Happy 2017 everyone! It has been a tough month here for me, so we haven’t updated much on TLR, but I’m starting the year with the team’s picks of best books of 2016. We look forward to another year sharing of great books with you all.

Cassie’s Picks:
Claire’s Picks:
Erin’s Pick (Quoting earlier review):
Keely’s Pick:
I eagerly awaited Crooked Kingdom and like savoring a favorite treat, I doled the book out to myself slowly chapter by chapter. I could have easily sat down and plowed through the book in one hasty sitting, but I allowed myself the time to enjoy and savor these characters one last time. Bardugo kept the characters true to themselves through to the end and I can easily say that it was one of the best reading experiences of my year.
If you have not yet experienced Bardugo’s Grishaverse make the coming year you time to get acquainted. The Grisha Trilogy is the perfect starting point to familiarize you with the world and they encompass fantastic storytelling in their own right. By the time you get to Six of Crows you’ll be ready to really see Bardugo’s craft grow and soar and the stories and characters will draw you in.
Sandie’s Picks (Quoting earlier reviews):
The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater — This magical finale is so good readers will laugh; cry; scream, “Finally!”; and want to reread the entire four books again. Even skeptical young adult readers should take a chance on Maggie Stiefvater’s four-part masterwork, the culmination of more than 10 years of dreaming and writing that resulted in a series that gets better and better with each installment. This final volume is even more firmly rooted in the magic, the dreams, the relationships that Stiefvater has cultivated.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys — This powerful, gorgeously written exploration of a little-known WWII tragedy proves why with only three books, Ruta Sepetys has emerged as a preeminent historical novelist in young adult literature. Salt to the Sea, which includes meticulously detailed author’s notes, maps, and research and sources, is an ideal blend of historical facts, riveting drama, compelling characters, and suspense. Similar to when you watch Titanic for the first time, you know the ship is doomed but not exactly how the fictional characters will fare within that tragedy.
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon — This touching love story about two teens who fall for each other during 12 intense hours together in New York City is a beautifully written, unforgettable romance. The Sun Is Also a Star is wholly fictional, but the dynamic between logical science and math geek Natasha and sweetly sincere and poetic Daniel is inspired by Jamaican-American author Nicola Yoon’s own romantic history with her Korean-American husband, David.
What were your favorite books of 2016? What are you looking forward to reading in 2017?
What Do You Think?