CLP Blog Tour: The Holdout

When I read what Laurel Osterkamp's latest novel was all about, I was intrigued. I immediately signed up for the CLP Blog Tour and hoped The Holdout would deliver. It did! I was so interested and invested in this novel and I couldn't stop thinking about it when I wasn't reading it.

Here's the synopsis:

Robin wanted to win The Holdout, a cutthroat reality TV show, so she gave it her all, challenge after challenge. Then she fell for Grant, with his irresistible eyes and heartbreaking life story. But Grant was only using Robin as they competed for a million dollars. Once home, Robin wants to hide from the humiliation as episodes of The Holdout are aired, and she worries her family was right all along; she's not a survivor. Or maybe she'll have the last laugh Besides, Robin now has jury duty. And as she forges ahead, confronting her demons about bravery, justice, and romance, Robin will come to decide which is more important: the courage to stand alone, or the strength to love again. 

I have to admit that I was a little worried about reading another of Osterkamp's novels as I read Starring in the Movie of My Life a couple of years ago and didn't love it. Still, I thought her newest sounded interesting and boy am I glad I gave it a shot. It was so good. I loved the way she played with the reality show novel - that was probably my favourite part of the whole book. I have never watched a full season of Survivor but it's been around for so long that everyone has at least a vague idea of what goes on during the show. Even though that's not my reality show of choice, I still found Robin's story, and her time on the show, interesting. I liked that we learned what the whole process could be like and that Osterkamp gave us all the background information we needed. 

There were two things that stood out for me that kept me from giving this book five stars. One was the way Robin acted during jury duty. I felt like she had a lot of lingering issues with the way the show played out and every once and awhile she'd think about which of her other jurors would get voted off first if they were on The Holdout. I don't blame her, I'm sure being on a show like that can really mess with your head, but I wish that had been toned down just a tad. It made her seem a little unstable and I don't think that's what Osterkamp was trying to go for. The other issue was with her family. I totally loved that she had a large family and they sort of supported her in their own weird way, but I feel like there were too many of them...I got a little confused. There were some side stories involving them that didn't feel as complete as they could have and it just didn't flow well for me. These issues are not deal breakers, though, and I'd still wholeheartedly recommend this book.

I appreciated that the romance in this novel took a total backseat. I could kind of tell how things would end up but Osterkamp kept me guessing until the very end. I liked that. Robin didn't go into the show looking for a romance but it happened, just like real life and good chick lit-esque novels. The romance just happens along the way and that's what happened in The Holdout. 

Even if you're not a Survivor fan, which I am not, I still think you would really enjoy The Holdout by Laurel Osterkamp. It's interesting look at the way we view two seemingly very different things - justice and reality TV. Osterkamp did a good job of weaving together the two into a thoroughly enjoyable novel. Check it out! It won't disappoint.

Simon & Schuster Canada's Winter Survival Package + Contest

It's no secret that Canadians deal with some cold weather in the winter. To help battle those winter blues and the bitter cold, Simon & Schuster Canada has come up with a great contest. You could win your very own stay warm kit!

Most of you reading this will probably agree that curling up with a mug of tea and a book is a perfect way to stay warm in the winter and this contest will help with that. Not only will you have the chance to win some awesome books but also included in the prize pack are mitts, tea, a mug, and more! Doesn't that sound cozy?

To enter, just head on over to the contest homepage and fill out the form. Easy peasy! While you're there, check out the five ways they recommend you stay warm this winter. What's your favourite way to stay warm? I'll take that blanket and cup of tea, please!

Good luck and stay warm!

Rereading Sarah Dessen: Lock and Key

It's the last post for the I Eat Words Sarah Dessen Read/Reread Challenge read! *sobs* Check out this post that explains the details about the awesomeness that is this challenge. This post has been delayed for a few reasons...lots of other books to read for me, the holiday season for both of us, and a wedding Sandy was in at the end of the month. December's read was Lock and Key and it was actually my last read of 2013, which I liked. I was looking forward to this book because I really didn't remember much about it. I'm so glad I reread this one because I adored it. I think it'll make it in my top five favourite Dessen books (see the end of the post for that list).

