I love doing Jamie’s End of Year Book Survey every year! It helps me look back and remember all the wonderful (and terrible) books I’ve read throughout the year! Also… buh bye 2021. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Can 2022 please be better?
2021 Reading Stats
Number of books you read: 64
Number of re-reads: 2
Number of books you DNFed: 57
Most read genre: Adult contemporary romance (I read 38 of them).
Best In Books
1. Best book you read in 2020:
Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle.
2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t:
The Broken Girls by Simone St. James. I loved Sun-Down Motel and heard from so many people that this one was even more amazing and I couldn’t even finish it. It’s super disappointing because I’d been wanting to read it for ages!
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read:
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I had no idea I would love it as much as I did, but I was riveted.
4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did):
I think my answer is the same as last year! I’ve really been pushing the Moose Springs, AK series by Sarah Morgenthaler on everyone I know. I’ve been pushing this on everyone and have forced quite a few people to read it!
5. Best series you started in 2021. Best sequel of 2021. Best series ender of 2021.
Started: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
Sequel: An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn (book #3 in Bridgertons)
Ender: Well Matched by Jen DeLuca
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2021:
R.S. Grey!!
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone:
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir! I’m not usually one for sci-fi or books with no romance, but this was fabulous and I’m excited for Andy to write more books!
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year:
Hanover House by Brenda Novak. I ended up reading the entire series back to back because I had to know what happened!
9. Book you read in 2021 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
I’d love to listen to The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss again next year. It was so perfect for Christmastime!
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2021:
11. Most memorable character of 2021:
Wesley from Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle. Such a sweet, sweet cinnamon roll. I think about him all the time.
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2021:
The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss. The descriptions of the scenery were stunning.
13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2021:
N/A
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2021 to finally read:
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn.
15. Favorite quote from a book you read in 2020:
I rarely mark my favorite quotes. I should change that.
16. Shortest and longest books you read in 2020:
Shortest: A Christmas Bun for Ulysses by Sarah Morgenthaler (10 pages)
Longest: Winter King by C.L. Wilson (594 pages)
17. Book that shocked you the most:
Really, I’m just shocked by how many books I expected to love and DNFed instead.
18. OTP of the year (you will go down with this ship!):
Maybell and Wesley of Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle.
19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year:
Ryland and the Rocky the alien in Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I loved their friendship.
20. Favorite book you read in 2021 from an author you’ve read previously:
Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle. I didn’t realize I’d mention this book so much this year!
21. Best book you read in 2021 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else:
Fluffy by Julia Kent was recommended to me by my friend Kate! I was afraid of the… fluffy part of it, but this book ended up being so good!
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2021:
Noel from Snowflakes At the Little Christmas Tree Farm by Jaimie Admans.
23. Best 2021 debut you read:
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood.
24. Most vivid setting you read this year:
Summerlea in The Winter King by C.L. Wilson.
25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read:
Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone was a re-read for me this year, and I loved it just as much the second time.
26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2021:
Nope! No crying this year!
27. Hidden gem of the year:
Hotshot Doc by R.S. Grey. LOVED it.
28. Book that crushed your soul:
Honestly can’t think of any.
29. Most unique book you read in 2021:
Maybe not unique for everyone, but for me? The Winter King by C.L. Wilson. It’s the only romantic fantasy I’ve read that wasn’t YA, and I just loved it.
30. Book that made you the maddest (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it):
Really, the entire Winter Black series by Mary Stone. I feel like each book never actually ended because the author just wanted to string us along and spend more money on her books. I finally just quit after book 3.
My Blogging/Bookish Life
1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2021:
I didn’t venture outside my usuals this year. It was just too exhausting.
2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2021:
Nothing is standing out, to be honest.
3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog:
All of the TTTs, really.
4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.):
Ha! There was nothing. I really thought COVID would have ended but NO.
