Go Fug Yourself Book Club discussion

The last few weeks have offered up many "best of" lists for 2016. It made me wonder about GFY'ers favorite and least favorite books this year. It doesn't need to be books published this year, just read.

It was hard for me to pick a top 5 "best" because I read so many books I loved -- so that is a good year! With regrettable cuts to the lists, my top and bottom are:

Madness: A Bipolar Life
The Underground Railroad
My Ántonia
My Brilliant Friend (AND the rest of the Neapolitan Series from Ferrante)
Zero K: A Novel
(My also ran is My Name Is Lucy Barton)

Worst
Stealing Buddha's Dinner
This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!
Cut Me Loose: Sin and Salvation After My Ultra-Orthodox Girlhood
The Lake House
American Housewife: Stories

My reviews are here if you are interested in specifics https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

This was harder than I thought it would be! Some of my "best" will probably not make the list on further contemplation, but I thoroughly enjoyed them and they are fresh in my mind.
For the worst, they are not at all horrible, I just expected more from the book and was disappointed.

Best
Homegoing
The Queen of the Night
Human Acts
Morning Star
The Seed Collectors *
Enchanted Islands *

*tied :)

Worst
Fates and Furies
Sweetbitter
Truly Madly Guilty
Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty
Don't You Cry

I've read fewer books this year than my average, so I'm not sure I can come up with 5 of each. Here goes....

Best
All The Light We Cannot See
The Nightingale
Code Name Verity
Yes Please
At the Water's Edge

Worst
The Emperor's Tomb
I Know I Am, But What Are You? (surprisingly not funny, especially since she is so great on her show)
Why Not Me? (her first book was much better)
Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason (complete waste of time)

Gigi wrote: "This was harder than I thought it would be! Some of my "best" will probably not make the list on further contemplation, but I thoroughly enjoyed them and they are fresh in my mind.
For the worst, ..."

I was surprised that I only knew one of the books on your best list (Homegoing, which is on my TBR.) Thanks for giving me lots to check out. Though I had serious issues with both, and neither came close to my best of list, I actually really enjoyed reading 2 of the books on your worst list; Sweetbitter and Fates & Furies. I confess that Tess from Sweetbitter reminded me a lot of myself at 22 so that carried a lot of weight. If I could have excised the endless terrible tortured metaphors I think I would have loved it.

It's a tricky one! I have limited myself to books I have read this year for the first time.
Best:
Station Eleven
A God in Ruins
The Martian
Romancing the Duke (this stands for all of Tessa Dare's books, which have kept me entertained for a couple of weeks)
The Beekeeper's Apprentice

Worst:
Me Before You
How to Build a Girl
Feral Sins
There have been other really bad ones but I can't think of them off the top of my head.

Bonnie wrote: "Gigi wrote: "This was harder than I thought it would be! Some of my "best" will probably not make the list on further contemplation, but I thoroughly enjoyed them and they are fresh in my mind.
Fo..."

I think if I would have read SweetBitter at a different time I wouldn't have minded it. It just didn't resonate after Homegoing and Human Acts. I wonder if I would have liked Fates & Furies better in book form. I listened to it on cd.
Also, I just got American Housewife from the library and am having a hard time engaging.

Brooke wrote: "I've read fewer books this year than my average, so I'm not sure I can come up with 5 of each. Here goes....

Best
All The Light We Cannot See
The Nightingale
Code Name Verity
Yes Please
At the Wat..."

Bummed to hear about Samantha Bee's book, I love her! I agree with Why Not Me? I couldn't get into it like her first book. I have a soft spot for Helen Fielding. Have you read Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination? It is fun like the first Bridget Jones, but has more action.

Alicia wrote: "It's a tricky one! I have limited myself to books I have read this year for the first time.
Best:
Station Eleven
A God in Ruins
The Martian
[book:Roma..."

Loved God In Ruins and the Martian!
I haven't read How to Build A Girl, but do enjoy Caitlin Moran, although I didn't enjoy her first book as much as I thought I would.

Gigi wrote: "I haven't read How to Build A Girl, but do enjoy Caitlin Moran, although I didn't enjoy her first book as much as I thought I would. ..."

I think I just realised that I have a very limited tolerance for her humour. And after about 10 pages I realised that I had read or heard her tell every single one of those jokes on other occasions.

Alicia wrote: "It's a tricky one! I have limited myself to books I have read this year for the first time.
Best:
Station Eleven
A God in Ruins
The Martian
[book:Roma..."

