2016 Wrap-Up: A Bookish Year in Review

Hello 2017!

2016 was a fantastic bookish year for me, so 2017 has some big shoes to fill.  Why was it so fantastic?  Well you are just going to have to keep reading to find out…

*In this post I share my 2016 highlights, my 2016 reading stats, my favorite books of 2016, and my favorite blog posts of the year.

My 2016 highlights:

  1.) I read 82 books, which I believe is the most I’ve ever read in a year.  I can’t be sure though since 2016 was the first year I started actually tracking my reads…

2.) I started this blog!   February 24th 2016 to be exact.  Which reminds me that my one year blogiversary is fast approaching.  How is that possible?

3.) I discovered the bookish community.  Before 2016 I never knew this bookish community existed!  I’ve met so many AMAZING bookish/blogger friends and stumbled upon lots of awesome book blogs, booktubers, and bookstagramers to follow.

4.) I attended book events where I got to meet authors like Stephen King (yes THE Stephen King), Christina Baker Kline (author of Orphan Train), Tiffany McDaniel (author of The Summer That Melted Everything), Maggie Stiefvater (author of The Raven Boys), Jenny Lawson (author of Furiously Happy), Mindy McGinnis (author of The Female of the Species), and many more… I had never attended a book event before 2016!

5.) My big goal for 2016 was to “expand my literary horizons,” and I am happy to report that I accomplished this goal.  Before 2016, I mostly read adult historical fiction.  On occasion I would read contemporary or literary fiction.  I am so happy at how much I branched out into other genres in 2016.  Not only did I branch out into other genres within adult literature, but I also read middle grade and young adult books too.

6.) The #WeNeedDiverseBooks Movement made me aware of the lack of diversity in the books I was reading.  Towards the end of 2016,  I made the decision that I needed to read more diversely.  This is something that I will continue not just in 2017, but moving forward.  I have learned so much in such a short time.

2016 Reading Stats:

*I would like to thank Goodreads for making this section super easy to draft since it did most of the work for me…

 

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Books I Read in 2016:

Favorite Reads of 2016:

*Titles link to Goodreads

• Historical Fiction •

» Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeal → Book Review: Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeal

Honorable Mentions:

» The Gilded Hour by Sara Donati

» The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón → Book Review: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

» The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah → Book Review: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

» The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead → Book Review: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

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• Literary Fiction •

» The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel → Book Review: The Summer that Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel

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• Thriller •

» Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King (Crime Thriller) → Book Review: Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

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• Contemporary •

» Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Honorable Mentions:

» Me Before You by Jojo Moyes → Book Review: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

» Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn

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• Fantasy •

» Stardust by Neil Gaiman → Book Review: Stardust by Neil Gaiman

» The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Honorable Mentions:

» A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab → Book Review: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

» Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne → Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne (J.K. Rowling & John Tiffany)

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• Non-Fiction •

» Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson → Book Review: Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

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• Young Adult •

» The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis → Book Review: The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

Honorable Mentions:

» The Lie Tree by Frances Hardringe → Book Review: The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge

» Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater → Book Review: Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater

» A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness → Book Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

» The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

» And I Darken by Kiersten White

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• Middle Grade •

» George by Alex Gino

Honorable Mentions:

» The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis → Kids’ Corner: Book Review of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis

» The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman → Book Review: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Favorite Posts of 2016:

» Bookish Babble: Bookworm Stereotypes

» Author Interview: Tiffany McDaniel, Author of The Summer That Melted Everything

» Kids’ Corner: How to Get Your Kids to Read More

» Kids’ Corner: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

» Book Event: Books by the Banks Book Festival

» Book Event: Stephen King’s End of Watch Book Tour

» Orphan Train Meet the Author Event – Christina Baker Kline

» Top Ten Tuesday: Reasons Why I Love Book Blogging

How was your 2016?

Did you meet your reading goal?

Which books were your favorites of the year?

Happy reading in 2017!