2017 has begun and we have a whole new year’s worth of books to look forward to over the course of the coming months. 2016 may have a tough year for many reasons, but we did at least get some good books out of it.
As always we count your opinions highest as you are the readers and so here are the best books of 2016, as voted for by you.
1. The Fireman – Joe Hill
The post-apocalyptic genre is thriving these days so it’s no surprise that your No. 1 book is set in the aftermath of a deadly plague that is causing people to spontaneously combust. The novel follows a nurse named Harper who discovers she has contracted the disease. She knows her days are numbered but she’s determined to survive long enough to give birth to her unborn child. In the chaos, ruthless cremation squads have formed to exterminate those who carry the disease. All seems lost until Harper meets a mysterious stranger in a yellow fire fighter’s jacket who is infected, but seems to be able to control the flames within him. Will Harper be able to uncover his secrets in time to save herself and her child?
2. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – J.K. Rowling
2016 was certainly a good year for all the Harry Potter fans out there. Not only did we get a new film in the form of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but we also got a new story in the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Set 19 years after the events of the main series, the play features an older Harry and his son Albus. The script of the play has been published into a book so now those of you who were unable to see the play itself can catch up with Harry. The play received rave reviews from critics and it’s not hard to see why this book/play has proved to be such a hit.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child US
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child UK
3. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
Hillbilly Elegy is a part memoir and part historical and social analysis written by former Marine and Yale Law School Graduate J.D. Vance. The book is a poignant account of growing up in a poor Appalachian town and examines the struggles currently facing America’s white working class. Described as funny, disturbing, and moving, this book offers readers an insight into a part of American society that’s often disregarded as mere hillbillies.
4. Small Great Things – Jodi Picoult
Small Great Things is a book that tackles racism head on with intelligence and empathy. The book tells the story of an African-American labour and delivery nurse named Ruth working in a hospital in Connecticut. After checking up on a new born baby, Ruth is told by the child’s racist parents she’s not to touch the baby again. After Ruth saves the infant’s life but is charged with a criminal offence. Assigned to Ruth’s case is a white lawyer named Kennedy who works with her to win the trial. As media attention begins to mount and Ruth struggles to keep life for her family normal, she’s surprised when Kennedy tells her focusing on race will not guarantee success. Called this century’s To Kill a Mockingbird, this is one you won’t want to miss.
5. City of Mirrors – Justin Cronin
City of Mirrors is the final instalment in The Passage trilogy. Following off from where the previous novel ends, City of Mirrors is a fitting end to this dark horror series. If you still can’t get enough of The Passage series then you’ll be pleased to learn that Hollywood director Ridley Scott is currently planning an adaptation of the three books. Hopefully we’ll see this series in cinemas soon.
6. Lady Midnight – Cassandra Clare
The first instalment in the young adult urban fantasy series The Dark Artifices, which is the fourth series in The Shadowhunter Chronicles. Lady Midnight tells the story of a group of half-angel warriors who keep demons at bay. When a humans start turning up dead in suspicious circumstances, it’s up to the Shadowhunters to find the killers before time runs out. This fantasy novel is certainly one to check out if you’ve enjoyed Harry Potter or Twilight.
7. The Underground Railroad – Colson Whitehead
The Underground Railroad was a metaphorical network of secret routes and safe houses which were used by slaves in the United States in order to flee to free states or Canada and start a new life. Whitehead’s novel takes this idea and tells the story of a slave named Cora who discovers the existence of a literal underground railroad which helps slaves escape to safety. When things don’t go as planned, Cora is hunted by her former masters and must survive a deadly game of cat and mouse. The book has been praised for seamlessly entwining the real historical slavery in America with the fantasy of a real railroad that runs under southern soil.
8. To the Bright Edge of the World – Eowyn Ivey
Set at the end of the nineteenth century in the harsh Alaskan wilderness, To the Bright Edge of the World tells the story of one Colonel Allen Forrester who is ordered with navigating the seemingly impassable Wolverine River. Forrester’s pregnant wife fears for her husband and her unborn child as she prepares to face a year alone in the military barracks. Adding a sense of real immersion, the novel is not written in the traditional sense, but uses journal entries, letters, and photographs to tell the story of our two characters. Like her previous novel, The Snow Child, To the Bright Edge of the World blends an air of magic with the harsh wilderness of Alaska.
To the Bright Edge of the World US
To the Bright Edge of the World UK
9. The Beast – J.R. Ward
The latest instalment in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, The Beast follows Rhage, a brother who is plagued by panic and insecurity which haunts him and distances him from his peers and his lover. Will Rhage be able to stop his world from crumbling in time to save it? This is definitely one to check out if you’ve enjoyed the likes of Game of Thrones or The Dark Tower series.
10. The Sun Is Also a Star – Nicola Yoon
Natasha Kingsley and her family are on the brink of being deported back to Jamaica. In a last ditch effort to continue her life in the United States, Natasha heads for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Daniel is an aspiring poet who writes about heartbreak despite having never been in love. Against all odds, and with time not on their side, the two meet and fall in love. If you’re tired of cliché romance novels where the protagonists fall in love at first site then you may well find this to be a refreshing change of pace.
11. Empire of Storms – Sarah J. Maas
12. Stalking Jack the Ripper – Kerri Maniscalco
13. Hag-Seed – Margaret Atwood
14. At the Existentialist Cafe – Sarah Bakewell
15. Heroes of the Frontier – Dave Eggers
16. Redemption Road – John Hart
17. Fool Me Once – Harlan Coben
18. Let Them Eat Chaos – Kate Tempest
19. A Million Worlds with You – Claudia Gray
20. The Wonder – Emma Donoghue
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