Synopsis:

Ruby, where is your mother?
Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.
That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future; it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?
Best-selling author Sarah Dessen explores the heart of a gutsy, complex girl dealing with unforeseen circumstances and learning to trust again.

About the Story
Main  Character: Ruby Cooper

Age: 17
School Year or Summer?: School year.

Boy: Nate Cross
First description of the boy: This is actually the second meeting between Nate and Ruby. The first time they met he's swimming and it's dark so not much detail is given. "In broad daylight, he looked even more like a jock than the night before - in jeans, a t-shirt with collared shirt over it, rope necklace around his neck, and thick flip flops on his feet, even though it was way past beach season. His hair, as I noticed last night, was that white kind of blond, like he'd spent the summer in the sun, his eyes a bright blue." (page 71)

Crushable?: Absolutely...he's the school's Golden Boy but there's so much more to him.

Big Secret?: Yes - more about Nate's family life.

Heavy Storyline?: Yes, both with Nate's life and Ruby's past.

Parents Together?: No. In fact, Ruby's parents aren't even really in the picture.
Sibling(s)?: An older sister, Cora, who takes Ruby in after their mother took off.

Takes Place In: Lakeview, though I don't think the town's name is actually mentioned.

Cameos: So many. In fact, there are so many that I'm just going to provide the link to the Wikipedia page that lists all the references to other works and mention that I picked up on almost all of them.

About the Book

Released: 2008

Epigraph?: No.

Format (of the copy I read): Hardcover - and a special cover, not sure why there were so many covers of this one.

Own?: Yes.

Signed?: No.

Read or Reread: Reread.

Age when first read: 21.

New cover vs older cover: I think I like the newest one (I like the red, maybe because of Ruby's name and the fact that she's a redhead) but I am partial to the one I own.

My Thoughts

I don't know why Lock and Key didn't stand out for me when I first read it. I loved it this time around. Ruby was a really great main character to read about and, as usual, Dessen created an interesting story.
I forgot how serious the subject matter is in this story. Not only does Ruby come from a messed up family but Nate is hiding a huge secret as well. I think Dessen did a great job of showing how conflicted Ruby was when she knew she needed to say something to someone but didn't know how and didn't want to be the snitch, since that destroyed her life. She eventually realizes what the right thing to do is but it's not as hokey as that sounds.
Over the course of the novel Ruby also learns what family really means. Dessen tied in Ruby's school project in an interesting way...she had to come up with an explanation for one word and hers was, you guessed it, family. Because of this project she actually talks to people about the meaning of family and you learn just how different families can be.
Speaking of family, I really liked reading about Cora and Ruby's relationship. We get to learn more about what their upbringing was really like and what went wrong. It was hard to read at some points because you realize how much Cora wanted to save Ruby but she just couldn't. She blames herself and says she should have tried harder but she took on a lot when she was a young teen and I can't imagine her trying any harder. She did all she could at eighteen and you have to commend her for that. I'm so glad they got the chance to work on their relationship and become closer than ever.
I loved Ruby. She thinks she can do everything on her own but during her journey over the course of the novel she realizes that it's ok to accept help from others and that doesn't mean that you're helpless. She's a strong girl but she's not as...hard, I guess, as you might think. Nate is able to work his way into her life, and her heart, and that helps her open up to everyone else.
I'm really glad I reread this one (I know, I'm a broken record) because I can now wholeheartedly recommend Lock and Key to others. I think it's such a great coming of age YA novel that I think everyone can enjoy. 

Sandy's Thoughts

I felt a certain kind of sadness as I started what would be our last Sarah Dessen book for the year 2013. I have very much so enjoyed reading and reviewing over the last eleven months. I have to admit that Lock and Key is one of Dessen’s books that I previously remembered very little about. It has nothing to do with they story or the characters, I just read it so long ago that I forgot. Reading it this past month has been like reading it again for the first time and I really enjoyed it. Though Along for the Ride and This Lullaby remained two of my favourites throughout this process, I also discovered a newfound love for The Truth About Forever and What Happened to Goodbye. I also feel more confident in my recommendations of all Sarah Dessen books, including Lock and Key.

