2016 Reading Challenge

In 2016 my dad and I decided to have a friendly challenge to see how many books we could both read in one year. He is a librarian and we both absolutely love reading; we always have our noses buried in a good book. We got stuck right in and were always questioning each other on how we were getting on. For most of the year I was in the lead, but right at the end, my dad pipped me to the post, winning on 31 books to my 27. We have decided to have a rematch this year, but before that commences, I have decided to share which books captured my attention in the year of 2016.

I love to read historical fiction, preferring to escape into worlds where emails and texting did not exist, and people still spoke to one another and wrote letters. Maybe I'm an old romantic, but they're the worlds that captivate me. My favourite topics are American Civil War, The Romans, World War II and more recently, The Suffragettes and the suffrage movement.

However, saying that I am open to suggestions and will pretty much give anything a try so my list of books read in 2016 is quite varied. There are some classics, some thrillers and of course some romance novels in there. I just love anything that captures my attention and makes me want to keep reading. I consider anything that gets me turning the pages and thinking about reading when I'm at work etc, a good book. When you can't put the book down and you just look forward to getting home and reading, that's what does it for me, so it doesn't have to be a particular genre.

I love historical fiction because it allows me to learn about an era in time as well as escaping into another world. A lot of historical fiction novels are based on truth, even if the story isn't necessarily true, so I always feel like I'm actually gaining something from reading those kind of books.

I read some fantastic books in 2016 and I'm looking forward to getting stuck in to some more great reads this year.

1. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

"Despite their differences, sisters Vianne and Isabelle have always been close. Younger, bolder Isabelle lives in Paris while Vianne is content with life in the French countryside with her husband Antoine and their daughter. But when the Second World War strikes, Antoine is sent off to fight and Vianne finds herself isolated so Isabelle is sent by their father to help her.

As the war progresses, the sisters' relationship and strength are tested. With life changing in unbelievably horrific ways, Vianne and Isabelle will find themselves facing frightening situations and responding in ways they never thought possible as bravery and resistance take different forms in each of their actions."

My first book of the year was incredible and I remember thinking it was one of the best books I'd read in a long time. It was well written and captivated my imagination. It gave me an idea of what it must have been like to live in occupied France during World War I and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters and feeling as though I was on their journey with them.

2. Paper Towns by John Green

"Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew.."

I was a little disappointed with Paper Towns if I am honest. I bought it from a book fare at the school I was working in so maybe it wasn't aimed at my age group. I had read The Fault in Our Stars by the same author and enjoyed it so thought this would be equally as enjoyable. It wasn't really my cup of tea; maybe because it was too modern for me and not set one hundred years ago! I'm sure it is a good book, but it wasn't really my kind of thing.

3. Me Before You By Jojo Moyes

"Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex–Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

A Love Story for this generation and perfect for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?"

I had read this amazing book before and decided to read it again as I knew my sister was buying me the sequel for my birthday, so I wanted to remind myself of why I loved this book so much. It's a romance set in the modern day, which is fine when the book is so incredibly captivating. I cried both times I read this and I'm sure I will read it again one day and cry again. It's one of my favourite books of all time; it is so well written and truly makes the reader feel as though you know the characters and you can't help but become immersed in the story. It was an emotional read that tugs at the heartstrings and makes you think twice about taking life for granted. I absolutely recommend reading this. There is now a movie version of the book, which is good but nothing beats how enjoyable and amazing the book is.

4. After You by Jojo Moyes

"'You’re going to feel uncomfortable in your new world for a bit. But I hope you feel a bit exhilarated too. Live boldly. Push yourself. Don’t settle. Just live well. Just live. Love, Will.'”

How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?

Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.

Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future...

For Lou Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings. But here Jojo Moyes gives us two families, as real as our own, whose joys and sorrows will touch you deeply, and where both changes and surprises await."

This was the sequel to Me Before You, which as stated I absolutely loved. The second book was a little different and I didn't think I would like it, but I enjoyed it. It was heartwarming and well written, just like the first book.

5. The Versions of Us by Laura Bartnett

"What if you had said yes? The moments that change everything... One Day meets Sliding Doors in this outstanding debut that is causing a buzz across the publishing world Some moments can change your life for ever. Have you ever wondered, what if...?

