Best of 2016

To be honest, it seems I had a pretty bad book year. Rating wise, my average rating is 2.9! Now that is bad. These days I even try to avoid those ok books, but I guess I finished a lot of them this year. Sigh.

I have read 265 books this year, 25 of those were 4 star books....

Taking a quick look at the list and trying to remember ;) I might miss quite a few

I read:

8 audio books

14 novella/short story

1 graphic novel

And now to Best of

Best Historical Romance

I love HR, I read them for the fun of it, but even though I really like them, they seldom get that 4, because I am very cruel. Therefore I was very surprised when this one got a 4 this year. It was just that good.

Best Fantasy

This is book 2 in a series, and well I have suffered from book 2 syndrome a lot. But here, wow. Such a good book. Even better than book 1! I was impressed. That is how a series should evolve.

Runner-up

I usually do not do this, but when looking through GR and checking my reviews...well, I used the word intense a lot. I mean A LOT! Another series that just keeps getting better.

Best YA

I like how she writes, I liked the darkness of it all, and the world created. Great YA.

Runner-up

This one has not been translated, a shame really.

Best UF

This was one of those where it did take me a while to warm up to the series- But this one was excellent and one of those I need to pee, but F IT! I have to finish this book.

Best Steampunk

Ok, so it might be one of two steampunk books I read this year, and it was fantasy too, but it has to be on this list. Also BEST sidekick cat ever!

Best Er  tic romance

I seldom read this since I skim already in contemporary romance, but I read it, and damn, it was good! It was better than the contemporary romance I read this year. It gets both prizes.

Best Historical Fiction/Horror

This one actually gave me the chills. After having finished it I had to look out the window so no one was watching me. Such a claustrophobic feeling.

Best Fiction

How to be a young woman in a country where women are worth nothing. A powerful story.

And last, Best Memoir *coughs*

My cheat genre pick ;)

Because the series is just so fun and everyone should read it.

..........................................

And last a shout out to

 You all keep me motivated. Thank you!! This is the best challenge to have

City of Blades - Robert Jackson Bennet

The city of Voortyashtan was once the domain of the goddess of death, war, and destruction, but now it’s little more than a ruin. General Turyin Mulaghesh is called out of retirement and sent to this hellish place to try to find a Saypuri secret agent who’s gone missing in the middle of a mission, but the city of war offers countless threats: not only have the ghosts of her own past battles followed her here, but she soon finds herself wondering what happened to all the souls that were trapped in the afterlife when the Divinities vanished. Do the dead sleep soundly in the land of death? Or do they have plans of their own? 

My thoughts:

I was impressed. Maybe I have read too many series, that has had a first good book and then gone down. But here book 2 was even better! YAY! I love when the series gets better and better. 

I meant to write this review earlier, but I had one of those, how to express how cool this book was moments. I just do not know how to express it, but I will try.

This is book 2, our main character was in book 1, had a big part, but was not the main character. I really got to like Turyin here. First, she is smart. Second, she has her issues and third, well she is old. An older heroine. Yes, I liked that.

The book is about her retiring, but then they drag her back in! And she has a mystery to solve. Which I really liked. A mystery fantasy book. And I must stop writing in short sentences!

I am not doing a good job, I have so many things I want to say! Like how I felt like you could read this one without having read book 1, cos he just made it work. Sure you'd be a bit confused but he would just pull you right into the story.

And how I like that there used to be gods and now they are gone, all their miracles gone and the world left in chaos because of it. And the whole god thing was dealt with so well here.

The world is cool and made up from different cultures, and the place without a God is now the one ruling. I remember not liking them in book 1, but here, well they are trying to make things better.

Oh oh! And yes the whole flintlock fantasy thing. They have guns, they have railroads, they are modern, and getting more since magic is gone with the Gods. But the world still feels raw and dark, and so intriguing.

Conclusion:

I was impressed. It pulled me right in and I can't wait to see where the road takes us next, and who will be in charge of that book.

cover

 hmmm

Paperback, 448 pages
Published January 7th 2016 by Jo Fletcher Books
The Divine Cities #2
Fantasy
For review