2016 in Books in Review

2016 has not been a great year for celebrities or politics. I believe dumpster fire is the best description. But books will always be there for you! I’ve read a lot of great sequels and discovered a lot of new favorite authors, so here is 2016 in books in review!

Favorites of 2016

Favorite MG novel: The Hidden Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

Favorite YA novel: My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier

Favorite adult novel: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Favorite Canadian novel: Every Hidden Thing by Kenneth Oppel

Favorite sequel: The Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Favorite book in translation: The Three Body Problem by Ciu Liu

Favorite audiobook: Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith

Favorite re-read: The Xenogenesis series by Octavia Butler

Favorite comic: Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur by Amy Reeder

Favorite manga: The Heroic Legend of Arslan by Hiromu Arakawa

Statistics

Total books read: 115

Unfinished: 11  (Because it’s ok not to finish books. The librarian says so.)

Audiobooks: 62

Fiction: 112

Non-fiction: 3 (not a big year for non-fiction)

Comics and manga: …more than I want to count right now.

Top authors:

• Agatha Christie: 16 books
• Octavia A. Butler: 7 books
• Diana Gabaldon: 6 books
• Jane Austen: 6 books
• Ally Carter: 3 books
• Robert Galbraith: 3 books
• Jonathan Stroud: 3 books
• Scott Lynch: 3 books
• Rhys Bowen: 3 books

What I Read This Week

My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier

Plot in a sentence: Che loves his ten-year-old sister, Rosa, but he knows that she is a psychopath and he must do everything in his power to keep her from harming anyone.

***STARRED REVIEW***

Recommended age: 15 and up (this is a very dark book with frank descriptions of sex)

Diversity:

• Race: Che’s love interest is a black woman and other important characters are half Korean.
• GLTB+: A character has two mothers.

Who will love this book:

• Fans of dark, atmospheric, realistic fiction.

What I liked about this book:

• This is one of those books that you will not be able to put down until you’re done.
• The fascinating and nuanced portrayal of Rosa’s psychopathy.
• Che and Sojourner’s relationship which was complicated, passionate and realistic.
• The chilling and surprising ending.

If you liked this book, read: Liar by Justine Larbalestier, an earlier book by the same author which is just as dark and chilling.