Lock and Key has a different vibe to it than most of Dessen’s other novels. While it is still a coming of age story based on the life of one girl it takes place over a longer period of time and focuses more on the male character and his secret problems. We follow Ruby from her solitary existence in the yellow house to her new life with her estranged sister. The new life she finds herself in is vastly different than where she came from and at first she resents being uprooted and forced to change. When Ruby meets Nate he comes across as someone who sees life in the completely opposite way and challenges her to follow. He is polite, kind, giving and positive, making it seem like he has it all. But no one ever does. Hanging around him, helping him help people allows her to see a different kind of life and more positive way to live.

I really enjoyed the dichotomy between Ruby and her sister Cora. They both went through the same upbringing and have very similar attitudes but Ruby has spent years repressing her helping gene and Cora has spent a lifetime honing it. When Ruby is faced with Nate and his situation she feels, for the first time in a long time, the urge to help and fight for someone other than herself. Having spent years pushing people away so they can’t hurt her, she finally opens herself up to Nate and accepts what true friendship and family can mean. Family is anyone that accepts you and wants to be there for you for no ulterior motive or price. Ruby finds this in the people she lets in once she feels safe enough to do so.

While living with her sister Ruby discovers that telling the truth and being truthful with yourself is the first step in changing who you are and who you could become. Once she opens up about who she is and what she wants people listen and help her. After being thrown into a world of false perfection at Perkins Day she realizes that at first it seems that Cora is trying to rebuild her but once she accepts help from Cora, Jamie and even Nate it is clear they only want the best for her. Those who truly care about her are not looking for her to be perfect, they just want a better life for her. With this realization she begins to let go and want a better life as well.

For most of her life Ruby thought that needing someone meant you were weak. It takes being the one that is needed to break her of that idea. When she lives with Cora and after the truth about their past lack of relationship is revealed she opens to the idea of being taken care of by Cora and Jamie. That was always Cora’s role in her life and it is an easy one to accept. Once she is taken care of she refocuses away from saving herself and towards Nate, someone that no one realized needed saving. It takes some adjustment and time but in the end she is changed and the people around her are as well.

This novel is the perfect coming of age tale from the master of the genre. All Sarah Dessen characters learn a lot about themselves through her novels. Ruby is no exception. By the end of the story you feel as though you have been through the ringer with her. This book seems to take place over a longer period of time than the others, especially the first few that Sarah Dessen wrote. The reader takes a journey with Ruby from rags to figurative riches. She comes into her own and flourishes beautifully. At the end of Ruby’s tale you feel as though she will do well in the future no matter where it takes her.

Sarah Dessen is a fantastic author and I wait impatiently for her next novel and the journey it takes us on.

Overall Thoughts on this Challenge

As I've said over and over again, I'm so glad I did this challenge. I really liked rereading the books by my all time favourite author. I was able to remember why I love her books so much. I also appreciate that I was able to understand a bit more of the nuances in the novels when reading them at 26 instead of 16. That was an interesting experience. So now that I've reread all of the books, what ones are my favourite? Here are my top five Dessen novels:
1. This Lullaby
2. The Truth About Forever
3. Along for the Ride
4. Lock and Key
5. The Moon and More

Cover Reveal: A Questionable Friendship

I am so unbelievably excited to share the cover of Samantha March's third novel, A Questionable Friendship. I was lucky enough to be a beta reader for Samantha for this novel (and I must say, the title changes everything!) and I freaking loved it. I can't wait for all of you to read it too but don't worry, you only have to wait a month or so. The exact release date has yet to be set but Marching Ink will be publishing this new novel sometime in February.

Here's the synopsis for March's upcoming novel:

Brynne Ropert and Portland Dolish have been best friends since being paired as roommates in college. Seven years later they are now twenty-five, married, and living in Maine–– but the two women couldn’t be more different. Brynne finds fulfillment in her life as a wife, mother and owner of a small café and bookshop, but is struggling to expand her family. Portland is still coping with her mother’s death during her childhood, and her marriage is unraveling before her eyes. Portland envies her friend’s seemingly stable and easy life while Brynne doesn’t understand the growing distance between them and cannot begin to guess what secret Portland is hiding about her husband and crumbling marriage. While one woman feels shut out, the other enters into a web of lies to protect herself.
A Questionable Friendship explores what really makes someone a true friend, a support system, a sister. How much trust goes into a friendship and when is being a friend not enough? Brynne and Portland’s story will attempt to answer those questions, and show that happily ever after isn’t in the cards for everyone.

