Happy new year! Since 2024 is officially over now, it’s time to look back on this year. I have seen The Year-End Book Survey already in the past and I believe I did even take it once on one of my previous blogs, but now that I saw it over on Pages and Tea, I was reminded by this and decided to dive into it as well. The survey is hosted and created by Jamie @ The Perpetual Reader. So, let’s take a look on the year that was 2024!

2024 READING STATS

Number of books you read: 121
Re-Reads: 5 (Throne of Glass 1-5)
Most Popular Genre: Romance, followed by Fantasy.

BEST IN BOOKS

1. Best Book You Read In 2024?

I think I have to go with House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas here, closely followed by The Women by Kristin Hannah. Both were very anticipated reads of mine and I’m happy to report that they lived up to my anticipation. You can find my full list of 2024 favourites here.

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

There are a lot of books I thought were just average, but I had such high hopes for The Songbird & The Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent. I was already a bit nervous because I didn’t like the second book in the “Crowns of Nyaxia” series that much, but this new book in the series is something completely different. I can’t even remember what I have been reading and who were all the characters in this story. I already had this problem whilst reading, not good.

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

Actually there are more of those. First, The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson. I hardly read YA these days, let alone mysteries/thrillers. However, this one had me hooked and I could appreciate those twists and turns. Furthermore, the entire “Lady of Darkness” series by Melissa K. Roehrich. I never expected to binge read a series because I just don’t do this. When talking about books that surprised me in a bad way, the absolute winner here is Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi. I didn’t have much expectations already after the five-year gap between books 2 and 3, but what even was this? This was absolutely not what I was expecting.

4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

I didn’t actively “push” people to read anything, so I don’t know LOL.

5. Best series you started in 2024? Best Sequel of 2024? Best Series Ender of 2024?

Here we go again, Lady of Darkness by Melissa K. Roehrich.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2024?

I’ve read a bunch of new authors this year, but I don’t think I have a favourite yet. I always have to read more of their work to crown them a new favourite author.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

Well, 2024 was the year I didn’t get out of my comfort zone because I just wanted to take it easy. This meant no challenges or books that didn’t suit my reading preferences. I know it sounds a bit sluggish, but my comfort zone is quite broad so I have plenty of books and genres to choose from.

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

Again, a book I already mentioned. House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas, and also the “Lady of Darkness” series by melissa k. Roehrich.

9. Book You Read In 2024 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

None, I’m not much of a rereader. I slack on my rereading plans, hence why I didn’t finished my “Throne of Glass” reread.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2024?

LOL I don’t have one, covers don’t say anything to me.

11. Most memorable character of 2024?

I don’t have any, I don’t have any favourite characters of this year. So many were so good, but I also encountered poorly written ones.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2024?

I think I have to go with Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross. The writing is quite lyrical, just like its predecessor Divine Rivals.

13. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2024 to finally read?

Is it bad that I can’t think of one? My goal for this survey is to look as little as possible into the books I’ve read and in 2024, I read a lot of new releases LOL.

14. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2024?

Okay I have to look up my stats now… Shortest: Geheimen passen niet in een verhuisdoos by Marike Groslinga. Longest: House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas.

15. Book That Shocked You The Most?

Either Dust Child by Nguyen Phan Que Mai or The Women by Kristin Hannah. Both deal with such heavy topics, but about the same part of history: the Vietnam War. They both do this in their own way and it was hard to put both books down.

16. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)?

I think Bryce and Hunt? Or Scarlett and Sorin? I’m not that kind of reader who cares about this kind of stuff. Maybe I’m too old for this LOL.

17. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year?

That definitely is the court of Scarlett and Sorin in “Lady of Darkness” because that’s what we call a found family.

18. Favorite Book You Read in 2024 From An Author You’ve Read Previously?

Don’t mind me being a broken record please, but The Women by Kristin Hannah.

19. Best Book You Read In 2024 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure?

Sorry not sorry, but the entire “Lady of Darkness” series by Melissa K. Roehrich. However, I always check the blurb before diving into something new.

20. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2024?

I’m too millenial for this, I don’t have any.

21. Best 2024 debut you read?

To be honest, I don’t think I read any debuts this year. And if I have, they are not memorable. Oh wait, Jade City by Fonda Lee is a debut right?

22. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

I think I have to go with the entire “Green Bone Saga” by Fonda Lee here. Due to spoilers, I can’t tell you why it’s the best.

23. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

I don’t want fun in my reading, romcoms are not my cup of tea. The more emotions, the better. I need depth.

24. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Dearest Clementine by Lex Martin. I almost put this on the DNF pile, but it surprised me in a very, very positive way. I totally forgot about it earlier, but answered is answered so I won’t be going back to change my answers.

25. Most Unique Book You Read In 2024?

I only read proze, but if I have to choose I will go for Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. A journal that meets an encyclopaedia is not something I’ve encountered before.

YOUR BLOGGING/BOOKISH LIFE

1. New favorite book blog/Bookstagram/Youtube channel you discovered in 2024?

I don’t have any favourites, I don’t follow a specific bookblog consistently. If someone posts something I align with, I will definitely read it. I don’t do Booktube and I’m not sure about Bookstagram.

2. Favorite reviews that you wrote in 2024?

Hmmm I don’t have any favourites here either, because I’m still toying a bit with my review structure. I still am not too satisfied unfortunately.

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?

I enjoyed Let’s Talk Bookish, but am not satisfied with the 2024 topics. I therefore tok lots of deep dives into the archives and found some interesting posts, alongside three topics I created myself. I also broke down Goodreads and The Storygraph after the huge influx of readers migrating from one platform to the other back in January.

• Discussion: Goodreads vs. The Storygraph

• Let’s Talk Bookish: Are star ratings fair or necessary? (from the archives)

• Let’s Talk Bookish: Book Reviews (topic I created myself)

• Let’s Talk Bookish: Bookish Etiquette (created by myself)

• Let’s Talk Bookish: Book Clubs (created by myself)

Furthermore, I did lots of other memes, such as Top Ten Tuesday which provided a lot of interesting lists as well.

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

I didn’t take part in lots of stuff, I only went to 1 book event and didn’t even like it. Maybe it’s not my vibe like it used to be? I noticed I was one of the oldest there and I’m in my early 30s so yeah.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2024?

I don’t know really, I think seeing my blog grow more than it did in 2023. I finally have review indexes, but I created those on December 30, 2023 so they don’t count.

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

Pretty funny, because this is my review of Twisted Games by Ana Huang, which I wrote in July 2023. It got 3,161 views in 2024.

7. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Ha, my earlier mentioned Goodreads Vs. The Storygraph breakdown, because that was a lot of work to write.

8. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

I don’t have I guess, because social media is trash these days and I was already on The Storygraph in 2023.

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

I just set my number to 50 and that’s the only thing. I accomplished this in May already.

LOOKING AHEAD

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2024 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2025?

Hmmm I don’t know yet, I have so many books on the backlist!

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2025 (non-debut)?

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros and I’m not even sorry about it.

3. 2025 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Quicksilver by Callie Heart. Technically not a debut, but I’m waiting for the Dutch edition which will be out at the end of January.

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2025?

Again, Onyx Storm.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2025?

Just getting my blog to grow more and hitting my reading goal. I only do it for the end of year wrap ups though.

Pfew, that’s it! It was a bit longer than I’d initially thought, but I made it to the end. Are you taking part as well?