This is probably one of the hardest posts to write every year. Which books are the best? My selection is always of what I’ve read this year, regardless of when it’s published. Don’t expect to see many new releases on here since I still have a huge backlog of books to get through.
I failed all my challenges this year. My own reading challenge, my Goodreads Reading Challenge, and I never finished the list of books that I had to read this year. I only read three of the ten I selected. I failed, but I still managed to read 39 books this year. Nine more than my usual reading challenge. And I see that as a win.
Fiction
Caraval is still at the top of my list, closely followed by The Ice Cream Parlour and I, Cosmo. They’re all very different: a fantasy novel, a contemporary romance novel with magical realism, and a children’s book about a dog and his boy. I recently finished Sanctuary by V.V. James and it’s a powerful book that made me feel all kinds of things. I already know I’ll take some time to write a review. Each of them made me feel something different, in a good way. I love each of these books and highly recommend them to anyone. Read my reviews to see what I mean.
You can check out my reviews by clicking the links below.
(Yes, I added my own books to the list. I read both of them more than five times this year, so counting one time is okay, right?
Caraval – Stephanie Garber
The Ice Cream Parlour – Isabella May
I, Cosmo – Carlie Sorosiak
After The Green Withers – Kristin Ward
Warcross – Marie Lu
The Grey Ones – Yvonne J. Smit
The Blood Prince – Josie Jaffrey
Thornbound – Stephanie Burgis
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society – Ann Barrow & Mary Ann Schafer
Lost Wolf – Stacy Claflin
The Devil’s Apprentice – Kenneth B. Andersen
The Belles – Dhonielle Clayton
Dragons – R.J. Furness (review coming December 31st)
Mermaids – R.J.Furness
Shadows – R.J. Furness
You Make Me – Erin McCarthy
Different Time – Michael K. Hill
Heavenward – Olga Gibbs
All Systems Red – Martha Wells
Sanctuary – V.V. James (review to come)
Het kleine meisje van meneer Linh – Philippe Claudel
Tales of Lunis Aquaria – Tessa Hastjarjanto
Devil’s Deal – Tessa Hastjarjanto
Non-fiction
My non-fiction books are a strange collection of writing books and guides to Japan as research for our trip. There are a few books that I thought were interesting, although not many. I highlighted them so you can look them up yourself. No reviews of my non-fiction reads.
Damn Fine Story – Chuck Wendig
Make Good Art – Neil Gaiman
Finish Your Novel! – Mark Teppo
How To Make Money – Kristine Kathryn Rusch
The Coffee Break Novelist – Kevin O. McLaughlin
Once More With Feeling – Jody Lynn Nye
5,000 Words Per Hour – Chris Fox
Just a Draft – Tobias S. Buckell
Bird by Bird – Anne Lamott
Japan – Chris Howthorn (Lonely Planet)
Te Gast In Japan – Kees van Teeffelen
Tokyo – Rebecca Milner (Lonely Planet)
The Rough Guide to Japan – Sally McLaren
Writing With Chronic Illness – Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Million Dollar Outlines – David Farland
How To Polish Your Manuscript Into A Rock-Solid Book – Andrea Pearson
ANWB Gids – Japan
