2016 - the year in books

Still not posting a lot and living in my head a little bit too much, but it all feels right at the moment so I'm just going with it. Couldn't miss out on posting a list of books, though, even if it feels like 2016 has definitely been another lacklustre year for reading. With the stress of the move, however, I actually spend long periods of time essentially reading nothing at all. I should get myself some books of short stories for periods like that in the future. For times when I had a bit more time again but still not much in the way of mental capacity to take in anything new, I did a lot of re-reading in 2016.

Looking back at the new books on this list it really was all pretty forgettable. The stand-out was definitely Radical Homemakers. I had heard so many people raving about this book that I nearly didn't get it. So often when that happens, even if it's a good book, it just can't measure up to the hype. I may not agree with absolutely everything in it (mostly stemming from growing up in a more socialist than purely capitalist environment, I think) but I've marked about a gazillion pages to take notes from and just have to go ahead and join all of those who have raved about this book. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. I'll be re-reading it in 2017 and trying to get some of my reactions down on paper.

I didn't manage to read even a single German book, although I did start one which I will finish soon (had to bring it back to the library before I was finished). Like last year, I also read quite a lot of romance novels - all part of the research/procrastination process as preparation for writing my own. I did actually write a few pages this year so there will be even more reading of romance novels in 2017 and hopefully a whole lot more writing, too. Just need to find some more euphemisms for penis, 'cos the internet is full of slang terms for penis but not so much euphemisms and there's only so many times you can say throbbing member.

If you're interested in seeing lists for previous years, click 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 or 2010. I haven't yet seen a bloghop-type thing started on bookpunks this year but if you're posting a list of books that you've read this year, or about your favourite book or similar, feel free to comment here. I love books and I love lists so the more the merrier.

(BC) = Book club books (barely got book club restarted in 2016 before I ended up moving away)
(RR) = something I've re-read - there are some books, such as by Georgette Heyer, that I invariably read every year when the escapism of new fiction isn't enough and I want to escape into familiar stories that always make me laugh or cry.

1. Having the Cowboy's Baby - Judy Duarte
2. How to Build a Girl - Caitlin Moran
3. No Dress Rehearsal - Marian Keyes
4. Seedless in Seattle - Ross O'Carroll Kelly as told to Paul Howard
5. The Husband She'd Never Met - Barbara Hannay
6. The Widow's Bachelor Bargain - Teresa Southwick
7. Unlocking Her Boss's Heart - Christy McKellan
8. This year it will be different - Maeve Binchy
9. If you could see me now - Cecelia Ahern
10. Steelheart - Brandon Sanderson
11. The Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson
12. Tickling the English - Dara O'Briain
13. Words of Radiance - Brandon Sanderson
14. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - Helen Simonson
15. We are all completely beside ourselves - Karen Joy Fowler (BC)
16. Firefight - Brandon Sanderson
17. The 8-week blood sugar diet - Michael Mosley
18. Out of the shelter - David Lodge
19. Calamity - Brandon Sanderson
20. Burial Rites - Hannah Kent (BC)
21. Cooked - Michael Pollan
22. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin (RR)
23. A Clash of Kings - George R.R. Martin (RR)
24. A Storm of Swords Part 1, Steel & Snow - George R.R. Martin (RR)
25. A Storm of Swords Part 2, Blood & Gold - George R.R. Martin (RR)
26. A Feast for Crows - George R.R. Martin (RR)
27. A Dance with Dragons Part 1, Dreams & Dust - George R.R. Martin (RR)
28. A Dance with Dragons Part 2, After the Feast - George R.R. Martin (RR)
29. Cinderella on his Doorstep - Rebecca Waters
30. Mr. Right, Next Door! - Barbara Wallace
31. Soldier on her Doorstep - Soraya Lane
32. Words of Radiance - Brandon Sanderson
33. Intense Blue - Lynn Wood
34. Poison Study - Maria V. Synder
35. Magic Study - Maria V. Synder
36. Fire Study - Maria V. Synder
37. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (RR)
38. The Kerry Babies Case: A Woman to Blame - Nell McCafferty
39. Do you know who's dead? - Paddy Duffy
40. Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
41. The Rowan - Anne McCaffrey (RR)
42. Damia - Anne McCaffrey (RR)
43. Regency Buck - Georgette Heyer (RR)
44. The Toll-Gate - Georgette Heyer (RR)
45. The Masqueraders - Georgette Heyer (RR)
46. Lady of Quality - Georgette Heyer (RR)
47. Unlocking her Boss's Heart - Christy McKellen (RR)
48. The Fix-It Man - Vicki Lewis Thompson (RR)
49. Serendipity - Judith McWilliams (RR)
50. Hero at Heart - JoAnn Ross (RR)
51. Bath Tangle - Georgette Heyer (RR)
52. Radical Homemakers - Shannon Hayes
53. Thirteen - Kelley Armstrong (RR)
54. Otherworld Nights - Kelley Armstrong
55. Otherworld Chills - Kelley Armstrong
56. Peaches for Monsieur le Cure - Joanne Harris
57. Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Achidie
58. Memories of Gold - Ali Olson (RR)
59. Merely Players - Patricia Thompson
60. Wild Rose - Betsy Talbot
61. The One Kingdom - Sean Russell (RR)