I gave a little sneak peek of this list on Information Morning on December 7. Listen here.
It’s that time of year, top ten lists are popping up in all the usual places. I set a reading goal for myself every year…for no other reason than it helps me choose reading over Netflix. Sometimes reading loses, sadly. I keep a bookshelf over at 50Book Pledge. ca, which is a fabulous, easy-to-use virtual bookshelf site for anyone who likes that sort of thing.
Anyway, there are always bookish questionnaires floating around the Internet at this time of year that allow you to pause and take stock of your reading year. I am using The Perpetual Page-Turner’s awesome questions. I’ve done her questionnaire for the last few years and I really love looking back on the year.
Number of Books You Read: at this point 54, my goal was 60 but I didn’t make it.
Number of Re-Reads: 2
Genre You Read The Most From: YA (27 – I read a lot of YA because I teach high school English, but I do try to balance it out with other stuff.)
Non Fiction: 2
Fiction: 23
1.Best Book You Read In 2015?
Best YA: That’s a tie between Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz and Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn
Best Other: Beautiful Ruins – Jess Walter
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
Hausfrau – Jill Alexander Essbaum
I was pretty excited when this book was chosen for my book club. It was on a lot of top ten lists, but I hated it.
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?
I am always surprised by books that have a lot of buzz that turn out to be just mediocre on so many levels. I’m thinking of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin.
4.Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)? 
I am always recommending books – although I generally try to find ‘best fit’ books in the classroom because what is right for one student might not be right for another. That said, of the books I’ve read this year I’ve recently been recommending Emily Murdoch’s If You Find Me.
5. Best series you started in 2015? Best Sequel of 2015? Best Series Ender of 2015?
I loved Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne, and I loved its sequel Sky on Fire…then I got series fatigue, so I haven’t finished the series.
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2015?
YA – Stephanie Kuehn. I’ve read two books by her this year and I’ve loved them both.
Other – Big fan of Penny Hancock’s Kept in the Dark. I would definitely read more by her
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
Can’t really answer this one because I typically don’t read outside of my comfort zone. For example, I am not a fan of straight-up sci fi, so I don’t have any on my tbr shelf and I probably wouldn’t be purchasing any.
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
In the total page-turner department I read If You Find Me in pretty much one sitting. I was totally invested in those characters. I also loved This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
9. Book You Read In 2015 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
Not likely going to be re-reading anything. You might remember I talked about re-reading this summer and I had high hopes to tackle Jane Eyre, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Velocity and of the three I only managed to get to Velocity.
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2015?
Come on, you know you can’t judge a book by its cover…but my favourite cover was probably Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter because Italy is my happy place and much of the book takes place there and the cover is so pretty, although I suspect it’s been photo shopped. I also loved the cover of Paris Letters by Janice MacLeod, a Canadian who gave up a good job to live and paint in Paris.
11. Most memorable character of 2015?
Oh, I met a lot of memorable characters this year – people I’ve thought about long after the final page was turned. I’m not sure I could pick just one.
12.Most beautifully written book read in 2015?
I think I will have to say Beautiful Ruins, although The History of Love by Nicole Krauss is pretty amazing, too. Both of those books manage to offer the reader style and substance.
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2015?
Okay, well it has to be Donna Tartt’s massive The Goldfinch. I mean, Tartt just gives the reader so much to gnaw on…some of it frustrating, some of it extraneous and some of it absolutely, stunningly, remarkable. That was a book that made me laugh, made me cry and made me want to tear my hair out – sometimes on the same page.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to finally read?
I am going to interpret this question a little differently. Andrew Davidson’s novel The Gargoyle has been sitting on my TBR shelf for at least five years, but I only got around to reading it this year when it was chosen for book club. Sadly, it didn’t live up to all its hype.
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2015?
“Whatever teaches us to talk to ourselves is important: whatever teaches us to sing ourselves out of despair. But the painting has also taught me that we can speak to each other across time. And I feel I have something very serious and urgent to say to you, my non-existent reader, and I feel I should say it as urgently as if I were standing in the room with you. That life – whatever else it is – is short. “ – The Goldfinch
16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2015?
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt was the longest at 784 pages
This Is What I Did by Ann Dee Ellis was the shortest at 176 pages
17. Book That Shocked You The Most
(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)
Hmmm…maybe Kept in the Dark.
OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)
Aristotle and Dante….so much love for these boys – they were so richly drawn.
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
Elizabeth and Lauren from Roomies. I loved both those girls and the friendship they forged via e-mail.
