4 January 2017

Best & Worst Reads of 2016


We're counting down the 3 best and worst books we read in 2016. Fight with us in the comments if you disagree.
This year I read Drew Barrymore's book, Mindy Kaling's second book, Amy Schumer's book, and this one, and of them all this one was my favourite. It was also probably the funniest book I read all year because Anna has such a great sense of humour. I thought it was honest, down-to-earth, and funny the way that I like funny. You can read my full review at the link above.


Meghan's #3: Into Thin Air (1997) by Jon Krakauer

I think this makes my top three only because of how personal the story has become to my own life. I spent so many months out of this year talking with my good friend Katie about these men and women and what it means to climb Everest. Driving around / sitting on the Sussex bluff with her chatting about this subject matter was just so enjoyable that I have to put it on my list. Purely sentimental... 


Meagan's #2: Truth and Duty (2005) by Mary Mapes

I had the best time reading this book because I loved the movie adaptation so much. I feel like I learned so much about journalism and politics. You can read my full review at the link above, but Mary Mapes is a real spitfire (I've always wanted to call someone that) and I loved reading her writing.


Meghan's #2: American Pastoral (1997) by Philip Roth


I mean, obviously I am late to the game ... but this book is exactly what you would expect as the winner of the Pultizer Prize for fiction... I honestly can't believe I've never read any Philip Roth before. Suuuuuuuuper glad this book was my first experience with him though. I remember reading this book in the car for 14 hours on my way to Ontario to see Meg.


This was my favourite book I read all year because I feel like I found a new author to love, something that's rare for me. I loved Thomas' writing style and I can't wait to read more of her books in the future. Naturally, my entire top 3 is memoirs, but this dealing-with-grief type is my favourite. You can read my full review at the link above but basically please read this book.

Meghan's #1: Purity (2015) by Jonathan Franzen


I am obsessed with Jonathan Franzen and am already impatiently awaiting his next book, so obviously this was my favourite of the year. I wish I could wipe my memory at Lacuna Inc. and read it again and again. All the female characters are incredible. I am really looking forward to the  Showcase adaption of Purity into a miniseries woooo something to look forward to while Franzen starts his 5-year process of writing something new. 

Meagan's #3: Divisadero (2007) by Michael Ondaatje

I was very disappointed with this book. I am a huge
Ondaatje fan (The English Patient is perhaps my favourite piece of fiction) and I started this expecting to settle in and inhale another one of his books. I found it so impossibly slow that I almost stopped reading it entirely. The event that was supposed to set the tone for the whole novel I found very anticlimactic and I just wasn't into it at all. I'm definitely not writing him off but I didn't like this. I may do a more detailed review in the future.


Meghan's #3: The Sixth Extinction (2014) by Elizabeth Kolbert 

OK, I need to point out that I have never really read a book that I hated (save for my #1 below) ... and making these sort of "best/worst" lists really stresses me out. So I need it to be known I didn't hate #3 or #2, they were just my least favourite / biggest disappointment in a wide selection of books that I love.That being said, I was pretty disappointed with this book but only because I had huge expectations for it. I was reading a bunch of non-fiction when someone recommended this one to me. Honestly, I had a really difficult time finding sections that I could obsess over (my favourite thing). I think this may be because I am stupid.


Meagan's #2: If I Did It (2007) by O.J. Simpson

This definitely wasn't bad, but I had such high hopes for it and was very disappointed. If you read the review linked above, you'll know I loved the prologue a lot, but the actual book was just a ghostwritten version of what we've already heard a bunch of times, with an added 'fictional' account of a murder. I just expected it to wow me and it didn't.


Meghan's #2: But What If We're Wrong? (2016) by Chuck Klosterman

Again, I didn't hate this book, but it is definitely my least favourite out of all nine Klosterman books. I knew going in I wasn't going to love it because I was uninterested in the subject matter. There is also barely anything personal in this book and I'm a big fan of his personal writing. I wanted him to tell us he doesn't love his wife or his son... He didn't :( 


Meagan's #1: For the Right Reasons (2015) by Sean Lowe


This was the worst book I read all year. I didn't even write a review for this one it was such garbage (and we also didn't have the blog yet). I know what you're thinking, "well Meg, what do you expect reading these Bachelor memoirs?"... but I love the Bachelor ok??? I've also read other Bachelor memoirs that weren't nearly as bad as this. Lowe is a narcissist and writes about bullying Catherine without even realizing its bullying (can our blog get in trouble for me saying this?) Don't read this, it's dumb.


Meghan's #1: Moby Dick (1851) by Herman Melville

I don't care that I'm not even finished this book yet. I DESPISE IT. This has been the worst reading experience of my life. In fact, I'm honestly worried that just being in proximity to Moby Dick on the list will make people want to burn Klosterman and Kolbert. I cannot stress this enough .. in comparison to Moby Dick the above two books are like my favourite effing thing. Moby Dick ranks in the depths of hell and the other two "worst" rank as high as Everst. I thought I would love reading this book because I am still so obsessed with In the Heart of the Sea but apparently I have never been so wrong about something in my life. Never read this book. I am scared I will die trying. 


2 comments:

  1. LOL Meghan!! At your MD comments... hilarious.
    Meagan, I also hated divisadero when I read it, really lame book.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It was so lame and also isn't Meg the biggest buzzkill to exist???

    ReplyDelete