Ready for the cover?

Ahhhh, I love it. Just adore it. Cover designer Scarlett Rugers did a great job! Make sure you mark this one down on your to read list.

About Samantha

Samantha March is an author, editor, publisher, blogger, and all around book lover. She runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog ChickLitPlus, which keeps her bookshelf stocked with the latest reads and up to date on all things health, fitness, fashion, and celebrity related. In 2011 she launched her independent publishing company Marching Ink and has three published novels – Destined to Fail, The Green Ticket and A Questionable Friendship. When she isn’t reading, writing, or blogging, you can find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers. Samantha lives in Iowa with her husband and Vizsla puppy.

Connect with Samantha

Website

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GoodReads

Top Ten Tuesday: 2014 Goals

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

Happy 2014! Who's made resolutions this year? I hadn't really made any true resolutions but thought I'd get some down on paper (or screen) for this Top Ten Tuesday post. I've done a mix of bookish and non-bookish for this list because I feel like I have a lot to work on in both worlds. What are some of your resolutions?

Bookish Goals

Read 100 Books. This is a pretty basic one. I read a whopping 183 books in 2013 but that was because I had a lot of free time due to unemployment.

Read more quality books...books I want to read. I feel like a lot of the books I read last year blended together and I forgot about a lot of stories. Some because I read them so long ago and some because they just didn't stand out. I'm hoping to change this by not saying yes to every review request (not that I do that anyway) and by reading more of the books on my own shelves (which I started doing last year with my Taking It Off...the Shelf feature).

Work on the blog. I want to spruce up the blog...the layout, how I plan posts, how I design posts, and so on. I've been doing this for over three years now and I feel like it doesn't look like I have been. Time to work on that!

Read more CanLit. I read a lot of Canadian novels last year but I'd like to read more this year. There are so many great Canadian authors out there that I haven't paid attention to.


Non-Bookish Goals

Get a job. This is my number one priority this year. I technically haven't worked for a paycheque in almost a full year. I did two internships but those were (really small) honorariums for twelve weeks of work each. I've been dedicating my time to applying for jobs every day since June and it's been hard. Really hard. I'm trying to do everything I can, which includes going to an employment centre in my city and getting a snazzy redesign on my resume. My hope is to have a job by the time pitchers and catchers report for spring training (mid-February). Fingers crossed!

Re-learn how to knit. This was actually a goal two years ago and I bought yarn and needles and started...something...but I'd like to give it another go and actually make something recognizable.

Learn/take up kickboxing. I have no idea where/how to accomplish this but I had the idea and then it showed up on a TV show I watched and a book I read yesterday. Sign?

(Maybe) get a tattoo. My mom and grandma will read this and kill me (no matter that I'm 26), but it's something I've been thinking about for years. I hadn't ever come up with anything that I liked but the other day I thought of getting 'read' on the inside of my left wrist. Plus, if I ever decide to write a novel I can get 'write' on my right wrist. We'll see if I'm brave enough to do it by the end of the year :)

Jane Austen (Re)Read-a-Long

It's no secret that I love Jane Austen. But I have a confession: I actually haven't read all six of her novels. Oh, the shame! I decided 2014 was the year to change that. Together with some friends I'll be reading (or rereading) all of Austen's novels this year. Since they're lengthy and wordy, I figured it'd be best to read one every two months. After much thought we decided to read the novels in order of publication so here is the reading schedule for this challenge!

January/February - Sense and Sensibility (1811)
March/April - Pride and Prejudice (1813)
May/June - Mansfield Park (1814)
July/August - Emma (1816)
September/October - Northanger Abbey (1818, posthumously)
November/December - Persuasion  (1818, posthumously)

I'm interested to see if Pride and Prejudice remains my favourite or if Persuasion overtakes it. I'm also looking forward to finally reading Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey.

