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A review by lostinfantasy
2016 on Goodreads by
5.0
First of all - Happy New Year, everyone!! <3
I know I'm so late posting this and it's no longer 2016, but here I go!
My year in books
I've been an avid reader of stories since I could read them! But as I grew older it kept getting harder to find the type of books I liked for many reasons. But then I somehow found Goodreads a couple of years ago, and last year (2015) I gave the site a good look and I struck gold! So many amazing books to note that are exactly in the genres I'm looking for!
But that's not all. Goodreads also gave me the chance to interact with people who understand and share my love for reading. Who talk about books with the same enthusiasm. And 2016 is the year that I started becoming active on Goodreads, writing reviews for the first time, and making friends who've made my reading experience even more enjoyable and full of more thought and imagination this year. So, thank you for the discussions, for sharing your reviews, thoughts and recommendations, and for reading and liking my own posts and sharing my excitement or disappointment over the books! <3
So many amazing books I got read to read this past year! And I needed them especially at the start of the year when things were a bit tough and I needed a pick-me-up to get through.
Some of the books were wonderful new releases, and a lot of previously released series that everybody has read that I've resolved to finish as well! And since they were so highly rated, I ended up with a lot of great books!
My GR Challenge reading goal for 2016 was 60 books, and including novellas, comics, and a couple DNFs, I managed to complete it. Not bad, even though I feel like cheated a bit with those shorts and DNFs. It's just that some times it's hard to find to read and relax, but I didn't want the challenge to become a source of stress. I wanted it to remain fun, and it was!
But I'm excited to look back at my favorite books this year! I'll list them in order of reading them. Be warned, it's a super long list! ;D
--------------------
Best releases I read in 2016:
[b:These Shallow Graves|24187925|These Shallow Graves|Jennifer Donnelly|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1430165052s/24187925.jpg|43775750]: This is a YA murder mystery with a dash of romance and beautiful themes of friendship and feminism that hit me right in the feels. I really enjoyed this book and it was the perfect start to the year.
[b:Passenger|20983362|Passenger (Passenger, #1)|Alexandra Bracken|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446749751s/20983362.jpg|40360384]: It's hard to explain how I felt reading this book because I have two contrasting emotions. For the first 50% of the book I was bored close to tears. For the other 50% I could not put it down, and was swept away completely. And when it ended all I wanted was the sequel which was a year way! And now it's only three days away and I am excited to start the year with this series again!! Plus, I love time travel stories!
[b:These Vicious Masks|23688792|These Vicious Masks (These Vicious Masks, #1)|Tarun Shanker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1428342329s/23688792.jpg|43297640]: this wonderful and witty blend of fantastic characters, Victorian era setting, and X-Men-like superpowers was the book that kicked me right out of my first book slump of the year. It was great! And the first GR review I ever wrote was for this book, so it's special in a way! ;p
[b:Starflight|21793182|Starflight (Starflight, #1)|Melissa Landers|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456568054s/21793182.jpg|41045510]: Probably the most memorable book this year only because it was So. Much. FUN! I was never a big fan of sci-fi but this was the start of changing my mind on that, with its endearing and hilarious cew of characters, an adorable slow build hate-to-love romance, and a twisty and adventurous plot. It had it all!
[b:The Winner's Kiss|20443235|The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy, #3)|Marie Rutkoski|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455809407s/20443235.jpg|31175868]: Even though this final book hurt because I couldn't connect with it like I did the first two, I have to give it a mention. Because this series with its heart-racing romance and characters I fell in love with instantly will always be, as a whole, one of my all time favorites stories.
[b:The Rose & the Dagger|23308084|The Rose & the Dagger (The Wrath & the Dawn, #2)|Renee Ahdieh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443797156s/23308084.jpg|42862750]: I'd read the Wrath and the Dawn before the New Year and was so incredibly enchanted and in love with this world! So the sequel was an inevitable enjoyment because of that. But now, after my excitement has cooled down, I can see that this sequel had a list of flaws. But I still love it so much. This duology with its characters, and the setting that takes me back to my favorite childhood fairytales, is so special to me!