I loved Station Eleven, A God in Ruins, and everything by Tessa Dare too. None of my friends read both "literary fiction" and romance, everyone is either or. Glad to have a team mate!

Gigi wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Gigi wrote: "This was harder than I thought it would be! Some of my "best" will probably not make the list on further contemplation, but I thoroughly enjoyed them and they are fresh ..."

I had a hard time with F&F on audio. I did it on both, listening in the car and reading at home, and I absolutely prefered the print. The language was lush and sexy, and in the audiobook that did not come through. I don't think I minded the reader, but maybe I did.

American Housewife is one of those books that baffle me. The critical praise was pretty unanimous, and I don't see why. There are many books beloved by critics that I don't like, but usually its subject matter or a character with whom I do not connect. With AW I just thought the writing was bad. Her women are caricatures. I have been a woman living in New York and a woman living in Georgia, and nothing rang true. The southern women felt like a hybrid of the women in The Help and Mama's Family. The New York women were like a hybrid of the side characters in Sex and the City (but far less entertaining) and a Sophie Kinsella book. I am still mad at that collection!

Bonnie wrote: "I loved Station Eleven, A God in Ruins, and everything by Tessa Dare too. None of my friends read both "literary fiction" and romance, everyone is either or. Glad to have a team mate!

..."

I read loads of smut! I've been on a Regency romance and steampunk romance bender recently. The state of the world is too depressing - it's nice to sink into a place where everything is a bit pink and fluffy and a woman can be "ruined" by staying under the same roof as a man and 45 servants.

Bonnie wrote: "Gigi wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Gigi wrote: "This was harder than I thought it would be! Some of my "best" will probably not make the list on further contemplation, but I thoroughly enjoyed them and th..."

Yes!! I did not like American Housewife AT ALL. In fact, I don't think I even finished it, which is rare for me, especially in such a short book, but ugh.

And I heart Tessa Dare. I think Any Duchess Will Do is my favorite of hers, but it's so hard to pick.

I am going to have to give some thought to my top and bottom 5. Love seeing everyone else's lists!

Alicia wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "I loved Station Eleven, A God in Ruins, and everything by Tessa Dare too. None of my friends read both "literary fiction" and romance, everyone is either or. Glad to have a team mate..."

Agreed! I actually have a "smut" category on GR. I also have historical and modern romance categories. There is some overlap, but many things fit in just one of those places. Not to get political, but its been a tough week for me, and last Wednesday I immediately reached for the bodice ripper shelf.

Halle wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Gigi wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Gigi wrote: "This was harder than I thought it would be! Some of my "best" will probably not make the list on further contemplation, but I thoroughly enjo..."

Man this is good to hear. I thought I was alone on American Housewife. Looking forward to your list!

I officially need more information on steampunk romance novels. I have been reading a friend of mine's (Carly Phillips) novels lately. Romance is not usually my genre - I'm more of a historical fiction gal. I enjoyed the 4 that I read, but the trope got old fast. So, shaking it up with steampunk sounds fun!

I need some light reading that I don't have to think about!

As for favorites, I haven't read enough this year to have a top 5. More of a 1 and 1. Of the books I've read, I think Eligible was my favorite, with Station Eleven being second. I gave the Nightingale 5 stars, but more because it was such a well written, gut punch book, but I wouldn't consider it a favorite. Too difficult.

As for least favorite... we read Earnest Gaines' A Lesson Before Dying and I did not like it AT ALL. I have read much better books on the topic of race than that.

Gigi wrote: "Brooke wrote: "I've read fewer books this year than my average, so I'm not sure I can come up with 5 of each. Here goes....

Best
All The Light We Cannot See
The Nightingale
Code Name Verity
Yes Pl..."

I haven't read that one yet, but I will add it to my TBR list! Thanks for the recommendation. I'm always looking for light, fun fiction to read while on the treadmill.

Kris wrote: "I officially need more information on steampunk romance novels. I have been reading a friend of mine's (Carly Phillips) novels lately. Romance is not usually my genre - I'm more of a historical fic..."

Firelight and Kiss of Steel are the series I have particularly enjoyed. The first is more Victorian Paranormal and the second is Paranormal/Steampunk.

When I read smut I like it quite smutty, so there isn't a lot of fading to black so... there is that.

Oooh, now I'm interested.

Thanks!!

Kris wrote: "Oooh, now I'm interested.

Thanks!!"