This is just a fun little challenge for my friends and I but you are more than willing to read along with us. It's going to be very informal with me posting my thoughts at the end of the second month, and maybe the thoughts of my friends if they send me snippets as they read. We'll have to see how it all plays out. I'm looking forward to a very all things Austen sort of year!

End of Year Book Survey: 2013

It's the time of year for bloggers everywhere to take a look back at the year that was. Well, technically it's past that time of year but because I was without internet for all of December I'm only just getting my End of Year Book Survey up now! This survey is in its fourth year and it was created by Jamie of The Perpetual Page-Turner. It's so much fun to do but quite lengthy. So, thank you in advance to those who make it through the entire post. What were your favourite books of the year? Let me know if I missed any good ones! And Happy 2014!

1. Best Book You Read In 2013?

Chick lit – Blogger Girl – Meredith Schorr. Hands down the book I’ve recommended the most this year.

Historical fiction – Life After Life – Kate Atkinson. This book is so twisty turny but it’s amazing.

General fiction – Crazy Rich Asians – Kevin Kwan. It had everything and it was awesome.

Contemporary YA – Fangirl– Rainbow Rowell. Just amazing.

Fantasy/dystopian/basically anything not contemporary YA – Divergent series – Veronica Roth. SO glad I finally read this one.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Longbourn by Jo Baker. I still really liked it but this was a case of having mile high expectations. I should have known better!

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013? 

Skinny Bitch in Love - Kim Barnouin. I really wasn't expecting to love this one. I thought "This woman wrote a cookbook...how is she going to do with writing a novel?" Honestly, it's not the best literary adventure ever written but I still loved it. I'm excited there's going to be a sequel!

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?

Blogger Girl by Meredith Schorr for bloggers and chick lit lovers, Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan for those looking for a good fiction read, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson for people looking for a twisty story.

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

In the interest of not saying the same thing over and over again, I’m going to go with S.E.C.R.E.T. by L. Marie Adeline (aka Lisa Gabriele). This is a new erotica series written that got a lot of marketing from Random House of Canada when it was released earlier this year. We’re seeing erotica everywhere these days but I thought this series had a good storyline to it (unlike others I could name). Not to mention it's written by a Canadian and Lisa is absolutely fabulous (so glad I went to the lunch Random House hosted for bloggers!). Review for S.E.C.R.E.T. here and S.E.C.R.E.T Shared here.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

Rainbow Rowell. Technically I’ve heard of her and have been meaning to read her debut novel Attachments for a couple of years but I didn’t actually read her books until this year (which is probably a similar story for a lot of people). She blew up the blogosphere with her two YA novels this year, Eleanor & Park and Fangirl, and rightly so. They’re awesome novels and she’s an equally awesome person. You can tell that just by following her on Twitter but I met her when she came to do a signing in Toronto and she was beyond lovely.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

If you’re a regular reader you’ll know that I’m Canadian. I hadn’t read nearly enough Canadian fiction (referred to as Can Lit) and wanted to change that this year. Little did I know that I would end up doing an internship at the amazing nonprofit Project Bookmark Canada. It made me realize that Can Lit comes in all shapes and sizes. Part of my job had me read novels based in one particular Canadian city to see if there were any potential Bookmarks to be found. The first one I read was my favourite – The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou. It’s about two athletes in Calgary who are training to take part in the summer Olympics. I just loved it. I’ll definitely be making a point to read more Canadian books from now on. Perhaps I’ll start with the books nominated for Canada Reads 2014!

 8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

Just One Day and Just One Year – Gayle Forman. Holy man. I was crazy invested in Allyson and Willem's lives and I read both of these books in virtually one sitting.

 9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

I don’t tend to reread a lot of books these days, especially one year after another, so this was a tough one. In a perfect world, if I had the time I would like to reread the Divergent series (yes, this is coming up again). In part because it was awesome but also because the movie will be released in March.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?

Hands down the Canadian hardcover edition of Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. I have never loved a cover more in my life.

