Best Books of 2016

It's crazy to think about another year gone by. So many blessings and great memories made I can't even begin to wrap my head around! But there is one thing that I can keep track of, and that's this little hobby of mine called reading. So as if I could possibly name just a few (I tried!) here are my favorite books of 2016. Please let me know about your favorites in the comments below! 

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood- I have found that this year, I tried to steer towards topics that were out of the realm of my usual reads (family drama, starting over, women in their mid-thirties). And this is the book that really helped me break that mold. It's about so many things- but mostly, it's about what forms of love are acceptable and how the outside world really has an effect on our lives. Situations, lifestyles, who we love and who we hate- they all create circumstances that make every person's life something you have to be able to understand, even if you can't accept it. There's a young girl, a lost soul of a young man, parents who are lost on drugs and a murder. Not to mention the writing, which was astonishing-raw, honest but not in a showy way. It was amazing. This book was the winner of the Lottie Award from Book of the Month Club. 

Faithful by Alice Hoffman - This is about a young girl who survived a car crash that left her best friend in a coma. The guilt she feels and the literal pause the accident puts on her life is a heartbreaking tale. However, the growth in the characters and the self reflection made me feel hopeful. I really, really loved this book. 

All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker - I devoured this book. A high school girl is brutally attacked in the woods outside of a party. Told from the physcologist who is treating the girl after the attack, this viewpoint gives a very interesting outlook on the characters and their choices. There are many people at play here- the girl, her parents, who are both in messes of their own and many more outlying characters that make this story a thrilling page turner. My favorite part about this book is when I started to realize the narrator was not trustworthy in his storytelling, like he was lying right to my face about what happened to the girl. I felt like I was a part of it and it was thrilling. 


The Mothers by Brit Bennett -A book called “The Mothers” is automatically a book that gets my attention. As I age and especially as I make my journey through the various stages of life, I recognize that the one topic that strikes the biggest cord in my heart is the topic of motherhood. This one really hit home for me - mostly just because it dives into the sacrifices we make as mothers and how those choices will effect generations...  

Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler - This is sort of a guilty pleasure read. It got a lot of buzz- a first time author who was discovered as she waited tables in New York- it's a modern day Cinderella story. Stephanie creates a world we often don't realize has such a strong pulse- the back waiters of the hottest restaurants in NYC. Who are these people and what drives them to work these crazy shifts,  follow insane schedules and rules- and what do they do with their knowledge of worldly cuisine and expensive wine? It's sophisticated but juicy, starved but hungry and such a good read.

Siracusia by Delia Ephron - Two couples, a vacation in Italy, two secret affairs and one dead body. Lots of great scenes. A definite thumbs up from me. 

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid - If you didn't see my going gaga over this on Instagram, then I will say it over and over again: This is the best love story I have read in a very long time. Is it the best book of the year worthy? Probably not, because at the crux of it, it's fluff but really, I think the author writes romantic fluff in a way that is indulgent but still believable. It was simply wonderful. 

Honorable Mention:
The Flood Girls by Richard Fifield
Sound of Gravel by Wariner
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
The Marriage of Opposites
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

This year was a wonderful year for books. Around every corner, there was yet another one I couldn't wait to dive into. What were your favorite reads of 2016?

To check out allll the books I read this year, check out my Goodreads Challenge!