And it's the end of 2016! (Where did the time even go? Who knows!)
But over the course of the year, I've read some fantastic books, and today I am going to be sharing my absolute favourites!
By the way, not all these books came out this year, I only read them this year!
So, enjoy!
Favourite Books of 2016!
1. The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak
It's a rare thing, when a book exceeds expectations, especially mine (and considering the hype surrounding this book, I did have quite high expectations). But this book completely blew me away. The characters were flawed, which made me like them even more; it was narrated by Death (can't get any more unique than that); she steals books! (That's not like it sounds if you haven't read it). The writing style is kind of poetic and descriptive, which I loved; and what I loved most was how realistic it was- the fact that it was set in Germany in World War II, and it was totally realistic!
2. Unbecoming, by Jenny Downham
For those of you that have been watching my blog for a while, you will know that I am a huge Jenny Downham fan. This book focuses on three generations of one family, each struggling with a problem of their own. This book has a ton of serious subjects (including sexuality, dementia, and divorce), and it doesn't shy away from any of them. This book shows what real life is like, her characters are flawed, and one thing she is absolutely amazing at is showing people what being a teenager is about. And that's what I loved about this book.
3. Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes
This was one out of two books that I gave 5/5 stars this year. This book had me sobbing for hours at a time. And then once I started crying, I couldn't stop, until the last page. As there is a film for this, most of you will know the storyline, you will know what I was thinking. You just hope that it's all gonna work out, and so it's that much more heart-wrenching when it turns out differently. You put everything into hoping for it to happen, and you're that much more disappointed and heart-broken. (You'll know what I'm talking about, hopefully). Definitely recommend for anyone who feels like sobbing their heart out.
4. Bomb, by Sarah Mussi
Even though this was one of the first books that I read this year, it still sticks in my mind when I think of my favourites. I got this from the library, and it looked interesting (the Books with Bite logo was also on the back, and since my favourite series is with Books with Bite, I always express an interest in any of their books). And I'm so glad it picked me up. The concept was attention grabbing, and I feel like put in the type of situation the protag ends up in would have anyone panicking, to be honest. (She wakes up strapped to a bomb, and if she tries to escape, they'll set it off, how terrifying is that?) But this book grabbed my attention from the get-go and it kept me guessing through to the very end, as she tried to figure why she, of all people, was strapped to a bomb, and also, what she had to do to stay alive. Totally recommend this to anyone that loves action, with a bit of thriller thrown in.
5. Songs About A Girl (Songs About A Girl #1), by Chris Russell
This was the other book that I rated 5/5 stars, and it took me on this whirlwind journey that juggled first love (with two different guys, that are both so appealing, just in pole opposite ways: the good, hopeful guy; and the brooding mysterious guy (that is a lot more than just the stereotype: I swear!)), dreams, haters and jealousy, in a search for the truth for the protagonist's family life. It may not seem like much, but trust me, it's amazing and beautiful and character heavy, which I love to see in a book like this one! One of my favourites, by far!
6. Cold Spell (Fairytale Retellings #4), by Jackson Pearce
This was the last book in the fairytale retellings series, and it was such a conclusion. The only critique I have is that I hoped more of the characters I'd read about in previous books would have made an appearance. You get to hear about them, but they never made an appearance. Other than that, this was definitely a favourite book this year. I loved the description: the cold seemed real when you were reading it, and you really felt like it was winter from the description, it was so brittle and frozen, but there were delicate and beautiful moments as well. The characters were incredibly relatable and lifelike, and the way they progressed didn't seem fake at all. AND THERE WERE MORE REYNOLDS BROTHERS TOO! That's never a bad thing. This book was definitely the perfect ending to the series. Props, Jackson Pearce.
7. The Legend Trilogy, by Marie Lu
I can't possibly choose between these three, as they belong as a trio. This is the story of two characters, Day, the world's youngest and most unattainable criminal; and June, a prodigy of the test with a perfect score of 1500. In this Sci-fi based world, these two characters live on polar-opposite sides: The Republic, and the Colonies, that have been at war for centuries. They are classed as enemies, but when they meet (June is undercover, trying to avenge her brother; Day killed her brother, and is trying to scratch a living) they have immediate chemistry. Things just escalade from there. This trilogy is captivating, fast paced and exciting, and even though I wish I'd read it sooner, I'm so glad that I've read it now. Any Sci-fi lover needs to read this trilogy. Soon.
8. I'll Give You The Sun, by Jandy Nelson
From the outside, this book seems like every other cute contemporary out there in YA to date. But it's not. It's anything but that, to be honest. This book tells the story of twins Noah and Jude, that were once close, but aren't any longer, after a certain massive event. This book jumps from both twins' perspectives, but these perspectives take place three years apart, before and after this certain massive event. What's good about this book, is that you never get lost on who's perspective you're reading about, even though they're discussing different issues, and different times. Also, the writing is hope. Its full of hopeful, and at the end of the book, you're left feeling hopeful and fulfilled. This is a truly beautiful story, and it appeals to everyone, no matter your age and gender.
So those were my favourite books of 2016! I hope you enjoyed the list, and if you haven't read any of these books, I highly suggest you do, because they're all brilliant! (At least in my opinion they are.)
I will see you all on Friday, when I will be posting my Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them review, so look out for that!
I hope you all have a brilliant day and I will see you then.
Byeeeee!
-Abi xxxxx
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