11. Most memorable character in 2013? 

 Don from The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. I had never read a main character like Don before and I think that’s part of why this novel did so well. To make a very basic comparison, he’s a lot like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. Even if you don’t like that show (I don’t), I think you’d like Don and his story.

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. Oh, this book was so heartbreaking. It was so kind of Schwalbe to share the last few months of his mother’s life with the world and allow us to learn what an amazing person she was.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013? 

Fangirl – Rainbow Rowell. As I looked through the list of books I read this year, Fangirl stuck out for me. This book is awesome for so many reasons but I really liked that Cath wasn't your typical college student. And she wasn't your typical atypical college student either. (That makes sense in my head...) I really connected with her because she was so incredibly (painfully) shy and I felt like that when I was in my first year of university too.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read? 

It sounds crazy but I actually hadn't read The Devil Wears Prada (2003) prior to this year. I love the movie but had never heard enough good things about the book to warrant putting the time into reading it. I finally read it because the sequel came out this year…but I still haven't read that one either! I also finally read Austenland (2007), a book I'd been meaning to read for ages. I read this one this year because the movie came out but I still haven't seen it because it didn't come to a theatre near me. Boo!

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?
It was hard to pick one favourite so I picked two. The first is a serious quote from Dreamland by Sarah Dessen. 

The next is a little funnier and it's from Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close.

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

Longest: Allegiant – Veronica Roth. 526 pages.

I read a lot of short stories so I went with the shortest novel (novel = 100+ pages): Cleavage by Theanna Bischoff. 122 pages.

How to do this: sort your Goodreads list by page number.

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? 

End of Allegiant. I had to text my friend and fellow blogger Natalie (Browsing Bookshelves). Exact text: What the effing eff, Allegiant.

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

Romantic: Dash and Lily from Dash and Lily's Book of Dares (Rachel Cohn and David Levithan). This one almost didn't make it on the list as it was one of my last reads of the year. I liked that they got to know each other through words first and I could tell that once they did meet they'd be really good to and for each other.

Family: Neil (father) and Chris (son) in The Banks of Certain Rivers (Jon Harrison). Neil's wife and Chris's mother had had an accident when Chris was quite young so Neil had to raise Chris on his own. He's in his teens in the book and I adored every single scene with the two of them. As I noted in my review, reading about these two was one of my favourite parts of the book.

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

Hidden – Catherine McKenzie. She is one of my favourite authors and I love that she's Canadian. Her books always have more to them than meets the eye and that was very true of her latest.

20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:

Just One Day and Just One Year by Gayle Forman. As I noted in my review, the main reason I read these is because Jamie (the lovely brain behind this awesome survey and the blogs The Perpetual Page Turner and The Broke and the Bookish) can't stop gushing about Forman. I now understand why. These books were awesome.

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?

Chick lit/women’s fiction. But is that really surprising? :)

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?

Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door. Oh, he was adorable. And much too young for me. But that's not the point. :)

23. Best 2013 debut you read?

Sweet Thing – Renee Carlino. This was my first foray into “real” New Adult and it was a thoroughly enjoyable trip.

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. 1. I can’t believe it took me so long to read this amazing book. 2. The world and circus Morgenstern created were just incredible. 3. Read it.

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?

Sense &Sensibility – Joanne Trollope. I personally liked this adaptation and I found it kind of fun and interesting to read it while having Jane Austen’s original novel and the Emma Thompson movie adaptation in my head at the same time.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry. I don’t know what it was that hit me so hard but I definitely cried while reading this one (and teared up a time or two while reading Crash Into You, too.)

27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?

Someday Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham. Seems kind of silly to say that a book written by a huge celebrity was overlooked but hear me out. I heard tons about how Graham was writing a book and when it’d be released and what it was about. Then it was released aaaand crickets. I don’t really remember seeing this one around the blogosphere (or even “traditional” media…sphere) too much. Did anyone even really end up reading it? It wasn’t super fantastic but it was good!

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2013? 

I had the pleasure of working with blogger Vanessa for one week when we were Random House of Canada interns. It was my last week and her first and we quickly bonded (and wished we had been together for the full twelve weeks instead of just one). She's the writer behind My Pen, My Voice. She does a lot more writing than just book reviews but her blog is one to check out.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2013? 