A man is walking down a country lane. A woman, cycling towards him, swerves to avoid a dog. On that moment, their future hinges. There are three possible outcomes, three small decisions that could determine the rest of their life.

Eva and Jim are nineteen and students at Cambridge when their paths first cross in 1958. And then there is David, Eva's then-lover, an ambitious actor who loves Eva deeply. The Versions of Us follows the three different courses their lives could take following this first meeting. Lives filled with love, betrayal, ambition but through it all is a deep connection that endures whatever fate might throw at them.

The Versions of Us explores the idea that there are moments when our lives might have turned out differently, the tiny factors or decisions that could determine our fate, and the precarious nature of the foundations upon which we build our lives. It is also a story about the nature of love and how it grows, changes and evolves as we go through the vagaries of life."

My friend bought me this book for my birthday and I absolutely loved the concept. It makes you think about how differently your life could have turned out if one simple event had changed. It was absolutely fascinating and got me thinking about fate, destiny and whether our lives our mapped out for us. There are three different versions to how the story pans out in this book and it can be slightly confusing but it's a wonderful read.

6. A Light to my Path (Refiner's Fire, Book 3) by Lynn Austin

"Shackled in a world where authority is not questioned, where the will is battered as surely as the body, hope will not be denied. But broken chains bring daunting choices: The way of revenge or the way of the Spirit."

This was the third book in a trilogy I'd started the year before. The first book, 'Candle in the Darkness,' was absolutely incredible and I recommended it to both my dad and to Rich, both of whom thoroughly enjoyed it. The trilogy is an American Civil War story and each book is from the perspective of someone different during the war. The first book is from the perspective of someone living in the south, the second someone in the north and the third is from the perspective of a slave, so it was very interesting. A Light to my Path was equally as amazing as the first two books and it was great to read the book from the point of view of the slave, so you could try and understand what it must have been like for them in the American Civil War. As it's one of my favourite topics, I can't rave enough about these books and love them all so much, I might have to read them all again.

7. Daughter of the House by Rosie Thomas

"The year is 1910: Eliza's life has been utterly transformed since she dove head-first into the bohemian world of the Palmyra Theatre, becoming first a stage player and, since her marriage to impresario Devil Wix, a canny woman of business. She is now the mother of growing children, and in her family life as well as at the theatre she must face the challenges of a new century. The First World War changes the world forever, and the fortunes of the Wix family change with it. Eliza’s daughter, Nancy, must find a way to keep the Palmyra afloat, and to entertain audiences who have lost husbands and sons in the conflict. Nancy is a born performer, but she is set apart—even from her beloved brothers—by her psychic gifts. She learns that she must harness her troubling powers, under the tutelage of the mysterious Mr. Feather, to keep the family and the theatre intact. It is a dangerous path and a lonely one, but Nancy’s bold choices lead her to love, and beyond that to the recognition of what it takes to become a modern woman. As another war begins to threaten the world, she is forced into a final, fateful confrontation with her demons, and must marshal both her ingenuity and her mysterious talents to fight for the survival of friendship, independence and family."

This was a very strange book and it wasn't actually what I was looking for. I'd searched on Amazon for Suffragettes, wanting to read something about that period of time and this book came up, so I eagerly purchased it and was very excited. However, the book had nothing to do with the Suffragettes and was just a strange novel about psychic powers and illusionists. The main character had gone to a couple of suffrage meetings but that was about all it had to do with the suffrage movement. I finished the book because I was determined to but I was not all that impressed with it and it wasn't the kind of story I usually like to read.

8. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

"The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature."

An absolute classic and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I knew I wanted to read more classics and this did not disappoint.

9. My Own Story by Emmeline Pankhurst

"The closing paragraphs of this book were written in the late summer of 1914, when the armies of every great power in Europe were being mobilised for savage, unsparing, barbarous warfare-against one another, against small and unaggressive nations, against helpless women and children, against civilisation itself. How mild, by comparison with the despatches in the daily newspapers, will seem this chronicle of women's militant struggle against political and social injustice in one small corner of Europe. Yet let it stand as it was written, with peace-so-called, and civilisation, and orderly government as the background for heroism such as the world has seldom witnessed. The militancy of men, through all the centuries, has drenched the world with blood, and for these deeds of horror and destruction men have been rewarded with monuments, with great songs and epics. The militancy of women has harmed no human life save the lives of those who fought the battle of righteousness. Time alone will reveal what reward will be allotted to the women.

