It was a bit of a rough year as far as favorites go. Most of what I read didn’t blow me away. I think I was just in a weird place this year – trying to look for a new job, building my social life up again, and having too much free time on my hands and being unfocused.
There were some books I read that failed to impress despite their blockbuster status (like My Name is Lucy Barton), but I think it’s more because of the place I was in this year, rather than the books not living up to their reputation. Also, as I mentioned in my last post on my reading wrap up for the year, I read too many free advanced reading copies, and didn’t prioritize the books on my to do read list enough. But, there were some winners this year!
My top five books of 2016 are:
1. The Girl on the Train. Deservedly a bestseller and a movie (which I need to see), this thriller kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.
From the cover:
EVERY DAY THE SAME
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.
UNTIL TODAY
And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?
2. Modern Romance. Even if you are not single and trying to date in these crazy times, this is a great read that gives you a hint as to what your single friends are dealing with! I thought it was a funny, insightful examination of today’s {exhausting} dating culture.
Excerpt from the cover:
A hilarious, thoughtful, and in-depth exploration of the pleasures and perils of modern romance from one of this generation’s sharpest comedic voices.
At some point, every one of us embarks on a journey to find love. We meet people, date, get into and out of relationships, all with the hope of finding someone with whom we share a deep connection. This seems standard now, but it’s wildly different from what people did even just decades ago. Single people today have more romantic options than at any point in human history. With technology, our abilities to connect with and sort through these options are staggering. So why are so many people frustrated?
In Modern Romance, Ansari combines his irreverent humor with cutting-edge social science to give us an unforgettable tour of our new romantic world.
3. Dreaming Water. While this book honestly didn’t blow me away, it was a good read and it did get me to read out my usual genres and is encouraging me to read more books like it. A tear jerker written in two voices, the book explores a mother daughter relationship and is a reminder to be grateful for the small things.
Excerpt from the cover:
Bestselling author Gail Tsukiyama is known for her poignant, subtle insights into the most 
complicated of relationships. Dreaming Water is an exploration of two of the richest and most layered human connections that exist: mother and daughter and lifelong friends.
Hana is suffering from Werner’s syndrome, a disease that makes a person age at twice the rate of a healthy individual: at thirty-eight Hana has the appearance of an eighty-year-old. Cate, her mother, is caring for her while struggling with her grief at losing her husband, Max, and with the knowledge that Hana’s disease is getting worse by the day.
Dreaming Water is about a mother’s courage, a daughter’s strength, and a friend’s love. It is about the importance of human dignity and the importance of all the small moments that create a life worth living.
4. The Forgotten. Because I love thrillers and mysteries. Published in 2013, this book is the second in a series about character John Puller. However, I never read the first book and didn’t have trouble following the story or understanding the characters. A fun page turner.
From the cover:
Army Special Agent John Puller is the best there is. A combat veteran, Puller is the man the U.S. Army relies on to investigate the toughest crimes facing the nation. Now he has a new case–but this time, the crime is personal: His aunt has been found dead in Paradise, Florida.
A picture-perfect town on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Paradise thrives on the wealthy tourists and retirees drawn to its gorgeous weather and beaches. The local police have ruled his aunt’s death an unfortunate, tragic accident. But just before she died, she mailed a letter to Puller’s father, telling him that beneath its beautiful veneer, Paradise is not all it seems to be.
What Puller finds convinces him that his aunt’s death was no accident . . . and that the palm trees and sandy beaches of Paradise may hide a conspiracy so shocking that some will go to unthinkable lengths to make sure the truth is never revealed.
5. Past Crimes. This was one free advanced reading copy I got at the ALA conference that I enjoyed. This thriller is a finalist for the 2016 Edgar Award for Best First Novel, and is an exciting and fast paced debut.
Excerpt from the cover:
The Anthony, Macavity, and Strand Critics award-winning debut from Glen Erik Hamilton.
When his estranged grandfather is shot and left for dead, an Army Ranger must plunge into the criminal underworld of his youth to find a murderer and uncover a shocking family secret in this atmospheric and evocative debut thriller.
Van Shaw was raised to be a thief, but at eighteen he suddenly broke all ties to that life and joined the military—abandoning his illicit past and the career-criminal grandfather who taught him the trade. Now, after ten years of silence, his grandfather has asked him to come home to Seattle. But when Van arrives, he discovers his grandfather bleeding out on the floor from a gunshot to the head. With a lifetime of tough history between him and the old man, Van knows he’s sure to be the main suspect.
Edgy and suspenseful, rich with emotional resonance, gritty action, and a deep-rooted sense of place, Past Crimes trumpets the arrival of a powerful talent in the mold of Dennis Lehane, Robert B. Parker, and John D. MacDonald.
Honorable mentions:
Somebody I Used to Know. Another free book from ALA. I enjoyed this thriller about a man who seems a woman that is the spitting image of his college girlfriend – who was killed in a fire.
Sarah’s Key. As my mom says, “An oldie (2008) but a goodie”. I had a big phase this year with reading dual timeline novels. This was my favorite of the bunch, connecting Sarah’s story in 1942 with Julia’s in 2002. Also, check out the movie if you like the book. It diverts from the book, but it also good in itself.
What were some of your favorites from 2016?
Crafter Librarian 