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2015 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers I read her novel Some Girls Are last year and loved it, and this one – a zombie novel – I didn’t actually expect to like as much as I did, but it was excellent. Summers is Canadian and she is a kick ass writer.
21. Best Book You Read In 2015 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure: 
Kindness for Weakness by Shawn Goodman was recommended to me by a girl in my grade eleven class. She loved it so much that she asked her parents for a copy for Christmas. So, when a student is that passionate, I feel obliged to move that book to the head of the queue. Sadie was right; this is a great book.
22. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
I think Josh Malerman did a pretty good job of creating a vivid setting in his horror novel Bird Box. It was pretty dang creepy.
23. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
Oh dear – I’m not sure I could pick a book that I would consider the most “fun” to read. I read books that I enjoyed, but not because they were “fun.” Geesh, perhaps I need to read less gloomy books.
24. Book That Made You Cry or Nearly Cry in 2015?
The Goldfinch made me cry. Yep, not gonna lie. And this time – for the first time ever – I cried when I re-read Velocity. I’ve read that book 20 times, but I cried for the first time ever this summer.
25. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
Amazing Grace by Lesley Crewe. I was mad that I wasted time reading it…and I wouldn’t have if it hadn’t been chosen for book club. I know people who have really enjoyed it and I even understand why they loved it – but for me…a world of no.
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
Kept in the Dark. I don’t know how many people know about this book, but it was really, seriously good – although perhaps the subject matter will squick some people out.
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
Ahhh, who doesn’t like a little soul-crushing? If You Find Me was heart-wrenching. The Goldfinch packed a wallop, for sure.
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2015?
Hmmm. Not sure. Paris Letters, maybe. The House had the potential to be unique, but it was mostly silly.
1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2015?
Sadly, I don’t follow any blogs regularly. I need to carve out more time for this because there’s so much great conent out there. 2015 was really a busy year for me. I am hoping things settle down some in 2016.
2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2015?
I thought I did a decent job of capturing my conflicted feelings about The Goldfinch. I also liked my review of Velocity, which is one of my all-time favourite books.
3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
My blog doesn’t actually get a lot of traffic – so not too much “discussion” happening. Something I should try to rectify, although I have always said that The Ludic Reader is mostly a place for me to gather my own thoughts about the books I read.
4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
Again – this is something I need to get to make more time for. The only bookish thing I get involved with is The Write Stuff, a one day workshop/reading I help organize for students in Southern New Brunswick. We do have an amazing literary festival here called FogLit. It would be so easy to get on board…gah!
5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2015?
The absolute very best bookish thing that happened to me this year was having an email correspondence with Kristin McCloy, author of Velocity and Some Girls. It started with a brief exchange on Good Reads and morphed into a full-blown friendly chat via email which made my fangirl heart almost explode with bookish happiness. I LOVE Velocity. Imagine having the opportunity to actually tell the author what a book has meant to you and …insert head explosion here.
6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?
It’s always being distracted by other things, I guess. I also think that setting a reading target worked against me a little. I felt, towards the end, I was whipping through books in an effort to meet the goal I’d set and so because I know I can do 50 I’m going to leave it at that and take the pressure off myself. I just want to read…
7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
With 123 views, a thing I wrote about classics for The Nerdy Book Club got the most love.
8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
I think everyone should read the interview I did with my amazing son, Connor. He’s the only 16-year-old I know who read Madame Bovary of his own volition.
9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
Word Porn on FB.
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
Nope. Six books shy of my goal.
1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2015 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2016?
Ha. As if. Actually, Brooklyn by ColmToibin is my first priority. It needs to be read by the 7th for our first book club of 2016. I started it last night.
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2016 (non-debut)?
All the books on my TRB shelf need some love. I am anticipating all of them.
3. 2016 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
I honestly don’t follow what’s coming out in a rigorous way. I have so many backlisted books on my shelves; I am not a “I have to have that book as soon as it comes out” reader.
4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2016?
I got nothing. Series drive me crazy.
5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2016?
I would like to find a way to be a more regular blogger. I am actually a fairly organized person, but in some ways I bite off a little more than I can chew in real life, and this blog often takes a back seat. I would like to change that.
6. A 2016 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:
Nada.
Thanks again to The Perpetual Page-Turner for providing these questions and an opportunity to reflect on my reading year.
I hope 2016 brings you many happy hours curled up with a good book!
The Ludic Reader 