Sunday, December 15, 2013

A bookish linkup!

Cait and Mime, over at the Notebook Sisters (which looks like a rather fantabulous blog, by the way, even though I haven't full explored it yet) are having an end-of-the-year bookish linkup!


Basically you have to answer the following questions and then link up your own post to their post. I'm doing the reading one... but there's a writing link-up too, which I might or might not do. I haven't decided yet.
Without further ado... the questions!

1. What was your overall favourite book this year? (Yes. Pick one.)
Hmmm... I'm going to go with Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. I really, really enjoyed that one.

 2. Favourite debut(s)? (Author must have been first published in 2013.)
Can I pick myself? :P Because I haven't read any books by newly published (in 2013) authors. I can get close, though! Miss Jack Lewis Baillot was first published December 14 of last year.

 3. Which books did you reread this year?
A lot.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (actually, I'm hoping to start this one again soon because IT'S AMAZING).
Ruby Holler, Replay, and Bloomability by Sharon Creech.
The American Girl Samantha series (which is technically 6 books, but I'm counting them as one, since they're so short).
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman (also an amazing book - and movie).
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (does this count? 'Cause I read it... and then a few days later re-read it).
A Long Way From Chicago and A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck (x2. I re-read them twice this year).
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (though I don't really remember the first time...).
Ecclesiastes by Solomon (?).
The Penderwicks, the Penderwicks on Gardam Street, and the Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall.
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards.
The Two Towers and The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss.
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson (I love this book).
and
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Phew!

 4. Favourite cover(s) this year!
I'm guessing this is favorite covers of the books I've read this year...?



 5. Worst cover(s)?
I don't really have any worst covers... If I have to pick, though, I guess I could go with the cover of Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. It's an alright cover, but I prefer the one with the gears. And the Canterbury Tales Penguin classics version. That one has the author on the cover (to be fair, though, he is in the book as well).




 6. What self-published books did you read this year?
Kat and Kadet by J. Hammond (AKA Hailey Jenkins).
A Stretch of Loyalty by Miss Jack Lewis Baillot.
Abolished Impracticality by Miss Jack Lewis Baillot.
Sew, It's a Quest? by Kendra E. Ardnek.
and
Do You Take This Quest by Kendra E. Ardnek.

 7. Which book(s) gave you a massive hangover?
I'm not really familiar with book hangovers (or any hangovers for that matter...) but Abolished Impracticality left me going:

 
(I'm the one on the right. The one on the left is The Author, who can't comprehend my frustration)

 8. Best standalone you read?
I read a lot of great standalones. I'll go with one I haven't mentioned yet... Crater by Homer Hickam.

 9. Biggest book(s) you've read this year?
Moby Dick by Herman Melville is a clear winner! Followed up by Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer and the Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien.

 10. Book(s) you followed the hype for and then loved!
The books my friends write I eagerly follow the hype of, and then love their books.

 11. Most disappointing book(s) you read this year?
The No Place Like Holmes books I was expecting more from.

 12. Favourite leading-female character?
Fanny Price from Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. You can read why on my review of Mansfield Park a few posts back.

 13. Favourite leading-male character?
Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Beware future-firstborn-son-that-I-will-have-eventually—your name will be Atticus. It will!
I also really like Bilbo from The Hobbit by Tolkien... and Mr. Satterthwaite from The Mysterious Mr. Quin by Agatha Christie was pretty cool too.

 14. Best romance(s)?
Alek and Deryn from the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld!

 15. What book(s) hit the DNF list? (Did not finish)
Hmmm... lots, probably. The only one I can remember, though, is The Princetta by a French lady. I started it when we were visiting family across the country, and then never finished it when we came home.

 16. What book(s) did you read out of your comfort-zone?
I'll say Heist Society by Ally Carter. I don't normally read YA books and I tend to be a little wary of them...

 17. Which author did you read the most from?
Agatha Christie! I started reading her in the spring and have read seven of her books now. Second place is J.R.R. Tolkien, of whom I have read five books this year (The Two Towers, The Return of the King, The Father Christmas Letters, The Hobbit, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight).

 18. Top 5 books you'd recommend from all the books you've read this year?
Oooo, hard question!
Probably...
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - because I love love love that book.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman - because I also love love love that book and any fan of the movie will be equally impressed with the book.
Crater by Homer Hickam - this is a great space adventure with amazing world building.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - every fan of mystery should read this. Any fan of amazing writing should read this. Only, don't do it while you're camping on an island.
aaaannndd...
The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby - this was a really fun adventure-read. I really enjoyed it.

 19. How many books did you read this year all up?
66, so far! That's amazing! I don't know if I've read that many books in a year before. And I know for a fact that I will be finished one or two more before the year is up.

 20. What's a book you're hugely excited for coming out in 2014?!
The fourth Penderwicks book!

Live long and prosper.

8 comments:

  1. Wow! You've read a lot of variety of books this year! (That's awesome.) I love Richard Peck's books too. Oh my gosh, isn't the Grandma the best?!! She's one of the most awesome characters ever. I'm totally naming my kid Atticus too. Failing that, maybe a dog? Or a pet fish? SOMETHING will be named Atticus. XD
    Thanks for linking up with us!

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    1. Yes, Grandma Dowdel is amazing! One of the best characters EVER! I love those two books so much. Oh! I should have put them on my 'five books to recommend.' I didn't even think about it!
      Hee hee, a fish named Atticus...

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  2. WOW! That is a lot of books...Abbey, your mother would read and read and read also.

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  3. I need to get To Kill a Mocking Bird. If you mentioned it that many times it HAS to be good.

    DERYN AND ALEC!!!! I love those two.

    I plan to finish The Princess Bride someday. I thought I was reading the abridged version so stopped because I REFUSE to read abridged and then I found out it wasn't and now I want to finish it because I loved what I read. Such a fun book. And movie. And story. I just love it all.

    Hehe, I kind of like being Rory...

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  4. I used to love the Samantha books when I was little! I think she might have been one of my favourite American girls. :) I love the Princess Bride!

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    1. I love Samantha too. She's my favorite doll, though Kit and Felicity's stories are probably my favorites to read.

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  5. Oooh I loved Kit's whole room set up in the attic! Did you like Heist Society once you read it?

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    1. Yeah, that's really cool!
      It was an okay book. I can't say that it astounded me. But I enjoyed reading it.

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