[b:Fallout|23110163|Fallout (Lois Lane, #1)|Gwenda Bond|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1418907660s/23110163.jpg|42657804]: A book all about my favorite childhood heroine who deserves to be known as so much than a superhero's love-interest? Of course I loved it! It's contemporary YA with a 'highschool' setting, which normally isn't my thing, but I loved it so much nonetheless. It made me wish to go back in time with the book and hand it to my teenage self as the best present ever. :p
(^ this last book was out 2015 but I read it in 2016).
--------------------
Whole series I read this year that became favorites:
[b:The Lunar Chronicles|11235712|Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1)|Marissa Meyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470056948s/11235712.jpg|15545385]: *fangirl squee!!* This whole series is fantastic, and especially the third book, [b:Cress|13206828|Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3)|Marissa Meyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470057005s/13206828.jpg|18390772]! It took me a while to give it a chance but I am so glad I did! It was everything this Disney and fairytale freak wished for! I actually read the books during a period of time I was feeling a bit down, and they managed to make me smile and laugh when I needed it.
And this had Captain Carswell Thorne, who made his way to my all time favorite characters list!
[b:The Grisha Trilogy|10194157|Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1339533695s/10194157.jpg|15093325]: The series didn't blow my mind, it has its flaws, but it was very enjoyable and at times impossible to put down! And the best parts of course are the Darkling and.... Nikolai Lanstov!!! Eeee how I adore this sly and witty pirate prince! #1 book boy friend right there!! So yeah, that made the series for me! ;p
[b:Six of Crows Duology|23437156|Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459349344s/23437156.jpg|42077459]: I really enjoyed this duology but I don't know why I don't have much to say about it. (I haven't gotten around to posting a review yet). Or why I took forever reading it... It's a mystery to me because it really is a very well written story with an intenstly creative world and outstanding characters.
[b:The Seven Realms|6342491|The Demon King (Seven Realms, #1)|Cinda Williams Chima|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1379482652s/6342491.jpg|6528619]: An epic fantasy series that was everything I wanted! I loved the world-building, plot, characters, twists -- everything! :D
[b: The Illuminae Files|23395680|Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1)|Amie Kaufman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443433956s/23395680.jpg|26653661]: One word for this series: Wow. Before reading, I wasn't sure about the format and didn't know if the book was for me. But I was very quickly proven wrong and got swept away by this work of art book and its audio play that brought the exhilarating story to life!
Now I'm just waiting for the third book at the end of this year!
Phew that was a long list! That sums up my favorites.
-------------------
Some very notable mentions are:
[b:The Iron Knight|9659607|The Iron Knight (The Iron Fey, #4)|Julie Kagawa|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1375920888s/9659607.jpg|14547221]: The Iron Fey series was fun but Ash's book was my favorite.
[b:The Caged Graves|12394044|The Caged Graves|Dianne K. Salerni|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1346145476s/12394044.jpg|17375182]: An eerie mystery with a unique and slow-build romantic subplot.
[b:The Architect of Song|29631300|The Architect of Song (Haunted Hearts Legacy, #1)|A.G. Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461870800s/29631300.jpg|49980892]: Unputdownable and romantic ghostly mystery that I enjoyed a lot!
[b:Radiance|24473763|Radiance (Wraith Kings, #1)|Grace Draven|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1422721500s/24473763.jpg|40780371]: Romantic fantasy with very likable characters and unique love story. And a great sequel following it.
-------------------
Books that I liked but have some issues/complaints:
[b:An Ember in the Ashes|27774758|An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1)|Sabaa Tahir|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1449158871s/27774758.jpg|39113604] (um... That love square...)
[b:The Bird and the Sword|29008738|The Bird and the Sword|Amy Harmon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462457112s/29008738.jpg|49250534] (the male MC got on my nerves sometimes)
[b:Calamity|15704486|Calamity (Reckoners, #3)|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1437098338s/15704486.jpg|21366542] (very good series overall I read this year, but this final book was a bit disappointing)
[b:A Court of Mist and Fury|17927395|A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)|Sarah J. Maas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452783825s/17927395.jpg|25126749] (book that had a lot of potential with its characters, but didn't turn out like I hoped)
--------------------
Comics:
[b:毒姫 1 Dokuhime 1 |7160808|毒姫 1 Dokuhime 1 |Mitsukazu Mihara|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389014158s/7160808.jpg|7484247]. This year one of my Goodreads friends suggested this manga which turned out to be a lot of fun! And it got me into the genre!
