I saw this post on Life and Other Disasters a few days ago and, since I’m currently trying to figure out if I can make my 30 books in a year challenge (currently on number 17), I had to do this. It’s a fun tag because it’s a wrap-up and it’s also a great idea if you can’t remember everything you’ve read this year. I forgot that some of these books were reads from this year and not from 2015.
Best Book You’ve Read Yet in 2016
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
This might have been the first book that I put on my Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ list about 4 years ago, and I finally read it! And it was such a wonderful book. There’s also a Hulu series in the works.
Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far in 2016
Lumberjanes, Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max by Noelle Stevenson (Lumberjanes #5-8)
Jessica Darling’s IT List (#2) by Megan McCafferty
New Release You Haven’t Read Yet But Want To
Lumberjanes, Vol. 3: A Terrible Plan by Noelle Stevenson (Lumberjanes #9-12)
Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan (Paper Girls #1-5)
Most Anticipated Release for the Second Half of the Year
The Secret Ingredient of Wishes by Susan Bishop Crispee
I actually won a copy of this just last week from Goodreads. It will be released in September, so I would love to read it before then.
Biggest Disappointment
Bridget Jones’s Diary (Bridget Jones, #1) by Helen Fielding
Party Games (Fear Street Relaunch, #1) by R.L. Stine
Sadly, I was a bit let down when I read these books. I thought that I would love Bridget Jones’s Diary, and I did enjoy it, but it wasn’t what I was expecting. And Party Games just wasn’t the type of Fear Street novel that I always loved. That doesn’t mean I won’t see about another book in the series, though, because the Fear Street series was one of my favorites when I was younger.
Biggest Surprise
Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
This book was an absolute surprise to me because I didn’t read a synopsis of it before I read it. I just knew that it was by Aziz Ansari, and I thought it was probably one of those essay books that a lot of comedians write. Boy, was I wrong. The book is literally about the state of modern romance and relationships, and how technology has changed the way that people meet and form relationships in this day and age. It gave me a lot to think about and really opened my eyes about different generations. I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t listen to the audio book version of it, though.
Favorite New Author
Aziz! I cannot wait for him to write something else.
Newest Fictional Crush
I’m sad to say I don’t really have one so far this year. Maybe I’ll read some good chick lit soon. I did really like Mark Darcy, though! (And I already know that I’m not going to be reading the rest of that series for a few reasons…)
Newest Favorite Character
She’s not a new character to me, but I adore the young Jessica Darling. This is not a big announcement, though.
Book That Made You Cry
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Book That Made You Happy
Jessica Darling’s IT List (#1) by Megan McCafferty
Favorite Book to Film Adaptation
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Gone Girl (2014)
Favorite Post You Have Done This Year
I think we all know I haven’t done many posts this year, but I’ve loved doing posts about What I’ve Been Watching. That makes me want to do more posts about TV and movies.
Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought This Year
Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson
The Sundial by Shirley Jackson
Penguin books are always beautiful to me. I haven’t been buying much lately, but my library doesn’t have these two Shirley Jackson novels, so I decided to buy them. This cover of Hangsaman is making me want to read it right this second.
What Books Do You Need to Read by the End of the Year
There are a few that I would love to read in the next couple of months: The Constant Princess by Phillipa Gregory, The Secret Ingredient of Wishes by Susan Bishop Crispell, and Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson. I’d also like to read another Jane Austen or a novel by one of the Brontë sisters.
I Tag: Anyone who wants to do this! I would love to read your posts.
Do you have any books that you need to read by the end of the year?
Bookish Rachel 
I read Modern Romance on a whim and was really pleasantly surprised by it too! It was very smart and well-researched, and I know I chuckled quite a few times because it was also funny and entertaining and insightful.
Anyway, I listened to the audiobook and it was VERY well-narrated (by Aziz himself) – I definitely recommend checking it out and listening to it this time if you have the means. I also can’t wait for him to write something else. 🙂
The comedy helped make it more exciting, but it also made the topic feel not as heavy as it could have felt. I liked that a lot.
Oh, I will definitely have to listen to the audiobook when I’m able to get it. Hopefully he’ll write something else soon.
Great picks! I so need to read Paper Girls too. i was completely mesmerized by the cover when I bought it, but now I can’t get myself to pick it up and I don’t know why.
Paper Girls has such a great cover! The good thing about a graphic novel is that it shouldn’t take that much time to read once you get to it. 🙂