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Monday, January 9, 2017

Best of 2016 - kay's version...

I had a really good reading year in 2016.  I read a few more books than in 2015.

My stats look like this:

Total Books Read in 2016 - 136
Kindle Books - 51
Personal Books in Print - 8
Library Books - 26
Audio books - 51

Non-fiction - 2
Graphic Novels - 23

Male Authors - 26
Female Authors - 110

I'm not sure what any of that says about me except that I read fiction almost exclusively, that I read predominantly female authors, audio books make up a large portion of my reading, and I really stepped up my graphic novel reading this year.  Anything else you notice?

Here are the books or series I enjoyed most in 2016.  Links are not to reviews, but to Amazon. 

Kay's Best of 2016



by Carla Buckley



by Hester Young



by Kate Morton



by Clare Mackintosh



by Louise Penny



by Jon Krakauer



by Lucy Knisley



by Roz Chast


There were two series that I read in their entirety during 2016 and I completely enjoyed both so very much.  The first was the Bell Elkins series by Julia Keller, set in West Virginia.  The first book in the series is A Killing in the Hills, but my favorite book was the 5th and latest:



by Julia Keller 

I also read Kate Rhodes' series that takes place in London and features Alice Quentin, a psychologist who works with the police.  There are also 5 books in this series.  The first is:



by Kate Rhodes

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Hope you got some ideas for some excellent reading!  And let's all have a great reading year in 2017!!

40 comments:

  1. I wish you a Happy New Year !!
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    1. Happy New Year to you as well! And no, I have not visited Japan. :-)

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  2. I liked Gates of Evangeline a few years back and Missoula was really powerful too!

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    1. I'm excited that Hester Young will have a follow-up to THE GATES OF EVANGELINE this year.

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  3. I notice that I must talk too much in my posts! ha. I have such a hard time tracking source even tho I have begun mentioning such in my reviews. Now I need to make a column and really track. Since today is a snow day from school, maybe I'll do the gritty research for this.

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  4. I loved The Lake House, The Great Reckoning, and I Let You Go! I'm also interested in Sorrow Road by Julia Keller; I read her Bitter River a couple of years ago and really liked it. Missoula is also on my list.

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  5. You read some great looking books in 2016! I really enjoy Kate Morton. I still need to read her newest book. And I really need to read Louise Penny.

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    1. I did enjoy Morton's new book, THE LAKE HOUSE. It was quite unputdownable for me. I actually forgot to put it on the list. Read it right at the end of the year. LOL

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  6. Great list, Kay! Missoula was on mine this year and Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant was a favorite last year. I also loved the audio version of The Forgotten Garden. Did you listen to The Gates of Evangeline? January Lavoy is such a good narrator... that book is on my list.

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    1. No, I didn't listen to the Evangeline book - read it on Kindle. Hester Young has a new book coming out this year that is a sequel. Can't wait.

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  7. I'm so glad you did a Top List :-) The Forgotten Garden has been on my must read list, I need to get to it. I'm adding CrossBones Yard to my Wishlist, that sounds good. One of my reading goals is to start a series or trilogy and catch up on it. Here's to 2017, cheers.

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    1. I do enjoy reading a series from beginning to end when I can. Helps if the series is closer to the beginning - like 3 or 4 or 5 books. LOL

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  8. I enjoyed the same graphic novels you pictured!

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  9. I am a fan of Kate Morton and still have two of her books on my Kindle that I haven't tackled. Looks like you did very well reading last year.

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    1. I also read THE LAKE HOUSE by her and really liked it as well. I love the way she includes a vivid setting in her stories.

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  10. I tried to figure out the answer to your question, and I guess what I noticed is more library books than your own books. As you know, I really loved the Roz Chast book. I have another, older book by her and I mean to get it out and read it. I love her work. I think I will add 'series' to my book facts.

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    1. Ha! Don't think there was actually an answer I was looking for, but you're right. A lot of the library books were graphic novels.

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  11. Looks like a great reading year! I think I read mostly predominantly women as well and mostly genre fiction. I love Kate Morton and I have Louise Penny coming up on my TBR. I'm really looking forward to finally reading her mysteries! Enjoy your reading in 2017!

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    1. Katherine, I hope you do try Penny's books and I also hope you enjoy them. Think you likely will.

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  12. Missoula made my list too. I loved Displacement as well.

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    1. Both were about tough topics, but well done.

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  13. I really like the Bell Elkins series. It's consistently good, IMHO. I'll have to give the Kate Rhodes series a try. It sounds like one I'd like. Thanks for the recs!

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    1. My pleasure, Susan. I credit your great reviews of Julia Keller's books for encouraging me to pick them up. :-)

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  14. Looks like you've a great reading year, Kay! I'm enjoying reading everyone's best list and adding them onto my to-read list as well. Here's to another great reading year in 2017!

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    1. I suspect we will both have a great reading year, Melody! More thrillers, right?

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  15. Wowsa! That's a great reading year. No wonder you ran out of time to blog! You know I loved Evangeline and I also loved Displacement. I really want to read I Let You Go and The Good Goodbye.

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  16. I read and enjoyed The Good Goodbye, I Let You Go, Missoula, and Crossbones Yard (keep forgetting to continue this series and I have the next one on my kindle for like a year!). I've read and liked Louise Penny's writing style and her small-town setting, but have only read the first two so far.

    I think you did have a super good year reading, and I hope 2017 brings more book joy to you :)

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    1. Thanks, Rita! It already has. I'm having fun 'shopping' from my own shelves. LOL

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  17. What a great reading year, Kay! Oh Displacement was so good and was also on my favorites. I want to read some of your other faves! Hope this year will also bring a lot of good reading your way :)

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    1. I hope so too, Iliana! And for you as well!

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  18. You had a great year. Even though I didn't read any of your Best of books, I've read several of your Best of authors before.

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  19. Well, I noticed that you read well over twice as many books as I did! :)

    I need to give Kate Morton another chance. I tried one of hers (can't remember which) and couldn't get interested. I've also really good things about Lucy Knisley's graphic novels and will have to see about getting them at my library.

    Here's to another great year of reading & blogging!

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    1. Yes, indeed, another great year. Big changes coming in your life. And it's easier to read twice as many books when I don't go out to work every day. Plus, listening to books as I drive places. And do things. Kate Morton - probably an acquired taste. Wouldn't be for everyone. I did have one of her books that I started and then set aside - can't remember which - Secret Keeper maybe. I'll likely pick it up again at some point. Hope you are feeling better.

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  20. So glad to see Missoula in that list! It was my favorite the previous year. Also, I picked Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant a few weeks ago from the library but I haven't read it yet. Now that I see it on your list, that's just the push I need to read it! Maybe I'll start it tonight.

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    1. It's a fast read, so shouldn't take you very long.

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Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy to hear your thoughts and will respond as soon as I can. Happy Reading!