We are now halfway through 2016, and there have been some incredible books released in the past six months. The Young Folks staff have put together our best books of 2016 (so far). Ranging from Ruta Sepetys’s Salt to the Sea to Susan Dennard’s Truthwitch and Morgan Matson’s The Unexpected Everything, this is a great list!
Check out our choices by clicking ‘Next’
Hannah Atkins’s Top 5 Books
- Truthwitch – Susan Dennard
This one really lived up to the hype for me. I really, really enjoyed it – epic female friendship, interesting worldbuilding and memorable characters – what’s not to love?
- The Sidekicks – Will Kostakis
I have a feeling this is going to be my favourite contemporary of the year, hands-down. A pitch-perfect combination of snark and feels, this is another exemplary Aussie YA offering.
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- Tell me Three Things – Julie Buxbaum
Another winning contemporary, with a You’ve Got Mail vibe in the form of mysterious emails. Delightful, even with the more serious issues covered.
- Marked in Flesh – Anne Bishop
The fourth installment in one of my all-time favourite urban fantasies. The plotting and premise are incredibly intriguing.
- The Little Bookshop of Happily Ever After – Jenny Colgan
I don’t normally enjoy romance books, but this one utterly charmed me! (Also, a travelling bookshop? Sign me up!)
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Gabrielle Bondi’s Top 5 Books
Incredible and thought-provoking, the magnitude of the story and this part of history it explores is completely tragic, but still beautifully written and ultimately hopeful.
Amber Smith writes a deeply emotional story that is both gut-wrenching and hopeful in its efforts to depict an experience and aftermath that unfortunately many young women face.
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- A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
I’m still fanning myself, whew! Sexy, dark and empowering, Sarah J. Maas continues the fierce Feyre’s story with adventure, romance and so many unexpected twists and turns that will leave you breathless.
Morgan Matson delivers a quintessential summer read about friendship and relationships and how those dynamics can shift as we grow and experience new things.
- Archie Vol. 1: The New Riverdale by Mark Waid, Fiona Staples, Annie Wu & Veronica Fish
Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica are back in this new graphic novel from Mark Waid and some of the best artists in the biz. Loyal to original story but a refreshing and fun new take, this new volume of Archie is a promising start of something new.
Leigh-Ann Brodber’s Top 5 Books
Probably the best book that I’ve read so far for 2016, “Flawed” is a YA masterpiece. The novel perfectly depicts the many things that are wrong within our society and puts a fictional twist on it. I rooted for Celestine as she came out victorious after going through the most painful moments in her life.
This book went far beyond my expectations. I’d figured that it would be an easy summer read that I’d forget by the time school started back. However, the characters, the plot and the issues discussed in this novel will stay with me long after the summer vacation is over.
Occasionally, I look for books that are a light read like “Identity Crisis”. The novel is filled with unnecessary drama among a group of girls and I loved every moment of it.
I judged this novel too harshly before I started reading it because I thought it was just another novel speaking about sexual activity among Young Adults. I was so wrong. “Firsts” deals with and addresses issues that every Young Adult can relate to.
Family curses and high expectations are the main themes in this YA novel. Even though I thought the plot was predictable and the characters not truly relatable, I loved reading the swoon-worthy romance and the well-developed background stories.
Dave Connis’s Top 5 Books
There are some books that feel like you’re reading an ancient knowledge some secret society fought to keep out of public hands. This is one of them. It’s clear that Heidi did her research, and sometimes that’s all it takes to make you feel included in something historic instead of reading it second hand.
- Suffer Love – Ashley Blake
Pain might suck, but damn does it make for powerful stories. Suffer Love is a wonderful mess of heartache and beauty. This story of two people finding each other in the middle of overwhelming brokenness won’t take it easy on you, but it’s an important read as we rarely see the consequences of a parent cheating on their spouse parsed out so thoroughly.
- Paper Wishes – Lois Sepahban
Between this book and Pax, my animal loving heart just wanted to be done. Between the dog and Manami’s story, I just wanted to lie down and suffer love for a while (see what I did there?) This story is earth and verse. A lyrical masterpiece that showcases the strength and resilience of family and human spirit.
