The Lost Challenges discussion

We're coming to the end of 2016 so what better time to ask, what's been your book of the year?

Tell us about the best (and worst) books you read this year. Did you read more 5 star books than 1 star books or have you been unlucky in your choices? Discovered a new favourite author or series? Share your hits and misses with the group.

I'm really stingy with my stars, so I rarely give five stars. There are three, however, that I would give 4-1/2 stars if GR would let us do half stars:
The 14th Colony, by Steve Berry
The Sixth Idea, by P.J. Tracy
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline

The first two are the newest books in two of my favorite series. The third was a book I *really liked.

I can't really name a "worst" book of the year, although I've had a lot of two-star books. Luckily, though, I've had way more three- and four-star books, so I'll count that as a good year :)

The Sixth Idea is on my wishlist and The 14th Colony is on my husbands (which means I'll probably end up reading it at some point) so it's good to know you thought they were worthy of almost 5 :)

I haven't given out very many 5 star ratings this year either. 20 out of almost 300 books, and half of them were re-reads of old favourites. A few of the others I'd probably really give 4.5 to if I could, but I rounded up.

There were a couple that deserved the full 5 stars though and those were Watership Down and Gone with the Wind, both of them have been on my TBR for years but I only just got around to them.

Also Misery which I'd put off reading for ages because I thought it was going to be scary and Still Alice, which made me cry.

I've heard that about Still Alice, and I own a copy, but it seems like one of those books that you have to be in the right mood to read. And so far, I've not been in the right frame of mind for it.

Barb wrote: "I've heard that about Still Alice, and I own a copy, but it seems like one of those books that you have to be in the right mood to read. And so far, I've not been in the right frame of mind for it."

I had it for a while before reading it, then my mum bought the DVD and I wanted to read the book before I watched the film (I preferred the book). It is very sad but I recommend it.

I agree, Still Alice is one you have to be in the right mindset for, but is a favorite for sure.

My 5 stars for the year so far include:

Lilac Girls - just finished today and really enjoyed it.
The Haunting of Maddy Clare
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes
The Thirteenth Tale
The Kite Runner
A Man Called Ove
The Anatomist's Wife and the rest of the series
The Shadow of the Wind
The Help

Fortunately, I had only a few 1 stars.

Oh! I forgot to include Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult, on my list of the year's "best" books! It was a really difficult read, as far as subject matter, but it would make an *excellent book club selection.

Joann, I read 'The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes' this year but under the UK title 'The Lost Daughter'. I think it's one of Diane Chamberlain's best books. Also read 'The Help' a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it.

Barb, I love Jodi Picoult books and that one is on my wish list too.

I haven't read all of Picoult's books, but I think this is one of her best. I was surprised to see that it's going to become a series. She hasn't done a series, has she? And I'm not sure how she can follow this story without ruining it...

I don't think she's done a series before, I've read almost all her books and I don't remember one. That seems unusual for her. This book has just moved to the top of my wish list because I'm intrigued!

Caroline wrote: "That seems unusual for her."

That's what I thought too. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Guess it will depend on how she handles book #2...

You'll have to let me know what you think :)

I'm a huge fan of fantasy. As a child I used the hate Harry Potter because people always talked about it (it's still one of my problems, when there's too much people around me into a fandom I'm sick of it so I leave the novels in TBR list for ages; then I get to read them and join and turn into addicted and regret I didn't do it earlier). So used to hate it, but then I grew up loving it and loving fantasy.
2016 has been the year of fantasy to me, literally: I managed to start both Shadowhunters & Percy Jackson series and they're all 5 stars to me. Not to mention the great old aunt Jo & the new Harry Potter novel.

BUUUUUT.....
My book of the year is Alison Bailey's Present Perfect. It just turned me upside down.
I have a huge crush on stories about best friends turning into something more and there were so many feelings that I thought I couldn't handle it to finish reading. But I did and can't wait to get to read Presently Perfect which is the same story retold from the boy's point of view (since Present Perfect is all from the girl's point of view).

Anamaria, I know exactly what you mean about books being over-hyped. I didn't read any of the HP series until after Deathly Hallows was published because it was SO popular and talked about all the time and I just didn't want to go there. Then one of my colleagues begged me to read them as I was the only other person in our department who was a reader and she wanted to be able to talk about them with me so I said I'd read them as a favour to her, borrowed them and read them all in a week. It's now one of my favourite series and I've read them several times. Sometimes the hype is correct! Lol.