Tales Post – 15 Best Books Read In 2016

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It’s time to share my 15 best books read in 2016!

I’ve not had the best reading year personally this year.  This was not because there were no brilliant books to read, it was all down to a huge horrible reading slump I hit around May time.  I had a lot going on personally at the start of the year and if I’m honest it all got quite on top of me and began starting to affect my mental health and thus my concentration levels were shot.  As the months passed it got a little better, but did not improve my reading levels.  One major problem I found was that I would start a book, really enjoy it, get halfway and then put it down unable to finish it through my own doing.  This happened often and was super annoying!

Whilst Goodreads states that I only read 37 books this year (and therefore failing my Goodreads challenge) I know I have possibly read more as I have not kept up to date with tracking my reading very well this year (one thing to make sure I do next year) and Goodreads does not include all those books I half read either.

Anyway, even out of the books I have read picking just 15 has been tough as I have read some AMAZING books this year (you can see what books I have read here )

Also check out my 2016 End Of Year Book Survey here

These will be listed in no particular order.

I still have so many amazing books from 2016 yet to read!

Before I start I would like to thank everyone for their support in 2016!  The brilliant book community, all the friends I have made, fab authors for writing fab books and being generally awesome, all the publisher who have sent me books and everyone who has supported me through my second full year of book blogging.

Thank You All x

Here we go…..

(remember these are in no particular order…. it was tough enough picking just 15!)

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Cell 7 by Kerry Drewery

This book had me turning page after page as quickly as I possibly could and I speed through it because I just HAD to know what was going to happen next.  In a world where justice and the fate of those accused of murder is decided by the public through a reality TV Show over 7 days Cell 7 gives us a scary dystopian view of the world without a justice system and possibly a world that is scarily not far from the future if you really think about it.  Told in a unique way of two different narrators and a reality TV show transcript Cell 7 was intense, gripping, addictive and I basically I can’t wait for the sequel!

The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins

I am way way late to the party on this one, but I listened to this on audiobook earlier on this year and thoroughly loved it.  An adult thriller with a gritty edge and very unreliable narrator The Girl On The Train tells the story of Rachel who whilst on her daily commute see’s something shocking.  I loved how this book told the story from three different points of view and three different women’s voices and although I did guess the reveal at the end it still shocked me to the core.  I found myself craving every next chapter as I was completely hooked.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D Schmidt

Orbiting Jupiter may be a short contemporary YA read, but it certainly hit me with all the feels all at once which have stayed with me for quite some time.  Orbiting Jupiter is a story about love, family and friendship and a message of never giving up on what you believe in no matter what.  I smiled, I shed tears and I felt so much love for these characters.  In fact thinking about it now is making me emotional all over again.  The ending in the book broke me completely.  Orbiting Jupiter is just as simplistic and beautiful as it is sad and heart-breaking.  Friendship, family, unconditional love and hope.  It will make you smile, it will make you angry, it will make you cry, but most of all it will leave you with the feeling that no matter what some things are worth fighting for.

You can find my full review here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting For Callback by Perdita and Honor Cargill

Waiting For Callback tells the story of Elektra who is discovered by an acting agency and right from the very first line I laughed and laughed and laughed.  I loved this contemporary YA read.  We follow Elektra as she auditions for roles and the ups and downs of her friendships and crushes and all of the embarrassing moments that fall upon her.  It made me smile so much my cheeks hurt long after the last page!  I cannot wait for the sequel!

The Sleeping Prince by Melinda Salisbury

The Sleeping Prince was high up on my most anticipated list since I read the first novel in the trilogy The Sin Eaters Daughter last year.  I was blown away!  The Sleeping Prince starts where The Sin Eater’s Daughter left off thereabouts, but this time from the perspective of Errin who although we had not met prior to The Sleeping Prince we had heard of her through Leif’s stories in The Sin Eater’s Daughter as Errin is Liefs sister.  With the Kingdoms at war following The Sleeping Prince being awoken we are thrown straight into Kingdoms in turmoil.  With an unforgettable prologue that crushed my soul we are thrown straight into the action and the feeling of fear is instantly felt.  The pace of the book really made the story flow page after page.  It’s completely stunning and breath-taking.  The imagery that is created and the feelings Melinda makes you feel through her characters are truly amazing.  The last book in this series is out in 2017 and I can’t wait…..its going to destroy me…but in a good way!

