10 books you NEED to read in 2016

My first post on my blog dedicated to books, that is actually about books. It's about time, right?

The Princess Bride- William Goldman

I'm biased, because this is my favorite book of all time. If you haven't read it, or seen the absolutely fantastic movie based on this book, I highly reccommend doing both.

I'm sure everyone knows the premise of this story, because almost everyone has seen this movie. But this book takes all of the good things about the movie, and makes them even better. It's witty, there are hilarious comments throughout the book. The character development is fantastic, and the book is even more quotable than the movie. 

Like I said, this is the greatest book, and everyone should read this.

The Wrath and the Dawn- Renee Ahdeih

Everyone knows the story of A Thousand and One Nights, where Shahrzad tells her husband tale after tale, so that she can live to see another dawn. This is that same story, only the Shahrzad in this novel agrees to marry the king so that she can kill him.

Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan, has taken a wife every day, and every night, kills her, causing his city to fear and hate him. It isn't until he kills Shiva, Shahrzad's best friend, that Shahrzad volunteers to be his next bride. But as she learns more about him, she finds it harder to see him as a monster, and begins to fall in love with him.

This is technically a YA novel, but there are no overly young-adult themes. I devoured this book in a matter of hours each time I've read it.

The Princess Diaries- Meg Cabot

This isn't just one book, but a whole series. I'm sure most people have seen the Disney movie loosly based off of the series. I love the movies, don't get me wrong, but these books portray Mia in a more relatable way, and, since they are written as if they were her diary entries, you feel a lot closer to the characters.

Most of you know that Mia Thermopolis is the princess of Genovia, but most of you don't know that, in the original story, her father is still alive, her mother is raising her in New York (Not San Francisco), and that her grandmother is certainly not as loving as Julie Andrews's portrayal. Nevertheless, the series shows Mia as a teenager in the middle of an identity crisis, who still worries about normal teenager stuff, like getting a date, or growing boobs. 

But, really, anything by Meg Cabot is fantastic, so if you're wary of reading this because you enjoy the movies, check out any other her other books!

Cleopatra's Daughter- Michelle Moran

If you are a fan of Historical Fiction, then Michelle Moran is the writer for you. This is my favorite of her books, each time I read it, I cry, and I finish it within a day. 

After Marc Antony is killed by the Romans, and Cleopatra commits suicide, her three children are taken from their home, back to Rome. The two older twins, Alexander and Selene, are the only ones to survive the journey, and are given to Octavian's sister, their father's ex wife, where she is supposed to raise them. However, as the twins get older, they learn that being the orphaned children of Egypt's most renouned leader is more dangerous than they first realize. 

The Lying Game- Sara Shepard

Again, this isn't technically a book, but a series, and this series has also been adapted (but into a TV show that was a little terrible). 

Emma, a teenager living in a foster home in Las Vegas, has always wanted to feel like she belonged somewhere. By a strange stroke of luck, she discovers her long lost twin living in Arizona. After getting in touch with her sister, she is invited to Arizona to live with her, and Emma readily agrees. But, upon her arrival, she learns that her sister, Sutton, has been murdered, and that her sister's murderer is forcing Emma to pretend to be her twin, or he will kill her too.

For fans of YA novels, especially fans of Pretty Little Liars, this series is a great read, and thousands of times better than the TV show

Helen of Troy- Margaret George

I've always said that if I could have dinner with any person, I would want to have dinner with Helen of Troy. This book was a main factor in my fascination with Helen of Troy, who went from a character in a Greek myth, to a more developed main character. 

This book is written as an autobiography, of sorts. It follows Helen's life through adolescence, early adulthood, through the Trojan war, and what she did afterwards. It takes Homer's characters and makes them more detailed. 

It's a bit dense, and will take a while to get through, but it is fantastic, and will make you appreciate the story of the Illiad so much more.

The Heretic Queen- Michelle Moran

I told you, Michelle Moran is a REALLY great author. After Cleopatra's daughter, this book is my favorite. It follows Nefertari, the niece of the Heretic Queen, Nefertiti. Nefertari is regarded as a heretic, just as her aunt was, by everyone, except for the crown prince. His aunt takes Nefertari under her wing, and teaches her how to be a marryable woman, and one that wouldn't be regarded as a heretic. But, though she and the prince are in love, she still struggles with being his second wife, and how she can make more of an impact on Egypt than by just being Nefertiti's niece. 

If you read this and want to learn more about Nefertiti and her role as Queen, I would also reccommend Nefertiti, another book by Michelle Moran

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight- Jennifer E. Smith

This is another YA novel, and the fact that this was written for teens is a little more prevalent. But, this book is every bit as entertaining as the rest of these books.

Hadley is stuck in an airport while she is trying to fly out to her father's wedding. Though most would consider this a big problem, she's 100% okay with it, because she's stranded with a cute boy. She and Oliver are both flying to London, and spend their time in the airport, and their time on the flight, getting to know each other better. But when they land, they are seperated, hoping that fate will reconnect them (hint: it does)

A Discovery of Witches- Deborah Harkness

This is another one of those books that takes a little while to get through. It's about Diana Bishop, scholar and witch, who finds an alchemical manuscript in the library one night. This manuscript is enchanted, and it brings forth all of the magical beings, including Matthew Clairmont, a vampire. When Diana's life is being threatened by vampires and witches alike, Matthew swears to protect her, causing more animosity between the two groups. But, then again, what's a good love story without forbidden love?

Deborah Harkness is a historian, so this book is really detailed and accurate, but very dense. It took me, at least, 150 pages to really get into it. It's a sophisticated Sookie Stackhouse novel (side note; if you haven't read those books, don't. I suggest watching the TV show, True Blood, instead). 

The Rook- Daniel O'Malley

How would you feel if you woke up in a park, surrounded by dead bodies, and couldn't remember anything about yourself? That's exactly what happened to Myfanwy Thomas, who only knows her name thanks to a note in her pocket, written by whoever she was before she lost her memory. Through various letters and instructions left by her former self, she learns that she is a Rook, a part of the British government that deals with supernatural threats, and that she has her own supernatural powers. The kicker? Someone in the Rookery wants her dead, and it's up to her, and help from her former self, to figure out who it is. 

If government conspiracy theories and supernatural characters interest you, trust me, you'll enjoy this one. 

I'm sure that throughout 2016, I'll make more book lists, but I'm always wanting to expand my library, so if anyone has any book suggestions, feel free to leave a comment!