The 2016 Reading Challenge's Most-Read Books

Lei wrote: "Barbara wrote: “The LEAST read books would indeed make an interesting list. "

Too many books, like non-English books, wrong-added editions"

Can they not be filtered? Even if not it would still be an interesting list...

Anyway, what is wrong with non-English books? Some of us do read them...

Carrie wrote: "Michael wrote: "Is there a " 2016 Reading Challenge's Most-Read ADULT Books"? seems that this list is half young adult books... which I always immediately disregard."

I agree...I noticed that many..."

There is stuff on that list my 15 year granddaughter would turn her nose up at...

Mark wrote: "I find I rarely have books on the list because I quite often read the "must reads" years later when the hype dies. Many people have read The Book Thief over the years and my 2016 best read goes to ..."

That's exactly what I do too!

Lysergius wrote: "Carrie wrote: "Michael wrote: "Is there a " 2016 Reading Challenge's Most-Read ADULT Books"? seems that this list is half young adult books... which I always immediately disregard."

I agree...I no..."

Reply to Message 53:


No argument there... :)
Not sure if some of the kids that I know would go for these titles either.

However, the results did make me wonder if many of the people participating in the challenge were younger than me (erm...I'm over 21...maybe even over 30...)...and if that's the case, I'm glad that there are many young people who are interested in reading.

boring list....I read girl on the train, didn't think it was worth the hype.

bland list apart from the harry potter series, reflects the average age of the readers?

Barbara wrote: "Lysergius wrote: ""Mostly harmless" is how I would describe this list. There is nothing on it that would challenge a well read twelve year old. Moreover, popularity is no measure of value. What abo..."

agreed!

And that's why you avoid popularity lists like this one.

Kay wrote: "Man, this list is incredibly bland."

Yep. Try Saga of the Seven Suns by Kevin J. Anderson (sci fi), the Graceling trilogy by Cashore(high fantasy), Tripod trilogy by John Christopher (sci fi), The Game by Kathrine Neville (RL setting, no magic, chess and mystery), Night Circus (RL with magic), Mr. Penumbra's 24 hour bookstore (mystery), The Hot Zone (non-fiction horror? Basically a big 'almost' in regards to Ebola written before the recent outbreak), and four juvinille books about an alien teacher by Bruce Coville are some that I enjoyed a lot but rarely see mentioned in these lists. I did really enjoy the Sarah J. Maas Throne of Glass 1-4 and i tend to read 5 when my overdrive hold comes through.

mRose wrote: "the_cat wrote: "Wonder what is the average age of those readers."

I agree. These seem very much 24 and under group. But honestly those over 30 probably doesn't hold much time to keep up with a cha..."

Youn Adult is technically 18+. Unfortunately, despite enjoying the worlds the writing style is often mediocre at best and even if the story has adult relationships or war, glosses over things an under 18 teen might not legally be allowed to do. That written, YA is just the genre that seems to get the most press, so it is one of the easiest groups to find new books in and on top of that appeals to 10-35 year olds - a large group and often the most likely to have time to read.

Bill wrote: "Don't adults read adult books anymore?"

Too many choices and developed tastes for collective favourites to form?

Lysergius wrote: ""Mostly harmless" is how I would describe this list. There is nothing on it that would challenge a well read twelve year old. Moreover, popularity is no measure of value. What about the least read ..."

You are brave or do not meander through libraries much; therr are some bad books that need to be least read. Also - self published and back goodreads entries.

As a teenager I think I was reading biographies of second world war heroes, and then graduated very rapidly to Jack Kerouac and Joseph Heller... There was a clear divide between children's books and adult books... Little Noddy versus Catch 22?

My favourite reads (I can´t decide on just one) were:

Crooked Kingdom
We are the ants
Hamilton: The Revolution
And the band played on
Aristotele and Dante discover the universe

Just four on my list. Two read, two wanted to read!

've read only 1 book from the whole list ... 'When Breath Becomes Air' .. it's OK

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I was surprised to notice I read several of them this year!
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- The girl on the Train
- To Kill a mockingbird
- Me before you

and yesterday I bought The Girls. Maybe Goodreads does have an influence on my decisiones...

Kay wrote: "Man, this list is incredibly bland."

It's an overall list, obviously it's going to be more mainstream.

My five star list for 2016:
Benediction - Kent Haruf
The Lowland - Jhumpa Lahiri
The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien
Ordinary Resurrections - Jonathon Kozol
These Heroic, Happy Days - Luke Mogelson

Shocking the listing are totally Blah! Where are all the Adult books?

Mhh. Most people reads this dumbed-down bestsellers.
Not really the kind of book i would be interested in.
I read mostly hard science fiction, fantasy, mystery and history (biographies and books about history and historical fiction).
And science books for work.
Read several classics this year, but i didnt like any of them.

I have read three of the Harry Potter books listed years ago the only book listed. All time favorite is the Prisoner of Azkaban is my all time favorite!

This year I read a mix of childrens, middle grade, novellas, dystopian, fiction and historical fiction books. I liked some more than others but that had little to do with what category they were in. Come on people, this is a judgement free zone. Let´s just read.

I've read all of the Top Overall Books (not all in 2016 though) and only 3 of the New Release 2016 but the rest have been in my TBR.

I'm 30 and love YA but also love reading "adult" books. Stop being snobs. Everyone has differing tastes, it's not a big deal. Reading is escapism.

Elyse wrote: "I've read all of the Top Overall Books (not all in 2016 though) and only 3 of the New Release 2016 but the rest have been in my TBR.

I'm 30 and love YA but also love reading "adult" books. Stop be..."

^^^^^

Go Harry Potter!!