This we know, that in the black hour that has just struck in Europe, the men are turning to their women and calling on them to take up the work of keeping civilisation alive. Through all the harvest fields, in orchards and vineyards, women are garnering food for the men who fight, as well as for the children left fatherless by war. In the cities the women are keeping open the shops, they are driving trucks and trams, and are altogether attending to a multitude of business. When the remnants of the armies return, when the commerce of Europe is resumed by men, will they forget the part the women so nobly played? Will they forget in England how women in all ranks of life put aside their own interests and organised, not only to nurse the wounded, care for the destitute, comfort the sick and lonely, but actually to maintain the existence of the nation? Thus far, it must be admitted, there are few indications that the English Government are mindful of the unselfish devotion manifested by the women. Thus far all Government schemes for overcoming unemployment have been directed towards the unemployment of men. The work of women, making garments, etc., has in some cases been taken away.

At the first alarm of war the militants proclaimed a truce, which was answered half-heartedly by the announcement that the Government would release all suffrage prisoners who would give an undertaking "not to commit further crimes or outrages." Since the truce had already been proclaimed, no suffrage prisoner deigned to reply to the Home Secretary's provision. A few days later, no doubt influenced by representations made to the Government by men and women of every political faith-many of them never having been supporters of revolutionary tactics-Mr. McKenna announced in the House of Commons that it was the intention of the Government, within a few days, to release unconditionally, all suffrage prisoners. So ends, for the present, the war of women against men. As of old, the women become the nurturing mothers of men, their sisters and uncomplaining helpmates. The future lies far ahead, but let this preface and this volume close with the assurance that the struggle for the full enfranchisement of women has not been abandoned; it has simply, for the moment, been placed in abeyance. When the clash of arms ceases, when normal, peaceful, rational society resumes its functions, the demand will again be made. If it is not quickly granted, then once more the women will take up the arms they to-day generously lay down. There can be no real peace in the world until woman, the mother half of the human family, is given liberty in the councils of the world."

This is something different to what I would normally read; it's an autobiography and I would normally choose to read fiction. However, after not finding any good novels about the suffragette movement, I decided I wanted to read the autobiography of the leader of the movement, Emmeline Pankhurst. It was amazing to read about the things that women did to fight for the vote. It was so powerful and really struck a chord with me that so many women went through hell to try and obtain women's suffrage. It's hard to believe there was ever a time that women were not equal to men and that they couldn't have a say in how the country was run or the decisions that were made. We are so lucky now that we have equality and it's thanks to the suffrage movement that we have this. It was very thought-provoking and I was consumed by the book and found it incredibly interesting.

10. The Next Together by Lauren James

"Katherine and Matthew are destined to be born again and again, century after century. Each time, their presence changes history for the better, and each time, they fall hopelessly in love, only to be tragically separated.

Spanning the Crimean War, the Siege of Carlisle and the near-future of 2019 and 2039 they find themselves sacrificing their lives to save the world. But why do they keep coming back? What else must they achieve before they can be left to live and love in peace?

Maybe the next together will be different..."

This was surprisingly a very enjoyable book. It was very futuristic and flashed back to times throughout history so it had a bit of everything. I wouldn't rate it too high, it was an OK book that had a good concept but again I think it was aimed at a younger audience.

11. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

"THE GREAT GATSBY, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. This exemplary novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted “gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession,” it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s."

This was another classic on my list, but even though it's a classic, I wasn't all that impressed. I didn't feel as though anything really happened and it was a very short book, with not a lot going on.

12. Free Passage by Heather Ferrier

"Follow the fortunes of Maisie and George in this sequel to The Boy Who Vanished. It's England 1922 and Maisie has taken the decision to leave her past behind, planning a new life in Australia for herself and son George. At the outset she makes a hasty judgement which will have devastating consequences for both of them. George finds himself in South Western Australia in one of the infamous farm schools. Maisie is placed in domestic service on a sheep farm with a family who has designs on her as a wife for their brutish son. Maisie's attempts to locate George are continually thwarted till he concludes that she has abandoned him. Both mother and son have so much to cope with. Can they survive? Will they ever find each other again?"

