Sister's Choice Quilts

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2016 Reading Overview

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I thought it would be fun to rank some of the books I read in 2016 according to various categories.  I read 82 books this past year, and some I definitely enjoyed more than others.  This was one, if not the most, prolific year of reading I can recall.  Let's get right to it, shall we?  Here are the books that stood out for me.

Best Reading Decision of 2016

No question about it, my best decision was to join The Book of the Month Club.  The cost is reasonable–$119 to join, which gets you 12 hardback books, one per month.  If you want to buy additional hardbacks each month, they are $9.90 per book.  I thought it was a great program, with each month having five books to choose from.  You can also add books from previous months if you like.  I was exposed to reading all sorts of books I normally would not have chosen on my own, which turned out to be great.

Best Audio Books of 2016

Angel Tree by Lucinda Riley
Olive Tree by Lucinda Riley
Florence Grace by Tracy Rees

Favorite Book Series

The Poldark Series by Winston Graham
7 Sisters Series by Lucinda Riley
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Cook

Best Books Out of My Comfort Zone

Station 11 by Emily St. John Mandel
Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Cook

Best Historical Fiction

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson

Biggest Disappointments

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfield

So Bad I Didn't Finish 

Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam
Bohemian Gospel by Dana Chamblee Carpenter

Best Non Fiction

A Thousand Naked Strangers by Kevin Hazzard
The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner

Most Anticipated Books

Truly, Madly, Gulity by Lianne Moriarity
The Lake House by Kate Morton
Redemption Road by John Hart

Books I Loved So Much I Re-Read in 2016

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Affinity by Sarah Waters

Favorite Author

Lucinda Riley

TOP FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2016

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
The Magician's Lie by Greer McAllister

 

Here's to another year of great books!  What was your best book of the year?  Please share.

 

36 responses to “2016 Reading Overview”

  1. Wow! 82 books! I thought I did well, reading 21 books during the year. I had 2 favorites: The Return of the Dancing Master by Henning Mankell (I love all his books) and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. The Girl on the Train was one of your recommendations and I couldn’t put it down. I read it in 2 days and would have finished it sooner if I didn’t have to sleep! I also really enjoyed another of your recommendations – The Summer before the War.

  2. Wow! 82 books! I thought I did well, reading 21 books during the year. I had 2 favorites: The Return of the Dancing Master by Henning Mankell (I love all his books) and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. The Girl on the Train was one of your recommendations and I couldn’t put it down. I read it in 2 days and would have finished it sooner if I didn’t have to sleep! I also really enjoyed another of your recommendations – The Summer before the War.

  3. Wow! 82 books! I thought I did well, reading 21 books during the year. I had 2 favorites: The Return of the Dancing Master by Henning Mankell (I love all his books) and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. The Girl on the Train was one of your recommendations and I couldn’t put it down. I read it in 2 days and would have finished it sooner if I didn’t have to sleep! I also really enjoyed another of your recommendations – The Summer before the War.

  4. I wasn’t able to read as much as I would have liked in 2016 but I totally agree with your Top Favorite pick of “The Light Between Oceans”. I struggled with infertility and the feelings she had with the found baby made me question when I was feeling so desperate would I have done the same thing???
    I love your recommendations and have even used your list to help me read outside of my comfort zone. Thank you for sharing your blog, book reviews and your always beautiful quilts.

  5. I wasn’t able to read as much as I would have liked in 2016 but I totally agree with your Top Favorite pick of “The Light Between Oceans”. I struggled with infertility and the feelings she had with the found baby made me question when I was feeling so desperate would I have done the same thing???
    I love your recommendations and have even used your list to help me read outside of my comfort zone. Thank you for sharing your blog, book reviews and your always beautiful quilts.

  6. I wasn’t able to read as much as I would have liked in 2016 but I totally agree with your Top Favorite pick of “The Light Between Oceans”. I struggled with infertility and the feelings she had with the found baby made me question when I was feeling so desperate would I have done the same thing???
    I love your recommendations and have even used your list to help me read outside of my comfort zone. Thank you for sharing your blog, book reviews and your always beautiful quilts.