LOL, hooray for smutty smut! I don't usually groove on the paranormal (especially when there are werewolves -- to me its just sex with dogs which is icky), but if you are looking for smut/romance suggestions let me know/ I have thoughts...

Bonnie wrote: "Kris wrote: "Oooh, now I'm interested.

Thanks!!"

LOL, hooray for smutty smut! I don't usually groove on the paranormal (especially when there are werewolves -- to me its just sex with dogs which is icky), but if you are looking for smut/romance suggestions let me know/ I have thoughts... ..."

And now this thread has taken a very interesting turn...

"Think" away!!! LOL!

Bonnie wrote: "LOL, hooray for smutty smut! I don't usually groove on the paranormal (especially when there are werewolves -- to me its just sex with dogs which is icky), but if you are looking for smut/romance suggestions let me know/ I have thoughts...

..."

Yeah, that werewolf smelling a woman's menstruation or lubrication trope is not my favourite thing. I do tend to imagine a cold wet nose in my crotch.

Alicia wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "LOL, hooray for smutty smut! I don't usually groove on the paranormal (especially when there are werewolves -- to me its just sex with dogs which is icky), but if you are looking for..."

LOL! and also EWWWWWWW.

Kris wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Kris wrote: "Oooh, now I'm interested.

Thanks!!"

LOL, hooray for smutty smut! I don't usually groove on the paranormal (especially when there are werewolves -- to me its just sex w..."

Romance favorites (by author):

Shayla Black, how do I love thee, let me count the ways. These books are unadulterated mommy porn, and almost always involve M/M/F situations. (In real life it sounds exhausting, but in print I find it hot, YMMV). My favorite is probably Delicious. On the paranormal side, I actually really love the Doomsday Brethren series. Read this one in order or it gets confusing. The first is Tempt Me with Darkness. I personally hate the "Masters of Menage" series which she co-writes with someone, but that is me.

Most anything by Elizabeth Hoyt, she is awesome. My favorite is probably The Raven Prince or Notorious Pleasures

Most anything from Jo Goodman. A favorite is If His Kiss Is Wicked - Note, this is low on smut.

Tessa Dare! the aforementioned Romancing the Duke is a great start.

Lisa Kleypas has some great and some average books, but the great ones are soooooo good. Worth Any Price is a great lazy weekend read.

Lora Leigh has gotten TERRIBLE but her early books are amazing if you can hang with super domineering men and some BDSM in the fictional realm. The "Elite Ops" and "Tempting Seals" series' (Navy Seals, not barking seals) are super smutty fun. Start with Wild Card.

Maya Banks is often really great if you like romantic suspense. I really liked No Place to Run

Bonnie wrote: "These books are unadulterated mommy porn, and almost always involve M/M/F situations. (In real life it sounds exhausting, but in print I find it hot, YMMV). "

I know what you mean. I don't mind MMF when the Ms are into each other as well. When it is 2 men trying desperately not to touch each other with one woman I am less of a fan.

A Kiss of Lies and the other Disgraced Lords novels I really like, I am reading her Wicked Wagers at the moment and it's... not that great. At all.

The Governess Affair I didn't love but the rest of the series more than makes up for it.

MMF Bisexual Romance: Red Velvet this does what it says on the tin - I tried a couple of her other books and didn't love.

Adele Clee does good stuff - the Brotherhood series is Victorian Paranormal, but the others I've read are straight up historical romance

Sara Ramsey's Muses of Mayfair are fun, and I like Eva Leigh's Wicked Quills of London.

Okay, this was really hard for me to choose, particularly my favorites. I feel like there were so many more I could have chosen! These are my top and bottom 5 for the year:

Favorites:
A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes
March Book One by John Lewis
Anything for You by Kristan Higgins

Honorable Mentions: The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis, Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, and Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

Least Favorite:
How to Be Single by Liz Tuccillo
Binge by Tyler Oakley
Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid
The Last Boy and Girl in the World by Siobhan Vivian
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

I should add that I will stop reading a book that I don't like, so even my least favorites were worth reading all the way to the end!

Fun thread. In December, lots of librarians will count down their favorite books of the year using the hashtag #libfaves16 - watch for it mid-month. My personal favorites read for the first time in 2016 (but published any time):

Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice
Dear Mr. You
Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town
Stiletto
Jane Steele
Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

And the worst:
Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned"
Today Will Be Different
Yes, My Accent Is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven't Told You
Girl Walks into a Bar . . .: Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters, and a Midlife Miracle

Halle wrote: "Okay, this was really hard for me to choose, particularly my favorites. I feel like there were so many more I could have chosen! These are my top and bottom 5 for the year:

Favorites:
A Little Lif..."