I decided to read a few books about people migrating to Australia, since it struck a chord with me. This was a free book on Amazon and was actually very enjoyable and it gave me an insight into the lives people led when they came to Australia for a better life. There were two perspectives in the book; one from the mother and one from the son, and you feel as though you are longing for them to be reunited. It was an emotive book that I enjoyed reading.

13. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

"Everyone's favorite redhead, the spunky Anne Shirley, begins her adventures at Green Gables, a farm outside Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. When the freckled girl realizes that the elderly Cuthberts wanted to adopt a boy instead, she begins to try to win them and, consequently, the reader, over."

This book is essentially a children's book, but it was such a beautiful story and so heartwarming. I remember my friend always talking about the book/movie and how much she loved it and now I understand why. It was great seeing what Anne would be getting up to next, what mischief she would get herself into and reading about all of her adventures. It really was such a lovely book and I enjoyed it very much. It's one of the favourites of the year and is truly wonderful.

14. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

"Meet little Mole, willful Ratty, Badger the perennial bachelor, and petulant Toad. Over one hundred years since their first appearance in 1908, they've become emblematic archetypes of eccentricity, folly, and friendship. And their misadventures-in gypsy caravans, stolen sports cars, and their Wild Wood-continue to capture readers' imaginations and warm their hearts long after they grow up. Begun as a series of letters from Kenneth Grahame to his son, The Wind in the Willows is a timeless tale of animal cunning and human camaraderie. This Penguin Classics edition features an appendix of the letters in which Grahame first related the exploits of Toad."

Another classic children's book that I had never actually read before. It was a nice book, but it didn't enthrall me in the same way that Anne of Green Gables did. I'm glad I have ticked it off my list now.

15. A Greater World by Clare Flynn

"When Elizabeth Morton hears her father wants her to travel to the other side of the world to marry a complete stranger, she decides he must be crazy. This is 1920 and a woman has rights - she might still be too young to vote, but she's not going to be treated like a chattel. But she's reckoned without the brother-in-law she's always despised, who brutally shatters her comfortable world, so she has no choice but to sail to Australia.

When Michael Winterbourne, a Cumbrian lead miner wakes up with a hangover after his engagement celebrations, he has no idea he is about to be the cause of a terrible tragedy that will change his life and destroy his family. When Michael and Elizabeth meet on the SS Historic, bound for Sydney, they are reluctant emigrants from England. They may start to hope their troubles are over, but they'll find they're only just beginning.

A Greater World is set in the early 1920s, a period of transition between the old pre-World War One way of life and the post-War, with the coming economic Depression, major social change and the evolving role of women in society. It moves from the dales of Cumberland and the docks of Liverpool to Sydney and the beautiful Blue Mountains."

This was another Australian migration story, which I really enjoyed. It was a great read that told of two people who are travelling to Australia for very different reasons and how their lives shaped when they were there. It was a captivating story that had me wondering what was going to become of the two. It was a little predicable but it was a lovely read and great for a free Amazon book.

16. An Undeniable Rogue by Annette Blair

"An arranged marriage leads to unlikely passion...when the groom turns out to be a shameless rogue, in this Regency-period historical.

Widowed, penniless Sabrina Whitcomb isn't looking for romance. What she needs is a husband, and she knows well enough that romance and matrimony aren't always compatible. While providing for her twins and the child she now carries is paramount, wedding a virtual stranger—even a wealthy one, like Gideon St. Goddard, Duke of Stanthorpe—is no light matter.

Sabrina knows the friend who arranged the union would not promise her to a true scoundrel, but one look at her future husband convinces her that he is a shameless rogue. A shockingly handsome and desirable one, at that. Why has he agreed to marry her?

When Gideon flashes that wicked, seductive smile, the reason hardly matters, but the chance that he'll steal her heart becomes all too real..."

This was a regency novel and in all honesty I cannot remember it at all; this is how much of an impact it had on me! Clearly a very drab book that my memory has just decided to erase.

