2022 End of Year Book Survey

Happy Wednesday everyone and welcome to the 2022 End of Year Book Survey, originally hosted by Jamie @ The Perpetual Page-Turner!  This is actually my eighth time taking part - check out my posts from 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, if you dare.  Anyway, without further ado, let's get to the tag:

2022 Reading Stats

Number Of Books You Read: 404 -Wow!

Number of Re-Reads: 4, I believe.

Genre You Read The Most From: Fantasy - Big surprise, right?!

1. Best Book You Read In 2022? 

Jade Legacy (The Green Bone Saga #1) by Fonda Lee - I read a lot of great books this year, but this one was complete perfection.  I couldn't ask for a better finale though I am sad to see it come to an end.  I highly recommend the series, especially in audiobook format.

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

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager - I've really loved this author before, but this one just didn't quite work for me.

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

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder #1) by Holly Jackson - I'd heard so many great things about this series, but this still managed to be quite the pleasant surprise.  It really pulled me in!  Since I've read this I've read the sequel as well and it didn't disappoint in the least.

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

Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert - As a librarian, I push a lot of books, but I'm pretty sure this one was up at the top of that list!  

5. Best series you started in 2022? Best Sequel of 2022? Best Series Ender of 2022?

Opener - Little Thieves (Little Thieves #1) by Margaret Owen - Let's just say, if you're a fan of Leigh Bardugo I have a feeling you'll love this.  I can't wait to read the upcoming sequel.

Sequel - Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder #2) by Holly Jackson - I'm so glad I jumped on the sequel so quickly because it didn't let me down at all.  Plus, it was a great decision to listen to this on audiobook.  I can't wait to read the finale!

Ender - The God of Lost Words (Hell's Library #3) by A.J. Hackwith - This whole series has been marvelous and I couldn't ask for a better finale.  I already miss these characters so much.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2022?

Umi Sakurai - I don't read a whole lot of manga, but I absolutely fell in love with this author's series A Man and His Cat.  I've read the first seven volumes so far and I'm pretty sure each volume just keeps getting better and better.  

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

Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon - Nonfiction isn't a go-to for me, but this was easily one of the best biographies I've ever had the chance to read.

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

Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: an Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang - I'd say this is my second favorite book of the year, honestly.

9. Book You Read In 2022 That You Would Be MOST Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe - I don't reread often at all, but I could see myself rereading any of the volumes of this Greek mythology retelling graphic novel series.  It's just delightful.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2022?

Mavericks of the Sky: The First Daring Pilots of the U.S. Air Mail by Barry Rosenberg and Catherine Macaulay - I don't know if this is the best cover, but it's hands down the coolest.

11. Most memorable character of 2022?

Pete & Alastair Montague from The Montague Twins series by Nathan Page and Drew Shannon - I've met a lot of great characters this year, but I need to mention these twin brothers from this YA historical fantasy graphic novel series.  Really, I could list the entire team from this series - I hope we get to see more of all of them in the future.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2022?

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke - It's best going into this one blind - just trust me when I say the pay off is amazing.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2022?

The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman - This should be required reading.  I shouldn't have waited so long to read this.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2022 to finally read?

Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness #1) by Tamora Pierce - If only I'd read this about 20 years ago.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2022?

“May your Paths be safe, your Floors unbroken and may the House fill your eyes with Beauty.”  

- Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2022?

Shortest - Enola Holmes and the Boy in Buttons (Enola Holmes #6.5) by Nancy Springer - 21 pages - I've loved reading this series (and have really gotten a kick out of the movie adaptations) even if this short isn't exactly necessary.

Longest - Bones of the Past (Villains' Code #2) by Drew Hayes - 1,154 pages - Drew Hayes is one of my favorites that I don't feel I talk about enough.  While I wouldn't call this particular novel a favorite, it's always good to get to read one of his books.  The audiobooks always get a good production.

17. Book That Shocked You The Most (Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)

The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater - This is not an easy read, but it should be required reading.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!) (OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)

Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson from Heartstopper: Volume Four (Heartstopper #4) by Alice Oseman -  They are so wholesome together.  Plus, Joe Locke and Kit Connor are perfect in the live action Netflix adaptation.

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Kanda and Fukumaru from the A Man and His Cat series by Umi Sakurai - Mr. Kanda is such a good cat dad and Fukumaru is such a good kitty!

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2022 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

Saga, Volume 10 (Saga #10) by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples - It was a brutal wait for volume ten, but it was great to be back with these characters again.  It definitely made me misty eyed all over again.