I read some comics that I loved (mostly Superman)! [b:Superman: American Alien|26152411|Superman American Alien|Max Landis|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473157654s/26152411.jpg|46108699], [b:Superman: Lois and Clark|28109895|Superman Lois and Clark|Dan Jurgens|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476758215s/28109895.jpg|48117737] (how DC fixed things after they messed it up), and [b:Smallville Season 11 #1|18971788|Smallville Season 11 #1|Bryan Q. Miller|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1385491344s/18971788.jpg|26344780].
And I also read [b:Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal|20898019|Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1 No Normal|G. Willow Wilson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1413031883s/20898019.jpg|41250341] which I loved it and am reading the next volumes!
And I tried to finish [b:Batman: The Dark Knight Returns|59960|Batman The Dark Knight Returns|Frank Miller|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327892039s/59960.jpg|1104159] but I just couldn't get through it. It was boring and the art work hurt my eyes and head.
And mostly importantly, these little comedic gems: [b:Adulthood Is a Myth|25855506|Adulthood Is a Myth (Sarah's Scribbles, #1)|Sarah Andersen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1481219756s/25855506.jpg|45724425] and [b:Heart and Brain: An Awkward Yeti Collection|25205337|Heart and Brain An Awkward Yeti Collection|Nick Seluk|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1427674820s/25205337.jpg|44918016].
----------------------
There were books that were only okay and other DNFs that I did not mention. I need to wrap this up because I've been rambling for too long!
But I loved looking back at the books I read this part year. And my goals for this next year are to again, finish more of the series on my tbr list, plus the new awaited releases. But I also want to venture into Adult Epic Fantasy, like some of Brandon Sanderson's books which I'm excited but intimidated by because the page count can go over 1000+. And I'm not that fast a reader! Wish me luck!
And again, have a Happy New Year, all of you! And may you achieve all your goals, not just the reading ones!
I know I'm so late posting this and it's no longer 2016, but here I go!
My year in books
I've been an avid reader of stories since I could read them! But as I grew older it kept getting harder to find the type of books I liked for many reasons. But then I somehow found Goodreads a couple of years ago, and last year (2015) I gave the site a good look and I struck gold! So many amazing books to note that are exactly in the genres I'm looking for!
But that's not all. Goodreads also gave me the chance to interact with people who understand and share my love for reading. Who talk about books with the same enthusiasm. And 2016 is the year that I started becoming active on Goodreads, writing reviews for the first time, and making friends who've made my reading experience even more enjoyable and full of more thought and imagination this year. So, thank you for the discussions, for sharing your reviews, thoughts and recommendations, and for reading and liking my own posts and sharing my excitement or disappointment over the books! <3
So many amazing books I got read to read this past year! And I needed them especially at the start of the year when things were a bit tough and I needed a pick-me-up to get through.
Some of the books were wonderful new releases, and a lot of previously released series that everybody has read that I've resolved to finish as well! And since they were so highly rated, I ended up with a lot of great books!
My GR Challenge reading goal for 2016 was 60 books, and including novellas, comics, and a couple DNFs, I managed to complete it. Not bad, even though I feel like cheated a bit with those shorts and DNFs. It's just that some times it's hard to find to read and relax, but I didn't want the challenge to become a source of stress. I wanted it to remain fun, and it was!