  7. I’m impressed you managed to get through the Poldark series, I can’t manage to get through The Angry Tide. I read the first 6 straight through and just keep getting bogged down in this one. I reread the Outlander series again in 2016, at least twice I believe. I read so many books, I should keep track. Loved In a Dark, Dark Wood. Did not like Girl on a Train at all. Those are the two that stand out to me right now!

  8. I’m impressed you managed to get through the Poldark series, I can’t manage to get through The Angry Tide. I read the first 6 straight through and just keep getting bogged down in this one. I reread the Outlander series again in 2016, at least twice I believe. I read so many books, I should keep track. Loved In a Dark, Dark Wood. Did not like Girl on a Train at all. Those are the two that stand out to me right now!

  9. I’m impressed you managed to get through the Poldark series, I can’t manage to get through The Angry Tide. I read the first 6 straight through and just keep getting bogged down in this one. I reread the Outlander series again in 2016, at least twice I believe. I read so many books, I should keep track. Loved In a Dark, Dark Wood. Did not like Girl on a Train at all. Those are the two that stand out to me right now!

  10. Thanks Nicole. You read a lot! I wrote down several possibilities to explore.
    Mary

  11. Thanks Nicole. You read a lot! I wrote down several possibilities to explore.
    Mary

  12. Thanks Nicole. You read a lot! I wrote down several possibilities to explore.
    Mary

  13. I really enjoyed “Where’d You Go Bernadette?” a couple of years ago. So, this past Fall, I read Maria Semple’s “Today Will Be Different” within a day of when it came out…good, but not ‘Bernadette.’

  14. I really enjoyed “Where’d You Go Bernadette?” a couple of years ago. So, this past Fall, I read Maria Semple’s “Today Will Be Different” within a day of when it came out…good, but not ‘Bernadette.’

  15. I really enjoyed “Where’d You Go Bernadette?” a couple of years ago. So, this past Fall, I read Maria Semple’s “Today Will Be Different” within a day of when it came out…good, but not ‘Bernadette.’

  16. I didn’t write down how many books I’ve read 2016 but I normally read 1-2 books a week so your number is about mine too I think.
    The worst book I’ve read 2016 was All is not forgotten I didn’t even finish it.
    I’ve read a few good ones 2016 but can’t say that was the best one (I need to pay for attention this year).
    Over all I was a bit disappointed this year which the books I’ve picked don’t now if it is just me but there was hardly a book that really suprised me.

  17. I didn’t write down how many books I’ve read 2016 but I normally read 1-2 books a week so your number is about mine too I think.
    The worst book I’ve read 2016 was All is not forgotten I didn’t even finish it.
    I’ve read a few good ones 2016 but can’t say that was the best one (I need to pay for attention this year).
    Over all I was a bit disappointed this year which the books I’ve picked don’t now if it is just me but there was hardly a book that really suprised me.

  18. I didn’t write down how many books I’ve read 2016 but I normally read 1-2 books a week so your number is about mine too I think.
    The worst book I’ve read 2016 was All is not forgotten I didn’t even finish it.
    I’ve read a few good ones 2016 but can’t say that was the best one (I need to pay for attention this year).
    Over all I was a bit disappointed this year which the books I’ve picked don’t now if it is just me but there was hardly a book that really suprised me.

  19. Last year, I read 52 books – my goal on Goodreads was 50 books. I found that I was in such a hurry to get to the next book I didn’t really think about the one I just finished. This year I set my goal at 30. I am aiming for quality, not quantity. I work full time plus try to find time for quilting, counted cross stitch and then my family (my children are grown, but I have one granddaughter who is 13). I don’t know how you found the time for 82! I’m impressed! Some of my favorites were Lilac Girls, A Man Called Ove, The Nightingale and The Martian. I too had some so bad I didn’t finish them! Thanks for the excellent recommendations.

  20. Last year, I read 52 books – my goal on Goodreads was 50 books. I found that I was in such a hurry to get to the next book I didn’t really think about the one I just finished. This year I set my goal at 30. I am aiming for quality, not quantity. I work full time plus try to find time for quilting, counted cross stitch and then my family (my children are grown, but I have one granddaughter who is 13). I don’t know how you found the time for 82! I’m impressed! Some of my favorites were Lilac Girls, A Man Called Ove, The Nightingale and The Martian. I too had some so bad I didn’t finish them! Thanks for the excellent recommendations.

