Top Five Books of 2016
- Description
- What are your top five reads for 2016? These books DO NOT need to have been published in 2016. See the annual blog post for staff favorites: To add a book to your list, click the "Add work to list" button in the upper-right corner. This will take you to a search box, where you can search by title, author, keyword, etc. Clicking on the title will add the book to your list. You can reorder your list over on the right-hand side, by dragging and dropping titles in the "Your list" section.
1
23,895 members
961 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 57.56
Added 2016-12-21, 07:52 PM
- 15 Members
- pmarshall, sipthereader, Jim53, mahsdad, pamur, sianpr, krazy4katz, Tess_W, Maryloo, AmourFou, jcwharton, Lauraborealis, Redheadlib, khouston205, Rorykins75
2
- 11 Members
- ursula, ablachly, dawnlovesbooks, mooingzelda, mdexter, njinthesun, winteralli, katemcangus, cooch45, Maryloo, khouston205
3
11,167 members
496 reviews
4
Score 36.82
Added 2016-12-22, 11:32 AM
- 10 Members
- zhejw, Cariola, lsh63, dudes22, beebeereads, Carmenere, lindapanzo, JSWBooks, jcwharton, honkingcronk
- Explanations
- JSWBooks: Powerful - the story and the writing!
4
- 10 Members
- susanna.fraser, dawnlovesbooks, lauralkeet, lsh63, asyouth, katiekrug, kjgormley, Sharon.Flesher, debann6354, ultrabookgeek
5
14,593 members
874 reviews
4.1
Score 29.79
Added 2016-12-20, 04:13 PM
- 9 Members
- tardis, ablachly, agjuba, krisa, kaixo, mjfisher, IrishSue, ultrabookgeek, Francisco_Javier
6
- 9 Members
- krisa, lauralkeet, Leida, IrishSue, Maryloo, Sharon.Flesher, jcwharton, honkingcronk, dianeham
7
14,528 members
787 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 28.01
Added 2016-12-20, 04:30 PM
- 9 Members
- dawnlovesbooks, RuMuse, kgriffith, beebeereads, IrishSue, niquetteb, jcwharton, honkingcronk, Redheadlib
8
4,510 members
321 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 24.87
Added 2016-12-21, 01:36 PM
- 7 Members
- lauralkeet, LoisCK, Ciruelo, Leida, marcejewels, Simone2, debann6354
9
10
9,822 members
402 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 22.74
Added 2016-12-22, 01:13 PM
- 7 Members
- bookwoman84, rosalita, holly_golightly, greeneyed_ives, kara.shamy, jcwharton, aquariumministry
- Explanations
- rosalita: A contemporary black man's point of view about race relations in America. Some deeply uncomfortably truths for white Americans here, but so necessary to acknowledge and absorb.
12
13
by Amor Towles
12,098 members
601 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 19.74
Added 2016-12-21, 03:01 PM
- 6 Members
- Bookmarque, Cariola, beebeereads, Romonko, edparks, AmourFou
- Explanations
- Romonko: I absolutely loved this book! It was so understated, but so well written.
15
3,720 members
117 reviews
4.2
Score 17.87
Added 2016-12-20, 05:12 PM
16
6,051 members
263 reviews
½ 4.6
Score 17.08
Added 2016-12-22, 01:12 PM
- 5 Members
- rosalita, Jim53, gypsysmom, honkingcronk, Papermoon4
- Explanations
- rosalita: A searing look at the racial biases in the American criminal justice system.
18
11,417 members
379 reviews
4.2
Score 15.1
Added 2016-12-20, 07:11 PM
- 5 Members
- Euryale, LoisCK, kristenl, bookwormelf, ClaudaJB
19
3,753 members
224 reviews
4.1
Score 14.08
Added 2016-12-20, 06:08 PM
- 4 Members
- rarm, bookwormelf, lottpoet, Familiar_Diversions
21
3,303 members
190 reviews
½ 3.6
Score 13.08
Added 2016-12-20, 08:01 PM
- 4 Members
- lkmiller, norabelle414, flying_monkeys, wolfeyluvr
- Explanations
- flying_monkeys: Because it's a mash-up of sci-fi and fantasy, and it's the weirdest book I read in 2016. And I mean "weird" in the best possible way.
22
by Susan Cain
13,428 members
526 reviews
4
Score 12.91
Added 2016-12-20, 04:16 PM
- 4 Members
- ccatalfo, highlander6022, Redheadlib, Cynthia_Moses
- Explanations
- highlander6022: Oh, how I wish this book was available 40 years ago. The best adjective I can give it is "rich". Rich in discussion. Rich in research documentation. Rich in providing a wonderful insight into myself, a confirmed introvert but with some extrovert tendencies. Rich in discussion of interactions between intros and extros. Rich in providing guidance on how to raise, teach, encourage intro and extro children. Rich in how to succeed in a business world where extros seem to be the "chosen ones" to lead us to the promised land of success.