But I'm excited to look back at my favorite books this year! I'll list them in order of reading them. Be warned, it's a super long list! ;D
--------------------
Best releases I read in 2016:
[b:These Shallow Graves|24187925|These Shallow Graves|Jennifer Donnelly|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1430165052s/24187925.jpg|43775750]: This is a YA murder mystery with a dash of romance and beautiful themes of friendship and feminism that hit me right in the feels. I really enjoyed this book and it was the perfect start to the year. [b:Passenger|20983362|Passenger (Passenger, #1)|Alexandra Bracken|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446749751s/20983362.jpg|40360384]: It's hard to explain how I felt reading this book because I have two contrasting emotions. For the first 50% of the book I was bored close to tears. For the other 50% I could not put it down, and was swept away completely. And when it ended all I wanted was the sequel which was a year way! And now it's only three days away and I am excited to start the year with this series again!! Plus, I love time travel stories! [b:These Vicious Masks|23688792|These Vicious Masks (These Vicious Masks, #1)|Tarun Shanker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1428342329s/23688792.jpg|43297640]: this wonderful and witty blend of fantastic characters, Victorian era setting, and X-Men-like superpowers was the book that kicked me right out of my first book slump of the year. It was great! And the first GR review I ever wrote was for this book, so it's special in a way! ;p [b:Starflight|21793182|Starflight (Starflight, #1)|Melissa Landers|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456568054s/21793182.jpg|41045510]: Probably the most memorable book this year only because it was So. Much. FUN! I was never a big fan of sci-fi but this was the start of changing my mind on that, with its endearing and hilarious cew of characters, an adorable slow build hate-to-love romance, and a twisty and adventurous plot. It had it all! [b:The Winner's Kiss|20443235|The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy, #3)|Marie Rutkoski|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455809407s/20443235.jpg|31175868]: Even though this final book hurt because I couldn't connect with it like I did the first two, I have to give it a mention. Because this series with its heart-racing romance and characters I fell in love with instantly will always be, as a whole, one of my all time favorites stories. [b:The Rose & the Dagger|23308084|The Rose & the Dagger (The Wrath & the Dawn, #2)|Renee Ahdieh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443797156s/23308084.jpg|42862750]: I'd read the Wrath and the Dawn before the New Year and was so incredibly enchanted and in love with this world! So the sequel was an inevitable enjoyment because of that. But now, after my excitement has cooled down, I can see that this sequel had a list of flaws. But I still love it so much. This duology with its characters, and the setting that takes me back to my favorite childhood fairytales, is so special to me! [b:Fallout|23110163|Fallout (Lois Lane, #1)|Gwenda Bond|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1418907660s/23110163.jpg|42657804]: A book all about my favorite childhood heroine who deserves to be known as so much than a superhero's love-interest? Of course I loved it! It's contemporary YA with a 'highschool' setting, which normally isn't my thing, but I loved it so much nonetheless. It made me wish to go back in time with the book and hand it to my teenage self as the best present ever. :p(^ this last book was out 2015 but I read it in 2016).
--------------------
Whole series I read this year that became favorites:
[b:The Lunar Chronicles|11235712|Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1)|Marissa Meyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470056948s/11235712.jpg|15545385]: *fangirl squee!!* This whole series is fantastic, and especially the third book, [b:Cress|13206828|Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3)|Marissa Meyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470057005s/13206828.jpg|18390772]! It took me a while to give it a chance but I am so glad I did! It was everything this Disney and fairytale freak wished for! I actually read the books during a period of time I was feeling a bit down, and they managed to make me smile and laugh when I needed it.And this had Captain Carswell Thorne, who made his way to my all time favorite characters list!
[b:The Grisha Trilogy|10194157|Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1339533695s/10194157.jpg|15093325]: The series didn't blow my mind, it has its flaws, but it was very enjoyable and at times impossible to put down! And the best parts of course are the Darkling and.... Nikolai Lanstov!!! Eeee how I adore this sly and witty pirate prince! #1 book boy friend right there!! So yeah, that made the series for me! ;p [b:Six of Crows Duology|23437156|Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459349344s/23437156.jpg|42077459]: I really enjoyed this duology but I don't know why I don't have much to say about it. (I haven't gotten around to posting a review yet). Or why I took forever reading it... It's a mystery to me because it really is a very well written story with an intenstly creative world and outstanding characters. [b:The Seven Realms|6342491|The Demon King (Seven Realms, #1)|Cinda Williams Chima|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1379482652s/6342491.jpg|6528619]: An epic fantasy series that was everything I wanted! I loved the world-building, plot, characters, twists -- everything! :D [b: The Illuminae Files|23395680|Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1)|Amie Kaufman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443433956s/23395680.jpg|26653661]: One word for this series: Wow. Before reading, I wasn't sure about the format and didn't know if the book was for me. But I was very quickly proven wrong and got swept away by this work of art book and its audio play that brought the exhilarating story to life!Now I'm just waiting for the third book at the end of this year!
