These are my 5 top picks of 2016! This post is also part of the Top Ten Tuesday where we list our top ten Books of 2016 here (so check out some other great recommendations)! Working our way backwords, we begin with:
The High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel
This book is not only entertaining, but also enlightening. The High Mountains of Portugal is a story that features three main characters who are all struck by grief and who react in different ways: walking backwards, performing an autopsy, and living with a monkey. The three novellas, while varying in interest, all combine to form a ingeniously crafted piece of work. It is an exploration of grief and religion, while remaining both funny and mysterious. See my full review here.
Human Acts by Han Kang
Disturbing in all the right ways, Human Acts demands that you do not shy away from the uncomfortable. Human Acts deals with the student rebellion in South Korea and highlights, through a series of wonderful and out of the box voices, the atrocities and ways that we must cope with oppression. It forces you to think about the atrocities committed and the price that freedom costs. It was deeply powerful and wonderfully written. See my full review here.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
One of the most surprising books of the year, this book delivered soul searching and a whole cast of remarkable characters. In The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry an unlikely man, named Harold, embarks on a pilgrimage of redemption and healing who, along the way, meets a variety of people who make us believe in humanity again and teach him lessons along the way. Harold’s journey explores issues of guilt, faith, and redemption. See my full review here.
The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan
These women were fierce, brave, and incredibly strong, undergoing challenges and suffering I can only imagine. This wonderful saga of a novel examines the struggles that two mothers must undergo to fight for their daughters through trickery, betrayal and distance. The book revolved not around romance, but around the relationship we have with our mothers and daughters. These women’s friendships and love were a joy to read, despite the fact that they undergo one hardship after another. See my full review here.
The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood
The earliest book I read this year on this list, it has stayed with me ever since. I have been a long time fan of Atwood, so my standards were high. That being said, I was not disappointed. This story was full of suspense, mystery, and exploration of human limitations. I cannot say too much without giving a lot away, but this novel forces us to dig beneath the surface of the idealistic community of Positron and the psychological stress that manifests itself in startling ways. See my full review here.
I hope that you enjoy my picks for the best books of 2016, these were my favorites and I am so happy to have read them.
Attention!
I am running a 100 Follower Giveaway on my instagram to win one of these books! All you need to do is have an instagram and follow the instructions on the post. You have until January 1st midnight, 12am, EST to enter! So you have over a week left to enter! Don’t worry if you do not have instagram, I am going to do a blog giveaway in the future!
What were your favorite reads of 2016? I would love to know!
Some blogs with posts of other Top Ten Lists you should check out:
Don’t forget to subscribe!
I love your photograph for The Valley of Amazement, the colours all look beautiful together — and very festive! It sounds like a really interesting book, so I’ll have to see if I can find myself a copy.
I hope you do! I really loved the characters because the relationships didn’t center around a male romance (even though they existed) it was about their relationships to their daughters and with their mothers 🙂
Human Acts looks really intriguing! 🙂 It looks like you’ve picked up some really interesting books this year! I hope it continues into 2017.
Yes I wasn’t expecting anything really, but I had heard about her book, The Vegetarian. I really enjoyed my first year of blogging, and I love your blog <3
I remember reading about The High Mountains of Portugal! All of these books were lowkey on my radar, but since I’m a by-the-mood reader, they tend to get waylaid to the side. 🙁
That is a very healthy approach to take to reading. I thought the middle was a bit slow, so you just gotta push through it. BUT the last part is worth it!
also I just found your blog, but I am so blown away! so beautiful 🙂
Can you believe I haven’t read an Atwood novel yet? I need to rectify this in the new year. Good to know that you’re a long-time fan. Hope you enjoy the New Year!
Yes you should! I began with the Handmaid’s Tale, but that’s because dystopias were my thing then. Another article I read recommended people begin with Oryx and Crake. It depends on what you’re in to 🙂
Wow, many of the books you’ve listed sound really good. Happy reading to you in 2017!!
Here’s my TTT post for this week: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2016/12/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-best-books-of.html
Thanks! I’ll be sure to check yours out 🙂
I haven’t read any of these books but they look amazing an so diverse! <3 also you took beautiful pictures! I read The Vegetarian by Han Kang and I loved it so I'm definitely gonna check out Human Acts. Great post! 😀
Thank you so much! I also just bought the Vegetarian! So we can gush together when we’re both done 🙂