My top fifteen favorite reads from 2016

I read so many amazing books in 2016! I wanted to put them all on this list. I tried to narrow it down to ten but I gave in to fifteen.
I can't wait to find my 2017 favorites!

What were your favorite reads last year?

(There is no particular order to these books.)

EVER THE HUNTED (Clash of Kingdoms #1) by Erin Summerill
Loved this book. Love the author.

SIX OF CROWS and CROOKED KINGDOM  (Six of Crows #1 & #2) by Leigh Bardugo
Her characters are so well developed that I mourned with them, wanted to slap them silly and loved them.

TRUTH OF EMBERS (Dragonsword #3) by Catilyn McFarland
Do you like dragons? Read this series! Do you like romance AND dragons? Read this series!

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STARS by Katherine King
I love Ms. King's writing style!

AS YOU ARE (The Jonquil Brothers #3) by Sarah M. Eden
Anything by Sarah Eden is worth your time. Especially ones about the Jonquil brothers.

DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING by Tricia Levenseller
Pirates! Romance! Yes, please!

GILDED CAGE (Dark Gifts #1) by Vic Smith
Aristocrats, magic and the dark side of both.

THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN ME IS YOU by Lily Anderson
Taming of the Shrew meets modern day high school. Totally cute!

THE WRATH & THE DAWN (The Wrath and the Dawn #1) by Renee Ahdieh
Beautiful story inspired by A Thousand and One nights.

THE READER (Sea of Ink and Gold #1) by Traci Chee
A book that tells the future as you read it?

HAG-SEED: THE TEMPEST RETOLD by Margaret Atwood
A retelling of tempest in a prison. It's awesome.

 SLAVE QUEEN (An Omar Zagouri Thriller #3) By H.B. Moore
I love this series. The author goes back and forth between our time and the time of Ottoman empire. And there's lots of romance.

WILLOWKEEP by Julie Daines
Ghostly letters and love among the willows.

BEAUTY AND THE CLOCKWORK BEAST by Nancy Allen Campbell
The title sums up the story nicely.

Megan Whalen Turner, my new BFF (sh! she doesn't know yet)

I was invited to spend some time in the presence of one of my favorite authors, Megan Turner. I think the event was ThiefCon.

We brought Meditereanean food to share and books for Megan to sign.

She asked each of us how we found her books. There were two of us who said we were trying to read Newberry books and read hers. Most of the others pointed to someone in the room who introduced them to The Thief Series.

We got to ask Megan questions after we ate dinner (which was delicious! Lots of bread!). Can I just tell you how funny and normal and down to earth she is? I want to be just like her. Even learn to knit (like she did while we talked). I'd say it was two hours worth my time.

Megan told us she's working on two more books. Yippee! 

I have another picture of me, Peggy and Megan to prove I met her, but the pic is hideous.
Maybe I'll post it randomly another time so no one knows what's going...

Favorite Books of 2011

I'm copying Elana Johnson's post today. Pop over and say hi to her than come on back.
Reading her list made me wonder what my favorite books were this year so here it is, all nine (I'm saving the tenth spot just in case I read a favorite over Christmas break...).

FORGOTTEN by Cat Patrick
Every morning the main characters memories resets at 4:33. She leaves notes for herself every night so she doesn't wear the same outfit or needs to study for a test. Loved the unique story.

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson
Loved. This. Book. Full of what? Opposites? A fat princess, scared prince and an assassinating nurse maid. Everywhere Rae Carson sent the princess I FELT like I was there. In the hot desert or lush forest, I pictured everything without realizing I was there.

 FALLEN GRACE by Mary Hooper
I was tense from the very first page of this page and didn't relax until the very end.

GEEK GIRL by Cindy Bennett
Great, sweet, clean teen read. 

 THE IRON KNIGHT by Julie Kagawa
Another favorite read this year. I want to reread this whole series now that Iron Knight is out.

 








ENTWINED by Heather Dixon
Another retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses fairytale. Loved it.

THE HEALING SPELL by Kimberly Little
Beautiful story of faith, family and forgiveness. Set in the Bayou, I often wondered of an alligator was going to get me. :)

LOVE TWELVE MILES LONG by Glenda Armand
Beautiful picture book about Fredrick Douglas and his mother

CARVING ANGELS by Diane Tolley
Sweet Christmas story.







(I reviewed all of these books on The Book Addict if you're interested. I have a search box so it's easier to find the review.)