TTT: The Best Books That I Read in 2016

I actually don't even know how the end of the year is upon us so quickly. I mean, next week will be 2017 already!? How did that even happen?

Even though I'm in disbelief, it's still that time of year where we can think back on what we have read and recap in our minds the good and the bad. Fortunately I've had far more good than bad this year and Goodreads tells me that my average rating has been 3.8 stars! That's pretty amazing.

I'm linking up with The Broke and The Bookish for their Top Ten Tuesday Prompt : Top Ten Best Books Of 2016 and I'm listing my top ten reads of this year (regardless of when the book was published).

So anyone who knows me even a little bit has probably heard me fangirl over Sarah J Maas - she's my favourite author right now and A Court of Mist and Fury was my absolute favourite read of 2016 and I read it back in the first half of the year. It was THAT good.

"He thinks he'll be remembered as the villain in the story. But I forgot to tell him that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key. He was the one who let me out." - Sarah J Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury

Uprooted was the type of book that I couldn't help but throw it in everyone's faces. It was my first Novik read and I was hooked from the get go. It has the most awesome creepy wood and was completely unpredictable with a grand, flowing storyline. Highly recommended!

“Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we’re grateful, but not that grateful.” - Naomi Novik, Uprooted

A Promise Of Fire is a really stunning debut Adult Fantasy. Greek mythology, strong female characters, magic and fantasy - I can't wait for the next instalment coming out in January!

“Happiness is a strange, frightening, fragile feeling when you're not used to it.” - Amanda Bouchet, A Promise of Fire

Empire of Storms was another 5 star S.J. Maas book for me. Epic book. Just EPIC.

"Fight her. I am coming for you. Even if it takes me a thousand years. I will find you, I will find you, I will find you." - Sarah J Maas, Empire of Storms

Three Dark Crowns surprised me - after seeing some bad reviews I was ready for a fairly middle of the run book - but this one was GOOD. I really enjoyed the complex and intricate plot and the deliciously dark premise.

“Three dark queens
Are born in a glen,
Sweet little triplets
Will never be friends

Three dark sisters
All fair to be seen,
Two to devour
And one to be Queen” - Kendare Blake, Three Dark Crowns

Abhorsen was a really great conclusion to the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. I have been saying I will pick up the other books in this series since I closed it and I just haven't got to them yet but I'm determined to do it soon. A really great world with a fantastic magical system I loved this series about necromancers far more than I ever thought I would!

“For everyone and everything, there is a time to die. Some do not know it, or would delay it, but its truth cannot be denied. Not when you look into the stars of the ninth gate.” - Garth Nix, Abhorsen

Heartless is a really great imagining of the life of The Queen of Hearts before she became the terror of Wonderland. It was my first Marissa Meyer book and I've just picked up my third recently. I really loved this book and hope everyone gives it a try, even if you aren't a fan of the original.

“But hoping," he said, "is how the impossible can be possible after all.” - Marissa Meyer, Heartless

I'm a huge fan of the Shadowhunter universe and Lady Midnight was a really great addition. I can't wait for the next in this series coming out in the first half of 2017 although I'm scared for my poor heart!

“There is nothing more important than love. And no law higher.” - Cassandra Clare, Lady Midnight

I picked up the Dragonian series simply because I got it off NetGalley and because I liked the cover (Dragons! Of course I'll love it, right?). Well, Firebolt surprised me and despite some editing issues I actually thoroughly enjoyed this and the rest of the series. There was something addictive about it and I think I devoured all of the books in a couple of short weeks!

“If your mind and heart are in the same place, you can do whatever you want.” - Adrienne Woods, Firebolt

And finally, another fantastic book that I've fairly recently read and can't wait for it to release so you can all enjoy it as much as I did! Caraval is really well worth the read and is a truly enchanting story with great characters.

"Whatever you’ve heard about Caraval, it doesn’t compare to the reality. It’s more than just a game or a performance. It’s the closest you’ll ever find to magic in this world." - Stephanie Garber, Caraval

What are your top books that you read in 2016? Have you read any of the same books I did? Did you like them? Are you looking forward to any of these?