Is it weird that I am doing a 2020 wrap up post in March of 2021? Well, here it is anyway! I got the inspiration from reading the Emily’s End of Year Survey @ Paging Serenity. She has one of the prettiest book blogs out there so give her some love if you’ve got the time to spare!
The End of Year Survey was created by Jamie @ The Perpetual Page-Turner. Jamie’s book blog is one of my earliest introductions to the world of book blogging, so she’s been around for a long time. She’s pretty pro by now, and has the most fun and creative blog posts out there, so make sure you check out her blog!
So, what’s the End of Year Survey? It’s a survey that Jamie started to recap everything she read in 2010. There are a few prompts over at Jamie’s post that you can use as you like. Sounds easy enough, right? Then let’s get started!
2020 Reading Stats
Number of books I read: 37
I was aiming at 50 books last year, but with life getting a bit messy at times, I only managed 37 books. I’m pretty sore about this because this year I’m at 21 books done and dusted so far. Maybe my stilted reading habits last year are driving my reading streak this year.
Number of re-reads: 2
I re-read The Prince and The King in preparation for The Queen, which came out last year. Yep, this is The Summer King spin-off series that Jennifer L. Armentrout wrote in the same universe as the Wicked series. It was so worth it! I had such a great time revisiting this amazing universe!
Genre I read the most from: romance
I am not surprised. I am a sucker for any romance, and last year I read every romance from historical to fantasy to contemporary! Fantasy romances were definitely the star of the genre though.
Best In Books
Best book I read in 2020?
2020 releases: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
Backlist: The Princess Bride by William Goldman.
Book I was excited about & thought I was going to love more but didn’t?
Bared To You by Sylvia Day. It had everything from a tortured CEO male MC to really steamy scenes, but I didn’t end up caring much about the characters. I had such high hopes since I have been waiting to read this for years.
Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book I read?
In a good way: From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
In a bad way: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.
Best series I started in 2020? Best sequel? Best series ender of 2020?
Best series: Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Best sequel: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Best series ender: The Queen by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Yes, I am obsessed with Armentrout and everything she writes is gold to me!
Favorite new author I discovered in 2020?
Frankly, I read almost all new authors last year, so this is pretty hard to narrow down. Hmm, I think my best answer here would be Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I read her Americanah and immediately declared her into my auto-buy list.
Best book from a genre I don’t typically read/was out of my comfort zone?
I don’t read a lot of horror, so Pet Sematary by Stephen King was a surprisingly terrifying and thrilling book to read!
Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
Hurry Home by Roz Nay. I read an e-ARC and I was awake past midnight finishing this book. I was literally glued to this story!
Book I read in 2020 that I would be MOST likely to re-read next year?
This one is pretty easy! I am planning on re-reading From Blood and Ash and A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire in anticipation of the release of book 3 on April 20th. I’ll most probably re-read The Harbinger series since Grace and Glory is coming out soon as well.
Favorite cover of a book I read in 2020?
I honestly can’t pick between the two, so I’m going to have to settle on both!
Most memorable character?
Definitely the gang in From Blood and Ash and its sequel! I am obsessed with these characters and I remember every detail about them! That’s how obsessed I am. Ask me about characters from books I read in 2019 and I’ll be drawing a blank, but these characters! They are like my dream team!
Most beautifully written book read?
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. I cried reading this book, and I think it’s pure intellectual beauty how Ness wrote this difficult story!
Most thought-provoking/life-changing book?
Daring Greatly by Brené Brown. I wanted to read this book ever since I listened to Dr Brown on Super Soul Sunday with Oprah. This book opened my eyes to a lot that I was navigating through my life last year and I can’t wait to read the rest of her work!
Book I can’t believe I waited UNTIL 2020 to finally read?
The Princess Bride by William Goldman. I should have read this as soon as I bought this in 2019. Why did I wait almost a year to read this???
Shortest & longest book I read?
Shortest: The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett
Longest: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Book that shocked me the most?
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout. If you know, you know!
OTP OF THE YEAR (I will go down with this ship!)?
Poppy and Hawke from the Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Are you really surprised at this point?
Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year?
Trinity and Peanut in Rage and Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Who isn’t? I want my own live-in ghost buddy at this point, okay?
Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read?
The Princess Bride by William Goldman. This book was mad entertaining! Literally one of the best adventures I have been on!
Book that made you the most mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
Hmm, this is a tricky one. I think my best answer here would be Americanah because I got really attached to the characters and it was hard reading about their struggles throughout the novel.
My Blogging/Bookish Life
New favorite book blog/Bookstagram/YouTube channel I discovered in 2020?
As soon as I discovered Sammie @ The Bookwyrm’s Den, I fell in love with her blog! It is so beautiful, her content is outrageously good and her voice is so unique that I am hooked!
Favorite post I wrote in 2020?
Favorite bookish related photo I took in 2020?
Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2020?
Moving over to WordPress was the best thing I ever did last year! It opened up many doors for me and I just enjoy blogging a lot more over here!
Most challenging thing about blogging or my reading life this year?
Getting back into it after some sporadic posts the years before and almost no reading was a challenge. It took me some time to get back in the groove and it disheartened me when I realised I was struggling, but I still managed to push through!
Did I complete any reading challenges or goals that I had set for myself at the beginning of this year?
I only set my Goodreads challenge last year, which is pretty much all I do usually. I was really hoping for 50 books done and dusted last year but I only managed 37. My fingers are crossed for 2021 though!
Looking Ahead
One book I didn’t get to in 2020 but will be my number 1 priority in 2021?
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, and Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel GarcÃÂa Márquez! I’m so excited to get started on these!
Book I am most anticipating for 2021 (non-debut)?
The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout A.K.A. Blood and Ash #3!
Series ending/a sequel I am most anticipating in 2021?
Grace and Glory by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I am scared, guys! I am literally terrified about this book coming out!
One thing I hope to accomplish or do in my reading/blogging life in 2021?
Reading: I am aiming for 40 books this year, but it’s almost April and I am already 21 books in! Should I aim higher?
Blogging: I have a whole list of goals I hope to achieve but the number one is probably to reach 50 followers. I don’t want to aim too high or too low, so this is my middle path to blogging achievement.
How was your 2020? Did you do your own End Of Year Survey? Link up or just chat about your 2020 in the comments below!
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I sobbed at A Monster Calls too…and then they made the film and I sobbed the whole way through because I knew what was coming.
I set my Goodreads goal at lower than what I expect to read so that it doesn’t nag me about being behind all year. In my mind I want to read more, but as long as I high my minimum I feel OK about it.
Hey Ellie! I haven’t watched the movie yet! I got teary just watching the movie trailer though 😂
That’s what I went for this year as well. I aimed at roughly the same number of books I read the year before. It’s like trying to keep up the streak 😅
You definitely shouldn’t be mad about not hitting 50 last year. I think everyone’s reading was wonky, and admittedly, the world had a lot going on. So it’s totally understandable.
I absolutely loved A Monster Calls, too! Patrick Ness is hard on the feels, but he writes so beautifully.
Thank you for all the kind words about my blog. <3 I'm so glad you like it!
Thanks a lot for your kind words, Sammie! 💛 You’re right, last year was… difficult and uncharted waters for us all 😅 And I absolutely love your blog! Thanks for dropping by!