My Top 16 Books Of 2016

2016 is almost over! I am so ready for it to be gone…but also scared for what 2017 will bring. I just can’t believe this year is coming to a close. One of the good things of this year was the books I read: because I *did* read some fantastic ones. They will be organized by the dates I read them from January to December, as I can’t put them in any order- I read too many incredible books this year! It’s also not limited to books that released in 2016, so there will be older, recent, and upcoming releases on here.

As of right now (12/30), 2016 is not over yet, and I’ve read 98 books. Out of all of them, the following are the ones I loved the most, but I read a ton of incredible books this year, so you can check out my Goodreads to see all the books I read!

If you click on the cover of the book, it will take you to its Goodreads page, and the link in the title will take you to my review, if I have one. I tried to keep the list to first books in a series and standalones, but…I had to include two second books.

The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner

This was one of my first reads of the year, and it’s stuck with me even now, a year later. I can’t explain how much I loved it, so just…just look at my review. It’s one of my favorite contemporaries of all time. It made me cry, and that does not happen often. I was so engrossed in the story to be moved to that, and I hope the same happens to you- well, hopefully not the crying part.

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

Victoria’s books never disapppoint, and This Savage Song was no exception. It was monstrous and incredible, and I adored every page of it. The two protagonists were so different but so alike, and this book was an incredible reimaging of the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet- but without the romance, in this book, at least.

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

A second Schwab book, already? Yes. The answer is always yes. This sequel to A Darker Shade of Magic was even better than the first, and made me need the third, and final book in this trilogy, as soon as I finished.

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

I loved this book so much I created a street team! That says something. And that’s all you need to know.

But I’ll go into more detail for you. It was feminist and wonderful, and I honestly enjoyed every word. It was dark and twisting and an interesting take on the horrifying story of Jack the Ripper.

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

I adored this book. If you weren’t aware, one of the many unique parts of it is the footnotes, and I loved them. It was like nothing I’d ever seen before, as was so much of this book. You can check out my review to learn more about WHY it was so incredible.

(Note: Recently, it’s been brought to attention that aspects of Nevernight are problematic and have offended people. I will link you to this post, which of course tells about it so much better than I could, because as a white person, I did not catch it while reading. I want to warn you about that if you’re thinking about picking the book up, because while I love it, it did hurt people, and that is not something I can just ignore.)

The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

While I was not a fan of Nicola’s first book, her second was marvelous. I read an ARC like six months ago-or something, the months are blending together now- and loved it. The romance, the characters, the diversity…All incredible, and added up to make a story that I loved.

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

This is another ARC I read from BEA, and also another that was so, so much better than the author’s first. It was moving and heartbreaking, beautiful and haunting, and I’m still thinking about it. This is one book you need to preorder.

The Princess Saves Herself In This One by Amanda Lovelace

I don’t do poetry. I just…don’t. I avoid whenever possible, and even when forced to read in school I just don’t enjoy it. But the raw, beautiful poems in this book? I loved. I started this before I went to bed, and then stayed up later than I meant to in order to finish.

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

This book. This book is haunting and breathtaking and unlike anything I’ve ever read. Magical realism at its best, YA at its best, writing at its best. It was simply incredible.

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

It took me a while to pick this up because of the hype, and I finally did this year. I loved both this one and the sequel. Motorcyle races and an alternate WW2 plot and a strong, smart heroine and a fast-paced story and… It was so good.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Do not let the length of this one put you off of reading it: It was so, so incredible. I don’t often read adult books-but I loved this one.

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde

This is a March release that I loved with all my heart. It’s fluffy and cute and takes place at a convention but also features two main characters with facets of diversity that are rarely seen in YA: one is a queer woman of color and the other is on the autism spectrum.

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

Becky’s second book is just as good as her first, so don’t be worried that it won’t live up to the hype of Simon. It’s just as cute as Simon as well, and I loved it. The protagonist was hilarious and relatable, and the romance was just…adorable.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

I was so worried that Crooked Kingdom wouldn’t live up to how incredible Six of Crows was, but luckily, I adored it, and cannot believe we don’t get to see more of this story and these characters.

Cherry by Lindsey Rosin

I adored this sex-positive, cute, wonderful book. Its four main characters are unique, their romances are so addictive, and one of them is queer! I loved it.

(Note: I’ve heard things about problematic representation of POC in this book, and I-as a white person-did not catch that, so I can’t comment on it. I just wanted to include this as a warning.)

How To Make A Wish by Ashley Herring Blake

This book is the cute but heartbreaking queer story you’ve been wanting. Cute, because of the adorable f/f romance and bisexual protagonist, and heartbreaking, because of the relationship the main character has with her mother. This is another one that moved me to tears.

I would highly recommend you check out all of these if you haven’t read them yet! I obviously loved them. 

Are any of our favorites the same? Which ones? Which ones have you read, and which ones do you want to read? What are your favorite books of 2016? If I haven’t already read them, I’d love to add them to my TBR. If you wrote a post, be sure to link me to it so I can give it a read!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you all have a wonderful reading year next year!

Ava