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
18,618 members
876 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
8,850 members
451 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
11,568 members
775 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
11,027 members
679 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
3,657 members
286 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
7,698 members
367 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.
11
- 6 Members
- holly_golightly, KimarieBee, rosylibrarian, jhansen, Wassilissa, lowelibrary
12
13
by Amor Towles
8,973 members
509 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.
14
- 6 Members
- bjappleg8, Soupdragon, katemcangus, miketopper, honkingcronk, ClaudaJB
15
2,876 members
91 reviews
4.2
Score 17.87
Added 2016-12-20, 05:12 PM
16
4,658 members
243 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.
17
- 5 Members
- timspalding, ablachly, kgriffith, Redheadlib, ClaudaJB
18
8,448 members
321 reviews
4.2
Score 15.1
Added 2016-12-20, 07:11 PM
- 5 Members
- Euryale, LoisCK, kristenl, bookwormelf, ClaudaJB
19
2,933 members
196 reviews
4.1
Score 14.08
Added 2016-12-20, 06:08 PM
- 4 Members
- rarm, bookwormelf, lottpoet, Familiar_Diversions
20
2,852 members
178 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.
21
by Susan Cain
11,506 members
495 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.
22
- 4 Members
- sturlington, pixiedark, Her_Royal_Orangeness, Francisco_Javier
23
- 4 Members
- mahsdad, avanders, seasonsoflove, RBeffa
24
- 4 Members
- LoisCK, pamur, Capybara_99, Cynthia_Moses
25
by M. R. Carey
5,301 members
399 reviews
4
Score 12.38
Added 2016-12-20, 05:08 PM
- 4 Members
- tardis, claire.rivers, Ape, Francisco_Javier
26
2,316 members
78 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 11.91
Added 2016-12-22, 11:52 AM
- 4 Members
- hipdeep, rarm, kara.shamy, Francisco_Javier
27
28
- 3 Members
- cbl_tn, DeltaQueen50, joroho59
29
- 3 Members
- TeresaFrohock, DanKoboldt, Bishop_OConnell
30
18,271 members
1,261 reviews
4.1
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
5,418 members
360 reviews
4.1
Score 10.4
Added 2016-12-22, 05:56 AM
- 3 Members
- susanna.fraser, wandering_star, mooingzelda
32
33
by Harper Lee
78,151 members
1,431 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 10.19
Added 2016-12-21, 11:51 AM
- 3 Members
- karenmarie, souloftherose, Cynthia_Moses
34
5,276 members
261 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 10.19
Added 2016-12-27, 05:28 PM
- 3 Members
- Jim53, beebeereads, This-n-That
35
36
9,481 members
537 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 10.08
Added 2016-12-21, 03:13 PM
37
7,290 members
506 reviews
3.9
Score 9.71
Added 2016-12-21, 08:55 AM
- 3 Members
- karenmarie, Andrew-theQM, Redheadlib
38
- 3 Members
- tardis, christina_reads, inge87
39
by Bill Bryson
16,808 members
473 reviews
4
Score 9.66
Added 2016-12-20, 04:34 PM
- 3 Members
- conceptDawg, LoisCK, hearshari
40
by Max Porter
1,430 members
77 reviews
3.8
Score 9.56
Added 2016-12-21, 02:53 PM
- 3 Members
- mahsdad, Capybara_99, Carmenere
41
5,537 members
312 reviews
4.2
Score 9.4
Added 2016-12-20, 05:54 PM
- 3 Members
- avanders, njinthesun, gypsysmom
42
- 3 Members
- maritimer, winteralli, lmbix
43
15,687 members
566 reviews
½ 3.4
Score 9.02
Added 2016-12-22, 05:26 PM
- 3 Members
- Leida, wolfeyluvr, lowelibrary
44
1,277 members
54 reviews
4
Score 8.91
Added 2016-12-21, 06:01 PM
- 3 Members
- charl08, EfEh, ultrabookgeek
45
by Ken Liu
1,558 members
66 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 8.88
Added 2016-12-21, 11:50 AM
- 3 Members
- antao, bookwormelf, souloftherose
46
6,908 members
294 reviews
4.2
Score 8.71
Added 2016-12-20, 08:50 PM
- 3 Members
- LoisCK, mooingzelda, amerynth
47
4 members
1 review
5
Score 8.25
Added 2016-12-27, 10:05 AM
- 3 Members
- TeresaFrohock, DanKoboldt, Bishop_OConnell
48
12,818 members
501 reviews
4.2
Score 8
Added 2016-12-20, 04:18 PM
49
- 2 Members
- Micheller7, terran
51
53
- 2 Members
- jeanned, DeltaQueen50
54
55
- 2 Members
- lindapanzo, AmourFou
56
57
58
1,717 members
73 reviews
4.2
Score 7.36
Added 2016-12-20, 05:23 PM
- 2 Members
- waitingtoderail, artturnerjr
59
by Nick Lane
624 members
19 reviews
4.2
Score 7.36
Added 2017-01-04, 12:05 AM
- 2 Members
- jjwilson61, davesmind
60
61
62
- 2 Members
- Ape, ManWithAnAgenda
64
- 2 Members
- starfishian, sianpr
65
- 2 Members
- bjappleg8, kara.shamy
66
67
- 2 Members
- Kaffie, bethmariec
68
by Bill Clegg
1,229 members
98 reviews
4
Score 7.04
Added 2016-12-20, 05:55 PM
- 2 Members
- njinthesun, vwinsloe
69
- 2 Members
- lauralkeet, lahochstetler
70
- 2 Members
- DanKoboldt, Bishop_OConnell
71
2,168 members
144 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 6.83
Added 2016-12-20, 06:18 PM
- 2 Members
- seasonsoflove, sturlington
72
73
4,439 members
224 reviews
4
Score 6.73
Added 2016-12-22, 08:11 PM
74
19,016 members
343 reviews
4
Score 6.68
Added 2016-12-22, 11:50 AM
75
76
- 2 Members
- fannyprice, flips
78
by Adam Johnson
3,943 members
287 reviews
4.1
Score 6.4
Added 2016-12-21, 04:37 AM
79
3,340 members
290 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.
80
- 2 Members
- bookwormelf, fajriy_arunna
81
- 2 Members
- AnnaClaire, kara.shamy
82
- 2 Members
- starfishian, LAKobow
84
- 2 Members
- charl08, boo-radley
85
- 2 Members
- christina_reads, greeneyed_ives
86
87
- 2 Members
- Jim53, lindapanzo
88
by Lindy West
1,451 members
87 reviews
4.2
Score 6.08
Added 2016-12-20, 04:07 PM
- 2 Members
- k8_not_kate, katemcangus
89
- 2 Members
- lsh63, Sharon.Flesher
90
8,646 members
517 reviews
3.9
Score 6.04
Added 2016-12-22, 06:51 PM
- 2 Members
- holly_golightly, hearshari
91
93
- 2 Members
- miketopper, Kindleifier
94
- 2 Members
- zhejw, njinthesun
95
- 2 Members
- fannyprice, seasonsoflove
97
- 2 Members
- EfEh, katemcangus
98
1,994 members
103 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.
100
- 2 Members
- Minthe, gtimcqueen