- The Serpent King – Jeff Zentner
There are plenty of books that abandon faith to nothingness. It didn’t work for me so I’m just going to leave it. This book doesn’t. TSK is a triumph when it comes to its discussion on faith. It doesn’t abandon it, it looks at it critically all while affirming it’s importance. You could build paragraph castles with all the words I could say about this book.
- My Sixth Grade Life in Tights – Brooks Benjamin
The title sets you up. You see it and you smile. Then you open the book and you smile more. How one man can master the authorial job of character growth as well as he has while also gifting his readers with such hilarity, I can’t answer. This book teaches you about love and acceptance like a grandpa; a subtle hammer drop of hard won wisdom chased by a loving hug.
Michael D’Angelo’s Top 5 Books
- Riders by Veronica Rossi
I wasn’t a fan of the Under the Never Sky books by Veronica Rossi, so it came as a surprise how blown away I was by her new YA series about a group of teens who die and then wake up only to find out it’s their destiny to stop the apocalypse.
- A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
The second book in V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic series did not disappoint. It took the characters we fell in love with from the first book, separated them, and then made them try to kill each other in a magical tournament, and I loved every second of it.
- The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
There will never be anything quite like Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Cycle. The final book in the quartet was overflowing with darkness and magic and uncertainty up until the last page, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
- Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley
John Corey Whaley is becoming one of the most reliable contemporary authors I know. His third book, about a boy with severe anxiety and agoraphobia, and the girl who is determined to fix him, was a sweet little novel that is currently loaded with little post it notes marking all the sentences I loved.
- The Last Star by Rick Yancey
Boy, am I torn on The 5th Wave series. The first book: so good! The second book: boo! The third book: well, this last book made me cry like a baby. And while the book as a whole had quite a few problems, it makes it on my list for that powerful ending.
Bri Lockhart’s Top 5 Books
Time traveling, family secrets, and a hot privateer? Sold. Bracken skillfully weaves violin player Etta’s journey of time jumping with pace-y action, historically accurate details, and a swoon-worthy romance.
- The Winner’s Kiss by Marie Rutkoski
With perfect pacing, a slow burn romantic reconciliation, and an incredibly clever denouement, Rutkoski smashed this series ender out of the park.
Ostensibly an “issue book,” Johnston’s subtle retelling The Winter’s Tale follows Hermione Winters as she is raped at cheer camp and has to figure out her life afterwards. This powerful, fast novel shows a girl who’s unwilling to let a shitty situation define her, even in light of an unwanted pregnancy, slut shaming, and fear.
I thought this smart debut was going to be like Easy A–witty and funny with similar subject matter (with one very important difference). Firsts was witty, but turned out to be very deep and emotional as Mercedes’s careful plan unravels and reveals the pain she has been in for years. Unexpected and fresh.
- Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
This kickoff to Dennard’s fantasy series makes it known that lady friendship is the driving force behind these books and I am here for it.
Honorable mentions (AKA, Best 2016 Books Read in 2015)
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys, Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton, The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury, The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry, and Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
Lauren Wengrovitz’s Top 5 Books
A beautifully written story about history lost in time. Ruta Sepetys’ Salt to the Sea is emotional, thought-provoking, and a must read for people of all ages.
The Unexpected Everything tells the story of Andie, the daughter of a politician whose scandal turns her summer plans completely upside-down. This book has a little bit of everything: friendship, family, romance, and finding yourself through completely unexpected situations.
- My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows
This historical fiction reimagining of Lady Jane Grey’s story is hilarious and perfect for fans of The Princess Bride or Monty Python. The authors have told a creative, laugh-out-loud funny story with a great cast of characters, plenty of obstacles, and magical solutions.
Alwyn Hamilton has built an incredible world with feisty characters and gorgeous settings in Rebel of the Sands. I especially loved Rebel of the Sands for keeping me on my toes the whole time – every prediction I made about the plot was proven wrong as I got further into the story.
- Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin
This is an eye-opening novel about what it’s like to be the gender-fluid, but still closeted, child of a congressman up for reelection. Riley’s story is important, thought-provoking, and relevant.
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