21. Best Book You Read In 2022 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure/Bookstagram, Etc.:

The Red Palace by June Hur - I'm so glad I took that recommendation because this YA historical mystery novel was easily one of my favorite books of the year.  I highly recommend listening to the audiobook production.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2022?

I don't have one.

23. Best 2022 debut you read?

We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story by Simu Liu - I had no idea what to expect from this autobiography, but this was excellent.  I really appreciated his conversational style and his voice really comes through.  I can't wait to see him as Shang-Chi again in the future, and perhaps read more of his work if he decides to write more as well.

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

Jade Legacy (The Green Bone Saga #1) by Fonda Lee - If you've read this, you'll understand just how outstanding it is.

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

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman - This was one of my rereads this year.  This time around I listened to the full cast audiobook edition.  It was great to hear David Tennant and Michael Sheen provide their voice talents as Crowley and Aziraphale here as well.  Plus, Newton Pulsifer is voiced by Arthur Darvill, so we got a bit of mini Doctor Who with the three of them!  All three of them have great voices and should narrate more audiobooks.  I sat there listening to this with a big, silly grin on my face I expect.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2022?

A Man and His Cat, Vol. 5 (A Man and His Cat #5) by Umi Sakurai - Oh my gosh, I was kind of a mess with this one.  I was so worried!

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Spear by Nicola Griffith - If you like historical fantasy and Arthurian retellings, this is a must read.  

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

The Inside of Out by Jenn Marie Thorne - I'm still mad about this one and I even DNF'd it at 45%!

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2022?

Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chimzar - This horror thriller novel is written in the style of a true crime book it really worked for it.

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

The Burning by Laura Bates - This YA Contemporary made me see red, but in a good way.  It's a really brutal read, but it's worth it especially if you're a fan of The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis.

1. New favorite book blog/Bookstagram/Youtube channel you discovered in 2022?

I found Liv's Library on Youtube - and was impressed enough that I decided to take part in her Upside Down Readathon which was pretty cool. 

2. Favorite post you wrote in 2022?

I loved putting together my Mid-Year Movie Freak Out 2022!

3. Favorite bookish related photo you took in 2022?

This picture may not look like a whole lot, but I was just so excited to receive a copy of The Red Sky (Perseverantia Book #2) by Timothy D. Minneci from the author himself!  I originally posted this picture on Twitter.

4. Best bookish event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, etc.)?

Sci-Fi Month in November is always great, but I participated in Wyrd & Wonder for this first time this year and that was the real standout bookish event I participated in and it lasted all of May.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2022?

I don't know about best, but I'm proud of myself for continuing and keeping up with G's Magical Readathon.  She's so creative!

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

As usual, it's finding the time - I'm so glad I can schedule things in advance!

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

By number of views, Top Ten Tuesday: Upcoming Netflix Movies I'm Looking Forward To (from July 19th, 2022) currently has 1,347 views

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

One of my posts from the year that has the least number of views is Top Ten Tuesday: Most Recent Additions To My Book Collection (From January 11th, 2022) with only 511 views.

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

I found out that a local new and used bookstore has a loyalty/ rewards program so I've been making the best of its benefits!

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

Yes, I completed my Goodreads goal, the 2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge, and Book Riot's 2022 Read Harder Challenge.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2022 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2023?

Nona the Ninth (The Locked Tomb #3) by Tamsyn Muir - I can't wait until my library audiobook hold becomes available.  This is going to be great! 

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2023 (non-debut)?

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix - This book is going to be released on January 17th, 2023 and I'm practically counting down the days!

3. 2023 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown - This debut will be released on April 4th, 2023 and it's been at the top of my list for awhile now!

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2023?

Hell Bent (Alex Stern #2) by Leigh Bardugo - I loved Ninth House and I'm dying to read this sequel - I'm so glad I've only got to wait until January 10th before it's released!

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2023?

Find the time to keep up on my reading and my blog, plus everything else.  So same as usual!

6. A 2023 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone (if applicable):

The Last Saxon King (Jump in Time #1) by Andrew Varga - I've only read one 2023 release already and it's expected release date is currently March 7th, 2023.  If you're at all into time travel stories, this one is really fun.  Plus, if you're a fan of Domesday Book (Oxford Time Travel #1) by Connie Willis, I have a feeling you'll like this.

Have you taken the 2022 End of Year Survey?  What books have you loved this year and what are you looking forward to in the coming year?  As always, thanks for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!