* Top Ten (2016)

Top Ten Books of Past Years:

2012

2013
2014
2015

10.) Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart

9.) Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

8.) Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

7.) Circling the Sun by Paula McLain

6.) The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman

5.) The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks

4.) A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

3.) The Bartender’s Tale by Ivan Doig

2.) All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani

1.) The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin

See all of the books that I read in 2016 on goodreads.  I read 58 total books this year and only missed by goal of 60 books by 2.  Pretty good considering how busy the year has been: started a director job at the library in October, finished my MLS in grad school, and we will be welcoming Baby Smith #2 at the end of February next year!!  

You can see what we're been up to here.  Isabelle and I have been busy reading and finishing her 1000 Books Before Kindergarten and I've also been attempting to make it to the Evening Book Club at the library every month.  

Happy Holidays!!!

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

★★★★

"At some point, the family you create is more important that the one you were born into."

This was an important novel that dealt with family relationships and cultural traditions.  Spanning across several decades, it looks at two different stories that are connected by a mother's decision and the love of a daughter that she will never know.  I really enjoyed learning about India and the novel's realistic conclusion.

The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg (audio)

★★★

"If you say something over and over again, it begins to lose it's meaning...Say anything enough times and it becomes gibberish."

This novel had an interesting premise and follows the storylines of several classmates as they attend their 40 year high school reunion.  Each had various expectation of the reunion and insight is given to their lives in the present and their experiences in high school.  A good reminder that some people change and others simply can't or choose not to and that your experiences in high school do not have to define the rest of your life.  The novel was entertaining enough,  but I felt sorry for most of the characters and (with a few exceptions) didn't like most of them all that much.  I was glad that some of them were able to find happiness in the end.

Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart

★★★★★

I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did, but I could not put it down!!  It tells the story of three sheltered sisters whose lives are turned upside down when there buggy is hit by rich factory owner.  It wasn't the most well-written or insightful book I have ever read, but it was funny and addictive and I haven't been that excited to finish a story in a long time - and for that it gets 5 stars.  Full of wit, charm, and family secrets this provided a much needed change for all of the heavy novels I have been reading lately!!

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann (audio)

★★★★

"The world spins.  We stumble on.  It is enough."

This was one of the most interesting novels that I had read in a long time.  Filled with interwoven story lines, it features a host of unique characters and powerful insight to the connects that we make on a daily basis on how they effect our lives.  I very much enjoyed the audio version and the different narrators made the story even more intriguing.