I think we have really similar taste based on your other likes, so I just ordered the Kristan Higgins book off Bookmooch. I have never read her -- I hate the covers. I know that is a stupid reason, but what can you do.

Bonnie wrote: I think we have really similar taste based on your other likes, so I just ordered the Kristan Higgins book off Bookmooch. I have never read her -- I hate the covers. I know that is a stupid reason, but what can you do.

I hate the covers, too. She is firmly in the chick lit/romance category, so no one is going to consider these great literature but they ALWAYS make me smile and I love the humor, romance, and quirky characters that populate her books.

Anything for You is the fifth in the Blue Heron series and can totally be read as a stand-alone, but if you end up liking it, you have others to go back and check out. :)

Halle wrote: "Bonnie wrote: I think we have really similar taste based on your other likes, so I just ordered the Kristan Higgins book off Bookmooch. I have never read her -- I hate the covers. I know that is a ..."

I am totally cool with fluff, but sometimes the covers are sooooo bad I just can't. One of my romance faves I mentioned was "If His Kiss is Wicked" Which I would not read in front of anyone because the title was so bad I was embarrassed. I fairly recently read Jami Alden's Delicious which I liked, and yet there was no way I would have taken that cover out of my house. (Seriously, click on that and look -- its horrifying.)

Bonnie wrote: "Halle wrote: "Bonnie wrote: I think we have really similar taste based on your other likes, so I just ordered the Kristan Higgins book off Bookmooch. I have never read her -- I hate the covers. I k..."

I give my kindle credit for unleashing my taste for romance. SO many bad covers that I wouldn't have allowed in my house but in the privacy of my kindle...

I also reckon that 50 Shades of Grey would have been nothing without ebooks.

Alicia wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Halle wrote: "Bonnie wrote: I think we have really similar taste based on your other likes, so I just ordered the Kristan Higgins book off Bookmooch. I have never read her -- I hate ..."

I never thought about that. Excellent point!

Best:
"The Underground Railroad"
My Brilliant Friend
Transatlantic (read translated version, not original)
The Secret Keeper
Savage Season (Hap and Leonard #1)
Human Croquet

Worst:
The second book in the Neapolitan Series. Couldn't finish it.
The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street
No Angle (Spoils of Time series)
The Magicians
The Yacoubian Building

Thanks to you guys, I went to the library to pick up The Miniaturist for our December discussion, and scrolled through your romance recommendations while I was there. They didn't have many of your recs, but I picked of Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas, and it is right up my alley! Read 2/3 of it last night!

Best: 1. Claire de Witt and the Bohemian Highway
2. My Name is Lucy Barton
3. A Man Called Ove
4. A God In Ruins
5. The Regional Office is Under Attack
Worst: 1. FUP (couldn't finish)
2. A Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott of all people. Couldn't finish.
That's all for Worst.

Kris wrote: "Thanks to you guys, I went to the library to pick up The Miniaturist for our December discussion, and scrolled through your romance recommendations while I was there. They didn't have many of your ..."

Kleypas is usually really fun. I have read some mediocre stuff from her, but most has been good, and she will keep you busy - the woman makes Stephen King look like a slacker with her output.

Naama wrote: "Best:
"The Underground Railroad"
My Brilliant Friend
Transatlantic (read translated version, not original)
The Secret Keeper
Savage Season (Hap and Leonard #1)
Human Croquet

Worst:
The second bo..."

Was Transatlantic written in another language? I had no idea!

Bonnie wrote: "Was Transatlantic written in another language? I had no idea! "

Sorry, no - i think it was written in English. What i meant was that I myself read it in a translated version - i read the Hebrew translation. I try to read books that were originally in English in their original, but sometimes it's easier to read them in my own language,

Naama wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Was Transatlantic written in another language? I had no idea! "

Sorry, no - i think it was written in English. What i meant was that I myself read it in a translated version - i rea..."

Ah, dumb of me to assume English was your first language! Sorry about that.