  21. Last year, I read 52 books – my goal on Goodreads was 50 books. I found that I was in such a hurry to get to the next book I didn’t really think about the one I just finished. This year I set my goal at 30. I am aiming for quality, not quantity. I work full time plus try to find time for quilting, counted cross stitch and then my family (my children are grown, but I have one granddaughter who is 13). I don’t know how you found the time for 82! I’m impressed! Some of my favorites were Lilac Girls, A Man Called Ove, The Nightingale and The Martian. I too had some so bad I didn’t finish them! Thanks for the excellent recommendations.

  25. Good gracious, Nicole! Your house should be a mess, but I’ve seen pics of it and its spotless! You mustn’t watch tv very much?? Well I have 3 more books in my amazon cart already, but I have two questions for you before I hit the complete order button. One- what Lucinda Riley book should I start with and have you read any other John Hart books than Redemption Road? I’d recommend a book to you, but since the books I’ve read this year were all recommended by you………!!! LOL thanks

  26. Good gracious, Nicole! Your house should be a mess, but I’ve seen pics of it and its spotless! You mustn’t watch tv very much?? Well I have 3 more books in my amazon cart already, but I have two questions for you before I hit the complete order button. One- what Lucinda Riley book should I start with and have you read any other John Hart books than Redemption Road? I’d recommend a book to you, but since the books I’ve read this year were all recommended by you………!!! LOL thanks

  27. Good gracious, Nicole! Your house should be a mess, but I’ve seen pics of it and its spotless! You mustn’t watch tv very much?? Well I have 3 more books in my amazon cart already, but I have two questions for you before I hit the complete order button. One- what Lucinda Riley book should I start with and have you read any other John Hart books than Redemption Road? I’d recommend a book to you, but since the books I’ve read this year were all recommended by you………!!! LOL thanks

  28. I didn’t get through many books last year, because I was reading the massive books in the Outlander series, but late in the year I really enjoyed A Man Called Ove.

  29. I didn’t get through many books last year, because I was reading the massive books in the Outlander series, but late in the year I really enjoyed A Man Called Ove.

  30. I didn’t get through many books last year, because I was reading the massive books in the Outlander series, but late in the year I really enjoyed A Man Called Ove.

  31. Thank you so much for this overview! I saved it for future reference, when I want to read a new book. Your tips have given me hours of reading pleasure over the years.
    I finished Career of Evil over Christmas and I completely agree with you, I found it disappointing. The next book I read was Louise Penny’s A great reckoning – I think you introduced me to the inspector Gamache series? I am forever grateful. 🙂

  32. Thank you so much for this overview! I saved it for future reference, when I want to read a new book. Your tips have given me hours of reading pleasure over the years.
    I finished Career of Evil over Christmas and I completely agree with you, I found it disappointing. The next book I read was Louise Penny’s A great reckoning – I think you introduced me to the inspector Gamache series? I am forever grateful. 🙂

  33. Thank you so much for this overview! I saved it for future reference, when I want to read a new book. Your tips have given me hours of reading pleasure over the years.
    I finished Career of Evil over Christmas and I completely agree with you, I found it disappointing. The next book I read was Louise Penny’s A great reckoning – I think you introduced me to the inspector Gamache series? I am forever grateful. 🙂

  34. Great idea to go back and look at what you’ve read! I think I’ll try to compile my list but I do lose track. I love Fredrik Bachman’s books and his newest full length was my favorite of his: Britt Marie Was Here.

  35. Great idea to go back and look at what you’ve read! I think I’ll try to compile my list but I do lose track. I love Fredrik Bachman’s books and his newest full length was my favorite of his: Britt Marie Was Here.

  36. Great idea to go back and look at what you’ve read! I think I’ll try to compile my list but I do lose track. I love Fredrik Bachman’s books and his newest full length was my favorite of his: Britt Marie Was Here.