You can find my full review here

The Next Together by Lauren James

Another book I was very late to the party on.  I absolutely adored this book about time travel and love over years and years of time.  Imagine always finding your true love over and over only to be separated each time as fate takes it’s course all with a mix of sic fi!  Yes you heard me right!  I fell in love with each version of the characters and raced through to the end.  I loved how cleverly Lauren James writes jumping from year to year, backwards and forwards without confusing the reader.  I also loved the mixture of story, emails, diary entries etc. which really cemented the story together.  I really wanted to read the sequel this year too but time was against me….but next year it is at the top of my list!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Girl Of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

This book is stunningly beautiful.  I think I could probably end my brief summary there, just with that one line as that is simply what this book is.  It’s like poetry in book form and every sentence that Kiran writes feels like its perfectly crafted and so meaningful.  The Girl Of Ink and Stars tells the story of Isabella the daughter of a cartographer who dreams of lands far away from where she is.  When Isabella’s friend goes missing she volunteers to join the search for her across the island and discovers the islands secrets, beauty and dangers.  This is a stunning book which I think will become an instant classic in the future if it isn’t already.

Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Jennifer Niven’s and I was super excited to read her second book Holding Up The Universe this year.  The story is told from two points of view.  Libby who is trying to get her life back on track and Jack who has prosopagnosia (face blindness).  What pursues is a story of love and being wanted and loved.  Personally I related to Libby a lot and I really liked her as a character.  Jennifer Niven’s writing again is just beautiful and so heart felt that it oozes love and warmth off the page….just like one big hug.

Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield

Oh my gosh!  Where to start with this book!  Sometimes a book comes along that makes a footprint on your memory and your heart for a long long time.  Sometimes forever.  Paper Butterflies is that book for me.  It tore my heart completely and left me crying, thinking about the book and its characters long after finishing.  An emotional tale of an abusive childhood, growing up, friendship, love, forgiveness and choosing left or right.  Paper Butterflies tells the heart-breaking story of June who following her Mother’s death years earlier and following her Father’s remarriage, is being physically and mentally abused by her step mother , Kathleen.   With a broken heart I was left with Paper Butterflies in my tummy!  This story will stay with me for a very long time to come and never fails to bring tears to my eyes just thinking about it.  I highly recommend this book with all of my heart.  Go and read it and fall in love, laugh, cry and go and grab all of the people that you love and hold them tightly.

You can find my full review here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super Awkward by Beth Garrod

I’m smiling already before even typing this and that is because this book made me laugh on every single page.  Super Awkward tells the story of Bella Fisher who has some very super awkward and hilarious moments!  Under awkward and again funny circumstances she meets a super fit boy who Bella decides she needs to convince to come to prom!  This book is just hilarious and will give you smiles and laughs a plenty.  Loved it!

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

This year seems to be the year that I discover books that have been out for a while but I seem to have not read them.  A Monster Calls is exactly one of those books and oh my how emotional was this book.  I was in pieces by the end.  A Monster Calls tells the story of Connor who is struggling to fit in and who calls for a Monster and a monster in the form of a huge tree in his back garden appears.  This story is about grief and coping with grief and unconditional love and is just beautiful.  I’m welling up just thinking about it!

Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard

I LOVED this book!  A book about female friendships and the ups and downs that this group of friends goes through and significant life events.  Sara Barnard is seriously a writer to watch her writing is gorgeous and she takes you on a huge rollercoaster of emotions as you become swept away by this group of friends friendship.  I can’t wait to see what’s next from Sara as I’m sure it’s going to be brilliant!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unboxed by Non Pratt

I love Non Pratt’s books….she has this way of making the characters so relatable and like you have know them for ages and ages.  With unboxed Non does exactly this again and its an emotional touching book about a group of friends who meet up to retrieve a time capsule following their friends death.  What follows is an emotional story full of fond memories, laughter and tears.  It’s just perfect.

In A Dark Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

I loved this adult thriller set on a hen weekend, in the woods, in a creepy glass house.  Another books that I listened to in audio book form and the narrator of this book was just fantastic.  She really pulled the brilliant words and story by Ruth Ware out of the page and really took you on a journey.  I loved the twists and turns and mystery to this book which the writing and the story takes us on.  A brilliant thriller which I should have read sooner than I did.

The Deviants by C J Skuse

This book!  Just drop everything and go and grab a copy.  I will never ever forget this book in many years to come.  It was completely different to what I expected it to be, but what I read was completely absorbing, shocking, emotional and brilliant.  The Deviants tells the story of a group of friends who call themselves The Fearless Five.  Years have divided some of them and the story brings them back together like they are all bound to each other by a secret.  By the time I reached the end of this book I was an absolute emotional wreck!  C J is undoubtedly one of the best UKYA writers out there!  Breathtakingly brilliant!

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So there you have it!  My 15 best books read in 2016!  I highly recommend all of these books!

2017 looks set to be a fab year and I simply can’t wait to get back on track and read all of the fab books!

I would love to hear what your favourite books read in 2016 were?  Are any of them the same as mine?  Why not leave a comment or tweet me on twitter using @ChelleyToy