Phew that was a long list! That sums up my favorites.
-------------------
Some very notable mentions are:
[b:The Iron Knight|9659607|The Iron Knight (The Iron Fey, #4)|Julie Kagawa|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1375920888s/9659607.jpg|14547221]: The Iron Fey series was fun but Ash's book was my favorite.
[b:The Caged Graves|12394044|The Caged Graves|Dianne K. Salerni|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1346145476s/12394044.jpg|17375182]: An eerie mystery with a unique and slow-build romantic subplot.
[b:The Architect of Song|29631300|The Architect of Song (Haunted Hearts Legacy, #1)|A.G. Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461870800s/29631300.jpg|49980892]: Unputdownable and romantic ghostly mystery that I enjoyed a lot!
[b:Radiance|24473763|Radiance (Wraith Kings, #1)|Grace Draven|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1422721500s/24473763.jpg|40780371]: Romantic fantasy with very likable characters and unique love story. And a great sequel following it.
-------------------
Books that I liked but have some issues/complaints:
[b:An Ember in the Ashes|27774758|An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1)|Sabaa Tahir|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1449158871s/27774758.jpg|39113604] (um... That love square...)
[b:The Bird and the Sword|29008738|The Bird and the Sword|Amy Harmon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462457112s/29008738.jpg|49250534] (the male MC got on my nerves sometimes)
[b:Calamity|15704486|Calamity (Reckoners, #3)|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1437098338s/15704486.jpg|21366542] (very good series overall I read this year, but this final book was a bit disappointing)
[b:A Court of Mist and Fury|17927395|A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)|Sarah J. Maas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452783825s/17927395.jpg|25126749] (book that had a lot of potential with its characters, but didn't turn out like I hoped)
--------------------
Comics:
[b:毒姫 1 Dokuhime 1 |7160808|毒姫 1 Dokuhime 1 |Mitsukazu Mihara|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389014158s/7160808.jpg|7484247]. This year one of my Goodreads friends suggested this manga which turned out to be a lot of fun! And it got me into the genre!
I read some comics that I loved (mostly Superman)! [b:Superman: American Alien|26152411|Superman American Alien|Max Landis|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473157654s/26152411.jpg|46108699], [b:Superman: Lois and Clark|28109895|Superman Lois and Clark|Dan Jurgens|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476758215s/28109895.jpg|48117737] (how DC fixed things after they messed it up), and [b:Smallville Season 11 #1|18971788|Smallville Season 11 #1|Bryan Q. Miller|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1385491344s/18971788.jpg|26344780].
And I also read [b:Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal|20898019|Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1 No Normal|G. Willow Wilson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1413031883s/20898019.jpg|41250341] which I loved it and am reading the next volumes!
And I tried to finish [b:Batman: The Dark Knight Returns|59960|Batman The Dark Knight Returns|Frank Miller|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327892039s/59960.jpg|1104159] but I just couldn't get through it. It was boring and the art work hurt my eyes and head.
And mostly importantly, these little comedic gems: [b:Adulthood Is a Myth|25855506|Adulthood Is a Myth (Sarah's Scribbles, #1)|Sarah Andersen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1481219756s/25855506.jpg|45724425] and [b:Heart and Brain: An Awkward Yeti Collection|25205337|Heart and Brain An Awkward Yeti Collection|Nick Seluk|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1427674820s/25205337.jpg|44918016].
----------------------
There were books that were only okay and other DNFs that I did not mention. I need to wrap this up because I've been rambling for too long!
But I loved looking back at the books I read this part year. And my goals for this next year are to again, finish more of the series on my tbr list, plus the new awaited releases. But I also want to venture into Adult Epic Fantasy, like some of Brandon Sanderson's books which I'm excited but intimidated by because the page count can go over 1000+. And I'm not that fast a reader! Wish me luck!
And again, have a Happy New Year, all of you! And may you achieve all your goals, not just the reading ones!