Seven is a lucky number and the Chinese promise the Year of the Rooster in 2017 will be an improvement over 2016’s Year of the Monkey.  Yesterday, a rooster ran across the road in front of my car; thankfully I did not hit it as it happily hobbled off into the woods – must be a good sign.

Looking back over what I was reading in 2016 helped jog my memory of what I was doing over the year.  As for the over 100 books, I usually forget them almost as soon as I’ve finished reading.

Have you read any of these books?  Can you find my favorite?  Click on the title to read my review.

Books Read and Reviewed in 2016

January, 2016

•  Circling the Sun – a book club selection
• My Kitchen Year  – good intentions and a favorite author (Reichl)
• The Lake House, The Mark and the Void, Objects of Her Affection, Life Lessons – books to pass the time
• The Cat Who Came In Off the Roof – childish diversion
• Silver Bay – looking for more Moyes
• The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend – a good listen
• The Tale of Kitty in Boots – a new Beatrix Potter
• The Buried Giant – Arthurian tale of death and marriage
• Maggie Smith – A Biography – Downton Abbey recovery

February, 2016 

• The Lightkeepers – mystery and thrills with seagulls
• Through It All I’ve Always Laughed – needed a little humor
• The Door – Hungarian author with a punch

March, 2016

• Lolly Willowes – an oldie about women’s right
• Cometh the Hour – Archer brings Dr. Wolfe back
• The Summer Before the War – another delightful Simonson book
• The Passenger – scary
• The Accidental Empress and Sisi – the Empress of Austria historical fiction

April, 2016

• The Madwoman Upstairs – romantic mystery with shades of Jane Eyre
• The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins -18th century Hodgson sequel
• Miller’s Valley – Quindlen delivers again
• The Truth According to Us – book club pick
• Finding Winnie – Caldecott winner
• First Women – nonfiction
• The Nest – the million dollar advance for a debut book
• The Martian – science fiction before the movie
• The World Between Two Covers – traveling on my treadmill
• The Path – Chinese philosophy for a better life
• Imaginary Mitzvahs – not a book but worth rereading
• What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours – connected short stories
• The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman – must be time to write a letter

May, 2016

• Abroad – a Penelope Lively charmer
• Everybody’s Fool – shades of Paul Newman
• The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep – audible children’s book
• Raymie Nightingale – Kate DiCamillo  with another children’s book for adults
• The Last Painting of Sara de Vos – mystery, drama, art history
• The Book With No Pictures – imaginative children’s book
• The Search for Intelligent Life in the Universe – great re-read
• The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper – quirky and fun
• The Waters of Eternal Youth – a Guido Brunetti mystery
• The Quality of Silence – British mystery

June, 2016

• The Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde – deliciously delightful
• Her Again – Meryl Streep biography
• The Noise of Time – Julian Barnes version of Stravinsky
• Ways to Disappear – reading backwards
• Vinegar Girl – Anne Tyler’s version of Taming the Shrew
• Wolf Hollow – coming of age; lies and bullies
• Hamilton, the Script – if you can’t get to the Broadway show
• Wilde Lake – mystery

July, 2016

• Chasing the Last Laugh – Mark Twain
• The Gardner – Rudyard Kipling classic short
• A Little Life – powerful but difficult
• The Vegetarian – disturbing
• The Children – Ann Leary and families
• One Hundred Years: Wisdom of Famous Writers – coffee table book
• Jim Henson – biography
• This Must Be the Place – Maggie O’Farrell at her best
• Truly Madly Guilty – Liane Moriarty quick read
• The Lady in the Van – listening to Maggie Smith

August, 2016

• The Woman in White – classic
• A Certain Age – Gatsby-like mystery
• Gilles’ Wife – old movie and book; surprise ending
• Ninety-Nine Stories of God – coffee table book on tape
• My Name is Lucy Barton -Man Booker list
• Eileen – Man Booker list
• Crow Lake – a great find
• The Many – Man Booker List – my favorite book of the year
• I Let You Go – police procedural mystery
• Homegoing – powerful – how did Oprah miss it?
• The Other Side of the Bridge – another Mary Lawson favorite
• A City Baker’s Guide to Country Living – cute and fast
• The After Party -secrets and family

September, 2016

• The Secret River – Kater Grenville’s Australian historical fiction
• The Other Side of Silence – literary police mystery
• Commonwealth – Ann Patchett delivers again
• Cousin Joseph – Jules Feiffer graphic novel
• You Will Know and Dear Mr. M – killer books
• Road Ends – another Mary Lawson book
• The Woman in Cabin 10 – scary

October, 2016

• To the Bright Edge of the World – adventure, history, romance
• A Gentleman in Moscow – unlikely Russian hero
• Today Will Be Different – Maria Semple at her best
• A Whole Life – to be read quietly and thoughtfully
• Harry Potter and the Lost Child – script
• River Road – Carol Goodman – a favorite mystery writer
• The Red Car – a happy find, recommended by Semple
• Work Like Any Other – Man Booker list
• A Welcoming Life: The MFK Fisher Scrapbook – easy way to learn about the chef/author
• The Arrangement – fictionalized life of MFK Fisher

November, 2016

• The Wide Sargasso Sea – prequel to Jane Eyre
• Reputations – the power of the pen in politics
• The Memory Artist – Australian Vogel award winner
• Hot Milk and They May Not Mean to But They Do – caring for aging parents

December, 2016

• The Beach at Night – children’s book by Elena Ferrante
• Paris for One – Jojo Moyes
• Faithful – Alice Hoffman magic
• Leave Me – escape
• The Bird Tribunal – Gothic mystery and romance
• Swing Time – Zadie Smith
• Victoria by Daisy Goodwin – preview of PBS