most memorable character of 2021?

Anne de Bourgh from The Heiress: The Revelations of Anne de Bourgh. I really enjoyed how Molly Greeley pulled back the curtain on the Anne de Bourgh we see in Pride and Prejudice, and explored why she might have seemed like that to the reader and other characters, and who she really could have been as a person. 

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2021?

None of the books I read really stand out for this category... maybe The Heiress again? I did find the writing eloquent. 

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2021

The Mad Scientist's Daughter by Cassandra Rose Clarke -- not life-changing, but thought-provoking, certainly. 

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2021 to finally read? 

Sweet Damage by Rebecca James -- why did I wait so long?!

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2021?

Then he had come back into my life, and little by little, I had started to notice. That I looked forward to seeing him. That he made me smile without ever smiling himself. That he challenged me. That I always wanted to hear his voice. And that even though he was a mystery, and there were shadows in him I might never disperse, I somehow knew him.

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2021?

Shortest: But Like Maybe Don't? What Not to Do When Dating: An Illustrated Guide by Arianna Margulis (176 pages)

Longest: The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon (528 pages)

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

Hmmm, I don't feel like I read any books this past year that had really shocking twists/reveals to them...

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

Weirdly, perhaps Cat and Finn in The Mad Scientist's Daughter?

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

The mother-daughter relationship in Two Wrongs by Mel McGrath

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2021 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

Sweet Damage by Rebecca James

21. Best Book You Read In 2021 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

The Art of Dying by Ambrose Parry -- my mom originally ordered this from the library, and then suggested I might like it too (which I did!)

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2021?

I don't have a new one, but I'll go with an old one from a series continued in 2021, which is Warden from the Bone Season series. 

23. Best 2021 debut you read?

 I didn't read any 2021 debuts.

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

Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All by Candace Fleming -- I feel like this book did a solid job of transporting me to the time of King Henry the VIII's reign. 

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Broken by Jenny Lawson -- I really enjoyed a lot of the author's self-deprecating humour, and there were numerous chunks of the book that had me laughing out loud (which I very much needed)! I also appreciated the author being open about her experience with anxiety and depression.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2021?

I don't think there was one?

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Sweet Damage by Rebecca James (I never see this book getting any attention!)

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

I don't have one for this category. 

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2021?

Kind of Coping: An Illustrated Look at Life with Anxiety by Maureen "Marzi" Wilson

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

Cruel Beautiful World by Caroline Leavitt -- this book is about an abusive relationship, so it's no wonder it got me feeling mad on behalf of the young girl caught in this horrendous situation. But I was also very uncomfortable with how the abuser's POV was written, and what kind of message this might be sending.

 

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2021 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2022?

There are so many! One that I have previously started and then put down, but I'd like to give another try, is The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2022 (non-debut)? 

What Monstrous Gods by Rosamund Hodge -- I very much enjoyed Cruel Beauty, and I'd like to see what she does with this retelling of Sleeping Beauty. 

3. 2022 Debut You Are Most Anticipating? 

I've been seeing good things about The Maid by Nita Prose, I'm interested in checking that one out. 

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2022?

I have so few series I am actively reading at the moment! There are no sequels right now on my "2022 releases" shelf on Goodreads... I might try to read the next in the Raven, Fisher, and Simpson series by Ambrose Parry, though. The latest book came out in 2021, so...does that count?