2023 End of Year Survey

 

I look forward to the end of year survey every year - both posting my own and reading everyone else's. The survey was created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner and while I'm not sure she still hosts/posts the survey, I'm still linking back to her site.

2023 READING STATS
(I'm keeping the stats short and sweet because I find them incredibly boring - even my own lol)

Number of books you read: 127

Number of re-reads: 4

Number of books you DNF'd: 2

Most-read genre: contemporary romance 

FIRSTS AND LASTS

 

First book you read: Visions of You by Catherine Cowles

Last book you read: Broken Dreams by Corinne Michaels

First 2023 release you read: Drake by Sawyer Bennett

BEST IN BOOKS

Best book you read in 2023?

I spent way too much time trying to choose between these two, but I can't.

Both Wolfsong and Still Beating were outstanding in their own way.

  

Book you were excited about and thought you were going to love more but didn't?

Right Man, Right Time by Meghan Quinn. Oof, this one was painful. Granted, I'm not

a rom-com kind of girl, but I enjoyed the first book in this series so much. Unfortunately, 

this one was a big miss for me.

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

I figured Pucking Around would be fun, light-hearted and overall just a good

steamy read. It was sooo much more (witty, clever, emotional, thought-provoking) and 

surprisingly became one of my top favorites of the year.

Book you "pushed" the most people to read (and they did)? 

There wasn't one book I pushed, but I recommended author Catherine Cowles

a lot, and was happy to see that a few blogger friends read her and loved her, too!

Best series you started in 2023? Best sequel? Best series ender? 

Best series I started was Whispers of You (first in the Lost & Found series), best sequel

was Souls Unfractured (#3 in the Hades Hangmen series), and best series ender was

Grace Note (the final book in Bengtsson's Cake series).

    

Favorite new-to-you author you discovered in 2023?

Without a doubt, that was Jennifer Hartmann. I read three of her books

this year (Still Beating, Lotus, The Stars Are on Our Side) and each was 

amazing. She's definitely a new favorite.

Best book from a genre you don't typically read/was outside your comfort zone?

All the Little Raindrops by Mia Sheridan. Sheridan went dark with this

thriller (a genre I very rarely read). I adore her contemporary romances so

I trusted her to deliver a great story here... and she did, in a big way.

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

When it comes to unputdownable, None of This is True tops the list.

I had to know how the story was going to unfold and was listening/reading

every available minute.

Book you read in 2023 that you are most likely to re-read next year? 

I very rarely re-read, but I can imagine reading Wolfsong again. I'd love to

experience that story all over again.

Favorite cover of a book you read in 2023? 

Plenty to choose from but Lotus was a particular favorite. I also really liked the

cover for Pucking Around since it features part of the skyline of my city. :)

   

Most memorable character of 2023? 

Ox from Wolfsong. ❤

Most beautifully written book read in 2023?

The Lovely Return... achingly beautiful.

Book you can't believe you waited until 2023 to finally read?

Wolfsong. 

Had I known how much I would love it, I would have read it years ago.

 

Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2023? 

The only home I've ever known is in your arms

With the echoes of your heartbeats whispering my name

You are my favorite book, your frayed pages filled with 

moments I want to read a thousand times

And I wish, and I hope, and I wonder... 

if you feel the same

- The Lovely Return, Carian Cole

Shortest and longest books you read in 2023?

Shortest: 53 pages - On the Defense 

Longest: 756 pg - Pucking Around

   

Book that shocked you the most:  

The Stars Are on Our Side had a twist I did not see coming.

OTP of the year (you will go down with this ship!): 

I'll go with Noah and Fisher from Here With Me. Loved them together. ❤

Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year: 

The brotherhood among the Hades Hangmen.

Favorite book you read in 2023 by an author you've read previously: 

I can't believe it's taken this long for Fourth Wing to make an appearance in this survey! 

But it definitely fits for this question. Yarros is a longtime favorite and Fourth Wing

was a big hit for me.

Best book in 2023 that you read solely on a recommendation (friend/blogger/Bookstagram/etc):

I'm a super picky reader so I don't often read based on recommendations 

or hype. But I guess I picked up Part of Your World after seeing some

trusted blogger friends review it.

Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2023? 

Hm, I don't know that I get fictional crushes, but Fisher (Here With Me) and 

Alex (The Lovely Return) were pretty swoony.

Best 2023 debut you read? 

I don't actually pay any attention to this, but I don't think I read

any debut authors this year.

Best world-building/most vivid setting you read this year? 

Easy one! Fourth Wing is the clear winner. From Basgiath War College

to the dragons, I was completely transported.

Book that put a smile on your face/was the most fun to read? 

Sarina Bowen has a great way with banter and that made 

The New Guy and I'm Your Guy fun to read.

   

Book that made you cry (or nearly cry) in 2023? 

How much time do you have? I read lots of angsty, emotional, drama-filled books.

If a book doesn't make me cry, something has gone terribly wrong. lol Here are 

a few that definitely triggered the tears: Keep This Promise, Say You Want Me, 

Shadows of You, and The Stars Are on Our Side.

   

Hidden gem of the year?

While it didn't seem to make much of a splash, All the Little Raindrops 

was excellent. I kept thinking about it long after I finished it.

Book that crushed your soul? 

The Stars Are on Our Side was definitely a soul-crusher. And included 

a character death I will never recover from.

Most unique book you read in 2023? 

I don't know if it's unique, or just extremely well-produced, but the audio version

of None of This Is True was so entertaining and memorable. The full-cast 

narration, the inclusion of interviews, pod casts, and more made for a pretty unique

listening experience. 

Book that made you the maddest (doesn't necessarily mean you didn't like it)? 

It wasn't so much that the book made me mad, but more that I was mad at myself

for continuing to read it. lol The female main character was too stupid to live 

and I wanted to beat my head against a wall for all 258 pages.

*Note: I'm skipping the entire section of Blogging questions.

Either the questions don't apply to me or I have no interesting answers. :)

LOOKING AHEAD 

One book you didn't get to in 2023 but will be a priority in 2024? 

Two words: Iron. Flame.

Book you are most anticipating in 2024 (non-debut)?

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

2024 debut you are most anticipating? 

No idea. I really don't keep up with debut authors.

Sequel or series-ender you are most anticipating in 2024? 

One thing you hope to accomplish/do in your reading/blogging life in 2024? 

Continue to blog as I am able - never forcing it or making it feel like a chore, 

always reading what I want/when I want - keeping it fun and entertaining.

A 2024 release you've already read and would recommend? 

The Lily of Ludgate Hill (releasing on January 16, 2024) was an utter delight.

That's it for me. My 2023 year of reading is in the books (I know, I know...). 

What topped your list this year? What 2024 release has you most excited?