Top Ten Tuesday #12: Top Eleven Best Books Of 2016

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Happy Tuesday folks! I hope you had a fantastic week, amazing holidays, full of cheer, presents, and happy moments with your loved ones.

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topics is all about the best books of 2016, and I'm here to tell you this is so friggin hard!! Making this list took for-freakin-EVER, because here's what my actual favorite books list looks like:

Especially considering I've got favorite YA, adult and comic books. So it's hard to choose. Fortunately, I managed to cut down the list to just eleven books. I just couldn't stop at ten, guys, it was too hard. Anyway, here's the books I loved most this year:

YA:

1. And I Darken by Kiersten White - I think I've said this to anybody who'll listen, but this is by far my favorite book of the year. If you want to know why, read my review here.
2. Ruined by Amy Tintera - It's not often that I read a story from the anti-hero's perspective, from what you can actually see as the villain. So it was a really good surprise to not only enjoy, but love Em's story. Now I'm very curious to see what happens next. Also, her sister is insane and I love it!
3. Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo - I enjoyed the second book of the Grisha trilogy immensely. Granted, I have yet to read the last book, because I'm a chicken, but that's a different story. Besides Nikolai, I loved this book because it shows the corruption that power can cause, on even the best of the best people. I feel like Alina is slowly becoming a female version of the Darkling, only it's heartbreaking to watch because she knows it and she's fighting it with everything she's got. I hope she wins that battle.
4. Firstlife by Gena Showalter - Behind the big theme of life after death, there's a wealth of themes worth talking about in this book, but the biggest one is parent-child relationships, and it's one of the reasons why I loved this book so much. Read my review here.
5. Girl Against The Universe by Paula Stokes - This year was a big one for books that talked about mental health, and I couldn't be happier for that. GATU is a book that beautifully explores mental health, but also accurately describes the role of a psychologist, without making that figure look like a wizard with a magic wand, that makes all the problems go "poof". Read my review here.
6. Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven - Another book that explores mental health, this book was full of hope and I personally loved it. Read my review here.

 Adult:

1. Love And Let Die by Lexi Blake - A story of redemption, second chances, and forgiveness, this book has it all, plus some sexy times. If you're in love with Ian Taggart, like me, then you'll probably love this book.
2. The Bookshop On The Corner by Jenny Colgan - This book shows that if you have a dream, no matter how crazy it may seem, you can fulfill it. I loved this story so much, and I hope some of you will give it a try. Read my review here.
3. First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones - I finally read this book this year, and let me tell you, I'm mad at myself for waiting this long. I cannot wait to find some free time next year to binge read this entire series. It's funny, sexy, and it features a sassy Grim Reaper. 
4. Promise The Moon by Hailey Edwards - Probably not surprising that a Hailey Edwards book is in this list, but I have to tell you, this book was fantastic. I loved the fact that it showed a different take on werewolves, and I also loved the fact that it explored the aspect of the roles a werewolf has within the pack, and how that affects their behavior and that of their packmates, but also what happens when some of those roles are reversed. Read my review here.

Comic Books:

Monstress by Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda - A really beautiful story about what fear of the unknown can do to people, as well as how war can corrupt and destroy. I am very impatient to read the next volume. Read my review of the first six issues here.

That's it *phew* There are a few books that I could mention in the "honorable mentions" section, like ACOTAR and The Raven Boys, but there are too many that would fit that description, so I won't. What about you? What are ten (or more) best books of this year?

Cover Reveal: For His Eyes Only by Lexi Blake

 

A night he can’t forget

Five years ago, Nick Markovic found himself consumed by his quest for vengeance. The one time he managed to find peace was in the arms of Hayley Dalton. Being with her was like bathing in sunlight, and he ached to feel that again, but he couldn’t. He gave his oath to Hayley’s cousin Desiree, his partner at McKay-Taggart and Knight, that he’d never let his darkness infect Hayley’s innocent world.

A spark she can’t put out

It was years before that Hayley offered everything she had to Nick. After that one amazing night, all she wanted was to be his forever. Unfortunately, Nick’s reaction was to walk away from her and never look back. The warm and caring man she’d discovered was gone, and after Des’s death, he’d only grown colder. But when Hayley finds herself in mortal danger, she’s forced to seek protection from the man who broke her heart.

A flame that threatens to consume them both

Haunted by the women he failed, Nick can’t allow himself to grow close to Hayley again. Running to stay ahead of the powerful forces that endanger their lives, they travel from the lush Garden in London to the glittering lights of Rio. As the threat against her becomes clearer, he realizes that to keep her safe he must confront the demons from his past, even if it costs him a future with the woman he loves.

   

Now available for pre-order!

 

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NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Cover Reveal: The Darkest Promise by Gena Showalter

Gena Showalter is proud to share the cover for the 13^th novel in her bestselling Lords of the Underworld series, THE DARKEST PROMISE! #LOTU

   

Order THE DARKEST PROMISE here!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * BAM * Powell’s * IndieBound

THE DARKEST PROMISE Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with a sizzling Lords of the Underworld story about an iron-willed sovereign and the somber beauty who melts him with a glance…

Possessed by the demon of Misery, Cameo isn't allowed to experience joy. If she dares, her memory is wiped clean. With no other recourse, she sneaks into a land more fantastical than any fairy tale, determined to find the one man with the key to her redemption.

Lazarus the Cruel and Unusual rules his kingdom with a single unwavering focus: to build his army and annihilate his enemies. Nothing distracts him—until Cameo. He is relentless in his quest to make her smile…and seduce her into his bed.

As dark forces conspire against them, threatening to destroy the fragile bond they've forged, the once-calm Lazarus grows crazed. Every heart-stopping kiss and wicked touch causes Cameo to teeter on the brink of happiness. But if she falls, she risks forgetting him forever…

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    About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld series, two young-adult series—Everlife and The White Rabbit Chronicles—and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series.  She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs and all her upcoming books at GenaShowalter.com or Facebook.com/GenaShowalterFans.      

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