Saturday, January 21, 2017

My Top 10 Books of 2016


Now that I did the video version of my Top 10, here’s a bit more info about the books WITH pictures. For the most part, I didn’t put ANY of these in order except Sandman Overture, which as a Sandman fan was such a beautiful thing to read, but I’m digressing. Let’s get into the thick of it. If you want the full review, click the Goodreads review link and if you’re interested, I also included links to the books on Amazon Smile.

My top 10

Sandman Overture – Neil Gaiman, JH Williams III, Dave Stewart, Todd Klein



As a graphic novel it is stunning on all levels. I saw that the book got some lower ratings and as someone who is very fond of this series, I can’t see why it wouldn’t be 5/5 stars. I think the writing is as dreamy as ever (yay puns) and the artwork and composition of the collection is stunning. Just opening up the book to flip through the artwork shows how beautiful a literary work can be.




Good Omens – Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett



Terry Pratchett had an intense sense of humor and it shows that he and Neil had a blast writing this book. You might suspect who is writing what, but the reality is that their combined characters makes for a fun read about the end of the world, the anti-Christ, and the four horsemen of the apocalypse, or more so an updated version of them, as relevant in 2017 as it was when it first came out.




Strange Luck – Amie Irene Winters (Indie author)



One of 4 indie reads on this list, Strange Luck is a dreamy ethereal read whose strength lies in the amazingly creative concepts offered by Amie Irene Winters. Strange Luck is the name of an antiquities store and to have an item in this store, it must be something borderline or actually other worldly. It’s one of those locations in fiction you’d LOVE to explore in real life. But with a store like that, you’re bound to have objects that attract the attention of beings that are also out of this world. A very fun dreamy read from a great indie writer.  




Anatomy of a Darkened Heart – Christie Stratos (Indie author)



That this book was written by an indie author is another testament at how many great reads are out there by people you’ve never heard of. Abigail Delilah Whitestone was named to spite the father of the Whitestone family. You’ll find out why that name packed such power in Victorian London as well as how one broken relationship can affect an entire family and beyond. This is the first installment of the Dark Victoriana collection, a series of 5 books set in the same town but that are not part of the same narrative. It shows influence of Shakespeare and is a deep and dark psychological book, rich with symbolism and a great read.




Bright Needles – Anaïs Chartschenko (Indie author)



If you are squeamish and prefer poetry that is nice and fluffy, this collection is NOT for you. If you want something beautifully raw, intensely emotional, and that drives words to the bone, then give this collection a check. I’d just finished reading a collection by a Nobel Laureate and was left meh. Anaïs Chartschenko slapped me back into reality showing that some indie authors really have no limits for how deep they can write.




Daughter of Darkness - Katya Mills (Indie author)



Katya Mills is a unique indie author with an author voice all her own. Daughter of Darkness reads like a Noir Slingblade and the beauty in her writing is not what she says, but how she says it. Imagine a book that reads like poetry in prose. Extremely unique and very refreshing if you want something different, I always make several warnings when I recommend this book because it’s so atypical but in the best possible way. I have her second book and can’t wait to dive in for more.




Pleasures of the Damned – Charles Bukowski



I’d never read Bukowski… so obviously my first read is a 500+ page collection. There is variety in this intense collection and with one book spanning his career, I realized just how much there is to learn from someone like Bukowski. A collection with intense poems, no nonsense lines, vulgar at times and heavenly others. He captured a raw definition of humanity in words and I will probably always treat poetry in terms of Before Bukowski and After Bukowski.




The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry



There is such beauty in simplicity. This novel touched me deeply and is a book everyone should read in the hopes that people are a bit better. A touching tale, dreamy, symbolic, and something to read every year for me.




The Golden Compass – Philip Pullman



YA need not be simple minded. That’s the message I got from the first book in the Dark Materials series. Lyra is a lovely character, but her dynamic with her daemon, Pantalaimon is where you see the beauty of our duality. This is an amazing intro for this series and I shall probably read both other books this year.




Best Loved Poems - various



To find out what poetry you like, getting a collection is definitely a wonderful option. This collection was a gift from a friend and definitely one I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.





And there you have it, my 10 favorite books I read in 2016. If you want to watch more reviews check out my Goodreads page and Youtube channel because I plan on reviewing everything I read on Goodreads and making several book review videos to further the discussion.

For now, thanks for reading and


Peace, love, and maki rolls

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