Top Ten Tuesday is a feature run by BrokeAndBookish each week. As 2016 is coming to a close, this week’s theme is all about our favourite books of the year. I didn’t really get much reading done in the last few months of the year, I started a new job and couldn’t really get into any of the books I was picking up but I did read some good books in 2016. So below, in no particular order, are my ten favourite books I read this year – the links in the book titles go to their reviews where you can find out more about why I liked them so much.
The Murdstone Trilogy by Mal Peet
This book was unlike anything I’d read before. It’s the perfect commentary on the fantasy genre and it’s a very funny read as well.
The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson
This was one of the first books I read this year and it stuck with me a long time after I finished it.
Asking for It by Louise O’Neill
This was such a tough read but it was still a really good and important book. It is often a frustrating book with a frustrating and unlikable protagonist but that makes it all the more interesting and memorable.
The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly
The Great Zoo of China is a super fast-paced book full of action and adventure and dragons! Yes, that’s right dragons! I probably read this book in the shortest amount of time this year because I just couldn’t put it down.
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Homegoing is such an ambitious novel and it really works. It’s a great look at American and Ghanaian history and how families are connected across the decades.
Goldenhand by Garth Nix
I love the Old Kingdom series and I was a bit hesitant about Goldenhand because it was a sequel to the main trilogy and I liked how the series ended. But, Goldenhand was a great addition showing how far Lirael has come and introducing us to some more great new characters.
The Good Immigrant edited by Nikesh Shukla
I read a couple of non-fiction books this year but this one was the best. It’s full of essays from a range of different people who have had different experiences of being a person of colour in Britain. It is definitely worth the read.
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Illuminae is an interesting book because it’s made up on transcripts and emails. It’s also a fast-paced sci-fi story full of twists and turns and I can’t wait to read the sequel.
Bombshells Volume 1: Enlisted by Marguerite Bennett and Marguerite Savage
I love everything about Bombshells. The WWII setting, all the wonderful female heroes and villains and the art style is fab too. I read Volume 2 this month and really enjoyed that one as well so I definitely recommend this series.
The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall
This was such a fun mystery, adventure, conspiracy book. It felt very much like The National Treasure films which I absolutely love so that was an added bonus.
What were your favourite books you read this year?
Elena Square Eyes 
I loved Asking For It and The Art of Being Normal when I read them. Both fantastic books. 🙂 It looks like you’ve had a great reading year!
Thanks! Yeah it’s been a good year overall, the last couple of months I didn’t read much but the start of the year I was powering through books! 🙂
I read The Conspiracy of Us in 2015, but I definitely got National Treasure vibes from it too. Have you read the sequel yet?
Glad I wasn’t the only one thinking of National Treasure when reading it! No I haven’t yet, I was waiting for it to come out in paperback so it matches 🙂
I’ve wanted to read The Conspiracy of Us for a while now, but haven’t. Seeing it on here makes me want to move it up my TBR!
My TTT.
Yes do! It’s a super fun, quick read full of adventure! 😀
Ahh Illuminae is so incredible! I also really want to read Asking for It as I’ve heard so many good things!
Kyra @ Blog of a Bookaholic
My TTT Post!
You should definitely read Asking For It! But be warned, it will probably frustrate you but kind of in a good way and it makes sense that it does this – that probably didn’t make any sense 😛
Happy reading in 2017!
I keep seeing a bunch of books on other people’s lists that I have never heard of. I hope you find twice as many great books next year as you did this year.
My TTT:Marie @ Pages to Explore
Haha! I know that feeling! It’s great because sometimes it feels like everyone in the book community is reading the same thing or you’ve gotta keep up with the current “must read book”, but then lists like this show that we all like and read different things and that’s great! 😀
Great list, Elena! So many of these are on my TBR; I’m hoping to get to The Good Immigrant and Goldenhand really soon.
Thanks! They’re both so good! Let me know what you think of them when you read them 🙂
I’ve read The Art of Being Normal and Asking for It, and I loved both of them. They’re so good at tackling touchy subjects.
Yeah they’re tough and almost taboo subjects but both of them handle them really well but in different ways. I recommend them both to just about everyone.
I didn’t get to Homegoing this year but it’s on my TBR for next year
http://runwright.net
I hope you get to it in 2017 and enjoy it! It’s certainly something special 🙂
Gemina is one of my favorites of the year – I hope you’ll like it! 🙂
Check out my TTT and my current giveaway.
Thanks! I’m going on a bit of a book buying ban in 2017 so I might order it before December is out so it doesn’t count! 😉