23
by Blake Crouch
8,797 members
623 reviews
3.9
Score 12.87
Added 2016-12-21, 11:38 AM
- 4 Members
- mahsdad, avanders, seasonsoflove, RBeffa
25
by M. R. Carey
6,312 members
447 reviews
4
Score 12.38
Added 2016-12-20, 05:08 PM
- 4 Members
- tardis, claire.rivers, Ape, Francisco_Javier
26
2,897 members
98 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 11.91
Added 2016-12-22, 11:52 AM
- 4 Members
- hipdeep, rarm, kara.shamy, Francisco_Javier
27
29
by Dan Koboldt
39 members
4 reviews
3.8
Score 10.73
Added 2016-12-23, 09:30 AM
- 3 Members
- TeresaFrohock, DanKoboldt, Bishop_OConnell
30
22,441 members
1,354 reviews
4
Score 10.4
Added 2016-12-20, 08:02 PM
- 3 Members
- krisa, IrishSue, flying_monkeys
- Explanations
- flying_monkeys: Because I could see that magic, close my eyes and touch it. All my senses were fully engaged. It's a rare book that uses smells and sounds with such clarity and power.
31
7,807 members
440 reviews
4
Score 10.4
Added 2016-12-22, 05:56 AM
- 3 Members
- susanna.fraser, wandering_star, mooingzelda
32
380 members
21 reviews
4
Score 10.4
Added 2016-12-20, 07:31 PM
33
by Harper Lee
89,720 members
1,557 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 10.19
Added 2016-12-21, 11:51 AM
- 3 Members
- karenmarie, souloftherose, Cynthia_Moses
34
35
10,569 members
565 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 10.08
Added 2016-12-21, 03:13 PM
36
8,387 members
541 reviews
3.9
Score 9.71
Added 2016-12-21, 08:55 AM
- 3 Members
- karenmarie, Andrew-theQM, Redheadlib
38
by Bill Bryson
18,398 members
501 reviews
4
Score 9.66
Added 2016-12-20, 04:34 PM
- 3 Members
- conceptDawg, LoisCK, hearshari
39
by Max Porter
1,819 members
85 reviews
3.8
Score 9.56
Added 2016-12-21, 02:53 PM
- 3 Members
- mahsdad, Capybara_99, Carmenere
40
6,814 members
338 reviews
4.2
Score 9.4
Added 2016-12-20, 05:54 PM
- 3 Members
- avanders, njinthesun, gypsysmom
41
11,181 members
653 reviews
3.9
Score 9.08
Added 2016-12-25, 05:20 AM
- 3 Members
- maritimer, winteralli, lmbix
42
21,023 members
635 reviews
½ 3.3
Score 9.02
Added 2016-12-22, 05:26 PM
- 3 Members
- Leida, wolfeyluvr, lowelibrary
43
1,523 members
59 reviews
4
Score 8.91
Added 2016-12-21, 06:01 PM
- 3 Members
- charl08, EfEh, ultrabookgeek
44
by Ken Liu
2,130 members
80 reviews
4.2
Score 8.88
Added 2016-12-21, 11:50 AM
- 3 Members
- antao, bookwormelf, souloftherose
45
7,881 members
317 reviews
4.2
Score 8.71
Added 2016-12-20, 08:50 PM
- 3 Members
- LoisCK, mooingzelda, amerynth
46
5 members
1 review
5
Score 8.25
Added 2016-12-27, 10:05 AM
- 3 Members
- TeresaFrohock, DanKoboldt, Bishop_OConnell
47
20,289 members
613 reviews
4.2
Score 8
Added 2016-12-20, 04:18 PM
50
53
55
56
57
2,188 members
82 reviews
4.2
Score 7.36
Added 2016-12-20, 05:23 PM
- 2 Members
- waitingtoderail, artturnerjr
58
by Nick Lane
783 members
21 reviews
4.2
Score 7.36
Added 2017-01-04, 12:05 AM
- 2 Members
- jjwilson61, davesmind
59
60
65
67
by Bill Clegg
1,348 members
98 reviews
3.9
Score 7.04
Added 2016-12-20, 05:55 PM
- 2 Members
- njinthesun, vwinsloe
70
2,791 members
160 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 6.83
Added 2016-12-20, 06:18 PM
- 2 Members
- seasonsoflove, sturlington
71
72
5,825 members
251 reviews
4
Score 6.73
Added 2016-12-22, 08:11 PM
73
22,223 members
384 reviews
4
Score 6.68
Added 2016-12-22, 11:50 AM
74
76
719 members
34 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 6.68
Added 2016-12-26, 10:21 AM
- 2 Members
- KimarieBee, alice_the_goon
78
4,255 members
326 reviews
3.8
Score 6.4
Added 2016-12-20, 08:04 PM
- 2 Members
- lkmiller, flying_monkeys
- Explanations
- flying_monkeys: Because it's beautiful, macabre, diverse. And it speaks to a secret, lifelong quest: to find my door.
86
88
by Lindy West
1,694 members
100 reviews
4.2
Score 6.08
Added 2016-12-20, 04:07 PM
- 2 Members
- k8_not_kate, katemcangus
90
10,129 members
554 reviews
3.9
Score 6.04
Added 2016-12-22, 06:51 PM
- 2 Members
- holly_golightly, hearshari
91
98
2,407 members
119 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 5.66
Added 2016-12-24, 07:10 AM
- 2 Members
- kaulsu, chgstrom
- Explanations
- kaulsu: I've not previously read anything by Allende. I am told each of her novels is unlike the last. It took me a minute to get into the flash backs, but (I work in a retirement community) I did enjoy it. There were some pieces that didn't ring true (FBI field agents have a mandatory retirement age of 57, for example), but Twain said we shouldn't allow a few facts to spoil a good story. Or something.