17. Across the Tasman Sea by James Farrow

I don't often go as far as saying I hate a book, but I hated this book. It's so bad it doesn't even have a blurb. It was only a free book again from Amazon but the grammar and spelling were appalling and the story was equally as bad. This was the worst book I read of 2016 and would not recommend it to anyone. I was so excited about it and it really did disappoint, which was such a shame.

18. 1984 by George Orwell

"The year 1984 has come and gone, but George Orwell's prophetic, nightmarish vision in 1949 of the world we were becoming is timelier than ever. 1984 is still the great modern classic of "negative utopia" -a startlingly original and haunting novel that creates an imaginary world that is completely convincing, from the first sentence to the last four words. No one can deny the novel's hold on the imaginations of whole generations, or the power of its admonitions -a power that seems to grow, not lessen, with the passage of time."

I found this a bit hardgoing in places, but it was a good read and very thought-provoking in the sense that 'big brother' is always watching. It does make you question whether we are being watched constantly. I enjoyed the read and again it was another classic to tick off the list.

19. The Silk Merchant's Daughter by Dinah Jefferies

"1952, French Indochina. Since her mother's death, eighteen-year-old half-French, half-Vietnamese Nicole has been living in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Sylvie. When Sylvie is handed control of the family silk business, Nicole is given an abandoned silk shop in the Vietnamese quarter of Hanoi. But the area is teeming with militant rebels who want to end French rule, by any means possible. For the first time, Nicole is awakened to the corruption of colonial rule - and her own family's involvement shocks her to the core...

Tran, a notorious Vietnamese insurgent, seems to offer the perfect escape from her troubles, while Mark, a charming American trader, is the man she's always dreamed of. But who can she trust in this world where no one is what they seem?

The Silk Merchant's Daughter is a captivating tale of dark secrets, sisterly rivalry and love against the odds, enchantingly set in colonial era Vietnam."

I'd already read 'The Tea Planter's Wife' by this author, which I absolutely loved and whilst this book wasn't as good as the other, it was still a great novel. It was set in Vietnam, which I've been to; it's always fascinating reading about somewhere you've travelled to. It was a good story that gave me an insight into French Indochina.

20. The Throwaway Children by Diney Costeloe

"Gritty, heartrending and unputdownable – the story of two sisters sent first to an English, then an Australian orphanage in the aftermath of World War 2.

Rita and Rosie Stevens are only nine and five years old when their widowed mother marries a violent bully called Jimmy Randall and has a baby boy by him. Under pressure from her new husband, she is persuaded to send the girls to an orphanage – not knowing that the papers she has signed will entitle them to do what they like with the children.

And it is not long before the powers that be decide to send a consignment of orphans to their sister institution in Australia. Among them – without their family's consent or knowledge – are Rita and Rosie, the throwaway children."

I absolutely loved this book and it was up there with one of my favourite reads of the year. It was utterly gripping and I could not stop turning the pages. It was so well written and had me on the edge of my seat. I felt as though I had got lost in the pages and that for me is a sign of a good book. It was very over-dramatic in places but it didn't ruin it for me and it was a heart wrenching tale that I couldn't put down. It was fascinating to read about child migration to Australia and how horrible children's lives once were and how they could be so disposable.

21. The Girl With No Name by Diney Costeloe

"Thirteen-year-old Lisa has escaped from Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport. She arrives in London unable to speak a word of English, her few belongings crammed into a small suitcase. Among them is one precious photograph of the family she has left behind.

Lonely and homesick, Lisa is adopted by a childless couple. But when the Blitz blows her new home apart, she wakes up in hospital with no memory of who she is or where she came from. The authorities give her a new name and despatch her to a children's home.

With the war raging around her, what will become of Lisa now?"

After reading 'The Throwaway Children' by the same author and falling in love with it, I decided I wanted to read another novel by Diney Costeloe. This book was equally as enthralling and I absolutely loved the story of a German refugee who gets evacuated to London in World War II. It was a heartwarming story that had me turning the pages to the end; I couldn't put it down. I very much enjoyed the author's writing style as she writes from different characters' perspectives and I felt I couldn't wait to find out what happened to them all, as you really felt like you were getting to know the characters very well.