Michael wrote: "Is there a " 2016 Reading Challenge's Most-Read ADULT Books"? seems that this list is half young adult books... which I always immediately disregard."

EXACTLY! Is YA all anybody reads anymore? :/ Not that I'm ragging on anybody's tastes, it's just there's GOT to be people who still read adult fiction. Right? *Disclaimer: I do love Harry Potter.

Amanda wrote: "Michael wrote: "Is there a " 2016 Reading Challenge's Most-Read ADULT Books"? seems that this list is half young adult books... which I always immediately disregard."

EXACTLY! Is YA all anybody re..."

Just not more than the populous of Goodreads apparently. This list is not *all* that members read. Just most popular of Challenges. No biggie! :)

None of those books were on my list and none of them look interesting to me. I read the first Harry Potter with my son when he was 12, but couldn't get through and of the others. He did enjoy reading all of them. But reading anything is better than reading nothing!! So go for it!!

Ann wrote: "None of those was among the 117 I've read this year. The only one I think I will read is To Kill a Mockingbird, and that interests me most because I saw the film many, many years ago."

PLEASE read Go Set a Watchman after you read To Kill a Mockingbird! I loved this book!

Elyse wrote: "I've read all of the Top Overall Books (not all in 2016 though) and only 3 of the New Release 2016 but the rest have been in my TBR.

I'm 30 and love YA but also love reading "adult" books. Stop be..."

I beg your pardon. Reading is an activity, it broadens the mind, educates and builds sensitivity. As long as you think like that you will continue to read pap.

Dawn McMahon wrote: "But reading anything is better than reading nothing!! So go for it!!"

YES.

Sarah wrote: "My favourite reads (I can´t decide on just one) were:

Crooked Kingdom
We are the ants
Hamilton: The Revolution
And the band played on
Aristotele and Dante discover the universe"

Just finished Crooked Kingdom last night. SO good!!

Dawn McMahon wrote: "None of those books were on my list and none of them look interesting to me. I read the first Harry Potter with my son when he was 12, but couldn't get through and of the others. He did enjoy readi..."

So true, Dawn! Far too few people read any more. I for one, am glad that the selection of young adult books has grown. While I'm not interested in reading them, I remember a time when young people made the leap from children's to adult books without anything that necessarily addressed their age or experiences. For young people I think this is often the period when they stop reading, so if it keeps them interested and reading. That's good.

I think so many of YA are on this list because many "adults" find something to enjoy in them. Variety is the spice of life, folks. I hate romance books but I'd never put any one down if that is what they enjoy.

My top three were Wild Seed by Octavia Butler, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline and Uprooted by Naomi Novik

I only read two of them, one this year and the other long time ago.
My favorites this year are not on this list...
Les Mains du miracle
Le Dernier Lapon
Im Eis
Das Dorf der Wunder
Je suis Pilgrim
The Son

Pamela wrote: "Dawn McMahon wrote: "None of those books were on my list and none of them look interesting to me. I read the first Harry Potter with my son when he was 12, but couldn't get through and of the other..."

I agree. I don't care what you read as long as you read. The snobbery is just a way of making yourself look better/ more cultured/ more educated and who cares? You like books? Me too! Enjoy!

None of these inspired me to read them. I so hate the mainstream crap! Dark Matter was awesome, but it did not make the list. This was the only main steam fiction book I read...too many good books need to be read first.

Aley wrote: "None of these inspired me to read them. I so hate the mainstream crap! Dark Matter was awesome, but it did not make the list. This was the only main steam fiction book I read...too many good books ..."

Dark Matter was really good!

I have absolutely nothing in common with the majority of goodreads readers. hmmm...

Yep confirmed...I don't care

Monica wrote: "I have absolutely nothing in common with the majority of goodreads readers. hmmm...

Yep confirmed...I don't care"

And you shouldn't care! You read for you!

Kay wrote: "Man, this list is incredibly bland."

I know. Most of them are from series. There needs to be more diversity.

Michael wrote: "Is there a " 2016 Reading Challenge's Most-Read ADULT Books"? seems that this list is half young adult books... which I always immediately disregard."

Maybe they think adults just don't have time to read?

Carrie: The only YA titles I care for are the Department 19 series because the vampires are kick ass, not the pitiful emo sparkly blood fairies of the Twatlight Saga, and Frankenstein's monster is actually one of the heroes of the series.

Ženija wrote: "Wow, the Harry Potter series is still going strong! I kind of had a feeling that after the last movie came out, the series would eventually die out. I've been proven severely wrong."

It's probably because Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two came out this year. Everyone was rereading them before they read the new one.

About a third of that first list is on my "abandoned-DNF" shelf. Probably would be the same on the second list except for the Harry Potter books and that I was forced to read Mockingbird in high school.

Clearly my tastes are not the mainstream.
I'm good with that.

I'd be interested in seeing the list of most read non-fiction books. Bet it's 90% celebrity memoirs, though.

Probably right, but might still be interesting for the remaining 10%.

Ženija wrote: "Wow, the Harry Potter series is still going strong! I kind of had a feeling that after the last movie came out, the series would eventually die out. I've been proven severely wrong."

I know!! Isn't it great?!?! Pretty sure it can be counted among the classics now, just saying....

Laura wrote: "Mhh. Most people reads this dumbed-down bestsellers.
Not really the kind of book i would be interested in.
I read mostly hard science fiction, fantasy, mystery and history (biographies and books ab..."


Have you read Saga of the Seven Suns?

Kind of a predictable list. No one is going to add books because they saw this list.

Then again, not sure what I expected - look at the nominations for the Goodreads Awards *yawn*

I read "The Girls" and "The Girl on the Train" this year. Loved "The Girls," but not so much "The Girl on the Train."