Favorites:
Life After Life
The Secret History
The Goldfinch
The Trespasser
Under The Influence

Least Favorites:
Fates and Furies
The Girls
Tampa
No One Knows
The Lake House

Ellery wrote: "Favorites:
Life After Life
The Secret History
The Goldfinch
The Trespasser
Under The Influence

Least Favorites:
Fates and Furies
The Girls
Tampa
No One Knows
The Lake House"

Good to see someone else with The Lake House on the naughty list. The reviews are off the charts and I don't get it at all. I did like F&F (with reservations) but otherwise for the books we both read we are on the same page. (Isn't Donna Tartt amazing?!) I am going to add Under the Influence to my TBR--thanks for the suggestion!

Bonnie wrote: "Ellery wrote: "Favorites:
Life After Life
The Secret History
The Goldfinch
The Trespasser
Under The Influence

Least Favorites:
Fates and Furies
The Girls
Tampa
No One Knows
The Lake House"

Good t..."

I liked some of Kate Morton's previous work, but didn't think The Lake House was up to her usual standards.

Under the Influence, by Joyce Maynard, is different from my other faves. I think it's well worth reading, but it earned favorite status because I really, really liked the ending. It resonated with me personally because of where I was in my life when I read it. So you might feel differently about it.

And yes, Donna Tartt is absolutely amazing.

Bonnie wrote: "The last few weeks have offered up many "best of" lists for 2016. It made me wonder about GFY'ers favorite and least favorite books this year. It doesn't need to be books published this year, just ..."


So I did this too early, because I have a new favorite, I think my number 1 for the year. When Breath Becomes Air. Life changing. Seriously.

Bonnie wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "The last few weeks have offered up many "best of" lists for 2016. It made me wonder about GFY'ers favorite and least favorite books this year. It doesn't need to be books published t..."
It is an amazing book!

Probably my favorite book this year would have to be The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti. In fact I'd like to nominate it as a future group read. I can't recommend it enough to those who enjoy historical fiction, a little adventure, and characters who are richly expressed, flaws and all. It feels a bit Robert Louis Stephenson-ish in all the best ways.

Another book worth reading: Rise by Cara Brookins. It's the memoir of a woman and her family who are finding the courage to change their lives after years of fear and domestic violence. Really well done.

For those who like to read middle grade fiction, Flexible Wings by Veda Stamps is a good choice.

Other favorites include The Known World, The Zahir, and Everything You Want Me to Be - which ranks near the top of my favorites list

Joanie wrote: "Probably my favorite book this year would have to be The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti. In fact I'd like to nominate it as a future group read. I can't recommend it enough to those who enjoy historica..."

I will make sure The Good Thief is on the April read poll. Thanks Joanie!

Yay! It's such a wonderful book and I truly believe it is one many will enjoy

My husband and I are enjoying the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch this year. Two thumbs up.

Also on my favorites of 2016 list are Rook and Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley.

To be perfectly honest, my favorite book I read this year was The Run of His Life, Jeffrey Toobin's book about the OJ Simpson trial. I read it after reading in January that two OJ projects were coming to tv, the FX series and the 30 for 30 documentary (both, by the way, were truly excellent). The book was so fascinating and really helped me understand the larger context around the trial--something that as a fifth grader during the original trial, I was pretty ignorant of. The book was fast paced, smart and the themes of the trial--race and policing, gender and working women, celebrity and media--are all sadly just as relevant and unresolved in 2016 as they were in 1994-95.

Other favorites this year included Colson Whitehead's Underground Railroad and Curtis Sittenfeld's Eligible. I just raced through Batavia's Graveyard, which proved that truth is stranger than fiction, and quite liked that too.

Least favorite was Fates and Furies. I was so bummed, I had really been looking forward to it. It's not just that I loathed the characters (and I don't have to love the characters to like the book--see Martin Amis' Zone of Interest) it's that they didn't' seem at all like real people. Their motivations and experiences were not connected to any human being I've ever encountered in the wild. Yet it never rose to the level of a kind of fanciful magical realist quality (which I think the author was trying for, just not successfully), which would maybe excuse the "unrealness" of it all.

Was not a great reading year for me... might have read more samples than full books! But my top 5 were excellent:

Favs:
Landfalls (Williams)
Gentleman in Moscow (Towles)
Neverwhere (Gaiman)
Wolf by Wolf (Graudin)
Regional office is under attack (Gonzalez) - not finished yet

Meh (because I tend to abandon books I don't like ;)):
Career of evil (Galbraith/Rowling)
Stilleto (O Mailey) - and LOVED the Rook
Harry Potter and Cursed Child (Rowling)
Ready Player One (Cline)