22. Marching Powder by Rusty Young

"MARCHING POWDER is the story of Thomas McFadden, a small-time English drug smuggler who was arrested in Bolivia and thrown inside the notorious San Pedro prison. He found himself in a bizarre world, the prison reflecting all that is wrong with South American society. Prisoners have to pay an entrance fee and buy their own cells (the alternative is to sleep outside and die of exposure), prisoners' wives and children often live inside too, high quality cocaine is manufactured and sold from the prison.

Thomas ended up making a living by giving backpackers tours of the prison - he became a fixture on the backpacking circuit and was named in the Lonely Planet guide to Bolivia. When he was told that for a bribe of $5000 his sentence could be overturned, it was the many backpackers who'd passed through who sent him the money. Sometimes shocking, sometimes funny, MARCHING POWDER is an always riveting story of survival."

Rich and I did a book swap whilst we were travelling and this is the book he wanted me to read. It's not something I'd normally read but I really enjoyed it. It's the true account of an Englishman who gets arrested for drug smuggling in Bolivia, and his life in prison there after his arrest. You get an insight into his strange life in prison, which is like no other in the world. Wives and children of the prisoners all lived together in what was essentially a city where the prisoners had keys to their own cells, jobs and a tourism industry where backpackers could come and visit and see what life was like inside the prison. It was very bizarre but so amazing to read about and very interesting.

23. Chasing Paris by Jen Carter

"Amy Winthrow is shocked when her grandmother dies—not because Elizabeth Hathaway’s death is unexpected but because her existence had always been hidden. Ever-inquisitive and prone to letting her imagination get the best of her, Amy embarks upon a journey with an unlikely friend to unravel the mysteries of the elusive Lizzie Hathaway. As she follows the trail of broken dreams and promises of her grandmother’s life, Amy finds herself on a path of accidental self-discovery—a path that she chases all the way to Paris where Lizzie’s story ends and Amy’s begins."

Before I went travelling, I downloaded a lot of free books from Amazon to to my Kindle app on my iPad. I thought they'd come in handy as easy reads when I was away for a couple of months. This was one of the free books and it was actually really good. I was engrossed in this book and found I really enjoyed it. Some free books can be a little disappointing but this was a nice easy romance that was a good little holiday read.

24. Time Trials by Terry Lee

"Time…those sequential relations to any other, as past, present, or future.

None of the Bad-Ass Girls are girls anymore, not since their freshman year in college when the eight of them formed a most unlikely bond. Diverse in personalities, the Bad-Ass Girls continue their on again-off again friendship during stages of growth spanning forty-plus years. Time Trials depicts how close friends can help each other navigate through the most catastrophic life events, accomplishments, and disappointments, often with tears and laughter.

Lifelong friendships…what a treasure."

I wasn't expecting much from this book but ended up loving it, purely because it hit home with me. It was about friends who met at university and have been friends their whole lives. I am very close to my friends from university and though we don't see each other as often as we'd like, we are all still very good friends and always make the effort to stay in touch. The women in the book lose touch for a while, but end up getting together again later in life and it's as though nothing as changed. I enjoyed the book for the warm, sentimental feeling it gave me and how I could relate to it. It was again a nice, easy holiday read, which was great for travelling.

25. Divergent by Veronica Roth

"In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Veronica Roth is the New York Times bestselling author of Divergent, the first in a trilogy of dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance."

26. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

"One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian DIVERGENT series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature."

27. Allegiant by Veronica Roth

"The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered - fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend to complexities of human nature - and of herself - while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love."

I read all three of the Divergent books in a matter of weeks and thoroughly enjoyed them. The first one in particular, I read in two days and could not put it down. The author's writing style captures the imagination and gets you turning the pages and engrossed in the story. They were all amazing books and I am looking forward to watching the films, though I know they won't be as good as the books - they never are!

Some of the books I read in 2016 were incredible; others not so much. That's the way it goes with reading. Sometimes you can read two or three boring books and then find others you can't put down. I have challenged myself to read even more books this year and have set my target to 30 books! Here's hoping I can beat my dad this time - I better go and get stuck into a good book right now before I fall behind.

Here's to all the good books we are yet to read this year.