So the strange year that was 2016 has been and gone. A plethora of much-loved celebrities died, the UK voted to leave the EU (terrible decision) and the US voted into office a businessman with no political experience and who is named after a fart (even more terrible decision).
For me personally, 2016 was a rollercoaster of ups and downs. It started with the passing away of my Nan, which was a pretty awful beginning. Then I began this blog (getting a bit better); I came off antidepressants and can honestly say I beat depression (still battling the anxiety though, but it’s nowhere near as bad as it was); I managed to get my grades up in third year after a disaster of a second year and graduated with a 2:1 degree in BA Hons English (yay!); my short story was shortlisted for the HG Wells Short Story Competition and published (more yay!); then my hamster Cookie passed away, but not after helping me beat depression; and then, finally, we adopted a cat, Willow, who had been neglected but is on the way to being much happier.
So yes, that was pretty much the main highs and lows, but throughout it all I’ve had this blog and chatted to some amazing people here in the book blogosphere. Thanks to you all for keeping me sane!
In terms of my blog, I’m really proud of how far I’ve come since I started in March. I might not have as many followers as some who started the same time as me (honestly, I don’t know how you do it) but I’m so grateful to everyone who keeps up with this little blog of mine, all 276 of you, so thanks again!
Anyway, what about books? I won’t recap all of my posts since last March because looooong but I will have a look at some of my favourite and least favourite books of 2016 (starting from March because I can’t remember what I read before I started my blog). So, here goes.
None!
So, those are (almost) all of the books I read in 2016. You can find reviews for all of them here on my blog.
I was quite lucky this year in that I enjoyed the vast majority of the books I read. I’m very picky though and I’ll normally read reviews before I buy a book, which helps to wheedle out any bad ones or ones that just aren’t my sort of thing.
I have quite a big TBR at the moment so there are lots of books for me to get through this 2017. At the moment, I’m reading Vivian Versus the Apocalypse. I have mixed feelings about this one so stay tuned for my review.
After that, I’m thinking maybe An Ember in the Ashes, or change it up completely and read one of my WWII fiction novels: Where My Heart Used to Beat or All For Nothing. I think I’ll save my Christmas books for a little while to get through the backlog of books I already have.
Alternatively, I might try and finish the Red Rising trilogy as I adored the first two books when I read them last year.
As for what will be happening on my blog, I’m going to try and start posting more. I was doing well for most of 2016, but then it started getting quite busy towards the end of the year and my blog had to go on the back burner. I’ll definitely try and upload more discussion posts, and I have a few other posts planned, so stick around!
How was your 2016? Did you read any of these books last year? Did you love them? Hate them? Let me know in the comments below!
I’m sorry to hear about your nan’s passing. May she and your beloved hamster Rest In Peace. Hopefully for this year wonderful things are in store. Congratulations on overcoming your depression. To the hope of further self-improvement in the future. 🙂
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Thank you Tiana! Hopefully 2017 will be a better year for everyone. 🙂
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I’m sorry about your nan! That’s a harsh blow. As for the year, seems like you really did have a rollercoaster going up and down but you know what? This of this year as “I’m on the rollercoaster that only goes up” sort of thing haha
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Thank you! Yeah it wasn’t a nice start to the year. 2016 was definitely an odd one, so many ups and downs. Haha that’s a good way to think of 2017 actually! Would be the world’s most boring rollercoaster in real life though 😉
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Well 2016 looks like a pretty good reading year!! So glad you enjoyed Goldenhand (it was amazing) and the first two books in the Red Rising trilogy… have you read Morning Star yet? I am so excited for the release of Iron Gold!!
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Yeah it was! Only one 2 star read was quite an achievement. Goldenhand really was amazing but it was always going to end! And I haven’t read Morning Star yet but I’m planning on doing so soon. And same here! As well as the Red Rising films!
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I hope there are more books in the Old Kingdoms series! It is so exciting! Morning star is amazing – you are going to love it!
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I read that Garth Nix is going to be writing more Old Kingdom books! And that’s great to hear, I’m so excited to start it.
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That is the best news! I love those books so much!!
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It does sound like it’s been a year of ups and downs for you, but I’m so happy for you for beating depression, and I’m glad you’re still here blogging 🙂 And you’ve read a few books that I really want to try! Maybe I’ll get to them finally this year. Thankfully they’re all in your 4 and 4.5 star section 🙂
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It definitely has been quite up and down but thank you! It was a great feeling to come off the antidepressants. Ooh I hope you enjoy them! And yeah it’s good they’re in the 4 star section haha. 🙂
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Congrats on beating depression. I’ve dealt with that on and off for my entire life. When it’s bad, it’s _really_ bad. Your cat and hamster are adorable. I hope you post a review of Vivian when you finish it. I’m on a waiting list for that book, but I know it has a lot of mixed reviews.
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Thank you! It’s such an awful thing to have to go through and I hope neither of us has to deal with it again in the future. And thanks! My review of Vivian is up now if you want to check it out. I’ve actually seen more positive views than negative online but it was definitely a mixed one for me. I hope you enjoy it when you read it!
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I can definitely relate to a lot of things you went through this year! I’ve been on and off different meds since I was 16 and I think I /finally/ found some that worked this year. I’m also really sorry to hear about your Nan. My nana passed a couple years ago and it’s definitely not an easy thing to deal with. I’m glad that you had some positives this year too though and I’m really glad you started this blog!!
So happy to see Six of Crows, Illuminae and Gemina in your top 5’s 😀 I loved them all so much!!
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It’s really good to hear you’ve finally found some medication that works for you, I hope it helps you on the road to recovery! And thank you, it was such a shock too and not a nice way to start the year. I’m sorry to hear about your Nan as well. But yeah there were some positives at least, especially this blog and getting to chat to you and others!
I’m glad you loved them! I think Illuminae and Gemina especially were my reading highlights of last year.
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I thought Nod started out well but drifted towards the end, as though the author ran out of interest in the story. I Am Legend, on the other hand, kept me hooked all the way through, and am still waiting for City Of Mirrors to be released in paperback in the UK, but if it’s anything like the other two it should be a corker.
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I agree actually, it did start strong and became a bit muddled towards the end and we never really got answers. I Am Legend definitely had me hooked too, my only issue was that I wanted it to be longer! And City of Mirrors was a brilliant finale to the series, I was sobbing by the end, so I hope you enjoy it haha!
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Definitely agree on I Am Legend comment. Matheson’s such a great writer – just wish his books were longer. Saying that, like Harlan Ellison, his short stories are dynamite.
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