End of 2010

This lovely survey was created by Perpetual Page Turner. I've been seeing it pop up over the last month, but I wanted to write it on the last day of the year, just to neatly tie up the loose ends of the year. Also, I wanted to be sure not to leave out any books that I read at the end of this year, because I did quite a bit of reading after finals ended! Oh, and just so you know, this is not a survey of books that were published in 2010, but books that I read in 2010.

1. Best book of 2010? The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver and Middlemarch by George Eliot were both lovely. Oh, and I can't forget The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I'm not good at picking favorites.

2. Worst book of 2010? It wasn't really that awful of a book, but I really didn't like Skipping Christmas. Not because it was so offensive or poorly written or anything - I just didn't like it. I rarely feel that way about a book, so it was kind of weird.

3. Most Disappointing Book of 2010? I was kind of excited to read The Jane Austen Book Club because it had been recommended by a friend and the story idea sounded great, but it bugged me so much that I didn't finish it. I didn't like or connect with any of the characters, and it seemed like most of them didn't like each other either.

4. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2010? I was a bit surprised by how much I loved Winter of Our Discontent, especially because I didn't really like the beginning. However, once I was a few chapters in, I couldn't put it down. I loved Ethan and being a part of his thoughts.

5. Book you recommended to people most in 2010? Probably The Book Thief.

6. Best series you discovered in 2010? I don't know that I read any series in 2010. I am definitely not smart enough to get rid of this underlined section.

7. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2010? I really enjoyed Markus Zusak and am hoping to read more of his work.

8. Most hilarious read of 2010? I loved The Help so much. I listened to part of it and read part of it (my roommate lent me her iPod because I used to commute 45 minutes, so I listened when I was in the car) and the audio version was especially hilarious. Especially Two-Slice Hilly Holbrook.

9. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2010? This might sound kind of funny, but I was in serious trouble while I was reading Middlemarch, once I got into it. Definitely put off some homework during those weeks. I would say the same for The Book Thief - The Husband would come home and find me reading on the couch, unmoved from where I had been two hours before.

10. Book you most anticipated in 2010? Probably Mockingjay - I'd been reading the series one by one as the books came out, so I was thrilled to finally read it.

11. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2010?
Love love love the cover of Dash and Lily's Book of Dares.


12. Most memorable character in 2010? Probably "Death" in The Book Thief.

13. Most beautifully written book in 2010? I loved the writing in Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck. I think one of my favorite things about reading is being inside someone's head, and Ethan Hawley's thoughts were beautiful to read and be a part of. I also have to say The Razor's Edge - W. Somerset Maugham gets me every time.

14. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2010? I reread The Poisonwood Bible this year and was sobbing by the end, I think in part because I was getting married and would be having children (eventually... not for a couple of years!) I think I realized that opening myself to all that love was also opening myself to a lot of hurt, and I realized that through the lens of the tragic events of that book.

15. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2010 to finally read? Hmm... Maybe Last of the Mohicans. I have loved the story for so long, I can't believe I didn't pick up the book before now!