My Top Reads of 2016 #bookblogger #amreading #amreviewing

/ damppebbles

I’ve been umming and ahhing about this post for sometime.  I was lucky enough to be involved in the #TBConFB 20/20 Blogger event in November which allowed me to share my top 20 all time favourite crime reads with members of THE Book Club on Facebook as well as with you lovely people.  I’ve also been honoured to feature on several other brilliant blogs this year and have been asked on several of these occasions to name five top reads.  Have I already made too many ‘Top Reads’ lists this year?  Well, probably but I’m not going to let that stop me! No siree!  There’s always room for one more, and anyway, this is my list of top reads from 2016 so it’s completely different to the others, honest…!

So, in no particular order here are my books of the year:

I haven’t been shy in telling the blogosphere about my very favourite book this year. I think I decided back in early October that no other book would/could come close to A Suitable Lie by Michael J Malone (published by Orenda Books).

If you haven’t read it, you are truly missing out.  Staggeringly good, spine tingling and stomach churning, you’ll fall in love and be repulsed in equal measures.  At times you’ll want to put it down and walk away for a breath of fresh air but find it impossible to do so.  Quite possibly the most perfect piece of writing I have ever read!

b

And then we have this incredible selection of fabulous reads.  All with something extra special about them and all highly recommended.

The Killing Game by J.S. Carol (published by Bookouture)
Dead Man’s Prayer by Jackie Baldwin (published by Killer Reads)
What Remains of Me by A.L. Gaylin (published by Arrow Publishing)
HEX by Thomas Olde Heuvelt translated by Nancy Forest-Flier (published by Hodderscape)
Love You to Death by Caroline Mitchell (published by Bookouture)

Inside the Whispers by A.J. Waines
Dancers in the Wind by Anne Coates (published by Urbane Publications)
PsychoAnalysis by V.R. Stone
The Devil’s Work by Mark Edwards (published by Thomas & Mercer)
Melody Bittersweet and the Girls’ Ghostbusting Agency by Kitty French (published by Bookouture)

The Sister by Louise Jensen (published by Bookouture)
Epiphany Jones by Michael Grothaus (published by Orenda Books)
Valentina by S.E. Lynes (published by Blackbird Books)
The Optician’s Wife by Betsy Reavley (published by Bloodhound Books)
Where Roses Never Die by Gunnar Staalesen translated by Don Bartlett (published by Orenda Books)

City of Shadows by M.J. Lee (published by Carina UK)
Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin (published by Penguin)
Flowers for the Dead by Barbara Copperthwaite
A Tapping at my Door by David Jackson (published by Bonnier Zaffre)
In The Shadows by Tara Lyons

The Tokyo Zodiac Murders by Soji Shimada (published by Pushkin Press)
Dust and Desire by Conrad Williams (published by Titan Press)
The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza (published by Bookouture)
Syndrome E by Franck Thilliez (published by Penguin Books)

OK, so there are a lot! But I’ve had such a good booky year this year that I just couldn’t whittle it down any further.  Next year I will endeavour to have a smaller list…but that’s a whole year away.

I am extremely grateful for all of the wonderful support I have received this year.  From fellow bloggers (there are some astonishingly good blogs out there with extremely talented bloggers holding the reigns), the brilliant publishers (one in particular springs to mind) and most important of all, the incredibly talented authors who pour their hearts and souls into their latest book so us bibliophiles can get our fix.  Thank you each and every one of you.  Thank you to everyone who has liked my Facebook page, to everyone who has followed me on twitter and to those that have tweeted, retweeted or just mentioned my blog in some way. To those who like and follow my blog, a heartfelt thank you. It’s made my first year as a blogger a humbling and thoroughly enjoyable experience.  THANK YOU!  I celebrate my first blogiversary on 14th January 2017 which I am so excited about.  It feels like I’ve been doing this a lot longer than year but in the best way possible.  I may, in a moment of pure generosity, organise a little giveaway to celebrate…

One last thing before I wish you a very happy New Year: I’ll be on the lookout for a guest reviewer to feature on the blog and help me reduce the #terrifyingTBR in 2017 so if you know someone who may be interested, please ask them to drop me an email at damppebbles@gmail.com.

Once again, wishing you all a sparkly New Year…here’s to making 2017 fantastic and full of books ♥

happy-new-year-card-colorful-fireworks-animated-gif-image-2

happy-new-year-time-to-shine-animated-gif

34 thoughts on “My Top Reads of 2016 #bookblogger #amreading #amreviewing”

    • Oh gosh, I hope you love it. It’s hard going at times but it was a book that gave me #allthefeels. And I agree with you about never​ having too many ‘top x’ lists 😂😂

      Like

      Reply

  14. Happy new year! It’s been wonderful meeting you!
    We are so on the same page about A Suitable Lie, I cannot think of a better book I read in 2016! Wishing you all the best for your second year of blogging!! xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  16. Pingback: The Missing | acrimereadersblog

  17. Pingback: #BlogTour | #BookReview: No Safe Home by Tara Lyons (@taralyonsauthor) @BloodhoundBook – damppebbles

  19. Pingback: #BookReview: Inside the Whispers by A.J. Waines (@AJWaines) @Bloodhoundbook #InsideTheWhispers | damppebbles.com

Leave a comment