6. Most popular post this year on your blog (whether it be by comments or views):
My Bookish Wishes Top Ten Tuesday that celebrated my birthday got 60 comments.
8. Post you wished got a little more love:
All my reviews, pretty much. lol
9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.):
I didn’t discover anything new this year.
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year:
I completed my Goodreads goal of reading 52 books this year. I read 63, which is a huge miracle because I had two major eye surgeries and haven’t been able to see very well for most of the year.
Looking Ahead
1. Book you are most anticipating in 2022 (non-debut):
Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle and the 4th Moose Springs book by Sarah Morganthaler and Something Wilder by Christina Lauren!
2. 2022 debut you are most anticipating:
A Brush With Love by Mazey Eddings!
3. Sequel you are most anticipating in 2022:
Love On the Brain by Ali Hazelwood.
4. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2022?
I really want to read through my physical book collection to make sure I want to keep all of the books I own. If not, I need to get rid of them to make room for more!
Do we have any answers in common?
Pick a question or two and answer them in the comments! Let’s discuss!
I am so proud of you for having 57 DNFs! So many readers feel they must finish every book, but I figure there are too many good ones out there and we should move on from books that aren’t working for us.
Thank you! I made a real effort to DNF quicker last year, and I ended up loving more of what I read and I read more books than usual! So it’s working for me!
Hogle’s Twice Shy is a very fun romance! I really liked that one, too. And when I started Project Hail Mary I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, but it surprised me…well, Rocky surprised me. He’s probably my favorite character this year. Fun post! :D
Rocky is amazing! Project Hail Mary definitely surprised me. I had no idea I would love it like I did.
“Project Hail Mary” was my best book of 2021. SO GOOD!!!
My most anticipated book of 2022 is “Meet Me in the Margins” by Melissa Ferguson. I’ve read it already, but want to be able to push it on others as well. I can see you got it from Netgalley too – hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did :-D
I’m definitely wanting to re-read Project Hail Mary. It was amazing! I’m excited for the movie to come out someday. Starring Ryan Gosling!!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed Meet Me In the Margins! It looks very sweet, and I’m excited to read it. :)
Aww, bummer about The Broken Girls. I did like The Sun Down Motel better, it was my love of the former that got me to read the latter! On the other hand, I’m delighted to see Twice Shy winning in your eyes; that soothes the sting in my heart left by it not being nominated for Goodreads Choice. Still very boo-urns about it.
And I can’t believe you didn’t cry at a single book! I’ve read 3 books so far in ’22 and cried at two of them, and one of them is the happy rom-com Very Sincerely Yours! (Because there’s the inevitable SADPART where the conflict happens, and my brain instantly hurtles into Method Reading Mode and it hurts like I’m in it)
Good luck on the 2022 reading goal, I’m sure that’s not an uncommon sentiment among readers!
AHHHHH Twice Shy definitely needed to be a part of Goodreads Choice! It was so perfect, and I’m also bitter!
I do my best to not cry with books! Maybe I get a little tingly in the eyes if something is really sweet or swoony, but I avoid books I think will make me cry sad tears. I just really hate crying!!
Good luck in your reading life this year, too! I’m amazed you’ve already read 3 books. I’m still on my first two and haven’t finished either. I’ve been binging TV shows instead. Whoops!
Ooh, I like how thorough this end of the year survey is! I need to try to do it next year. I wonder how many books I DNF for the year. Sorry I’m just now getting to check this out, my comment posts are behind! I see you read and liked Fluffy, that was one of my favorite books! I just this month got to The Love Hypothesis, and everyone was so right!
Yes, I love this survey! I’ve made a couple changes to Jamie’s questions over the years (added some of my own and deleted some of hers), and I have so much fun doing it every year!
Yes, Fluffy was so much fun! I need to get my hands on the rest of the series. I’m so glad you enjoyed The Love Hypothesis! I just read the second book (Love On the Brain), and it was so much fun as well!