Favorite Reads of 2016 So Far

So I was going to add this to my challenge update but I really felt the need to gush and that post was already long enough with all the books I have already read this year. 

I have read some truly outstanding books so far this year but I will just list some that really are continuing to stand out in my mind in the midst of the over 200 I have read so far this year.

 

 

Probably the top book so far of the year goes to one of my local authors

There Was a Fire by Nancy Roy

I cannot rave about this book enough, it was dark and beautiful and hopeful and emotional.  I have handed my copy out to 4 different people now and every one of them has had the same reaction when I talked to them after reading it, "That Book! That Ending! That Book!" and all I can say is I know! If you want to read it and can't find it near you let me know and I will find a copy locally.

 

 

Another top book I just finished recently and that is

Pages of the Mind by Jeffe Kennedy

This was a book I requested on Netgalley not realizing it was the start of a new series within a series, but the fact that it was book 4 in the whole arc didn't dampen my enjoyment of the book at all! I am now desperate for more of Jeffe Kennedy's books.

 

 

One of my most surprising reads this year was

  

 

The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

I went into this not expecting to really enjoy it that much as I have been kind of burnt out on the whole teen girl drama, love triangle thing but for some reason this series completely sucked me in, to the point that I consumed the entire series (except for the final book that only recently was released) in less than a week!

 

 

A book that ended up being a fantastic surprise find was

Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse by Tamera Will Wissinger

This was a book I just randomly picked up at a used bookstore but when I finally read it for Children's Book Week I found what an amazing book I found.  The story is cohesive yet each page or section is written in a different poetry style. Then at the end it gives explanation of the types, some poetry rules and techniques as well as further reading suggestions.

 

 

A book that I am kicking myself for not reading sooner was

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr

The impact this book has is profound. While the book is rather sad it still holds a beautiful message of hope. And while it talks about the bombing of Hiroshima, it doesn't hold the bitterness and blame I have seen in other books told from this viewpoint.

 

 

I have already read several Graphic Novels so far this year but the best is

Dogs of War by Sheila Keenan

I have never before been emotionally effected by a graphic novel, connected yes but never so full effected to the point of tears. This tells three stories of dogs used during various wars the US was involved in and their handlers. What I enjoyed about this book was that these weren't the tales you commonly hear and they all show the heroics and loyalty of those dogs and the difference they made for their handlers.

 

 

Munchkin also has a favorite story so far too.

A Big Guy Took My Ball by Mo Willems

I can't believe we waited so long to read these books! They are short, fun, easy and teach a lesson all at once. I can't tell you how many times I have read this book to Munchkin, I have gotten to the point where I have even created voices for the characters.

 

 

 

So there are some of the books that have really stood out to me so far this year.  There are several other Four Paw and Stump Wag books too but these are the best of the best in my opinion.  What have been your favorite books so far this year? Have you read any of these? Did you love them like I did or not so much?