Last week, the Top Ten Tuesday topic discussed best 2016 releases so far. I haven’t read a whole lot of 2016 releases – release date often isn’t my priority – so I skipped posting. This week is a freebie, though, and I thought I’d highlight those chosen few books (less than ten!) that have definitely so far risen to the top of my 2016 reads. In order of when I read them:
1. Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson – I doubt this comes as a surprise to anyone, considering how much I raved about this book. What may come as a shock is that after listening to the near 50-hour audiobook, I listened to it a further five times. That’s right. I spent 300 hours on this audiobook in January and February. And there’s a good chance I may listen to it a few more times before the year is out. Third book of the year will most likely take my number one spot this year. I can’t believe I waited so many years to dive into this one!
2. The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin – I spent most of the first quarter of the year reading and listening to rereads, and I’m not counting any rereads among today’s best-of-2016. I started coming out of reread and multi-read mode right around when I dived into this book, which was so carefully crafted that I fell instantly in love. My only regret is that I swept through it so quickly. I wish I’d taken more time to let it linger, because I’m worried I’ll forget it in time.
3. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater – I have been dying to get my hands on this book for a very, very long time now. It was my most anticipated release of 2016 and it didn’t disappoint. I sped through the book the day after Readathon, despite my stinging eyes and lack of sleep, and as soon as the audio version was released, listened to it two or three times before moving on to something new. I know that like the rest of the series, I will go back and revisit this one many times to come.
4 & 5. The Sin Eater’s Daughter and The Sleeping Prince by Melinda Salisbury – It’s hard for me to separate these books, as I listened to them almost one after another, each twice. This is definitely my new favorite series discovery of the year, and I’m so happy that Sync YA gave a copy of the first book during one of the early summer weeks. It’s exactly what I needed and I can’t wait for the third book to release!
Interesting to note: Every single one of these books were audiobooks, at least at some point. The Raven King is a mild exception as I had no choice but to read it in print first (print came out a few days before the audio). However, I then listened to the audio several times, and I sort of think of this series as an audio series for me anyway. The audiobooks are really killing it in my books this year!
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
The Zen Leaf 
I have listened to a lot of great audios this year, too! It has turned into a really good year for them!
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I love audio-years!
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Was forgetting The Forgetting Time in time a play on words? 😉 It does seem like you like to listen to books more than once, so I say give it another go so you don’t lose the thread of it!
Also, 300 hours on one book had my jaw dropping. I just don’t think I could do that, but I’m glad you know (and do) what you like!
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Oh, AND: I’ve never read The Raven Cycle in print, but I don’t think I’d have enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed Will Patton’s audio. I have to agree on it being a total audio series for me, too.
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Ha! I didn’t mean that as a play on words at all, but I’m grinning stupidly that it came out that way. 😀
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interesting side note: One of my favorite books in high school/college was The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers. Every time i see someone mention The Sin Eater’s Daughter, I think for the briefest moment that they are talking about that book lol. 🙂 My TTT
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Now I want to go look up The Last Sin Eater!
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haha!
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Looks like you’ve read some really good reads so far this year!!
Here’s a link to my TTT post for this week:
http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2016/06/top-ten-tuesday-freebie-week-things-i.html
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The year of the audio-book? Sounds like some fun “reading.” I’ve a plane trip to Chicago coming up and just may finally get around to an audio book this year.
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Hey I totally count audio as reading!
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I need to try Brandon Sanderson – I feel like I’ve been missing out!
Check out my TTT.
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Please do!
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The Raven King is one of my favourite books of 2016 too!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/28/top-ten-tuesday-63/
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It just finally listened to The Raven Boys, which I got for free from Sync several years ago. I got The Sin Eater’s Daughter this year.
My TTT
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Hope you like it!
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