After rereading a few, I've decided on two that I like: The Night Circus (posted May 24) and Just One Day/Just One Year (posted December 26).

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?

I'm not really into discussions…only because I forget that I comment somewhere and don't check back. I imagine others are like that as well. But, I did write a discussionesque post this year that I'm really proud of…even though it was kind of ranty and didn't have anything to do with books. I'm not working right now (I thought it'd be a good idea to leave my job last year and try out some publishing internships…ha) and I thought I'd write a post about how unemployment was going for me. It got a lot of responses, both from people who were in similar positions and from those wishing me luck, and it really made me appreciate the book community who showed such support.

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?

I really liked Rachelia's post about the whole Goodreads debacle (side note: can we not have any blogger drama in 2014? Makes me feel like I'm back in high school.) on her blog Bookish Comforts. 

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

I was lucky enough to attend several amazing events and signings in 2013 but I adored this year’s Ontario Blogger Meet-Up. I went in 2012 and knew I had to go again because it’s so incredibly energizing to spend time with fellow bloggers. 

6. Best moment of book blogging/your book life in 2013?

There were so many great moments (interning at Random House of Canada being a big one) but one of my all time favourite bookish moments of this year was helping plan BookBuzz Toronto. It was an amazing event featuring nine women’s fiction authors and took place at a great bar in downtown Toronto. I still can’t believe that this event happened, that I was a part of it, and that I got to meet some of my favourite authors. Mind. Blown.  

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

There were a few posts that got a lot of hits and a few comments this year. My Touring My Bookshelves posts got a lot of love as did last year's survey and most Top Ten Tuesday posts. But one of the posts that stood out on its own was my Random House of Canada internship recap post.

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Perhaps my review of The Rosie Project. I think this was a great 2013 novel and I wish more people would read it. I think a lot of people are turned off by the fact that it's not your typical novel or main character and they think they won't like it. I thought the same thing but I loved it. It's so worth the read.

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

The Austen Project. It's a project that is getting six contemporary authors to retell Jane Austen's six classic novels. I'm a little hesitant, even after enjoying Joanna Trollope's reimagined Sense & Sensibility, but I'm interested to see how it all turns out.

Also, three indie bookstore shout outs…I finally went to Words Worth Books in Waterloo this year (I had only lived in the city for five years and out of it for over three) and it was delightful. I also got the chance to visit Curiosity House Books in Creemore. Such a cute town and shop! I also finally managed to visit The Bookshelf in Guelph...I wish I lived in that city because the (awesome) bookstore is also a cafe/bar and cinema. Ah-mazing.

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

I took part in the 50 Book Pledge hosted by Savvy Reader (HarperCollins Canada) once again. I knew I’d hit 50 easily but I had hoped to make 200. Unfortunately, I didn't quite get there but I’m SO proud of the number I hit (183).

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2013 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2014?

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. This wasn't a 2013 release but I purchased my own copy (that's now signed, woot!) in 2013 so I'm counting it. I MUST READ THIS.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2014 (non-debut)?

Ack. Hard to pick…buuut…I think I'll go with Emily Giffin's new one, The One and Only, which is to be released on May 20^th. I expect a copy for my birthday on the 28^th. :)

3. 2014 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Oh gosh. This is a tough one. I usually don't know about debuts until they're right on top of me. So I'll have to check my anticipated 2014 reads Top Ten Tuesday post. *reads over post* Alright, actress Judy Greer's memoir, I Don't Know What You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star wins!

 4. Series Ending You Are Most Anticipating in 2014?

I’m really looking forward to the final All Souls trilogy book, The Book of Life, by Deborah Harkness. It’s been a long time coming!

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2014?

I thought about not setting a goal for the number of books I want to read this year but I decided to try for 100 and see how it goes. I read way more than that in 2013 but my hope is that I'll be employed and won't have as much free time to read!

Because I can't just pick one thing, I also want to keep working on my blog and making it more…meaningful, I guess. When I was looking through posts to complete this survey I realized that a lot of the books I read just blended together. I'm not sure how to change that but it's something I'm thinking about as I start the new year.