2021 End of Year Book Survey (& Year in Graphs!)

As usual, I’ve adapted this from The Perpetual Page Turner’s End of Year Survey!

2021 READING STATS

Number Of Books You Read: 115

(Plus 16 picture books and 10 manuscript readings, neither of which are included in Goodreads, but I track them in my spreadsheet. If I included the number of times I’ve read my own manuscript, that number would be way higher.  🙂 )

Number of Re-Reads: 4
Genre You Read The Most From: Fantasy/Paranormal

This is the least I’ve read in years, but I did focus a lot on writing, so it seems like a good exchange. As you can probably see, I did a lot of writing in February and August.

My four rereads were the first four books in the Three Dark Crowns Series, but then I still didn’t read the final book! I was waiting for Danielle to read the books too, but then she never did. But really, I was just putting off a final book in a series for even longer, because I’m crazy like that.

I was actually surprised how evenly divided this year’s reads were between MG and YA. I felt like I’d read so many more MG books … but I think the audiobooks I listen to via Hoopla definitely skew YA, so I guess that made up the difference.

Best Book You Read In 2021?

No way I can do this, but I did come up with favorites for a bunch of categories:

Middle Grade Contemporary: Violets Are Blue by Barbara Dee
Middle Grade Fantasy: The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim
Verse Novel: Me (Moth) by Amber McBride
YA Contemporary: Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

 Most surprising book you read?  

I’d say Long Distance by Whitney Gardner, an incredibly fun MG graphic novel. I was very surprised by the way the mystery panned out in this one. Very entertaining!

Best series you started in 2021? Best Sequel? Best Series Ender?

I did a whole post on my favorite covers, so you should definitely go read it!

Most memorable character?

This one comes from The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker & Stacy Davidowitz. The MC is Nat Beacon, who loves theater and loves to sing and also happens to be in a wheelchair. The empowering story leaves an impression, and Nat does too.

Most beautifully written book?

So many of the verse novels I read this year could work for this category. (Full disclosure: if I hadn’t already chosen Me (Moth) as a favorite for the year I’d probably be putting that one here because it’s gorgeous!) Instead, I’m making it a tie between The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling (a 2020 book I read this year) and Everywhere Blue by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz.

Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book?

I don’t know that I’d say The Midnight Library by Matt Haig was life-changing, but it was definitely thought-provoking!

Book you can’t believe you waited until 2021 to finally read? 

I finally read Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed. Really loved it!

Shortest & Longest Book You Read?

That’s what Goodreads thinks, but technically the shortest book I read was the board book Glow by Ruth Forman, illustrated by Geneva Bowers.

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

This one is definitely The House in the Cerulean Sea. I saw this book on so many blogs, and I’m so glad I read it! The kids in this book were utterly adorable and sweet. The book was funny and endearing and way more meaningful than I expected. I just loved everything about it!

Best 2021 debut you read?

Oh, I absolutely loved Starfish by Lisa Fipps!

Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting in a Book You Read This Year?

I’m choosing Roxy by Neal & Jarrod Shusterman because the worldbuilding is so incredibly unique and interesting.

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

I absolutely loved reading the graphic novel The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor by Shaenon K. Garrity, illustrated by Christopher Baldwin. This spoof on gothic novels is so much fun!

Hidden Gem Of The Year?

The Verdigris Pawn by Alysa Wishingrad is a book that I loved, but I don’t think it got nearly enough buzz!

Book That Made You The Most Mad?

The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr made me want to scream about the unfairness of how women have been written out of history.

Best Indie/Small Press/Self-Pubbed Read?

I’m listing a YA and a MG for this one because these are both great books (and I think smaller presses deserve more love). First off, my MG choice is Dear Ugly Sisters by Laura Mucha, illustrated by Tanya Rex. This book of poetry is published by Otter-Barry Books and is utterly adorable!

Then I chose List of Ten by Halli Gomez, which is published by Sterling Teen (which, now that I’ve looked into it is owned by Barnes & Noble, but it’s not part of the Big 5 and it’s a new imprint that opened this year, so I’m still counting it). This heartwrenching book is an #OwnVoices novel featuring an MC with Tourette Syndrome.

SOME MORE GRAPHS:

I read more print books this year, which was interesting. I think it’s because I’m getting more print ARCs than digital these days. My percentage of books with diverse MCs (or authors) also went up this year. Definitely happy to see that statistic.

Not too surprised about the Source ratios. This makes it look like I don’t buy many books at all, but what it’s actually proving is the fact that I am TERRIBLE about reading the books I purchase. Review books (or Cybils books) always take precedence, and my “free” reading is usually only audiobooks (most of which I get from the library).

As you know, I don’t post books that would get less than 4 stars (this occasionally includes books that would round up from 3.5 stars), but I do still rate them in my spreadsheet for my own information purposes. I think my page counts for this year are a bit skewed because I read so many verse novels, but this gives you an idea.

Favorite post you wrote in 2021?

I had so much fun with the Zombie Apocalypse Book Tag!

Favorite non-bookish post?

I loved this fun post about creating book page art for my mom.

Favorite bookish-related photo you took?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Nicole Hewitt (@nicolefictionaddiction)

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

I’ve been sticking mostly to my local SCBWI group this year. Glad we actually got to meet a couple of times in person this year!

Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2021?

Co-mentoring Anne Rellihan with my good friend Megan E. Freeman for Author Mentor Match. This was such a great experience for all three of us!

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

Balancing writing and reading/blogging was tough this year. I honestly had to let some aspects of blogging go at times, but I’m hoping it will be worth it when I finally get published.  🙂

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

The most popular thing on my blog is actually a page: my list of all the Bookish Pre-order Campaigns! And this is fantastic because it’s the thing I put the most time into. Plus, I want everyone to get all of these awesome incentives!

Best bookish discovery (book-related sites, book stores, etc.)?

I can’t think of any bookish discoveries from this year. If you had any, tell me about them in the comments!

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

I’m cheating a little here and going with books I’m actually already reading. (That way I won’t have to be embarrassed when I look at this post next year and realize I never read the book listed here.) I’m currently listening to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (and I’ll probably switch back and forth between reading and listening).

And I’m also reading Nightingale by Deva Fagan right now and absolutely loving it (I might even finish it tonight, which will make it a 2021 read.)

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

I’m looking forward to lots of Rick Riordan Presents sequels. The Last Fallen Moon is just one example!

A 2022 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

I haven’t read a single 2022 release yet. Guess I have work to do.

If you’d like to see my Goodreads Year in Books, click on the link!

Did you write a 2021 wrap-up? Link me up in the comments! If not, tell me one of your favorite things about your blogging or reading life in 2021.