The Best Books I Read in 2016
Last year, as 2015 drew to an end, I shared a post with every book I had read that year. I read 85 in 2015, and shared every. single. one. in that post. The thought crossed my mind to do it again this year... but nobody has time to look at 150+ book reviews, and I definitely don't have time to go hunting down all those pictures and gather all that information. Nope, not happening.
If you're curious what I read all throughout 2016, though, here you go: JANUARY // FEBRUARY // MARCH // APRIL // MAY // JUNE // JULY // AUGUST // SEPTEMBER // OCTOBER // NOVEMBER // DECEMBER (coming soon)
This year, I'm sharing favorites I read this year (not necessarily published this year!) in a variety of my favorite genres and categories! These are ones I highly recommend and will gladly share with you if you're local. Most of these are ones I'm still thinking about weeks or months later, ones that made a lasting impact on me, but there are definitely many, many other great books I read this year that aren't included here.
A quick note: there are affiliate links throughout this post-- they won't cost you any more money at all, but will throw a few cents my way to support my endless book-buying habits! It's much appreciated. :)
Favorite book about faith:
Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor // My original review here.
Honorable mentions:
The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming by Henri J.M. Nouwen
Finding God in the Waves: How I Lost my Faith and Found It Again Through Science by Mike McHargue
Bandersnatch: An Invitation to Explore Your Unconventional Soul by Erika Morrison
Favorite memoir:
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi // My original review here.
Honorable mentions:
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Favorite biography:
Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor by Brad Gooch // My original review here.
Favorite audiobook:
The Martian by Andy Weir // My original review here.
Favorite collection of essays:
Upstream by Mary Oliver
Honorable mentions:
Our Only World by Wendell Berry
Favorite book about food:
Vegan Freak: Begin Vegan in a Non-Vegan World by Bob Torres and Jenna Torres // My original review here.
Favorite fiction:
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom // My original review here.
Honorable mentions:
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner
Favorite thriller:
I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh // My original review here.
Favorite book of poetry:
Felicity by Mary Oliver // My original review here.
Honorable mentions:
Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to God by Rainer Maria Rilke
Guerrillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle by Ted Loder
Favorite self-discovery book:
The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile // My original review here.
Favorite classic:
East of Eden by John Steinbeck // My original review here.
Honorable mentions:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte